dkwolf

I'm having a hard time deciding how your post was meant to be taken, so I won't comment on it directly. I can only say that NOBODY should be putting toxic substances into caches. It doesn't help to tell me that if I don't like toxic substances then I shouldn't use them. How can I trust ANY home made coin or metallic object if I some people condone using toxic substances to make them? Or are these lead supporters just arguing for the fun of it? I mean it's really hard to defend the position they are taking. I'm sorry, but I can't help but LAUGH at this post. Yes, lead is toxic to our bodies. But, given the exposure you have to have to cause any adverse effects, the idea of calling it a toxic substance and grouping it with arsenic, etc. is really kinda funny. Explain something to me....if lead is SO dangerous that a single geocoin or sig item made from it is going to cause damage, how on EARTH did all of these outdoorsmen live to be 90, 100 yrs old and die of old age? You know the ones I'm talking about? The ones that made their own bullets, shotgun shells, and fishing jigs, melting the lead in their own KITCHENS, holding the lead jigs in their mouth while they tie the knot in the line, working with lead pellets all day and picking up a sandwich without washing their hands.... You get the picture--HIGH levels of lead exposure, and they lived. And for the record, I'm not aruguing just for the fun of it; I don't like seeing people over-react to something. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying be careless with it, but don't be so deathly afraid if it, either. Good practices for ANYTHING you pick up out of a geocache will eliminate any risk you might have from a lead item. (Don't put it in your mouth, wash your hands before eating, drinking, or maybe even smoking) Oh, and sbell....you're right, you're out of your sphere of knowledge. A full-metal jacket bullet won't have any lead dust on it by the time it gets to an ammo can--the bullet has a lead core which is completely encased in copper, which is then polished before being pressed into the casing. No lead dust=no lead dust in ammo cans. One more question for people so afraid of lead....how old is your house? (and I'm not asking about the paint) You do realize that some homes still have lead pipe for water supply lines? I'd be a lot more concerned about that than some custom geocoin.

That has to be one of the most......... oh, nevermind. I'm going back to the bar.

I get what he's saying, but this thread is about making geocoins. I believe that geocoins should be made from materials that can be handled by children with much training or oversight. Lead doesn't fit the bill, in my opinion. I understand your point. BUT, what if I make a geocoin or sig item out of cast led, and then epoxy coat or powder coat the lead casting? Either way, I have an solid enamel coating over the lead core, and barring serious mishandling of the item, the lead inside poses no threat.

Are you trying to say that lead is no more dangerous than water? Certainly, that is not your position. I think his position is lead is not as dangerous as some people make it out to be.....yes, it is toxic to our bodies, but some people seem to think that any exposure at all will instantly cause permanent, irreversible nervous system damage when in reality, as long as you're smart about how you handle lead (wash hands (with dihidrogen monoxide no less)) you're not going to be in any real danger. Yes, be smart about how you handle it--don't chew on it or make your dinnerware out of it, but we don't need to have a chicken little attitude about it. If it was REALLY that dangerous, do you think I could walk into a hunting store and buy 25 lb bags of it with no I.D.?

Look closely at your photos.....does the tracking number show in any of them? If it does, there ya go...you can log it now. Also, if it does, either edit the photo and blur the numbers, or don't post the photo (for the same reason...anyone can log it then)

What about caches that are placed on islands in the middle of lakes and rivers? If I don't have a boat, should I be made to rent or buy one so I can hunt the cache? That's not fair. That's another cache that I can't claim. But you know what? It's only one cache and there are so many more out there for me to grab! BUT, I operate like briansnat....waypoints loaded into GPS, and likely haven't read the cache page. The gpx file I keep loaded into the GPS is filtered by cache type and attributes, so I know roughly what I've got in front of me. If I get to the cache site and see a river or lake between me and the cache, I'll go home, get my kayak, and come back. If the cache requires high-angle climbing, I'll go home and put the cache on my to-do list until my bro-in-law can come and help me with the climbing aspect. By your logic, any cache rated higher than 1/1 should be archived because any disabled individual may not be able to get to it. Sorry, doesn't work. If I get to the cache site and see 'PRIVATE PROPERTY NO TRESSPASSING' I'll turn around, go home, and ignore the cache, and maybe even post a SBA note.

