Mudinyeri

Well, many of my PM motivators have already been discussed, but I'll add X2, 3, 4, whatever to them: I can afford the $30/yr for PM. I struggle to see the value provided for my $30. 1. Should the current features remain unchanged, simply promoting the value of PM would be one improvement. I know there is a page on the GC site that talks about the features of a PM. What I don't see are the benefits ... the WIFM (what's in it for me). For instance, how do Pocket Queries benefit an occasional cacher? I'm sure you get the idea, Jeremy. 2. Mentioned before, but a trial PM would help me see those benefits. You could use the combination of IP address, e-mail, etc. to filter out the "I'll sign up for multiple trials to receive the free services longer" people. This feature is both common and simple in terms of trial period for a variety of web-based services. Additionally, this could be set up like most other free trials where you have to cancel it in order not to be billed. A friendly e-mail reminder with a cancellation link could be sent a couple days in advance of the billing to keep this policy customer-friendly. 3. Recommendations and discounts on Geocaching tools and supplies. This may mean that GC/GS.com would have to advertise. Jeremy has stated that he's very anti-advertising but that he would consider it for things useful to Geocachers. I would agree 110%. I don't want a bunch of credit card popups while I browse the GC/GS sites. What I would like would be recommendations from Jeremy or very experienced cachers for helpful tools like GSAK, discounts on their purchase and how-to's that would help me make the most of them (Markwells to forum posts would be fine). 4. A GC/GS.com User Group. Premium members would be allowed to participate in a user group that helped shape the future of the GC/GS.com sites and services. This is very common for highly mature product development companies and would seem to be a very motivational "benefit" for many of the people who post in the forums at least. Right now, I don't know enough to provide particularly salient input into this group but the opportunity to participate when I do know enough would be very enticing. 5. Helpful hints, not posted in forums or posted in a members-only area, for creating better cache hides. Things like containers (sure, forum posts exist but every non-PM can read these), camouflage, puzzles, etc. Make me a better cacher and I'll make your business more profitable - both by paying PM dues and by increasing the quality of your "product." I've tried to suggest things that would be relatively inexpensive to implement. Probably the most expensive would be the functionality for free trials. However, the ROI on this type of development would probably only take as long as the first free trial period. As a management consultant (I know, go ahead and flame me now...), I help my clients develop and implement similar strategies. We spend weeks, sometimes months developing these strategies. One of the first things we do, if the company has not already done it, is establish the organization's long-term goals. We can then tie business development (and other) strategies back to those goals ensuring that we are not only "doing things right" but "doing the right things." For a free PM and some GC/GS swag, I might be willing to help GC/GS.com do the same. Edited for spelling.

Interesting that most of this debate seems to center on defense against other humans. Certainly, there is a risk of being attacked by another human ... any time, anywhere. That being said, the risk of being attacked by an animal, particularly in wild, remote areas, is probably higher. Obviously, if you only search for urban caches in Washington D.C., it is much less likely that you will be killed by a Grizzly Bear than a deranged crack addict (I picked D.C. since it is highly urbanized and the murder capital of the U.S. last time I checked but you can insert any large city). However, if many of your searches are in remote, wild areas, defense against carnivorous animals is a real need. I worked for a hunting guide in Montana for about a year and always carried a high-powered side arm because I never knew when I would need one. I don't cache much in remote, wild areas. I don't cache in high murder rate areas. I don't have a permit to carry a concealed weapon in an urban area. Nevertheless, there are times and places when it just makes sense to carry. Life is not like a box of chocolates ... it's like a game of Risk ... each of us can decide how big a risk we are willing to take and how we will mitigate that risk. Isn't that great?

You don't need a 4x4 to get to it. You can also hike to it. However, if you want to increase the level of difficulty, you can try driving to it in a 4x4!

U.S. Army 1984-1987 U.S. Army Reserves 1987-1991 Just missed the Honduran conflict in '84, Desert Storm in '91 and several terrorist bombings while in Frankfurt, Germany from '84-'85. Join the Army, go to foreign lands, meet new people and kill them!

I don't know if these qualify as "GPS activities" or not but I use mine when hunting, fishing, hiking and off-roading. It's always good to know where you started when you're in unfamiliar territory.

Indeed!

Could you list those please? One of them is "spray into keyboard of smarta** forum posters."

Perhaps a cable that connects to my i700 with a serial connector at the other end? Anyone done this? Any thoughts?

I use the Samsung i700. It combines the Pocket PC OS with cell phone capabilities and Verizon's 1X data network. I can access the Web anywhere I have 1X coverage ... the speed isn't great but it suffices for logging a find. Before you buy, make sure you have good Verizon 1X coverage in your area (as well as traditional cell phone coverage as well). Verizon also offers a feature (with their data service) that constantly syncs your e-mail, contacts and calendar (I use Outlook) as well. Invaluable for someone who's out of the office (caching or doing work) a lot! Now if I could just get someone to answer my post about how to connect my Garmin eTrex and my Samsung i700 I'd be in Geocaching Heaven! Disclamier: I don't work for Verizon or own any of their stock!

Great Stuff is an insulating foam utilized in many applications. I think it would be perfect to keep your from wobbling. You can get it at any Home Depot, Lowes, True Value, etc. It comes in an aerosol can and shouldn't produce enough pressure to "explode" your frog's head. It's lightweight when it dries and relatively permanent. Also, once you're done with the frog, it has 1001 other uses.

