Brand New and DUMB!

February 23, 2015

So - I learned about this geocaching from a friend. I mean, I had always heard the word and I thought it was just people walking around the woods and finding flags. But BOY was I wrong. It's like Awesomeness and a great family activity. However, I have to admit after downloading the free basic member version for my Iphone, I was ready to go find my first cache! I convinced my son, he's 8, that this would be fun, the weather was a bit warmer and we'd been stuck inside for days. He was a little leary, but eventually agreed. Then he thought we'd get arrested for loitering. He's such an paranoid OCD lil dude.....

Well - we searched and searched and searched - - and I had to convince him to give up. He kept saying "no we can't leave until we find it!" Luckily it's in the same strip mall that he goes to Tae Kwon Do in so we have multiple chances to look again......but I'm wondering if maybe I don't quite know what I am looking for? If I'm reading the compass wrong? OR?

It was a fairly simple one, in a strip mall type place - "easy park and find" - and I believe it was small with only a log book. The clue said we would not have to dig in the bushes - so I assume that meant snow was not a problem. But maybe I am wrong. My son was mortified as I took apart the trash can and the smoking can; I probably didn't have to do that, did I?

So are all cache boxes the same looking? Or could it be any container? I did look online and the last time it was found was February 8, so I assume it's still there.

This is going to take some trial and error isn't it? Any advice or help would be great! I now have my son at least thinking it is fun, but we have yet to find anything.

Any first timer tips, advices etc would be GREAT! Thanks so much!

nut

February 23, 2015

I felt that way my first time out, and I feel that way anytime I can't find one, turns out I suck at finding nanos (super small caches) I recommend finding another one to look for, don't give up you will find them!!! If I can do it, anyone can!!

8.6k · February 23, 2015

Parking lot caches = small to tiny. Down to the size of the eraser on a pencil.

That being said... are you aware that those skirts at the bottom of a lamp post are moveable? hint... hint... hint.

The container can be ANYTHING. Bigger than a breadbox (yes they do use them, too); an ammo can; a 55-gal. drum; down to something really tiny. Have you ever seen a blood sample container -- like they use in a centrifuge? How 'bout a 35mm film canister?

Too, remember this... they are either hidden so the casual passers-by don't see it, OR secreted in a manner that you can look at it and even touch it, not realizing that it is indeed a geocache container! Those even fool experienced cachers sometimes.

If you have a lot of snow, be aware that it very well could be buried in snow. Some caches are magnetic and placed high, or strung up in a tree -- evergreen trees are easy to hide something in.

EDIT to add: Lose your preconceived idea of just what a cache would look like. Start looking with a "blank slate", you may surprise yourself.

... and... be vewy, vewy careful about taking things apart. That is generally considered to be a no-no.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Gitchee-Gummee

13.7k · February 23, 2015

Geocaching 101 is great for the basics questions.

Gitchee-Gummee gave a couple of good options.

February 23, 2015

Hi, nutkin81, and welcome to geocaching! First of all, you're not dumb; unless you know a cacher to show you the ropes, starting out is pretty much by the "braille system," you have to feel your way through it. One suggestion is to use the "beginner's cache" feature, which will highlight the easier caches in your area and start with the regular or small as they will be easiest to spot. Also note the difficulty level; there's no shame in choosing 1 1/2 even for those of us who have been around for awhile. Read the logs of folks who have already found the cache and look at any photos--there's a wealth of information there. As your skill level improves, go for more difficult ones. Don't be discouraged at a DNF, just keep caching and things will take care of themselves. But most of all, HAVE FUN as that's what it's all about! Happy caching to you!!!

February 23, 2015

Thanks all!!

I have located another one close by that says it is so easy you should be able to find it in 1 minute or less....... comments showed that most people found it fairly quickly - only one took 5 minutes. SO - hopefully I can find it in under 10 minutes. :blink:

and I won't take things apart.... .my bad - I just wasn't sure! :)I'm sure the muggles thought I was mad.......

I just read the comments for the one in the strip mall and folks are saying things like they saw it as soon as they pulled into the lot!!! *sigh*

I'm going to do a dry run of the find in under 1 minute without my son and then if I find it, take him back and let him find it....... cross your fingers! I am so excited to try this like EVERYWHERE! On vacation and travels etc..... I just have to get everyone else as excited!

Thanks Again! Wish me luck!