In truth, unlike a broken bone, you never fully recover from a sprain; that joint will forever be weaker than it was. And each time you sprain it, it only makes it easier for the next time. Trusy me. I can't count how many times I've sprained my ankles. Anymore I can feel it coming several days in advance, the joint starts getting sloppy and if I step just wrong, down I go. And I've got to give you credit for the hike back...1/4 mile on a sprain is a long ways. Last severe sprain I had ('bout 6 years ago now) happened in a pickup-basketball game. Walked back up the hill to my dorm--probably around 1/4 mile and got in the shower. Had to sit down for a while--in the shower, mind you--because I was very close to passing out.

I've thought about getting something different for my avatar...no real ideas though (haven't given it much thought) If there's someone out there creative and bored that wants to toss something together, feel free

(edited to add my $0.02)

Ummm...Lep....I'd keep an eye on this one if I were you.........

Team Spike, thanks for bumping this thread. I wasn't aware of www.handicaching.com before. Over Christmas, my father who is essentially wheelchair bound was really interested in caching. I'll definately send him the link to this site. Additionally, I'll be rating any/all of my cache hides and marking them with the handicaching logo and link. Don't limit yourself to rating your cache hides. I hate to admit, but I had forgotten about handicaching.com, but a year or so ago I went in and tried to rate all of my finds as well. Since I can still remember virtually every one of my finds, I'm going to go back in and do the rest of them.

A lot of fun there. Most other OT forums I visit on other websites get quite heated, but the OT here is largely a fun place with a big dose of silliness. BrianSnat, you is da man. Edited to correct inadvertant use of unapproved phrase.

I'm guessing I'm one of the few(er) here that actually agree with that stance. We don't need to be everywhere. (and yes, I will agree wholeheartedly that geocaching is much less environmentally damaging than snowmobling and 4-wheeling)

It may be that the areas you're placing caches in have specific geocaching policies in effect. If there is such a policy and the reviewer is aware of it, they wil not publish a cache until it is in compliance with said policy. That's likely where the note about wearing orange came from. Edit to add: Ask your reviewer if there are such policies that they are holding caches to, or check with your county/state parks division to see if they have a policy.

Maybe try asking THIS PERSON.

"God made all men, Sam Colt made them equal" Bonus points if you tell me what movie I heard that in. Quigley Down Under

When I get cut, I bleed red. I'd imagine everyone else does as well. That's good enough for me.

I'll have to say, I've enjoyed reading this one thus far--and very well timed, I might add. I've been trying to figure out a sig item, and was seriously contemplating 'carving' my own brand out of a block of metal with my dremel, but I think I'm going to go the poured metal route for the sig items. Picked up some plaster of paris tonight and made some small blanks that I'll try basic work with first--melting fishing weights down into ingots. I think before I pour metal into the plaster though, I'm going to put them in a 200° oven for an hour or two to bake any and all water out of the molds. Anyone else have advice/tips for using plaster as a mold? Or is it just a really bad idea?

Thank you to sbell111 and others who provided constructive comments and helped me realize that my title of this thread was slightly in error (although I think we still have some disagreements regarding this cache, so be it). Since the thread is starting to deteriorate, it's time to lock 'er up and move on. I had no intention of starting a micro bashing thread, and don't intend to let one start.

The more I've thought about this, the more I've realized. It's not the fact that it was a micro in the woods that really upset me, it's how poorly it was done. I'd be willing to bet I spent more time searching for it than the owner did finding the place, making the cache, and filling out the form. I've found several micros deep in the woods that were a thrill to hunt--and this one was too, it was just poorly done, and I can't really describe it well here.

Wowza, I would be interested in more info -- what is Boot Camp? Thanks! Software that allows you to turn your mac into a real computer Sorry, couldn't resist....

