suemac

This whole process of a sport evolving is so interesting and agonizing to be involved in :-). I think one of the issues we face today is the paucity of rules about the sport. Few rules allows us to be creative, challenging, to play and experiment with our hides. It allows us freedom - not security. Few rules means the parameters of measuring 'good' and 'bad' in the sport are not well-defined. Well-defined rules create security - in football, you know exactly what a touchdown is because there is a set of rules that define it exactly. In caching. people tend to form a set of internal rules they follow - this is a 'good' cache, that is not. Therefore some people feel that what one cacher calls a smiley is really cheating, because it breaks one of theiry internal rules. I feel a lot of the angst we see expressed here in the forums comes from different cachers having conflicting internal rules. So as a caching community, we eventually have to decide if we're going to create more rules by codifying what some subset of us calls 'good' and 'bad' caches - hence creating more security for those who like everyone to play just the same - or if we're going to continue to keep a minimal hand on the sport and allow it the freedom to change and grow. Personally (ah, I knew she'd get to this eventually!) ... the sport is called 'geocaching'. I think a find should be something that you have to use a GPSr and a set of coordinates to locate. Other than that, I like the freedom to experience many different types of hides - I don't want to make rules that discriminate between one type of hide and another.

I don't normally chime in on the micro thing 'cause I see it as in irresolvable issue - those with strong opinions just ain't gonna be moved. Wanted to make the following comments, however... I see no difference between hiking a mile and finding a 35mm in a palm tree (and I detest palm tree hides!) and hiking a mile to find an ammo can under a pile of sticks, pine straw or palmettos. No difference in the degree of challenge or interest to that kind of hide. As a matter of fact, I would probably prefer the palm tree 'cause at least then I wouldn't be stumbling around in circles in the woods with bad satellite coverage, spiders, ticks, etc. I don't cache for the trades, so there's no difference to me in the size of the container. For me, caches can be: about the journey - how you get there, what you see on the way - includes puzzle caches 'cause then the 'how you get there' becomes how you solve the puzzle about the find - good camo, hard to find or retrieve, amusing, brain-twisting about a smiley on your Found page I greatly prefer good finds and journeys, but will stop for smileys, too.

Yes, but then they use the term incorrectly in the "How to place a cache" page. If a waypoint is designation gc.com generates when you create the cache, then you obviously can't write it on the cache container when you place it since it hasn't been generated at that point. Easy solution and one I think gc.com should make: change the wording in the "How to place a cache" page to suggest writing the COORDINATES (not the waypoint) in the log and on the cache.

This question was recently asked on another 'caching forum I read: > OK, here is a question that you can feel free to laugh about, since I can't hear it when you do! > I have read about 22 different pages trying to figure this out and I'm tired of trying...I'm trying to place > my first set of caches and I don't understand how the waypoint is obtained! Does my GPS create it, > because I did read that they suggest you write the waypoint on the log and the cache itself, so obviously > gc doesn't create it which leads me to believe that my GPS will tell me what it is... I thought at first that the cacher just wasn't reading the docs carefully, but after doing a little thinking and checking I posted the following reply: > I can see that this is confusing to a newbie! > Technically, a 'waypoint' is a geographical position identified by a specific longitude/latitude. This is the > 'waypoint' the instructions from gc.com tells you to write on your container and logbook. > The 'GCXXXX' designation is a convention adopted by gc.com to uniquely identify waypoints in a shorter, > easier to remember and refer to, format. > It IS confusing that gc.com refers to latitude/longitude as a waypoint in one place (the instructions for > placing a cache) and to their 'GCXXX' designation as a waypoint elsewhere (such as the Hide & Seek A > Cache page). Perhaps the terminology either on the 'How to hide a cache' page or on the 'Hide & Seek a Cache' page should be modified for consistency?

