Ghostcat78

This is Nebraska's policy on geocaching from the state website: Nebraska State Game and Parks

Ok guys/gals I went to scheels today with my wife and tried some boats out. Thanks for all your advice. Here is what I've found/discovered: Originally my wife rolled her eyes at the thought of me buying a kayak. After we started dragging them out she found it nearly impossible to stay out of them. So it looks like i'll be buying 2 kayaks this spring We both are of average build 6' 140-180 lbs. Here are the yaks we tried out: Dagger blackwater 12.5 - Nice boat, stable, but the cockpit is too small and the seat is horrible. It was also the most expensive at $800. ** 2 stars Necky Looksha Sport - This one had the most comfy seat, I felt like I was sitting in a leather computer chair, but It was too wide and I had a sloppy fit in it. It was definately too big for my wife ** 2 stars Loon 138 - I couldn't see myself in this boat for any length of time. For me it just lacked character and storage space. It was also the cheapest at $300 * 1 star Perception Sundance 12.5 - Now this boat fit me like a glove. Comfy seat, great storage, stability, and it fit me in the hips well, had really good foot braces, wasn't too wide, could accomodated me plus 220 lbs of gear, and the coaming was extended about an extra 6" so it made the cockpit easy in and out. Plus If I rolled it I think I could probably get back in it ok (assuming the water was deeper than I am tall). We put my wife in the Sundance 9.5 model and it seemed to fit her well also. The price was also perfect $600 for the 12.5 and $400 for the 9.5 ***** 5 stars I orginally went in thinking I wanted a dagger element, although I didn't get to try one, the blackwater was pretty similar in size and shape according to the specs. The difference being the dry storage and an added skeg. I'm glad I tried them out first. I probably wouldn't have done that without everybodies advice. Checking the quality of construction between the looksha, dagger, and perception they were all equal with the exception of the hatches. For the money the perception was in the middle of them all. Scheels were very nice about the whole thing and will price match the competition. So i'll be doing some online searches for lower prices. T hanks for everybodies help!!!

Saw a traditional woodworker on discovery channels "ancient weapon build" wearing one of these. I thought it was pretty cool. I wouldn't mind wearing one while doing outdoor things. You would definately have a pocket for everything. Utilikilts

I found a scuba shop here in town that sells/rents the "sit-on-top" style kayaks, cobra brand to be exact. They are a little pricey though. I might try those out, I'm still thinking that I want a "sit in" style kayak. I'm still leaning heavy on a dagger element. I need to go to scheels and try one out first before I plump down my money. I had no idea this thread would take off like this.

Thats it! Thanks, I really appreciate it. Boy that was simple to fix, whew! Now i'm out the door caching. Got 2 hours of light left Thanks again Clyde. YOU DA MAN!

Now i'm having even more problems. I got a fatal error of some type in the program that wouldn't allow me to even open the program. I had to uninstall and reinstall the program. Now I can get the program to load, but I can't see any of the caches. All I have is the tool bar at the top and nothing below it. How do I fix this? updated/edit: ok i got this problem fixed, now i just need to figure out how to get more than 1 cache to transfer to cachemate

I'm not sure what you mean, although I think I might have an idea. I only put caches in the unfiled. I don't do benchmarks on there yet. I run a pocket query, drag that into the gsak box=update the caches, hit export-cachemate, hit generate and bam, only 1 waypoint goes through. This is really frustrating. What am I not doing right?

I'm having problems getting my info to cachemate. I have a registered version of cachemate so I shouldn't have any problems with quantity issues. This is what I know how to do 1. Export-cachemate 2. Generate off whatever pops on the screen (this part also confuses me) 3. snyc my pda I'm only getting 1 cache to go through though. That's my problem. What am I doing wrong? Before I've had no problems, but today is horrible. Please answer this as if I was completely computer illiterate, because I am. Any help would be great. Thanks, PS- I emailed this to Clyde also

I tried this once also. I wanted to place a 1/5 cache on top of one of our highest hills here in nebraska known as sioux lookout. On top there was a sioux warrior statue looking out over the platte valley. You can see the hill from I-80. It looks like a giant anomaly after you have driven across the state and seen nothing but flat ground. When I was a kid we used to hike up there all the time. Even though it was private property the owner had it open to the public. Since then kids used to go out and party and trash the land and vandalize the monument. The owner got sick and tired of this and closed it down. The other day I drove up to his house and tried to explain my purpose, geocaching, and CITO. I tried to explain the people that would be finding the cache would not be punk kids, but honest genuine people who would clean up any trash that happend be on the monument as they climb it. I still got a brisk NO, and he didn't want to talk about it any more. It was too bad. It would of made a fun cache. So as soon as somebody comes up with a winning selling point I'd like to hear it also.