ParrotRob has it right. The cache was a micro because the cache owner decided for it to be. It fit the guidelines and identified itself for what it was. BTW, most micros do not contain a note from the hider. They typically only have the log. Thanks for describing the cache bottle for me. I try to have some foreign coins in my pocket to leave in great micros like this one. As for the micro being poorly done, the only thing wrong that I've heard is the paint flaked off. Paint was probably not the best way to go on this kind of pill bottle. Camo tape would have been better. I agree, camo tape would be the way to go here. I really wish I had a camera with me to take a picture of the hide though. More people should suggest correct difficulty ratings in their logs. I will agree, this one was rated correctly for D/T, but I still think the hide could have been better. Guess you'd have to see it to really understand.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very appreciative to the hider for placing the cache there, I enjoyed the hunt. I'm just a little confused/frustrated as to why someone would go to the work of scouting a cache location and filling out the submittal form, and put almost no effort into the cache container. Yes, it is obvious they did TRY to paint it, but either the paint flaked off before they even put it out, or in the two or three days between them hiding it and me finding it--in other words, a very bad paint job. Heck, the cache note didn't even have any note from the hider, was simply a single strip (3"x6" maybe) rolled up in the bottle. I'm also not completely against a micro in the woods--I don't favor them, but I rarely trade so the room issue is moot; but I do move TB's when I can so it is nice to be able to drop on at a cache when needed. In my book, if you're going to put a micro in the woods, do it RIGHT. Cleverly hidden, well camo'd, etc. Not a bare plastic bottle tossed under some roots--especially when that particular area could easily hold a full size ammo can with room to spare. sbell---for reference, think the standard orange pill bottles you get with a prescription. 'Bout 1" diameter, 3" long or so--maybe large enough for trades of small coins, little erasers, stuff like that. I guess my major rant is not that it was a micro in the woods, rather it was a poorly done micro in the woods.

Went out on a FTF dash last night on my way home from work (20 miles out of the way, but who's counting when FTF is at stake ) The coordinate issues I had, I'm going to chalk up to extremely low batteries in my GPSr--it promptly died 5 minutes after finding the cache, so I'm not going to complain about that. Instead, when I finally found the cache, it was a pill bottle tossed under the root ball of a tree. It *had* been painted, but the paint had already flaked off. My question is....why a pill bottle? There was EASILY room for an ammo can--or larger--in this spot, so why the small/micro? I hope this isn't the start of a string of bad containers--the last one (I DNF'd the final) was a multi whose first stage was a used chewing tobacco can. AAAAAARRRRRRRGH! Okay, so I guess there isn't much of a point here other than a rant.....but why can't people take the time to put out a GOOD container?

I think it is quite admirable that you wish to become a reviewer, but first I think you should know where we keep them: hahah thats awesome! I just want to help the game, i am still young (in my 20's) and its people of my generation that will keep the game going. so far i have introduced 4 young players (in there 20's) to the game. I consider that a huge accomplishment. People my age are not interested in geocaching at all. its amazing how many people think im crazy for geocaching. I have friends that like to hike but for some reason they all think finding tupperware in the woods is stupid. i try to tell them its not about that (atleast to me) but many of them would rather sit at home and have a beer. I am a full blown outdoorsman, i have been all my life, i climb the 46 high peaks of ny before i turned 21, i hike every single day of my life and always have, goecaching just adds reason to wander in the woods for me (not that i need a reason) and i would like to contribute any way i can. being a reviewer would probably be a pain, but its a challenge i would't mind. I take issue with most of your post there. It may be that in your circle of friends/aquaintances, people in their 20's are not excited about geocaching, but I am in my 20's myself, and of my friends (all in their 20's) better than half of them are at least interested in the concept of geocaching, and at least 1/4 of them have gone with me on a caching trip at some point. I am directly responsible for getting at least 5 of my friends and coworkers started in the sport (hey, when you live in rural Iowa and at least 30 miles seperate you and most of your friends, that's tougher than you might think!), and a couple more are currently considering purchasing their own GPS. Granted, it might make a difference that most of my friends are outdoorsmen/women and enjoy getting out and seeing the world, but still, generalizing that people in their 20's are not into geocaching is just not true. In fact, you may be surprised how many people in the forums here are 20-somethings. Or maybe I would, hard to say.