Opalblade
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Posts posted by Opalblade
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I had to google amigurumi - so cute
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I would trade for any and all of these
I have a friendship bracelet segment I made years ago on my keychain 
Could the plastic string you use to make friendship bracelets work for the top of the bookmarks? That would make the entire thing waterproof. Definitely sounds like a good idea to keep the bookmarks to 4 inches to minimize the odds they'd get bent. And I like the idea of having a little note inside to say it's by you. Another thought is to maybe use a printer with a sheet of sticky labels to write a brief little note you can stick INSIDE the ziploc bag (to protect it) to indicate it was "Crafted by ____". The tiny canvases sound really cute. I'm going to have to look for those. -
NOPE...I was burned on the other magazine and don't care to lose again. And....the name FTF Geocacher sucks.
WORD! preach it!
Naw, I think this guy is alright, despite the unfortunate Mag name. Hey, didn't it used to be 9 out of 10 children who didn't like the micros and nanos?
My kids have actually been enjoying micros lately b/c I've introduced them to night caching
They don't care what we find as long as they get to use the little flashlights I bought them My eldest who used to say he didn't like geocaching recently said, "I'm liking geocaching more and more every time".Personally I love the magazine name, but then I also like going after FTF's. In my area they are often a fun way to meet up with cacher buddies
I love my FTF pathtag - it's so pretty I have it on my keychain I believe they sent out hundreds more with the second issue.
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Haha you guys are cracking me up
Potential new attribute pics:
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Issue #2 arrived today
Wish I could read it all! Crunch time for me to finish my taxes - such a procrastinator. Got through a few articles - love the one about the husband dragging the wife out to get a FTF pre-dawn 
Hehe. Wah back to the taxes. -
I think I would not log it but would probably leave a note saying I'd been there and recommend it being visited
To me it wouldn't feel like a true virtual cache log unless I were purposefully geocaching while there. I'm guessing you would prob be happier doing that since you felt the need to come ask -
yes i agree, but as a cache owner i extremly dislike it when TFTC is the only thing on the online log
I just can't be arsed to get upset about something like that. I'm just happy that people are finding my caches - that's what they're there for!
I'm just not that selfless - I want something back for my efforts in the form of a log beyond just TFTC and I do my best to extend the same kindness to other cache hiders. We have one local cacher who writes a unique poem for every cache she finds
Obviously that is above and beyond but generally personalized logs add to an area's sense of community and say to the cache owner - I appreciate your time and contribution. My favorite acronyms is URP (unusual rock pile) - it makes me smile - URP
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Yikes I never thought about that - a lot of geocacher pack contents would look very incriminating to a police officer who has gotten a call about a potential pedophile. Let's not forget a pocket knife and a small bag of children's toys
Just make sure there is no duct tape, para-cord or a camera in that pack or things could go bad really fast for you. -
I've placed two premium caches in the past. Both were in sensitive areas and I wanted to minimize the odds of inexperienced cachers finding them. I do believe, though there is no way to prove it either way, that premium members are more likely to be more experienced in both finding and hiding caches and therefore, on the average, more likely to successfully re-hide the cache as found. I remember in my early days that despite my best intentions I sometimes couldn't remember exactly where or how the cache was placed b/c in our excitement we would just grab it. Now I'll note how it was found, and re-hide it even better if it's obvious some cover has fallen off - rocks or sticks are lying around the cache that previous finders didn't bother to put back. Just one small example. Another big impact is on travelers. I personally have introduced two friends to caching who were all gung ho and took travel bugs assuring me they would move them along (b/c I gave them a lecture before they took them) and one gave hers over to me weeks afterwards and the other still has hers months later (I haven't seen her in a while).
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My particular playground cache is in a park of a city that has given blanket permission for hiding caches in city parks.
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I found one covered in a thick black felt fabric to help camo the container under it. When I lifted the fabric to move it (my friend refused to do it), a cockroach slithered out - EWWWWWWW
There were more little slimy friends underneath. -
I have small children and like an above poster said, sometimes the kiddos just want to go to a playground and it's fun to find a cache while there. I have a playground hide, in a patch of trees about 10 feet from the edge of the playground. Here's an excerpt from my description:
Nelson Ranch Park has a tennis court, covered picnic area, and playground (which is within easy sight of the cache so great for little cachers).
Several area cachers without small children have gone to find it, some making comments that they've gone early in the morning or late in the evening or on a cold day to avoid kids. One group went together and one ended up throwing a football around with some older kids.
I cache with small children with me and even so have gotten weird looks while looking for a cache by a playground. I am just up front in such situations, go up to the person looking at me sideways and tell them what I'm doing. One mom dove right into looking with me and said maybe she would get her hubby that GPS he's been asking for for his birthday or Christmas
PS. My cache is currently disabled, prob MIA sigh. Going to go check on it this afternoon during a cache placement run
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What is the most unusual item you ever found in a cache?
