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What makes some so hard that seem obvious?


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I know what you're all saying about not going for the intense ones I guess some of them just seem like they wouldn't be as hard as they sound (like that Stommel road one....I figured out as soon as I stopped there why it's named how it is.) Considering the area it could be in and what borders it, I figured the area(s) to look in wouldn't be so numerous. (In fact, I think I may have figured out the most logical place but it wasn't there). 1 of the problems I have yet to figure out is what are the allowed limits in certain areas/terrains? Like the "breath of fresh air" ones....obviously it wouldn't be behind a locked & chained gate -especially if there's a keep out sign on it. But could it be ON a gate (or is that considered private property as well?)The toy always takes me to the exact middle of the gate (and I figured it would be laying in the middle of the driveway) :) Or could it be back in brush or trees surrounding it (I'm guessing they wouldn't make you walk through 30 feet of brush in thick woods -like there is around at least 1 of those- to get it....WAY too many trees to search through). How far away from "ground zero" is one allowed to be? (Which is why I asked a few days ago about if you find one way off -say 100 or 200 feet- if you can/should put it back). I'm guessing you wouldn't need to search on the other side of the hi-way for the possibility of this Stommel Road one or in the (private) fields.

Edited by jfpinell
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When you are a novice, you lack the experience to identify the several "obvious" locations. My first skirt lifter I thought was really clever. It took me over an hour to find.

 

When you're experienced, you can over think the possibilities. Look at it this way; If you spend 20 minutes searching for a hide and identify 8 possible locatons that are not correct, You've identified 8 locations for future hides!!!

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I know what you're all saying about not going for the intense ones I guess some of them just seem like they wouldn't be as hard as they sound (like that Stommel road one....I figured out as soon as I stopped there why it's named how it is.) Considering the area it could be in and what borders it, I figured the area(s) to look in wouldn't be so numerous. (In fact, I think I may have figured out the most logical place but it wasn't there). 1 of the problems I have yet to figure out is what are the allowed limits in certain areas/terrains? Like the "breath of fresh air" ones....obviously it wouldn't be behind a locked & chained gate -especially if there's a keep out sign on it. But could it be ON a gate (or is that considered private property as well?)The toy always takes me to the exact middle of the gate (and I figured it would be laying in the middle of the driveway) :) Or could it be back in brush or trees surrounding it (I'm guessing they wouldn't make you walk through 30 feet of brush in thick woods -like there is around at least 1 of those- to get it....WAY too many trees to search through). How far away from "ground zero" is one allowed to be? (Which is why I asked a few days ago about if you find one way off -say 100 or 200 feet- if you can/should put it back). I'm guessing you wouldn't need to search on the other side of the hi-way for the possibility of this Stommel Road one or in the (private) fields.

 

You should keep in mind that you're posting to an international forum. Unless someone from your local area is reading, nobody is going to know where Stommel Road is or about "breath of fresh air" caches.

 

A consumer grade GPS is "typically" accurate to around 15 feet so considering the hiders GPS is also accurate to around 15 feet the cache could be anywhere within 30 feet under good conditions when your GPS is telling you you're at ground zero. In order to be more successful at finding caches use your GPS to get you "close" then start looking for places where someone might hide a container. If the object of the game was to see how close you could get to the published coordinates then you could just follow your GPS until the coordinates match. Meanwhile, there might be a tree with a hollow at the bottom 20 feet away which contains the cache. Depending on the location I'll often start looking for potential hiding places when my GPS is still telling me that I'm 50 feet away.

 

The difficulty and terrain ratings can sometimes help narrow down where to focus your search. If the terrain rating is a 2 or less, the cache probably isn't hidden in thick brush. If it's been a fairly level, short walk to the general areas, and the terrain rating is 3 or higher you're probably going into that thick brush or even climb a tree.

 

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You should keep in mind that you're posting to an international forum. Unless someone from your local area is reading, nobody is going to know where Stommel Road is or about "breath of fresh air" caches.

 

A consumer grade GPS is "typically" accurate to around 15 feet so considering the hiders GPS is also accurate to around 15 feet the cache could be anywhere within 30 feet under good conditions when your GPS is telling you you're at ground zero. In order to be more successful at finding caches use your GPS to get you "close" then start looking for places where someone might hide a container. If the object of the game was to see how close you could get to the published coordinates then you could just follow your GPS until the coordinates match. Meanwhile, there might be a tree with a hollow at the bottom 20 feet away which contains the cache. Depending on the location I'll often start looking for potential hiding places when my GPS is still telling me that I'm 50 feet away.

 

The difficulty and terrain ratings can sometimes help narrow down where to focus your search. If the terrain rating is a 2 or less, the cache probably isn't hidden in thick brush. If it's been a fairly level, short walk to the general areas, and the terrain rating is 3 or higher you're probably going into that thick brush or even climb a tree.

