Cache Advance

Cache Power Run Survival Tips

Lisa — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:06:02 +0000

Cache Run in Pendleton, OR

Planning an afternoon of power caching? Maybe a 24 hour Cache Machine Run? Ready for an all-day cache adventure? We’ve had some great times power caching and would like to share some tips with you. Just what is Power Caching and Cache Machines you ask?

Power Caching is any geocaching adventure for the main purpose of finding many caches over a space of time, such as an afternoon or even a 24 hour straight geo-marathon.

Cache Machines (popular in the US Northwest area) are organized group-caching on a pre-planned route, usually from dawn to dusk, with a group dinner following the day’s activities. Travisl is the main organizer and his profile has the upcoming schedule of Cache Machines and also a great tutorial on how to put one together.

We know caching isn’t all about the numbers; we all geocache for all different reasons and some with certain goals in mind, and that these can vary from day to day. So if you are thinking about a Cache Run, here are some tips to get you off to a good start and keep you going:

Location: Plan ahead and look over the area you want to cache in. Is the cache density good enough for you to find the caches you want to find? For speed caching, pick caches that are all on one side of the road; it’s hard to pass up caches on the other side, but you can come back for them later. It’s safer to not cross oncoming traffic.

Caches: Of course 1/1 caches will usually be faster to find. But we’d like to recommend that you throw in more difficult and higher terrain caches throughout the day. You will be ready for a challenge to clear the brain, and a good hike does wonders for your caching stamina.

Food: Geocaching is hungry business! Even if you are caching in an urban area, it’s a good idea to bring along a lunch and lots of quick snacks. You may not find a good place to stop and eat so having food along can save the day. If you are caching in a new area we also recommend chatting up the locals for dinning suggestions -you can find some great places this way!

Water, caffeine, beverages: Bring along enough beverages to keep you going. Geocaching is thirsty business too! Just as mentioned above about food, beverages can be hard to find on a power run.

Communication: Before heading out, be sure that everyone on the trip has a good understanding of and agreement with your Power Run goals. If you are caching with a group, we recommend using FRS radios for instant communications. Geocachers traditionally use channel 2.

Geocaching supplies: Be sure to have plenty of batteries, pens/pencils, extra log sheets, and swag and trackables for trading. You can make up special stickers for the day, but we recommend NOT using stickers on micro caches as they can quickly fill up the cache container causing extra work for the cache owner. Be sure to do any cache maintenance that you can, and add extra log sheets to caches that might be getting full. Always Cache In Trash Out (CITO).

Bathrooms: These can also be hard to find -don’t pass up a bathroom break! We also recommend bringing wipes and other cleanup items to use throughout the run.

Local street maps: Even if your GPS has roads on them, a local map can be helpful as roads do change and you will get more detail.

Pets and small children: Power Runs are a lot of in-and-out of the car and park-and-grabs. These are not much fun for little children and hard on pets too, especially if it is hot. We recommend leaving them at home or being sure that everyone understands what the day’s activities are all about. Here are more tips for caching with children.

First Aid Kit: It’s all fun and games until someone gets a cut or other injury. Be sure to check your kit before heading out to see if it is well stocked and if anything has expired. On our last power run our driver got a head cut, and we discovered that the first aid kit was all out of band aids. Duh!

Lastly we recommend keeping an eye on the gas gauge (running out of gas sure can ruin the day!) and and the setting sun if you don’t want to cache in the dark. Of course you should have a flashlight or headlamp with you just in case and if you want to carry on after dark. And of course, it is all about having fun, right?

Do you have any additional power run tips or stories to add?

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Geocaching = Fitness

Andrea — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:09:52 +0000

Did you make a New Year’s resolution for better health and fitness this year? Even if you didn’t make a resolution, we’d like to challenge you to get out geocaching more! Geocaching is a great way to mix up your day and get outside. Not every cache run has to be a trek out to the woods. Chances are you pass fun and quick Urban caches every day on your way to and from work, school or running errands.