Hmm maybe the top half of a sabertooth cat skull replica I found
It's mini sized - maybe 4" long.Oh actually maybe it's this one: http://store.dinosaurcorporation.com/sabertoothcat4.html
What is the most unusual item you ever had to use for a tool to retrieve a cache?
Pointy end of a metal corkscrew from my multi tool to get a log out of a micro
Last what is your most unusual caching experience?
Caching along a beautiful trail where rock walls overhang a beautiful creek in downtown Austin. There were homeless shelters set up EVERYWHERE. It's always unsettling to come across just one and this place had several. Sad for them, sad for those wanting to enjoy the natural beauty.
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Some of mine have something extra on the cache description page and I always have a themed background. My piggy bank cache has info on the origins of the expression "Bringing Home the Bacon". My gingerbread themed cache has the story of the gingerbread man. Etc etc.
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Thank you for the thoughts so far
I've bolded the words "thorny area" and "poison ivy". -
Congratulations
That's a lot of hard work! The most I've done in one day is 29 - a series of film canisters along a highway - and afterwards my friend and I had massive headaches and didn't talk the whole way back lol. I far prefer finding one or two caches along a long scenic trail but I would do it again if in good company 
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I have this weird feeling like maybe I've asked this before so if I have please forgive me. It's been a crazy past few weeks. I placed this cache GC22PZE in the dead of winter. It's in a heavily used park near a trail so tons of muggles about. I looked for a while to find a spot where it would be very unlikely that anyone would accidentally spot it. What I came up with was a big gnarly tree with a natural deep hole in the middle of it. I put my container in the bottom of it and covered it with a big piece of bark I found on the ground. To access the tree you have to carefully navigate through a good deal of green briar. It's not comfortable access but doable. I managed to get in and out a couple of times ok, walking carefully, but have had one finder say they got stabbed. Also, there is apparently the hugest poison ivy vine anyone has ever seen right by the tree that is becoming more apparent as we come into Spring and leaves are starting to come out. Now my cache is a very bright blue CUTE piggy bank begging to be stolen so I do like that no sane muggle would ever find it
But do have some finders complaining about the thorns and having to avoid the huge poison ivy vine. I have the terrain set to 3, the thorns attribute, and comments about thorns and poison ivy in the description. Would you consider them appropriately forewarned and my cache appropriately hidden, or would you, if it were yours, move it to a new probably less safe-from-theft location so finders could find it with greater comfort? -
I've got to get out to see the toilet seat museum one of these days - I've heard so much about it. I'm going to be visiting San Antonio in April - maybe I can sneak in a trip
Crossing my fingers for a Cache-A-Maniacs podcast coin
Got the other two goodies last time (FTF pathtag and trackable magazine). I'm glad to hear more people are getting some of both 
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Looking at the park in question there seems to be room for two more caches - not ideally located but to the west and to the east? Also there is Punderson State Park to the west that seems to have a lot of spots left
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You never know if you don't ask. Be sure to say you realize it may appear as an unreasonable request but that you feel their cache and the trail would be enjoyed more if you could squeeze in one more into the park. If it's a nice trail I hope both caches are smalls or bigger so families with children can enjoy them
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60 finds, one month in
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I definitely didn't get it. I did a search on "semper" in my inbox and turned up your find of my Piggy Cache but not What Are Little Cachers Made Of. Did a semper search in spam and trash as well and all I found was you reporting some or other cache in my area needed maintenance (in my trash folder). I had heard that owners don't get email notifications from mobile phone app logs so I had assumed that's why I've sometimes found logs on my pages that I haven't gotten emails about.
PS. I'm sorry you weren't able to find it
At some point told me a previous one had been muggled from that spot. I had no idea disc golf courses generated so much foot traffic.You would have to ask the Groundspeak application developers why disabled caches aren't visible but I imagine it's a mix of them assuming we aren't interested in finding disabled caches and a way to conserve battery usage. One option I have is to not have caches I've already found show up. But there is no option to toggle disabled caches on and off.
My particular suburban area has a very high percentage of micros, even along trails in parks which could support larger containers.
My cache is a small traditional themed specifically for small children called "What are little cachers made of". My goal was to put it in a section of a park within a suburban area with a great density of families with small children. Most of the rest of the trail which extends across a road is filled with micros and nanos. The count was 9 micros/nanos and 1 regular.
Sadly it seems my cache was probably muggled earlier this month; I didn't get an email notification of the person's DNF so maybe they logged with a mobile phone app
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...16-886388f49e3d
How is it that you can't see a disabled cace on your iPhone? I'm not familiar with the app - does it automatically filter out disabled caches? Or is it a setting in your pocket query that eliminates them?
Also, it sounds like the area you were placing a cache was saturated already ("Then I moved it but was working in very tight quarters"). If that's the case why not find somewhere more open to place a cache? ("Please don't hide a cache every 600 feet just because you can.")
Just curious...
Nope. I logged that one online.
