Phonedave
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Posts posted by Phonedave
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I was hiking in the Newark watershed yesterday and had my first snake encounter since I was about five years old when I almost stepped on a copperhead, back in the day when rattlesnakes and copperheads still called Hawthorne, NJ home.
I was on the red trail headed towards Needful Things from the fire tower. I was moving at a good clip, and the trail was fairly open, although it was grassy. As often the case when hiking, I was kind of in a zone, thinking about stuff while enjoying the day, just like driving on autopilot. Now and then I'd make some noise to alert any bruins in the area.
Suddenly I was jolted into awareness by a very loud rattle. Just ahead, not more than a handful of steps, was a good-sized rattlesnake lying in the grass in the middle of the trail. Had he not warned me, I would've been upon him in seconds. He was not visible to me when I heard the rattle.
I backed off to a safe distance and watched to see what he was going to do. I took a step forward to get a better look and he rattled again. Then he started to move, not into the brush but down the trail towards me.
So I backed down the trail searching for a detour. I found one and moved very carefully around his location and then back to the trail. What was a bit disconcerting was that when I got back to the trail, I couldn't see him any longer, so after a very careful look, I quickly moved out of the area.
Of course I didn't have my camera with me, although I don't think I would've gotten much of a picture anyway. I certainly wouldn't have gone any closer to him to get a portrait. But he was a good-looking snake.
Snakes were on my mind for the rest of the hike. I've been thinking about my situation had I been bitten. I was alone, and at least a good 30-minutes from my car, not that hiking out would've been a sensible option. I guess a call to 911 would've been first on the list, followed by remaining calm and still, while waiting for assistance.
Some googling today brought me to a page for the Sawyer Extractor, which is a simple vacuum device that will remove up to half the venom. Might not be a bad idea to carry one, just in case.
Although the chance of getting bitten is slim, I consider myself warned to be more aware. I always knew rattlers are out there but there's nothing like a face-to-face encounter to make you take them a bit more seriously. The problem is that snakes are made to blend into the environment so you're not supposed to see them. Also, I just read that the snake's rattles don't work when wet. I hope the snakes stay in their dens when it rains.
So be careful out there, not just when searching rocks but along the trail at all times. It's not just the bears and mountain lions that you have to watch out for.
Don't bother
I was going to write a reply when I saw this, but first I went to eat. As I ate, I was reading the copy of Backpacker that just came. How topical can you get. Page 59
What is the best way to treat a bite from a poisonous snake?
My best advice is to relax. Most bites come from pit vipers like rattlers, and getting excited actually increases the rare chance of death. First sit dowan and calm yourself. Next wash the wound. If bitten on the arm or leg, keep it level with the heart, and remove jewelery in case of swelling, which happens in 75-percent of all pit viper bites. Walk out slowly and seek medical attention. If you are deep in the wilderness, arrange for an air evacuation.
He then goes into what to do if a coral snake bites you (bind and splint the wound)
He finishes with this advice
As for snakebite kits, don't bother packing one. No kit removes enough venom to change the outcome of a bite.
The fact is, a lot of bites are dry bites, and messing around with an extractor can make it worse. If you remain calm, dress the wound, and walk out slowly you should do fine, even if its not a dry bite.
-dave
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The concrete ones are utility vaults. The plastic ones you can find at Home Depot, Lowes or the like in the sprinkle section and...I actually don't know they they are called.
The one I have seen was actually in front of a irrigation supply store. Placed with permission which is what you need to bury it as intended.
We also call them hand holes and pull boxes. The concrete ones are also knows as "Quazite" boxes - which is a brand name, much the same way facial tissue is called Kleenex.
-dave
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Just to stir up a little discussion, I'm wondering whether there are any golfers among us? Personally, I don't golf. Never been good at it, and being a "leftie" I can't even borrow clubs to try. Not really interested in it anyway, cause I'd much rather go caching. But I have friends who live for their golf... it's almost as much of an obsession for them as caching is for me. When I think of some of the adventures I've had caching, golf seems way too tame.
