Finding your first geocache

Geocaching is a lot of fun and we encourage everyone to try it. It is important to get off to a good start so that you have a great time and want to continue on with this fantastic hobby. Here are some suggestions on how to start.

If you have a good friend that geocaches ask them to take you along and “show you the ropes”. Ask them if you can carry the GPS and try to find the cache with them walking along. This way you will actually be a participant rather than a spectator.

If you don’t know a geocacher ask around to see if you know somebody that owns a handheld GPS that you can borrow to see if geocaching is for you. Ask for a quick lesson on how to use it. If not you will have to buy one and understand how to operate it.

Picking a good cache is important to success and fun on your first outing. Things to look for are terrain and difficulty ratings, if the cache has a hint and type of cache. We strongly recommend that you select a traditional cache for your first find. Micros and multi-caches might make your first hunt frustrating. We suggest you select one with no more than a 2 difficulty and 2 terrain rating. 1 ½ on both might be better. You might also want to pick out a cache that is hidden in the woods, but not a long or strenuous hike. Insure that you know how to decrypt the hint in case you don’t find it without the extra clue. Read a few of the most recent logs to insure that it has been found recently.

You probably want to dress appropriately for the area you are visiting and pack a few essentials to take with you. As a minimum you should take some paper and a pen/pencil and extra batteries for the GPS. If you are going during the week after dinner you should take a flashlight or headlamp along in case it gets dark while you are in the woods. Things look a whole lot different in the dark than they do in the light. A bottle of water is always a good thing to take along and if bugs are prevalent in your area some Deet is a good idea. You might want to bring a small trinket along to trade when you find the cache.

Okay, now you are ready to venture out. Hopefully the cache page has parking coordinates or instructions on how to get to parking. If not you should click on the map on the cache page and look where the cache is hidden and try to have knowledge of where to park before leaving the house. This is usually not a big problem for first time geocachers as you can select one that is fairly close to home in an area you are familiar with.

Okay now for the real adventure. Make sure that you turn the GPS on and have it near a window or on the dash of your vehicle so that it can receive continuous satellite reception. We highly suggest that you turn on your GPS and get satellite lock while still in your driveway at home. Select the waypoint you are hunting for and select the compass display to show the direction to the cache. If the cache you’ve selected is a distance from your home, drive toward the area and when you are 5 to 10 minutes from the parking area pull over in a safe place. Turn on your GPS, wait for good satellite reception, select the waypoint, and select the compass display to show the direction to the cache. DO NOT DO THIS WHILE DRIVING – IT IS DANGEROUS. Follow the arrow to designated parking.

So you are parked, and have the compass display on the GPS for the waypoint you are hunting for. Now what do you do? Well first of all start having fun! That is what this is all about. If the cache page has instructions on what trails to follow you are in luck. If not, think of trails like roads. Pick the widest trail that is in the general direction of the cache and head off. Stay on trails as long as you can. This is easier on you and the environment. When you get to within about 100 feet of the cache you should slow down. This will give the GPS time to settle down and give you a better idea of where the cache is. Keep you eyes open. Look for a place that the cache could be hidden in. Rocks, stumps, logs and the base of trees are likely hiding places. If the GPS arrow seems to be taking you in circles you should ignore it and look at the distance. You may never get to zero, but try and get to within 10 – 20 feet if possible. Sometimes walking in a cloverleaf pattern will make it easier to get to ground zero. Okay now you are in the general vicinity. Do you see any thing that is unnatural like a pile of sticks or rocks that look out of place? If so, that is probably where the cache is hidden. Sometimes a hiking stick or a stick you find in the woods is a good tool to use to poke in nooks and crannies in hopes of hearing a plastic or metallic sound. That is a dead giveaway. Been looking for 10 minutes and still haven’t found the cache? Then decrypt the hint. Hopefully it makes sense. Many times they still seem cryptic even after they are decrypted. For example, if it says something like “keep looking and you won’t be stumped” then is most likely in a stump.

