Car, then walk to cache question

[CheesePasty]

Hi guys, got a question if you don't mind. I don't have sat nav in my car and I don't have a gps for geocaching yet.

 

Do you guys use a sat nav in the car to get you to a general parking area near the cache, then use your other gps to get you to the cache by foot? or do you just use your geocaching gps to get you and your car to the general parking area of where some caches are?

 

It's just, I have found most of my local caches in which I know the area to drive too, now I'm finding I'm having to go on google maps and write down directions to where the non local caches are as I don't know the area, so is it best to get a sat nav in the car and get my geocaching gps, or would the geocaching gps (garmin etrex 20) do the 2 jobs?

 

I hope I have made sense

 

Thank you.

[+kunarion]

A car nav may have some pretty nice features, such as traffic advisories (and even automatic detours), and lifetime free map updates, and use the 12-volt power of the car (the GPS batteries don't go dead). I have a Nuvi and use it frequently, whether I have my hiking GPSr or not. It has a big screen, and loud prompts, designed for use while driving. If my 650T goes haywire or perish the thought, I lose it, I can still get home from an unfamiliar area. Pretty sweet.

 

But there are a couple of considerations. If you can pick a nice central cache, maybe leading you do a parking area, and load that into the car nav, and then go hunt your caches on foot, that's suitable. If you try to load every cache, that's more work later (deleting them all, some are automatically made into “POI's”), and many car navs have a strict limit to the caches you can save to it. A hundred caches have a lot of great info taking up space, but your car nav may show the GC number, the coordinates, and the cache name at most. So a hand-held GPSr has its advantages, if it has proper maps for street routing. And there are high-end "hiking GPSrs" that behave just like a Nuvi when placed into their car mount. My GPSr (Garmin Oregon 650t) is not optimal while driving, but it works in a pinch.

 

I don't always blindly follow the car nav in an unfamiliar place. Especially when arriving in subdivisions, where it may not select the best cul-de-sac to park in.

Edited December 13, 2014 by kunarion

[+Chief301]

I have a handheld GPS (Garnin Otegon 550) and with the proper (routable) maps installed it will do driving directions. Not spoken directions like with an automobile sat nav, but it will beep when you have a turn coming up and the display will indicate right or left on upcoming street. Then when I reach parking I switch from on-road to off-road navigation and take off on foot from there. Works for me.

[+NeverSummer]

Hi guys, got a question if you don't mind. I don't have sat nav in my car and I don't have a gps for geocaching yet.

 

Do you guys use a sat nav in the car to get you to a general parking area near the cache, then use your other gps to get you to the cache by foot? or do you just use your geocaching gps to get you and your car to the general parking area of where some caches are?

 

It's just, I have found most of my local caches in which I know the area to drive too, now I'm finding I'm having to go on google maps and write down directions to where the non local caches are as I don't know the area, so is it best to get a sat nav in the car and get my geocaching gps, or would the geocaching gps (garmin etrex 20) do the 2 jobs?

 

I hope I have made sense

 

Thank you.

I'll always do a bit of research before going out to look for a cache. That usually means logging into the website and looking over the geocache map to see where I need to go. That may mean looking over the area for parking considerations, walking distance, and terrain problems that might get in the way (creek, stream, cliff...).

 

Then, when I used to have satnav, I would enter in the closest data for an intersection or parking and go to that spot. After that, I'd use my handheld GPS to get me to the cache site. Replace all of that nowadays with my iPhone and geocaching app, and my handheld GPS as a backup.

 

One of the great things about this game is the fact that you might have to look things up before you go out--write directions, etc. I learned a TON about how to get through town and find shortcuts, etc from geocaching. It really is part of the game that isn't talked about! "Back in the day", if you wanted to find a cache you would print off the cache page and take it with you in a pile (or 3-ring binder if you were really organized). I'd usually also print out a sheet of directions to the first spot on my list.

 

Really it all comes down to navigating in a way that makes sense for you. But I always end up using my handheld GPS (or phone) to get to the cache, and rarely use a satnav to do anything other than get me to safe parking or into a spot where I can recalculate where I want to be to find that next cache.

[+dprovan]

Yes, I typically use my cars GPS to get to parking. I decide where to park online, then tell my car the address. I do this often even when I'm going somewhere I've been before because my car gives me traffic conditions and the ETA, not to mention helping me avoid missing turns if I forget where I'm going. (I often navigate home for the same reason.)

