Catherman

An article about Geocaching appears in April's edition of Rocky Mountain Sports Magazine. It's online at http://www.rockymountainsports.com/story.cfm?story_id=11995&publicationID=207&pageID=4807 ://http://www.rockymountainsports.com/...7&pageID=4807 Here are the caching names of those featured in the article: Jeff Bennett (TurboBennett) Jean Carlsen (UtahJean) Lieutenant Colonel Dan Olexio (Dan O.) Michael LaPaglia is a Volunteer Approver for Geocaching.com Preston Brown (e3brown) More about the article, it's original name, why the section on how GPS works was cut, and more is located at http://www.bryancatherman.com/blog/2006/04...re-hunting.html Thanks to all those Geocachers that helped with this article!

Thanks for getting to this so quick and thanks for all you do! Catherman

I can’t seem to log BM LP0376. When I go to the “log this benchmark” the site produces and error. I have been having this problem for a couple of days but the rest of the site seems to be working fine? What’s up? Any ideas? Is this a problem on other benchmarks right now? Thanks!

Good Downtown SLC Traditional Caches: Between the moon and Salt Lake City by JeepCruzer (GCHMBC) Unique Virtual Caches in Down Town SLC: Gilgal by Kim Best (GC3B33) Artistic and Strange Temple Square Virtual Cache Tour by Scout Master (GCHZZ1) Good tour of Temple Square. 2002 Winter Olympics by Damenace (GCGPQE) Get into the Olympic Spirit South End of the Salt Lake Valley: SirGerald's Letterbox Cache by SirGerald and LadyLeAnn (GCB24A) If you have never done a letterbox Where's George in Utah? by Wild George (GCA7D2) There is a large number of caches along this easy walking trail if you want a nice walk with a large number of cache finds. Enjoy, Catherman

Desert Warrior, I was thinking I took a photo of it, because I though it was interesting. I just had the last of my disposable cameras developed, that picture was not there. This happened to me a lot. I burned an image into my mind but then often forgot to take a photo. It was always mission first, photos second. I do have a photos over looking the ledge close to where it was and I can positively identify it on a good map. (The map is a photo taken from space so it doesn’t have the BM and x marking the spot like our maps.) Now I really wish I had a photo.

Artman, You say you have some friends over there? Talk to them about getting some of our successes on the news. Where is the other side of the story? I have been back from Iraq only a short while, and I am already agitated by the media reports from American reporters in that country. I believe in free press. In fact as JAG, I taught human and civil rights to Iraqi police, judges, Border Patrol, and ICDC. I smiled inside when I saw Iraqis printing papers about their dislike for Americans. They had free press! When I left, Iraqi children were attending school with supplies donated by American school children. The judicial system was successfully running criminal and civil cases through the courts. The police were patrolling the streets again and thousands of ICDC, Boarder Patrol, and Iraqi Police were graduating training programs allowing them to provide security for their own. Outstanding return Iraqi students were even teaching many of these classes. Businesses were opening, one room stone-hut homes were installing satellite dishes so they could view free press for the first time, and an overwhelming majority of Iraqis wanted to vote for their leadership. This was in Fallujah too! Al Quim, Ar Ramadi, Hit, Rawha, I was there. Yes, there was still fighting with the insurgents and border-crossing radicals, but it was the positive successes for a brighter future filled with freedom and liberty that gave us the motivation and drive to fight. I find it tragic that the death toll this month is so high, but I believe that is because both American soldiers, and a larger number of Iraqis are fighting hard for a free Iraqi democracy. More Iraqi’s die along side us, fighting for the same cause than we do, but we never hear about that. We, here at home, need to see what the soldiers and Iraqis are dying for. There are days I wish I were back there, taking part in such an amazing endeavor for the free world; but for now, I will just have to settle for the sad half of the story. I believe in free press and I am glad the reporters are there, but where is the rest of it. I know it’s available, I was there!

I just returned from Iraq. On my second to last day in Iraq, just prior to getting to Kuwait, I moved over to an area on a high ledge to scout out our staging area. It was at Al Asad Airbase NW of Ar Ramadi. I came across a small slab of concrete with a metal disk mounted about 3 inches in diameter right in the center of it. Arabic numbers and letters were scribed on in and there was a cross or x through the center. I pulled my compass out of my gear and realized that the lines were almost aligned north and south with a crosspiece east and west. I pulled out my GPSr (Garmin E-trex) and found grid north. The lines were exactly in sink with grid North, South, East, and West. I would like to think this was a benchmark of some kind. Do other countries besides the Great U.S. of A. use, or have used, benchmarks similar to ours?

US Army Reserve. After 6 years of one weekend a month and two weeks a year, I was activated in January of 2003. I am attached to the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment (BRAVE RIFLES!) in Iraq. I am a Staff Sergeant in the JAG Corps. I love land nav and have taken it upon myself to learn everything about land navigation, terrain association, map reading, and terrain assessment. Maybe I should have been a scout. This is how I came across Geocaching. Catherman

March? What AO? I am here now and looking for a cacher to hand off two or three caches too. They are cropping up here and there. Shoot me an E-mail. Catherman

First, GPS plays a part in almost everything we do and everywhere we go in Iraq. Every report uses a grid coordinate obtained by maps and GPS. I’d give you Saddam’s grid, but I’m saving that for my next Iraq cache! Second, we traded up. We took a dirt bag and left FREEDOM to the Iraqi people. The logbook was in fact signed, but it is classified. There was dancing all around, baby! I am a member of the United States Army Reserve proudly serving in Iraq. Caching is alive and well in Iraq. The Spider Hole cache was a special “members only;” however, there are some caches in Iraq that are welcome to others. Do a search in Iraq and see for your self. Catherman