Success, you found it! So what do you do now? Well open it up and see what is inside you silly goose! If you see something inside that you like you can trade it for that trinket we mentioned earlier. You should always try and trade for things that are of equal or greater value. If you forgot that trade item, no big deal. It is all about the fun of the hunt. Find the logbook. Write down the date, write a passage about your experience and sign your name. Make sure you seal the cache as best as possible and hide the cache like you found it.

Head for home, log into Geocaching.com and log your find. Remember to write a good log about your quest.

Congratulations. You are now a geocacher!

What to put on your cache page

Okay now you have hidden a geocache.

Now what the heck do you put on the cache page?

Start at the Hide & Seek a Cache tab and click on the "Fill out our online form"

Cache type is first and is usually self-explanatory except for two categories, mystery and multi. We are not sure if when you have people collect information from historical markers, signs, gravestones, etc, which of these categories it should be categorized as. We select multi as some people shy away from mystery caches. Write a note to the local reviewer in the "Notes to Reviewer" box, asking how best to categorize the cache, but that you would prefer it to be a multi.

Size - pretty easy to pick an appropriate category here.

Nickname - Lots of latitude here. (no not coordinates - choices) Sometimes we select a name that could be a substitute for a hint. It is amazing how many people don’t read the entire cache page before setting out and don’t use the name of a cache as an additional hint. This makes for extra fun when you read the logs. You can also select a name for the area that you hid the cache. This is quite appropriate for historic hides. A catchy name can be used to spark interest. Strongly consider this if you hid a puzzle cache. If you are hiding a series of caches you might want to have each of the caches of the series start with the same name.

Who placed the cache - The default is your caching name, but you can put in whatever you wish. It will still link to your profile.

Yes this cache is active - You might want to UNCHECK this box until you have your geocache page perfected. You will find that once you look at the cache page you may want to make changes. This prevents the page going into the queue for the local reviewer. Just make sure that after you make changes and have the page exactly like you want it to look that you check this box and resubmit the listing.

Date placed - We prefer to use today’s date even if it was hidden a month ago. This way it shows up on the first page for new hides and gets more traffic. If it takes days for you to perfect the cache page you can always change it to the current date.

Background URL - We have never used this option and probably never will as it takes longer for pages to load. If you do choose to do this you can upload a picture to the cache page after you create it. Then you can click on the photo and copy/paste the URL into the Background Image URL box.

Coordinates - Again, self-explanatory, but be careful as it is easy to make a typo. We transposed numbers once and the coordinates were 11 miles off. Luckily we have a great local reviewer that fixed up our mistake after a local geocacher asked us if it might be an error. If you have the coordinates loaded into your GPS you might want to turn the GPS on and read them directly from the GPS screen rather than writing them down as it might eliminate transcription errors.

Location - Select the country and if in the United States you will have to select a state. Be careful here. We know of one local cacher that thought he selected Massachusetts, but instead selected Minnesota and the reviewer from Minnesota had to fix it up and send an email to the reviewer in Massachusetts.

Difficulty/Terrain Ratings -If you are an experienced geocacher you probably have a good idea as to how to rate the cache. If not you might want to click on “try this system” for help. One thing to keep in mind is that a terrain rating of one is for wheelchair access. Very few caches really fall into this category.

HTML - If you want to include pictures or links you need to check the box for HTML. For those of you that do not have any knowledge of HTML we will have a subsequent post on some simple HTML commands.

Short Description - We are not sure as to the exact number of characters available in the short description, but you can only write a short paragraph here. Many geocachers don’t read the entire cache page so put in anything that you feel is important here. If you want to test our theory about how much people read, bury the important info in the long description and have fun reading the logs for the cacher that waded across the river because they didn’t read where to park. :-) If you give directions on how to get to the cache, remember that many of the people that will be going there, are not familiar with the local roads and landmarks. Start your directions from main roads. You might want to mention anything that might harm the environment. We do not think that caches should be hidden in historic New England stone walls and always state “NOT HIDDEN IN THE STONE WALL” if there is one in the general vicinity.

