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cool_and_the_gang

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Posts posted by cool_and_the_gang

  1. I I love my Handspring and considered getting a GPS attachment but had second thoughts about using it in the field because of the abuse I imagined it would be subjected to.

     

    But I do leave it in the car and use it to manage way points and finds etc. There are a lot of programs available (including a hint decoder) if you search around. I don't have time to hunt down the links to some but when I do I'll post tehn in a subsequent post.

  2. I considered using string, once, but never followed up on it. I've found success in the times that I've had to use this method by simply mentally estimating the distances and using some stationary object to "mark" it. This works for me because I am a visual type of person with a mind that works that way so it's not worth messing around with the string etc.

     

    If you don't have the knack of visually estimating distances, though, the string seems to work. Some other posters in previous and similar threads have suggested it.

  3. Our twin 6 year olds love to go cacheing and are learning to use our SportrakMap unit with our supervision.

     

    They are quite capable of simply following the arrow. They are learning the finer arts, now, of deciding when to bushwhack and when not too or to look for a better way to get to where it is pointing than wading though a stream simply to stay on a bee line indicated by the arrow. They also become frusrtrated when the unit is trying to catch up with a position or when it is confused because they move to quickly.

     

    With some supervision a GPSr unit would be a useful gift for children of the ages you mention. It would lack the immediate gratification of other types of toys, however. It depends on the kids.

     

    Happy Holidays, Everyone!

  4. Holy carp! Are you guys still at it?

     

    The issue is quite simple. It can be summed up alot more simply than with snow tire analogies and debating what is "litter" and what's not. Criminal wasn't the first person to summarize his feelings on unalienable rights. A group of wise men summarized it long ago thusly (emphasis added):

     

    "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

     

    The policies of land managers restricting Geocaching is not that important to me. I've got more important things to worry about. I'm wieghing in only to point out that the debate between Criminal's views and others won't be resolved even if this thread goes on for another 7 pages. The energy spent here would be better spent elsewhere.

     

    But whether you choose to direct your energies towards whether or not you

    were allowed to hide an ammo box in the woods or towards fighting the many other and greater instances in which our liberties or the liberties of others are being trampled in this country or elsewhere, the point is the same:

     

    If you don't agree with a policy, or if you passionatly believe that one should stay unchanged it is your responsiblity to act upon it regardless of your point of view. Changing won't be easy and there's no guarantee of success, but if it's important to you it is your responsibility to educate yourself on the matter, arm yourself with allies and approptiate information and set upon the appropriate avenues to affect change.

     

    The choice of inaction amounts to tacit approval of the rules imposed by others and complaints that the situation is not to your liking are then without justification.

  5. You would think that people would be dying to place a cache in a cemetary :D

     

    But seriously: There are a few around here in historic cemetaries which seem to be large enough to accept them without them being obtrusive. Many of the tombs in the cemetaries are very old and only few people that visit them are actually family members in mourning (although some are, and there is an area adjacent to them with more recent "residents").

     

    I think I would share your reservations about one in a cemetary and have avoided seeking the ones I mentioned above. While some, even most people would be respectful you can never really tell how people will behave. While the permanent residents would not care very much, the serenity and peace that vistors other than geocachers would expect of the place might be upset by someone zig-zagging around following the device in thier outstretched hand.

     

    But I suppose that the cache would be placed in a pretty remote location. I guess that it would come down to good judgement. A cemetary cache should be placed with good reason, and with assurance by the owner that it and visitors maintain respect and discretion.

  6. I am in the process of placing one and I have found that it is taking me a fairly large amount of time to research the site, to obtain a suitable container and to pin point the coordinates.

     

    I could be wrong here, and it will be interesting to see how others who have more caches actually placed will respond, but I think most people are as methodic and carefull as I am being.

     

    Since one will be bound to maintain the cahce the location needs to be someplace that the owner is willing to and is able to access on a regular basis. I don't think a "spontaneous" cache would work out very well and might lead to a disappointing or frustrating search for other people.

