WARedBear

I tend to agree with the above statement. Especially around the Pacific North West where a mountain could be involved. I have cached in several states and most of the terrain ratings were pretty much dead on. I would have rated a couple higher because of the briars and ticks involved but that is me The difficulty ratings on the other hand seem to be the owners own idea of how "hard" he/she thinks the cache is. I have found 3 star caches faster than some 1 stars. When I travel to different areas I will base whether a cache makes my "hunt" list on the diff/terr ratings. I usually won't attempt a 3 star rating when I am out of town unless the description and logs lead me to believe it will be easier to find than posted. I have attempted 3 star difficulty rated ones knowing I might not have the time to find it...only to recover it in 5 minutes. I will write in the log that this cache would be rated a 1 star back in Washington. I think the local "normal" has a lot to do with how a cache is rated. We have a lot of cachers in Spokane and a lot of caches so our "normal" 1 star rating appears to me to be harder than 1 star ratings I have accomplished in other areas. I would suggest reading the geocaching rating system and then honestly and objectively look at your caches hidden spot and determine how long it "should" take a cacher to find it. Will all cachers find it in the same amount of time....NO. I have one DNF on my list that I have searched for more times than I want to admit. In fact I think I am the only cacher who hasn't found this cache. Great...I just checked and it looks I will be the ONLY cacher to attempt and never find "Wearing The Green" by Patudles because it is now archived. Now I have to live with the shame and the DNF label the rest of my geocaching career.... ...thanks Patudles.

I created three bookmark files of the caches I have found. My idea is to generate a USA map showing those cache locations. I saved the three LOC files to my computer and used GSAK to create a database with all of the caches. Problem is GSAK only loaded 149 out of 225 caches. It loaded 55 out of 100 on the first, 70/100 on the second and 24/25 on the third. Why is GSAK not loading all of the waypoints? Is the problem in the database? Are only 149 of the 225 being created into the LOC file? How can I tell? Any help is appreciated.

You can check out my caches to see a few examples of easier puzzle caches. Spearfox...I had the opportunity to go after a few of Darkmoons caches when we were in OKC...they were my favorite ones. I have duplicated a couple of his here in Spokane. He is dark and devious......

Just placed my order for 3. Thanks

The above explaination works great. It is worth the $3 for one month to do that. I traveled to S. GA over the Memorial weekend and planned on caching from Fitzgerald, GA to Enterprize, AL. I became a member and brought up the GA map. Zoomed in to Fitzerald and then panned along the route through Albany GA. I created a GPX file (a lot more cache information than the normal LOC file) of all the caches in town and named it for the town ie. Albany.gpx. I did this for the five cities I would be in. I then imported these files into GSAK and created a Georgia database of all the caches. One of the neat advantages of GPX files is that GSAK uses all of the information like cache type/size, TB's and more. I then exported the information to my mapping program, Microsoft Streets and Trips, my GPS, and my PDA. I could have printed out a map sheet but I didn't...I will next time. It was too hard to bring up my GPS map and zoom out and in to find the next cache...especially when I was driving. The PDA (first time using it) was wonderful, no paper to carry around in the woods, just slip the PDA in my pocket and go. The GPX file loads all of the information off the cache page into the PDA so you have it in the field. GREAT STUFF!!!!!

I was down in S. Georgia this past weekend for a family reunion. I slipped away to "buy film" and to pick-up a cache. I followed the arrow into a Botanical Garden and the trails to the "secret spot". The cache hint stated the container was in a knot hole so I checked out the nearest pine tree and found no knot holes. Next came a large cedar tree that had knot holes all around the trunk. I started peering into all of them looking for the micro when all of a sudden I see eyes looking back at me. I was startled to find a snake coiled up in the cool shaded hole. I told him that he could have that hole and the cache if it was there. See picture here.

I have a Meridian which is almost the same unit. I've had mine for two years without any problems...well a couple of minor ones...but nothing major. I love it. I blame all of my Did Not Finds on me and my finding abilities and not on the GPS. Hey the GPS gets me to the area...it is up to me to find the cache. Happy Hunting Oh there is one thing...the GPS knows where it is going...don't second guess it.

I will say there is a lot of and I do mean a lot of uncached areas in the south. Town after town, rest areas, parks galore, you name it and it is probably available for a cache. All I have to do now is figure out where these white bumps (pimples) on my forearm came from. I don't know if I hit some poison stuff or if I have thorns stuck in my arm. I got to work this morning and my arm started to itch. I looked at it and found 12 white spots. Some are clustered in 2 to 4 bumps together. I posted a thread in the southeast forum but nobody has responded yet. Any ideas? Breaking out in Spokane

Yes, as a matter of fact I do have a Magellan. It has to be a combination of pine needles and Magnolia leaves. I have never experienced anything like that any place I have cached. I literally walked in circles...walking past the cache. Thing is two of the caches were in easy locations but here I am following the arrow into deep dark thick scratchy, biting woods...just to come back out to find the cache near a trail. You (southeastern cachers ) need to add a warning label to your caches... You will have to walk in circles to find this cache.

