Wanting to join, need help and advice

[westusgirl]

Hi all,
I am really interested in joining geocaching but would like some help to know what I need to start and what the best ways of getting started is. Also info about what you do once you find a cache. Any and all advice is welcome. Hoping to hear from people and meeting some new friends.
Thanks
Tricia

[Black Bunny]

Welcome!

I would recommend a guru. Look here: http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Guru
They are cachers who are willing to answer questions, and maybe even take you out and show you stuff, and who live in your general area.

In the meantime, when you find a cache, you do a silly, happy little dance (not really!). Well, some people do. What you really do is sign the log sheet, and put the cache back where you found it. Then you log your 'find' online.

It's great fun!
Have you any specific questions?

Wendy

[reesylou]

Wow. I never new this existed!! It would have been great when I was just starting out (not that I have been around long - just over 3 months, but will >300 finds I don't know that I still qualify as totally new)

Wish there were more out my way... Hmm, maybe I should consider volunteering in a little while. My only issue, looking at the nearest couple to me, is that one hasn't logged any finds in over 6 months and the other in over 2 years... is there any way for admins to "retire" inactive gurus? Or any minimum stats? Or is it just a willingness to help?

[caughtatwork]

It was originally a minimum find rate over the last 6 months.
We removed that for a reason I can't remember at the moment.
Let me have a look at the Guru functions tonight and see whether we can only show active gurus.

Can you please PM me the two names you mention so I can prove the result with real data.

[jusojara]

Is there any way to make the existence of the Guru list a little more prominant on the GCA homepage

[caughtatwork]

You mean apart from under the help tab?

At this point the answer is no. The more we make things prominent, the more they become less prominent. The front page is already too busy and I'll be looking to remove stuff from it in the not too distance future, so adding something else at this point is not a viable option.

[Echo]

You mean apart from under the help tab?

At this point the answer is no. The more we make things prominent, the more they become less prominent. The front page is already too busy and I'll be looking to remove stuff from it in the not too distance future, so adding something else at this point is not a viable option.

Not the camels?

[jusojara]

You mean apart from under the help tab?

At this point the answer is no. The more we make things prominent, the more they become less prominent. The front page is already too busy and I'll be looking to remove stuff from it in the not too distance future, so adding something else at this point is not a viable option.

Fair-E-Nuff

[blossom*]

You mean apart from under the help tab?

At this point the answer is no. The more we make things prominent, the more they become less prominent. The front page is already too busy and I'll be looking to remove stuff from it in the not too distance future, so adding something else at this point is not a viable option.

Not the camels?

No way, not the camels! I reckon a much smaller map of Aus would give a bit more space

[caughtatwork]

It was originally a minimum find rate over the last 6 months.
We removed that for a reason I can't remember at the moment.
Let me have a look at the Guru functions tonight and see whether we can only show active gurus.

Can you please PM me the two names you mention so I can prove the result with real data.

Actually, we didn't restrict it on the GMAP (but we did on the list), I think because I was lazy.
It's now restricted to Gurus who have had a find in the last 90 days.

[Bundyrumandcoke]

Ouch

Some gurus dont get to go caching in 3 months, no matter how hard I try. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with an exorbanant number of new caches published each week within a 10km radius. Some of us would be lucky to get one in a 100km radius, every couple of months.

Cheers
Bundy

[caughtatwork]

You haven't missed a month yet.
http://geocaching.com.au/cacher/Bundyru ... s_by_month

It's a balance between those who have dropped off the radar due to lack of ongoing interest and those who can't get out to cache.

As the people who will contact a guru are looking for real help, it's better to ensure that the list is full of active cachers rather than have the person contact 5 gurus, all of whom say they don't cache any more.