  7. There are several layers of meaning to the name:

     

    'Cool' is a shortening of our last name as well as our general state of mind.

     

    I usually go out with several people in my family or with friends, hence 'the gang'.

     

    Lastly, it exisits as a kind of tounge and cheek, inside joke (and with no judgement passed on the band or those who enjoy thier music) because Kool and the Gang's music is completely opposite of my usuall musical taste.

  8. To J&MBella:

     

    This site exists as private entity owned and operated by Groundspeak etc. etc. and with published guidelines that the mangement has every right to enforce. We as users of the site are simply being allowed to use it and this is a privlege that can be revoked at any time by the site.

     

    I can invite someone into my house. I can engage in a conversation with him. I can even post a sign that says "PLEASE DO NOT CALL ME A MORON".

     

    If he calls me a moron I can tell him to shut up. If he doesn't, and I reach the limit of tolerance with him, I can throw him out. It is perfectly legal for me to either without infringing on his right to free speech and he probably isn't going to like it either.

     

    The often cited "right" to free speech applies only to our government and it's policies. We should preserve our legal right to free speech at all costs! But within a private institution it is a different matter: When the Groundspeak administrators have reached the limit of thier tolerance with a subject or individual they are completely within thier rights to take action.

     

    Hopefully this action is taken with good judgement and with consideration for the opinions of everyone involved, but once it's taken there nothing we, as consumers of this site can do but go elsewhere.

     

    Now, I'M GOING CACHING! Have a great Holiday, everyone!

  9. This a great idea! I gave it some thought and designed this game based on your premise:

     

    The goal would be to get the TB from one coastal state to a state on the opposite coast within 4 downs (moves). I'll be happy to start it because I live in NYS. A hypothetical "game" would then proceed as follows:

     

    1) The Football TB would get "kicked off" from NYS (if that's agreeable) or some other Eastern Coastal state.

     

    2) Cachers would take the "ball" and place it in caches, moving it West as far as possible within 4 subsequent moves.

     

    3) When the "ball" lands in a cache in a Western Coastal state it consititutes a "Touchdown". The score could be kept on the TB pages or on a separate web site.

     

    4) It's goal would then be to travel back to an Eastern Coastal state for a "touchdown".

     

    5) While enroute either way, the opposing team would have the opportunity "grab" the ball and reverse it's direction of travel. If the ball was heading West, for example, and somebody from the Western "defense" grabbed it, they could send it back to an Eastern Coastal State for a "Touchdown" unless it as intercepted by an Eastern player who sent it back to the West.

     

    Admittedly, this is a very simplistic version of Football (it actually more closely resembles Volleyball!) but simplicity, I think, is the key here. I don't know how to incorporate offside kicks, safeys etc. without making it too complex to be enjoyable. Check out the StarWars TB game. I have no idea what's going on in it and it is an example of an overly complicated TB game (to me anayway).

     

    Another caveat is the distances involved. Moving it across the contry within 4 downs would require travel of several hundreds of miles which might be out of range for cachers on a regular basis. For this reason it might be more manageable if it were, as Eric suggested, a regional game.

     

    Lastly, I wouldn't want to get into a high level of management of teams and players or the score for that matter. I would suggest that the game be largely symbolic, that is, if you're traveling West and can move the TB go ahead and do it.

    You don't have to be an a team as I can't see how to manage that. The real goal would be to eventually see this TB zig-zagging across the country.

     

    That's my two cents. It will be interesting to see if this works out.

     

    Eric: Would you mind if I posted your idea in my regional forums to see if I can get it to work on a state wide scale in the state of NY?

  10. I frequent other forums on-line involved with other activities. I have had my posts there deleted or moved at the whim of the moderators. I have gotten messages posted in threads with warnings for "infractions" far less grievous than anything people post in these forums.

     

    Personally, I think the moderators here are far more lenient on topics and posts that push the envelope than other sites.

