TMDMom

Thanks y'all! I was thinking about Christmas cards...maybe I'll start on those in a month or so and start putting them in caches. I may have to carve a few more cache related stamps to accomplish that.

How cool is that?!? btw, I didn't have to sign up to read it.

I hadn't run into this issue until recently, but it was an interesting experience. Along with a certain 'game-maturity' level that is usually very self evident, I, too, tend to validate what people say in the forums, but use the "Joined:" figure just to the left of every person's posts. michelle I understand that, but it makes me a little sad. Some of us may have just found geocaching, or just got a gps recently, but I'd like to think I've learned a little from my time on this planet, even if it wasn't geocaching. Some of us noobs have been letterboxers, skydivers, rockclimbers, scouts (or scout moms), campers and hikers long enough to have an appreciation and understanding of the great outdoors, even if it wasn't exactly geocaching. As I said before, I can respect the fact that the long term cachers have had to go to great lengths to continue caching before the cache explosion that you are experiencing now. But allow us to show you that we aren't all here to ruin your game. I'm sure it's a difficult thing to watch the changes. I try to encourage other new cachers to come to the forums because I've learned so much about what people like and don't like. There is a wealth of information here, and not just from the cachers with the most finds, most posts, or oldest join date.

I wasn't planning on it right now, but if someone really wanted some, I guess we could work something out. I'm not prepared to mass produce them in a short time period.

Wow, this is some serious insight. As a newbie cacher, I can't imagine what it was like before there were 100's of caches within 50 miles of me, and I would think it would have been easy to get discouraged/bored with going months between finding caches. I bow to those who've been able to keep the caching spirit alive during the lean years. I'm just happy to be out caching most of the time. If it's a multi that takes several hours, or a quick park n grab that gives me something to look forward to whilst running errands, I just want to go log it! I prefer the bigger caches with a bit of a hike, but that isn't always possible. When I'm caching, I get that pulse quickening excitement when I'm close to ground zero, and the excitement of discovering the cache, so much fun! Then I'm happy to sign the log, and if there's cool swag, even better! A good story, a pretty view, a park I never knew existed, some local history...all welcomed and enjoyed. I also love caching with my friends. We've had several girls' night out cache runs, and even if it's micros, it's usually laughing and funny stories, better than sitting around drinking coffee in my book. So does the excitement lessen with time, or do y'all still get that rush? And if one of us wet behind the ears cachers asks you how many you've found, it doesn't necessarily mean we are competing or into the numbers. Sometimes it's just conversation. Don't write us all off as drooling numbers hounds. I'm just interested. Thanks for letting me play.

Awesome answer! And I've yet to do any non-Earth caches. But I did get a level 5 difficulty today! I am proud of that one!!!

Thanks y'all! That's a good thought about the envelopes...maybe I'll get the kind with the peel away strip next time instead of the moisten and seal kind. I've only put them in a few caches so far, and they were all very dry, so hopefully no one will be disappointed with a soggy set of cards.

I've been thinking about making my own swag for awhile (yes, I know, another thread about swag...), and since I'm a stamper, I came up with a set of four Geocaching themed greeting cards. I also include the envelopes and put them in a sealed plastic baggie. I'm wondering if people will actually use these, and for what other occasions would they like card designs. Thoughts? Thanks! Here's what I've come up with so far. Subject to change due to artistic license. Ammo Can Birthday Card (this is actually the same card...the scan of the open card is the actual color. The camera washed out the olive color on the closed picture) Fathers Day GPS card: G+ logo congratulations card: G+ logo blank sentiment card:

Thanks y'all! I'm uploading pics now!

I've searched the forums and the help area and can't find anything about it. There is the little picture of a tree that reads "insert image" when you hover over it, but it wants a url. I just want to post pics from my files. Could someone tell me how to do that? Thanks!

And it might refer to a device used to restrict a horse's vision, so it's not distracted by things to the left or right. But I think they're equally unlikely. We call the horse vision restrictors "blinders", but in the south blinkers are the things you use to indicate which way your car is going to turn. Although, since many people don't use them...they are often not blinkers at all but pretty plastic on the corners of the car...so we joke about blinker fluid being expensive and in short supply so people don't waste it.

