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tls11823

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Everything posted by tls11823

  1. You took the words out of my mouth. Every once in a while my son (who just turned 7 this weekend) will want to navigate. But for the most part, he's happy to explore the woods. Sometimes I have to suppress my zeal to get to the cache because we have to stop to look at a caterpillar or toadstool. I think that's great, and the longer he is awed by nature, the happier I'll be. I haven't gotten over it yet and I'm a bit over 7 years old.
  2. Would his reaction have been any different if you had found that film container or Altoids box? I would gess not. From personal experience and what I've read here, kids want a box full of cool stuff. When we were just starting out, I didn't understand that micros existed. We had found a few ammo cans and tupperware containers, and then came across a film container. My son's first reaction was, "that's it?" I have to say I agreed with him. So I now filter out micros from my Pocket Queries and we're all happier. I could have a much higher find count by looking for micros, but they're not our cup of tea, and are best left to those that enjoy them.
  3. Whenever a post starts out that way, you know that even the poster thinks it's rude. How about starting out with something like, "Thanks for taking the time to reply. But that's not exactly what I'm looking for. I don't think I stated my requirements quite right. What I'd like to know is ..." You'd be amazed how much more willing people will be to help you out. As it is, good day to you, sir. I said, GOOD DAY!
  4. I actually think the documentation is pretty good. Not that I ever really needed it, since everything seemed totally intuitive the first time I ran the program. I do a fair amount of business travel, and like to grab caches in other areas. Sometimes I find out on a Thursday or Friday that I need to travel on the weekend. I just set up a Pocket Query for the area I'll be visiting, then suck the .ZIP file right into a new database in GSAK. Then, while I'm on the plane, clearly without an Internet connection, I start looking for interesting caches and plan my outings. I also export directly from GSAK into MapSource, Cachemate, and my Legend so I'm ready to hit the road. Totally paperless caching with very little time and effort! I can also export from GSAK into MS Streets and Trips, although I don't find myself using that so much anymore, since MapSource MetroGuide now does most of what I used to use S&T for. If I want to share cache information with somebody, else I can export to HTML files, which I can package up and send to somebody that doesn't even have GSAK. Within five minutes (no kidding) of downloading GSAK I decided that I was going to shell out the $20 for it. I haven't regretted it once. I say give it a chance, play around with it, and you'll fall in love with it.
  5. I wish I'd have problems like this! I usually see the exact opposite - a cache shows three bugs but when I open it I find none. I agree with other posters - go back and grab them, then send them on their way. Even if these aren't the work of the bug burglar (buglar?) the fates of the universe want you to give these things a ride.
  6. Like others, when I'm by myself I never trade, but when my son is along we always trade. This weekend he wanted to take a 1" plastic dinosaur and a plastic hair clip from a cache. He wanted the clip because it had "fingers" that fit around the dinosaur. So I traded two decent items for about a nickel's worth of "goodies". He was happy and I had the satisfaction of knowing I left the cache better than I found it. Later in the day he wanted to take a marble. That's right - one marble. Not a shooter, nothing special - just a plain old marble. I really didn't want to trade anything good for that. The cache container was a very small Tupperware box, and we actually didn't have any trade items that would have fit, so I told him that we wouldn't be able to trade, and that he'd have to leave the marble. He then remembered one time that he found a "treasure" in a cache, and really wanted it. We didn't have our swag bag along, since I was only there to swap some travel bugs. But since he really wanted the prize, I decided to leave a $1 bill for it. I know that's a lame trade, and I haven't done it before or since, but it got him what he wanted. Well, he said that we could leave a dollar for the marble, but I just told him that I'd take the dollar and buy him a whole bag of marbles with it. Anyway, as these responses indicate, it's all in the eye of the beholder. When I bother trading, I'd rather feel good about what I leave than what I take.
  7. I've heard all along that the 15-minute batteries discharge after just sitting around doing nothing, which is consistent with what folks are saying here as well as what the charger manual says. However, just this past weekend I picked up my camera for the first time in over a month and the battery meter still showed full. I used it all weekend without charging and it worked great. I love it when things work better than promised!
  8. It's not really a direct answer to your question, but I use Pocket Queries feeding into GSAK. When I reload waypoints, they're changed to the "found" symbol. I could also change my PQs to remove found caches, but I prefer to leave them in as reference points to new caches. Of course, this presumes premium membership for the PQs ($30/year) and the use of GSAK ($20 one time). But this is, IMHO, money well spent to make my life easier. I also use Cachemate ($8 one time) to load the cache information to my Palm. Whether I'm hitting my normal stomping grounds or heading someplace new for a few days, I'm ready to go with very little time spent in preparation.
