davester

I can sit with Memory Map and have a play designing a route or two if you like. But you have to promise to write it up for GeoHikes when you've done it.

I might be doing this myself as I have a permission all but in the bag in a potentially very popular area.

If you use the A38 instead of the A42/M42, there is more caching potential and it's probably quicker too. Then in Derby, there are three rather good caches within a mile of the A38. A Walk in the park The Abbey Can You Dig It - (more long winded) As you continue down the A38 there is a cache at Branston Water Park (signposted from the road). Goosey Goosey Walk I could go on.

Who out there would be interested in participating in a GeoHikes meet? The idea comes from my website GeoHikes which is a collection of walking routes which visit geocaches. Now the weather is getting better I thought I'd get an idea of numbers who might be interested. I myself am based in the South East and have many an idea for a walk or two that I'd be happy to share with others on a day out. I'm sure that other GeoHike devotees would volunteer in other areas of the country. Anyway, I wondered who would be interested and where would they suggest? How far are people able to walk as well? I want to throw it open to as many people as possible so don't be afraid to shout if you're not up to a 30 mile trek!

I can't be number 21, I just can't be. I look knackered and I walked another 15 miles after that!

If I'm in the area that weekend I may just come and meet all the cachers I've left behind.

Hate bags with a passion on the outside. It's easy enough to put everything inside in plastic bags. A waterproofed log book is also easily achieveable by taking an ordinary notepad and a treating it with Nikwax Map Proof (http://www.nikwax.co.uk/uk/mapproof.asp). I know because I tried it at work only yesterday and am probably going to give it a go myself. Should be £4 a bottle and will probably proof loads of books.

I won't be there, but don't forget to see all the top quality stuff on the Nikwax stand.

I went to this cache last weekend. Should have been fairly innocuous BUT at the final cache location there was a tent pitched not 15 metres from what I presumed to be the cache site. Maybe not surprising in the countryside but in the middle of a town?

In fact, you can actually park IN the park. http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/parks/hyde_park/about.cfm

Hyde Park is open all night and you can park in the underground car park on Hyde Park Lane. The other alternative would be at the east end of High Street Kensington. You won't find any free on-street parking in the area. Advisable? Yeah, why not? It's a very safe area.

I'm a Kent cacher now!

That's the one.

Probably not, but you can nip along to the Paramo shop on the Durgates Industrial Estate in Wadhurst and pick up "seconds" for even more bargainiferous prices. For example, there is a range produced for the National Trust of Scotland which didn't sell particularly well being sold off at great prices for perfect gear. No different from the normal stuff but just branded National Trust of Scotland. And if it sounds like I work for them......well now I do. Well, for Nikwax anyway.

You're on the wrong side of that wall.

Looking forward to it!

I was going to have a quick look but your bandwidth has been exceeded.

It's about as far from Edale as you can get on Kinder Scout unfortunately and it's already been adopted. Thanks for the offer though.

Still not sorted out The Green Drive - near Tittensor, Staffs. Regular cache. Bluebells by the M6 - near Tittensor, Staffs. Regular cache. The Loaded Gun - near Leek, Staffs. Micro cache. The Murderous Axe - near Buxton, Derbyshire. Micro cache. Deego was the only one to say he'd take The Loaded Gun. Both aRRKS and snerdbe have offered to take The Green Drive and Bluebells by The M6. And as above, one4zorro offered to take The Green Drive and The Murderous Axe. The big stickler is The Green Drive and Bluebells by The M6. Who's going to fight for them?

It's been snowing all day just up the road. None to speak of on the ground though. I had a cracking day caching near Cannock Chase yesterday though. Try there.

You looking for a walk or a series done by car?

I've been doing a little bit of website work this morning (the benefits of being temporarily unemployed) and I've typed a list out showing where all the 39 GeoHikes on my site actually are. The list can be found here. It's accessible to everyone but you do need to be a member of the site to view the walks. Registration is free & easy. Hopefully this will give everyone a chance to know what's near them and may attract a new member or two!

Who needs to bother with dangerous? Place a cache more than a mile from a car park and no-one turns up!

Going back to what I said before about the iMate Jam. This is actually branded the MDA compact in the UK and is a small version of the XDAII. It's about the same size as a Sony Ericsson T610. You can actually get it free on contract from http://www.ukphoneshop.com/860_T-Mobile_Pa...%20Compact.html The cheapest would work out at £240. Bargain. Get it unlocked (unless you use T-Mobile PAYG) and chuck your PAYG sim card in instead. You could still use the free minutes of course.

Let's not lose sight of the main issue either. The main thing is, we're not only lending expertise but also a GPS receiver. This should be a chance for someone to see what it's all about before splashing the cash on a shiny new Garmin/Magellan etc. The way I see it working best is simply by people putting in their co-ordinates and clicking the "I'm prepared to be a mentor" box. When someone comes to the site they can put in their area and be given the contact details for a mentor, who can then offer their services in the way they feel fit.