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You would have to ask the Groundspeak application developers why disabled caches aren't visible but I imagine it's a mix of them assuming we aren't interested in finding disabled caches and a way to conserve battery usage. One option I have is to not have caches I've already found show up. But there is no option to toggle disabled caches on and off.
My particular suburban area has a very high percentage of micros, even along trails in parks which could support larger containers.
My cache is a small traditional themed specifically for small children called "What are little cachers made of". My goal was to put it in a section of a park within a suburban area with a great density of families with small children. Most of the rest of the trail which extends across a road is filled with micros and nanos. The count was 9 micros/nanos and 1 regular.
Sadly it seems my cache was probably muggled earlier this month; I didn't get an email notification of the person's DNF so maybe they logged with a mobile phone app
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...16-886388f49e3d
How is it that you can't see a disabled cace on your iPhone? I'm not familiar with the app - does it automatically filter out disabled caches? Or is it a setting in your pocket query that eliminates them?
Also, it sounds like the area you were placing a cache was saturated already ("Then I moved it but was working in very tight quarters"). If that's the case why not find somewhere more open to place a cache? ("Please don't hide a cache every 600 feet just because you can.")
Just curious...
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Hehe very funny description
I'm a New England cacher who will be spending almost 3 weeks in New Mexico soon. I was checking out some of the very cool caches there, quite unlike New England scenery, and I saw some mentions of rattlesnakes.
Uhhhhh.... what do I need to know? There's no way I can bring my 'stout stick' on the plane either.
Thanks.
Hoping not to die,
Paul
Rattlesnakes are a reality. You need to avoid them. That's all you need to know.
OK, not really....
Rattlesnakes don't want to fight you. They will usually warn you if you get close. Before you go anywhere, look. Don't reach into holes blindly because rattlesnakes like to hang out with other rattlesnakes in dens. If it's really hot they like to stay indoors. If it's cool and sunny they will probably be out catching a tan. If the temperature is mild (80's or so) then they will be on the move and looking for lunch.
If you are close to a rattlesnake and he sees you, stand perfectly still and try not to wet your pants. If it didn't strike you, it probably won't unless you move. What you would need to do is work up a good amount of spit and spit on the other side of the snake so it will strike at it and then you run the other way like there's a rattlesnake chasing you. OK, not really run but get a good 15 feet further from the snake to be safer. Then you can just walk away and feel free to wet your pants at that time.
Some people advise carrying a few pebbles when in rattler territory because it's hard to work up spit when you are concentrating on not wetting your pants. One of the problems with carrying pebbles is that people carry them in their pockets and you REALLY don't want a rattlesnake striking at the pocket area of pants and it might strike there because reaching your trembling hand into a pants pocket resembles a hamster wiggling around and the snake might just see a hamster dinner on a statue rather than a giant threat. That could be embarassing for you and the snake.
Make sure to have your cell phone ready and that it has service. If you get bit on the leg, use something to block the blood from getting into your system. If you know someone who knows how to draw venom out of a wound, go for it. Make sure they spit though. Swallowing rattlesnake venom isn't good for you.
In all seriousness, most people who encounter rattlesnakes end up walking away unscathed just by standing still but it's very important to know that rattlesnakes have to recoil for a second strike. It takes a little time to do that and the spitting or tossing pebbles really does work for just this reason.
Could the plastic string you use to make friendship bracelets work for the top of the bookmarks? That would make the entire thing waterproof. Definitely sounds like a good idea to keep the bookmarks to 4 inches to minimize the odds they'd get bent. And I like the idea of having a little note inside to say it's by you. Another thought is to maybe use a printer with a sheet of sticky labels to write a brief little note you can stick INSIDE the ziploc bag (to protect it) to indicate it was "Crafted by ____". The tiny canvases sound really cute. I'm going to have to look for those.
Wish I could read it all! Crunch time for me to finish my taxes - such a procrastinator. Got through a few articles - love the one about the husband dragging the wife out to get a FTF pre-dawn 
Hehe. Wah back to the taxes.
Obviously that is above and beyond but generally personalized logs add to an area's sense of community and say to the cache owner - I appreciate your time and contribution. 
I've bolded the words "thorny area" and "poison ivy".
FTF Geocacher
in General geocaching topics
Posted · Edited by Opalblade
Yay I'm glad you liked my caching with kids article
Yours is the only feedback I've gotten outside of family hehe. I can't remember if I already shared this here but my kids are newly excited about geocaching b/c I got them each a little flashlight they can use for geocaching at night. They normally never get to be out after dark unless it's to go out for dinner occasionally. My eldest said, "I am liking geocaching more and more". Woohoo!
I loved the story about the toilet seat museum. I'd love to check it out one of these days but it's hard with it being 2 hrs away and the hubby being a muggle. I recognized several local cacher buddies' names on the toilet seat covers pictured
What a fun idea and how nice he lets people in to his garage to see his museum 