Cowboy Camper

First things first. If you're comfortable with letting us know where you are from, then folks nearby you may be willing to get in Contact with you. If you happen to be in or near K3 County, Illinois, I'd be happy to try to help you out. But if you're from Spokane, Washington.... then I would be of no assistance at all. Know what I mean? Ya gotta let us know where you're from before anyone here can give ya some helps on this question.

If you DO want a new email sent to the CO, Post a new Note to the online log. Or a Needs Maintenance Log... or whatever. It's good to know though (thanks to other answers here) that Edited Logs will not needlessly fill the CO's email box.

Definitely something that I am wanting to do for the cachers in the area by me. I have my Ideas of good hides, but I need to learn more (a Lot More!) about the methods to gain the needed Permissions to Hide a Cache where I have in mind. Seems the local State Park here has Plenty of room for caches. But... is there a reason that no caches haven't been hidden there yet? Surly I'm not the first fellow to consider the hiding spots! If I am indeed the first to consider the spots, great! But I'm afraid the real reason no caches have been hidden there is due to the inability to gain the proper permissions. Somehow, I need to learn how to get the proper Permissions for the hiding spots that I have in mind. I'm still trying to work on that one.

For Small/Micro Containers, a friend at the Geocache Site gave me this idea. And here's a link to where you can find them online. Small-Micro Containers I've found 2 or 3 of these from that friend and found them to be really cool to find where he has hidden them. When I emailed and asked about them, he was kind enough to give me that link. Incidentally, that same friend also steered me into the right direction so that I can get those Ammo Cans.

Good Point!! LOL!

I like the way you labeled the container. "Nothing Dangerous Inside" That's a Great Hide, as I imagine that the pipe is actually tucked into the rocks when not in Photo Op mode, eh? That Location looks like a retainer wall by an Overpass for a highway to me. In my part of the world I/we have two problems with such a location. A/ Our retaining walls are solid Concrete. No opportunity for such a hiding spot. B/ Near an overpass like that... we'd be called out in a hurry as a potential terrorist. But I like that hide idea. Especially if you hid that one 4 or 5 levels up from the road!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As for the PVC container I currently own, I've changed my mind about modifying it with the cam lock fittings. Privately, I've been advised that I am Local enough to the cache to maintain it well enough so that modifying it will not be necessary. The Original owner was not local, and he never maintained it. Still, it's held up well for 4 and 1/2 years so far. So I'm convinced now that it will be just fine the way it is. As for future hides, I'll use Ammo Cans and another container idea given to me for the Small Caches I'd like to place. I tried making a small container (1 inch diameter pipe by 6 inch long) with the PVC parts in the store, but when it was all assembled and in my hand I couldn't let go of the feeling of how much it looked like a little pipe bomb. I just couldn't do it. I took it all apart and put the fittings and caps back into the bins where I got them from. I don't know the first thing about how to make a bomb, but if I ever was to be found to be the owner of that thing, I'd be taken into FBI custody pretty quick I think. That's just not something I want to have to do when I think about Geocaching. Here's a pic of the Small Containers I'll get instead. And here's the site where you can buy some of your own. Small Cache Containers ~ Preform Test Tubes They're small and cheap, and I don't think these will get me into any trouble like the pipes and fittings might. OK, I've said enough for this post tonight. ...

Others will probably give you better details, but Yes, I believe you can. Go to her Profile at the Geocache.com site, and look beside her Member Status that is listed there. If she's just a "Member", you will see a link next to that to "Give a Gift Membership". I've never tried this, but I take that to mean that you can buy that person a Premium Membership to the site. Good luck, and let me know if that works OK. I'd try it myself, but the friends I know well enough to want to buy them a Premium membership for already are Premium members. LOL

I'd compare the 'Friends" feature here to a personal Address Book of Contacts. I have a couple of Friends here that I actually met at Camping forums. They're the ones who got me into geocaching here. The feature here allows Direct email contact to that friend. As Gitchee-Gummee says, it's easier than trying to look for a contact in the Profiles that are set up here.

