raistlin306

I recently was poking around on my Google apps and saw the blogger icon and found that my old On The Geocaching Trail blog still existed, so i decided to bring it back to life and do daily posts. Below is my original post from ages ago. Take a second look or a first look. https://raistlin306.blogspot.com/ Just thought I'd drop a note here to say that I created a Geocaching photo blog! WooooHooo! Yes the excitement is too much to handle. It's a multi-topic blog, the largest section is about the types of caches I've found, such as the Turn To Extract Log Cache, or The Van Is The Cache, or even The Lunch Box! Also I have a tribute section on the various artwork done to my favorite type of cache, the .50 cal ammo box. The blog is still a work in progress, I've started to add more shots to the "Whats Inside" section, I mean doesn't everyone have a curious nature about what is in all those caches, fear not, I will not reveal any secrets, I keep the cache name, GC number out of it. What would be the fun in Geocaching if everyone could see whats inside before you found the cache? Also I'm going to add a few more sections, mainly about Geocoins and Travel bugs. I'm fascinated by all the types that exist, I'm sure everyone who finds them is a little excited. Please do everyone a favor, and send the travelbugs and geocoins on their way, I found one the other day that had 65,000 miles on it, amazing! Well, hope you enjoy the photo blog. On The Geocaching Trail

I think sometimes I just get frustrated with how Groundspeak doesn't go all in on certain products or avenues of bringing in new cachers. I guess I worry that they will mess this up somehow. I can't imagine not caching. I know there are lots of variations out there, but I prefer the official Geocaching company. The old app was so easy and well put together, it just upset me with the change, I got cachly and never looked back. I admit I still use the official one but only for the built-in messenger. Probably a subject for a new thread and or place, but did anyone ever notice the lack of content update on the Official Geocaching Youtube channel? I guess its just a lot of effort to create them plus there are a billion other videos by cachers out there.

It is just a matter of features that the official app still has not caught up, why is it a third party app is so much better? The sorting of caches, cachly has 23 different ways to do this including size, type, date hidden, D/T, by state or country, plus many ways to include exclude caches. There is a history tab, a usage data wise tab, download tab, pocket queries, that last one I don't understand why the official app still does not have it. even the souvenir tab makes the official one look crappy. The trackable section lets you differentiate between owned and trackables in your inventory, plus it even has filters. The official app lacks so much that I have had in cachly since the beginning, I can view the trackables travels on a map. It just goes on and on. The ability to upload multiple images when I log, this is such a basic thing, when will the official app have that? Where can I see my dnf's on the map? My profile is so minimal its unbelievable on the official app, on cachly it shows my finds in either a list or map with ability to export, also the list has 15 filters, also my logs filterable in 12 ways, all of the trackables I've found or discovered or moved. lists my favorites in list or map with 15 filters. All of my lists are available, my entire gallery is available, all of the types of caches I've found are shown. The official app shows if your a premium member or not, your hides, (a single number no detail), your finds (same no detail), what year you joined, how many trackable (again a single number no detail) Cachly can also translate, why is this useful feature not on the official app. .On the main map, under cache description in the official app you can view either text or web view, cachly adds the source code, useful for info buried in there for mystery caches. The offical app has hint, logs, cache notes, images, attributes, and waypoints, cachly has all of that and 22 more in the additional info. I think I could go on with this for quite a while.

I have found a way to improve the official Geocaching App, get rid of it and use Cachly, at least until Groundspeak takes away what they can do on that app, like they just did removing my friends list from the Cachly app citing privacy concerns. I will never use the official app, it's so bad. I remember how nice the old one was.

Must say I hate that Groundspeak feels the need to change and update everything, I don't use the app that I'd been using for 4 years because its a mess. I ditched it and started using Cachly, which is excellent. I thought it was a bad decision to change everything about the app that we have all gotten used to, are you going to go by Apple or Microsoft and just patch it to death? Why release something that is missing features that we've used for years??? Which brings me to New Loggin Experience, which should have been rolled out as New Way To Irritate Cachers!! I tried it and then immediately reverted to the good old way to do it. Please stop changing, what are you looking to do? If its make more money, this is not the way! Please do mess this up, its important to a lot of people, its the greatest hobby/sport on the planet, I love doing it. Also must mention it, PHOTOS!!!!!!!! I looked here to see if I could post a photo I have on my computer on this forum, I can not? It makes me think of the main reason I would not use the new logging, a random photo with no context (ie I can't even name it or explain it) is just that, a random photo. If you suddenly stopped letting me post photos, I would probably leave the game, or more likely start my own website that I would post my geocaching experiences to. Yes I made it bold and ridiculously big on purpose! It's a new exciting experience!

