medoug

Here are a couple of on-line logs that I have stumbled across. I know the cachers were well-meaning, but don't they have any common sense? "The cache had gotten a bit wet from recent rains so we left it open to dry. The next cacher can probably close it, it was pretty warm today and should probably be dry if the animal muggle (hopefully) doesn't get into it again." "Found the cache open and half full of water. The log book is soaked. Dried it the best we could and replaced the cache upside down so it won't happen again." The first one seems completely idiotic. Maybe this logic would work if it was an extremely popular cache which was sure to be visited again that day, but the next visit occurred more than a week later. I have not visited this cache, but the log indicates that it can be exposed to rain. The second one is using the logic that if the lid is at the bottom, water can't fill it half-way up. I visited this container both before and soon after the posting and the lid fit fine both times; someone just didn't get the lid closed properly. Since the container was found open, it should have been obvious that it could be best fixed by simply closing the lid? The container's lid had an overhanging lip which would make it shed rain when right-side-up and catch it when it was up-side-down. The logger just replaced one problem with a different problem. Normally, things like this would just make me laugh (like the "stupid criminal" stories), but I've encountered too many nasty, wet caches to appreciate the humor in it. Does anyone else know of any idiotic cachers?...hopefully with less destructive results.

My brother and I had just started caching with only 3 finds under our belt. At a family reunion we mentioned that we discovered this cool new hobby to a few of our relatives. We noticed that our uncle silently walked to his car and returned with his GPSr and a 3-ring binder full of geocache listings that he had found and planned to find. It seemed that we independently discovered the same hobby. medoug.

Anal probe!

Also, if you don't have a magnetic compass in your model, try to walk in fairly straight lines and broad curves. If you stop and then face a different direction or make a sharp turn during your last few steps, you are guaranteed to be pointing in the wrong direction. medoug.

Here's a tip that I've used while hiking or geocaching in a wooded area, but I would NEVER recommend in an urban environment of any kind, no matter how well it was hidden: Securely hide the stuff you don't want to carry under a bush and mark the location with your GPSr. Then retrieve it when you return. Hopefully you don't lose all GPSr battery power. Think of it as your own personal short-term geocache! medoug.

TLB (Three Little Bears), If you aren't comfortable with HTML format (I know I'm not), there is another option that won't include the picture in the description, but will provide a link to the picture. In the description enter the URL of your uploaded picture in the description using the following format: ..... {URL=http://..... }title{/URL} ...... but replace the "{" and "}" brackets with "[" and "]" brackets respectively. Also, the title is the word or words that the reader will have to click on to see the picture. medoug. P.S. Ignore the ".....". They are included to represent the description or URL text.

You will need to convert the text file into an image file. I did this by copying my text from my file and pasting it into Microsoft Paint. It's a real pain, and you lose a lot in resolution, but it gets the job done. medoug.

I had a similar problem on a series of caches that my brother and I created. What we did was make 7 regular caches with code information on the inside of each container's lid. Then, we made an 8th "bonus cache" that was a 2-stage multicache. The 1st stage of the bonus cache (located at the listed coordinates) was a rather small container that contained only code information on the inside of its lid. Then, to find the 2nd stage of the bonus multi-cache (and to log the completion of the entire series), you had to use the information from the 7 regular caches combined with the information from the 1st stage of the 8th cache. Here is the listing for the bonus cache as an example: Great River Road Passage series "bonus cache" The description includes a link to the first 7 caches in the series as well. I think following a similar format (modified for your number of hiding spots) would allow you to accomplish what you desire. (Notice that I included a note in the description stating "ONLY ATTEMPT THIS CACHE IF YOU INTEND TO FIND ALL OF THE OTHER CACHES INCLUDED IN THE SERIES SINCE IT REQUIRES INFORMATION FROM EACH TO OBTAIN THE FINAL COORDINATES". This was so someone wouldn't attempt the bonus cache without realizing that it involved more than just the 2 finds.) I hope this helps, medoug.

I'm assuming your priorities have changed since the Legend C/CX are considerably more expensive (price was your #1 preference) and color wasn't even a top 5 priority before. It's O.K., I change my mind a lot too. There have been several times that I wished I could better tell a gray road from a gray stream on my B/W Legend, and a few times when I wished I could load more map information (the Legend C has 24MB while the standard Legend only has 8MB.) Good luck in your decision, medoug.

Try this site also: GPS Visualizer

Don't get too hung up on the WAAS thing. Depending on where you live and the surrounding visibility, sometimes you can't even get a lock on the WAAS satellites. It's nice for a little better accuracy when you can use it, but far from necessary.

Since your number #1 concern is price and your last concern is electronic compass, I would definitely recommend the eTrex Legend over the eTrex Summit. Also, with the mapping capability, the Legend can get you started for driving on major highways with the built-in basemap, and then you can always purchase the mapping software as an "upgrade" for more mapping details. The Legend isn't ideal for driving use, but is usable, and costs considerably less than the $500 navigation models. Think of the Legend as a basic model with sufficient features and memory that you can upgrade later by purchasing software. Cost is a little over your $100 limit if you purchase it new, but it'll save you money over purchasing a eTrex Yellow now and then later purchasing a different unit because it doesn't have the capability to upgrade. Plus the Legend has some of your desired features that the Yellow doesn't have. The only time the electronic compass really would help you is if you stand in one place and then turn in another direction. As long as you are walking or don't turn while stopped, the electronic compass isn't really needed. Hope this helps, medoug.