I would suggest baby powder...the ants don't like it and will move on but it won't kill them...however that would be a big white powdery arrow pointing to the cache. edited to add...that would only work till it rains anyway...guess that's not much help.

Maybe I'm not reading your post the way you intended, but I thought trackables are NOT swag. If you take a trackable out of a cache to move it along, it's nice if you can leave another trackable in its place, but not necessary. And I didn't think you were supposed to trade trackables with the intention of keeping them unless the trackable specifically says that's okay. The way I understand it is if you take cool swag and leave a trackable, you aren't really trading, because the next person to take the trackable isn't going to keep it.

How GPS savvy are they? I would almost bet you are mistaken... Its got to be there somewhere. I have noticed with automotive GPS, finding the menu for inputing coordinates can be hard to find. Even if there really isn't a menu option to load coordinates, you could still load it through the computer. I use EasyGPS and love it. Free, user friendly and quick! I tried...couldn't do it. Read the entire manual, and searched here for info. There was a thread about it a long time ago and it appears to be verified that you cannot enter coordinates into this specific model. I wish I remember the model number so I could find the thread. I'll have to look at it the next time I'm over at their house. This isn't the thread I read about it before, but same problem...

How GPS savvy are they? I would almost bet you are mistaken... Its got to be there somewhere. I have noticed with automotive GPS, finding the menu for inputing coordinates can be hard to find. Even if there really isn't a menu option to load coordinates, you could still load it through the computer. I use EasyGPS and love it. Free, user friendly and quick! I tried...couldn't do it. Read the entire manual, and searched here for info. There was a thread about it a long time ago and it appears to be verified that you cannot enter coordinates into this specific model. I wish I remember the model number so I could find the thread. I'll have to look at it the next time I'm over at their house.

How cool is that? You might find some information HERE If not, there is a separate forum for Benchmark hunting and for Geodetic Surveys, go to the main Groundspeak Forums list, and scroll down. I'm afraid I don't know anything about it, but someone there should be able to help. Good luck!

Read this

I cache with a couple of caching buddies most of the time. We all got there together, we all searched together, we all found it. One of them isn't that into caching, just goes for the social aspect, and doesn't even log the finds sometimes. There are some caches/areas I am not comfortable hunting by myself. If I didn't go with friends, I wouldn't go, so there wouldn't be a find without them. My husband goes with me sometimes, and he doesn't have an account, neither do my kids. So I guess my name is a team name in that respect. But I am ALWAYS there. No logs unless I'm there. So it's an individual account in that respect. Also, it would be kinda silly to me to not log a find because someone else found it and then come back another time to "find it" on my own. Gas is too expensive, and caching time is precious.

Click here

most people carry supplies in a backpack/fanny pack and things in the car. there are some great threads which include pics of all the things people stock. I'll see if I can find a link...

Welcome to the addiction, and welcome to the boards...you'll find good information here and lots of interesting things... Loved your story...I felt like I was there with you! I'm also a mom in her 40's frequently crawling around in bushes or bog tromping with my caching buddy and several kids tagging along. You are off to a great start! You might reconsider candles as swag in 99 degree weather, they can be messy. I used play-dough for swag on my first trip out and by reading these forums discovered that was not the best idea. Apparently some animals find that to smell like food and will ravage a cache to get it. Have fun!

So....I could log it as a find and you wouldn't be able to verify that I'd actually signed the log....

I have a Jensen (Audiovox) that works really well. My in-laws have a Magellan which cannot take coordinates, so it won't work for geocaching. Make sure in addition to pedestrian mode it also has the ability to take coords.

Man! I used to skydive and that's too much of a thrill for me. A) The cameraman couldn't have been hooked to the lines because he didn't have to stop and rehook around the people he passed. 2) He was moving at a pretty good clip...I thought at first the film was sped up, but since the people in the video were moving at a normal rate, it must not be. Lastly, The camera didn't appear to be attached to a helmet on his head in the shadow, so he didn't have hands free. YIKES!

To look at it for fun. It's cool to see how fast the plane is going, what cities, lakes, rivers you're going over, distance to the airport, etc. And if there's a cache along the route that you've been meaning to find, just jump out when you fly over it! I used to skydive. That I think cache diving would be barrels of fun. Maybe someday when my kids are grown I'll do that.