kraushad

True story: Many years ago I was the service manager at a ComputerLand store. I got a visit once from two guys in black suits carrying a VT-100 terminal (Yeah, it was a LONG time ago). They were agents with the BATF, and they had arrested a gun smuggler. They wanted to know if there was any information on this "computer" that would help them with their investigation. I explained to them that it wasn't capable of storing anything, they'd have to find out what it connected to. Then they showed me a notebook. "We think this is a pricelist, but we can't figure it out." It had listings like "Browning 9mm" followed by open-sided squares like the ones in your code, with an "X" here and there. I drew a tic-tac-toe grid and wrote the digits 1-9 in the squares. "There's your key. The X represents 0." They were astounded. In fact, they were so impressed that I didn't have the heart to tell them how I had solved it so quickly, but I'll tell you here: My five-year-old son had a "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" comic book that had used the same code as part of the story line! Thanks for reminding me of this. I'll have to use that for a puzzle cache sometime. Well, I am NOT astounded.... my dad still has 8 years on his sentence thanks to you! (joking) Great story! Surprised they didn't try and recruit you...

Alright folks - you are just stringing us along now.... but I'm not going to fret about it. (Disclaimer - I am a music teacher with an endless supply of musical puns - it is required defense for the middle schoolers I teach!)

I guess I don't fall into Bittsen's "most", but I would like to do more puzzle caches. But, most times I find that I simply don't know where to start. It seems that many times I look at the page and feel like there is absolutely no clues to solving the puzzle present (which of course has to be wrong, otherwise no one would solve it!). I am not afraid to admit that I am not good at puzzle caches. I don't feel insecure about my intellect or anything, but I feel that I fail at puzzle caches more because I don't know HOW to get started on them, moreso than not ebing able to do the work or have the dilligence to do the work once I figure out where to even begin. Make sense? I guess what I wish for are puzzle caches where the technique to solve it isn't the hardest part of the puzzle. I like the challenge of solving them, and enjoy lateral thinking, but when I can't even figure out how to get started, I tend to get frustated more quickly. Perhaps the thing I am worst at is ignoring those stupid question marks.... I really want to turn them into smileys!!

I've read a lot of people on this forum suggest the Garmin EtrexH (basic yellow one) for a cheap but accurate GPS to get started with. I am guessing it might well for what you wanted to do. HERE is a link to a price comparison of that model by store. Good luck EDIT: The walmart price lists at $64 on that link, but is actually $80 once you get to their page. Plenty of places to shop for them though.

.-- .... .- - / .- / -.-. .-. . .- - .. ...- . / .-- .- -.-- / - --- / .-. . ... .--. --- -. -.. (And yes, I cheated )

Awesome. Since you didn't quote post #10, and since your post was directly after mine, it seemed you were replying to me. I am happy that you weren't. Thanks for the clarification.

I don't think it "matters" to anyone but me and the OP that I like it. Perhaps it doesn't matter to the OP either. However, if I came up with an original way of doing something, and then posted it online in a forum, I would appreciate knowing that others think my idea is neat. I was just trying to be nice and pay a compliment to the OP that their idea appeals to someone else. Since written correspondance lacks the body language and tone of voice necessary to determine your intimations, I am not sure if your post was meant to be flippant and unwelcoming of my post, or just an honest inquiry. I chose to respond as if it were an honest question, and hope that I am correct.

Yes, just like that, but without the numbers and text. Just symbols similar to those on the lid. The cans in my area must be the shorthand equivalent of that. 1 {Rectangle} = 1 tracer 4 {Circle} = 4 Ball ammunition ie regular bullet {linked circles} = those rounds in a linked form So those symbols equate to linked ammunition in a standard 4/1 ball/tracer. {Circled Cross} = NATO Marked {Clover} the ammunition is interchangeable with other weapons On the Op's original picture that {V cut rectangle} meant the ammo was stored in bandoliers. (Said in my best Jeff Spicoli impression) Dude. AAAWESOME!

I absolutely love the idea. I wouldn't mind being the computer guy or the hunting guy, but it borders on a nerdy version of a Jack Bauer "24" scene. And I love nerdy! (I am a band director after all). "No Jack, to the north on the other side of that trash bin." "Chloe, I can't get there from here. There MUST be another way!!!" "Jack, I am looking but I don't see...." "Chloe, just find it! We're running out of time!" "Okay Jack.... look for a door in that fenceline to your East. The area should be accesible through there" "Copy that." Now I just need a buddy across the country who has a Verizon cell phone so we have unlimited minutes back and forth!

Are these caches going to be on the property of the YMCA or in a public area? If they are accessible to all cachers, why not just put them out as caches that you the individual is placing, and then use the camp kids to find them? If they are on the private proerty of the YMCA and they wouldn't want everybody to have access than I agree with keeping it off the website all together - would be far less hassle, and you could pick them up as soon as you were done with them. I've never heard of anything like this, but I really like the idea of getting kids involved as a cool hobby. Promotes thinking, problem-solving, navigation, and exercise.

I went as far as signing up for email notifications, just in case. Turns out it took almost two years before I got my first one! All the others I wasn't around or was at work when it was published, but finally one was published a few miles from my house at 6:30AM on a Saturday morning. Since I have two kids under age 5, I was obviously awake early enough to get my first FTF. I don't go nuts for them, but I was really happy to get at least one of them.

For my money - best idea of the day!

I vote this quote of the week! (Even if that week was three years ago!) Short, sweet, and accurate. Thank you. On the subject of caches, although they could be "adult" without sexual content, I'd rather not fracture geocaching into any more subsets. Edited to address age of cache!