Spent the weekend finding some caches in GA and AL. Get to work this morning and my forearm is itching. I look down and find several white bumps scattered around. I have a total of about 14 bumps, some are singles and some are clustered in a group of two to four bumps. Any ideas as to what it might be? Thorns? Poison something? I did find several caches in the woods so it could be anything. Thanks Washington Red Bear

Just got back from a family reunion in Georgia and Alabama....of course I had to cache along the way. Found 8 out of 9 caches, lost several gallons of sweat in the woods, received a few scratches from briars and white bumps on my left arms from the briars or maybe poison ??. I usually hate cache "HINTS" that tell you exactly where the cache is located..."the cache is located in the root system of the big magnolia tree". But on this trip I was thankful for those types of hints. Otherwise I would not have found the eight caches that I did. Reason? My GPSr had me literally walking around in circles on most of the caches. I would set the GOTO and start following the arrow into the woods. The arrow would point say north at 90'. I would start walking then the arrow would point west at 70' so I would follow the arrow and then it would point south at 80'...then this direction and then that direction. I actually walked passed the cache container at two different locations. I would finally zero in but the cache was nowhere to be found. I would "cheat" and read the hint, look around, find the spot, look and sure enough there was the cache...20'-60' away. I blamed it on the tree cover and I am sticking to that excuse. Anybody else experience that kind of round about way of finding caches on a regular basis?

Well I went south to Georgia and did my first paperless caching. It was great!!! Only thing is you have to remember to take the PDA with you. I forgot..okay didn't take it with me three times and I had to go back to get it. But it was a lifesaver with past logs, hints, descriptions and being able to make notes. I won't go back to paper.

I will take 2 coins. I will get the payment out. Thanks

Cental Washington over to Eastern Washington.... A pile of small rocks stacked against a larger rock. A pile of sticks stacked against the base of a tree. A micro, of various sizes, stuck in the crack of a rock wall. At the base of a sage brush...that bites. To name just a few of the norms. By the way this topic is right on time. I leave in the morning for S. Georgia. I plan on picking-up a few of those "Georgia Style" caches in the next couple of days...Look out Tifton, Albany, Dothan, and Enterprise...here I come. Yes, I know the last two are in Alabama. I get to find out what an "Alabama Style" cache is. I just hope they don't have anything to do with a rattlesnake.

My cache names "usually" have somthing to do with the area I am hiding it in or why. "Cash-mere Cache" - located in the town of Cashmere and it is a coin (cash) exchange. "21-Candles" - I hid this one on my daughters 21st birthday. "Gone But Not Forgotten" - Statement on a plaque located on a fence surrounding a lone grave out in the woods. "Stamp Me A Cache" - located at an old Stamper mill for silver ore. "Blow Me Away" - A puzzle cache that starts at an old civil war cannon and takes you to the top of a mountain where the wind blows. "Pear-A-Dise" - the name of the park the cache is located in. "Oh-Me-Oh-My" - the name of the botanical garden the cache is located. "You Can't Get There From Here" - A multi that you start at a road sign that lists the mileage to several towns down the road. The town the cache is located in is not listed...thus the name. "Aluminight" - (coming soom) Is a night time cache across the river from an aluminum plant. (my wifes idea) "Red Bear's First Spokane Cache" - my first cache in Spokane WA "Survivor Mission" - Several caches have come and gone from Mission Park. My goal is for mine to survive the muggles. "What's Playing Tonight" - is located at an old drive-in movie theatre. "Numbers Here and Numbers There" - A number puzzle located close to a hill that the high school seniors put the graduating year on in BIG numbers. Think about the cache area or the reason for the cache and let the creative juices flow. Hopefully this helps.

How did we ever survive before forums??? I went home and closed the PDA software. Brought up GSAK and was able to download the waypoints to the GPS without a problem. Thanks for the needed help.

I will check the GPS setting and disable the PDA software tonight and see what happens. I checked the cable connections and they are clean. I also checked (ohmed) the cable and it is fine. So it has to be the GPS...thanks for the suggestion.

I have used my Magellan Meridian serial cable to load waypoints with no problem. I tried to load some for a day trip last weekend and nothing loaded. I tried yesterday on two different computers and I kept getting an error. I ohmed out the cable and it is good and I used the serial port to load the information to my PDA so the port is good. That narrows it down to the GPS. Any ideas on what my problem is? Thanks

Just sent my payment via PayPal. Thanks again for the Alaska geocoin.

Thanks Uncle. That is exactly what I needed to know. I am using a temporary copy of GSAK and like what it does. I read the web page on Cachemate but didn't see where it was just for the PDA. Happy Hunting Reid

So what are the differences...pro's vs con's of Cachemate vs GSAK?

Okay...I took all of your suggestions and bought a Palm IIIxe this morning off of E-bay. So now it is time for me to put the cart before the horse. I have never used a Palm but I do know my way around computers inside and out. The Palm is coming with the manuals so I will have some reading to do...but I am the type of person (man) that does first and reads later. Now the questions begin:.... Can you load caching programs onto the Palm? What programs do I need to go paperless? Can you load mapping programs onto the Palm? Do they have to be a specific type? Can I download the programs (mapping) from www.palmone.com? Will my Magellan GPS connect to the Palm? (via serial cable) Am I asking to many questions? Thanks for the help. Palm Newbie

Please put me down for 2 for a USA order Thanks

How did you get all of the different geocaching icons to show for your pushpins? I have also used MSS&T with my laptop and GPS when I was job hunting. That was before I had MapSend. I typed in the goto address and the GPS showed my present location.

Well priceline.com has me sitting in the Salt Lake Airport for three hours. Are there any caches located in the airport that I can find? I need something to do while I watch everybody else come and go. Any ideas???? Red Bear from Spokane WA