I figured the international thing. I'm just trying to be as careful as I can about saying too much or the wrong thing (unintentionally common for me) and give away its spot. I put together the "evil" with something else there but if I mentioned what I seen that made it obvious right away for me, I was afraid that would give it away for everyone else (an absolute no-no, I assume?) I figure (hope) with saying the little I do a local would see it and be able to decipher what I mean.

I think I'm getting this eventually. I just wish there was an easier way to find local people to go with.

Something else just hit me based on what you said about ratings....I think I've been writing down too little information before I literally go anywhere. I've just been writing down the N & S numbers and a general several word description of where (such as "main st. on top of hill by bakery" -hypothetical case)so I recall where in general I'm going. I thought that information would help in my limited use of my toy. (I've been sitting here reading that PDF manual everyone's told me about but having a hard time making much sense of it.) I haven't been able to make much use out of the compass on it without any coordinate #'s to go with (or aren't you suppose to need any?)

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I'm guessing they wouldn't make you walk through 30 feet of brush in thick woods

 

I am not sure about the particular cache you are looking for, but in general your guess would be wrong.

The 100th cache I found had a ~.5Mile hike TO the cache and the last ~60 feet was through thick brush and brambles. That cache was rated D:1 T:1.5 :blink:

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I haven't been able to make much use out of the compass on it without any coordinate #'s to go with (or aren't you suppose to need any?)

 

You should put the Coords in the GPS as a waypoint, then on the GPS you would need to "Navigate to Waypoint".

 

If your GPS supports "Paperless Caching" then you should be able to download the Cache information to your GPS from a computer. If you are able to get the Cache info on the GPS there should be a "Navigate to Geocache" option in there somewhere.

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The cache on Stommel Rd is a 3.5 difficulty described by previous finders as unique and evil. Perhaps you might consider looking for a few with a lower difficulty rating till you get some experience.

 

The owner of that cache even put in the hint to contact them if they need help.

 

 

BTW, congratulations on placing your first cache. :blink:

I don't understand why Groundspeak allows that.

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I haven't been able to make much use out of the compass on it without any coordinate #'s to go with (or aren't you suppose to need any?)

 

 

Have you learned how to input coordinates into your GPS yet? We've tried as much as we can to explain this to you. Just looking at the compass doesn't do you any good, and just looking at the coordinates of your current position and trying to make them read zero is a ridiculous way to use a GPS.

 

Learn how to INPUT COORDINATES and how to NAVIGATE to those coordinates. When you are actually navigating to a set of coordinates the compass will lead you straight to it.

 

And is there any good reason why you haven't logged any of the finds you have supposedly made?

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Whatever you are looking for there seems to be well camo'd, and is probably tiny.

The coordinates are probably good (no one seems to have complained), it should be relatively close to where the GPS leads you.

Once you get there, look closely at things ... look for something that is not quite right, or seems newer, or made differently than other things.

Examine everything and everywhere carefully.

 

The micro size means it is rather small, possibly tiny. Something like a 35mm film canister, a centrifuge tube, a magnetic nano, or something else just as small.

The reference to evil means that it is blended in well. It seems to be unique and special, so it could be a fake part (like a bolt) or other item that looks like it belongs but doesn't.

The 3.5 difficulty means it might be pretty hard to find, you might have to look a couple times.

The 1.5 terrain means it should be pretty easy to get to, not quite handicapped accessible, but pretty reasonable. You probably don't need to go into the brush.

 

Looking at the size, terrain, difficulty, description, hint, and previous logs are often very helpful.

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In addition to suggesting to seek out other cachers, or attend an event, we've been trying to get the OP to seek out "beginner friendly" caches.

 

Some folks have posted caches that have been found recently, and are much easier D/T ratings.

 

Larger sized caches would be better choices as well.

 

I'll post a couple of links that have proven helpful to other people. Maybe this time the OP will actually click the link and read the information.

 

Geocaching 101

http://www.geocaching.com/guide/

 

3.2. Containers Explained

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=75

 

 

B.

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(I've been sitting here reading that PDF manual everyone's told me about but having a hard time making much sense of it.) I haven't been able to make much use out of the compass on it without any coordinate #'s to go with (or aren't you suppose to need any?)

 

Focus primarily on the pages referenced in my instructions repeated below in the owner's manual. These should be most of what you need.

 

2. Using your GPSr (Global Positioning System Receiver) a.k.a. "toy" do the following using the unit manual instructions given at the link provided for your GPSr by Gitchee-Gummee above:

a. Go to page 9 and follow instructions for "Creating a Waypoint".

b. Also on page 9, follow instructions for "Editing a Waypoint" to change the coordinates to those that you wrote down/printed from the geocaching description.