So, is it just me? Am I the only cacher who views golf as a completely unadventurous waste of time and money? Is it really a great sport/hobby that I'm completely missing out on? Or would you agree that, compared to caching, golf just doesn't provide the necessary adrenaline rush to satisfy the typical cacher?
Anyone do both? Which do you prefer?
Just curious. Let the games begin.
Ha !
Just before I read this, I was thinking what I was going to do on Sunday. I said to myself, let me check out some Geocaches in the area, then I remembered I have a 1:30 tee time.
I do both, enjoy both, and obsess about neither. One thing that I do not like is courses that MAKE you rent a cart. I prefer to walk. As for exercize, not only is it walking, but go to a driving range and hit 50-60 balls and depending on your overall shape, you may find your shoulders/back a little stiff. Hit 100 or more and you will feel a little something.
Interestingly, I am the oppsite of what other people have mentioned. Golf is my "social time" and most of the time Geocaching is my "alone time" - not anti-social but I just happen to like caching alone (or with my 7 year old, but then that's "bonding time")
-dave
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That said, you'll want a boot from a reputable manufacturer. Those Walmart specials may look good at their price, but when the soles fall off and you're two miles from your car you'll wish you shelled out the extra money for a good boot.
Good advice. However, it can also happen with a pair of Hi-Tech 50 Peaks. About 3 miles away from, and 1200' higher than the car (In the Fishkills)
For what it's worth, I currently have a pair of Vasque Wasatch and Vasque Something-or-Others.
To the OP - As Briansnat said, when you find a company that has a boot shape that you like, then you may want to sitck with it.
-dave
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I just did 27 of them in what amounts to one day (sort of)
I was in DC for a dinner meeting. I did some on the afternoon of 3/7 and the other half on the morning of 3/8 before catching a noon train back to NJ.
No police problems, no questions, no problems. I came in from the Capitol, went down the mall, and around the tidal basin on day one. And came from the Capital side down the other side of the mall and ended up at the Korean War Memorial on the second day. I didn't think it was all that much walking.
-dave
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I have seen threads with why people have chosen their handles, who they cache with pet's, people etc... But I have never seen any that ask what you do for a living when your not **Gasp** doing cache related things (I know ~ as if!)
I have seen where people have mentioned being a trucker, working for the gov't etc.. and though how interesting! So here it is your chance to tell us what you do!
Me? I work in a children's Hospital and am going to school for my Registered Nursing Degree.
So much for our handles not reflecting our job. I work in telecommunications. National Ouside Plant Construction Support Staff to be specific. My team enables the people who do the real building of the network to do their jobs by doing product design and selection, methods and procedures, saftey processes, budgets, and other assorted oh so exciting things. Thats my current job. I have been everything from a repair foreman to doing software design in the past (for the phone company) - Also was a New York state Utilities Regulator and at one time a geotechinical enginner in a past life
-dave
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So I went to Plano to see family and hit a few caches near the hotel and I think I got poison ivy. I thought it would go away on its own but it hasn't...and it itches. Will hydracordazone(sp?) make it go away?
Oh the number of times I have had PI, and the number of treatments I have tried.
The best - for me - so far (and I have tried dozens) is as follows.
Bad case - for example large area or on my face - a visit to the dermatologist for some prednisone - that works dandy
Not so bad case - Zanfel. This stuff works (again, for me) you scrub it into the rash and then rinse well. Supposedly it binds to the urushol and removes it. It's not cheap at $40 for a tube. However, I have found generic store brands (CVS Pharamacy to be specific) that are half the price and work just as well (same ingredients)
Tech-Nu does work too. I have used it for years, but Zanfel works better and faster.
-dave
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Does anyone know which cache box is the largest in the world?
Kind Regards
Thomas&Lisa
The biggest "container" that was designed as a container and not something else, that I have encountered was a 55 gallon drum.
-dave
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They all taste like wet oats to me.
