One of the Texas Vikings

I tried reading a Pepsi bottle, but got much better luck with a coke bottle !

Since Texas frowns on pillaging and conquering, we had to find an alternative. GEOCACHING !!! Actually, after doing my genealogy, I found I am the 35 times removed grandson of the founder of Iceland and my daughter thought the name was a good idea....

Am I there ???? I thought I was here ! But, then everyone has to be somewhere.

Gee...sure wish you would put those alphabetical !

If I recall, correctly, the boys scouts have a way of measuring the height your hiking staff should be. Check on line for the BSA site.

Not to take away from El Diablo, but I ran across some high quality Hickory sticks. I liked mine so much, I bought one for each of the Texas Vikings for Christmas. Check for "Wilderness walkers" an ebay store. Tall (60" ?) hickory, with crutch tip, leather thong, wooden whistle and my name burned into it... $17.00 I think is what I paid... Really happy with it. Bosun, one of the Texas Geocachers in Houston makes walking sticks and always brings a bunch to the events, giving them away... That's where I got my first. (Thanks, Bosun) When you get a chance, check out Wilderness walkers.... High quality, fast results. (and No, I don't have any interest in them, other than it was great to deal with a quality company) Rick

16 years in the 1960's/ 70's /80's, but, not in Houston. In Detroit area. quit then came to Texas.

Maybe not normal behavior but as long as it is within the law it doesn't seem to be a big deal. I used a couple of those to pick up the ladies... I find that just being myself when I geocache and when "picking up the ladies" works the best. Salvelinus Sniff I have round bruise all over my body. They are from women, pushing me away, with 10 foot poles.....sniff

Oh, come on !.... Grownups in a kids park, riding the merry go round, is not suspicious.. ? What if you lived across the street and your kids were in the park and you looked out at 3-4(?) adults, without kids walking around the park and riding the merry go around.. Wouldn't it send signals to you ? It is not paranoid to be careful. Adults walking around a kids park, or in an area where kids are playing, without kids, send a message to the parents. I don't know any Penn. troopers. But, generally, I find that state troopers are much better than regular city cops. Just do everything the nice man says and explain yourself.

I tend to be as obvious as I can... Make an effort to park in plain sight, spend time getting out of the car, putting on my vest and hat, getting out my staff. I hold my GPSr in front of me and walk around in circles for a minute. This might raise their curiosity, but, all of it is non-threating and "non-sneaky". Put yourself in their place and the person was in front of your house. would this type of behavior lower your fear a bit ? BTW..I like the common test, go idea.....

But, How can you do that ? Any container can be explosive. Tupperware is not the container of choice for bombers, but it could be. So, where do you draw the line. I live in Houston and we have so much Urban, that clever placement, regardless of the container is important, unless it's out in the woods. I would not, however, use steel pipe, with end caps. I think this is just asking to have it blowup...

Didn't I divorce you, once ????

I haven't seen anything about he wants them.....

Yes, and we are hoping to find them soon !!

I've tried 2-3 different cases for my Garmin Vista.. Not to keen on any of them. So, I use a neck lanyard. But for screen protectors, my "Dollar" store have all kinds of different PDA protectors, 10 for a dollar. !! I buy them, cut to fit; use them for a couple of months; then off and on with the next one. I bought an Otter Case for my Ipaq PDA, which great. Very useable thru the flexible cover, but completely water proof and drop proof.

Oil ! Thorolfur's Treasure Geography I have five out, and three are puzzles or a multi-type. Check these out, they may give you some ideas.

You guys missed Houston 1505 from downtown Houston, but, the gulf is only 50 miles away, so we lose 1/2 of the area.

Not too many snakes around Houston, THE GATORS EAT THEM !

Ha !, wait till your Youngest is facing 30 ! Where did all the years go ????? I turned around and my life is mostly gone...... "I may grow old, but I refuse to grow up !"

I use, instead, a fishing vest. Put a Geocaching.com patch on it. I have all those small pockets for all kinds of things. Inside the large pouch in the back, I slide my Camel Back in. keeps my back cool. By doing it this way, I keep the load equalized side to side. I can cary quite a bit. One pocket for my digital camera, one for flashlight and expanding mirror for looking in holes. first aid kit, extra medicines, leatherman tool, wire for fixing caches. Texas Viking stickers, extra batteries, on my hiking staff, pepper spray permanently fastened to it. Cargo pants with laces on the bottom of the legs for tightening them, my "boonie" hat and I'm ready to go....

Gee, last time I was out in the woods, I had a heck of time picking up all the the sticks and leaves that people threw all over ! Just a joke, but I agree, to a certain degree, but I am reluctent to pick up trash, that I don't have any idea who dropped it or what disease they may have... (besides stupidity, of course)

It's where the gators got a tourist !

Or...hmmm..let's see.. How about restricting the cache to only being available to people who drive Honda's or have English as a second language... Come on....people... I have to work for a living too.. I wish I was retired. But, to complain or whine about people who are retired having an advantage, so what, maybe they need it. They are older ???? I have only one FTF, couldn't care less. But, to restrict the game or caches to a certain group smacks of elitism. One of Houston's cachers has put about 10 out on the islands on Lake Houston.. I haven't got out there yet, but I'm working on it. That is different then saying one in a park is not available to me, because I'm the wrong religion, too short, or what ever... it is just wrong.

The cow was doing some great reading ? Oh, hit him with his car...had me scared there for a moment.

Hey now, a can of SPAM sliced and fried on a cold morning around a campfire really does hit the spot. It's not really as bad as everyone gives it credit for...... Especially if you put it between two Twinkies !