I did find one of those springs. It was about 20 feet in diameter and the water was about 55 degree's. It was bubbling up from who knows how deep. It created a layer of quicksand about 2 feet below the surface of the water. when you walk in to it the water only looks about 2 feet deep, but then you sink up to your chest but the spring floats you up and you can't feel anything on your feet. It's weird. We had a fun time jumping into it and dissapearing below the sand only to be sky rocketed back up. It was a fun time, but it deposits sand everywhere you can image. It would make a good cache if I can find it again. I wonder if it would make approval of a virtual since there really isn't a place to hide one at the particular spot

How far away from Valentine do you live? There are some outfitters up there you can rent a couple of different brands (I know I have seen Old Town) of kayaks from and test them out on the scenic Niobrara River. I think there are a couple of caches on the river also. The Dismal River may not be far from you either, but is a little more challenging. I live in Kearney, so roughly about 3 hours. Not to far. What are some of the outfitters up there? It'd be worth a trip up. I've been down both rivers and the dismal is my favorite, but both are fun. Are you from nebraska also?

Now I've wanted to build my own kayak for about a year now. I've got the plans to build a guillemot 17'. I've got the skills and the tools and time to do it. But I don't have a heated garage, nor the work-space in my el-cheapo rental house's garage. Plus cedar is kind of pricey, half your money gets turned into sawdust by the time you cut all the strips. But man, they are a pretty boat when you are done. I'll build the guillemot one of these days, but for now i'm going to settle for a roto-molded rec kayak for cheaper.

Technically it would be a spork. But truly it would be a travel bug first and then a traveling micro 2nd. Either way it still will be sent out as just one or both. I've read the guidelines and did a search and come to the conclusion that there is no good conclusion as of yet. Why couldn't it become a traveling micro since it's already a "travel" bug. It's simple in concept, you have to find it to log it.

I've searched for Travel bug caches and i've found lots of confusing info and heated opinions. So i'll present my scenerio and let the mods decide. I've got a 4 inch dicast metal toyota 4-runner I want to use as a travel bug. I'm considering attaching a hide-a-key container on the top to put it's instructions and a logbook inside. That got me thinking that it could double as a movable micro cache also. Here's the dillema; would it make it a locationless cache since you have to find it to log it or would it be some other type? I wasn't sure if I could even get it approved as both. Either way it will still be a travel bug. Just courious if TPTB could answer if this is legal by GC guidelines. (BTW, I originally posted this in the TB forum and got no response)

OK, 24 hours+ later and no response from anybody? I'm going to post this in the geo-topics forum as well.

I'm not sure who's this is, but it has my vote....since I also drive a toyota "Yea, I get the jeep thing. That's why I drive a toyota"

I've searched for Travel bug caches and i've found lots of confusing info and heated opinions. So i'll present my scenerio and let the mods decide. I've got a 4 inch dicast metal toyota 4-runner I want to use as a travel bug. I'm considering attaching a hide-a-key container on the top to put it's instructions and a logbook inside. That got me thinking that it could double as a movable micro cache also. The problem is would it make it a locationless cache since you have to find it to log it or would it be something else? I wasn't sure if I could even get it approved as both. Either way it will still be a travel bug. Just courious if TPTB could answer if this is legal by GC guidelines.