Thanks for all the replies! I had no idea this would be such a popular topic. Although the cache I mentioned above was my coldest so far I'm not averse to the cold. At 8 degrees I didn't even have my jacket/coat zipped or a hat on! Sounds like GPSr's, like many electronic, battery-powered devices start to struggle as the temps drop. I often carry mine in a pants pocket until I get really close, only checking it occasionally to ensure that I'm on track. I wonder if glove/hand warmers would help the batteries and performance at more extreme temps.... Keep your "cold cache" stories coming!

Bump

Just wondering how many of you cache in "extreme" cold. Today, in Nebraska, the high was about 8 degrees Farenheit. (I've forgotten how to convert to Celcius.) A new cache showed up and the FTF must have been out when it was below zero. When I made it to the cache, the temp was about 6 degrees with -15 windchille (give or take). What's your coldest cache?

If there is anyone out there using the Garmin eTrex (or any other Garmin with the same connector) in conjunction with the Samsung i700 Pocket PC/cell phone and running mapping software on their i700, could you post a "how-to" here? It would be easy enough to use the GPSr with my laptop but I'd like to maintain a bit more portability and utilize my i700. 50 free plastic micro containers to the first person to post a how-to! TIA

Still waiting on a FTF for my Rock Garden Trail cache hidden November 12th.

Still no FTF

...you and the horse you rode in on. (That's meant to be a joke, everyone!) WHATEVER you do DO NOT post that in a cache log! You will invite a malestrom of forum posts unlike any seen since the Baron's post only a couple days ago. Whatever you want for whenever you want to you too.

Thanks for the suggestion and the move, Keystone.

Wow! I guess not.

I tried a search to see if there were any topics covering SDIO GPSr's for PDA's and found none. Is anyone using one of these for 'caching? I'd like to combine my PDA (Pocket PC) and GPSr, if possible, and this seems like a good way to do it if the reception and functionality are good. If you're using one, please post up! TIA

See, now, that statement (to me) is offensive. That being said, I'm not going to ask Jeremy to create a rule that says it can't be posted in here. I'm not going to try to hack the site and delete the post in which that statement was made. I'm not going to act all thin-skinned and say, "How horrible." I'll merely exercise my free speech and say that Jesus has been around about 2000 years longer than Geocaching and let it go at that! Edit: Oh, wait, is that off topic?

The above quote is from this MSNBC story about the defeat of the 11 gay marriage proposals in various states. I find it highly ironic that the Baron who seems to support the gay marriage proposals can't agree with one of the chief supporters in Oregon who talks about freedom. In this case, I'm referring to freedom of speech. Why not simply create a sticker of your own, Baron, that says something like, "Geocaching - Gay Couple Values for a ... whatever"? You have the right to freedom of speech as much as the "active retired gentleman."

Interesting discussion ... and, so far, more civilized and productive than the aforementioned Texas/Cache Name thread. Thank goodness. Anyway, here's my $0.02 worth ... available to both Premium and Basic members: 1. In order to maintain or grow, a business must produce/provide value. We found this out in spades during the dot.com bust. "Eyeballs" are not value. 2. Customers, in the traditional sense, pay for the value produced or provided by the business. 3. Suppliers provide something that assists the business in producing/providing value. 4. Prospective customers may be given some produce or service for free in order to entice them to become actual (paying) customers. Assuming you agree with the above, I propose the following: 1. The value that Geocaching.com and Groundspeak.com provide is comprised of the following: A. A forum (used in the generic sense) that helps facilitate a hobby/obsession. B. Tools that can be utilized in the pursuit of that hobby/obession. C. Supplies for that hobby/obession. 2. Basic members are both suppliers and prospective customers. They provide caches, they provide input into the forums and, for the most part, they contribute to the Geocaching community that is Geocaching.com and Groundspeak.com. 3. Premium members are both suppliers and customers. They provide caches, input into the forums and contribute to the community. They also pay for some additional services. In general, customers are treated better than suppliers. However, smart businesses understand that without both they cease to exist. From my own personal experience, GC.com and GS.com are pretty fair in their treatment. Granted, my experience is limited and certainly may be different from that of others. I suppose if I was going to find fault with the GC/GS.com business model, I would fault them for not promoting Premium memberships and services more aggressively. If they came to me looking for venture capital, that would be my first thought. I have no idea about the profitability of the company but there's very little doubt it would be greater with more Premium members. Beyond that, the implementation of their model seems to fit well with the benefits afforded by the Internet. They also have developed a model around something for which people have a passion - always a good thing. Any time you sell something where passion overcomes reason ... you're "gonna make money." Could customer (and supplier) service be better? Probably. Most companies could stand to improve in that area. Given the supply chain transparency of GC/GS.com I would probably focus on that area next. All in all, I think GC/GS.com's customers are happy. Their suppliers, pretty much so and their ability to increase profits quite good. Where did I put that venture capital money, anyway?

Hmmm ... what about hiding it INSIDE the angry pit bull? I don't see anything in the rules that prevents that. On the cache page you may want to suggest rubber gloves in addition to the raw beef, however. Edit: Oh, and for the sake of the pit bull, you may want to make it a micro. Of course, if it isn't, it would only make the pit bull angrier!

Ve haf vays ... I copied the pic and dumped it onto my own server. Speaking of stuck, this is one of the guys from my off-road club ... he wasn't caching but I thought it was worth a post anyway!