  9. I wasn't advocating a mass boycott. As I said before, they generally don't have an impact. The groundswell movement I was referring to was a bunch of people saying "I'd like that feature, too." Just letting TPTB know that it's something that people are interested in gives them an incentive to implement the feature.
  10. It sounds like there's exactly one person who cares about this added functionality. Regardless of the number of man-hours required to address it, it would seem like sound project management gives this request a low priority because of low demand. There are tons of things that are being requested by dozens or hundreds of users - that is where the development effort should be (and, from what I've seen, has been) directed. Boycotts are rarely effective, even if there are large numbers of people participating. One person boycotting for a couple of months at a time means a gross loss of revenue totaling in the neighborhood of - hmm, let's see - zilch. If you want to get this issue addressed, try to establish a groundswell movement that addresses your desire to TPTB in a constructive fashion, with an argument that makes it clear why the feature would be useful to a large portion of the user community. Then maybe, if there are no other, more pressing requests, it may be implemented. Until then, you're just making noise to make yourself feel better. [This commentary represents my own opinions based on decades of data processing project management. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of this web site or any of its employees, participants, or other good folk. It is merely my way of getting something off my chest so I can go to bed without feeling irritated by it. Hey, I just made some noise to make MYSELF feel better. ]
  11. While I'm in the car on the way to the trail, I listen to Sirius satellite radio: The Vault, Folk Town, Sirius Disorder, Raw Dog, one of the classical channels, or whatever strikes my mood at the time. Depending on who's in the car, it might also be Kid Stuff. Upon locking the car door, it's the sound of the woods all the way! This weekend, even my chatty six-year-old said, "I can't believe it. When we're hiking I hardly say anything at all." The fact that we're absorbed in all of the sensations of the woods makes every cache sought a success, even if we end up logging a DNF.
  12. Those of you who like puzzles might want to try this one . If you don't like a puzzle, stay away. I first came upon this without a clue, and had to slug away at it until I figured it out. Finding the cache was a piece of cake after working out the code. Even if you can't visit the cache, the puzzle might be fun.
  13. I have the Ray-O-Vac 15-minute charger. It has a fan that goes on while the batteries are charging. They still get a little warm, but not too bad. Besides, you can use the fan as an audible cue of when the batteries have completed charging. I've been using these batteries for less than a year, so I don't know what their lifetime is, but they're supposed to take quite a few charges. So far I'm happy. I like these things so much that it's what I gave for Christmas presents.
  14. Yeah, but did you ever talk on a CB radio? After about three mind-numbing conversations you're ready to put the thing back in the box forever. Every time I go caching I find a cool place that somebody wanted to share. (Of course, I avoid parking lots and similar "fun".) I've found cool stuff in other cities, states, and countries. And it gives me something great to share with the family. I can't imagine getting bored for a very long time.
  15. Did you create a waypoint for the cache? If not, that should be step one. It's not real intuitive, but there are plenty of threads explaining how to do this on the Legend. (Hint: hold down the control stick for a few seconds and it will become clear.) Once you have a waypoint entered, press the bottom button on the left side and click on Waypoints. This will get you a list of the waypoints that are stored. Pick the one that corresponds to the cache location and click on it. At the bottom of the screen you'll see GOTO highlighted. Click on that and you'll see the arrow that points to the cache. That should get you started. You may find yourself also using the map screen once you're navigating to the cache. Or you may switch back and forth. After you've done it a few times you'll figure out the best style for you and you'll be doing it without thinking.
  16. What area will you be in? When people talk about Lancaster, that can cover a pretty big area. From what I've seen, most of the stuff around the town of Lancaster - including PA Dutch country - is micros. If that's what you like, you're in good shape. However, if you head to the Mount Gretna area (a bit west on I-283 or the Turnpike), you'll find quite a few nice caches in the woods. My family and I went there this past weekend, and there are some nice finds that don't involve long walks. I do a fair amount of caching while out of town on business, and I realize that you probably won't have a lot of time for mega-hikes. You should be able to snag a good number of caches near Mt. Gretna with only a couple of hours of sunlight. There are lots of nice trails, and you should be able to get around even if you can't change out of your grown-up clothes after the show. And when you're done for the day, head to the Colebrook Twin Kiss. Mmm...
  17. Well, there goes my main hobby.
  18. When you have a relationship based solely on physical attraction, you have - well - a physical relationship. That can be fun, and I guess most of us have been there. But those don't tend to last. Or if they do, they aren't Happily Ever After. There are also relationships that are based on common interests or shared experiences, while there's not much physical attraction. Those stand a slightly better chance of survival than a physical-only match, but there has to be some sort of spark to keep everything in line. Also, it's important to remember that everybody's idea of "attractive" is a bit different. Good thing, since that gives all of us a fighting chance. Yikes! When did this become Dear Abby?
