MtnLion

I just have two caches... my first I can walk to from my house in just a minute or two, the other is just off of my son's elementary school property...Quality over quantity...I have friends who throw many many caches all over and then can't maintain them properly when something is wrong with them...I might not say it to their face but it's a pain when you cache in an area where there are a lot of poorly planed badly maintained caches. IMHO anyway...

wow. thanks, Prime Suspect. You can pull your foot out of my a$$ now ...I'm no longer confused! I appreciate the good suggestions and for straightening me out. I can now feel free to leave notes without deleting them later! I guess I just got off on a tangent and forgot to double check my assumptions. Happens to the best of us! Enjoy your day. "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Does anyone care that the total number next to your name is logs, not finds, and includes notes that you have left? I can imagine verbose people who have left dozens and dozens of notes all over, and those are part of that total count number. It bothers me, as I am anal retentive, and I end up deleting all of my notes after a while so my count total is more reflective of the caches I've found instead of the logs I've left. But people who are claiming "most finds", etc. may not actually have a clear picture of how many caches they've found... I'd like to see notes left out of the log total. Is it possible? "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Yeah, I have a bug that's been lingering since August and one that's moved quite a bit. My experience is that the map only shows up after it is useful. It's worthless to have a map that shows no movement. The map shows up on the bug page after the bug is placed in a cache other than the original cache. I wondered about that, too, until I watched the process and saw that the map link does appear. Makes sense, doesn't it? "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Hey OzGuff, Take a look at this cache: GCD118. It is a "moving cache". I haven't seen one before, and I stumbled upon it in another thread. Looks like there is a precedent for creating a moving cache out of the actual bug that can be logged to and then rehidden. The logbook can be hidden in a standard cache and the moving cache (bug) can be hidden nearby. Then the cacher who finds both caches can log both separately. Might make it easier for Honeychile to approve such a thing since it has been done before (if there was any question about it). Though I guess you wouldn't really have a travel bug anymore if the magnetic key holder was changed into a moving microcache with a cache page online...hmmm... well, just another angle... "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

quote:Originally posted by OzGuff:Sorry about the huge "quote"--am at work and the browser here is unforgiving. I am blown away at how quickly the Hide & Seek TB has been found! Did your friend take long to find the keybox, and were my directions adequate? I understand that the extra hunt might not appeal to folks if no "find" is registered. Of course, if they don't do the extra looking they don't find the extra TB, as the TB is in the hidden keybox. I will contact Honeychile to see about your suggestions. Sounds good to me! If so I will make sure your friend gets a retroactive smiley face! OzGuff I was quite surprized to see the bug in person myself! I believe she said it took her about 15 minutes to find. She said the directions you left only specified a distance and heading from the cache, and wished there had been more, but she found it fairly quickly, so I'd say it was adequate. She thought the hide and seek idea was really a good one. Well, good luck with the idea, I'll be watching the bug and this thread to see if it develops. Thanks for being a Geocache inventor! "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Well, this TB is literally sitting on my desk right now. There, I just picked it up and put it back down. I work with Pur24Karet and she just came back from her lunchbreak with it, came into my office and said "Look how cool! A Hide and Seek travel bug! Isn't that neat?" What a small world. You haven't even had a chance to log it into the cache she took it out of yet! Funny. I was thinking that some folks might not want to go to the trouble of finding the actual bug if there is no additional logging credit available. I might be wrong. It just seems like I would want to log a find on the cache I found the TB logbook in, and then log a cache find for the bug itself. Like a "locationless TB". If you put the bug itself in a second standard cache, it might be difficult to keep it from getting removed by a different cacher prematurely. Perhaps there is a way TPTB at Geocaching.com would let you make a locationless (or mobile) bug cache (even though there is a neverending moratorium on standard locationless caches). This seems like a really cool version of the typical bug. I like it a lot, and it seems like you ought to be able to log two caches for finding both parts of it. If it seems like a good idea to you, you should email Honeychile (our local cache approver) and see if she would consider approving something like that. "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Sound neat. I live in Asheville, so perhaps I might actually see this bug and get to take part. I'm thinking deeper about the concept. I might repost later with some thoughts... "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Good job y'all! Thanks to runhills, Team Misguided, and fractal, Sparrowhawk has the bug and plans are in progress to get a cache set up in Pasadena just for the TB. I also emailed Wil Wheaton to let him know the bug was in bound and he replied to my email with an enthusiastic greeting. He's waiting anxiously for the TB's arrival. My opinion of him is higher than ever. As well as my opinion of all of the cachers who have made this all possible so far. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!! "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Whatever you guys decide to do, please log the bug in and out of a cache to make it change hands. Even if it only got really close to the cache. I just want a log trail that's fairly accurate. Thanks! "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

