rstefano52
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Posts posted by rstefano52
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Just my two cents but when my son and his friend started caching the actually found SIX geocaches without a GPS! All they did was use Google maps/earth to get to the general location and then "geosense" from there. I was kind of PROUD of my son for doing that - I'm not sure that I could. In fact I tried it recently to get an FTF and I probably took longer than I should have to find a very simple cache. I didn't get the FTF but that wasn't because I didn't have my GPS. In addition, I had heard about someone who still hasn't used a GPS and I believe that they have thousands of finds! I don't know the specifics but I had heard about it somewhere. I think it's a real skill to be able to do that and "more power" to the person who can. Geocaching is what you make it - after all - it's a "game where YOU are the search engine"!
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I'm still a newbie and don't have any business placing a cache yet but when I do, I plan to make some birdhouses. I'm no wood working genius but I thought it would be neat to make several birdhouses, but one would secretly be a container. Instead of a hole for the bird to get into, I would paint a black circle so hopefully it would blend in. I'd probably try to make the front hinged.
I think it would be extra cool, if I could get it to say "coo-coo" when you open it. Anybody with ideas feel free to email me.
Hi - welcome aboard. One of my favorite caches that I have placed was a bird house. We were able to purchase a pre-built one at a local Michael's Craft store. My son was able to spray paint it, block up the hole, and cut a door in the back for access to the log and trade items. I attached it to a tree with wires. I set it up as a puzzle cache so it doesn't get a lot of hits but everyone who has found it really compliments us on the container. The house was less than $5 and we have a second one that is ready to go as a replacement just in case something happens to this one. I hope this helps. Good luck and happy caching!
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Congratulations - it was great to watch you in action at the Frosty Mug cache. Ever since we were there, a lot people have been finding it but I think that's because Dennis added a very helpful hint. Cache On!
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You wake up the next morning after a good day of caching only to find a TICK embedded in your leg! Here come the antibiotics!
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I'd be interested as long as it's not between June 1 to the 13 - I will be away then. I am pretty much open to any location at the moment.
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Congratulations and keep on cachin.
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When I saw that polskikrol hit his 1000th find, I figured you should be close - congratulations! Keep on cachin.
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The way I figure it, I should be reaching this mark in about two years - as long as I stay healthy and I don't run out of caches. Congratulations.
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Congratulations - keep on cachin!
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What the hey - I'll keep congratulations coming from EVERY DIRECTION! Good job and keep on cachin!
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I know that I'm going to mess this up but I hope that I remember everyone - there were a ton of milestones that occured this weekend - GranAndPap, PBS Sailors, TwoCat, and more I'm sure have hit milestones. PTBilly had his FIRST FTF.So CONGRATULATIONS to all and to everyone that I missed - it's hard to keep up with everyone but please accept my congrats on jobs well done. Keep on cachin.
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I just saw the Old Navy millstone (sorry - MILESTONE)
- CONGRATULATIONS and the same to everyone else who has hit one recently - I could probably go on and on and on and ...! -
I received a similar type of email in one of my other email accounts. Supposedly this "geocacher" found one of my "signature coins" with my geocaching email address on it. Fortunately, this is NOT my primary email address and just one that I use specifically for geocaching. I the "geocacher" wanted to know if I wanted to go geocaching with them. I never responded and when I asked some of our local people about this person (they actually gave their name and an email address), no one seemed to know them. This person never gave me a geocaching Id nor could I find anything more out about them on the GC web site. I'm almost sorry now that I put my email address on the coin!
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I'm sorry - I "gummed" up the works without reading this thread first. I agree - it would be better to add all of the milestones in one place - I just forgot to look here. I had inadvertantly added a congratulations to my brother (JGSTEF) in a separate topic. I will know better for next time.
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Congratulations but will you ever catch up to Stayfloopy?
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I'm sure others have mentioned this but I only go out in certain types of weather - no rain and the temp has to be above 32 degrees fahrenheit. In addition, I don't particularly like going out alone but I've done that on occasion - I am just very selective on where I go because I've gotten lost once when I was by myself - that wasn't fun.
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It took some effort - especially on a cold day but JGSTEF has reached his 200th find at Round and Round the Block!!! (GC126T2) by Joe & Jeni. Congratulations and thanks Joe for a great day!
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This smacks of applying a "grade" (for lack of a better term) to caches and I'm not sure that's what caching is all about. However, I am going to Ireland in June and I have already contacted some Ireland cachers to help me identify caches that I might be able to do while I am there on my tour. Since I will be limited on my route, I would have to plan it carefully so that I can pick up a few caches here and there along the route. A "must do" list in this case would be great but I don't want to cause any hurt feelings if someone's cache did not make the list.
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Congratulations - you won't see me ever doing this cache!
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Gotten really into geocaching and we would like to place our own caches. So many topics, don't know if this was already covered, scanned a bunch of them already and didn't see it.
What order do people do the steps to place a new cache?
a. Do you carry pre-made caches around with you and if you happen upon a good spot, place it, then get the coords and create a listing when you get home? Many times we're out hiking or geocaching and say "that would be a great place for a cache". Have considered just taking a couple of ready-to-go cache containers with me in case the perfect spot presents itself. But don't want to have to go back and label everything.
b. Or do you think of a good place to put one, and create an unpublished listing at home so you have a waypoint name and then you can label your cache container & log with the name & waypoint you've chosen at the time you place it? Then go and actually place the cache - ready to go and labeled with waypoint and descriptive name? Then adjust the coordinates and publish it?
c. Or do you find a place, go back to it with a cache suitable for the location, then create a listing, then go back to it and label it with the waypoint name? Unless it was really nearby and easy to get to, this seems pretty inefficient.
