tadpole379

Here is my first idea for the back of the coin. I have filled in the space between the legs instead of soing a cutout to give me more space on the back. I dont know if I should so the back of the coin so that it is smooth and polished and indent the letters and words and fill them in with color, or leave a thin border around the outside edges and texture the metal that is visable and have the letters raised above the texture. I have added a place for a tracking number to go if I do make this a trackable coin. I would make the rectangle with the tracking numbers raised up or polished so it stands out from the background. The dragonfly's wings are the colors of the geocaching logo to tie it in with geocaching, and the coordinates are my home coordinates.

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. I took my original sketch for the front of the coin, and played with it in photoshop to get a better idea of how it might look as a coin. I want to do this coin as a shaped coin. Depending on what I put on the back, I think it would look good in shiny gold, shiny silver/nickel, or black nickel. The black lines would be the raised parts of the metal, and the color would fill in between the lines. I like the way the colors look as they are, but I am also thinking about doing some or possibly all the coins with a translucent enamel and textured metal underneath. (Like the loggerheads christmas and Thanksgiving coins) I am also working on the design for the back. I would like to make the coin trackable so it will say somewhere track on geocaching.com and there will be a space for a tracking number. I would also like to put Tadpole379 on the back, and possibly the date-2007 or my home coordinates. I printed out the front design at 1.75 inches and because of the shape of the coin, there isn't a lot of space on the back, so I need to work with it some more and see what I can come up with.

I forgot to mention that I would like to do the coin as a shaped coin.

I have been geocaching since 2004, and have recently started up a geocoin collection. I have been thinking about doing my own coin, but dont really know where to begin. I came up with a design that I like for the front of the coin, which is based on my geocaching handle tadpole379. I need some feedback on the front design: do you like it, would you want this coin for your collection, anything you would change? Also any suggestions for what to put on the back of the coin? Trackable vs nontrackable, what company to use as a mint? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tadpo...egeocoinart.jpg

The Rockland County Parks Department has just implemented a Cache Permit System similar to the system used in the State Parks. There is an application that asks for the geocacher's name and contact info, and the location of the cache. The permits are necessary only for parks run by the Rockland County Parks Department. There is no charge for a cache permit. The permit includes some limitations on the geocaches, such as they may only remain in place for a period of two years, there may not be a cache within a 1/4 mile of another cache, and they may not be more than 100 feet from a trail. Full details and conditios are listed on the application. Permits can be picked up from the Park Office at: Rockland County Parks Department 18 New Hempstead Road, New City, 10956 or call (845)-364-2670 for more information. If the secretary doesn't know about the permits, ask to leave a message for Mike Dimola.

My Here Fishy, Fishy TB has been marooned on an island in the Treasure Island cache in Lake Pleasant Regional Park in Arizona since August. Can someone please rescue it and move it along? Thanks! -tadpole379

I had e-mailed BigBills brother directions on how to adopt a cache to someone, and he figured it out, so BigBills Perkins Drive, Skannatal Lake, and Silver Mine Caches are all officially on my account. Also, I will be placing a new cache, probably this weekend, in BigBills memory. The cache will be located on Dunderburg Mountain in Harriman. I plan on placing two caches in the area, and I have already been issued permits for them both by the Park Office in Bear Mountain.

I will be bringing a green jeep to the GONE caching event at camp Glen grey in NJ on Saturday.

This week, I went to the Bear Mountain Office, to find out about the geocaching permits. After my third visit to the park, they finally figured it out, and I was issued permits for three of BigBills caches: Skannatal LakeGC75C9, Perkins DriveGC6635, and Silver MineGC50EE, as well as for two caches that I will be placing in the park very shortly. I e-mailed BigBill's brother about officially adopting the three listings that I got permits for, but have not heard back from him. But anyway, when I get the chance, I will go out, and put the permits in place and check on the caches. The Bear Mountain Office said that I was the first person to request a geocaching permit, which was why there was so much confusion. They said that permits can be picked up from 8:30-4:30 Monday-Friday, from the park office closest to where the cache will be hidden. The Bear Mountain office gave me all the permits, even though the caches are spread out, because I had to go back three times. In the future, each office will issues their own permits for their section of the park. There are offices at Bear Mountain, Lake Tiorati, Lake Welch, Lake Sebego, and I think Silvermine has one too.

