Mike & Jess
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Posts posted by Mike & Jess
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I kind of like seeing the count. It allows me to assign a bit of experience level to the cacher and helps me to interpret comments in thier log(s).
For example, if a cacher with 3000 finds says my cache is missing, I give it more credence than a cacher with 17 finds saying the same thing.
I know it doesn't say much - but I still find it important.
Your post describes exactly my opinion of the numbers game.
As of right now, I have ~185 finds. Compare my count to those 1000+ guys, and I am a newbie (numbers only).
What my numbers don't tell you is;
1. outside of the few urban caches, most caches in this town are 3/3 or greater, requiring some some off-road travel
2. ~200 caches available within 30km radius
3. Most of my finds are done via mountain bike, hiking boots, or kayak
4. Been caching for ~3 years
5. Done a couple caches in a few different states and provinces
6. I've a geocahing/Groundspeak retailer
7. The nearest power trail is ~400km from here.
8. Hosted, Co-hosted or a vendor and a number of GC events
In short, my numbers to any local geocacher indicates I have been around. To most on here, when comparing to the 1000+ guys, I am a third year newbie.
Using these numbers to judge experience is not a great idea. Take these numbers, and the comments posted on that DNF may be a better idea.
Even at that, if I have a DNF by a newbie, in many cases (if time permits), I'll offer to meet up with them and go visit the cache together. They'll get the find, I get a cache maintainance, and respect is earned all around.
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I have had two different finds but didn't sign the logs (at that time).
The first one was in a high muggle rest stop. I could spot the lid of the cache, but had a muggle sitting on the bench right in front of it. Signed that one at a later visit.
The second one was a micro that was pushed into the hole it was in too far for myself to get out. Haven't been back that way, so I logged the find as a note and msged the CO to indicate it was physically unreach about (could see the top of the 35mm film canister, just couldn't get my hand down to reach it).
Had a couple I almost didn't sign because I arrived at the cache, to figure out that either the pen I had didn't work, or I left it in the car some distance back. All cases so far, I made the treck back to the car for a writing tool.
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M&J - My cache is lonely: http://coord.info/GC1PP1G - Its about 600m from the confluence of N47 W84
You could go for an FTF AND place a cache at the confluence
Hmmm, Holidays start in 5 hours, add 1 hour to do the brakes on the van and packing time.....
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Not sure which one I would want to do yet. I'll need to do a bit more research first and start working on making a cache that would be equally as rewarding as the treck to it.
That second one looks nasty to get to by the sounds of it: 46°N 81°W
That web site is good research tool for any cache you want to place at or close to a lat/long confluence.
That link does provide a lot of good information.
Now it is a toss up, take my little guy to Ishpatina Ridge for the earth cache there, or take him here to place this cache. Either way, will be pretty cool to say that at just of a year old, he's been to one of these interesting places.
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After a small typo in Google Earth, I now want to place a cache in one of the two following locations;
N 47 00.000 W 081 00.000
or
N 47 00.000 W 081 00.000
Looks like there is a small typo in your post too as both coordinates are the same.
If those forest access roads are open, you could probably get within 200m with a 4x4.
Fixed it. The first one should have read N46 00.000 W 081 00.000.
Access will be a 07 Grand Caravan, then mtn bike or hiking boots from there.
Not sure which one I would want to do yet. I'll need to do a bit more research first and start working on making a cache that would be equally as rewarding as the treck to it.
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After a small typo in Google Earth, I now want to place a cache in one of the two following locations;
N 46 00.000 W 081 00.000
or
N 47 00.000 W 081 00.000
Both look like a 5/5 rating
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What ever you do don't buy ANOTHER travel bug dog tag. I'll never get it, geocoins are unique, made of higher material, get you a little picture next to your name for each one... AND you can get them for $2 more than travel bugs... REALLY... Two dollars! For two dollars more just get the better object...
True -- but just where is the uniqueness and the originality? Something that personifies "You"?
At $4.95 ea in the Shop Groundspeak store, it's tough to beat a set of TB dogtags (Original and copy tag -- do that with a geocoin).
Pretty (o-so-pretty) geocoins in the wild have the shortest lifespan of any traveler.
Shop Groundspeak is good if you live in the United States. They do not ship out of the US for regular customers.
We had to start our own online store <store link removed by moderator - sales are not allowed in the Travel Bug Forums, only in the geocoin forums> in order to purchase Groundspeak items here in Northern Ontario (Canada).
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In our neck of the woods, there are TB motels located on most major hwys just outside of town.
If I pickup a TB that is looking to move in a certain direction, I can help it out by placing it in a TB motel on a hwy going that direction.
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I have seen a number of different ways this has been done.
A simple one, which creates caches, and an event was the FTF Madness caches in the Toronto Ontario area.
Points are awarded for the first 3 finders of each cache (3 points for FTF, 2 for STF, 1 for third to find). A week or so after the publication of the caches, an icecream meet, or wings night is held and prizes are awarded.
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I am not sure how well a protective screen will work on the Oregon units with the preasure touch screen.
As for the maps, I had loaded all my maps on my memory card and was able to bring them over to the new(referbed) unit.
Also, assuming you loaded the maps from your PC, you really should not have any issues.
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I dropped my Colorado and it hit a rock and now the front screen is cracked.
Does anyone know of anywhere I might be able to get it fixed, or do I have to buy a new one?
