bogleman

I have placed two caches in very thorny and hard to get to areas. I have first hand knowledge of the areas and how to enter the woods without too much discomfort. I think of it as a mind game, I personally do not have a problem with any type of terrain, dress appropriately and go for it. I feel most people are lazy and if given a choice they will take the easy way - how bad do you want it? I take my kids caching with me so sometimes I have to carry them one at a time through the thick stuff - no big deal that add to the adventure (for me). I want the average cacher to challenge him or herself and think about what they are doing rather than walking in a straight line right up to the cache location. I try my best to warn everyone before they attempt one of my caches the choice is yours. Test yourself - how bad do you want it. Ian

I think that the best thing you could do is to search using the zip code of the airport you plan on visiting and look for the nearest caches. I work in the aviation law enforcement field and let me tell you the first call that we get for someone snooping around the fence or parking lot with a GPS would be the last. Some folks are "keyed up" when they travel and if they see something that does not sit well with them they come running. The greeting you get may not be that plesant. Groundspeak has developed some very fine rules to keep everyone safe. There are some virtual aviation related caches that a pilot could log as well as many benchmarks such as the tower beacon or ILS antenna. Just be careful and play by all the rules (Groundspeak and FAR's)

Click on the IMG button and then find the exact geocaching page that your picture is on then insert the link into the pop-up IMG window then click on ok. Nothing will show other than some text, preview your post and the pictures will be there if you did it right.

Try an engraver or a sharp awl then paint the entire magnet white, when it dries sand off the paint and the remaining paint will be left in the deep scratches and will be less likely to rub off. If you are really frugal (and have some spare time) go to a CPU repair store and ask for the damaged hard drives and tear them apart, they have some very nice RE magnets inside, just soak them in nail polish remover overnight to get the mounting bracket off.

Eight (8) visits for this cache, but I was on a mission BBTT Shortcut cache, each visit was conducted from 2330 hours to 0015 hours (average search time was 20 minutes). Yea and someone will eventually whine and say did you log your DNF for each visit.

Link to my entry Ian - Bogleman Do benchmarks count??????

My sadistic geocaches. Put a cache in the middle of a swamp with no easy way to get to it and they will come (click on the smile). Put one in the middle of a swamp in a briar patch and they will come....Briar rabbits cache.

My collection has grown over the past years. I have had an Etrex for about 5 years or so. I used it mainly when I would go hunting, marking stands/trails. I got into geocaching last fall and found several caches with it. It was a pain entering the waypoints but it got the job done. I also have a GPS72 it is WAAS enabled, large screen and somewhat easier to use. Just recently picked up a GPS60 (and promptly destroyed it - waiting for the repair/return). Lots of nice features and it is very easy to use, easy to connect to the CPU to upload and download tracks & waypoints, plus it is a lot cheaper that the other 60 models. Being an impulse cacher I provide my own autorouting and I can see where I am at (so I don't need the maps), all the extra features are nice but I don't need them.

Hey if it makes any difference now, I had the same thought and searched (rather poorly) the forums but fearing that I was about to get eaten alive by the folks here (a majority are real PROS, it's scary) I sent an email to Keystone who is my local approver and he was able to provide some helpful input. I would suggest contacting your local approver for help on cache listings in a private email, cut out the middleman and go straight to the supplier.

Check these out - just have to go and get them Lots of cans look at the ending bid on all of these cans winning bid Ian

Some recent finds of mine. Sorry but I could not get the pictures to load in the page so here are the links MA1515 ND0102 ND0104

I have taken my children 5, 7, 9 (girl, girl, boy). I have 3 GPSr, one for me then the boy and #1 girl. I explained to them what geocaching was all about and how a GPS works. My son understood somewhat so I gave him a GPS and showed him how to enter the numbers and then find the nearest waypoint. It took a couple of tries for him to get it but when we go out I give him the numbers and away we go. I enter the numbers for my daughter and set up the GPS for her and she keeps the arrow pointed straight ahead. The hardest problem is keeping their attention when we get near the cache site everything goes down hill from there, it's a race between them and who can find it first, but thats half the fun. As long as it is easy for them to work and follow they will get it as long as they want to do it, just don't force them - that is the fastest way to turn them off. Help daddy find the treasure and I'll give you $1.

