Where Do I Go From Here...?

[+JSmiles07]

Hello geocachers!

 

I started geocaching one week ago today and was bit hard by the bug. In the past seven days I've logged 65 finds, and am ready to keep on! What should my next step be? I would love to find a friend in my area (Central Iowa) to go with, as I see many geocachers have their partner(s) in crime, and I think that would make it that much more fun. But how do I find someone? I'd also love to learn how best to plan out a day of caching.

 

Yesterday I had the entire day to cache, and I made it a personal goal to find my first trackable. So I scoured my map and found 3-5 caches containing trackables. I wasted a great deal of time on a multi-cache that hadn't been maintained, and while it said there were trackables in it, there weren't. The rest of the caches I have found that claim they contain trackables did not have any. How do I avoid this problem? Why do they say they have trackables, but don't?

 

Thanks for any wisdom you can impart!

 

-JSmiles07

[+huskydays]

Welcome! Sounds like you'll fit right in!

 

But how do I find someone?

Have you checked out the MidWest forum? You'll likely find nearby cachers there, there's also links to Midwest groups. Specifically, you may find this thread useful as it lists local caching organisations.

Check out local caching events as well.

Of course, you could always lure friends and family members into the ways of the cacher!

 

I'd also love to learn how best to plan out a day of caching.

65 finds in a week?! sounds like you're much better than I am at planning already!

 

I wasted a great deal of time on a multi-cache that hadn't been maintained, and while it said there were trackables in it, there weren't. The rest of the caches I have found that claim they contain trackables did not have any. How do I avoid this problem? Why do they say they have trackables, but don't?

 

Unfortunately, this is quite common with various things that can cause it, such as:

• 
   
  
• The TB was stolen
  
• The TB was taken but not logged by the cacher who took it.
  
• The TB was logged into the wrong cache by accident.
  
• The cache was stolen/lost (along with the TBs) and the CO didn't remove the TBs from the inventory when they replaced it.
  
• You found a "throw down" instead of the actual cache - a throw down is a 'replacement' cache that is left by a random cacher after they could not find the original.
  

 

Usually (but not always) you can get some warning from reading previous logs on the cache and on the TB page - they will give you an idea of the condition of the Cache and the possibility of finding TBs there. It's always worth taking into consideration the date that both the cache and TB were last found.

[+JSmiles07]

Welcome! Sounds like you'll fit right in!

 

But how do I find someone?

Have you checked out the MidWest forum? You'll likely find nearby cachers there, there's also links to Midwest groups. Specifically, you may find this thread useful as it lists local caching organisations.

Check out local caching events as well.

Of course, you could always lure friends and family members into the ways of the cacher!

 

I'd also love to learn how best to plan out a day of caching.

65 finds in a week?! sounds like you're much better than I am at planning already!

 

I wasted a great deal of time on a multi-cache that hadn't been maintained, and while it said there were trackables in it, there weren't. The rest of the caches I have found that claim they contain trackables did not have any. How do I avoid this problem? Why do they say they have trackables, but don't?

 

Unfortunately, this is quite common with various things that can cause it, such as:

• 
   
  
• The TB was stolen
  
• The TB was taken but not logged by the cacher who took it.
  
• The TB was logged into the wrong cache by accident.
  
• The cache was stolen/lost (along with the TBs) and the CO didn't remove the TBs from the inventory when they replaced it.
  
• You found a "throw down" instead of the actual cache - a throw down is a 'replacement' cache that is left by a random cacher after they could not find the original.
  

 

Usually (but not always) you can get some warning from reading previous logs on the cache and on the TB page - they will give you an idea of the condition of the Cache and the possibility of finding TBs there. It's always worth taking into consideration the date that both the cache and TB were last found.

[+JSmiles07]

Thank you for taking the time to respond! Great info, I will definitely check out the Midwest forum!

 

Thanks again,

JSmiles07

[+Harry Dolphin]

I went on a geocaching tour of central Pennsylvania this weekend. Six cache I found said they had fifteen trackables. There were none. Some have been missing for years. As huskydays noted, there are many reasons. Some trackable owners have been missing for years. As have some COs. It is not a requirement of CO's to mark the trackables as missing. Though they have the opportunity to do so.

My suggestion, if you are hunting trackables, is to check the page for the trackable, and see how long it has been listed in the cache, and how many cachers have found the cache since.

It has been suggested (many years ago) System to remove "ghost" trackables from cache inventories, that geocachers should be able to 'ghost' trackables missing from caches. But nothing has been done about that. Rather sad.

[+huskydays]

It has been suggested (many years ago) System to remove "ghost" trackables from cache inventories, that geocachers should be able to 'ghost' trackables missing from caches. But nothing has been done about that. Rather sad.

That was a really well thought out suggestion. A shame it was never explored/implemented