Long Description - Here is where you can pretty much write whatever you wish. Many of our caches are hidden in historic or scenic areas so we try and give details about the history or the scenery the finders can expect to see. You can include info on wildlife that might be seen, if dogs are allowed, or if it is a good place for a picnic. We feel that within reason the more info the better. We think this attracts more finders. This is also where you can post pictures or links to things like trail maps or historical data using HTML. If you received permission from a land owner you should mention this here and if you are proficient with HTML, inlude a link. For example we have placed several caches on Joshua Trust Land and have a link to their site.

Hints - Again lots of choices here, but there are two basic rules you might want to follow. First if you don’t want to give a hint, then don’t. There is a lot of discussion in the forums from frustrated geocachers that decrypted a hint in the field that said something like “no hint at this time” or “you shouldn’t need a hint for this one”. Second rule is keep your hints as short as you can because when the mosquitoes are swarming you really don’t want to decrypt a long hint. A wise cacher said to us once that a clue that seems like it is a dead giveaway for the hider, matches almost everything in the general area of the cache. You might want to remember this when you select your hint.

Notes to the reviewer - This is probably one of the areas most neglected, but crucial to quick approval of your cache. If you got permission to place the cache tell them. If it is a multi you should give them the coordinates for all the stages. If you don’t they will probably come back and ask for them which will delay your approval. Remember that the reviewers are volunteers. Any extra information that you can supply to make their job easier will get your cache approved that much sooner.

Make sure you check the boxes that you read the guidelines for listing a cache and that you have read and agree to the terms of the use agreement. If you don’t your listing will not go through.

Check submit listing and you are done. Well almost. View your listing. Read it carefully. You will probably find something wrong, you'll see typos, or something that you don’t like and will want to change. You should also click on the map on the cache page to make sure that you listed the correct coordinates. You only have to make that mistake once to understand why this is a good practice.

Edit listing to make your changes, resubmit and view your listing again. After you are happy with your cache page, REMEMBER TO EDIT LISTING one last time and CHECK THE "This Cache is Active" box and submit your listing to get into the queue for the reviewer. You should add attributes, add additional waypoints such as parking coordinates, trailhead coordinates etc., and log in travel bugs. We will discuss these topics in future posts.

In a short time your cache will be approved and shortly after that you will find out who is the first finder. Then you can sit back and enjoy the logs of your fellow cachers.

Travel Bug Hotel Success Story

About two years ago the local Groundspeak approver asked us if we would retrieve a geocache that had been placed in the Connecticut Welcome Center off of I-84 by a geocacher from Pennsylvania that would not be able to maintain it. We asked him for the coordinates, loaded them into our GPS, found the cache and headed back to the car. When we were driving out we saw a gate and figured we would check it out. It had a really nice trail along the Willimantic River. We said that it would be a nice place for a cache. A few months later we did some research on Travel Bug hotels. The best seemed to be along an interstate highway and were easy to find. We also noticed that some had restrictions to insure that they always had Travel Bugs to exchange. We decided to hide one at the Connecticut Welcome Center along the path we found. We decided to put a restriction on trading TB's. Here is the wording we used:

Take a Bug, Leave a Bug - Trading the same number.
If you have traded identical numbers of Travel Bugs, and can still help one or two more on their missions take more BUT please leave a minimum of 5 Travel Bugs for others to swap.

Some said - "Why did you do this, bugs will be stuck there forever?" One geocacher even called it a Travel Bug jail.

Well it is a very successful Travel Bug Hotel. Because there are always bugs to swap more people stop by. Some geocachers even stop by multiple times because it is a .15 mile walk along a nice trail and always has multiple Travel bugs to exchange. We are proud to announce that our Cache and Release Hotel has over 300 Travel Bugs logged in less than 17 months. Statistically that is a Travel Bug every 1.7 days and a vistit by a geocacher every 2.5 days. As the success of this Travel Bug Hotel quickly unfolded due to its location, scenery and traffic the negative comments stopped and the positive skyrocketed.