I am the proud owner of one of the 5 caches in Iraq (Brave Rifles Micro Cache). First, the “American held air-base” that I hid my micro cache, is home to about 6,000 people including some collation forces and Iraqis. The Iraqis that can gain clearance come to work in our dinning facilities, translate, and help with construction and repair. Second, I recently went outside the wire to teach Human Rights and other classes (Just one small part of the JAG mission) to the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps. On this trip, I showed my GPS receiver and the Naomi Travel Bug to them. (Pictures of Naomi are posted!) I explained geocaching through a translator. They thought the idea was novel; however, right now, they would just like to live until tomorrow. They also are more concerned with being able to buy shoes and care for their family. Second, I would not even think about placing a cache of any kind outside a protected area. This would not only be a huge risk to Americans, it would possibly get an Iraqi child killed. It is not safe here outside the checkpoints. We have to wear body armor and carry live rounds locked and loaded. We recognize that in order to place a cache here, we have to bend the rules. It’s not like this is some great place to cache. The entire place is sand so it is fairly obvious where my cache is hidden. Where there is more than sand! I also would not think of using an ammo can. I would like to place a tradition (non-micro) cache, but it will be in a container that is see-through. Safety First! Another difficulty we deal with here that most normal cachers don’t is availability to the internet. May people have purchased GPS receivers or have the Military one issued to them. When they do get some down time, they look long and hard for something to do to relax. They want to do something new and fun. The problem is they don’t have access to the net. If you know someone in Iraq, send him or her a print out of the cache info. They can log it when they do get a chance to get on-line. At Rifles Base (Al Asad, Iraq) we are working on getting some computers with Internet access made available to the troops. I am lucky. My duties require that I have the ability to research and communicate to the states. Others are not that lucky, they work out on the fence line. Just putting in my two cents worth From Iraq, Catherman "In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." --Franklin D. Roosevelt

Geocaching survivor. The are dropped off in somewhere in the world and race. The only way to get food is via hidden cache. 10 players, enough food for 1. The first one to the find, eats! Members are voted off by the viewers and the winner gets to marry a fake millionaire. "In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." --Franklin D. Roosevelt

I will post an address and info about the cache once I get over there, get settled, and can find a good (SAFE) place for a cache. I’m sure the battle buddies I will be working with will think I am a nut; I know the ones here do! If you know anyone over there that may be interested or is already a Geocacher, encourage them to do something fun.

I haven’t hid a cache before, so I don’t really know how the approval would work; but it obviously has, because there is a cache in Iraq. There is a Geocaching Info doc in Arabic and English that would work perfectly. I am sure my fellow soldiers know were to hide a cache were it wouldn’t get their battle buddies killed (that’s the name of the game in the military.) I would love to provide my address when I get there so people could send things to be put in the cache for other geocachers. I think that would be really fun and a great learning exercise for children. I really think if the soldiers learned about geocaching, it would really catch on. I also have to say, any person that would even think to lump the service of our soldiers, who will be living (for a year) in a place were troops are getting killed almost daily, as a “vacation” is out of their mind! I will be there for seven months. If the cache lasts for 3, great!!! I also know that others would be happy to step up and maintain the cache if it lifts the moral of our brothers in arms. Think about it… finding a cache in Iraq. How cool is that? I guess you can ask Dan O. if you really want to know. I did.

These soldiers have been there for months, and will be there for up to a year. I know I will be there until April. I’m sure if I put it close to where I am, it should be maintainable. If other soldiers have to work to keep these in good shape, at least they will have some geocaching. The comments on “Ya Darina Ya Kuwait” (GCB223) really tell a story. So does that of Dan O. on “Below Balad” (GCQ1C). As long as they won’t get our troops killed, it would be great for troops to hide and find. That is why I feel any one who knows troops over there should encourage them to get involved. Look at the bios of those who put together the caches.

If you know anybody in Kuwait or Iraq that might be interested in Geocaching there, try to write them or get in contact and get them to hide or find caches. There is 1 cache in Iraq, “Below Balad.” There are two in Kuwait. Most those guys have GPS receivers that they use for duty; and it looks like some are using them for fun as well. The more caches, the more opportunity for Geocachers to have a little piece of home. Talk to your friends! I am on my way to Al Asad, so I will see what I can do about hiding a cache or two; I only hope others start hiding them for me to find! God Bless America, and God Bless our Troops!!!

E-mailed the owner. We were there, just couldn’t find the cache. Going back today. Cache may have been picked up as trash. Going to look again.

Difficulty/Terrain. On the info pages, you will star ratings (1-5).

Adventurer # 3 GCGW4G My friend and I are thinking that we just didn’t look hard enough. We were inside the location and even wrote down some info that related to the hint, just couldn’t find the log darn it!

This would be great in a few of the places I have skied; but I wonder if other skiers or ski patrol not knowing what it is would raid this.

What is the difference between a “Virtual Cache” and a “Log Only Cache?” I went to a cache that said log only and expected to find a logbook. I found the target based on the Additional Hint, it was obvious and in a building. We looked around for a film canister or logbook and didn’t find it. Should there have been one there? Catherman [This message was edited by Catherman on September 14, 2003 at 09:33 AM.]