I'm sure there are many variations, just curious what seems to be the most efficient way you've found to do this.
One thing you have to remember is there is a 0.1 mile limit between caches and that's "as the crow flies"! I made a mistake of not checking for nearby caches ahead of time and had to replace the cache at another location (not necessarily a better one). Otherwise, I think what I've done (I've only place 5) is that I find the location first, then I think about what I what to put there and then I get the coordinates to make sure I'm clear.
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You would think the coordinate checker would be a blessing for those people putting out puzzle caches. Answer XX amount of emails or send those users to a site to see if their right/wrong.
The few people who do have the "checker link", I have praised in my logs after a successful caching trip. I don't understand why more people aren't using this service
I love a geochecker.com puzzle cache! I use it with my puzzle caches (when I remember) and think it's great! I do know someone who doesn't like it because she thinks that some people just sit there and plug in likely coordinates until they get the right one. Personally, I don't have time to do that but I guess there are those that do.
One of the problems with checkers, that I have noticed, is that they seem to allow an exact match only. This can be an issue if a puzzle is mathematical and involves any rounding - the person solving it may get an answer that is slightly different from what is in the checker, but is more than good enough to find the cache... a difference in the thousandths of minutes, for example. Consequently, a checker can cause frustration.
I know this because I have this issue with one of my caches.
For what it's worth, I used geochecker.com for one of my caches and I found a selection for a "fuzzy search" and then it gave me some options for how close I wanted that to be. I don't know if that's new or not but I used it within the last 6 months.
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Just 400 more to catch up to you - congratulations - keep on cachin!
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Whistler & co - thanks for the story and the advice. Unfortunately, in this particular situation - I was very unprepared for a caching hunt! Not only did I not have my GPS, but I didn't have my camera. Sure, I probably could have used my phone camera but it's a royal pain to retrieve pictures from that. I've been having trouble with storing pictures on my Clie so I couldn't use that either. Nevertheless, this is a VERY GOOD suggestion and one that I will conside for all future cache finds. When I first started out, I had always taken a picture because I was very excited at finding the caches. Now, I find excuses for not taking pictures - and most of the time I don't even have my camera with me - that's my biggest excuse. Again, thanks for the advice.
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I'm going to add this little story here because I think it fits the topic. Yesterday afternoon (1/9), I received a notification of some new caches up around the area where I work (Woodcliff Lake). Since I have yet to get an FTF, I thought I would try even though I didn't have my GPS with me. I did some research on line using Google Maps and decided to go after one called The Rhodo Ranger (GC18BX5). It looked easy enough and was very close by so I figured I didn't have anything to lose. Well, when I got to the cache location, I discovered that it was on a residential street. That seemed okay since the CO claimed that he had permission to place the cache at its location. Anyway, as I soon discovered, there were TWO possible locations for the cache and of course, I selected the wrong one to begin my search. After about 5 minutes of trying to be very stealthy, I decided to give up only to look up the street and see the second possible location. I moved my car up the street and again after about 5 minutes, I discovered the cache. At this point, I was becoming more and more nervous because there were quite a few muggles out in the neighborhood along with a steady stream of cars traveling up and down the street. I grabbed the cache and went back to my car to sign the log. Alas, I was NOT the first to find, however, while signing the log - I entered the date, and a short note indicating that I was disappointed that I was only STF and then placed the log back in the bag. I very quickly replaced the cache and drove off. It wasn't until I was about a mile away that I realized that I forgot to enter my geocaching name (rstefano52)! I had NEVER done that since I started caching! I couldn't go back at that point because I knew that any further delay would get me embroiled in traffic on the parkway so I decided to go home and write the CO a note for permission to claim the find with the understanding that I would go back in the next few days to complete the entry. As of the writing of this note, I still have not heard back from the CO but I really don't feel that it is right for me to claim the find until I completed the proper log entry in the cache. After all - without the ID - anyone can claim that find. In the meantime, I will plan on going back to the cache location to enter the ID so that I can "sleep better at night"! I just hope that I can do this soon because with this find, I am only 5 away from reaching 300 cache finds. I hope you enjoyed the story and I would appreciate any comments on this situation.
I'd log the find and go back at my leisure to re-sign the log.
I can't say that I went out of my way but I tried going back during my lunch time today - I was able to accomplish the task in about 15 minutes - including the drive time - so now I can rest in peace. By the way, the CO never did reply - I suppose he's very busy! Thanks for the reply.
I know that I'm going to mess this up but I hope that I remember everyone - there were a ton of milestones that occured this weekend - GranAndPap, PBS Sailors, TwoCat, and more I'm sure have hit milestones. PTBilly had his FIRST FTF.
- CONGRATULATIONS and the same to everyone else who has hit one recently - I could probably go on and on and on and ...!
Hoggin' the FTFs?
in General geocaching topics
Posted
Sometimes I wish that the people in our area would let some of the newcomers have a chance but I guess that is too much to ask. I have my one and only FTF and I am happy to say that I don't need to get any more. If I do, that's great but I just will not go nuts anymore because I have accomplished that one goal. It's a good feeling to have an FTF and I hope that all cachers get a chance to get one - maybe that's what those who are "in the race" should think about when they have to be FIRST all of the time. Besides some of us have daytime jobs that we have as priority!