Yes, I enjoy both finding and hiding historic caches. Yes, it would be nice if you could sort for these based on attributes. Unfortunately though, I (and I'm sure others) have requested such attributes added for things like historic, educational, urban, wooded, etc., and it seems to always fall on deaf ears. I think adding these things are considered a fairly low priority or of little interest to the majority of cachers.

HHHMM? Taped a note to the Church door. Not a Lutheran are you? It was a note not a thesis I hope. I hope we are talking about historically relevant caches. I'm a bit sensitive having just bought some land in a cemetary. I KNOW we cachers are respectful of those resting in peace. I'd be a bit miffed if someone was not. But, hey that's just me. Like isaid I'm a wee bit sensitive these days regarding this issue. Not to the point of a jerk, but as the man said, "let's be careful out there". Are you O.K. with a lawnmower running over your grave once a week? BTW. The cache I placed was an offset cache taking the real hide to a unused/unplotted portion of the cemetery. The first stage is obvious from 50 feet away so I doubt that any graves were disturbed.

Go Natural! I recently hid a ammo can that I camoflagued by gluing actual tree bark to the exposed surfaces. It now blends in great with the hiding place. I found the bark laying on the ground near the hiding place where it apparently peeled off of some dying trees. medoug. P.S. O.K., I must admit... the glue I used wasn't natural.

Yes, I called the person they told me. It turned out that he was the groundskeeper and a member of the cemetery board. Not only did he give me permission to place the cache, but he even gave me some additional information about the interesting headstone in the cemetery that I was able to include in the cache description. See here if you are interested: Meteroite or Meteor-wrong? I then followed up with a letter to him giving the details of the cache including a verbal description of its location (since he probably didn't have a GPSr), some brief literature explaining the geocaching game, and my contact information. medoug.

I'd agree that ammo cans are the best. Unfortunately, if you only want to buy a few, the shipping cost by internet/mail-order can kill you. If you have an Army/Navy surplus store (or similar) nearby, that would be the way to go and save the shipping costs. If not, Lock & Locks are available in many stores, are supposed to be pretty good, and are guaranteed for life. See here: Lock & Lock discussion If your hiding place requires something smaller than an ammo can, there are also military decon containers and Lock & Locks which come in smaller sizes. medoug.

There are several "stashnote" formats explaining the container available for printing in the lower right-hand corner on this page: Hide & Seek page

I recently placed a cemetery cache. I was unsure how to get in contact with a board member or groundskeeper. Then I had an idea.... I called a monument sales place that I found in the yellowpages. I simply told them that I needed to contact who was in charge of the cemetery I was interested in. They promptly gave me the name and phone number of the contact. Easy as that! Of course, this method only works for cemeteries where new burials are still being performed. A pioneer or non-used cemetery would probably require contacting a local historian or somebody like that to get the necessary permission. Well, I just wanted to share this helpful tip for those cemetery cache hiders out there. medoug.

Heads up! I saw in an advertisement that Aldis Foods stores are going to be selling Lock & Locks for $2.49 starting May 14, while supplies last . Here is their ad: Lock & Locks at Aldis May 14 Enjoy, medoug.

I love summertime caching even if the gas prices are higher. Why? I go caching on my motorcycle. It's a lot cheaper (and more fun) going caching on my motorcycle in the summer getting 60mpg with $3.00/gal gas than it is going caching other times of the year with my car getting <$20mpg with $2.00/gal gas. Before I discovered geocaching, I would go on pointless motorcycle rides to a park to go on a pointless hike or to see some publicized point of interest. Now I do the same, except now I have a reason for going on my ride and hike, and sometime the geocache brings me to an unpublicized point of interest that I never would have known about otherwise. medoug.

I sometimes use: http://www.lat-long.com/ but there is no way to download the coordinates that I am aware of. medoug.

Some of the people got it right: It is a lake! What most didn't specify, however, is you are seeing the lost city of Atlantis at least 100 feet below the surface. This is never visible at ground level, and only visible from the air during certain lighting conditions and when the water is at its clearest.

How about: "Jesus is a cacher." or "If Jesus can do it, cachers can do it."

Since I'm from Illinois, I'm familiar with the cache placing rules. Just some clarification on some things mentioned earlier..... Only caches placed in Illinois state parks and a few county's parks (where they have a cache policy) have these restrictions. In most places an opaque container is fine in Illinois. It is a rule, not a law so it doesn't have to go through a state's congress. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources set up the state park cache rules and individual county park boards set up the county park cache rules. You can break the rules, but don't be surprised if the cache gets confiscated. I don't know, but you might get fined too if they manage to track you down. medoug.