HawkLawless1

In my short caching career, I've had two LEO encounters. Both very favorable. I think they just happened to be in the area. In both cases I initiated contact only 'cause that's my nature. The second time I handed out the Geocache pamplet. Both had heard of it, but the negative stories associated with the "pipe bomb" looking caches. Tried dispelling that as the exception, rather than the rule.

Typically I make a phone call, but it is nothing specific..."Out caching, will call when done." The other day, when hanging onto a small tree on the side of a steep drop-off, I remember thinking to myself that nobody knows where I'm at. Guess I should get more specific with my whereabouts. Even then, logged a DNF, so all that effort for naught.

Sirius Channel 20 is my soundtrack for all those urban caches and great recovery music from all those quiet trail caches.

The local home owner's association had the audacity to suggest, via form letter, that I focus more on my lawn than on grabbing more caches. It didn't actually say that, but I can read between the lines. I thought the "lived in" look was in this year. I know what I'll be doing tonight.

A pen with a young woman on it...click it...she's got no clothes on...click it...she's a young woman about town...click it again...her clothes magically disappear! TPLP. Floated around my backpack for a couple days but then dropped it in the trash so the kids wouldn't find it.

I've taken to carrying around a couple downloadable Guide to Geocaching pamphlets in my backpack, so in the event anyone asks, I give those out. Even handed one to an LEO.

Pretty new also, but I only log one DNF per cache. However, I've really only made it back to one previous DNF, so hardly enough for a precedent.

I don't really see this as a matter of can or can't but rather... should or should not... speaking from personal experience here, I would give an emphatic should not. There are just way too many reasons why it's not considered a good idea... I sometimes cache alone, I am male... one call to the police and geocaching is then banned from the town... true story. Unfortunately, these days, it's all about perception. The one time when my kids provide a fantastic cover. However, when I'm caching by myself...I avoid places like that.

Came across one awhile back that was a 5-6" PVC pipe container buried level with the ground. The lid was a sprinkler valve cover. Couple that with some leaves/twigs and it was easy to miss. Remember thinking it was pretty ingenious. As long as no digging required and proper permissions, see no problem.

A few weeks into my geocaching experience, I made a pill bottle cache with some camo tape. However, after running across a number of them in the "wild" I'm not satisfied that it would ever make a good long-term cache, so I haven't let it out anywhere. Probably with the addition of a bison tube inside or something that stands up to the rigors of being removed and replaced repeatedly, it might pass.

Disregard previous post. If you push enough buttons I guess you can find almost anything. It says I have software version 3.20 so I guess that's where I want to be? I ran it to the Wherigo page and it's still on.

Just ran it...how do you find out what version is on there?

Today when I attempted to run a Wherigo module, my Oregon 550t shutdown. I could restart the GPSr, but every time I went back to try and restart the module, it would do the same thing...the screen would just pixelate and fade. I've been over to the Oregon Wiki and a couple other sites, but don't know enough about the inner workings of my GPSr to know whether the Beta or updates are designed to fix the problem. Appreciate any assist.

I haven't retrieved it yet from the previous cache. No problem if I log the pick-up? Should I delete the pick-up log as well? Should I "Grab it from Somewhere else?"

Recently I found a TB that was picked up and dropped incorrectly. When I attempted to log the find, it didn't show in the cache I found it in, but in one a ways away. I have emailed the TB owner, but I noticed they haven't logged into Geocaching since Dec. If, in the event, I don't hear from the owner, is there a way to grab it from the cache it's logged into without logging a visit? And dropping it into the cache I found it in, so I can "discover" it? Thanks.

Surfed across a NY Times on-line article about geocaching last year a couple months after it posted (GPS Marks the Spot). Been hooked ever since.

Is there an easy way to find caches that have been "forgotten"? Tried running a PQ but can't specify time since last find. Or do you just have to filter through and find them?

Tonight while caching, for the first time, my GPSr said I was at 0 ft. Normally, when it beeps that I'm "arriving at" the GZ, I put it away and just start looking. But this time, it dropped to 0 quickly. When I finally found it, however, I was about 30-40 ft away from that point. So GPSr accuracy is relative.

I always refer to it as "hiking with a purpose" or "GPS Challenge". I've used "treasure hunt" and "scavenger hunt" in conversation before only to receive the dreaded blank stare, so I've steered clear of those terms. I have, though, printed off a couple copies of Groundspeak's "Guide to Geocaching" and handed them out, even to a curious LEO.

Just id his emails as "junk" and forget about him. People like that are not worth the time and effort. If he has issues with MOCs then he should take it up with Groundspeak and not the CO. JMHO

The 550t is fantastic. Great for paperless caching. Easier to give you the link to the Garmin Oregon Wiki than try to explain: Garmin Oregon Wiki. Most FAQs answered there. Definitely recommend.

Rainsuit. Less eyes around when it's raining. Rained in So. Texas today, but still slogged through the fields to grab a couple at lunch. Although I trashed my shoes.

Try looking at local parks or green spaces in your area. Those areas tend to have a higher density of larger cache containers than say a more urban area might. After that, it's training your brain to look for the clues: areas that may show increased activity, piles of sticks/rocks that look irregular, any anomaly that looks different from its surroundings or that has someplace that might harbor a cache. Couple that with information/hints from the cache listing and that should get you close. If you have information regarding the cache, let your kids in on it. I'll repeat info over and over as we search and most times, my son will find it first. He's shorter and thus a totally different perspective. Also, if you have a premium membership, you can pare the search down by choosing kid friendly caches and ones that are of a certain terrain, difficulty, and size. Should help a little.

Could've sworn when I logged on yesterday it was under...but this morning it was 1,001,001. What a jump! Kudos to all the COs out there! Greatly appreciate the time and effort put forth, especially those puzzle caches!

Haven't seen too many UPS. Big one around this area is holes in trees. So much so that when I get to GZ, I immediately start looking for obvious holes (in the tree or around the roots) or dead stumps with holes. Either that or it's a pill bottle wrapped in green duct tape suspended from one of the branches.