Nuts

2.7k · February 23, 2015

Another cache, niraD has a post which will help you tremendously. Advice for New Cachers

15.3k · February 23, 2015

K13 already posted a link to my usual copy-paste advice for beginners, so I'll skip that. But I did want to reply to some specific points you brought up.

It was a fairly simple one, in a strip mall type place - "easy park and find" - and I believe it was small with only a log book.

Unfortunately, a lot of "easy" caches are easy for experienced geocachers because they've learned the "usual places" where geocache containers are often hidden. For newbies who haven't learned the "usual places" yet, they can be quite challenging.

The clue said we would not have to dig in the bushes - so I assume that meant snow was not a problem.

I would take it at face value: you don't need to molest the bushes to find the cache. Which means that it's somewhere else, perhaps magnetically attached to something metal, or a fake rock, or any number of places other than the bushes. But I had to drive for 8 hours round trip to see snow last weekend, so your experience may be different...

So are all cache boxes the same looking? Or could it be any container?

No, they are not all the same. Yes, it could be any container. And it could be something that you wouldn't recognize as a container at first. Some of us especially enjoy deviously camouflaged caches that are hidden in plain sight. Some of my favorites have been the kind where I've searched "everywhere it could possibly be" in a few minutes, and then I have to figure out where/how the cache could possibly be hidden. But not everyone likes that style of cache, and they aren't usually the best choice for a beginner who is just starting out.

Oh, and welcome to the obsession hobby!

February 24, 2015

If you are looking for some examples of cache container diversity, try this thread. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=62421

1.4k · February 24, 2015

As others have said is there a lamp post around the area you are looking. *Possible spoiler Alert*

The advice not to take anything apart is good but if it is the typical hide there then you would have to lift up the bottom of the skirt to find it. And that can feel like taking something apart especially if it is noisy to do so like some are.

2.6k · February 24, 2015

As others have said is there a lamp post around the area you are looking. *Possible spoiler Alert*

The advice not to take anything apart is good but if it is the typical hide there then you would have to lift up the bottom of the skirt to find it. And that can feel like taking something apart especially if it is noisy to do so like some are.

Yeah, those lamp post skirts make a godawful screeching sound when you lift them. But they lift with ease. Other than that, no, you shouldn't have to disassemble anything, and in the case of electrical breaker boxes, transformers, etc (which are a pretty common hiding spot), it could even be dangerous.

February 24, 2015

If you want to see examples of hard-to-find cache containers, go to eBay and search for (evil,micro,nano) geocache.

1.4k · February 25, 2015

As others have said is there a lamp post around the area you are looking. *Possible spoiler Alert*

The advice not to take anything apart is good but if it is the typical hide there then you would have to lift up the bottom of the skirt to find it. And that can feel like taking something apart especially if it is noisy to do so like some are.

Yeah, those lamp post skirts make a godawful screeching sound when you lift them. But they lift with ease. Other than that, no, you shouldn't have to disassemble anything, and in the case of electrical breaker boxes, transformers, etc (which are a pretty common hiding spot), it could even be dangerous.

Yea I wasn't trying to spoil it but when I started if I was placed at a lamp post hide and told not to take anything apart I might not have tried that.

15.3k · February 25, 2015

Yeah, those lamp post skirts make a godawful screeching sound when you lift them. But they lift with ease. Other than that, no, you shouldn't have to disassemble anything, and in the case of electrical breaker boxes, transformers, etc (which are a pretty common hiding spot), it could even be dangerous.

And there shouldn't be anything dangerous under the lamp post skirts. They're just decorative covers that hide the bolts that secure the lamp post to its foundation.

14k · February 26, 2015

Yeah, those lamp post skirts make a godawful screeching sound when you lift them. But they lift with ease. Other than that, no, you shouldn't have to disassemble anything, and in the case of electrical breaker boxes, transformers, etc (which are a pretty common hiding spot), it could even be dangerous.
And there shouldn't be anything dangerous under the lamp post skirts. They're just decorative covers that hide the bolts that secure the lamp post to its foundation.

Unless you count wasps nests. The skirt on a lamp post should not be confused with the inspection plate (typically only removable with a screwdriver and in some cases is missing). I've seen a couple of caches hidden inside the lamp post itself when that inspection plate is missing and as the inspection plate prevents critters from going in and chewing on the wires one could be reaching into a spot with live, exposed voltage.

