my first virtual/multistage cache

[Shel]

I've been working on a story on the visiting the Oregon Trail in southestern Idaho for work, and I really want to turn some of the places I've found into caches. I'd rather do a traditional cache, but having just had my first plundered/stolen/removed cache last week, I'm being a little gun-shy -- and maybe a traditional cache wouldn't be as good an idea in a historical area. Anyway, I'm still thinking on that.

 

My question is, how do I get folks to navigate from one point to the other?

 

I've never done a multi-stage (we don't have any here in eastern ID), so I have no examples to go by. The trail points I'm considering are miles apart, even a couple hours driving in some instances.

 

Maybe I should do a series of related caches across the state instead?

 

What do folks think about virtual vs traditional caches in this situation? I like to do place caches where finders can learn something as well, so my descriptions for each point would have a little bit of the history in the cache decription, or maybe it should be in the cache itself if I go traditional?

 

(Are you guys sensing my confusion here yet?)

 

Any tips, guidance, opinions, comments, suggestions -- everything is welcome!

 

(and my apologies in advance to Markwell if we have 17 threads on this already -- i didn't even know where to begin looking ... although, at least I HAVE found the search button on the forums

[+idahoflyer]

If your locations have any kind of marker or information center you could use a decoding system from that to determine the next coords, and as far as virtual vs. traditional I like them both just as well providing there is a new adventure!

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

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Originally posted by Shel:

My question is, how do I get folks to navigate from one point to the other?

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There's an example of one type of decoding system in the opening of my Grandmother's House cache. (Scroll down to just past the three asterisks.)

[+Markwell]

Here are two multi caches that I did

 

Virtual:

Winds of Fury, Illinois F5

 

Real Cache at the end:

Quasimodo’s Quadary

 

I like the idea of a real cache at the end - makes the trip more worth it. Sure they're going to learn stuff from the spots you take them, but to keep the kiddies happy, they wat those cool happy meal toys.

 

If you can find any type of marker that includes numbers at the points of interest (count the stairs, a number on a sign) you could incorporate that into the coordinates for the next stage.

 

Beware of natural objects (how many stepping stones, count the trees in the circle) because those vary more over time than man-made objects like stairs or signage.

 

If there's going to be major driving (more than 15-20 miles) make sure you warn people ahead of time. Don't want to get them all honked off if they thought this would be a fifteen minute cache. Nothing can be more frustrating than telling your spouse, "Are you sure you read the instructions properly? I plugged in the numbers and the GPS says its 24 miles from here."

 

One last tip on setting up a multi-stage cache: you need to create them backwards. Go to your final spot first and take the coordinates. Then go to the spot you want them to hit previously. If there's a significant "4" in the coordinates for the last spot, look for 4 of something (or 5 or 6, whatever). Once you have the information and how to plug it in to the formula for the coordinates for this stage, work the next step backward.

 

Markwell

My Geocaching Page

[Shel]

The links to your caches were great, Markwell -- I'm not much of a puzzle solver, so seeing how what's at the site could be used to generate coords for the next spot was very helpful.

 

I am leaning toward doing a traditional cache rather than a virtual (I found some reasonably priced indian head pennies and buffalo nickels on ebay to leave as cache prizes). I am also leaning toward doing a series of caches rather than one multicache. I think SE Idaho cachers (all five of us) would be a bit intimidated by spending all day in the car, and that's what it would take to hit all these spots. And with several caches, I can put out each one as I get it ready