kraushad

OH COME ON BRRRMO - HOW COULD YOU RUIN A PERFECTLY GOOD THREAD LIKE THIS WITH YOUR DOOM AND GLOOM! Wow, I see what you mean ...sorry, couldn't resist the joke....... *slaps self on wrist*

Any cache I haven't found is on my to-do list! What I really want "to-do" is start learning how to solve some puzzles. I am really bad at these, and I really want to get better at them. For the most part right now, I just sit and stare.... I dunno, maybe they just aren't my cup of tea ...

Just withhold your other "wares" until she gives up the GPSr..... "STEP AWAY FROM THE GPS BOX AND NOBODY GETS HURT!"

Congrats! ..... Wow, did I sound this geeky after I found my first one just about one year ago? ABSOLUTELY I DID! Glad to see anoher person has been bitten by the geocaching bug! Aren't we all just geeks at heart anyway?

I have learned that everyone else has learned most of the things I have learned, but with a few exceptions: I have learned that despite their original curiousity, car-pooling co-workers who don't geocache are now only being polite on Monday mornings when I share the "coolest finds of the weekend." I have learned that 3 year olds aren't patient on the park and grabs and want to get out of their booster seat on EVERY SINGLE STOP we make God Bless Him. I have learned that old friends from high school can rejuvenate their friendship by spending more time together, like they used to before responsibilities took over. I have learned that there is reason to re-visit many places that I got tired of before I learned about geocaching. I have learned that distances can be greatly underestimated when looking at a map on a 3-inch screen. I have learned that distances can be greatly overestimated when looking at a map on a 3-inch screen. I have learned that geocaching fits in perfectly with our family's previously established camping (RVing) vacation lifestyle. I have learned that even if you are warned about a startling item in or a near a cache, at the moment of discovery, you will forget the warning. I have learned that logging every single DNF is very rewarding, as an exercise in humility and also in later accomplishments. I have learned that my demeanor and patience level for caching is directly related to my find percentage. I have learned that there a many more beautiful and neat places around me than I ever thought, or would have otherwise ever had opportunity to appreciate. I have learned that geocaching has improved the quality of my life.

Okay I am still relatively new to this activity having only 195 finds. My background as a teacher brought this to mind. As a teacher you have your own routine or style, but when you get the chance to observe other teachers, many times you can pick up on little tricks from more veteran teachers that help you immeasurably to have more fun while being more effective. I feel as though I have a routine for hunting caches now, that is fairly constant. I wonder how differently my routine is from someone else for hunting these things. I am not talking about how to load the waypoints into the GPS or anything like that, but I can't stop thinking that there elements of someone else's routine that would make the hunt even better, more efficient, etc. If you ever had an "AHA!" moment gleaning some strategy or practice from another cacher, some trick of the trade, tool, or procedure that made the sport more enjoyable/productive, would you mind sharing it here? It doesn't have to be just about the hunt... it could be a cool gadget, or way of organizing materials, etc... Remember the old addage - "If you steal an idea from me, you have stolen it twice!"

Wow! Carribean and caching together - where do I sign up?? That sounds like Heaven on earth to me I think it is an awesome idea. What a great way for cachers to enjoy their vacation, and a way to introduce new members to the hobby/sport/obsession. Having snorkeled a million times, but only one scuba dive (in Maui, and I was so lucky to do so) I think it would be areal hoot to dive for a cache.

With only 195 finds I am still relatively new, but the one that gave me the most trouble was my first "magnetic letters on a transformer hide". I have also been fond of a 35mm can under a birdfeeder and fake birdhouse multi, and a fake pvc pipe into the ground hide, where you had to unscrew the cap. It is funny, I now look at the whole world differently, as every little thing that looks out of place, I wonder if it could be a cache container

For me it lies in the demeanor of the cacher. If you carelessly walk across the graves and seem indifferent to where you are it would bother me. If you are walking purposefully, carefully, respectfully and reverantly, and treating the place with dignity I have no issues with hunting caches in/near a cemetary. Permission of the landowner is a another matter altogether. Some of my favorites were caches that honored a fallen soldier, 9/11 victim or hero, or famous historical figure from my community. When done respectfully I think it is a tribute, not an insult. I especially like it when they are offset caches and require me to find the marker to gain info on how to locate the cache. I often find myself reading many of the markers and wondering about the people lives who are buried there. I think it is a great way to humble yourself too, realizing what a small part of the world's events I really am.

Yes, you are supposed to put your left index finger on your forehead, stare into the sky (directly at the sun if possible) and then say as loud as possible "I believe that the satellite people are monitoring my brain" three times get louder and faster each time as you spin around in a circle (counterclockwise). If the other person is a cacher, they will hop on their right foot while making wing flapping movements with their arms, shouting "are you the gatekeeper, because I am the keymaster." If the other person corrals their young children and runs away quickly, while feverishly dialing the police on their cell phones, then they are muggles. Seriously I don't know of any special greetings or handshakes.