Howdy, Ken. I still consider myself a Newbie too, even though I've been in the game for a little over a year. My apologies if this doesn't seem to be of much assistance, but I'm just gonna be honest in my answer. First, keep checking out all of the resources at the geocaching.com website. There really is a ton of things to just read over and glean information from. You might also consider this book. Idiot's Guide to Geocaching I found one at a local bookstore, but it's also available at the site by following the link given. You're already familiar with the forums here. (or, you're getting into it at least....) This here "Getting Started" is also a great place to learn from. But in total reality, I just got into the game by getting out and doing it. I was told about all of this at a Camping Forum I used to co own and just went on from there. I bought a GPSr at Walmart and started trying to find the caches that I found on line that were close to home. After that, I started to pick up on the information provided at the site first and recently became active here at the forums. A little catch phrase I like to use to advise others. "If I can do it, Anyone can!" Good Luck, Ken. I'm sure you'll have a great time when you start to get into it some more. I know that I have!

My enthusiasm has increased too recently, because I now own a cache myself after having found a few. But I want to support what Sol seaker has said. With Owning the cache comes a certain amount of responsibility. That cache container you hide IS Your personal Property in all respects, and as such YOU are the one who has to go out and check in on it if you get a few DNF's logged in at the site. You have to go out and make sure it's still there, it's in good condition, and keep it in good shape so that other hunters will have an enjoyable hunt. Forgive my corny comparison, but it's almost like having a kid. You have to take care of it after you produce it. It's just the right thing to do, ya know? I set myself up as a Parent of a cache now, and am being a bit more diligent about how I am going to keep up with the game here. I have to now, it's my duty and obligation as a participant of the game. As such, I'm definitely making MUCH more of an effort to actually get out there and log some more Finds to put under my belt. As I keep doing that, I'm also gonna learn more about 'parenting' my cache. Now you may be askin' yourself "Cowboy, how did you set yourself up?" My answer: I took over a cache that I suspect met up with Sol seaker's comment about new hiders that got bored with the game and quit caching. Thus, the container was left for dead. I guess the original CO quit, I mean why else would he let his cache go? Anyhow, I see it as my gain and his loss. ----------------------------------------------- All that said though, Welcome to the game and I really hope you have a great time with the FINDS as well as your anticipated Hides. Good Luck, and Happy Caching!!!!

I water tested my first aid box at work. That's when the boss told me that it would be stolen if I hid it out as a cache. Now, I think the cachers in my area are good and honest folks.... but thinking about the fact that my grandpa gave me that years ago makes me think twice about setting it out there somewhere. I do, however, have a couple similar containers that I think are as equally water tight. They are first aid boxes from School Buses that I had once upon a time and they're plain white in color. Nothing a little paint can't fix.... if I can find those boxes again.

Being the relative Newbie that I am, I would think a ground cache could be rather difficult in the fresh snow without any tell tale tracks from recent hunters before me. GZ should have even more prints by it though as someone is trying to settle in on the ground to sign the log and check out the container's contents. Heck, I'm having a heck of a time with one cache by me due to the extra Leaf Coverage on the ground this time of year. Well, that and I've had the wrong coords set into my GPSr. (Oops!) All a part of the game I guess.

Last time I had the chance to meet some fellow geocachers in the field, we all took equal credit for the find. Even though we (DD and I) met them on the trail on the way out with no luck. I even asked the fellow cachers how to go about signing the on line log since we didn't find it 20 minutes ago by ourselves, and they both agreed that as a Team, we all can take credit for the find. So I figured that's just how the game is played when a team is involved. I've since read quite a few on line logs that were posted up by each team member individually. As a cache owner, I have no problem with team members posting in there own Found Logs. The DNF's though, might be better posted about by just one member of the team that day. Too many DNF's might make me panic and think that my cache was muggled. But, I panic easily sometimes.

OK, Topic re visited and considered some more. Newer ideas have since come into and out of the process of thinking for me. First off, the Info Tube is OUT. No longer an idea worth trying. It just won't be good enough in the open. Next up: An old Military First Aid Kit box that I've had for 20 + years. I don't recall what war this one came from, but I remember that my grandfather gave it to me years ago. (25 years ago, at least....) It could be from the Korean War, Vietnam, or maybe even from one of the World Wars, I honestly do not know. Anyhow, here's some Pics of that Container Idea. I think this would be an Excellent Cache container, but I'm now being told that this one would be Stolen rather quickly. It's an Antique, or so I've been told. Seeing as how I got this from Grandpa (and I'll NEVER be able to replace it ~ he died in 1987) I'm NOT going to ever take that risk either. Finally, there are the Ammo Cans that are out there for 10 bucks or less. Used, and bought at a Surplus Store. No Family ties involved with this one. Here's a couple of Pics. And the new containers have much more room in them compared to the old First Aid Boxes! Look here.... And the old Military Box fit's Inside the new box. FWIW. I hope y'all like the new ideas so far.