Typical on a day hike;
Some sort of "bar" - power, cliff, etc. just because they keep and they don't "Smoosh up"
An apple
Some trail mix of some sort - may be just rasins and peanuts, may be something else. 90% of the time it goes uneaten anyway.
Tuna - those vacum packed bags of it. Star-Kist I think. The Lemon-pepper is good. It's like 2.5 servings a bag. It's just a boatload of protein (that apple is for the carbs) and quite tasty. It also packs very well. I used to take jerky (or jeeze, landjager - mmmm try those on for size, if you want to talk about fat and protein) but it would just get too salty most of the time. I like the tuna better.
A packet of Gatoraide/Power Aide or some such glucose drink. Most of the time that goes unused as well. But it does help if I start really dogging it.
Water - depending on temp and length of hike
-dave
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Here's my opinion...
I think that it's sad that some cachers view hunters as 'opponents.'
Hunters are licensed users of the same spaces we like to use for geocaching. (I edited the rest out......)
Sorry. Untrue.
Geocachers generally do not place caches on property where they don't have permission, while hunters often hunt property without permission, or the owners knowlege, kill animials there and contaminate the property with stray bullets made of lead.
First, All you have to do is look at all the current threads of caches being mistaken for bombs under bridges, near schools, near power lines etc to refute the first claim. In addition, there are the cache reviewers that serve as a filter to remove most of teh caches that are placed incorrectly.
As far as hunting where they are not supposed to be, my experence is that hunters who hunt on posted land very often are also not properly licensed, and often not in posession of a hunting safety course certificate. At least here in NJ, Game Wardens and property owners are VERY aware of who is hunting where. I have had family members involved in incidents where they shot a deer and it ran and dropped about 10' off a posted tree line. They retreived it, and after hauling it out, they were approached by both a Warden and the property owner. After explaining what happend, all parties shook hands and went on their way, but people are watching.
(edited out the last paragraph.)
For reference, there are over 200,000 active caches right now, and the frequency that problems arise from them being mistaken as bombs or placed under power lines in absurdly low. Let's assume you have read about 100 "bad" caches in the forums, which I think is a high number. Now just to be fair, assume for every bad cache reported, there are 10 more out there that no-one talks about, and just to make the math easier, let's multiply that number by 2. This works out to 1% of the caches being placed where they don't have permission. Now let's arbitrarily assume the number is actually 10%. I said "Geocachers generally do not place caches on property where they don't have permission" and I stand by that claim. Unless you can come up with other numbers, of course.
I also said: "hunters often hunt property without permission, or the owners knowlege". Since I can't come up with numbers to support my opinion, I can only describe my experience in NY. The law does not require hunters to ask permission to hunt on private property. It is very clearly stated that they can't hunt within 500' of an occupied dwelling and they only need to keep off property that is posted at the owners expense with No Hunting signs every 660' on the property line. In the 20 years I have owned property in NY, I have only been asked twice if people could hunt my property. Both times they got permission, but judging by the trash, shells and remains of deer carcasses I have found over the years, I can state as a fact that the majority of hunting done on my property is done without my knowlege or permission.
I also said hunters kill animals. That is the goal of hunting. To kill an animal.
I also said hunters contaminate property with stray bullets made of lead. Another statement of fact. Any bullet that does not hit it's target is by definition, a stray bullet. Bullets are made of lead. Unless a hunter tracks down and removes every bullet they shoot, they are contaminating the environment with lead.
If anyone can present facts or data to refute any of the points I have made, I would like to see them. And please note I did not say hunting or hunter's were bad, or killing animals is wrong. In my opinion, wearing blaze orange during hunting season is a good idea.