I think a BIG dose of common sense is called for here. If it looks like a POS and smells like a POS it is a POS. The temptation to touch, kick or pick up something can be overpowering at times. Cautiously look over the suspicious item(s) as mentioned if there is a strong smell, signs of dead or dying foliage leaved it alone. Anhydrous Ammonia is a deadly poison gas. Propane tanks (from gas grills) are some common containers used to carry the gas. A key indicator that Anhydrous Ammonia has been placed in the tank will be blue tarnish/staining around the brass valve. Plastic gas cans have also been used as “cookers,” sometimes there will be obvious signs that it has been used for this purpose. There may be tape around the spout, a hose attached to the spout and there may be kitty litter spilling from the container (used to trap other caustic/deadly gasses) Take a picture (if you have a camera), leave the area immediately and contact the local authorities, they have folks that are specially trained in dealing with these items. Another interesting point not mentioned is that “meth-heads” have on overpowering urge to collect and view pornographic material, it may be in and around their cooking area/home. “Meth-heads” are extremely paranoid and unpredictable. Starting this thread was a good idea, I take my kids with me when I go caching and it is hard enough to keep an eye on them. I would hate to see anyone get hurt trying to do a good deed. Ian

I have not completed that many caches but I have found micros that were attached to their hiding spot by using fishing line/twine/wire. You may want to steer away from nailing anything into a tree (unless it is your tree). Sooner or later someone will complain. You could also hide a backup such as the info painted on the back of a flat rock that is hidden nearby so if one comes up missing there is a back up so the cacher can continue. The dog tag idea would also work with fishing line. I considered the using the dog tags and a large tent stake attached to a chain pounded into the ground. It seems that people in my area like hiding several listed micros like you have and have each micro listed as it's own cache so you can get 3 to 10 smiles to your count. Ian

Speak softly and carry a big stick............Nothing better than a good piece of hickory.......... Just some of my favorite quotes regarding hiking staffs. Wood is my personal choice.

A quote from the "good book" - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou are with me; thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me. 23rd Psalm of David.

I would like to say that a hiking stick could be a very useful tool other than just dragging it along with you when you are out. Measure the height of your staff with your arm relaxed, bend at the elbow so your arm is pointing straight forward then add 6 inches. This will give you a comfortable fit. Choose a thickness of 3/4 to 1 inch. Look for a durable tip or add a rubber cane cap, you can even glue a magnet to the top to help get those hard to reach micros. Choose a durable wood such as ironwood, which should last a lifetime and makes a very nice self-protection tool. I have made several and have given them away as gifts. You could even go low tech and use an old ski pole. Just think of your walking stick as a tool, make sure it fits and you are comfortable with it.

Here is a smile for you ..........................

I enjoy looking for benchmarks when I don't have anything better to do. I have had somewhat good success on the ones I went looking for. I just found one the other day that was placed in 1899 - MA1512. I took the kids and the metal detector, had to do some digging but that is what the kids are for. I have a route setup that will take me on a 10 mile hike and log 10 benchmarks that I plan to try soon. I am really surprised, a majority of the cachers in my area do not search for benchmarks. Some can be really easy to find just read the listing and take a measuring tape or walk it off, it will get you really close if all the landmarks are still standing.

The code machine works fine for some codes. When I put together my mystery cache I took machines like this into factor. My mystery cache --------------. Goes well with the previous post. I hate smileys.

Thank you, I will raid the pantry for the corn starch and take the kids chalk, they should love that - MOM dad took my chalk .

Thank you,I had no idea, now I have a really good reason to go back SOON (only 10 miles from home with easy public access (on State Game Lands). I've thought about using baking soda/vinegar, toothbrush and some steel wool, any other ideas.

Question for everyone. I found this benchmark MA1512 the other day. I have the finding part ok; but I would like to go back to this one and get a GOOD picture that shows better detail and I would also like to make a rubbing of it. Could you provide some tips. Thanks. Ian

Vertical Challenge This just launched to the top of my list.

A Valued Distraction My bit of fun. I placed a micro cache in a hard to get to location in a large sign (Value City Department Store) with two blatant (to cachers) distractions. It gives the impression of an easy cache & dash. I put notes in the Distractions telling the seeker to look a little harder. Got most of the locals but the word spreads pretty fast.