halftrack guy

Greetings and salutations from West Texas! Yes, I've been away for a while, especially from caching. I've been absorbed in work and my 'it-might-get-done-this-year' puzzle. It was great seeing everyone at GW. I'm thinking about putting my puzzle through a test run here in TX, even though the mountains up here are laced with unexploded artillery shells from artillery training back during WW2. I've gotten rather overzealous with my puzzle, I will admit. It went from being a simple single-series one-level logic puzzle to an eight-series five-level codebook-encrypted multiple-value matrix puzzle that took me six months of work to get right. I'm pretty sure only TT and TPB could solve this one by themselves. And I still have to write the cobdebooks for each of the series. And I came up with a hide method that can only be described as smugly sadistic. Finally, I came up with a coin-based rank system for people who finish different series. I got really into it for a while, needless to say. Anyway, I am wanting to get my puzzle out there for people to start trying to solve. And working to get it closer to getting it done All that aside, how is everyone doing?

I was talking to my mom tonight, and heard Jim challenged her concerning four-wheel-drive vehicles. I would have thought you had learnt the error in this path after the Szar Foyo fiasco. Now, having seen what has been written here, I know Harmon has weighed in, and Cinnamon Rolls / PUD cake have been laid on the line. You know the power of the cinnamon roll! The PUD cake, while less powerful, is still a danger. She summoned 11 others just to prove you wrong concerning Szar Foyo ... just think what she'll be liable to do on a second challenge.

Bravo Zulu to all the SDGC who completed Szar Foyo last night! I'm proud that there are a few more good cachers who can say they conquered that beast of a cache. Well-done to you all!

And why is it so important to find a cache every day? Actually, no need to answer. We each have our little obsessions. Interesting question. Here's my answer to it. Kids -- There are still lots of parents getting into geocaching and they bring the young'uns along. And a lot of the young'uns aren't interesting in the finding. They want to explore the loot. True, these aren't high mileage cachers nor are they in in the majority but they are still present. Travel Bug and Coin Movers -- Not exactly trading swag but it's hard to drop off a TB in a micro. Me -- It's rare but occasionally I find something in a cache that interests me. So I try to have some trade goods for those rare events. Just a little bonus on top of the general fun of it. I don't have any problem with anyone who places micros (with certain exceptions.) But for the reasons above, I've begun place only caches that are at least large enough for a regular sized geocoin. TG is correct. It's the total experience that counts. If the cache is placed on an interesting place or on an interesting trail, I don't consider the cache to be ho-hum even if it's just a bison tube and log. Likewise, if it was an interesting puzzle that led to micro, then it's still interesting. The quintessential example of ho-hum is a altoids tin skirt lifter behind a Walmart. The location isn't interesting because there's 5000 more just like it. The hide isn't interesting because there's a 10000 more just like it and the container isn't interesting because there are 15000 more just like it. The cache page isn't interesting because well, you know... But change just one of those four elements to something offbeat or unusual and now it becomes interesting. And yes, I'll still log the ho-hum ones if they are convenient. But I won't go very far out of my way just to bag one. I drive right on by knowing that there's another cache that's more interesting not very far away. Sure can't argue with that! (And the cachers here are pretty awesome too...) I couldn't agree more. I don't think I've ever been on a great hike just to be disappointed at the size of the cache I found. Case in point: two summers ago, BnB and I went on a roadtrip up to the Bay Area. Along the way, we stopped in Lompoc, CA for a rest (Nice town). We had pre-scouted a truck trail in the area that ran up Figueroa Mtn. Most of them were simple bison tubes and ammo cans, but it was so beautiful up there that they were still fun. And, there were a few really unique pieces of swag in there that I grabbed. At the end, we took a picture at the gates of the famous Neverland Ranch. The caches were ordinary, but the placement made them extraordinary. Also, I might try to follow Jodis advice and break up my 'civilian death-trap' cache and turn it into a multiple-part puzzle series. I could break up my work that way and make it more cache-war-like of me. I remember learning how cache wars work from one of the best generals in SD from the MTRP War, which makes it a little more fun. Anyway, I have less brain strength for this stuff after class, now, so I might have to take a while to set her up.

