Where it all begins....
www.geocaching.comFrom there, after you register and choose a screen name..you can do a search of your area to see what caches are hidden near you. You can search for clubs all over New York, Penna, Mass, Conn,...whatever state you are from on the Geosite. It is a lot of fun to do once you understand the principles behind it. The cache containers range in size from a micro..which is a tiny magnetic container no bigger that a watch battery with a rolled up log inside to sign.....clear up to large plastic/tupperware bowls with trinkets, toys, travelbugs, geocoins..ect..(you never know what you may find in them) and such to trade (take one-leave something in it’s place)...ammo boxes...decon. containers..magnetic key holders...fake yet real looking hollow rocks, logs, pine cones, signs with hidden panels, fake plastic screws/bolts ...people get really creative in the containers and the way they hide them.
You may find them attached/hidden in trees, bushes, hidden around or under tree roots, inside holes with some type of camo concealing them(leaves,twigs,grass,dirt), under rocks, attached to guardrails, fences, poles/posts, they can be buried/stashed/attached to just about anything anywhere..if there is a crack or space or hidden nookie..a cache can be placed there. If it's in a high traffic area where you'll likely run into muggles..(they are the non-cachers) parks, playgrounds, parking lots, public places..you must at all costs not get seen doing what you are doing..you have to be very secretive and stealthy so as not to be seen getting the cache or replacing it...they get taken all the time by muggles and it's a real pain so be very careful out there, a lot of times you have to do waiting games with them or just come back at a later time.
You don't always have to have a GPS unit to find them, it just makes it a quicker find, zeroing you in on it faster..but you can use the clues and hints posted on the cache page and use old fashion detective work and brain power to figure out the hide, this is how I started out with my kids and we still find most this way. There are also two different maps on the cache page that you can click on that will show you the approximate location of the cache, the street or road it's on, it will zoom in and out as much as you like to guide you to the cache, which roads to take and also show the icon of other caches nearby. GPS's aren't perfect and they can be very inaccurate at times, they bounce signals around alot with heavy clouds, tree cover, deep in the woods, valleys, inside buildings..ect, so don't expect to just walk up on it, you'll be disappointed, but it's nearby. This sport requires creative thinking, problem solving skills, patience, persistence and perseverance....just like with gold prospecting and metal detecting. Sometimes it may take several trips and checking back to the cache page to see if anyone posted new tips till you find it.
It gets you outdoors to places you may have never known existed...some of my favorites are the mountain vistas and lookouts, long forgotten historical locations, old cemeteries, memorials/markers, if it has some sort of history attached to it, a cache is probably hidden near by. Some caches are located in very remote areas which may require a lot of hiking, climbing or descending over rocks, boulders, cliffs, down in gullies...some may require a boat to reach..the difficulty of the cache is rated at the top of the cache page and type of cache it is. If it is rated a 5...that's the most difficult and of course a 1 would be the easiest. They describe in some detail what you can expect or encounter for that particular cache, what type and size the container is, difficulty level of seeking it...and if it's has any element of danger/hardship in anyway..you will know in advance so you can decide if you're up to the adventure. Some people have physical challenges that will make some caches too difficult for them to attempt, but mostly they are in very accessable areas.
Your best bet is to join a local group near you so you can hook up with veteran cachers who can show you the ropes of this sport. The cache types can vary region to region so what you may be doing locally in your area could be very different in another state. You can always go it alone..but there are dangers involved with some, plus with spring, summer and fall seasons...snakes, spiders, bees and other nasty critters are out there to give us a scare or a bite/sting. There's poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac to avoid, lots of jaggers and thorns to cut and scratch you up. Be very careful where you reach, walk, climb..if you can't see inside/behind it..think about it first before you go sticking your hand inside, or flipping a rock over, moving a log around or stepping over it. You may be tromping around in high weeds/brush with some of them...you have to always use caution and keep your eyes open and be alert all around you at all times. Considering the above..it is really a lot of fun to do.
Thought I would update this topic since we are getting more members joining... they may be interested in trying this sport out. I had something similar posted over on the OH site to get them started out, but they have since found a geo club member to take over the reins moderating and answering their questions.