1. Time to go 2. Some cooler gadget than my Palm M505 to have the cache info on... maybe an Ipod touch or iPhone (hopefully Verizon will work something out with them by the spring!) 3. See number 1

Thanks abcdm, that is a great start - gives me an idea of what to include.

I haven't ever really hunted, and I don't think you did anything wrong. But, I'd say first come first serve... since he was there and had a ton of time invested, I would have apologized and headed out, feeling a little bad that I ruined his effort, even though I didn't know I was doing it. Having said that, he shouldn't have cursed at you - If he is a good hunter, there was no way you would have known he was there in the first place.

NY - I camped in Canandaigua KOA last summer - what a beautiful area up there in the finger lakes region. I thoroguhly enjoyed our trip. Very "prettiful" up there. I am surprised at the lack of responses to the original question though. I figured more people might have suggestions or expereiences to share. I really wonder how many people don't bother getting permission.... and how many people get turned down on requests.

I have to admit, I am not sure if i know what a land trust property is. Can you give me an example? Is that like a state or county park? or something different?

As the son of a Former Marine, USMC 67-70, Vietnam Vet, thank you all for your service. I both admire you and respect your service to our country and for defending my freedom before I was even born, and since. I wish I had the priveldge of wearing the uniform of our country, but alas I have chosen to serve my country in the middle school classroom! Sometimes I think we might actually have just a few things in common!

Haven't changed positions... Wouldn't put one in there, and wouldn't care if I stumbled upon one. Do they belong in there? Don't know. I think the God Loves You kind is fine, but the Hell & damnation or "anti something" kind are probably inappropriate. Would I throw one out if it were in my cache? No, not unless it was wet or tattered badly enough to be trashy, or was one of the unacceptable kinds listed above. Would I ever CITO one from another cache? No, not unless it was wet or tattered badly enough to be trashy, or was one of the unacceptable kinds listed above.

This is just my opinion, but if you live in a part of the country where hunting and shooting is a way of life, then probably no problem. If you live in those places where people tend to freak out about every little thing, then maybe not such a good idea. I think Okie has the best answer. In WV where I live, many people are gun owners or even enthusiasts, and teach their kids to shoot/hunt before they are teenagers. There is little phobia of firearms as there is in more urban areas. As a young kid (perhaps 7-12 or so), I probably would have considered that a neat thing to find. Kids don't care if it is worthless or dirty or smelly -- if they like it, they like it. When my son is a bit older and started to care, if we were to stumble across something like that and he wanted to take it, I would gladly leave a lanyard or something in it's place. EDITED TO ADD: I liked the carved up versions even better - great idea!

I haven't placed a cache yet, but have been finding them for a couple of years now. This question is not specific to anything I want to do right now, but may help me if/when I decide to place my first cache, which I would really like to do soon. When you approach someone about getting permission to place a cache, how exactly do you phrase the proposal, especially if the person or entity has no clue what geocaching is? How do you word things to overcome a potentially skeptical and/or distrusting land owner? Do you try to email, phone or speak in person? And out of curiousity - What have you experienced in terms of odds of approval? (Permission granted versus denied in your trials) Are some people/organizations more likely to approve or deny caches? What approaches seem to work the best? Does anyone have a stock "letter" that could serve as an exemplar for this process? Thanks.

Marlowe, in the Eastern Panhandle.... I can throw a rock and hit Maryland! But why would I want to waste the rock? Just kidding - born in MD, but like WV better!

By the way - what if I laminated the tract first? Then it wouldn't get mushy when wet and it would last you guys a lot longer! (joking)

yep. people on the receiving end consider it to be "paying the bill". they recognize it as strings attached, which it is. the better example would be to just serve the food without requiring people to sit through the advertising. to give without expecting preaches a good deal more effectively. We don't preach the whole time, contrary to what everyone assumes. It is a simple, "thanks for coming, and, God and his people love you." And.... The first time you see someone who is down, broke, and/or alone at the "end of their rope" make an emotional turn around because they realize that at least God and the witnessing Christian loves them, perhaps even requesting that you pray with them, you will never feel that witnessing is bad again. Many times at public service events/concerts the people ASK for it before you ever get a chance to offer. I don't agree with everything that ANY religion does or believes, but don't confuse a "religion" with a personal relationship with God. The two are very different. It is illogical to dismiss the truth of a God simply because His followers make mistakes. It would be like saying that Tiger Woods isn't a good golfer because someone that he gave golf lessons to never broke 100. I agree that some religious people can be the biggest turnoffs when it comes to going to church, and that tracts in a cache could bother some people. Normally we only get touchy about things we care about, so if a tract bothers you, I would argue that you are not confident in your own religious position. I prefer Coke, but I am not offended by someone who drinks a Pepsi in front of me... I am heterosexual, but I have close friends who are fraternity brothers from college and fellow musicians who are gay and don't offend me one bit. I don't judge, God does. I love as best I can as commanded by the word of God I believe in. There are many pushy Christians who think that they have to beat you over the head with religion.... I am not like that. Chances are if you met me, the only idea you might get would be from the kindness I showed you. (at least I hope so). I also don't consider it tolerance or respectful of others to treat someone else religious material with irreverence. The toilet paper talk is only disrespectful and speaks of intentional intolerance and hypocrisy in points regarding acceptance. I suspect it is posted primarily to be inflammatory and really has no credibility. I don't leave tracts anywhere... never have. I wouldn't leave them in a cache. I often throw them out when they are left on my vehicle or mailbox, sometimes after a curious glance, sometimes not. But, they certainly wouldn't be something I would take the time to get offended by. People are too thin-skinned in the world... everybody is so ready to be offended....