 

4. Using your GPSr, following the unit manual instructions as follows:

a. Go to page 16 and follow instructions for "Navigating to a Destination" picking the name of the waypoint that you assigned in step 2b.

b. Go to page 18 and follow instructions for "Navigating with the Bearing Pointer".

 

And, yes, you will need to enter the cache coordinates at step #2b in my instructions.

Edited by medoug
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You could try reading the "Creative Caches" thread, or looking at the verious online cache stores at thier Creative Cache sections. You may be enlightend on what can be a cache. That is how I discovered LPCs I found my first LPC probably 1year after I learned about them online. The one draw back to this approch is it may ruin the supprise of the first time you find a new style of hide.

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The reference to evil means that it is blended in well.

Actually I was thinking....how dare I say this....take a look at 1 side of that sign nearby. There's an old saying to be made from it. That's what I referenced the "evil" to. If you catch what I'm saying.

Edited by jfpinell
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Is that a school your cache is at? Map says Sacred Hearts High School.

How do I say without giving this away.......it's not too far from it. If you're talking the one I "took over" a few days ago....the "50% need not apply". There's a church/school, the Town hall and a few other things around. That Legion Park is kinda' in their backyard, if you will.

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Is that a school your cache is at? Map says Sacred Hearts High School.

 

The cache in question is not on school property. It definitely appears to be a community park which borders the school. Though the school is a good 200 meters off or so (if I remember correctly). So, it's a good spot. There was a cache nearby previously, and I think this is a good replacement. I will admit though, it took me a bit to find as the hide is somewhat unusual from what I've observed in the past. However, it is very much legit. It will likely require a good amount of maintenance in the long-run. Time will tell. I liked it. The hide caused me to walk around once, turn back twice, and scratch my head my head before it clicked. You definitely need to think out-of-the-box.

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Is that a school your cache is at? Map says Sacred Hearts High School.

 

The cache in question is not on school property. It definitely appears to be a community park which borders the school. Though the school is a good 200 meters off or so (if I remember correctly). So, it's a good spot. There was a cache nearby previously, and I think this is a good replacement. I will admit though, it took me a bit to find as the hide is somewhat unusual from what I've observed in the past. However, it is very much legit. It will likely require a good amount of maintenance in the long-run. Time will tell. I liked it. The hide caused me to walk around once, turn back twice, and scratch my head my head before it clicked. You definitely need to think out-of-the-box.

I didn't think it was that hard. I wanted something simple for my first. As for maintenance don't worry.....I get up there every 2 or 3 days. I thought the clue was rather logical :)

The only thing is, I'm not sure if I should've (or still can) mention it in the info. not to replace it too far. It took me a bit to put it so it's "available" again. Another reason I'll check on it frequent.

Edited by jfpinell
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OH shhhhhugar! Wait a minute.... Are we talking about the same one? After comparing the topic of mine to the last 2 or 3 posts it seems we're talking about 2 different ones. I was originally referring to a question about the Stommel road not the one *I* hid. Which are you referring to?

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OH shhhhhugar! Wait a minute.... Are we talking about the same one? After comparing the topic of mine to the last 2 or 3 posts it seems we're talking about 2 different ones. I was originally referring to a question about the Stommel road not the one *I* hid. Which are you referring to?

Yes but someone brought up yours. And I believe that was my question.

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OH shhhhhugar! Wait a minute.... Are we talking about the same one? After comparing the topic of mine to the last 2 or 3 posts it seems we're talking about 2 different ones. I was originally referring to a question about the Stommel road not the one *I* hid. Which are you referring to?

Yes but someone brought up yours. And I believe that was my question.

AH! No the "50%..." one's not on church/school grounds. That's a public park after you get back by those tall light posts all the way back to behind that announcer stand (whatever they call those) and the parking area.

Edited by jfpinell
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I didn't think it was that hard. I wanted something simple for my first. As for maintenance don't worry.....I get up there every 2 or 3 days. I thought the clue was rather logical :)

The only thing is, I'm not sure if I should've (or still can) mention it in the info. not to replace it too far. It took me a bit to put it so it's "available" again. Another reason I'll check on it frequent.

 

Don't worry. It's not THAT hard. I was simply concentrated on expectations based upon previous finds. I had the log in my hands in about 2 minutes. However, the obvious did not click in my brain until I read it all again. Then it was like, "Duh." Oh, and I thought I replaced it "just enough." I did not want it to be too obvious. Also, many upon, many cachers carry tweezers or other such tools to assist in retrieval.

 

So, are you down for some duo caching!? If so, please send me a message via my profile. I think my email may be listed as well.

Edited by zach.ruesch
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