If you are considering hiding a Travel Bug Hotel you might want to use this model.

AND

If you are ever in Connecticut plan to stop by and help numerous Travel Bugs on their journey.

Mike and Barb

Hiding a Geocache

Before hiding a geocache you should ask several questions.

Why are you hiding it?

1. I found a beautiful place and I want to share it with others. In our opinion this is the best reason to hide one.

2. I know of a historic site and I want others to learn the history. This rates right up there with the first reason.

3. I want to give back to the geocaching community.

4. Other cachers say I should hide one. This is the worst reason to hide a cache. Your heart should really be in it.

5. I have an idea for a devious camo job.

6. I know of a great puzzle that I would like to see if somebody can solve it.

What you want people to see?

1. Several scenic areas in a small park

2. Several scenic areas in a large park.

3. All the trails in a small park.

4. All the trails in a large park.

5. A single scenic spot.

6. Nothing in particular.

Who do you want to find the cache?

1. Everybody.

2. People that like strenuous hikes.

3. People that love to see cool places.

4. Nerdy types like yourself.

5. Primarily the local cachers.

6. Out of Towners. Make it worth their while to stop in your area. They've driven a distance.

7. Elderly cachers, those with handicaps, and cachers with small children.

How many people do you want to attempt to find your cache?

1. Everybody.

2. Quite a few.

3. Just a few that prefer challenging caches over numbers.

How many other caches are nearby and what types are they?

If all the other caches are multis or puzzle caches and you hide a multi or puzzle cache, you might not attract many cachers except for the locals that like to find difficult caches. You have to remember that many geocachers like to find as many geocaches as possible in an area. If all the geocaches in a locale look like they might be difficult they might avoid the area entirely. You can never go wrong in hiding a traditional cache.

Now lets consider the possibilites:

First the no brainers.

1. If you want to attract everybody and have nothing in particular that you want people to see, then a "lame" micro hidden in a guardrail or lamp post might be in order.

1. If you have a confined area, or short walk, of interest with no muggles (especially if all the above are true) then maybe a creative hide is in order.

2. You have a great scenic or historic spot and want lots of people to see it, then you should consider a traditional cache with a clue.

3. If you only want a few locals obsessed with finding hard caches, then you should hide a puzzle cache, a multistage cache or a devious hide.

Other possibilities:

1. You have several scenic areas that you would like people to see in a small park. You should consider a multi with containers at each area you want people to see.

2. You have several scenic areas that you want people to see in a large park. Maybe you should think about hiding several traditional caches at each spot.

3. You have several interesting historical facts you want people to read and see. Maybe you should consider a multi where people have to take facts from the signs or plaques, do some math and move on to the next stage (s) and final cache.

Placement considerations:

1. Height. If you want the cache to be off the ground consider putting it at a reasonable height. For all you tall people out there - remember not all geocachers are 6 feet tall.

2. Rivers. Check out the area of the normal flood plain and try to place the cache on ground high enough where it will not be floating down the river every spring or after a heavy rain.

3. Muggle factor. If it is an area that has many muggles you might want to consider adding a good hint so that you don't have to periodically replace the cache. The suspicious activity of the finders coincides with caches getting muggled.

4. Heavy tree cover. Not only is it hard for you to get good coordinates but it is also hard for the finders to get a good lock and find the cache. This is especially true in pine forests. Give a very good clue.

5. How far off the trail. If you place a cache on the trail it needs a great camo job to make it muggle proof. Placing it too far off the trail might be considered to be environmentally unfriendly.

6. The container. Pick a container that matches up well and fits in the hiding spot.

Summary
What you hide and where you hide it will determine who attempts and finds your geocaches. Consider what you hope to accomplish and whom you wish to attract to your cache.