MarshMonsters

Our first DNF was a stupid mistake on my part. We decided to to search for a micro at night. We get to the area and we knew approximately where it was...but I check my pack and see that I forgot to pack a flashlight . DOH! When we came back to the spot a week later with a flashlight it was found in no time! Now I make sure that everything in my pack is in order before we search for a cache.

Just wanted to check in and let everyone know I still love caching.

My sig says it all...

Born/made. My Dad got me into hiking and nature before I could walk. I remember my parents gave my brother and I some treasure chests that were sand toys. The lock was a sand mold, the lid was a sifter, the chest was a bucket, inside there were large "gold coins" that were sand molds, and the shovels were attached to the side. That was the coolest toy to give a four year old! I love studing maps and using compasses. I remember enjoying orienteering in sixth grade camp. I also used to draw maps of an area so I could find or hide treasure. I was good at hiding things and sometimes would forget a stash and find it years later. Five years ago I got a metal detector. In September my cousin told me about Geocaching that naturally got me very interested. After reading this maybe I should be a pirate!

I have only found four so far but this is the biggest thing I learned with my first DNF (did not find). Just because your GPS zeros out on a spot doesn't mean that it is the spot. On good days my GPS will take me within 8 feet. So when your GPS says you are at Ground zero branch out in a 2-3 foot radius and start looking. Also, keep reading the forums. I have learned so much on here in a span of a few weeks! Good Luck! You can find it!

When I was a little kid I was in a kids nature camp called Marsh Monsters. We met at the nature center next to the Mentor Marsh and explored the area. It was a fun group. I grew up in that area and a few years ago a low budget film called Big Foot was made there. I thought MarshMonsters would be a great name for my husband and I since we sometimes come back from a hike looking like we were attacked by a monster or became the monster. I tried to find a picture from the movie Big Foot but couldn't find a good one (didn't fit our easy going nature). We decided to use the picture of Skuzzlebutt from South Park. He is a Big Foot like creature who likes to basket weave and has Patrick Duffy for a leg and celery for a hand.

Out of the ones we have done so far we like the multi caches. We like the puzzle aspect where you have to put all the pieces together to find the final cache. We also like the ones that will take you to intresting places.

We just started and only found four so far. Our second find was an unknown and you had to work out a puzzle to find the cache. We had the puzzle worked out earlier and came back in the evening to retrieve the cache. Some second shift city workers were walking by and looking at us walking in circles. My husband busted out his camera and I started pretending my GPS was a light meter. It was crazy I was pointing the GPS at whatever my husband was taking pictures of. They just gave us some strange looks and left us alone. I think they are used to seeing people like us in that spot.

Thanks for the picture. We found one of these in a magnetic key holder cache. The owner had the log rolled up inside it. We were wondering what the container was used for. Now we know.

testing sig

My Mom and I wanted to put a micro in her pine tree that is along a public sidewalk. We decided against it after thinking of all the possble situations: People not reading and coming up into their yard, distrubing the neighbors, parking in a neighbor's driveway, neighbors thinking that cachers are casing my parent's home or another neigbor's home, late night caching, the police thinking there is drug running, and etc... We tried to think of how to word the fact that cachers need not leave the sidewalk. After working with the public I learned that there is a small group of people who don't take the time to read (not saying that the cachers in question didn't read I am sure they did.) ; which is sad because it ruins the fun for everyone else. My parents neighborhood does not have any caches and it is a nice place to go into and visit. There are many wildlife areas that cannot have caches but would be nice to visit and include as waypoints! Hopefully this situation can be fixed so everyone can enjoy this spot!

I have the PHD Sanford Multi Pen that I like. I also have a Fisher Space pen. It is supposed to work in all sorts of extreme conditions. I haven't tested it yet. I have used it in normal situations. Fisher claims that you can use the pen in freezing temperatures, upside down, and underwater; just like the astronauts. We'll see... I haven't found a situation where I was writing under water. Right now the pen is in my car and has been through some freezing temperatures.

If you decide you want to use a GPS I found mine for $76.00 online at WalMart. I got the Garmin Yellow Etrex H. My parents are looking on Ebay and found some older Garmins for around $30. You probably don't need one with all the bells and whistles since you have the map and compass skills. I am going to buy a compass since my GPS will only take me within 12 feet of a cache site in the winter. So I will still need a compass to triangulate. Good Luck!

Ahem... Let's try this again.

Testing 1...2...3...

I plan to go after one today. It is 7 degrees where I am at. Being that it is near the lake and we are having lake effect snow. Our tracks will be blown away. We hike in all kinds of weather. I know the fishing Muggles will not be near.

Good idea! Another item for the Geo-Pak/Swag-Bag.... I think you would want to use a squirt bottle for maximum effect. and spell your name in the snow... Write "X" marks the spot! That will leave people wondering...

Done