I am not going to get into a numbers game here, because the case you are tyring to prove is ill defined. You stated that "Geocachers generally do not place caches on property where they don't have permission" and I responded with exidence of poorly placed caches. That was poor evidence on my part. To correctly respond to your assertatin, I would have to know how many caches were placed with permission and how many were not. I have no way of knowing this. I can assume that any caches that were approved in areas where the land manager requires permission were placed correctly, or else the approver would reject them. However, I have found my share of caches placed in parking lots, parks, under bridges, and other such places. I am fairly certain that the hiders did not contact with local parks department, the Starbucks Home Office, the Wall-Mart headquarters, Cracker Barrel central command, or whoever else owns these properties. These caches were palced witout permission. And yes, placeing a kid a key under a lamp post skirt in the back corner of some K-Mart is a lot different than tresspassing onto posted land and taking a deer. I am truly sorry that some morons see fit to trespass on your posted land and take deer. I am also glad to see that you did not refuse access to those who did ask for it.
As far as the point of hunting is to kill an animal. In my case - not true. in others, it is. In hunting, much like in most of life, you take away what you put into it.
With the subject of lead. I cannnot argue with you there. I have never left a casing in the woods. But I have found (and carried out quite a few).
And yes, orange is good.
-dave
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Physically Challenging: Melvin's Multiple Madness
Isn't Melvins below the NNJ SNJ line?
Probably --- but i didn't do anything challenging this year above route 78!
Yep, I didn't see a log from you for Maneater or Indefatigable.
Sheesh, I don't see a log for anyone for Indefatigable (except KBer). Indefatigable
Saving it for 200
- Should be just getting cold around then (I hope)-dave
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Here's my opinion...
I think that it's sad that some cachers view hunters as 'opponents.'
Hunters are licensed users of the same spaces we like to use for geocaching. (I edited the rest out......)
Sorry. Untrue.
Geocachers generally do not place caches on property where they don't have permission, while hunters often hunt property without permission, or the owners knowlege, kill animials there and contaminate the property with stray bullets made of lead.
First, All you have to do is look at all the current threads of caches being mistaken for bombs under bridges, near schools, near power lines etc to refute the first claim. In addition, there are the cache reviewers that serve as a filter to remove most of teh caches that are placed incorrectly.
As far as hunting where they are not supposed to be, my experence is that hunters who hunt on posted land very often are also not properly licensed, and often not in posession of a hunting safety course certificate. At least here in NJ, Game Wardens and property owners are VERY aware of who is hunting where. I have had family members involved in incidents where they shot a deer and it ran and dropped about 10' off a posted tree line. They retreived it, and after hauling it out, they were approached by both a Warden and the property owner. After explaining what happend, all parties shook hands and went on their way, but people are watching.
I can't tell you the number of times that I have been stopped by Game Wardens for; License Check, tranportation of firearms check, crossing logging roads unloaded checks, bag limit checks, - it all happens. And yes, depending on the season - hunter orange check. Nobody is at the trail head though, checking that the hiker entering the woods is not wearing a pair of jeans and a cotton sweatshirt, and carrying a can of soda and a bag of chips. Not until SAR is called out that evening that is. So lets everyone all wear orange (except the bow hunters) and all get along sharing the wilderness that is everyones right.
-dave
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That would be about the correct time. Late 1990 early 91 when I go that access. It started out as exploring the Telenet (not telnet) it was a dialup access system that allowed me to get the 50 miles to UofM without paying long distance phone charges. I don't remember if I had a 9600 baud modem or it I was still using the 300 baud acoustic coupler. LOL
Telenet! Weren't they the ones that offered PCPursuit? You paid a flat fee every month for, basically, cheap modem long distance. And by "cheap" I mean $30 a month plus $1.50 an hour, which was a BIG savings then. I used to dial up little local BBSs all over the country.
I remember a Pentagon computer being on one of the crack lists -- username: rocky password: bullwinkle. I never had the courage to try it, but I got into the McDonald's in-house network once. Then I remembered I was a grownup and I had things to lose. Sobering thought, that.
I never bought into the "their security was so lousy, we're doing them a favor by breaking in" mentality...but, honestly, you ran into some of the stupidest stuff. The first local network in my building at work, you hit F7 to drop down to DOS, asked for a directory listing, and there was a file called passwds.txt. Yeah, guess what was in that?