4.5k · March 1, 2015

Yeah, those lamp post skirts make a godawful screeching sound when you lift them. But they lift with ease. Other than that, no, you shouldn't have to disassemble anything, and in the case of electrical breaker boxes, transformers, etc (which are a pretty common hiding spot), it could even be dangerous.
And there shouldn't be anything dangerous under the lamp post skirts. They're just decorative covers that hide the bolts that secure the lamp post to its foundation.

Unless you count wasps/yellow jackets/other bees, black widow spiders, sharp edges, or frayed wires (energized with 120 or 277 volts at night usually). We've come across these many times. Of course this isn't under them but irate private property owners that didn't give permission for the hide can cause problems too!

8.6k · March 1, 2015

...or frayed wires (energized with 120 or 277 volts at night usually). We've come across these many times.

If you've come across wires located beneath a moveable skirt, you might want to have your local electrical codes changed.

Most generally, exposed wires are not to be accessible to folks.

Inspection panel... different story, but that is why it is (supposed to be) bolted or screwed down -- not normally accessible.

4.5k · March 1, 2015

...or frayed wires (energized with 120 or 277 volts at night usually). We've come across these many times.

If you've come across wires located beneath a moveable skirt, you might want to have your local electrical codes changed.

Most generally, exposed wires are not to be accessible to folks.

Inspection panel... different story, but that is why it is (supposed to be) bolted or screwed down -- not normally accessible.

Yep, i know there is usually an inspection panel a little higher up. This is usually where the wires are nutted together. But, i have encountered posts where the pvc conduit stubbed out a little low where you could actually touch wires. Here again, the wire's insulation would have to be dry rotted or nicked, with voltage running through them, to cause a problem.

Not trying to scare anyone off these hides. Just saying that it's not a good idea to lift a skirt and start feeling around under them without looking first.

2.4k · March 2, 2015

Love your idea of finding it first, then taking your son back. As a Dad, I am sure you are aware that a younger person's attention span is a lot shorter than an adult's. Go with the warmer/colder hints for your 8 year old, and on another hunt, if you spy the cache first...keep quiet and let him "find" it before you. We couldn't find a micro in a tree, left the search and ran into another cacher with his 5 year old daughter in the park's parking lot. Back we all went, and in no time this little voice says "I can see it, right there!" She was so proud, her Dad got the cache, and she "signed" it first.

Look for regular size caches - small, medium or large - and ones marked for beginners.

Good Luck, and welcome aboard!

March 3, 2015

Thanks again all for being so welcoming and friendly. I still have NOT found that stupid cache. We've been back like 6 times and just can not find it. I'm thinking it might be the snow. From the clues and comments it "should" be there. But I went ahead and marked "did not find" and perhaps someone will comment that I was just being dumb. And I'll give it another whirl. *sigh*

BUT - my son takes Parkour in the city so while he was in Parkour I went and scoped out some nearby cache's and found 3! So then I took him back and let him find them..... I will say one location I was a lil skeptical - it was hidden near an ATM machine. And there was a camera there - - I'm sure they were watching us lurk around, probably thinking we were going to rob someone. :unsure:

After we felt comfortable and proud with finding 3 in the city. We went right back to the strip mall - but still didn't find it. I'm betting it's the snow. Or perhaps it's gone.

Hindsight I probably should have waited till spring, but we at least know we can find them in the city and there are tons in the city - so that's a good thing!

Nuts

2.4k · March 4, 2015

We have quite a few finds, and it is amazing how the easy ones elude us. Sometimes we - and other cachers, I"m sure - overthink the issue. Be sure to read all the logs, and even putting this nemesis cache on your watchlist will get you an email of any new logs...look for subtle hints in the logs. We were actually able to find a couple of caches we had DNF'd before when we were in town today. Second attempt on one, at least the third attempt on another. The latter was hanging from a chain link fence, in plain view. It was extremely small, the skinniest nano I have ever seen.

Next time you are at an ATM cache, show the camera your GPS! I agree, I would feel a bit awkward in that situation too.

Go and get those other caches in the city, and if the hider of the strip mall cache has more hides, you may be looking for something similar at the strip mall.................

I love watching Parkour.....and am amazed at the athleticism of the participants. Good for him!

2.6k · March 4, 2015

BUT - my son takes Parkour in the city

Wait a minute....you can TAKE parkour now? Like kids take karate and such?

2k · March 18, 2015

Keep with it. It's a fun activity and you will catch onto to nuances.

Brand New and DUMB!

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