I noticed again this weekend when I was caching with a friend who also owns a Vista HCX, that there is a big difference between the mapping screen (the map with the triangle and purple line pointing to the treasure chest) and the compass screen with the "distance to destination" window, with regards to where the cache is. I am just curious, and not complaining about the accuracy of the unit. I always use the mapping screen and I have no complaints with regards to accuracy. But my friend typically uses the compass screen, and I would be standing right on top of the cache while he would be showing 50 or so feet away. It happened pretty frequently, and we have the same units. When I would switch to compass screen, mine would do the same thing. The arrow would have me right on top of the cache zoomed in to a 20ft scale screen, but the compass screen would have me 30-50 feet away. Has anyone else noticed this and have an idea why this might be?

I have the Vista HCX and love it. It sometimes drifts a bit, but I think that is a small price to pay for the accuracy that the "H" receiver adds to the unit.

Feel free to steal the idea and design... just change to your geocaching webstie name under the logo of course You can open your own franchise! Just send your checks to me!

Wow, so much to think about. I am pretty certain WV doesn't have the same requirement, but I think I am willing to take that chance. I never knew how hard it would be to try and be funny

Feel free to open your own franchise. I have been wanting to expand my business to Huntington since a few minutes ago I sent a PM to you with the web address.

The weather number I picked is a (304) area code number which will only give them Charleston, WV weather/time/temp. Since I live in WV and only travel mostly to close neighboring states (I can be in 4 different states in less than 30 minutes) the (304) should work! For the person that asked where I got it, I guess I shouldn't do a commercial on this website for a specific company, but you can google "magnetic truck signs" and most sites will allow you to design your own, and some will even allow you to upload your own graphics. Glad so many of you like it! I hope I do make some geofriends out of it, as I cache alone most times, and the company would be welcomed. BTW, I edited the image above to reflect the number change, here is the new one:

Once or twice I have been a playground equipment inspector for the county parks completing a routine safety inspection, making sure that the equipment is in good shape for the safety of the children. That works when you are feeling around for that bolt that really isn't.

For me it depends on the hunt. I will continue to search around an electrical box for an "outlet cover" cache while muggles walk by with no issues. However, the last hunt where I had muggle issues was a lock-n-lock hidden in the roof framing of a pavillion in a park. It required standing on a picnic table bench to reach, so I obviously choose to "skulk" a bit and make a fake call on my cell phone until they left. Some actions will draw others attention and could jeopardize the cache. I certainly don't want any caches to come up missing becasue I was nonchalant about retrieving them.

Sorry --double post . I have to learn to have more patience.

This website might have what you need: DOWNLOADS Good luck!

Thanks, but I didn't get anything that reputable when I called that number . Anyway, I already had the sign making company change the number on the sign as stated above. Luckily they hadn't started printing them yet.

GREAT point I didn't think about so I tried it. All of the 800 directories online came back with no results for that number, but i went one step further. So, when you call that number you get an automated message that says something about "call the talk line at (another number) to talk to exciting people online". When I called that second number I got a "talk" line that may not be aimed at anyone under 18 (if you catch my drift). I certainly wouldn't want anyone calling and getting that type of stuff, so i called the company manufacturing the signs and had the number on the signs changed to a time/temp/weather number in our state. That shouldn't bother anyone. They will just be informed about the climate in Charleston WV Thanks for thinking about this.

Hello all, I am officially an idiot! I just spent $70 on magnetic signs for geocaching.... Signs you ask? For geocaching? I'll explain. I drive a white pickup truck just like many work trucks that exist out there in the business/construction world. I thought that many times I am doing urban caches people may dismiss me thinking that I looked somewhat offical while I was snooping around that guardrail or signpost, electrical box, or roadsign, because of the white truck. What would make me look more official? A logo on the side of the truck. So I dropped money on two magnetic door signs for my truck. Cachers will get it right away, but the muggles may only be more tricked when they see them... Here is the design... What do you think? Please don't tell me if you hate it... I spent my hard earned money on this, and I don't think I can take the criticism!

That link doesn't work for me.... AND I disagree that there is no image. There is a seperate box from the MD link, and the wonderful Red "X" has replaced the picture. It seems that the picture is supposed to have music notation in it, but I can't see it either.

This is funny for me. I have met up with other cachers a very few times in the last year that I have been caching, and I always tend to shy away from going up to them. I don't know why. It is not that I am anti-social, just a little shy about "crashing" their hunt. One time we were at a drive-by lamp post skirt hide, and someojne else already had the cache in their hand.... we waited in the car wondering if we should get out and just take it from them when they were done, or wait until they re-hid it and then "find" it ourselves. My first gut reaction is to avoid contact with others, but I really would like to get more comfortable with making friends out there on the hunt. Most of the posts I have read in the last year talk about having something to say like "Did you find it yet?", or one person who even said they like to walk up somewhat officially and say "what are you doing over here?", just to give the other cachers a jump. I still have to find my style on this.