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WildOates

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Posts posted by WildOates

    On To Alaska!

    in Northwest

    Posted

    Any recommendations for those of us who are driving up? We are planning a trip up to the great state of Alaska next week, but given the ad hoc nature of the trip we don't have a ton of money to spend on the ferries (wow, they are EXPENSIVE!). We'll be coming up from California, camping along the way, and are especially interested in caches that aren't too far off the highway. We do want to do a little hiking, though, so some hike-to caches would be perfectly cool as well.

     

    My mom died in May, and one of the things she never did was to visit Alaska...she always told us that she DARN well better visit before she died, but, ooops. Ummm...we're in trouble now, and in danger of perputual haunting if we don't take her to Alaska(imagine a ghostly specter at the foot of your bed saying "I neverrrrr gottt to Alaskaaaaaaa...."). So we're going to leave a little bit of Mom there, if you know what I mean (shhh...don't tell the State of California about that, though...they charge a $90 fee for the privilege of doing that yourself. We told them we were just going to keep Mom on the mantel.).

     

    So we're looking for something that we can drive to (not easy in coastal Alaska, it seems), is beautiful (hard to find some place that isn't), where we can camp/hike, and of course, where we can bag some Alaska caches. Maybe a glacier? How can you visit Alaska without seeing a glacier?! We like history and pre-history, too.

     

    Any suggestions?

     

    Jenn in Sacramento

     

    PS: I just heard from WetPaws and she had a great time on her trip up there. Bagged some caches too.

    What Makes Good Swag?

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    I like the idea of leaving girly stuff like lotions/soaps, etc., but I have hesitated to do so because I am afraid the cache might smell too much like food and draw the critters.  Anyone have this happen?

    I've not seen it happen personally, but it is generally considered to be the same as leaving food, i.e., don't do it.

    That's what I thought...pretty sure I had seen or heard that somewhere.

    Inappropriate Locations For A Cache'

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    I don't think there is a cemetery in the Sacramento area that doesn't have a cache or more in it, and personally, I love them. I don't see any difference between me 5 years ago stopping to check out an interesting cemetery and today doing the same but also finding a cache in one.

     

    Regarding other inappropriate places, I think that the approvers pretty much weed those out. Not all caches are for all folks, so what might be inappropriate for Jenn the weiner geocacher would just be really challenging and exciting for someone else. The cache owners are good about warning about potentially dangerous situations, so if that sort of cache is not your cup of tea, don't go for it!

     

    In general I think we can say this...most places where there are lots of geocachers there are also lots of caches, of all sorts. I can't even begin to keep up with the creative and prolific cachers in my area (Hemlock's a busy guy), so I don't even worry about the ones that I just know I will never be able to do (okay, I worry a little bit). There are plenty for me to bag without those. And if some studly cachers think the simpler ones are not worth their time, that's okay too. Is this a great hobby or what?

     

    To sum up, I would hate to see caches not be approved just because someone thought that type of cache inappropriate.

    Can I Still Credit The Find?

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    If it were I, I wouldn't log it, but I might leave a note. As a cache owner, I like hearing the stories of the hunt, so I don't mind notes. To me, the DNF means that try as I might, I couldn't find it. If I run out of time and have to leave before I can really look for it, I don't consider that a DNF, and I may or may not write a note. Either one, however, irks me enough where I do my best to get back to that cache so I CAN find it!

    EBRPD Banning Geocaches?

    in West and Southwest

    Posted

    I don't live in the East Bay (went to school there, though), but I would be very interested to see some sort of uniform policy/procedure/whatever come out of this dilemma that can be used whenever this situation comes up. My guess is that this is not the first time this problem has arisen (I am rather new at this), nor will it be the last. If cachers had, with the blessing of the geocaching gods at GC, some document or PowerPoint that laid out our case accurately and compellingly, I think that would be a very helpful thing. For everyone, not just you East Bay folks.

     

    :)

    Does Your Family Think You Are A Dork?

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    My kids are all young adults and like to geocache...but not as much as I do. I tell my 22 year old son that it's geocaching or I would be in biker bars picking up one night stands--so which would he prefer? My parents just shake their heads...but then they've been doing that to me for as long as I remember. My students look at me as if I've lost my marbles (but I do teach high school, so that shouldn't be surprising, I guess).

     

    And you know what? I don't care what anyone thinks because I enjoy it. I only wish I didn't have to go to work every day so I could do more of it.

    EBRPD Banning Geocaches?

    in West and Southwest

    Posted

    Perhaps I am missing something here, but I fail to see how geocachers are possible liability risks for the parks and non-geocachers aren't. Every cache we hide or find comes with a liability waiver prominently displayed on it and we all know that we cache at our own risk. Do other users of parks have the same?

    EBRPD Banning Geocaches?

    in West and Southwest

    Posted

    I wonder if geocachers are targets for the simple reason that we are fairly, well...visible is the only word I can come up with at the moment. Other park users are anonymous, whereas we leave our names for all to see, both in the physical logs and online. That makes it look like we're the ones abusing the parks. And even if we aren't, they can at least identify us as possible culprits.

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