Hi All

[NoCode_DNR]

Hi all, I'm new to this and getting hooked quick. Looking forward to meeting some of you in the future.

Also looking forward to planting my first cache, already have a spot picked out.

anyways....

Is there a way to find out if there is a cache in a certain place.

I was looking at the woods across the street form my mothers house today and starting wondering how I would go about finding out if there was something in there or not.

 

Thanks in advance for any and all help,

sorry if this queston has already been asked and answered.

 

Gregg

[+AuntieWeasel]

I like to start with the geocaching.com maps of my home, and look for blank spots. Input your (or her) zip code, click Map It in the upper right corner, and you should see a map with icons for nearby caches.

[+IV_Warrior]

Bring up your Mom's address in mapping software (or use the geocode website thingy) and get the coordinates of her house, then do a coordinate search on gc.com and see how far away the closest cache is from there.

[+Smitherington]

You can also search for caches from coordinates but I think you have to have a premium membership. That way you have distances from your house or where ever you are.

[+IV_Warrior]

You can also search for caches from coordinates but I think you have to have a premium membership. That way you have distances from your house or where ever you are.

Nope. I just logged out to make sure, and the coordinate search is still there. Just go here: linky

[+1BuzyMom]

This may be obvious but make sure it is public property, If not get owners permission and post that info on the cache page. I too am new to this so correct me if I am wrong or incomplete. I welcome constructive criticism.

I have really gained alot of ideas and knowledge reading these threads.

[+reveritt]

From the main Geocaching.com web page, you can pick your state from the Search for caches by state list. It's in the upper-right corner of the page.

 

On the resulting page, click the MAP link. That will get you a crud map of the state, showing all caches. Click on the map to zoom in on a particular area.

[+cache_test_dummies]

Not to complicate things, but keep in mind that in some cases, the coordinates on the cache page don't always identify the final location of the cache. In the case of multi-caches or puzzle caches, the posted coordinates don't show you where the cache is.

 

If you do a search of caches in the area, and none turn up in the particular woods you are looking at, be aware that this doesn't absolutely rule out the possibility of a cache already there.

[NoCode_DNR]

Thanks all , learned alot in the past week.....both from this forum and on my own.

7 finds in 8 days and getting ready to hide my first cache.

[+Team Cotati]

Thanks all , learned alot in the past week.....both from this forum and on my own.

7 finds in 8 days and getting ready to hide my first cache.

About to violate the unofficial "one year" rule I see. Go for it. Great game isn't it? Cache on Dude!!!

[+denali7]

stand at or near your targeted spot,

mark the coordinates with your gps,

do a search using those coordinates rather than a zip code

 

welcome and enjoy!

[+Lunaverse]

About to violate the unofficial "one year" rule I see. Go for it. Great game isn't it? Cache on Dude!!!

There's an unofficial "one year" rule? I've not heard this before.

 

I'm fixing to hide my own cache after about 6 weeks. I see other people hiding who haven't been around a while. Where does this rule come from?

 

Luna

[+Marcie/Eric]

I've been at this for 3 months, and I plan on doing a couple hides soon.. there better not be any undocumented 'one year' rule.

[+Miragee]

I've been at this almost four months and I've placed six caches.

 

If all the new people had to wait a year, the hard core cachers in this area wouldn't have as many caches to race to be FTF on.

[+alpinius1]

please do tell...what is this unofficial one year rule???

[+Team Cotati]

please do tell...what is this unofficial one year rule???

Near as I can recall:

"QUOTE (TotemLake @ Apr 6 2005, 06:24 PM)

Notice it is usually the newbs that get it wrong with the accusatory tones and misconceptions?

 

There's a reason it's recommended they wait a year before hiding caches.

 

Who made that recommendation?

 

All the seasoned folks I speak with. Typically, newbies tend to misunderstand the intent of the reviewers' notes. They also tend to think they're above the guidelines and think they can get away with something. Then when they're caught, they misconstrue the intent and the tone and make themselves look like the victim when in truth, they open their mouths by posting here and tend to look like the back end of an animal instead of looking at the cause for concern and doing something constructive about it."

 

TotemLake, the unofficial rule maker.

 

Is that unofficial enough for you?

Edited May 15, 2005 by Team cotati697

[+Kai Team]

There's no unofficial "one year" rule (someone is oversimplifying). The general sentiment is that you should wait until you have enough finds to appreciate:

• the difference between good and bad hides (those that people will enjoy and seek vs. those that will give you a bad reputation in the geocaching community),
  
• the different types of caches and when/where each works best, and
  
• the rules of the game (guidelines and ethics).
  

This may be a couple of months, or it could be a year or more, depending on your experience with geocaching (e.g. how frequently you cache, whether you have a variety of finds, etc).

