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Thread: How do you plan a day of caching?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Brunswick, Maine
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    548

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    I have 2 different ways to do it depending on my goal,

    1. I have no goal other than to Cache. I load all the caches that I have in gsak to my map software and look to see where the most or most interesting caches that I find for they day and buuild the rout there to get what I want in the most efficent way I see. After I get the route figured out a use Gsak to filter down to the ones in the general direction I was to go and load that and the route to the GPS.


    2. If I my purpose is to go somewhere or at least in a general direction I still load the caches from gsak into my map software and them set the sart and finish of the route. After that I pick the route based on what caches are on the way and other personal preferences and filter Gsak to give me the caches that would cover that route and load the route and caches into my GPS.


    But this is leveraging Gsaks features to keep cache reccords up to date and pq to send me all the caches in maine and border areas of NH and CA. I generally have about 4000 caches in gsak at any time.

    later this month I am going to play with sites caches along a route feature for a trip out of state as I need to download all the caches between here and PA in a pretty wide swatch.

    But for what it is worth that is my approach let me know if you need the details on how as I only gave the 40k foot view on that.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Posts
    285

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    Thanks robt! I think I understand the general idea of what you do, but I do have a question... what sort of mapping software are you using?

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
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    Quote Originally Posted by benandtina View Post
    I'll try this!!! When I did this before I let my GPS re-calculate an optimal route. We ended up on a lot of backwoods roads. None were marked private, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were. It wasn't TOO horrible until we ended up on a dirt road... the day after it rained heavily... lol. We had to turn around and have the GPS re-calculate a new route.
    Make an effort to attend the geocaching event this Saturday. There'll be plenty of people there to demonstrate their toys, and the techniques they use.


  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Brunswick, Maine
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    Quote Originally Posted by benandtina View Post
    Thanks robt! I think I understand the general idea of what you do, but I do have a question... what sort of mapping software are you using?
    I currently use Delorme topo 7 but have used the Delorme Street atlas and Garmin's topo program but any map program that you have that supports loading of a gpx file.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Oakland, Maine
    Posts
    532

    Default Try and find new areas

    We mix it up. Before even looking at GC.com we try to think of an area within a reasonable distance that we haven't cached yet. (This excludes day trips to Fort Kent, although I would like to camp up there and try it). We then look up all the caches in the area we chose and go for it. I will try and go on GC.com at times just to look for cache density. I try to get an area that has 10-20+ caches to make the trip fun. You don't have to go far, there are still 60+ caches in the City of Augusta alone that we haven't found yet. Soon. Very soon. Depending on how fast I fix the deck.
    Geocaching Parrotheads

    Why can't we get a government sponsered tick eradication program?

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    So. China Maine
    Posts
    1,597

    Smile Random who cares where you end up caching!

    First things first. The beer has to be cold so put a lot of ice in the cooler. If you're doing easy caches then 2 beers should get you through the day.

    If you'rfe doing RoundTop or Looking Ragged, you will look ragged after so bring 3 beers.

    Bringing sandwiches and snacks is also of critical importance. No time to stop at ma and pa convenience stores and load up on bad carbs. Bring the celery sticks and carrots and don't forget water and treats for the dogs.

    Now you're ready to cache and unless you map out a complete route before you leave the house, you going to "random cache." Most of the time I'll use Portland, or Lewiston or some other city at the center point on gsak and use 20 to 25 miles as the filter. This will result in lots of caches being downloaded. Usually when we head "towards" Portland, the closest ones start around Falmouth or Cumberland. If you let the Nuvi pick the next closest cache each time, you may end up in Windham, Biddeford, Oxford and never get anywhere near Portland!! And you know what, some of our best days caching have been when we just go where the Nuvi takes us and usually when we've done enough and Di says "Where are we?" I don't have a clue! Doesn't matter. We were caching and when we've had enough I hit "go home" on the Nuvi and that's it.

    I really do believe the picnics we pack add a lot to the caching experience!
    Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
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    5,965

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    Quote Originally Posted by dubord207 View Post
    First things first. The beer has to be cold so put a lot of ice in the cooler. If you're doing easy caches then 2 beers should get you through the day.
    Sheesh! That's gotta be a typo. You mean 12, right?

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    So. China Maine
    Posts
    1,597

    Default 12?

    Depends on whether we're adding a "sleepover" to the day! They do call lawyers' groups "BAR Associations!" We try to represent the geo-community in the highest standards so we're reasonably conservative in our consumption of malt beverages......except when we get home and then it's "Katie bar the door!"


    Quote Originally Posted by WhereRWe? View Post
    Sheesh! That's gotta be a typo. You mean 12, right?
    Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    6,343

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    Personally I don't think it's a good image to portray, needing to have beer to enjoy caching. Especially on a road trip! Of course, maybe if I started drinking while on caching road trips, I wouldn't care what city I was in or what caches I found!
    DNFTT! DNFTT! DNFTT!

    "The funniest thing about this particular signature is that by the time you realize it doesn't say anything it's to late to stop reading it..."

  10. #20
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Posts
    285

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    Quote Originally Posted by dubord207 View Post
    First things first. The beer has to be cold so put a lot of ice in the cooler. If you're doing easy caches then 2 beers should get you through the day.

    If you'rfe doing RoundTop or Looking Ragged, you will look ragged after so bring 3 beers.
    Oh boy! Better not tell my husband about this suggestion... if I do I'll likely end up the permanent Caching Designated Driver, lol.

    Quote Originally Posted by dubord207 View Post
    Bring the celery sticks and carrots and don't forget water and treats for the dogs.
    Speaking of dogs, ours is completely confused by this whole caching thing. He gets all excited while we search... then he stares at us with this "You did WORK to find something that isn't food?" look. He thinks we are fools.

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