GeoBrowns

Yes, the Sierra Azul size has some amazing spots. My favorite is Bald Mountain 2. I sat up there for about an hour and looked around with binoculars. I was there on a clear day, and could easily see downtown San Francisco. Sammydee, what is the terrain like compared to Quicksilver? Pretty much the same? There are less caches that side it seems and I wondered why.

When we start getting within 20+ feet, we just start looking for possible places rather than look at the screen anymore. The range can vary quite a bit depending on how the readings were taken to begin with. Sometimes with tree cover etc. you may have to expand your search area even further. Eventually you'll get to know how your receiver works, how the finds are within the readings and learn not to completely rely on the readings but on your instincts, the container size descriptions etc, more or less.

I am in San Jose and I cache with my husband and sometimes with our daughter and her family but often I go out during the week myself as I work from home and make my own hours. If I am running errands or shopping, I try to at least pick up a few in the area. Your best bet is first do a search for your nearest caches, maybe stick with the 1/1 rating and at least get some experience with how to find them and how your GPS narrows you in to it's location. We have attened two events already since first starting 8 weeks ago and at least recognize a few names and faces now. Another thing to meet other cachers if an event isn't happening anytime soon is to find the newest listings of caches within a reasonable driving distance and try to get to them within a day or two of their being posted. I have met several cachers that way and team up in the hunt and you can often chat and get tips from them as well. Oh and yes, try posting this in the Regional Forum at the bottom of the main forum page, and email me for any questions. Maybe add more to your profile so the locals can get a sense of who you are.

We did the Quicksilver ones, most of them anyways, a couple of weeks ago with our kids and grandkids. We parked one car at the bottom and all jumped in the second one and parked at the top at the Hicks/Woods Road entrance and worked our way down. Much easier than working your way up which at one section is extremely steep. Weather is perfect right now, can't imagine trying to do it mid summer, that Almaden Valley can be several degrees hotter than the city. We will have to return to finish up a few more and perhaps do the Sierra Azul side.

Hmm, which side of the white line should we be on? This fellow was on the drive up to Almaden Quicksilver Park in south San Jose, CA.

Seems to be back to normal down here too now, but it sure wasn't last night.

Something is wrong with all the area maps it seems, I just did a check for my area and there is A LOT missing. I am in San Jose, CA and right now, the map looks half empty with mostly just my checked finds. Looks real odd. Must be a glitch somewhere.

Wacka, I was thinking the same thing! I am now on their mailing list that announces what's coming up in the next episode. Just got one this AM and nothing on geocaching yet.

Ahhh, it wasn't quite worded quite that way and afer I posted, I thought maybe that's what they meant. Should have had more coffee and checked it first. Funny how stories change around, like the foreign national incident. Big difference from what was first reported as whet he was doing and what he actually was doing. Maybe the planespotting game/hobby isn't such a good idea in these times.

From the article listed above, it says "According to the Web site, www.geocaching.com, 463 people had visited the site since items were first hidden there on April 14, 2002." Only 463???

Ummm, what does the above post have to do with this topic? ( Oops, I see a fast reply to that!) So sorry to hear about your scary few hours but glad all worked out well in the end and as posted, you were at least able to take the cache contents. This just shows how careful cache hides need to be, taking in any possible considerations and scenerios with the safety of cachers and their families in mind.

I just hope the expected influx of new cachers take the time to educate themselves and if they plan on placing any caches, they read enough of the FAQ on how, where, what etc. so geocaching doesn't get a sudden jump in bomb scares like the recent one posted. Of course, even if all the safety precautions and rules are met by the placer, it still happens.

Wow, just scrolled thru the whole post, very impressive! I would love to be added to the list for a new idea. The one I have is a collection of wine corks,, I think they don't show to well, couldn't find a single wine cork image. We use wine corks for our signature item, signing our user name to them. We (husband & wife team) like wine tasting and had lots of corks collected so it seemed naturally to use them. Live in Calif. , (but that may change in 5 yrs when hubby retires.) Third member of our team is 19 yr old son. I'm a gardener so favorite color is green, I do all my emails in green, sign all my finds with green pen. We cache in our red (gas hog) Yukon XL That's all the ideas I can come up with, if anyone wants to make a stab at it using any of those. I am leaning more toward a single wine cork with our name and maybe the geocaching colors somewhere. Maybe a wine glass to show that it really is a cork in case it looks more like a tree stump. Or a standing cork showing grapes and another sideways with our name. Thanks in Advance

Hmmm, sound good, but no GREEN? Green is my signature after all!

Welcome to geocaching! We are new too, about 5 weeks now, (150 finds as of today) and having a blast, you will get the hang of things quick. I spent lots of time scouting out all the various web links, FAQ pages and thru all the forums getting all the tips and info I could. But the best part is getting outdoors and seeking caches and going places you would never have found without geocaching. Cool place you live, we actually drove thru last weekend, wanted to stop and take a picture of the Cool town limit sign but it was raining. We did several caches in Lincoln and some down in Amador area, the Cemetery Series was neat, taking you to some real out of the way 1800's cemeteries. We even placed one out there near Plymouth. Check our profile for those. There's also a Central Valley forum group, you can find it at the bottom of the main forum page. And as you can see, ask away and plenty are here to help out.

Great Job! The only possible problem I see is with #4. I'll quote from another post, can't remember where now: In the past a person could hide a cache with a number of prizes in it, then the cache could be archived after those prizes were found by the first few lucky people. This practice was no longer accepted at geocaching.com. The reasoning was that everyone should have a chance to find the cache.

I have really enjoyed this thread, had me howling with laughter late into the night! Just came across this post and thought I'd share it. From CalTrans cache in Redding Calif. June 7 by Mr Smiles (122 found) I zeroed out in the same spot several times. I got down on my knees, then belly, then rolled over onto my back and looked up, (dozed off), went in ever widening circles...got dizzier than the diver...I'm thinking..."sunglasses!" so I took them off and went around again. Then, I'm thinking..."HAT!"...so I took it off and went around again. Soon, I had watch, shoes, socks, shirt, etc., all in a pile on the ground...still no cache! Anymore stripping and I'll be caching from the inside of "Incarcerated". Home now, covered with "Scooby Doo" strips on all my ow!ies, and i'm thinking, "this is my favorite cache" so far.!" I'll go back. I'll try wearing a different hat next time.

We had a stash of wine corks because we belong to several wine clubs, go wine tasting a lot and have wine tasting get togethers often so it just seemed natural to add our geocache name to a cork as our signature item. As we run out, we can just ask for more at the wineries. Now I just need to have a stamp made up so I can sign them faster. Lots of wonderful ideas here and some very talented people!

Great job! In addition to your link, one can also print out these two downloads to give to friends, co-workers, one is a tri-fold brochure and the other a business card size folding card. Downloads

Oh that is so nice of you! I am not too great with figuring out how to make templates nor do I have the time but if push came to shove, I guess I could have eventually tried. If no one had such a log, I was going to email the owner of one I found and see about getting a copy but I didn't want to feel like I was maybe trying to copy his idea, hate to step on any toes being that we are new and don't know many yet. The inside width of the container is 7/8", length doesn't matter, that can be folded and adjusted to fit. Thanks in Advance!

I have checked all the usual posted websites for logs, the 35mm film canister is the smallest version I have found. Now with the micro mini contaciners such as the Altoid strips, I would love to have a template for making a log to fit those if anyone has one. I have also seen that some of the TB that have cards attached that have have the official CG.com logo and instructions for logging but also have spaces to add the owners name and date/location activated. If anyone can share these documents, I would really appreiate it.

What about an itty bitty one for the Altoids strip tin?

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