+rstettne Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Well, got my new Garmin Etrex Vista tonight, my wife and I are heading the north to the GA mountains for the weekend. We're excited and worried at the same time. Worried is not the right word, but we have never done this before and we're not sure what to expect. I am sure we will have fun (and get some excercise at the same time). I packed my pack, I think I put too much stuff in it, better safe than sorry I suppose. I will be going to get some trade items tomorrow assuming that we actually find a cache somewhere to leave them. Maybe we'll try for the Tallulah river gorge cache first. naw, we will save that one for later. Wish us luck and if you have parting words of wisdom, I am all ears (eyes). You all have been a great help so far, we will let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment
+luvmybostonterrier Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Have fun and good luck! I wish I was camping this weekend instead of waiting for the plumber... Quote Link to comment
+Thot Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 (edited) Try to stick with regular caches in the beginning if you can. Micros are hard for everyone especially beginners – even when they say one star. The upper right corner of the cache description page tells you the type. Try to stay with the easy to find regulars caches. I’d try finding caches in this order until you get some experience: 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 (1/4 if you’re athletic), then 2/1, 2/2, etc. Decrypt and print out the hints for the first 5-10 you try. Believe your GPSr, but don’t be slaved to it. When you get within 20-30 feet (maybe a little more) start looking around for where it might be hidden. At first many people either depend too much on the GPSr, or don’t trust it enough. Either is a mistake. Try different GPSr displays until you find the one(s) that work best for you. If you’re going into uncertain territory capture a waypoint at your car when you leave it. Create another waypoint if you leave a trail to go into a densely wooded area, so you can find your way back out. You will get so preoccupied wandering around looking for the cache you may get completely disorientated/lost. Have fun and give us a report. Edit: Oh, yes. Be sure to take your GPSr manual in the car. Edited October 1, 2004 by Thot Quote Link to comment
+Robespierre Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 If you're in Georgia...look for red dirt. Are the pecans ripe yet? Look for pecans...and...and fig preserves on buttermilk biscuits...yeah, those are the things I remember from Aunt Cordie's in Georgia when I was a kid. Quote Link to comment
+tirediron Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Good luck and welcome to the addiction! Quote Link to comment
+Boot Group Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Even though it was already mentioned in this thread we also suggest that you read your manual to learn how to waypoint your car. For our GPS, we just have to hold down the "goto" button for a few seconds to waypoint the car. That way, if we are ever feeling lost, we can find our car. Even if we aren't feeling lost, we've sometimes changed our current "goto" while in the woods to the vehicle to see how much further we have to go until we get back to the parking area. In addition to seeking 1/1, 1/2... caches, it's also sometimes more productive to look for caches that have posted parking coordinates. Sometimes your GPS brings you to a road closest to the cache rather than a good trail head. So, look to see if the cache description includes parking coordinates. Have fun and Happy Trails. Quote Link to comment
+rstettne Posted October 1, 2004 Author Share Posted October 1, 2004 Manual? I don't need no stinking manual! I will always have my manual close to me, there are more than 2 buttons to push and I get confused easily. Thanks for all the input folks, I am sure we will do fine. I think while the Mrs. is working tomorrow I will try a couple of nearby benchmarks for practice. Quote Link to comment
+B&K Whiting Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Another addict!! Sounds like us when we first started. Just remember above all else, HAVE FUN!!!! Quote Link to comment
+rstettne Posted October 1, 2004 Author Share Posted October 1, 2004 Yes, another is born. Found my first cache this morning, "The Rich Cache". Can't wait to get to the mountains later today! Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 (edited) Waypointing your car or starting location is always a good idea. Since you have the Vista, always, always, always calibrate your compass after every battery change-out. (do it now if you haven't) Learn how to use your backtrack feature BEFORE heading out. Save off your street route tracking if you want to, but clean out the log from time to time. You don't want to run out of tracklog memory on the trail. Look up from your GPS from time to time. Don't walk into trees or off cliffs. (It happens!) Trails twist and turn. If you think you need to start bushwhacking, go further down the trail to see if it turns back towards the cache. It's a tad embarrassing to go deepwoods only to find the trail again. Lastly, have fun Edit: oh yeah, bring plenty of water (obviously) and a cellphone. PSS: trade even, trade up or don't trade at all Edited October 1, 2004 by Elf Danach Quote Link to comment
+Pyewacket Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Yes, another is born. Found my first cache this morning, "The Rich Cache". Can't wait to get to the mountains later today! Wahooo! Congratulations on your first find! I wonder...do you have any idea the obsession about to set in? You'll soon pass a particular spot, thinking, "Hmmm...that would be a good place for a hide...". Don't be surprised if you panic every time you leave the house without your GPSr. Welcome to the addiction! Quote Link to comment
+AuntieWeasel Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Waypointing you car or starting location is always a good idea. It certainly is. This must be why I always forget to do it. I've learned you can make a waypoint after the fact (on the Legend, anyhow), by panning to the desired point in the track window and making a waypoint at the cursor location. I really needed to know where the car was that day! Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Don't be surprised if you panic every time you leave the house without your GPSr. Yikes. Been there, still there. Get an auto-route and you'll calulate your way home from work. Quote Link to comment
+KYHilltopper Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Two or three others have said and I will say it again, Waypoint the car!! Nothing is more frustrating than being lost in the woods with a GPS that is all but worthless without a go-to point. been there, done that..... KyHilltopper || Clint Quote Link to comment
+Tread-n-Lightly Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Don't be surprised if you panic every time you leave the house without your GPSr. Yikes. Been there, still there. Get an auto-route and you'll calulate your way home from work. Aint that the truth! I find myself creating routes everywhere I go! Even to Wally-World! P.S. WAYPOINT YOUR CAR!!! W5TTX Quote Link to comment
+smashse Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Trails twist and turn. If you think you need to start bushwhacking, go further down the trail to see if it turns back towards the cache. It's a tad embarrassing to go deepwoods only to find the trail again. I had the embarassing experience of trying to go "straight" to a cache and got stuck in a boggy marsh. I can attest that sometimes not heading straight for it gets you there quicker than trying to think you can make it. once I got to the other side, I found I would have needed a machete to make it. Had to turn back, and being covered in mud up past my knees I had to call it for the day. Going around on my next attempt at it, was rather easy. <--- can't wait until it freezes over and I can go straight --SmashSE Quote Link to comment
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