Wow, sounds like you know your stuff. Although I'm a total noob at kayaking, I do understand the points you made. I'm starting to understand that there is not a good all around kayak for everything. For what I'm looking at doing is probably alot less agressive than most of the people that are serious kayak'ers. Since I live in the middle of nebraska the nearest rapids that qualify as a "class" are in colorado and wyoming. I've been down both in a rubber raft on a guided ride and it was pretty wild; Something I don't think I want to do in a kayak by myself Whatever I end up buying will see small lakes and rivers 99% of the time. I would like something stable in open water. I can't see myself paddeling over 3 miles one way in a lake (here in nebraska anyway) most of our lakes are less than 3 miles in length at one point. I do want to make sure whatever boat i get is stable and can handle winds up to 20mph. I don't take my other boat out when the wind blows that much. For my budget I'm seriously considering the dagger element 11.2 Dagger Element 11.2 Mainly I chose this boat because I can drive to the next town, look it over and try it out. My only other options are the Loon series. It appears the element is fairly stable and suited for beginners to experts. I do agree with another persons opinions on buying a boat that I can grow into though. I'm trying to stick with a budget of $600 or less.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I think i'm still leaning toward a recreational single loon, or dagger. Somewhere in the $600 range for my budget. I don't think i'm going to get as technical as a dvd player, solar charger, and carry 4 days worth of gear, but it was fun seeing those pics . I'll try to see if I can try them out first. I'll probably be buying it from scheels later this spring. I think they are pretty good about letting you try them out first.

I looked up the dagger brand. The element 11.2 has really caught my eye for a recreational kayak. The lines look a bit more aesthetic than the OT brand. BTW, what is a drop skeg?

I'm considering buying a kayak for paddling around lakes/rivers this summer. I've been looking at a few, but would like everybodies opinion from those who have them. I'm not going to take on any major rapids. It would mainly be used for gunk-holing lakes, finding/placing island bound caches, occasional trips down gentle rivers, and fishing. I've considered possibly buying an OT rush (Old Town) for around $400 from cabelas. It seems to be a stable boat thats not pricey. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

There is one in about every major language on the main geocaching.com webpage under "hide and seek a cache", it's on the bottom right of the page in alphabetical order.

I have a bunch of mulberry trunks drying from last summer. Both with and without the bark. I was planning on making them into walking sticks this spring. Let me know how yours are drying. Made one last year that turned a combination of blonde and green with the spar varnish. Nice looking stick. I made a cherry walking stick that is sweet. About 7 feet long and about 2 inches in diameter. Dried for a year and now its very light for its volume. Sanded it and dremeled the knots and branches to get them to be smooth surfaces. A coat of spar varnish, then a second. Steel wool and tack cloth. Third coat down. Pretty shiny. Steel wool and tack cloth and 4 and 5 coats down. Glass like finish that holds up well. Made a little cherry one for my niece with the bark still on it. That was light sanding to get the loose bark off, then dremel the knots, etc. Put 5 coats of spar varnish on it. The dark bark came through really nice and the knots and branch points offer interesting contrast. Used cane tips for end caps to keep the wood from being damaged. Like the spar varnish, not expensive or difficult to find. Straight forward application technique. As soon as it gets warmer outside i'll dig them out and look, My garage is not heated, unfortunately. It might be this spring before I get out and work on them. I notice you are from Omaha. I live in Kearney.

Camelbak Hawg backpack Pro's: 1. Overal fit is superb and comfortable , transfers weight well, very breathable in hot weather 2. Holds 3 liters of water and keeps it cold 3. Has enough pockets to store all the essentials 4. Mountain bike friendly Con's 1. Only has 750 c.i. of space 2. Also expensive $80-100 I don't think you can go wrong with any camelbak. Buy the size you need to hold all your gear, The Hawg is perfect for dayhikes and mountain biking. All my geocache gear fits in it well. For overnight excursions it's probably to small. The price was the biggest deterent for me at first, but now I can't believe I didn't buy one earlier.

Leatherman Charge XTI Multi-tool Previously I owned the 1st edition leatherman Wave of which I adored. The new Charge has a few more features than its cousin and still has the same charm as all the leathermans Pro's: 1. Titatium Handle 2. Locking blades and tools (everything locks) 3. Interchangeable bits 4. Knife blade is made out of quality stainless steel (CM 154) Con's: 1. Still on the "heavy" side for those who weigh their gear in grams 2. Expensive at $99 Overall I really like its appearance, feel (no sharp edges on the grip), and durability. I know i'll get years of dependable usage out of it. Plus it has a lifetime warranty since I bought it from cabela's and a 25 year warranty from leatherman.