Oh. Sorry. I am so off topic. Do you ever get a glimpse of yourself hobbling around the old folks' home shaking your fist and saying, "no smarty-pants broadband access when we were young! No sir! It was a 300 baud acoustic coupler for us! You jammed that telephone right down on the suction cup, and it was off to the races! Now, some people think "baud" means "bits per second," but it ain't quite so simple..."
dadgum deisgner phones. Don't fit into the coupler
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I've heard of it, but why is it called "wardriving"?
It was a variation on the failed warchalking concept. It's kind of like how Geo gets geoappended to geoeverything around geohere.
I thought all this "war" stuff came from Wardialing. Back in the day (geeze, did I just say that) a wardialer was a machine that would dial all the numbers in a exchange and listen for a computer at the other end. When it got a good tone, it would record the number. You would plug your wardialer in, go out for the day, and when you returned you would have a list of numbers that you could then call with your trusty 900 baud modem and try to hack into
Now lets all get out our Captain Crunch whistles while we are at it. -dave
I still have a copy of toneloc around here somewhere. What great software. Start it at night and by morning you have a list of computers to try and hack. My first real hack with it was UofM gopher server. Password was an easy guess of gomblue. Gave me access to what was then called ARPANet. Those were the days.
Yes
The days of ASCII graphics, dial-up BBS's and 5.25" disks
Non of this GUI, pointing device, high speed internet stuff
-dave
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I've heard of it, but why is it called "wardriving"?
It was a variation on the failed warchalking concept. It's kind of like how Geo gets geoappended to geoeverything around geohere.
I thought all this "war" stuff came from Wardialing. Back in the day (geeze, did I just say that) a wardialer was a machine that would dial all the numbers in a exchange and listen for a computer at the other end. When it got a good tone, it would record the number. You would plug your wardialer in, go out for the day, and when you returned you would have a list of numbers that you could then call with your trusty 900 baud modem and try to hack into
Now lets all get out our Captain Crunch whistles while we are at it. -dave
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You cannot do that, because not only do you have a potential error, but you are also estimating just how big that potential error is. Garmin's is about a 50% probability that the ACTUAL error is LARGER than estimated. (and conversely 50% error that it’s smaller) So what does this mean? It means letting your Garmin settle down and read an EPE of 10' mean that the unit it telling you the real spot has a 50/50 chance of being more or less than 10' away. There is no way to be 100% sure that you within a certain radius of error. However, if you multiply Garmin's EPE number by 2, it will put you in the 95% confidence level. So if your EPE reads 10', you can be 95% certain that you are no more than 20' away. Any people wonder why they can be hard to find
Magellan’s EPE numbers are even less confident, and Lowrence’s are slightly better. This in no way is a bearing on the accuracy of the unit; it’s just the convention the designers decided to use. When they program the unit, they decide what confidence level to report the EPE at, that’s all.
-dave
How do you know the probability that these three manufacturers use in generating their EPEs? I find it odd, but plausible that a 50/50 threshold woudl be used. Normally 90% or 95% confidence is used since that is a reasonably high value. A 50/50 confidence that you measurement is inside this distance is not a very useful confidence level. To say a manufacturer uses an even lower confidence level than 50% to establish an EPE distance sounds pretty silly.
Think about it, what do you do with a reading that is 50% or less likely to be right???
Just somthing else.
Its not %50 likely to be right. In fact, its most likely to be less than 1% right. Its 50% likely to be less than or greater than the reported EPE. That is an important difference.
-dave
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You cannot do that, because not only do you have a potential error, but you are also estimating just how big that potential error is. Garmin's is about a 50% probability that the ACTUAL error is LARGER than estimated. (and conversely 50% error that it’s smaller) So what does this mean? It means letting your Garmin settle down and read an EPE of 10' mean that the unit it telling you the real spot has a 50/50 chance of being more or less than 10' away. There is no way to be 100% sure that you within a certain radius of error. However, if you multiply Garmin's EPE number by 2, it will put you in the 95% confidence level. So if your EPE reads 10', you can be 95% certain that you are no more than 20' away. Any people wonder why they can be hard to find
Magellan’s EPE numbers are even less confident, and Lowrence’s are slightly better. This in no way is a bearing on the accuracy of the unit; it’s just the convention the designers decided to use. When they program the unit, they decide what confidence level to report the EPE at, that’s all.