Whether the new year inspired you to be more active, healthier, or you just want to break up your daily routine, caching can help you meet your goals in a new way.

Don't forget to bring along a repair kit while you're out caching!

If you’re looking for a way to get outside more or increase your activity level consider plotting a short caching route during your daily activities or before or after work / school. Park further away than you usually do or walk the whole way. Be sure to set the Trip Odometer on your GPS at the beginning of your jaunt and see how much extra distance you rack up just grabbing a few caches -you might be surprised. Just asses the difficulty level of your targets before you head out so you stay within your schedule, and watch the clock. You’ll find it’s a great way to get some exercise in without having to hit the gym. You also may find yourself more relaxed and able to focus better getting a little more activity throughout the day.

Of course the weekends are still open for bringing along the family, friends or your best four-legged pal and heading out for that trek into the woods! Or maybe you’ll want to show everybody your new favorite Urban caching route. Either way it’s a great time to go caching.

Do you have any suggestions or tips to share for working geocaching into your fitness plans?

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Make Caching A Family Affair

Andrea — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 04:47:09 +0000

Often the Holiday Season brings with it an influx of family members from out of town. They arrive in your city expecting you to show them the sights and take them to some of your favorite places…

And how better to do that than to take them on a fun (and Holiday treat calorie burning) Cache Run!

But before you go, keep some of these fun-enhancing tips in mind:

Make sure you have a GPS unit you know well and plenty of extra batteries.
You don’t want your GPS to die in the middle of the search. And bring along one for the kids, the Geomate.jr is designed to be durable and kid (and adult) friendly. The youngsters love to be in on the hunt!

Read about how the Geomate.jr transformed a muggle to a cacher

Click here for our review and more details about the Geomate.jr

Consider the activity/energy level of your caching buddies.
Although you may be an experienced cacher those with you may be new to the game or have never cached before. If this is the case plan a cache route that will be appropriate for them. Also keep in mind that if you have an older family member along they may not have the mobility or stamina that you’re used to.

When caching with Newbies we recomend avoiding Micro and Small caches.
Caches with larger containers are easier to find and usually have fun trade items for the kiddos. Also try to steer clear of caches with high terrain and difficulty levels.

Have a clear idea of the route you want to take and it’s great if it includes cool landmarks or points of interest.
Don’t plan a full-day, not everyone has the caching stamina you do! And don’t forget to pack snacks!

Remember, this is your opportunity to show your family some of your favorite local spots and also share your love of the game. With a well-planned, thoughtful route, a fully charged familiar GPS, and the right supplies, you and your family will be headed for a fun-filled caching adventure.

What tips can you add?

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Cold Weather Caching Tips

Lisa — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 05:00:27 +0000

With winter getting under way here in the Northern Hemisphere, we’d like to share some tips for cold weather caching with you.

Safety and What to Pack:

The first thing to think about is safety and what to pack. Before heading out, here’s a quick checklist:

Be sure to tell someone where you are going: you can leave a note at home, email a friend, update your Facebook or Twitter with your intended caching target or area.

Pack extra batteries as the cold will drain the ones you have even faster.

Always carry water and food with you. That ’short hike’ (or drive) to the cache may turn out to be a lot longer than you planned. We often don’t drink enough fluids when out in the cold.

Don’t forget extra water for your kids & canine caching companions.

Check the forecast and watch the weather -it can change fast when you are geocaching! We like Wunderground.

Know when the sun will set -it gets dark early in the northern latitudes.

Pack a headlamp or flashlight. Better yet, pack two. And check the batteries.

Bring a Rite in the Rain Pen, or Pencils, as regular pens often don’t work below freezing.

Finding Caches in Cold Weather:

OK, so you’re all set: gear is packed, GPS is fired up and you’re at the trail head … Now, off to finding caches!

Mark your car’s coordinates.

Know your limits, and those of your caching companions. That 10 minute hike can take over an hour in some winter conditions. It’s OK to DNF a cache and make it home alright.