Get a cheap one! I have yet to find an old, cheap pda that wouldn't run Plucker and had too little memory for my cache files. You don't need color. A pda that takes a removable mem card of some type would be nice and I much prefer one that runs Palm OS. My preferences are colored by my experiences: I've dropped my pda on the trail (found that one by backtracking) and lost another when I left it on the hood of the car and drove off.

So how many caches & info can you fit on one piece of paper? Some of the reasons I like paperless: - If I'm doing a heavy day of caching, it would be cumbersome to try to fit all of the info for the caches I was interested in on one or two sheets of paper. - I often wind up hitting caches that I didn't plan to, for one reason or another. Easy to keep info on more caches that I think I'll do in the pda - wouldn't want to try on paper. - I often like to read the last few logs on a cache - perhaps it's been dnf'd a lot lately and might be missing or is a toughie and I can glean some hints out of the logs. That said, if I'm doing a big day of caching, I load tons of caches in my pda, then carry a page or two with my hopeful route listed - just waypoint and cache name - gives me something to make notes on and seems to work better than downloading the route to my gps. Whatever works for you, though...

To get back on topic... Bill Pullman - Or Nathan Fillion (rock on, Firefly!) -

Test!

Ok, ejnewman was correct in that the info wasn't in the html source, but was in the EXIF data fields. I tried several different image viewers unsuccessfully; I haven't tried GIMP yet 'cause I don't have it installed after a dist change to Gentoo, but will install and try it out. Turns out the easiest option of all works fine - more foo.jpg For some reason I didn't see the same info when I used Munin's strings foo.jpg | more, though I'm not sure why. I think I'll have to do some more prodding at the file to see what else I can determine. Thanks for the help. I think my basic problem was that I didn't realized that I wasn't seeing all of the EXIF data using my Linux file manager. Totally messin' with my head !!

I've worked on several puzzle caches lately that have coord info hidden in the properties of various .jpg files on the cache page (or elsewhere). You have to save the image to your machine and then view the image properties to find the puzzle info. My problem is this: I've been confused 'cause I sometimes find info in an image that I was sure I'd already checked and didn't find anything in. I figured out this evening that when I'm on my Windows box everything works fine. I can use Windows explorer to view image properties and I see several fields that sometimes hold puzzle info, such as the 'subject' and 'comments' fields. However, when I view the image properties for those same images from my Linux box, I don't see those fields listed, thus can't see puzzle info if it's kept there. I also don't see the info if I just display the file contents on Linux. Has anyone else noticed this behavior or know why it happens? thanks, suemac

I have a 60cs; a coworker has the 500. I love my Garmin, but I wish it had an external card slot like the Magellan. I *really* wish it had the 'geocaching' mode the Magellan has - gives you data like who hid the cache, difficulty and terrain ratings and hints right on the waypoint screen. I could *almost* leave my pda at home with that info on my GPS.

My husband also doesn't like caching much, though he finds them fairly quickly when he goes with me. He does however like ham radio, so our compromise is that he drives me around to caches and then sits in the car and talks on his radio while I hunt. I also have a couple of girlfriends in town that I cache with - takes the heat off of him. Marriage is often an excercise in compromise, so I think what's important is that you work together to find a solution - either combining caching with something that he likes to do or agreeing that it'll be one of those do it alone activities.

Duh! Sorry :-), I'll repost over there.

I have a friend who just got a Garmin 60cs (new cacher - nice starting unit, hm?). She's taking a trip to the UK in a few months and would like to use her GPS for navigation while there. She hasn't purchased any map software yet ... Any recommendations for what to get for her trip? She's looking at MapSource CitySelect Europe, 'cause it looks like she has to have CitySelect to get routing. Any comments on v6 vs v7? Also, we've seen some v6 cds for purchase on Ebay - are there issues with resale of map software (ie: limited number of installs, etc.) ? TIA

