Any Ideas For My First Cache Make?

[Voncachstein]

Hey guys, I'm a relatively new cacher- been going less than a month and i have 16 finds. I have decided to make a cache in my area and i want to make it as challenging as possible but still have people find it..occasionally, I'm thinking i want to make a multi-cache that goes throughout my town. My town isn't very big and each part would be probably less than a mile from the first, and mostly drivable. I want to include several different methods for each part,(ex. Tag with coords, puzzle, pictures, monument numbers) and have them hidden well. If any of you experienced cachers could help me, (suggest methods to hide coordinates or interesting places [obviously not nescessarily specific to my town]) that would be great. Thanks!

 

P.S. If i was putting a micro like under a bench in a park, would i need park permission?

[+D-cachers]

Howdy V -

 

I think its great you are asking for some advice for your first cache. Several months ago, we placed our first cache and I can appreciate your interest in putting together a cache that you will be proud of.

 

A couple thoughts from a somewhat experienced cacher...we only have two caches out, so I can relate to where you are coming from.

 

1. If there are a number of caches in your area, consider waiting a little while until you have experienced several more caches...you can get a feel for what works and doesn't work (in your opinion at least)

 

2. Look at other caches that are out there...and not necessarily in your area. The Oklahoma City area has a prolific cache placer named Darkmoon. He has put together dozens of caches of all types. Go to Hide and Seek a cache on the GC.com page, put in 73145 for the zip code and 50 miles for the search distance. You will be able to go through and see and pick out a great variety of caches placed by Darkmoon..and others...

 

3. Just my opinion...I would try to stay away from placing a micro for your first cache. Micros can somewhat limit your creativity...depending on what your goals are.

 

Good luck...

 

D-cachers

Edmond OK

[+TeamK-9]

One popularly used thing is throwing in a bit of math for a puzzle stage.

 

On my most recent cache. I had people first go to a historical fort, there, they had to get two numbers off a historical marker. They had to put those numbers into a algebraic equation, to get the next set of coordinates.

 

That is one popular way to make a virtual stage for a multi-cache.

 

Another thing would be to make people collect multiple numbers from different places throughout town, before being able to put those into a set of coordinates to get to the final cache.

[Voncachstein]

yea, my goal is to have a multi-cache with maybe 4-5 parts maybe make one part a micro, you know and stuff like that, and i will check Darkmoon's cache's out, thanks.

[+TeamK-9]

yea, my goal is to have a multi-cache with maybe 4-5 parts maybe make one part a micro, you know and stuff like that, and i will check Darkmoon's cache's out, thanks.

Then my idea would be to post the cordinates for six different interesting places in your town. At each place a person would need to get a specific number, which could be obtained by counting benches, reading a sign or just some other similar random thing.

 

Each place would be like a different number for example, you'd have six stages like this:

 

"Go to (coordinates) and look for the historical marker about the building, take the year of it being built. The third digit of that year is A."

 

Stuff like that.

 

Then, for you're next stage, it would be like "Once you have visited all the rest of the stages, put the numbers into these coordinates: N40 35.ABC W79 24.DEF"

 

You could make those coordinates lead to a micro, with the micro having the coordinates for the final cache which could be an ammo can.

[+drat19]

Dave's Opinions on Geocache Hiding

[gridlox]

I too am technically a Newbie to the sport/game since I just got a GPS last week, but I've been a member since this time last year. I didn't own a GPS, but I spent a lot of that time just reading about all the different caches and ways that people hide them.

 

With only 3 finds and 3 DNF's under my belt, I do NOT in any way feel I am ready to actually place a hide yet.

 

But I do have "IDEAS" a plenty!!

 

One of the better ideas I have is for a "Themed" multi that is going to encompass Micro/Virtual/Dead Drop throughout the multi and end in a really tricky traditional.

Then that will only be found if you have the clues that you have gathered during the Multi to which you will then have to solve a "Puzzle" to be able to find the end cache.

 

But all of them are going to be related in some form or fashion to every other one in the hunt. Hence the "Theme" of the hunt.

 

Right now I have my starting point, 2 "hides" along the way, and my final cache spots nailed down. I plan on having "at least" 2-3 more hides along the way before I place it.

 

Hopefully some time this summer.

 

So, what I'm getting at, is when you plan a multi, make it "fit" together someway. Rather than just having multiple locations with no ryhme or reason.

It will make it more enjoyable for the cachers.

IMHO

 

D-man

Edited January 9, 2005 by gridlox

[briancm]

I'm working on a western-themed multi which involves decoding heiroglyphics, runes, map and compass work, different map datum, and madness. I want it to be more like a Sherlock Holmes story than Priest, though.

 

After completing a multi which used encrypted messages to point the way to the next cache, I wanted more of the same.

 

The real problem is finding neat places to put the cache and waypoints. I have found a couple, but I'm not done yet.

[Voncachstein]

I've decided that the easiest place that i can hide a cache and still have a view are these pole lines in my area that have a pretty good view. My friend had a good idea--have coords that lead to a set of 3 telephone poles together, then put like a little viewfinder, or some kind of sight rail attached to the pole, that when u look down it, it points to my cache. Another cool cache i saw before was a guy that bought a plastic power box and pipe (like the kind that supply power to a lamp post. The guy put the power box on a sign post, so that it fit in on the first glance, but upon discretion can be picked out as not-fitting. Thanks for the help, hopefully ill be set up soon.

[+bigredmed]

Hey guys, I'm a relatively new cacher- been going less than a month and i have 16 finds. I have decided to make a cache in my area and i want to make it as challenging as possible but still have people find it..occasionally, I'm thinking i want to make a multi-cache that goes throughout my town. My town isn't very big and each part would be probably less than a mile from the first, and mostly drivable. I want to include several different methods for each part,(ex. Tag with coords, puzzle, pictures, monument numbers) and have them hidden well. If any of you experienced cachers could help me, (suggest methods to hide coordinates or interesting places [obviously not nescessarily specific to my town]) that would be great. Thanks!

 

P.S. If i was putting a micro like under a bench in a park, would i need park permission?

Do a detailed search of the caches listed in your area. Do a favor for the cachers in your area and plant a cache that is of novel type for your town. If your area has very few micros, plant a micro, if not, don't. If you have twenty caches and fifteen are traditionals, plant a multi.

 

From your research, discover how many multis are "go all over the city" multis and if this is zero or some number less than 2 percent of the total caches, then do this type. If not, then don't. Not all the cachers that hunt your cache will have the time or ability to make 3 subway stops to find your caches. If you find that these types are numerous, make your cache different.

 

Puzzle caches are popular with some, but not all cachers. If you live in a tourist area, make your puzzle something even a tourist would be able to solve so that you keep the number of possible finders high.

 

Have fun, and please keep it in a water-tight container.

[cercis occidentalis]

I want to make it as challenging as possible but still have people find it.

Well I have a four star/ four star cache Watchman and people still find it so you cant have too challenging a cache how ever it is a great reward to break one hundred logs which a challening one wont do for a long time. Also if you hide it in bushes make sure it wont get pruned. Finally read the Guidlines

[Voncachstein]

Not all the cachers that hunt your cache will have the time or ability to make 3 subway stops to find your caches.

i live in a small town in NEPA so you wouldn't have to worry about that. If u want, our area code is 18452, check out some caches in the area...I think there might only be two that actually end in peckville. (my town)