I live near Vancouver, BC.
There is a company in Canada that does repair work on the Garmin GPS units. I had my screen replaced on my Oregon when my son dropped my unit face down.
If you check the Garmin site, you should be able to find the nearest location to have your unit repaired.
Being that it will not be a warranty repair, it will be a flat fee and in return, you will probably receive a referbished unit. The flat fee was for any repair, regardless if it was totally demoed or just the screen (as in both of our cases).
I believe mine was ~$125 (last fall).
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Coming from a sheltered city, it is hard to believe there is that much danger south of the border.
Even when I lived in bigger cities like Toronto, I had very little worries or concerns about particular areas.
Here, the bears are vegitarians, We own long guns (shotguns and riffles) for hunting, not protection.
The only thing that you have to worry about attaching you is the mosquitos.
The total lack of poisoness insects is also nice.
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Mention that you are looking to have an event, and leave out the details of how it is a meet and greet.
You'll get jumped on pretty quick.
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After attending the Spring Fling 6 Mega event a month or so ago, I began to start thinking about how we could promote our local events to bring them up and above our usual group. I am not thinking Mega status just yet (although that would be pretty cool). It would be nice to see some new faces, both local and abroad.
Does anyone have any tips or recommendation on how to promote our local events?
We are currently working on promoting the Big Brothers, Big Sisters event that being hosted August 21st, here in Sudbury.
I've been joking with Don (the primary contact for this event) about bringing his to a Mega status.
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Ishpatina Ridge.
Missed out on the meet up there. Found out about it the morning of the event and couldn't make it up there in time.
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We carry nano cache containers with write in the rain logs.
They are pretty common.
If you are Canadian, PM me and I will send you more info.
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ya know... I have often thought about how potentially embarassing these might be when you get a log on your tbs page like "Discovered this while driving down HWY 1, and was cut off by a raging tb" or "Discovered this one as it blew a red light... watching your gps while driving?"
not that I drive like a maniac...
I had a guy follow me just over 100km of hwy. He was driving pretty close at some points. I figured he was out looking for a race (my car attacts a lot of street racers). Long story short, pulled into a mall, he pulled in the parking spot behind me. He was trying to get the number to discover the TB.
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I was looking at the static cling and the magnetic TB for my car.
Because the car is black, with dark tinted windows, I went with the peel and stick deco. I think it looked a lot better then the magnetic one. (car TB http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=2862262)
We do have a couple magnetic TBs (wife sells them in her online Geocaching store).
The Groundspeak one is a gray, with a hint of blue in it. It looked odd on our gray Dodge Caravan.
It looked really bad on my black SRT.
If you would like more info, let me know. We have a couple different car TBs (cling, P&S, magnetic).
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It is really unfortunate that you have to ask a CO if you can use a sticker or a stamp in their log book.
Placing this kind of requirement on a cache here would not fly very well.
I don't know if this would even pass the regional reviewer.
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I have noticed in the last couple months the price has shot up on these.
You use to be able them up for ~$10 each from some major retail chains. Now they are pushing ~$25+ each.
I prefer the ammo cans over the lock & locks, but a decent ammo cache can be pretty expensive to setup these days.
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Hello there fellow cachers!
I am thinking about opening a real store (as opposed to virtual). I live in Brampton Ontario, and was wondering what kind of response you all have to this idea. Of coarse I would be online as well, but having an actual touch and feel store for you to visit.
Please let me know what you think.
Jenn
(Blockheadz)
If you are looking at opening a Geocaching based store, drop me a PM. My wife just started Up North Tracks, so we can offer you some tips and advice.
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Been there for a couple years now.
Didn't notice it.
Amazing I can find a cache without an issue, but don't notice something like this.
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As a cache owner, is there a way to correct the inventory of your cache?
One of my caches (since archived) had a TB that was not there (personally checked). It was showing in the inventory for a couple months.
If the bug is in your cache access the bug page and over on the right is the mark as missing option. It will add a note for you.
Was this feature added within the last year (forgive my poor memory)?
I don't think that was available about this time last year when I had gone up to check on the cache.
I ultimately archived the cache last fall (many months after discovering the TB was not in my cache).
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Thats what I was thinking too, I just wanted to make sure. Some say they will remove the online logs if people use stickers.
I have a few choice words I could use for someone that would delete online logs because the person signed the physical log book with a sticker.
Some people plan out a full day of Geocaching. If they don't have a copy of the description with them, they may not know, or remember that the CO requested no stickers.
I use stickers where possible (log book large enough for my small Avery address labels) as is easier when out with a group (most cases a hand full of kids), and my hand writing sucks (should have been a doctor).
I hand write logs on micros, nanos or caches with small log books or logs that are running low on space. I believe the labels I use are 1/4" x 3/4" with enough white space for a date to be written on it.
Ready to Hide Caches as swag
in General geocaching topics
Posted
So this evening while working on the van, a new cache publication came in on the Blackberry. It was close, so when I finished the brakes, I hoped in the van and off I went. Had the GPS, and a flashlight in hand (was ~10PM when I was heading out). What I did forget was the swag container.
So when I parked near the cache, I grabbed one of the ready to hide micro caches (35mm film canister with log strip and GC instructions) and used it as swag.
So my question is, What do you guys think of using these ready to hide caches as swag on occation?
I am not planning on using too many, but I figured they could make decent swag.