     

    Its easy and kind of fun to complain. And I think geocaching by nature attracts free spirited and independent people. But we don't own these forums and the rights to "free speech" don't really extend to here.

     

    Let's give the moderators a break and let them do theier job. The forums are for learning about our hobby and people who share our interest in it. There are better and less restrictive ways to speak your mind.

  11. I found a TB in NC. It's destination was Florida and I planned to go there in the near future so I took possession of it. I went home to NY and my planned trip to FL fell through (lesson on TB etiquit learned there) so I placed it in a local cache hoping that it would reach it's destination even though it was slightly (majorly) of course.

     

    I was delighted to see that it made a few tiny steps, but in the logs someone mentioned that it was not where it was reported to have landed so someone has it without having logged it in. It has been AWOL for several months and there's no way to tell which of the dozen or so vistors might have it.

     

    Someone else has the TB but I feel bad because if it wasn't for me the TB wouldn't have been so far of course and might not have gone missing.

     

    So here's my ideas to fix the situation:

     

    1) The tracking number is still valid so what if I replaced the travel bug item with another similar one and put a tag on it with the TB number and placed it in the cache that the TB was seen at last? I could post a note in the log that the TB has been reincarnated and is ready to start moving again.

     

    There is the danger that the original TB could be put back into play but I seriously doubt that it will happen. Plus there's the matter of a "counterfiet" TB tag.

     

    Can someone obtain an official TB tag with a customized number? This sounds hard to pull off.

     

    2) I could contact the owner and request that the TB be "archived." I could then place a new "Commerative" travel bug with a similar title in the original owner's name in the last place the TB was.

     

    I've learned my lesson about using the travel bugs, so please be kind with your admonishment! Plus, I did log it in etc. and I believed it was on it's way until it went missing because of someone else. But I'll make this right if I can, since it was me who took the thing so far off course. I like option (2). Any comments?

  12. There is some subjectivity to the value of cache items. I have a growing collection of small items I find at garage sales and discount bins etc. and I grab a few items when I set off on caching.

     

    My criteria is simply if it makes me say "Hey, that's a neat little gadget, item, etc." and if I'd like to find it myself.

     

    I've seen some caches with littlerally nothing but broken junk which can be a disappoinment mostly for the kids if they come with me. If I find that I sometimes add some nicer items to pep up the lagging entropy. Sometimes it's beyond hope and we'll just sign the log book.

     

    If I want miscellaneous plastic parts and broken McToys I'll dig to the bottom of my kid's toy box.

     

    I made a few homemade geo-coins as signiture items but haven't invested the time in making them lately.

  13. I've come across GeoCachers twice, I think.

     

    I can't verify that they were Geocaaching on the first occasion. I avoided a group of people that I met in the woods. They seemed to be avoiding me just as much and were wandering around in a strange pattern off of the trail. I didn't see a GPSr in thier possession and I don't know if they were really Geocachers. I finally lost sight of them. I bumped intop them later walking in a straight line on the trail and they were much more friendly. Perhaps they found the cache. I came out of the experience with a DNF.

     

    The second time, and on a different cache, I was closing in on a cache position (in the same park). I estimated the position and was prepared to start bushwhacking. My companion asked "Where do you think it is?". I said: "Right were that bright yellow rain slicker is standing."

     

    Another party had gotten there just minutes before we did. We had a nice conversation, observed the contents of the cache and signed the log book. We didn't claim that one as find and put a note to that effect in the log.

     

    And lastly, I was once on a river side walking path and I wasn't seeking a cache. I saw a guy approachon a bike who parked it, and then climbed over the railing. He started looking all over for something: high and low, in creaveses, behind rocks, in the voids in the railing posts, drainage culverts, etc. I saw he had a bag on the frame of his bike. I couldn't image what he was doing so I asked him "Are you geocaching?". He looked at me blanlky and said "huh?". I didn't want to explain it to him so I let him continue his search and went on my way, too. I hope he found what he was looking for, but I don't bother asking people I meet on the trail any more.