  19. It's interesting that cachers as a group seem to be such fans of dogs. Our dog is a goofy dope, but he loves a good hike in the woods and we'll mess him when his time comes. I feel sad for anybody who goes through the loss of a beloved pet, because I know how much it can hurt. The best we can do is keep making room in our homes and our hearts for the next wet nose that comes sniffing around.
  20. My wife and I have been together for over 21 years. Naturally, we have similar goals, dreams, and ambitions - some that we shared in the beginning, some that we've built together since then. We couldn't have lasted this long with all of that good stuff. However, we'd be lying if we'd say the first attraction wasn't physical. This isn't "our society" - it's pretty much the way it's been with humans around the world since the model was introduced. The things that are associated with physical attractiveness are, to a large degree, the same things that ensure passing along the best set of DNA and providing the best care for the next generation. Now, if the wife and I would happen upon each other for the first time now, two decades and some pounds later, I guess we'd have to take time to get to know each other first...
  21. I've found that bug owners aren't always strict about their bugs' goals. I picked one up in California while on a short business trip. It didn't have the goal attached to it, so I figured it just wanted to travel around. I was heading to Northern Ireland the following week, and was accumulating some bugs to take along. That night, when I got to the hotel to log in my day's adventures, I discovered that the bug wanted to go to - I think - Michigan (I don't remember, but it was that area of the US). When I posted the bug's log I mentioned that I was heading to Ireland, but didn't want to take it so far from its goal. So I was going to drop it off near Harrisburg, PA, where I live. A couple of days later - fortunately, before I left on my trip - the bug's owner said that he'd be thrilled if I dropped it off across the Atlantic, in spite of the published goal. So I did. Interestingly, on the same trip to California I had picked up another bug that wanted to go to Kentucky. It was a horse that wanted to see the Kentucky Derby. So I posted a similar note for that bug, saying that I'd drop it off in Pennsylvania so it could get to its goal. I also got a note from that bug's owner, saying that it would be OK for the horse to go to Ireland. Unfortunately, by the time I got the note I was already over there and the TB was at home. The real bummer is that it was the week of the Irish Sweepstakes, which I'm sure the horse (well, its owner) would have enjoyed. I started a bug of my own in a cache in Belfast. My ideal goal was to have it return to Pennsylvania if possible, but more importantly to just travel around. I realized that it would take a miracle for me to see it again, but it would be really cool if it happened. I made it clear on the laminated note that, although I wanted it to get back to me, any finders shouldn't worry about moving it in the wrong direction. Any travel was good travel The first Irish person that found it asked me if she should put it in a TB hotel near the Dublin airport, since she'd be nearby. Alternatively, she offered to put it in a rural cache elsewhere in Ireland. I thanked her for asking, and asked her to put it in the rural one. Yes, near an international airport, it may have gotten back to me. But how much fun would that be? If it travels to a few countries and disappears, I'll be happy for the adventures along the way.
  22. Must ... resist ... urge ... to ... respond!
  23. It's happened to me a couple of times - the most recent was yesterday. My wife and I were caching with our six-year-old son. We also had our geo-dog leading us to things that only he understood. My wife noticed a couple coming up the trail behind us. My son was - as usual - checking out every stone and plant along the way, so she suggested we leash up the dog and stop to let the people behind us go around, since they were clearly moving more quickly than us. As they approached, the guy said, "you don't have to bushwack to get there." Of course I knew that he knew what we were up to. (My son had the GPSr in his hand and I had my Palm in mine so it didn't take too much guesswork.) So we had a nice chat. He was the owner of one of the caches on the trail, in fact the kid's cache we were going after. He had just put it out a few days before and wanted to check out how it was doing. I suggested that we could go to another cache while they checked out theirs, but they offered to head in another direction while we went to theirs. So we found it, and traded up. As we were replacing the cache, they came up. It was nice to see somebody taking pride in his hide, and I was especially glad that we left better stuff than we took.
  24. First of all, don't sweat it. I have several DNFs for caches that others thought were easy. I suggest that you put that one on hold and move on to another cache. Chances are you'll find it. Then, try another one or two. After a while, go back to your first one. Don't be surprised if you walk right up to it and grab it. Maybe you'll be in a different frame of mind, or you'll notice something that you didn't the first time, or you'll just be a bit more experienced after your successful finds. Also, don't be shy about posting a DNF for the cache. Often, even if you don't ask the cache owner for help, you'll get an email with a nudge in the right direction. He or she put it there for other people to have fun, and wants you to find it. I wouldn't worry about "annoying" the cache holder with an email (if you haven't had any luck by waiting and trying again). I've never had anything but pleasant exchanges with other cachers. Well, here on the boards it can be a different story sometimes. Then, even if you get help, proudly post your find! Everybody needs help sometimes. The important thing is that you stuck it out and ended up signing the log.
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