fishiam

Don't anticipate your IPA before you've actually made the sacrifice, my faux one. I have taken steps to help me in my quest. I shall prevail, I shall remain Master of My Domain!

OK Kramer, er fauxSteve, how about meeting at the usual time/place for coffee to shake on it? Nolie should even be there to witness.

Okay Mr. Master of your own Domain, you have yourself a challenge! Let's make Monday, December 12th the cut-off date. That's four weeks from now. Sure, we can both give in a bit, or grab the occassional ftf, stf, or ttf in our backyard. I figure you'll need your December ftf anyway (not that you've had any problems this month). Therefore, I don't suggest that you have to go cold turkey. Instead, I offer this: I bet you exceed my new finds by more than ten (10) on that date. You are currently at 511 and I'm at 512, so counting should be easy. Heck, I'll even let you find a few of those armchair caches in Germany for free if you want. What do you say, fish? I actually wouldn't be surprised if the number is fifteen or more! Taken. So, Mr. "I have to study for my oral exams in December", almost-Ph.D candidate, I will accept this challenge because it helps you as much as me. I appreciate the latitude you've given for the occasional blood-pressure raising FTF hunt. But, as BHMP might also wonder ... can you really resist another all weekend consuming CL-type Other Side of the World type challenge? For sure, the local TUS are gonna taunt you with hides (does this challenge include hides by me (or you), btw?) ... In one month, I'll be at or below 526 and to win the wager you have to be below 516 (how'd you get all the way to 512 anyway, shouldn't you have been studying?) peace fishiam

Uh huh - Go ahead and try. Just to keep yourself to 15 over the next month. Can you do it? It would be fun to be able to pick on someone else as opposed to being the picked on one all the time.

Go read the headline on the front of the sports section in this morning's Seattle Times/P-I newspaper. Ummm... don't you need to go into hibernation before you can come out? C'mon folks, cut me a little slack. In the past month I have just 15 finds ... the only caching I do is the local FTF hunt - no day long excursions or weekend cache runs. That is at least partial hibernation. When is the last month most of you had only 15 finds? Go Dawgs. UW 24 WSU 21 next week. peace, fishiam (and no, I ain't betting a Garmin 60)

Go read the headline on the front of the sports section in this morning's Seattle Times/P-I newspaper.

Twice I have had to endure the Nolenator FTF dance/gyration as he ferreted out the cache right in front of me and my eyeballs still ache and burn at the memory.

Well, since it was I who first took offense to the term as it was originally written (and despite the recent spin to the contrary, the original intent was quite negative) I'll answer this. After discussion among a group of us, we decided to adopt the term and be even more tiresome than we ever had been. The "freshmen" class as it were, was comprised of fishiam, FunnyNose, OldBaldEagle, Nolenator, The Mercury Project and by association, blindleader. A second, or sophomore, class would include fauxSteve, markta, nevcowpok, and those new kids on the block BHMP. One might even include Prying Pandora who would have the unique distinction of being linked to both the TUS and ACD crew. Of course we are always open to new members, you just have to be a lttle bit tiresome in your pursuit of the elusive FTF. peace, fishiam ps - this is not meant to undermine the early FTF exploits of such local legends as evergreenhiker!, K7-wave, Weightman and no doubt several others. If they want to be considered tiresome, welcome aboard!

The difference I guess is that those cachers are appreciated while the Seattle gang is considered tiresome. We don't mind though and we're always on the lookout for more tiresome caching types to join us!

Of course there is a background story (and more!) to that cache as well but that is best saved for private correspondance, and that has been provided to Team Maccabee. peace, fishiam

And if you do park there, you will be less than 0.2 miles from my Very Bunnycache. Why not grab it during your tour? Also, parking will likely be most problematic at TTIII. You want to park on E. Calhoun St. (just east of 18th Ave East). You can't reach the cache from W Montlake Pl E though that is the closest street. Have fun at all of them! peace, fishiam

Hey, shouldn't you be studying? If you send this lad the coordinates he might flunk one of his exams in December. Who needs that guilt?