I have a friend who just got a Garmin 60cs (new cacher - nice starting unit, hm?). She's taking a trip to the UK in a few months and would like to use her GPS for navigation while there. She hasn't purchased any map software yet ... Any recommendations for what to get for her trip? She's looking at MapSource CitySelect Europe, 'cause it looks like she has to have CitySelect to get routing. Any comments on v6 vs v7? Also, we've seen some v6 cds for purchase on Ebay - are there issues with resale of map software (ie: limited number of installs, etc.) ? TIA

Magellan SporTrak Pro. Used a Vista for my first month of caching, but didn't like the physical unit - seemed made for holding in your left hand - when holding it righthanded, reaching for the toggle obstructed the screen. Also didn't like the user interface as much as the Magellan. The SporTrak was also slightly larger - a minus when tucking it into a pocket, but a plus when using it since the screen is also a bit larger (and easier for me to read). Have cached with a friend with a 60cs; it did seem to converge on coords much faster than my SporTrak.

Thanks for the recommendations. I will have a car - my husband will be at conference classes all day so I plan to get in some serious caching. I already did a pocket query for the area and found over 200 within 60 miles of New Orleans.

Any recommendations for must-do Nawlins caches? I'll be in town w/my husband in July (I know, horrible time of the year to visit) and want to cache my head off while he's at his conference. Looks like you guys have a good density in the area ... I can't wait! thanks, suemac

I also liked Bridges Over Fern Creek. Other favs were Get On Down (nice little walk on a boardwalk) and Sanford Beach Bum. For challenging, try the Uuh, Seriously Dude series - in a nice park with short walks and long hunts. If you like urban micros the Nano series by Nomad is good and and for a total challenge try Urban Geoflage. I did a run in Orlando several months ago - started in the Sanford Beach Bum area and worked my way over to Winter Park to the Park Ave We See You Webcam cache (another good one if you can call someone to take your picture). You might post a query on the FloridaCaching.com website - I'm sure you could get a couple of phone numbers for cachers in the area in case you have any last minute questions while you're there.

Well, I'm a confirmed Magellan fan, but I may be seduced to the Dark Side. I went caching with a local cacher who's just gotten a Garmin 60c and it's a totally fantastic GPSr. If I were shopping in that price range ($350ish) I would definitely consider it. He got a Meridian Color first, but had problems with it - went to the Garmin and has never looked back. Way cool.

test

We'll be up sometime around the 21st. Don't have much planned while we're there except seeing LotR, Return of the King, at the Uptown. Have been REALLY looking forward to that! My kids are mild cachers; I'll probably do some nearby park caches with them. Otherwise I'll probably be on my own. I just started caching in July and this is my first trip to MD since then. I'm excited to have something to get me up and out of my mother-in-law's house now :-). I'm up to 160 finds now and between a caching event in Jacksonville Saturday and the trip to MD I hope to pass 200 by the end of the year. suemac

Hey - I'm a Florida 'cacher headed for MD (Calverton area - close to Beltsville) for Christmas. I plan to head to the district for some numbers one day, weather permitting, but wondered if you guys had any recommendations for cool caches in the area. I don't mind driving and enjoy either long hikes someplace neat or difficult urban micros. Have already seen the Nasty series and want to try a couple of those. Any others? thanks, suemac

This topic is beating a dead horse. We all agree there are lame caches of every type. Different people like different types of caches. There is no on-size-fits-all for cachers. The hunt, the view, the trade: what difference does it make? Just do it Allowing cachers to easily select the type of caches they like to do is great. Adding unnecessary and/or diffiicult to evaluate/enforce restrictions on cache placement is detrimental to the sport. Don't choke the life out of our sport!

Ha! This reminds me of the cache on the FL panhandle where the cache owner asked the first finder to bring some fishing line to tie down the cache, lest it float away with the tide! Of course, being tied down didn't keep a young muggle from finding it and keeping it to put crickets in - the dad emailed an apology to the owner later when they realized what they'd taken. Sigh...