 

The other concern is that new hiders understand that they have a responsibility to seek permission where appropriate, maintain their caches, and remove them when they no longer wish to maintain them. It's not just "place it and forget it" - a cache is an ongoing responsibility. The Geocachers' Creed was designed to help new cachers get "up to speed" more quickly - read through the examples before placing your first cache.

 

Every bad experience you're likely to have geocaching is because someone didn't appreciate the consquences of their actions, or didn't care.

[+Team Cotati]

There's no unofficial "one year" rule (someone is oversimplifying). The general sentiment is that you should wait until you have enough finds to appreciate:

• the difference between good and bad hides (those that people will enjoy and seek vs. those that will give you a bad reputation in the geocaching community),
  
• the different types of caches and when/where each works best, and
  
• the rules of the game (guidelines and ethics).
  

This may be a couple of months, or it could be a year or more, depending on your experience with geocaching (e.g. how frequently you cache, whether you have a variety of finds, etc).

 

The other concern is that new hiders understand that they have a responsibility to seek permission where appropriate, maintain their caches, and remove them when they no longer wish to maintain them. It's not just "place it and forget it" - a cache is an ongoing responsibility. The Geocachers' Creed was designed to help new cachers get "up to speed" more quickly - read through the examples before placing your first cache.

 

Every bad experience you're likely to have geocaching is because someone didn't appreciate the consquences of their actions, or didn't care.

Someone? Hummmm?

[+Kai Team]

Someone? Hummmm?

Is there a point to this post?

[+Lunaverse]

All the seasoned folks I speak with. Typically, newbies tend to misunderstand the intent of the reviewers' notes. They also tend to think they're above the guidelines and think they can get away with something. Then when they're caught, they misconstrue the intent and the tone and make themselves look like the victim when in truth, they open their mouths by posting here and tend to look like the back end of an animal instead of looking at the cause for concern and doing something constructive about it.

Wouldn't that come from a result of being new at hiding, not new at finding?

 

If I spend a year seeking, and never submit for review, and the reviewer sends my first feedback... I'm still just as inexperienced at "placing a cache" and going through the review process as I would have been 6 months earlier. Aren't I just as likely to misconstrue something?

 

Wouldn't many years of experience in online communities be better for this sort of thing, of learning how to read the rules first, how to communicate, and that email is subject to misunderstanding tone, so I shouldn't jump to conclusions?

 

Luna

[+ZingerHead]

It's fine to go ahead and hide a cache with few or zero finds. Just make sure the basics are covered: it's not buried, it's not on private property, and the coordinates are correct within reason. It's not rocket science!

 

But...

 

With few or zero finds how do you know what constitutes a "good" cache? When I first started out I was absolutely thrilled to find an ammo box under a pile of sticks near a rock, 2/10ths from my parked car. Thrilled! Because I'd never found something like that before. After finding several hundred similar caches, I can admit that the thrill is not gone, but it's not the same. Not that every cache has to be spectacular, but in the rush to get a hide out you can lose sight of the fact that it's not *just* about finding a box - *where* is also important.

The second thing I'd consider is hiding technique. If you've never seen a cache in the wild you might think that dumping a few handfuls of leaves on top of your ammo box will disguise it from passing muggles. And it will, until the first breeze exposes the cache for all to see. With a little luck your new cache will be out there for years, so it pays to find a location that will keep it safe.

Maybe you were in such a rush to hide a cache that you selected a Gladware container since you had one lying around the kitchen. Sure, they're inexpensive. But in a couple of weeks it'll be cracked and full of water.

 

My point is that with 50 or 100 finds you'll be exposed to a variety of caches, good and bad, which will give you a better idea of how you want to hide your own cache.

[+Lunaverse]

I'm not worried about number of finds. I agree, it doesn't make sense to hide something when you haven't even found anything yet.

 

I'm talking about this one year rule. At the rate I'm going, in 1 year I should have over 300 finds.

 

I started plotting my first cache at around 15-20 finds. I'm still plotting it, and probably won't get it placed and approved until I'm at about 50 (just because I'm doing something a little complicated to disguise the cache). That will only be about 2 months from when I started caching.

 

Yet someone else might be caching for a year and only have 5 finds... One year seems a bit artitrary and unhelpful, and that's what I'm debating.

 

Luna

[+Kai Team]

Lunaverse,

 

ZingerHead and I are agreeing with you - it's not the length of time, but the experience that counts! That's why I said the one year "rule" is an oversimplification. It sound to me like you have enough experience (and sense) to place your first cache now, with less than 2 months experience, which proves the point!

 

In the final analysis, people will judge by the quality of your cache, not by how long you've been caching!

[+AuntieWeasel]

I felt horribly guilty when I went six months and ~100 finds and hadn't placed my first cache. I would've loved to hear of a one year rule. Alas, there isn't one