mikeh420

Since it's for a site other than gc.com, I'll wait until the PTB says it's good. Could be Geo-Phishing!

There are a few close to the south shore of the lake. I found a few of them when I lived in the area in 2002. Also, check out the local cachers web site, http://www.rcgds.net/index.php lots of nice people in the Sac area. I found my first 55 caches there.

Going to Yosemite on 7/22, staying until 7/26

National Forests, unlike National Parks, don't have any rules I am aware of that prohibit Geocaching. Most of the ones I have found, plus a few of my own, are in the Angeles Nat. Forest.

An interesting BM name is "Sister Elsie" EW7207, it's on the highest peak within Los Angeles City limits, Mount Lukens. Nearby is cache "Up On Sister Elsie's Antenna Farm" GCH9KG. not sure why they called it Sister Elsie. Here are some interesting facts about the "Sister": http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hps/signatures/09e.htm

There was a NGS benchmark near the San Bernardino Initial Point: http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=EV4033 but it was reported destroyed in 1970. It's a real tough one to get to, 8 miles on some very steep trails.

I would say that's not a good choice for cache container, looks too much like a pipe bomb.

For the first time, I got something other than a "web site not found" message. Now I'm getting a page from vDeck, possibly Rich's new ISP. Hopefully, all the pieces are being put back together, and the site will be up shortly.

Having a small cactus garden at home, I sympathize with you. There is a venom-like substance on the cactus needles to further discourage touching them. Even if you were able to remove the needle, the "juice" is probably still in your finger, and it'll take a few days or a week for it to dissolve. Good Luck.

Yountville is in the Napa Valley wine region near San Francisco, CA, someone in that area should be able to help you. Happy Caching.

It could be a Letterbox. Did it have a stamp and pad in it? Letterboxing is similar to Geocaching except without a GPS, just clues to find the box, and stamp the log with your personal stamp. Check it out, I've found a few locally: http://www.letterboxing.org

I've seen similar markings along U.S. 50 between Placerville, CA and S. Lake Tahoe, NV. The are on most maps also, shown as "Mile Stones" showing mileage east of Placerville, probably from when it was a stagecoach trail. They are square stone posts about 6" square and 2 feet tall. This stretch of road was also the Pony Express Trail.

http://www.socalgeocachers.com

CAKoala: Is that a Welsh Springer in your avatar? I have had my Welshie since she was found as a stray in Sacramento in 1999.

As per any other game you play, when you cheat, you only cheat yourself out a fun time. Unless "it's all in the numbers" for you. I have yet to delete a log because the finder cheated. As with any group, there will always be a SMALL percentage of "baddies", it's just part of the game. My $.02

The closest I can think of a database of streets here is: http://imapla.lacity.org/Viewer/GIS/Viewer.asp It's the City of Los Angeles Geographic Information Systems (GIS) web page. Under "Search Method" select by intersection or address and enter the name of the street (without avenue, street, blvd.) for example "park" for Park Ave.

The only street I could find close to a Prospect Hill, is Prospect Ave. in E. Hollywood; it goes up a hill as it passes ABC TV Studios. Don't know that it's actually named Prospect Hill though.

Give us a shout at www.socalgeocachers.com when you get in to So Cal. I'm available during the week and am always looking for an excuse to get out and cache. There are lots of caches surrounding Downtown L.A., should keep ya busy!

I had the exact same thing happen to my eTrex Yellow after 9 months. After a factory replacement had the same problem, I put a thin metal washer between the coil spring contact and the battery. I also stopped using Eveready batteries. The coil spring eventually gets weak and doesn't make good contact with the battery. A tech at Garmin suggested changing battery brands because some are not the right size. I didn't believe him until I tried Duracell. They also last much longer.

On the 7 active caches I have, FTF is anywhere from 1 to 7 days, average of 3.4 days. I have one "almost" park-and-grab, the others require at least 1/4 to 1/2 mile hike.

I'd like to nominate the Power Caching Series by Team Dakiba, GCHR9V is cache #1 in the series of 24. It's in Wildwood Park in the 1000 Oaks area of Ventura Co.

After seeing a few late spring concerts in LV, I remember the temps being in the 90s, maybe 100°, cool for local standards! Bring lots of water.

I think it was at Steve's Desert Gold, it was a black pickup, maybe a Toyota. I have a green Explorer, and I was at the cache as the pickup was driving away.

Sounds like fun. I was just out there last weekend to place a cache,(GCJ121) and score some finds. Lots of places to hide things, and occasionally a jet from "ED" will buzz on by. I think I might have been at your cache as you were leaving(?). Cal City here we come!

Land in the US is divided up into townships and then into sections. The township for this mark is Township 3 North of the LA Baseline and Range 2 West of the LA Meridian. A township is made up of 6 x 6 sections, each a square mile. This is probably a marker for a corner of Section 16. The Louisana Initial Point, where the meridian and baseline meet are in Cocodrie Lake near I-49 and US 167 exit.