-dave
How do you know the probability that these three manufacturers use in generating their EPEs? I find it odd, but plausible that a 50/50 threshold woudl be used. Normally 90% or 95% confidence is used since that is a reasonably high value. A 50/50 confidence that you measurement is inside this distance is not a very useful confidence level. To say a manufacturer uses an even lower confidence level than 50% to establish an EPE distance sounds pretty silly.
Think about it, what do you do with a reading that is 50% or less likely to be right???
Here is some information in a concise spot - Error Measures: What do they mean this will explain to you confidence levels and a rudimentary understanding of what sigma is in accuracy measurment.
This GPS Accuracy is a little more in depth, but is not that complicated. The author is very straightfoward and his writing is easy to understand
GPS Information . net has a lot of good info on it as well. They did get a response from Garmin engineering on the accuracy of the EPE - and here is the response
The EPE is an estimation based upon the information the receiver
can determine. SA consists of artificial clock errors and
artificial ephemeral errors. Both of these effects, as well as
atmospheric effects, can result in a positional area of uncer-
tainty, which can be measured and will add to the receivers EPE.
Bias errors cannot be measured and will typically not be detected
in the EPE calculation.
The 12XL will typically have a better EPE than other units due to
the 12 channel correlator and the use of all tracked satellites
in the positional computation.
EPE is an estimation, rather than a measurement, but all
measurable factors are used in the estimation algorithm. We
consider the details of our EPE and FOM calculations proprietary.
We calculate EPE our own way. URE and HDOP are definitely
significant factors in the calculation. We calculate an over-
determined solution, and fully understand the characteristics of
SA, and are able (in our opinion) to provide for a better
estimate of current position error than the simplistic calcula-
tions will indicate.
Many folks have and will demand to know our specific calcula-
tions, but we consider these to be proprietary and we do not
release the specific formulas. This is similar in our FOM
calculation, we use a lot of finesse in our software which other
manufacturers have not been able to duplicate. This is further
evidenced by Dr. Wilson's reports on our accuracy compared to
other receivers. If the tests were performed, I believe you would
see closer correlation between our EPE values and actual errors,
as compared to other manufacturers units.
Garmin International
Some key phrases "EPE is an estimation, rather than a measurement, but all measurable factors are used in the estimation algorithm" and "I believe you would see closer correlation between our EPE values and actual errors"
As I said in my original post - EPE is not a error - it is an ESTIMATION of error. Garmin is not going to release its proprietary calculations, but as was alluded to in the response,. tests have been performed (by people with WAAAAY more time than I have) using highly accurate surverying GPS/r units. These tests can be used to calculate the cofidence level that the civilian GPS/r's that we use are operating at.
Here is a direct quote from Magellin on its Meridian receivers - from the manual
Accuracy
Position 7 meters, 95% 2D RMS
w/WAAS <3 meters, 95% 2D RMS
So right off the bat, the receiver itself is only 95% sure its within 7 (or 3) meters at any given time. And this is with ideal sat lock. Again, the EPE that is reported to the user, is a computed value, obtained by propritery calculations.
-dave
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I am jumping out of this thread after this. I guess my points are there is a reason they tell people to where blaze orange if you are going to be in the woods during hunting season. It is a safety precaution so that a hunter won't mistake you for something else. But wait, since all hunters identify their game before they pull the trigger or draw back, I guess it is just a conspiracy by the blaze orange dye manufacturers and the government as a way to get rid of their hard to sell colored products.
The other point is while I believe what everyone here is saying about not having a few cold ones while up in the tree. I personally know quite a few people who get pretty lit while up in their tree stands, and know of a guy who has shot at a dog because he heard something moving around in some brush and fired off a pop shot.
