GeoCyclist

Please add my name, thanks for the contest. I have a new Vista.

Going off what Imajika said: Write some cordinates on the puzzle pieces. Then write some false numbers on the other sides of the pieces so you are forced to assemble the puzzle to know which numbers are the real ones. These cordinates would lead you to a second stage. Here is another idea: Buy one of the combo locks that has 4 digits that you can set you own 4 digit combination. Like above, write the 4 digits on each of the puzzle pieces with false digitis too. Have 4 caches where you collect the puzzle pieces (or one site with all 4 pieces in it). Once you assemble the puzzle you have the combo to the lock. Give them the cordinates for the final stage. The final stage would be a amo box container that is locked with a chain and combo lock. If you have 1 stage with all 4 puzzle pieces there this might work well. Having each piece in 4 seperate cahces may not work as it would require cachers to put the pieces back. Most people would do this but some would not. This also makes it more likely for 1 piece to get lost. I got this idea from a cache called "Lock and Load" where the was a cache boxed locked up. The key was attached to a travel bug that traveled in the local area. You had to final the travel bug to get the key to unlock the cache.

Runaround or anyone else out there ----- Has any heard of rechargable Litium Ion batteries in AA size? I have only seen NiCad and NiMH in AA size. If so who makes them, where can I get them? The rechargable LitIon batteries in my cameras work great.

Yea, nice AV mtnman

Thanks Mtn Man, so I if won who would get the hiking stick, me or AM? I like Stunods. or at least I like cartoon chickens with guns.

I guess even if the sat signals worked on the moon, which I doubt the do as I expect the signal is directional, you would get any signals when on the dark side of the moon. Talk about racking up some mileage on TBs. Another great thing about the moon is you don't have to worry about your cache containers getting wet.

RK, that is a cool site.

How do I search for locationless caches? I tried PQ and it crashed. I have been looking at stats for local users then looking at what locationless caches they have logged.

Thanks for the input. I think I may get a surefire. I like the Li batteries and Xeon bulb. Will have to see how battery life works out. The rechargables cited above look nice but out of my price range considering I wouldn't use it enough. For my needs batterys should work okay.

Anyone know why there are so few geocoins out there compared to the number of travel bugs? At least in my area there are at least 100 TBs for one geocoin. I was looking at prices on the web and coins cost about the same as TBs. Am I missing something? I realize the TB allows the owner to attach something to it so this makes it different from the coin.

I like your idea because it trys to get more original caches out there. One problem is people who travel, like me couldn't create a cache because they couldn't maintain it. A few other ideas that may help: Create a travel bug that whose mission is to see the most creative caches found by other cachers. Have pictures taken at the cache site & container. Place a theme cache and have cachers leave photos or examples of creative caches( or their favorite cache). I would like to find a cache like this so I could see what others have done. This would need to be done in a way so it didn't spoil caches for others.

I was cacheing at dusk and pulled out my AA mini mag I carry. I just doesn't cut it. I have a 3D cell Mag lite that performs well but it's too heavy/long to carry in my pack. What reccomendations do you have? Any have/like the "Surefire" Xeon lights? How do they work? I see the batteries only last 60-75 minutes? How do you like LED flashlights? Bright enough?

No flames here. You're in good company. I carry two knives and thought I was excessive.

gm100guy, thanks for that presentation. If your GPS has an electonic compas then a magnet will cause problems. Personally, I try to keep magnetics away from any electonic devices. Normally they should be protected from this level of interference but I don't like to take chances. A powerful magnetic, left in contact too long can mess your screen up.

hamgran, I think you got all the answers you need. If not email me and I can help out. I have a vista and PPC.

Yes, I would also be interested in your comments. How do 60cs owners like the "Dedicated GPS Screens" Is it any benefit over regular GPS map and navigation screens?

Congrats.

I ditto what many others have said, I am glad the sport has urban micros as it adds an entirely different aspect to the game. While I love a beautiful walk in the woods here are the reasons I like urban micros: · More conducive to taking my wife and 5 month old daughter on · Can catch one while running errands in town when I normally wouldn't be caching · In the cities most parks already have traditional caches so we are running out of original places to hide. (Most parks already have multiple caches) · Get to see new areas of the city

testing

Great topic, thanks for posting. Here is how I carry duck tape. I take a 10 cent plastic pen, pull the ink cartridge out. Using a utility knife I saw/cut the pen body into a length slightly longer to the width of the duck tape. I then roll on as much duck tape as I want. You could also use anything round as your spool, pencil, dowle rod, etc. I carry one of these mini rolls when traveling, in my bike tool kit, and caching. Also it is handy to carry a leatherman or similar tool for cache maintenance. So that you have a pair of needle nose plyers, knife, scissors, and screw driver. The biggest item I use is zip lock bags so I carry a few more if you want to cover multiple caches before restocking. You could also add some micro containers, 35mm film containers, bison tubes, paper for micro logs, etc. Also a magic marker is handy if you have to relabel anything.

It is showing now. Looks like you got it. For others who may read this thread: You have upload the image in the My Cache page at geocaching.com. under Edit Profile. Once you upload the image you have to select it by clicking on the avatar and then click the button on the right side of the screen that says Current Avatar. Then you have to log out of Groundspeak forums and click Register" and log in for the change to take effect. I think this covers it.

Thumper, do you recommend putting charged NiMH in the freezer/fridge? I have more batteries than I can keep in the charger and in use at the same time. I have 1 slow charger I leave loaded and 1 fast charger. Do you recommend leaving batteries in a fast charger or taking them out once charged? I don't have a 60cs but just a guess here. Often electronic devices will operate between 12-36 volts. With batteries they are rated at a certain voltage and amp draw. So if the 5V Lit Ion doesn’t work it may because their current rating doesn't match the demand of your GPSr. Same way you can't use AAA in place of D cells. They are both 1.5 V. (Besides the fact they won't fit.)

I have noticed most cache pages have a mapquest map that you can click on and opens another mapquest window. I created my first cache, GCJM03 and filled out all fields. I thought the mapquest map was done automatically based on the coordinates. How do I add the map to my page?

Ok maybe I'm just missing something but to me that doesn't make any sense. Why do batteries discharge faster when they're cold then? (ie: Car batteries in the great Canadian winter ) Thorin I am not an expert so someone could probably explain this better: Your car battery is a Sealed Lead Acid battery, SLA. One property of SLA batteries is their perfomance is degraded when cold (not so much they "loose charge" as they come back to life when they warm up). For other types of rechargables, NiMH, NiCad, they work by a chemical process going on inside the battery. This process is active to some extent even when the battery is not being used. Putting them in the freezer slows down this chemical reaction.

Yes, I would like to know the same, do you leave them in the charger until you need them or not? I have done both and find that charged batteries setting around for a week show up as 1/2 battery meter on my Vista. Fresh out of the charger gives a full battery meter. However, I don't notice the batteries that have been setting around last any less though. (I haven't timed it either and also understand GPS'r burn batteries at different rates depending on Electronic compass, WAAS, and loosing Sat links) I have an Engergizer charger and once the batteries are charged they stay room temp. I have another brand that the charger and batteries are always warm. Any comments on this?