I only wish that I was posting an actual site, but what I'm doing is looking for one, does one exist, and if it doesn't, why doesn't it. You'd think that as popular as Geocoins are, and Pathtags, someone would have developed a site that lists them all. I understand that Pathtags.com is the only source for Pathtags and there are endless sources for Geocoins, but this would be a great site, often times I spend a lot of time tracking down info for a Geocoin, who made it, how many were made, what varieties, when was it made and so on. I think that if there is no site, I'm going foolishly attempt to create one, I say foolishly because, A) have no site making skills whatsoever, This would take all of my time and I have a full time job, C) I'm sure I'd have to put out money for something D) I get the feeling not all seller/creator of geocoins would want to support this as they would assume I just want a piece of the pie, and sure I wouldn't mind, but I really just want a site like this, please no one get your hopes up E) there has to be a way to get this done, I rather have someone else do it! That was a hint, thoughts please.

Hello out there!! I use the tag Raistlin306, I've actually been using that for years on a variety of sites. I love the character from Dragonlance and the 306, well when I first tried to use Raistlin for a username, of course it was already taken so I tacked on the 306, seems like a random number, but its actually a weird thing, my mother had played this number for years in the daily number and over time she started to see it everywhere she looked, oddly enough I some how picked this up, as I've seen the number everywhere. So that's the tag explanation. I haven't really looked here on the forums much, but I thought I'd start here. I started Geocaching in September of 2012, my room mate introduced me and I never looked back. In October I decided it would be a good idea to hit a couple states in a couple days, it was a bit unthought out. Left 11/1/2012, right after Sandy, and drove to Salem, Ma, hitting NJ, NY, CT, MA, didn't even consider all the problems I'd have with a. flooding, b. little gas availible, it was loads of fun, NOT! Then day 2 drive to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and last to Albany NY, also dumb!!! Then last day drive home to Pa. Though I don't regret it, I'd rather not follow a Superstorm next time, plus give myself more time to see things and not drive constantly, yes I went alone! But I did manage to cache in a bunch of state, in December I went south through WV, VA, DE, MD, that was much nicer, also I didn't go alone. I've since returned to Salem, and knocked Rhode Island off the list, I'm at 274 caches and I'm looking for a Scooby badge so I'm at 29 days consecutive. I've done an event, virtual, Wherigo, multi, traditional, mystery, and earth caches. I've gotten GSAK to work nice, and have blown way too much on geocoins, Also I started a blog about it. So, I think that is way too long of a intro! Hello again.

Just thought I'd drop a note here to say that I created a Geocaching photo blog! WooooHooo! Yes the excitement is too much to handle. Its a multi-topic blog, the largest section is about the types of caches I've found, such as the Turn To Extract Log Cache, or The Van Is The Cache, or even The Lunch Box! Also I have a tribute section on the various artwork done to my favorite type of cache, the .50 cal ammo box. The blog is still a work in progress, I've started to add more shots to the "Whats Inside" section, I mean doesn't everyone have a curious nature about what is in all those caches, fear not, I will not reveal any secrets, I keep the cache name, GC number out of it. What would be the fun in Geocaching if everyone could see whats inside before you found the cache? Also I'm going to add a few more sections, mainly about Geocoins and Travel bugs. I'm fascinated by all the types that exist, I'm sure everyone who finds them is a little excited. Please do everyone a favor, and send the travelbugs and geocoins on their way, I found one the other day that had 65,000 miles on it, amazing! Well, hope you enjoy the photo blog. On The Geocaching Trail

There are a bunch of real cheap GPS on ebay, try the following: Garmin Etrex 10 $100 or less Magellan Explorist GC $75 or less Apishere Geomate Jr $50 or less they are a good start, but if you have a smart phone, the official Geospeak app is only $10 and its excellent, plus most smartphone gps built in are very accurate, the only disadvantage is the reception, a real dedicated GPS will alway get a signal, but a phone is only as good as your carrier. Hope you have fun!!

It is a shame that Geocoins go missing, I have a small collection, and I haven't released any yet, if I were independently wealthy, I'd just get doubles of everything, but that is not the case. One day I might send one out, but that day hasn't come yet. I have found many geocoins and I would never consider keeping them, I know how I would feel if some one kept mine. Its always cool to move them on to caches, though I admit, its tough to let them go, but I always do. I look back on my list of geocoins I've helped move on and I like to track their progress. If only all geocachers were honest, but the law of averages says you always have some bad apples. Don't let this discourage you from the game, I still love finding micros with just logs as well as the big ones loaded with swag. I've been with some geocachers with thousands of finds, and you just notice that the whole swag trade isn't as important to them as the chase itself and discovering new places and people.