I know another guy who every year sits in a tree stand with a 12 pack of beer and smokes while up there and bags a deer every year. I know another guy who goes to the extent of covering himself in deer urine (i believe that is what it is) and only scores a deer every other year or so.
I guess the point is that if every hunter was a perfect hunter, no one would have to even worry a bit about walking through the woods in street clothes during hunting season. But all hunters are not all perfect, that's how the blaze orange fabric manufacturers stay in business. I am not going to throw caution to the wind because the 10 guys in this forum who are hunters say don't worry about because "we personally don't know anyone who would mistake you for a deer."
I did not mean to start any angst, but it seams no one here wants to admit the fact that accidents happen with hunters and that some hunters do drink. I think everyone has the right to worry about the minority of hunters who don't do things right.
But I will follow along with what all you guys have said and not worry about stuff, return the blaze orange sweatshirt I got, and go hunt the cache with no regard to worries or the hunter now, as I gave him respect yesterday and got out of his way, so I guess today is his day to suck it up and watch me hunt a cache.
This is just some poor logic
1) "I guess it is just a conspiracy by the blaze orange dye manufacturers and the government as a way to get rid of their hard to sell colored products." - Nope, its common sense and safety. The great majority of hunters (of which I am one) identify their targets before they shoot. But accidents do happen, and wearing orange helps to lessen the incident of those accidents. A valid analogy is motorists. No motorist wants to hit people, and no sane motorist goes out looking to hit people, yet crossing guards and traffic control officers wear orange vests. Well, why do they have to wear them, if nobody is trying to hit them, and everybody is driving safely, they should not have to wear them. Same reason - accidents do happen, and if something as simple as wearing an orange vest can avert just one accident - either from hunting or driving - isn't it worth it?
2) I myself do not know any hunters that drink while hunting (I know several that drink AFTER hunting) I personally would not want to associate myself with anybody who does drink while shooting, perhaps that’s why I do not know any who do. I do not doubt that you know some hunters that do drink while hunting. But the point that I am trying to make, and that I believe the others hunters in this thread were trying to make, is that the vast majority of hunters are very safe and responsible people. We, as hunters, will admit that there are bad apples in the bunch, but we take umbrage when we are all painted with the same brush. We all know there are people who drink and drive out there, but there are also a lot of responsible drivers out there who would never get behind the wheel while intoxicated. Yet nobody ever makes the statement "watch out when you go walking down the street, because you don't want to get hit by those drunken drivers that are all over the place" . Nobody says to you "Oh, you have a drivers license, you must be an irresponsible drunkard". It is that broad stereotyping that gets most hunter’s hackles up.
So, just as you would wear an orange vest if you were directing traffic, or would look both ways when crossing the street - even at a light, you should still wear orange in the woods during hunting seasons. The vast majority of hunters are safe and sober, but accidents can and will happen, and an orange vest can help prevent them. Just as you would not call a person irresponsible because they have a drivers license, you should not do the same just because they have a hunting license.
-dave
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My mother-in-law in San Jose said she read an article about geocaching in the national parks (Yellowstone or Yosemite, she wasn't sure). She also could not find the article or remember the paper......I said it was sketchy
Anyway a brochure for the lodge had a "geocaching package" which included a room and a compilmentary GPS for the duration of your trip.
Since the NP's don't allow caches, what are you seeking? Privately listed caches?
I thought this was quite interesting and a tad hypocritical at best.
I know the info is sketchy, but has anybody else heard of this or have more info?
I read this article somewhere as well, and for the life of me cannot remember where.
They have hikes in the National Parks waypointed. There is also a cache or two hidden OUTSIDE of the National Parks. That much I do remember. Nothing physical is hidden in the National Parks.
-dave
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so i was reading one topic in the forum and it got me thinking about the 10 caches that me and my friend placed...we use two gpsr to get the right spot of the cache...we then walk away and set our gpsr to find the cache and walk back to it and were off maybe 10 feet. now if you look at your gps it says +- so many feet...do people not take this into context when looking for a cache. we try really hard to get the coords as close to zero for everyone as possible...does anyone have a technique that is goofproof for placing caches right and when people search they get the coords to be 0 feet away. i want to be as perfect in placing my caches as possible yet trees and clouds factor into it also...so any good ideas.