quote:Originally posted by runhills:Ah yes now to make the next connection. TeamMG, intersting you mention Gaines Park, I was FTF just barely ahead of TravisL. The bug is a CD Tin, not sure it will fit in Gains. TravisL, what works for you? The last time I logged Pot'O Gold, you were doing maintenance. I think I could find it again. If you see me spiraling inward; all is well. If I am spiraling outward; offer assistance. Runhills, The only critical parts of the TB are inside the CD Tin (WWDN oval sticker, SASE, TB tags, goal card). The CD Tin itself was added by the first cacher who picked up the bug after I dropped it off, and could be left behind if necessary to fit it in an otherwise appropriate cache. It'd be nice if the whole thing could be delivered, but don't let that get in the way of the perfect plan. "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Hey, you guys are great! How exciting... Thanks for taking part in this bug's journey. Cachers are wonderful "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Absolutely! I'm in the middle of a so-far very successful TB journey called "Caching Barefoot (to Wil)". It's going to CA from NC to get an autograph from Wil Wheaton. There are about a dozen people who have adopted it. Also see the thread "Autograph Bug". "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Gadget Girl logged the bug into a cache in Seattle. We're getting close! If anyone can get it to the Portland area in the next week or two, that'd be great! Sparrowhawk is planning a trip to Pasadena (home of Wil) next month and would like to take the bug in with her. Thanks! "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

quote:Originally posted by drinkprimus3:I don't know if you noticed but that guy hasn't loged a cache in over a year what if it gets to him and he never knows it because he doesn't frequent the site. The bugs a cool idea though and worth a shot Good point. We have a thread going on Wil's website about the bug. He knows it's coming because Sparrowhawk told him face to face that it was. And when it actually hits Pasadena, a number of us will email him and let him know where it is. Thanks for the concern! This bug Wil work. "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Thanks Jeremy, I hope this squashes the whole idea of piracy or at least makes it so taboo that it is extremely limited. I was very upset about it when it first surfaced and now I feel vindicated and protected. "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Generally, Is it necessary to get permission to place a new cache on the campus of a public state university? How about a private college? I assume yes at private college, but I figured no on the public university. "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

Mitch, I have had a chance to really break in the FatBoy Versipack I got from you this weekend on a 5/5 cache called "Tube Torcher". It requires climbing in corn silos and crawling/climbing/walking through many many meters of sewer systems. The pack worked great. It was small enough and sat snugly enough that it didn't get in the way when crawling through the sewers, and it is great for carrying everything I needed. I had in it: a headlamp, work gloves, GPS, cellphone, sunglasses case, wetwipes, compass, cache worksheets, two pens, snacks, lightstick, trading goodies, extra batteries. I had to carry my kneepads and a lantern, but that was fine. If I had had a larger pack, I wouldn't have fit in the sewer! I've sewed the Geocaching.com logo patch onto the outer flap on top, and I'm ready to go. I can tell that this pack will not wear out before I do... Anyway, thanks for bringing Maxpedition gear into our community. It is definately as advertised-an excellent bargain. Mtnlion "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

