I'm New And Would Like To Know More

[Skitty]

I'm probably never going to go looking for caches in my life but I'm really interested. None of my family are "outdoor people" at all. None of them would go the 300 feet to let me find the nearest one. Plus I'm only 12.

 

I was wondering just what it was like the first few times you went looking for caches and all the stuff you were using. Even if I can't go myself I'd still like to imagine what it'd be like!

 

Thanks!

[+SBPhishy]

Try to save up for a used eTrex or something. Maybe ask for one for your birthday. You can find one that will work great for caching for 50 bucks pretty easily. If there are any in your neighborhood, (search on the website) you could always ride your bike! Maybe even tell your teacher about it, they could be interested and maybe make a field trip out of it for the class.

Just because your family isnt outdoorsy, doesnt mean you cant be! (even if you are only 12)

 

Caching is a lot of fun. It brings you to places you have never been, and it's great to find a cache, especially your first one.

I was so excited when I found my first cache, I couldnt believe that the GPS could actually bring me to something like that.

 

I have a SporTrak Map, (which is getting fixed) and a Meridian Gold. I like them both a lot, but you can cache with a MUCH cheaper GPS. caching is really as fun as it looks and sounds from reading all this, probably more... If you can find a way to find some caches, (do you have an older brother?) You should definitely go! It's definitely worth it! Good luck!

 

p.s. you seem pretty articulate for a 12 year old!

[+rusty_tlc]

Ever thought about joining the Boy Scouts?

[+JMBella]

Your family won't let you go 300 feet from the house? Sorry to here that. The first few caches I found I couldn't believe it was actually there. That someone actually went out and hid this thing, in some case 2 or 3 years ago and it's still there. It's quite a rush finding your first couple of caches. I hope you can convince someone to let you get out there and find a few. Maybe you should tell one of your teachers. They might be interested in geocaching from an educational point of view and take the class out on a field trip. Good Luck.

Edited February 3, 2004 by JMBella

[+JMBella]

Maybe even tell your teacher about it, they could be interested and maybe make a field trip out of it for the class.

 

Woh. That's freaky Phish!

[+briansnat]

Something about your post doesn't ring true with me. But in case my antennas are off, try to join an outdoors group. As Rusty says, the Boy Scouts may be an option, or your school may have an outdoors club of some sort. It would be a sad life indeed if you aren't able to get outdoors. Now, to get off my podium and answer your question (assuming you're being earnest):

 

When I first heard about geocaching, I ordered a GPS. When it arrived, I went to this website and noticed that there was a cache listed within a mile of my house. Not knowing how to use my GPS, I printed the cache page and started driving towards the coordinates. I enlisted my (then 11 year old) daughter to come along. I watched the coordinates on the screen and when the numbers started going in the wrong direction I turned. We soon found ourselves in a rugged, local county park. We got out of the car and I kept trying to match the coordinates. After an hour of bushwacking directly up a rocky hilll, my daughter started to get frustrated, but I pressed on. A few steps this way, a few that way and soon I was near the posted coordinates. We eventually found the cache in a very pretty rock formation. We signed the log, traded some items. If I recall correctly I left a flashlight and my daughter put in an acorn and we took a military patch from the 42nd (Rainbow) Division.

Edited February 4, 2004 by briansnat

[+Imajika]

Sorry you can't find any friends or family to go looking for caches with you. Like someone else mentioned, maybe ask for an Etrex yellow for your birthday. Then just ask your family to go with you to ONE cache. Maybe they will start to like it. Not all caches are way out in the middle of nowhere. There are a ton in urban areas. So your family wouldn't have to go for 20 mile hikes for every cache.

 

A little about my first cache:

 

I bought my Legend and decided I HAD to go find a cache that day. I picked one close to my house. I parked a little far away so I had to walk across a large field but I didn't mind. I got to the cache site and started looking around. I walked around in circles staring at my GPS..wondering why I was having a problem. I was about to give up but I decided to look one more time. I looked a little harder and I FOUND IT! I was so excited to find a green ammo box tucked by a tree! I just had a feeling of "YAHOO! SUCCESS!" I signed the log, left my trade items and ran back to my car. I knew at that point, I was addicted!

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

briansnat my tanners are up too............

But I think you have very proper grammatical form for a 12 year old,and all punctuation is correct.

I commend you on that.

 

I too would try to find a local outdoor club or group of friends that share your Intrests.Maybe together with a little team work you could get your parents to get you a GPS,tell them it will keep you out of trouble and give you something possitive to do with your time.

 

Keep us posted until then Happy...............................Geotrails

 

Oh yea........

 

My first cache was a blast,I looked and looked and looked..........and when I was about ready to give up there it was just looking right at me from under the log.

Edited February 4, 2004 by GEO*Trailblazer 1

[+Spoo]

I have been using a GPS for years and Hiking or Snowshoeing since I can remember. I finally decided to combine the two and go Geocache searching. I started on January 1, 2004 with a cache close to home and close to the road. It was so much fun I tryed another, harder one that very afternoon.