You should ignore both the blind and the bald and help save the fish. I have WP2 in hand as well and await the S. Cal. coords. An email/phone call would be greatgly appreciated! peace fishiam

Senor Old Bald Eagle got his 800th at Nolenator's Something Evil at the University of Washington today, a cache where quite a few milestone finds have occurred the past week plus! Way to go OBE! peace, fishiam

Here in Seattle, we have been blessed with a series of wonderful engineering marvel caches that are collectovely part of the "Totally Tubular" cache series by Dayspring. My kids and I have loved these caches as have quite a few others. As a small honor, and hopfully incentive to continue, I thought I might start a poll to see which the cachers most liked. Here are the contestants: Totally Tubular! Totally Tubular II Totally Tubular III Totally Tubular IV Totally Tubular V Totally Tubular VI My favorites, in decending order are : III, II, IV, V, I (Haven't done VI yet which was just activated). Anyone else care to vote and motivate Dayspring to continue this great series (and rumors are that number VI is about to be launched)? peace fishiam ps - in addition to the TT series, check out this classic which, while admittedly not original was new to the Seattle area: At Long Lat edit to add link to TTVI which was activated about 12 hours after I created this topic.

If you all do go after the APE cache, I hope you'll not only get the caches at the east end of the tunnel (Iron Horse (east)), the west end of the tunnel (Iron Horse), but also the two placed in the tunnel - Bloody Fingers, Birty Diapers - and my relatively new cache, only found by two cachers - Old Bald Bison. Good luck and enjoy! ps - the walk heading west is a lot chillier than the return trip east through the tunnel (at least both times I went). peace, fishiam

If I may suggest one of my own that I set up with my children. Very Bunny At most times you will find dozens of bunnies sitting around here, and despite the signs, lots of people feed them. More fun than chasing seagulls

It's been taking as long a week lately in the greater Seattle area - the approvers are busy, away on trips, etc. Months ago I was having caches approved the same day - for the past couple of months it's been much longer. Be patient, they'll get to your cache.

I get my bison capsules at Sissy'n'CR's store. They don't start leaking after a few months. One of my hides is submerged underwater and the log is still dry. You might try some of those - and they are quite inexpensive. peace, fishiam

FYI, I flew up to Anchorage on Alaska Airlines two days ago and they announced over the intercom that cell phones and GPS's were not allowed to be used during the flight. The previous time I flew to anchorage, they didn't say anything and so I used mine the whole way - pretty cool to see your GPS clocking a speed of 500 MPH and an altitude of 30,000+ feet. peace, fishiam

Hey there, The APE cache we went after is one of three surviving caches that were established as part of an advertising campaign during the 2001 (2002?) release of the movie Planet of the Apes. In total, I believe there were 14 APE caches and only three remain active; the others have been archived. Part of the allure of the APE caches is that there is a special icon you get on your profile when you log an APE cache - the remaining active APE caches are in Washington, somewhere on the East Coast (Maryland?) and one in the midwest (Nebraska?). Here is the link to the one in Washington. With a little research you can learn a great deal more. peace

You're not related to Yogi Berra are you? I'm honored to be mentioned in the same sentence as Yogi!

I don't have an extra one, but Old Bald Eagle - who's now joining us - will be renting one for a few hours from the bike shop on Sand Point Way near my house in NE Seattle. I can't imagine it costs TOO much to rent a mountain bike for a few hours or for the day.

Hello all, I know this is extremely short notice but sometimes that's how things come together. My brother (myshoes) and I along with at least a couple of other cachers (blindleader, geokilt, maybe nolenator) are finally doing the APE cache tomorrow along with the 3 or 4 other caches along the way. We'll be leaving Seattle about 10:30 and plan to be starting along Iron Horse trail (at the east end of the tunnel) by noon. We're doing the tunnel and cache by bike. If any local cachers haven't done this cache and wanted to join us, we'd love the company. In anyone has already done it and wishes to do it again, even be expedition guide, we'd love that too. If interested, leave a note here or email me and we can talk logistics, car pooling, etc. peace fishiam

Hmmm, Where to continue, where to continue (smiles at good friend nolenator). There seems to a strange disconnect here. The attitude of those promoting the superiority of mountain/hiking caches is one of superiority. But why? Not all of us have a lifestyle where we can head off into the boonies for these wonderful long hikes. If that is what geoaching was, then people like me would geocache but a few times a year. I am in no way downplaying the wonder of geocaches that bring you to great moutain vistas and great away-from-civilization places. I know they are great. But urban caching is what I and my family can do most often. And we immensely enjoy what we can get to in the city. We love urban hides and they are <bliss> for us. Those who can choose the great long hikes - more power to you! But micros in the city provide their own bliss for us and we have learned a great deal about our city from doing so. So, ignore the city caches if you think they are so inferior to the urban hides. But, in no way, do I feel cheated or less of a cacher because we mostly urban cache. I just won't tell you that my experiences are so much better than yours and so those remote caches should be ignored. peace, fishiam