Do your best to ensure that all seals on the cache are tight and closed properly to avoid moisture from getting in.

Be careful not to damage frozen containers as you may find some caches frozen shut. Don’t ruin the cache by hitting it against something hard in an attempt to open it. You could break the seal and ruin the fun for everyone.

Don’t bring anything liquid to trade -it can freeze, burst and ruin the cache contents.

Cold Weather Cache Hiding Tips:

So you want to hide a cache in winter? Here are some tips.

Keep in mind the changing of the seasons. That snowy white camo might look great in winter, but stick out in the spring and summer.

Will the leaves turn and fall later, exposing your cache? Or grow back and mess up your camo?

Don’t leave anything liquid in the cache.

Use a water tight container.

Be sure to leave pencils, not pens, in the cache.

How will deep snow affect finding your cache? You might want to hide it above the expected snow level.

Use appropriate attributes for your cache. You may even need to change these with the changing of the seasons.

This is by no means an exhaustive list for cold weather caching. What tips do you have to add?

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Three Tips For Holiday Sales Success

Lisa — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 04:09:37 +0000

Another Holiday Season is upon us and we’d like to share some tips with you that we’ve found can help to maximize your profit and minimize your stress.

Your day can get quite busy with handling orders, customer calls and emails, shipper and vendor issues and managing employees and helpers. And don’t forget the family too! Here are a few tips to help you manage it all, and have a successful holiday season.

Shipping: Make sure that you always have enough shipping supplies on hand. Although it may seem basic, it’s key to remember to be fully stocked with boxes, envelopes, packing tape, wrapping material, mailing labels, and whatever else you’ll need to get your orders out to your customers quickly. This is a good time to stock up in bulk, and hopefully save time AND the budget.

Inventory: Have enough inventory on hand to fill orders quickly and efficiently. Now might be a good time to organize your shelves and fine tune your shop so you can see at a glance where everything is, and how your inventory levels are holding up.

Customer Service: Even though the Holiday Season brings added demands on our time, retaining a high level of customer service needs to stay a priority. It only takes a small amount of time to check that orders are correct before they are shipped, and this extra step is well worth the effort. No one likes to get the wrong present under the tree.

Bonus Tip! Consider which of your products (or services) would work well as a Holiday gift and do a special promotion. The key here is to make the Holiday shopping experience as easy as possible for your customers, making their decisions easy, and your sales higher!

Keeping some of these hints in mind should give your customer a positive shopping experience from beginning to end and help your business have a profitable and low-stress Holiday season. What tips do you have to share?

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GeoWoodstock 2010 Weekend

Lisa — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:35:01 +0000

Thousands of cachers from far and wide came together in harmony this year for the eighth annual GeoWoodstock. This year’s event was held in Carnation WA, at the Remlinger’s Farm. The beautiful property was the backdrop for over five thousand participants and dozens of vendors.

As a Gold Sponsor we were excited to see so many cachers make the trek to our neck of the woods, and meet some international cachers too. We had a great time the night before at the Luau BBQ meeting everyone.

The following day we participated in the Lost & Found event in Freemont WA. It was sponsored by Groundspeak and we would like to thank them for hosting and inviting us to set up a booth.

Many people pitched in to help us set up and break down and staff the booth throughout both day’s festivities and we would like to extend our thanks to the following people:

Jennifer, Dean, Loren, Mike, Cookie, Lee, Casey, Bethy, Anne, Lee, Gabby, Aiden, Breanna, Andrea, Caleb and lil Sis. Thanks Everyone! We couldn’t have done it without you.

Cache Advance had a great time at Woodstock and the Lost & Found events and we enjoyed meeting all of you. We are looking forward to seeing you next year in Pennsylvania for Geo Woodstock 9, in 2011.

Did you make it to Woodstock this year? If so, please tell us your stories about the trip!

How far did you travel, What kind of caches did you find along the way, what activities did you do with your family, did you meet someone in person whom you only knew by their cacher name, did you go caching with someone you just met, did you go caching with someone whose language you didn’t speak, did you get lost?