As you probably know, BigBill recently passed away. He has over 30 caches hidden in Harriman State Park, Bear Mountain State Park, and in NJ. I recently received an e-mail from his brother, who said that he knows nothing about geocaching, and he asked if anyone would want to adopt Big Bill's caches. I would be willing to take a few of his caches, and if anyone else is interested in adopting caches, post here. I have never adopted a cache, and don't know the procedure for that. If anyone knows how to do that so I can tell BigBill's brother how to adopt the caches, that would be helpful. Many of his caches seem to be in good condition, but there are others that need maintenance, and at least a couple that are MIA, since he has been unable to check on his caches for some time. I am sure that not all of his caches comply with the NYS geocaching permit requirements, but hopefully his caches can be brought up to date and given permits. It is my understanding that the permit system allows each person to have 5 caches in a park, the caches have to be within 20 feet of an established trail, and display a permit sticker on the outside of the cache container. Also, if anyone knows, are Bear Mountain and Harriman Parks considered sepearate parks for caching permits, and where is the office that gives out the permits? Thanks. -tadpole379

My condolences to Big Bill's family. I have done a number of his caches, and they are always fun. Also, I live in Rockland, and currently have no caches hidden in Harriman, so I would be able to adopt a cache or two if need be. If anyone is going out to find any of Bill's caches, there are a few that I have been to recently that I know need some maintenance. Anthony Wayne Trails #2 seems to be MIA. I found it awhile back, and was in the area for another cache, so I went to check on it, but there was no sign of the cache. Beechy Bottom Road From the recent log entries, it seems that water is getting into the cache. It may need a new container or a dry logbook. Ski Trail to Silvermine I found this cache today, and it was damp and moldy inside. It could use a new logbook and and trade items, and maybe a more waterproof container. -tadpole379

I had had several snake encounters caching in Harriman. I've never been afraid of snakes, but the first rattlesnake that I ran into really opened my eyes and made me aware that they can be dangerous. I was hiking alone near waterboys' old cache watertank, which is really far from anything. I was moving along at a good clip and I heard the rattle. I instinctively jumped back and it took me a good 30 seconds to visually locate the snake, which was really big. I was very close to the snake, and if it hadn't rattled, I would have stepped on it, which was what scared me. It made me realize that it probably wasn't the best idea to be out alone should something happen. My family knew I was out caching, but not exactly where, and my cell phone had no service, like many areas of the park. Since then, I always cache with someone else (I drag my dad all over the place). While caching together, we ran into another, much smaller rattler near Cats Elbow in the northern park of the park. The snake was more interested in getting away from us, but it still pays to have a buddy and be aware because there are venemous snakes out there.

Thanks to everyone for the cache suggestions. I dont know how many we will get to find, but hopefully at least a few, and I have some bugs and a coin to drop off. -tadpole379

Our trip is going to be almost two weeks, and we have hotel reservations in Vegas, Springdale UT, Escalante, Moab, and Jackson WY. We are planning to see the Grand Canyon from the north rim, not from the south. We will be renting a car, hopefully one that is 4wd that we can take offroad. Unfortunately not everyone in my family loves geocaching as much as I do, so I would probably like to stick with caches that are either regular caches and virtuals in the parks that won't take more that a couple of hours to get. We only plan on finding maybe a handful of caches because we will be busy on the trip, but any suggestions you can offer are much appreciated. Thanks! -tadpole379

I am from New York, and my family and I will be coming to southern Utah for a vacation in mid-July. We will be doing a circle of the national parks, starting from Las Vegas. We are planning to visit the Grand Canyon in AZ, Zion, Escalante, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, and then Yellowstone in WY. Are there any must do caches or hikes anywhere along our route that we shouldn't miss? Thanks! -tadpole379

Thanks...

Help! I lost my GPS on the Ramapo Dunderburg trail (white with a red dot) which is off Rt 106 near Black Rock Lookout. I was coming back from the Box of Rain and Keep on Hiking caches on Wed the 4th of May. It was a black and tan meridian gold Magellan and it was new! I lost it somewhere between the parking lot and just before the lookout. I went back to the trail on Thursday and Friday to look for it, but couldnt find it. If anyone is in the area, keep an eye out for it, or if someone has found it, please let me know! Post a note here or email me. Thanks! -tadpole379

There is a string of about 9 caches in Rockland Lake and along Hook mountain. I have found them all except for Buckaneer's Retreat, which I didn't find because I ran out of time and had to go to work. The caches are mostly right off the long path and are pretty close together. Hesiod, Just Because, City Hawks, Bucaneers Retreat, 3 kings Hook Mountain, and Just a Buck are all in a line off the long path. You can park at Rockland Lake up the hill by the firehouse or on 9W there is a trailhead just after a gas station at a traffic light heading north from Nyack. Up the River and the Rocky Hudson Cache are on the River trail which you can get to by parking at Nyack beach State Park or also at Rockland Lake if you go down the road towards the river instead of taking the long path trail. Pipe Dreams and Just Another Pipe in the woods are on the north trail from the parking at Rockland Lake, though its probably easier to park at the Tilcon Training Center Road off 9W. If you want to get all the caches in one day you should give yourslef a few hours at least, especially cause there is still snow covering up the hiding spots.