You are very welcome, and I hope to help. Perhaps you and the mushroom friend/acquaintance can learn Geocaching together. After all, I have heard that it's best to do this geocaching game with at least One companion. Better safe than sorry ya know? Things can go wrong in the great outdoors. Myself, I always have my daughter with me. VERY seldom have I gone on a cache hunt all by myself. Funny you should mention the winter months. One might think caching is better done at another season, but the daughter and I have found most of our caches in the winter ish time of the year. I guess we like the lack of foliage and bugs. The cold ain't so great, but we can dress up and prepare for that. Bugs and Over growth on the other hand... Well, I guess we just have a good way to get outside even in the winter months. Again, I wish the best on this one for ya. Happy Caching, hopefully very soon! Take Care!!

Now THIS is a pretty good and interesting idea! There would certainly be some logistical things to consider to make it work for me, but I like the idea of the Urban camo plan. I'd love to meet the fellow local cachers too, but I don't know how I could make it work with my day to day schedule being what it is. Still. Something to think about. Thanks for the post.

Thanks folks for the replies so far. I'm debating now whether or not this one will be weather proof enough or not. (leaning toward maybe not.) But all is not lost. There are suggestions to make it work. Most Notably, I want to make clear. If I go with this container, it will be Out in the Woods! I looked into making some small/Micro containers out of pipe fittings and caps. No good IMHO. Albeit small, they just looked like little pipe bombs. That is NOT the look I want to go for at all. Even in the woods, I just don't think that type of container will go over very well. So.... Thanks for the replies, and I'm still thinking it over.

After our last Bushwhacking debacle, I will Definitely use the Google Earth mapping during recon missions for caches from now on! Where we hiked through the rough for an 1/8th of a mile, we could have biked a 1/4 mile a whole lot faster and definitely saved ourselves a lot of pain. Add another 1/4 mile bike ride (total 1/2 mile) and the truck could have been left in the parking lot nearby instead of on the side of the road somewhere. Our debacle of a hunt turned out good in the end (don't get me wrong here....) but a little bit of common sense and proper preparation beforehand would have turned that good trip into a great one. ------------------------- As I said, I'm still living and learning myself.

I'm learning that this is actually the better strategy after the GPSr gets you close to GZ. Put the unit in your pocket, and just do a ground search. At this point, think like the Hider. If you have found some caches in the past that were hidden by the same cacher who hid the one your looking for, remember his hiding style and techniques he's used before. Putting yourself in the hider's shoes just might get you to that next cache Find. Remember though, the hider can Evolve in technique as he hides more and more caches. It's up to us hunters to evolve along side the hider to keep up with him.

I'm a relative newbie too, but I have a couple points to add. May seem obvious, but ask the fellow you were with who has some experience with geocaching. He should have been able to tell what to do and where to start. After that, I'd say to go back to it and open it up and check the actual log book that should be inside. Often times that log book will contain an email contact for the cache owner. Send him an email letting him know that you found his cache in a strange spot, give him the coords in case it really is way off base from where he intends it to be, and he can then go after it and put it back to it's proper location. This topic has me thinking now. As an owner, I need to make sure I put the GC: # somewhere on my container and also make sure it's listed in the log book inside. I understand that you're a total newbie and might not know what the heck a GC # is, but your friend with the experience should know. Together, you guys could have compared the coords and also found the CO to let him know that it's out of place. I know for a fact that my email contact info is in my log book inside the container I own. So hopefully, so is this owner's information in his. If so, you did real good by getting the coordinates. If you find his email address, send him the coords that you have. That's the best thing to do here on this one. ------------------------ You could be off to a good start in a really fun game actually. You have a GPSr, you have a friend with some experience (though it seems he could have helped more than he did originally...) and you already found a cache. OK, so that one was by accident... but you did the right thing by asking for some here at the forums. And I can't say enough how good you did by getting at least the coords for this cache. Good Luck on this. I think you may have just stumbled onto a great way to spend some more time outdoors. Keep on reading and learning from the site and when your ready to do so, go out there and have fun. Happy Geocaching!