 

Navigating in a car with a handheld is not a good idea. In my experience, handhelds are difficult to use in a car even when you're not driving. Mine, at least, just doesn't really know enough about roads to be reliable. If you do it while you're driving, it's called "distracted driving" here in California and you can get ticketed.

 

(I'm ignoring smartphones. I don't have one, but from what I hear, they can function fairly well in either role, especially when mounted in your car, so I consider them outside the scope of your either-or question.)

[+Walts Hunting]

It looks like you don't have the proper maps. I have the CN North America on my Montana and it has all the streets and can get me anywhere. Then when I step out of the car I switch the profile to direct routing and off I go. Navigating in a car with a handheld is fine. I just set the address before I head out.

[+Heli Leo]

I load caches from my PC to my Nuvii 500 and when I get to within a 10th of a mile of the cache I park and out comes the smart phone or the Montana 600 for the search at ground zero.

[+colleda]

We use Garmin Nuvis in the car but you can get a car kit (ebay) for the Etrex 20 (we use etrex 20s) and, if you have the maps loaded in via micro SD then that will serve the purpose. We also have handle bar mounts for the Etrexs to use on our bikes.

Edited December 13, 2014 by colleda

[+Chrysalides]

Car (Nuvi) then handheld (Oregon). Caches are loaded into Nuvi as custom POI.

 

I've used the Nuvi for walking, and I've used the Oregon for driving. But overall, I found it easiest to have separate devices for different functions. My Nuvi has a 5" screen, even larger than the Garmin Montana. It also comes with lifetime map updates for not that much more than City Navigator North America alone.

[+WarNinjas]

I know this is not part of the question but I use my phone. It has a live map of caches anywhere that I don't have to load. Then when I see one I want to find I hit navigate and it give me driving directions to it. Not always right and you might have to tweak it a little but most often right. Then use it to find the cache. If you are going to go out and but a navigation system and a handheld gps for caching you could consider getting a smart phone that will do both, and if you want you can also do other stuff with it like log the cache, post pic and I think even make calls with it.

[+niraD]

When I started geocaching, I found caches using only Google Maps. That included figuring out how to drive to the appropriate parking place, and walking from there to ground zero.

 

Now, I usually use my phone for driving directions (if I need them), and then use either my phone or my eXplorist 310 to find ground zero.

[+Chrysalides]

.. consider getting a smart phone ... even make calls with it.

Use a smartphone to make calls? Get outta here! What planet are you from?

[4wheelin_fool]

I know this is not part of the question but I use my phone. It has a live map of caches anywhere that I don't have to load. Then when I see one I want to find I hit navigate and it give me driving directions to it. Not always right and you might have to tweak it a little but most often right. Then use it to find the cache. If you are going to go out and but a navigation system and a handheld gps for caching you could consider getting a smart phone that will do both, and if you want you can also do other stuff with it like log the cache, post pic and I think even make calls with it.

 

Yes, on the app I hit "View on External Map", and from there it gives turn by turn directions.

[+wmpastor]

.. consider getting a smart phone ... even make calls with it.

Use a smartphone to make calls? Get outta here! What planet are you from?

Be safe. No texting whill driving, and no split infinitives!

[+MountainWoods]

I have a handheld GPS (Garnin Otegon 550) and with the proper (routable) maps installed it will do driving directions. Not spoken directions like with an automobile sat nav, but it will beep when you have a turn coming up and the display will indicate right or left on upcoming street. Then when I reach parking I switch from on-road to off-road navigation and take off on foot from there. Works for me.

Ditto for me, except that its an eTrex 20. Downloaded the free Open Street Maps, which are street routable. Then switch to off road, where the free topo maps from GPSFileDepot provide more help.

 

Only annoying thing is that there is a bug in the eTrex firmware that randomly switches the profile's "lock on road" setting to ON when I want it to always be off (for all of my profiles). It may remain turned off for several on road and off road "Go Tos", and then on an on-road navigate (randomly), it turns the option ON for lock on road, which it should not do. That is, the current route choice (off or on road) is not supposed to change the "permanent" setting of Lock On Road.

 

Sure wish Garmin would fix that. It's not so bad with Geocaching, but it is a pain with Waymarking, because it may create a new waypoint back at the nearest road, unstead of where I'm standing. So I have it a habit to check the setting every bloomin' time that I have to make a waypoint for a waymark. 3 out 4 times it'll still be set to Lock On Road is off, even though I've been using the road routing. But randomly it has been turned back to Lock On Road.

