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Doing the "Have to GO" dance...


cleahy

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I know I must look like a kid that has to go to the bathroom right now. After hearing about Geocaching a few times in the news, I finally made it to Geocaching.com about a month ago. Since then I've been researching GPSr's and trying to find the proper combination of features/price.

 

I finally found a Garmin Deluxe GPS V on Amazon for $395 with a $75 rebate, and that got me to order. I've spent the last five days packing an old army courier bag with Geocaching supplies (mostly on recomendations here in the "What's in your backpack" thread) and today my GPS is supposed to arrive. I'm off on vacation next week, so I get to spend this week after work learning how to use it, and next week finding caches in the Louisville area.

 

In any event, I want the work day to end so bad I can't stand it, so I can go home and start learning about my new toy. I feel like a kid waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive...

 

DrMemory

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DrMemory-

 

Welcome to our insanity... Um, I mean, Sport!

 

Here are a few things that may help you before you go out on your first cache hunt...

 

1. Check to make sure your GPS is set up to the WGS84 datum (this is what www.geocaching.com uses). Your GPSr instruction manual should talk about datums.

 

2. Check to make sure your gps is set to

dd°mm.mmm (this is also how www.geocaching.com displays the coordinates.

For example, 40°35.201) Again, your manual should talk about this. GPSr's can display the coordinates in many different ways. So, 40°35.201 is not the same location as 40°35'20" (ddmmss)

 

3. Always bring water on your hikes! You will be suprised that sometimes a simple hike may turn out to be a difficult hike, so always be prepared. I myself am guilty of not taking water on all my hikes and have regretted it many times.

 

4. Put extra tradable cache items in your pack before you leave. That way, you can put more than one item into a cache. I find it more fun to put something in and not taking anything out. That way, the next person who finds the cache has a better selection and may return the favor.

 

5. Most important, have fun! This is a great hobby/sport. Warning: Once you find your first cache, you will be hooked. There is no going back. Therapy is expensive...

 

Cache on!

 

Bradtal

 

Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now.

 

[This message was edited by bradtal on May 19, 2003 at 01:21 PM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by bradtal:

3. Always bring water on your hikes! You will be suprised that sometimes a simple hike may turn out to be a difficult hike, so always be prepared. I myself am guilty of not taking water on all my hikes and have regretted it many times.

 


 

can't really stress how important that is! i went on a 1/2 mile(round trip) hike that was suppose to be easy terrain, well 2 1/2 hours later & a huge elevation change, the sun came out & rose the humidity to almost 90% with no water i'll never do that again! also, it wasn't the first time but it was the worst.

 

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Click to subscribe to ozmtngeocachers

if you cache it, they will come.

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Please read the fine print in the Geocaching guidelines stating:

When the "new" geocacher goes for the first find, that new geocacher MUST put in $100.00 to the first cache that he/she finds.

There is NO exception to ...

Your lookin at me funny. What'd I say?? icon_wink.gificon_rolleyes.gif

 

Buy Fugi

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icon_smile.gif Welcome to the sport. It is great fun and you will learn a lot from these boards. I am still buying stuff from suggestions from the boards and it is great fun. I currently have my step-father and brother looking to buy a GPSr. icon_biggrin.gif I have had nothing but a great time.

 

texasgeocaching_sm.gif

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Go to the store for more gear? Possibly, you never know until you do it... Still, I'm fairly well equipped, I've been a camper/hiker, I've read about three threads about what to carry, and these aren't country caches...

 

I'm going to SMTC's Iroquois spots first. When I was in High School, I worked there cutting grass, picking up trash, etc., so I know the park fairly well.

 

I wish I had time to go NOW, I've been playing with my new Gps V since yesterday evening, and I WANNA GO!!

 

dadgum job.

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Lots of things to do while you're stuck at work:

 

- get the online manual and print/read it.

http://www.garmin.com/products/gps5/

 

- make sure you download and know how to use EasyGPS. And then make sure you download cache waypoints near your vacation destination and upload them to your unit - no need to manually enter them.

 

- print out cache sheets for your vacation caches. Also, print maps/topos/aerials of surrounding area, so you know where to park and how to enter the parks.

 

- steal office supplies to leave as trade items! "took golf tee, left hole punch" - haha.

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Welcome to the game/sport. You will definately have a lot of fun, but like everyone else stated, it is addictive!!

 

Say $395 with a $75 rebate is a most excellent deal. I picked up the V a few months ago and paid $474 on sale from Best Buy. (I could have gotten it cheaper online, but I am one of those instant gratification people icon_frown.gif )

 

Good Luck!! icon_smile.gif

 

TEAM SHIBBY!!!!

 

Krs, Kar & Na

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