Cache Advance wants to know!

The cachers with a few of our favorite stories will receive some “treasure” from the Cache Cave…

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Summer Tips for Caching with Kids

Lisa — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:30:07 +0000

Kid Caching

Summer is almost here in the northern hemisphere and most kids are out of school or will be out shortly. Father’s Day is right around the corner, the days are getting longer and the call of the Lock N Locks out in the wild is luring geocachers outdoors. Many families take the opportunity of summer break to cache with their children and grandchildren. To help make these caching outings picture perfect and keep the kids inspired, interested and happy, we would like to offer some tips for caching with kids. These tips come from the geocaching family ‘Dasky2869′, who love geocaching with their kids!

They share: We are a family geocaching team in Loganville, GA. We have been caching for around 2 years since my Dad bought us our 1st GPS and introduced us to geocaching. It is always a family affair. Our kids are 3yrs old and 17 months and love caching with us. It is an great family activity that gets us outdoors and to places we have never been before. My husband, David is a Dekalb County Fireman who usually gets the hard job of carrying the 17mth old, Kendall on his back. Our son, Avery made his first find all by himself a few weeks ago in Ohio. He loves finding everything from an ammo box to a nano. He knows it is the thrill of the hunt! I am usually there to catch all of the excitement in photos and keep us going through out the day. We love introducing new families to geocaching and would love to plan a family meet and greet one day!

Here are a few of the things we have learned along the way while geocaching with our kids:

Park-n-grabs don’t really count to the kids if they never get out of the car…save these for sleeping kids in the car seats.
Mix in a few larger caches with your micros for the day…it keeps the kids interested.
Remember to have the “micros don’t have toys talk” BEFORE you find one.
If they are young enough, bring along an old remote control and let them use their “GPS” too.
Let them lead for once…just remember how to get back out!
Remember Mom, if Dad is carrying the baby that means YOU have to climb the tree!
Pack a small cooler with drinks and snacks to encourage everyone to let you find “just one more”.
And last but not least, enjoy a beautiful day outside and with your family.

Do you have tips for caching with kids? Please add to the list, and happy caching!

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Geocaching Dating and Pickup Lines

Lisa — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:39:13 +0000

Now with over one million caches to find, and three to four MILLION geocachers out there playing the game, chances are getting better and better for finding a caching date, or maybe even more.

Many of us have seen geocachers connect and start dating. Taking a potential date geocaching can lead to many insights about that person and how the two of you might get along down the trail …er… road. I’ve even attended a few official geocaching wedding events -have you?

I am looking for stories to add to my book that I’m writing on life stories and geocaching. Specifically, how geocaching has influenced or impacted your life in a positive way. Today’s topic is dating, relationships and love. If you would like to share a story with me for the book, please feel free to email it to: stories@cache-advance.com. I am also collecting stories of all kinds, so please write away!

We also thought it would be fun to compile a list of geocaching pick up lines. Feel free to add more pickup lines in the comments below.

Now, to get things started, here’s what we’ve come up with so far:

Do you cache here often?
Ever done a ‘night cache’?
Nice camo!
Let’s calibrate our GPSrs.
Your coordinates or mine?
He’s got great stats
Would you like to see my trackable collection?
What’s your caching name, and how did you choose it?
Are you a hider, or a finder?
Wanna go on a FTF run with me?
TFTD (Thanks For The Date)

What other lines can you think of? Please share!

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Trackables: Newbie Hints 60-72

Lisa — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:45:52 +0000

What are trackables you ask? They are items that are uniquely identified (special unique code on each one) that are meant to travel from place to place, person to person.

Maybe you’ve heard of those traveling gnomes that people take with them on trips and then take their picture at scenic spots? Or how about Where’s George Dollars that you can track by the serial number to see where this dollar has been spent before?