quote:Originally posted by Alan2:MtnLion: Why? The only thing you lose is the bearing arrow. Even though you lose satellite lock, the Vista's compass rose continues to work since it works magneticaly, the same way as your Silva. After you lkeave the clearing, you can follow either your Vista's or the SIlva's compass. They both work the same way. Now, if you really want to get something neat though, get one of these $150.00 Tifanny 1836 silver compass boxes. It's no good on a quad map, but it sure is _sexy._ Alan Yeah, good point. I wasn't really thinking, I guess. What I experience regularly is that the compass on the Vista gets wiggy and flips back and forth oddly if I'm sort of wandering around in a tight spot. It seems to need me to walk in a straight line for a while to get it back on track. I find that the Landmark compass is much more fluid and easy to deal with if I just want to use a compass while moving slowly and turning often around and around. I love my Vista, and use it's compass most of the time. It's just when I really get in close to the cache and start zigging and zagging around that I like the Landmark better. Mostly I enjoy juggling many different nerdy navigational aides while trying to sidestep the stinging nettles and poison ivy My comment shows my ignorance and a mindless assumption about how the Vista compass works. Yours, MtnLion

Here is what I said about the people who complained that metal travel bugs were too expensive to afford: "...*Caution below *bitterness/eyerubbing tired & crankiness warning** Mostly, I just enjoy the simplicity of the geocaching _game_. There are a whole host of poor teenagers and students and poverty stricken adults that can scrap together a few dollars a day for cigarettes or booze or lottery tickets that can serve as great examples of how if you want/need something enough, you can find a way to afford the difference between $5.00 (metal) and, say, $2.50 (plastic) for a TB tag. I can't imagine a situation where literally a couple of dollars is going to make or break someone's choice to do something they really like to do..." Same sort of arguement here. I can't imagine anyone who really can't afford this. I pay $3.00 a month. That's one thin dime a day. That's less than I pay for a gallon of water from my tap. Anyone can afford $3.00 a month if they want to. Anyone. Even the homeless. I'm sure. If you just don't want to pay because of some ethical issue, then I'm sure no one will think less of you. I think there are a number of geocachers who enjoy being "outsiders"...that's fine, too. Please, if you can, help pay for this website's upkeep. I pay $3 a month. I buy travel bugs, I buy merchandise. I don't feel like a hero. I just feel like paying that one thin dime a day for something that I love to do. If you feel guilty, then it's a sign you should pay (or you need therapy). If you don't feel guilty, more power to you. If you think that the fact that you contribute to the game by being active on the bulletin boards or placing caches, etc. makes it okay to not pay, you're devaluing those of us who paid and also contribute in many other ways. Blahblahblah. Just cough it up. It's not noble to pay, it's not noble to not pay. We're all just regular people and we all ought to pay The Frog and TPTB for investing themselves in this glorius geocaching hub. It's sort of boring to make such a big deal about one thin dime a day for such fun! If you don't pay, then, as my 4 year old son says, "Oh yeah, well I'm not going to be your best buddy!" LOL! Those of you who choose not to pay for your fun...enjoy yourself on those who do.

I have an eTrex Vista with onboard compass. I like it very much. I have a Silva Landmark compass to go with it. It's much better. I use both, but the Landmark is very useful when going under treecover when the Vista's sat lock gets finicky. I can take a bearing in a clearing and then use the Landmark to navigate in a straight line.

I always bring my cell phone, waypoint my car, and take my digital camera. I always always always waypoint my car! I have gotten lost in our woods before--and I was sure I wouldn't.

I used to have many problems with staying logged in, but now I have no problems with that. I do lose text every third or fourth time I try to log a find. There seems to be a bug, but, like others, I just make sure to copy any text I type into a "message" box before I hit Post. I also have to jiggle the handle on my toilet to get it to stop running.

Excellent looking gear. I just ordered a FatBoy. I'm looking forward to using it on the trail. I'm tired of putting everything in my pockets! Thanks for the thread TNRonin!

quote:Originally posted by Mopar: quote:Originally posted by BassoonPilot:Are you suggesting that in addition to TPTB that the initiator of a thread should also be able to close it down? Works for me. That feature has always been there, as far as I recall. Only works within 24hrs of starting the thread, though. + _"(Mopar is) good to have around and kick. Like an ugly puppy" - Jeremy _ Quick, RK! Shut this thread down!