McMurdo1

Well Hmmm, Here is another noob that hasn't found a 5/5 yet but manages to get the approver to ok his first hide as a 5/5. GCKM8M It has some real good stuff in it besides the 2004 South Pole Benchmark replica. Like a McMurdo station shot glass and a number of souvenir patches. I'll be looking for a first to find on this one! Mac

Radio goes on the belt before the cache pack goes on the back. I usually have the earphone/mic plugged in though. It is bad enough to have some guy wandering down the trail waving a "tricorder" much less having radio traffic blaring.

Test the sig

Started off as Volunteer EMT on SAR, volunteered in ER, became First aid / CPR instructor. Dropped EMT when state said we had to have malpractice insurance Moved to another county and became High Angle rescue instructor for new team, First responder instructor, First aid / CPR instructor Trainer. Do contract Comms work at national incidents (forest fires, shuttle recovery, floods etc.) most certs expired at this point. Volunteered out for a few years.....

For Search and Rescue (a previous life) I found that carrying 12.5' quads a real hassle. My pack was set up so everything fit in a manypocket vest. I would take the quads of the areas I was most likely to have to use, cut them into 9 pieces at the tick marks. Print up a backing page with the quad name and portion, and place them into the clear plastic sheet protectors for a 3 ring binder. Tape the slot at the top and I had a waterproof map. I could just take the 2 or 3 sheet protectors needed and stuff them in a pocket without worrying about them too much. I would also carry two or three colored marking pens for overhead projectors and could make notes and boundaries on the "map" and just wipe them off with a damp rag to restore them for the next use. I still have 4 or 5 6" binders full of "cut quads" for my county. Mac

Well yeah, I have not seen a bug for a month now and probably won't until February unless it happens to crawl out of the salad. Trouble is only 4 caches within 100 miles I suppose some would consider 8 to 10,000 feet of snow too much for a good caching experience however. by the way, batteries really don't last long at -20 to -30 F It does look like I may get a break from the wind and be able to find a couple more this weekend. mac

For 20+ years of my life, I spent most of my free time and energy on wilderness search and rescue, I became an EMT, I lost some of my fear of heights learning High Angle Rescue, became an instructor in outdoor survival and many search and rescue techniques. I even bought one of the first GPSr units available to the general public (a Trimble Scout) My body is not what it used to be and I found myself slowing the rest of the team of 20 something year olds down and hindering their progress. As others in emergency services know, burnout is always on the horizon. Using Geocaching I have an outlet for getting out and seeing places I would not normally see, and can do it at an old mans pace. I still love the outdoors and the tech tools but now can do it at my own pace and when I want to, not at 0200 in the snow and rain on Thanksgiving night. And I want to say THANK YOU to all of the emergency services folks that find time and energy to do both. Mac

Well ummm I guess you could look at my last find.. and or my screen name and kinda guess why Opus is saying that. Caching @ -35F = hardcore Mac

About 21 days per year in a tent the last few years... Camping for cash (some will know the phrase Recreational camping in my "tin teepee" on the back of the 3/4 ton 4x4! Just started geocacheing so have not combined the two but plan to start.

Lurking is the best way to learn. Laughing is a pretty good way to stay warm Mac

test looks good!