Trackables are usually found in geocaches -but not always! They move from place to place, picking up stories along the way. You can add your own story, or live vicariously through each trackable’s adventures.

Trackables come in many forms, such as:

Travel Bug
Geocoin
Promotional
Pathtags (not trackable at geocaching.com)
Vehicle Travel Bugs (A TB for your Car/Truck)

Here are our Newbie Hints to help you learn more about trackables, and some basic etiquette for handing trackables. Many thanks to Trevor and Kate for their help in putting together these Newbie Hints.

60: A Travel Bug is a trackable item that moves from place to place, picking up stories along the way. More here: www.geocaching.com/track

61: Trackables usually have goals. Read the trackable page, recent logs online or in the cache logbook, and look for a goal tag with many trackables. Don’t move it contrary to its goals.

62: Pick up a bug? Log it ASAP. If you hold onto it more than 2 weeks, you should email the owner as a courtesy.

63: You do not have to leave a trackable in order to pick one up.

64: Don’t wish to pick up a trackable? You can discover it. Tells owner that it is not missing.

65: Do not log a discover if you haven’t seen or handled a trackable.

66: Don’t grab trackable from other geocacher until it is dropped into a cache. You may mess up miles or goals.

67: Is the trackable missing? Mark it as missing on page. Prevents others from looking for it.

68: Promo trackables: jeeps, diabetes. Do not collect and hoard; these are meant to be shared.

69: Most trackables have their own icon that will show on your profile at geocaching.com when you discover or grab them.

70: Some trackables aren’t in caches; they are on cars, shirts, bikes, etc. These are usually discovered.

71: Many buy and keep their own collection of trackables and will share at events to be discovered.

72: If the trackable goal is known and you cannot fulfill it, place it where someone can, or pass it person to person to fulfill its goals.

Do you have more tips on trackables? Please add to the discussion!

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Geocaching with the Geomate Jr.

Lisa — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:11:50 +0000

Today’s post is another guest post from Anne, a new geocacher…

It’s another rare sunny day in the Inland Empire. What to do?

Cache Dashers: Lookout Lisa, Yellow Alligator & Liwolf

I’m thinking of a bike ride, but the trails still may be icy, so I pick up the phone to call the other Anne and see what she’s doing on this marvelous day. She’s going out the with gang geo caching and invites me along. I go, thinking I’ll shoot some pictures while they hunt for hidden treasures.

After some good natured kidding about their love of the sport, Lisa hands me a Geomate Jr. GPS and starts to explain how it works. It’s a happy, green color reminiscent of a certain insurance gecko that says to me “let’s go caching, mate!”

Small and lightweight, the Geomate Jr. has only two buttons that are easy accessible even with gloves on. After acquiring satellites, the unit displays the 20 closest caches to our current location. The display screen shows the distance to the cache, a pointer showing which way to go, and the size of the cache along with other useful information.

As we pull up to the first of our 12 caches of the day, I’m still on the learning curve but it’s a relatively short one. I have to scroll thru the nearest caches to find the one we’re looking for. It doesn’t take long, and I am enjoying the simplicity the friendly, little box affords.

Geomate.jr

At the first cache, I get to the immediate area with a readout of around 8 or 9 feet. Lisa is impressed. Her GPS reads 15 to 17 feet, and I’m told that’s pretty good. Ah, the green box is showing it’s stuff now. Though I must admit the small size of the Geomate Jr. is provoking some GPS envy on my part.

We journey on comparing notes on caches and enjoying each other’s company. The last cache is in a tangle of low lying bushes approximately 20 feet wide. This is the geo cachers nightmare, I’m told.

15 feet, 12 feet, 8 feet, 3 feet and then 0 ft. I look down, under, around, pull up branches and nothing. Anne finds the cache eventually, about 12 feet from where I thought it was.

A Muggle no more!

All told, the Geomate Jr. was a great introduction to this interesting day when I went from “muggle” to “cacher.” And as the gecko would say, “It’s so easy, a 52 year old newbie can use it!”

Happy hunting!

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