The thing is, you need to understand what your GPS/r is telling you.
Garmin uses EPE - which is Estimated Potential Error. Notice that it is not potential error - but estimated potential. If it was potential error, then you could say, for example, that you are within 15' of the spot or 10' or whatever your GPS/r reads.
You cannot do that, because not only do you have a potential error, but you are also estimating just how big that potential error is. Garmin's is about a 50% probability that the ACTUAL error is LARGER than estimated. (and conversely 50% error that it’s smaller) So what does this mean? It means letting your Garmin settle down and read an EPE of 10' mean that the unit it telling you the real spot has a 50/50 chance of being more or less than 10' away. There is no way to be 100% sure that you within a certain radius of error. However, if you multiply Garmin's EPE number by 2, it will put you in the 95% confidence level. So if your EPE reads 10', you can be 95% certain that you are no more than 20' away. Any people wonder why they can be hard to find
Magellan’s EPE numbers are even less confident, and Lowrence’s are slightly better. This in no way is a bearing on the accuracy of the unit; it’s just the convention the designers decided to use. When they program the unit, they decide what confidence level to report the EPE at, that’s all.
So, what does this all mean? Not much; just let the unit settle, get your EPE as low as possible, and realize that it could still be off, especially when you factor in the error on the finders GPS/r
-dave
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Phonedave, did you not get the memo? You need a frog avatar to post in this thread.
Better ?
-dave
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Are there any actually within Dutch Wonderland or even the parking lot?
Going there with the in-laws, so I dont' know if we will get to any of the caches in Lancaster.
Not that I know of, but "Plainly" Off Your Rocker (GCMZTV) is about a 1/4 mile down the road as is SBUX 2-Cachuccino (GCGMJK). These are both quick dash n' cache micros.
Tree Stomper X2 (GCNAFJ) looks very close - right behind the park - but you can't get there from here
, you have to drive around to the other side of the park to access it.-dave
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I had to follow the link for "two static wheels" What the heck is a static wheel. If they are static, then they don't turn, if they don't roll what they are they on the vehicle for. Ah, now I see what they are calling a static wheel. Never heard them called that before. And I never really thought of them as an automobile "feature" either.
-dave
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Found a cache this weekend . . . don't know HOW it was placed nearly 35 feet up a metal light pole but there it was, magnetic & in the open.
Left my boom truck at home this trip but I found the cache, just couldn't sign the log . . . should I be able to log the find, is it legal.
We all love the owner, called him & he just laughed at us - oh the pain!. You know him, the guy loves creative caches like his "Holy Wastewater' that generated so much fervor recently.
Any thoughts . . .
I had a cache in a tree about 16' up. There was a wire loop on the cache, and a "cache retreival tool" (stilck with a hook) hidden nearby. The clues gave the general indication of where the tool was. If you did not get the cache down from the tree, it was not a find.
-dave
Now lets all get out our Captain Crunch whistles while we are at it. 
Now lets all get out our Captain Crunch whistles while we are at it. 
, you have to drive around to the other side of the park to access it.
Those Rattles Really Work!
in Northeast
Posted · Edited by Phonedave
I am on "alert" too whenever I am out, but I still do stupid things. Geocaching has created some bad habits in me that I now try to break. Before Geocaching I never would climb a sunny rock slope reaching into holes looking for an ammo can. After a few suprises (no venomous snakes though) I started using a "poking stick" and now I use one of my trekking poles (lets hear it for achy knees !). I was out in Colorado a few weeks ago for business and was killing time caching. I once again got into the bad habit and while balancing on some rip rap in a drainage slope I was poking though the rock, and was startled by a snake (it moved too fast, and I was too busy trying not to fall down the slope to identify it).
But then somtimes I am startled by birds flushing as well. Man sometimes I hate grouse in the winter
-dave