Since then, I have made 7 hunts and 6 finds. (Yes, got skunked once) But I enjoy the outdoors and the new places to see that people are leading me to by Geocaching. The 'pot' at the end of the rainbow is fun and exciting but getting out and hiking and 'gawking' is the real experience.

[+quills]

my first hunt was and easy one 1/1. when i got to the general area i wasn't quite sure how to use the gps to find the cache. i thought the name of the cache would point me in the right direction. after walking around in circles fo a while i stopped and looked at my gps. then i noticed the distance and heading. after that i basically walked to the cache in about 10 minutes and i was hooked. i took my little brother and sister out on a more challenging one later that day and they were hooked also.

[+ohgr]

Hey Skitty,

 

Boy/Girl Scouts would be a good place to start if you like to get outdoors.

 

Our first few caches were done without the help of a GPS, We used maps, and aerial photos that you can find for free online to help guide us. There are a lot of caches here that can be found using free tools and costing no money. I would try this approach first and see how you like it. Then maybe later you could look into getting a GPS.

 

Good Luck!

 

Ohgr

[+Mr.Benchmark]

I certainly hope you get to go geocaching sometime soon - it is a great deal of fun.

 

I'd had a GPSr for a long time before I discovered geocaching. I really just stumbled across this site while reading up on technical information on my new GPSr. I guess what appealed to me (and still does) is the idea that there are secret things that exist right under most peoples noses, and most of them have no idea they are there.

 

The very first cache I ever found was a multi-stage cache. The first stage had coordinates to the second stage - they were painted on the side of a parking curb. They were in plain sight if you ever bothered to look there - but you had to know what that string of numbers meant, and how to use them. I was hooked! The second stage was in a park 2.4 miles from my house that'd I'd never visited and had no idea that it even existed. (I used to work less than 1 mile from this park, too!)

 

So I found myself playing a game for people who are sneaky - how can you not love that?

 

You might be surprised about your parents. I am very possibly the least outdoorsy person I know, and I've really come to enjoy this game!

[+SBPhishy]

Woh. That's freaky Phish!

 

Thats funny. As i was reading your first post I was thinking, "what, this guy doesnt even read the posts? he is copying everything i said!"

 

Briansnat, thats funny about following the numbers. I actually read the manual first! I had a review to go to for finals and my college, and I sat in the review with my manual in my notebook, and read it while the T.A.'s gave the review! I was like a nerd-cheater or something...

[+crzycrzy]

My first caches were with my friend 'Tuner'.

He introduced me to it and explained the concept/general rules.

I had so much fun I got my own GPS.

Now it's just about all I do.

I have had so much fun.

[4x4luv]

like someone said earlier check with your local boy scouts.

I work with a scout group and that is how I got involved.

I am 42 and just learning about this

[+Team Shibby]

Its sad to say that things today are very different then when I was 12. What I mean is that when I was 12 years old I could easily ride my bike all over for miles and miles without fear of anything except getting hit by a car. I wish geocaching had been around then, maybe I would'nt have spent so much time exploring abandoned buildings and fishing down at the river!! LOL

 

Take the advice given to you and look into your local Boy/Girl Scouts of America troop. It will prepare you for more than just the great outdoors, it will teach you lifelong skills you will use over and over for the rest of your life. Scouts Motto: Be Prepared!!

 

As for our first cache hunt, I will never forget it. I had purchased a floor model unit from a local Best Buy store and we headed home and looked up our zip code to find the nearest cache to home. After punching it the coords we noticed it would be taking us to a local park that we had practically grown up in. It was snowing and raining and we searched and searched. We did not have the hint with us, so we jumped back in the car and headed back home to get it. We were back in the park within an hour and found the cache in short order. We were instantly hooked. We may not get out as much as we would like, but when we do, we always have fun :-)

 

Good Luck getting out there and don't give up!

 

Kar of TS!

Edited February 5, 2004 by Team Shibby

[+Melrose Plant]

Briansnat, thats funny about following the numbers.  I actually read the manual first!

 

I might've done the same thing myself if my first (and only) unit wasn't a Geko. The numbers are WAY too small to be doing that in the car. We saw some GPSrs on sale at Target, but by the time we got there, all that was left in stock was the Geko 101. And truthfully, for $80 brand new, I can't complain except for the small screen. It only bothers me in the car. Plus I have to input my coordinates manually.

 

But I think you have very proper grammatical form for a 12 year old,and all punctuation is correct.

I commend you on that.

 

Me too. It seems like it wasn't so long ago when such a thing would warrant no commendation, because it was just normal and expected.

 

And now, to answer the original question: My first experience didn't involve a GPSr. Or I should say my first attempted experience. I tried to find the cache the old fashioned way and failed. It might have helped if I had been using a map that was charted in the same datum as this website, but I didn't know about such things then. I was on the wrong side of the lake as it turned out. We discovered this a couple weeks later when we purchased the aforementioned Geko and tried again.

 

It's probably a good thing that I have other responsibilities, or I would be wasting my life away finding these silly things constantly. As it is, I do this more than some other family members might like.