A cache may be archived by its owner for any number of reasons. After they've archived their cache, the conscientious cache owner will go to the location as soon as possible and remove the archived cache container so that there's no geo-litter remaining. (However, if it was muggled there may not be a container there anyway.) A cache may be archived by a reviewer for any number of reasons. If it happens due to a sequence of Needs Maintenance logs over weeks/months and no response from the owner then it's quite possible that the cache container may still be in place but probably in a sad and sorry state. If a cacher finds these cache remains, decides to sign whatever log remains (or adds their own signed slip of paper) and they know which cache it was (i.e. they have its GC number) then they will still be able to log a Found It log for the archived cache. MrsB This I learned by doing. I went to check in on a cache that I found after it was pretty much on the brink of archive. I found the container to be a little rough, but not in totally bad condition. I posted a note to the reviewer that the cache is still there and in fairly good shape, but the owner wasn't anywhere to be found. So the reviewer Archived it. As a conscientious cache Hunter, I took the opportunity to take it over and do the small amount of work needed to restore the container and re list it as a 'new' cache, ready to be found again. While I regret that the original idea was not mine, I am proud to own it now and keep it going as an active cache for others to find. I remember how much fun my daughter and I had when we first found it and I wanted to keep that cache alive.

To clarify, I meant available/unavailable on the site. I got a PM with some more info on that matter. An archived cache will not appear in searches or on the maps as a huntable cache. If you found it in the past, it might be a smiley on the maps, even after having been archived. (I say might, cause I don't see my past founds on the maps, caches that I know have been archived by the owner after I found them.) I thought this was interesting to learn so I figured I would share that here as well. Also, you can find an archived cache listing by looking at the profiles of those who have found it in the past and made a log entry. So, if you have a local Friend in your profile/Friends List who has been caching a while longer than you have (as in my case) you might find a cache to hunt in his list of Found Caches. If the physical cache is still there and you can actually sign the log book, you can also log the cache as a Found at the site. The same can be said if you have placed a cache on your Watch List. If a cache on your list gets archived, you may still go after it. The fellow who PM'ed me talked about a PQ that he made out and found the caches some 2 years later. This is particularly interesting to me, as I have a few that are now archived on my list that I haven't found yet. Some may still be there to find, but I know for a fact that some others have been removed by the owners. Still, something to look into for me. Some may still be there physically, you never know until you look. Happy Caching folks!

OK, I have a couple of questions about hiding a Cache of my very own. But first, I want opinions about how well this container I have in mind might work. It's one of those containers that you can put out on your yard sign to sell your house. It seems pretty weather resistant, easy to open and close, and it also has a way that I could tether it up into a tree or a bush if I wanted to hide it in that way. Of course, I might (most likely) paint it up to be camouflaged rather than just hiding this one as is in this pic. So there's my first question: Has anyone had any good luck using a container like this? Second Question: Assuming a good response to my first question, I'd like to ask for opinions/ideas regarding what to Name this Cache if I do decide to go for an official Hide of my own. How do folks come up with the neat ideas for the cache names? I restored an archived cache and came up with the name 'Archival Revival" and thought that was fairly clever. I'd like to come up with a name equally as clever if I do go ahead and hide this one myself. I have some dim ideas in mind for a name, but nothing that I am happy enough with yet to start to talk about. So... I'm asking you folks for some ideas for the name of the cache. Loosely thinking, maybe something like "market value"? Reflecting the container's original purpose is what I've in mind with that name. Well, there you have it. It's an idea I have in mind, and I'm looking for opinions and ideas to go with it. If I choose to go with my own ideas without asking, I'd place this container with the "Market Value" name. But I figured that I'd also ask for some Opinions first. Realizing that I'm a newbie when it comes to hosting a new hide, I also was looking for any advice/suggestions. So.... What say you? I'm Open to ideas at this point.

Since others mention this, I'll agree. Use the Google Earth's Coord feature and view point to choose a parking location. Then use the cache coords to figure out where the container is in relation to where you parked. Use the map and compass and go from there. I don't think I would try a cache 100% without a GPSr, unless I was close to another cache that I have already found with the GPSr. But... I'm a relative newbie myself and my skills can certainly be said to being a bit lacking. Having said that though, I promise you this. I have found a few caches that I never got loaded into my GPS unit. So I know it can be done. Anymore, if I get within a 30-50 foot radius of GZ with the GPSr, I just put the thing in my pocket and do a ground search from there. Also, had I done the Google Earth's satellite Map Image on my last trip beforehand, I would have saved a long trip through some rather thick bushwhacking. There was a hiking path 1/8th of a mile North of our route that saved us a lot of pain back to the truck after having found the caches we were after.

Does this mean that once archived it is no longer there to find? We're both gonna find out, huh? That's basically what I asked. Mine is there, but I re submitted the coords as a new cache after the original CO had let it go into archive status.