[+uxorious]

I am surprised no one has mentioned driving directions on the cache page. I usually use my handheld GPSr to get me close to the cache, as well as find it. However, on the cache page under print there is a link to "driving directions". While not perfect, it really would help. Wish they had that when I first started out, as my first GPSr didn't have very good maps.

 

Of course to use this you would need to be looking up your days caching from the home computer or laptop. I have no idea if this feature is available on the apps. (I don't have a smart phone, and am not familiar with the apps)

[+Chrysalides]

.. consider getting a smart phone ... even make calls with it.

Use a smartphone to make calls? Get outta here! What planet are you from?

Be safe. No texting while driving, and no split infinitives!

No, the last one is only for not being seen

[CheesePasty]

Thank you so so much guys for all of your input, after reading the replies and thinking about my situation/options I am going to get a sat nav for the car (garmin nuvi 55lm) and after Christmas a garmin etrex 20.

 

I will do my research on here the night before I go out, I will pick an area with 3 or 4 caches within walking distance of each other, use the car sat nav to get me to a parking spot I decided on, then use the etrex 20 on foot to get me to the caches GZ, yeah, that's what I'm gonna do.

 

Thanks again for all the help and advice, much appreciated, you guys are great.

[+WarNinjas]

.. consider getting a smart phone ... even make calls with it.

Use a smartphone to make calls? Get outta here! What planet are you from?

I know I said think you can! Actually out of all the important features of my phone. Texting, internet searches, geocaching ext...If I had to give one up it might actually be the phone call part!

[+Bear and Ragged]

Thank you so so much guys for all of your input, after reading the replies and thinking about my situation/options I am going to get a sat nav for the car (garmin nuvi 55lm) and after Christmas a garmin etrex 20.

 

I will do my research on here the night before I go out, I will pick an area with 3 or 4 caches within walking distance of each other, use the car sat nav to get me to a parking spot I decided on, then use the etrex 20 on foot to get me to the caches GZ, yeah, that's what I'm gonna do.

 

Thanks again for all the help and advice, much appreciated, you guys are great.

 

Register your new Garmin via http://www.geocaching.com/garmin/freetrial.aspx for 30 days free premium membership.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

For MANY years we cached across the country using only handhelds....no problem really.

However, the best way to cache is to drive to parking with a Nuvi and walk to the cache with a handheld. Be sure you can load caches in the Nuvi you buy. I have a few Nuvi 780's I use ( ebay, $40-$60 )and load the caches as favorites...they show on the screen nicely even when zoomed out to 1.2 miles...you can pick one from the favorites list or touch one on the map and hit go. You can also load caches as poi's but it isn't practical as you have to zoom in so far to see the icon its like driving with your nose pressed to the highway ( this method requires a work-around and was used before paperless handhelds in order to have cache info. without paper )

[+Ladybug Kids]

You can also load caches as poi's but it isn't practical as you have to zoom in so far to see the icon its like driving with your nose pressed to the highway ( this method requires a work-around and was used before paperless handhelds in order to have cache info. without paper )

One can fix this when creating the POI file in GSAK by specifying the "alarm distance" and selecting a custom geocaching bmp image for the Nuvi to display in place of the typical POI "dot."

 

Geocaches are loaded to a Nuvi using a gpx file are saved in the "my places" memory and the Nuvi limits the number of "my places." Then, to clear the caches, one has to delete "all" which deletes all places or tediously delete the caches one by one. Conversely, by saving the caches as POIs, the Nuvi will digest an unlimited number of caches which can be deleted simply by deleting the POI file.

 

I like using the Nuvi to navitage to parking because it allows for heads up navigation for the driver while leaving the handheld GPS available for reading the cache description or planning the next few caches.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Ladybug Kids

[+Malemotives]

I am new at this, but I would expect that for more Caches, one is going to drive to a certain point and then hoof it. There are a number of Caches within 5 miles of my home. I walk all of those, using my iPhone App. Walking is, afterall, the reason I have taken up Geocaching. Outside 5 miles, I use the website to plan ahead, plotting a spot approximately 2 miles from the Cache location and then again walk using my iPhone App. Starting this at this late date, I can't imagine why I would want any handheld GPS beyond my iPhone. It loads up many GPS Apps that do a great job.