  14. There was another poetry thread started a few weeks ago that wasn't mentioned above. I had a good time with it while it was on the first page or two but it didn't get much traffic. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...58129&hl=poetry

     

    I dug it up. Here are the poems that I submitted:

     

    I placed a box within the woods

    and hid it at the base of a tree.

    It's drab green color recalls the days

    when it held munitions, tools of fear

    that keep people apart.

     

    It's contents are more peaceful now,

    not of the type that kill or maim.

    Today it holds mostly trinkets.

    Souveniers aquired along the way by people

    who like me

    are also searching.

     

    And perhaps those few who choose to find

    it's home beneath the grass and twigs,

    will come to know as they add thier marks

    to the book of others placed before

    that we are all much more the same

    than we are different.

     

    Here's another inspired by "Where's George?" Dollars

     

    After 271 years he still cannot tell a lie:

    The old man is tired and more than content to travel across the nation the helped to found in somebody else's hip pocket.

     

    Crossing the Deleware was more difficult last time, and tonight he will take quarter in a box hidden on the bank of the Potomac.

     

    There, he will grind his wooden teeth as he presides with a stately gaze over the wild eyed Troll figurines, mocking thier wispy rainbow hair and gaping grins with his neatly cinched tail nad paper thin smile.

     

    Such is the life of the General, now.

    Trusting in God as his day unfolds that his next home will be a comfortable one. That the next person will pass the buck, that the next wandering soul will care to ask: "Where's George ?"

     

    There were some others there. Take a look if you'd like.

  15. I had the same concerns and so I conducted this experiement in by large back yard:

     

    1) I marked a waypoint on my unit and put a marker there.

     

    2) Starting from various distances and directions I did a "go to" that position (A)and marked the positions that the unit computed. Then I marked those as waypoints.

     

    3) When the lawn was littered with the kid' toys (I was using them as the markers) and after the nieghbors were thouroughly baffled I found that the markers were indeed an average of 30 feet or so from the target and averaging the way points did come close to the original position A.

  16. Just about any good quality GPSr will do for caching even if it doesn't have many bells and whisltes. I did not end up with the I-finder (I found a great deal on a Magellan unit for about the same price.) and my research ended without me coming to know much about it.

     

    My criteria in searching for a unit were being able to mark and save a good number of waypoints and a "go to" function.

     

    If you think you might use it for something besides Geocaching or you think you might do more than casual Geocaching you might consider investing in one that is upgradeable or that has some extra features such as mapping, PC interface etc. even if you don't use them at first.

     

    Some of the real basic models don't support upgrading.

     

    I wish you peaceful, safe and fun Geocaching adventures.

  17. Before I invested the $ in my Magellan SportTrak I borrowed an older Garmin (I can't recall the model) to try the sport out. The SportTrak has proved to be much more reliable than the Garmin ever was in the woods. I posted a similar thread a while back about this and learned that the Quadhelix antenna is better for the woods.

     

    Perhaps Briansnat is right and I was using the Garmin unit improperly. But my untested observation and experience indictates some accuracy in the QuadHelix claims.

     

    Read up on the different models and the features of each one. Good luck with your research.

  18. I never had any one tell me to "get a life" (at least not because of Geocaching).

     

    But I usually only bring it up or describe it to people who I think will be interested in it or understand. Some people have said it was interesting but didn't sound like thier thing, others have, indeed said in effect "Why on Earth would you spend your time doing that?" but were willing to accept it as part of my life without negative comment.

     

    I can't recall an outright rude comment about it. If I ever get one I'll just shrug it off. The World doesn't need any more animosity, especially over as trivial an insult as that.

     

    I wish everyone peaceful and safe Geocaching!

     

    Also (slightly OT): Let us give thinks this Thursday for the great work of the Groundspeak people in getting the forums back up and running!

  19. quote:
    Does anybody really know what time it is?

    Does any body really care . . . about time?

     

    "Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing know happiness!"

  20. Welcome to the fun! We wish you happy and safe adventures.

     

    "Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing know happiness!"

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