ZiaCache

We haven't noticed anybody dropping out - there's not very many of us out here (as you noticed on the texas forum!). This guy doesn't fit the description of anybody we know, but we are still working on it. We are pitching in to buy him a bus ticket to the Hill Country......

A west texas cacher reported confronting a person trying to steal a cache in Seminole, Texas on 9-27-03. The person fled, leaving some stuff from a cache that had gone missing earlier and a list of west Texas caches. Information on a west Texas geocache discussion group today (9-29-03, - www.texasgeocaching.com) indicated several caches from the thief's list are missing in the Midland-Odessa area. The thief fled when confronted, but this is no guarantee that he will do so if a cacher happens on him in the field again. For caching safety, we are posting the vehicle and personal description: Mid 90's very dark blue Dodge Ram 4wd pickup, possibly with NM license plates. The person is described as a white male, about 5'6", skinny with a blonde flattop. If you see this vehicle or person around any caches, please use caution and for your safety do not confront the person! This is a bummer day for geocachers in W TX and SE NM. Obviously, this person is not the random muggle that stumbles on a cache and takes it home. He had specific info downloaded from the geocaching site and was obviously targeting caches. We will post additional info as it becomes available. Jim KM5BS Team ZiaCache

A west texas cacher reported confronting a person trying to steal a cache in Seminole, Texas on 9-27-03. The person fled, leaving some stuff from a cache that had gone missing earlier and a list of west Texas caches. Information on a west Texas geocache discussion group today (9-29-03, - www.texasgeocaching.com) indicated several caches from the thief's list are missing in the Midland-Odessa area. The thief fled when confronted, but this is no guarantee that he will do so if a cacher happens on him in the field again. For caching safety, we are posting the vehicle and personal description: Mid 90's very dark blue Dodge Ram 4wd pickup, possibly with NM license plates. The person is described as a white male, about 5'6", skinny with a blonde flattop. If you see this vehicle or person around any caches, please use caution and for your safety do not confront the person! This is a bummer day for geocachers in W TX and SE NM. Obviously, this person is not the random muggle that stumbles on a cache and takes it home. He had specific info downloaded from the geocaching site and was obviously targeting caches. We will post additional info as it becomes available. Jim KM5BS Team ZiaCache

Geospotter forwarded us a request for help in obtaining the photos since we have a couple of nearby caches. Unfortunately, we will not be in the area until fall. However, we have posted an information note on both cache pages asking anyone headed for the caches to consider helping and directing them to this forum for further information. Hope that helps. Jim Team ZiaCache

I'm not using maps, just GPS. Some of the published coordinates on the NGS site (and now this site) are way off- some as much as 1/4 mile. I found one the other day by accident that NGS shows to be 12 miles from its actual location. Just about all of the ones we have found that were monumented in the 20's & 30's AND not reported since are quite some distance off. Probably early surveying errors. Many that have been recovered in the past several years are accurate - probably checked by GPS by the NGS recovery crew. That's why I suggested to print out the directions from the list or NGS - it can be way more accurate than the GPS for old marks. I never pay any attention to Topozone - it showed one of our caches about halfway down a 500' sheer cliff face! www.lostoutdoors.com mapmaker seems to be more accurate. Jim Team ZiaCache

Great Job on this new game. Thanks to Jeremy & Elias. Will posting a log on the benchmarking page also forward a recovery log to NGS?? We have been chasing these things for some time and also send a recovery log to NGS. After several weeks, it shows up on the NGS page for the particular PID. It also has a way to report problems with the mark (damaged, destroyed, etc). Thanks Jim Team ZiaCache

Thanks for setting this up, Jeremy & Elias. We have been chasing these things for several months since someone set up the NM Benchmark Recovery Cache page. By reading the text on the Benchmark pages from NGS, we found old ones along an abandoned highway - which led to a regular cache hidden along the route. We still have five to go to complete the old righ of way. Anyway, something we have found is that Benchmarks from the 20's & 30's are seldom near the published coordinates (at least in our area). Be prepared to search a considerable area - the worst was nearly a quarter mile off. Be sure and print out the descriptions - they are sometimes easier to follow than the coordinates. With a scarcity of regular caches in SE NM, benchmarking has been a great way to play. To get an idea of how folks have gotten involved, check out the NM Benchmark Recovery Cach Page: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=12355 Jim Team ZiaCache