Here is a joke my instructor told my class today, hope you enjoy it: One sunday at a local church, the pastor asked if anyone had anything to praise God for. Janice stood up ad thanked God that her husband, James, was now back from the hospital and recovering well. She hadn't told many people about it, so she decided to tell the congregation now. "We had been moving into our new house one day, and Jimmy needed help moving our old piano. Well, he and our neighbor were carrying it down the stairs when Jimmy slipped, and the piano landed on him. When we got to the emergency room, the doctors said his scrotum was terribly damaged, and they weren't sure if they could save it. Well, after a very long surgery, they told me they had been able to piece it back together, and that it would be back to new in a few weeks. At first, Jimmy was in terrible pain, he couldn't talk or even open his eyes. It was awful. But, with some medication and therapy, he was back to himself again and just as happy as ever. Thank God that he is better, now." With that, Janice sat down and her husband stood up. He tried to speak, but the auditorium thundered into applause at his apparent recovery. He blushed and looked at his feet. Finally, when it grew quiet again, the pastor asked him what he wanted to say. Jimmy looked up, clenched his jaw, and muttered these words through his teeth: "Thank you very much. But, I must correct my wife ... the word is sternum."

Wasn't me ... Try SKILLET if you need a name ... he knows everyone out there. And last I checked, there weren't a whole lot of caches out there since ABSP went nunu about caches. It does sound like a fun hike though. Eight miles, cactus, hot as hell and twice as dry, coyotes, dirt in every crevice you thought you knew about (and a few you didn't), with the occasional steaming hot slab of asphalt to cross. Sounds like paradise!

Ok there soldier boy...slow down with the plans to kill all the civilians in San Diego. Why don't you start small...like with an Army green micro and work your way up to the all night adventure that Jim KWVERS! will have to lead. We're not all youngsters like you ya know. PS...El Cajon Mt might still have a few blank holes Time to lose weight...Oh Dear!!! Oh My!!! Last night, I was having a "flashback" of sorts ... all this Army stuff is getting to me, I think. Anyway ... so I was remembering back to the Otay Mtn. Truck Trail run many of us did awhile back. I think that outing might have something to do with halftrack guys present cache ideas. Yep, I remembered a moment when I was running to a cache and POLAR BEAR came running up to catch me - then gave me one of those football shoves you see those NFL players do. Mhmm, halftrack guy saw that ... his poor poor mother getting roughed up. Uh huh! Next thing I know, he's enlisted in the US Army ... then military intelligence. Yikes! Now he's thinking up all kinda of wild things to do, and it's all PB's fault (if ya ask me ). We're ALL gonna die!!!! Hmmm, what to do ... what to do. boysnbarrie Oh, btw ... I'm baby sitting at TIM's house Bring it on, I'll recurit Chuy, Duncan, and Triple Crown and we'll get er done. Well okay then!

Thanks for the tips and cache suggestions. I'll give y'all a little peek, but not much of one. First, the coords will bring you to the actual puzzle (yes, a physical puzzle). You'll retrieve the puzzle (first challenge) and solve it (second challenge). Next, you will head out into the boonies of East San Diego County (area TBD) and start at the trailhead coords (encrypted in the puzzle). As you head down the trail, you will have a few challenges to solve which will require a good degree of intestinal fortitude and a good head to complete. You will need at least one person skilled in climbing gear and safety, for your own safety (TheHikingMonk is one I know of). But, the trail itself will be hard enough. I am considering making this into an overnight cache, with a pre-built bivouac site for weary cachers near GZ. I'll try to make it comfy, but do pack light. This will not be a trail for lone cacher. The hunt itself will require teams, that's an order. And, to make it a little better, I'm thinking about placing it in the Viejas Mountain area, unless it's too full of caches for mine and all I plan to fill the trail with. Always Out Front! HTG

I can't seem to find this cache's page now, but wasn't there a 5/5 that required SCUBA gear, in a decommissioned Canadian Navy ship that was deliberately sunk near here as a fish reef and diving destination? I don't know if that qualifies as part of SD county, though. That Cache has been archived here is a link to the Cache page I mean an active cache. I am interested in finding a cache to measure against, to set the new standard for insanity among the SD Geocachers. i do want to include water activities in the hide, trust me. And mountains. And a good nature hike. It'll be fun! Heck, I might even lead the first expedition to find the cache. Kwvers! already know, so I'd have to keep Jim on a leash, and BnB knows. But, the first expedition will only be comprised of those who solve the associated puzzle. And with my training, y'all are gonna have some fun with that.

I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a cache in SD that would be considered the 'County Toughest'. Being in the Army has given me some abilities that, coupled with a few other things, could make for one doozy of a cache. Tomb Raider comes to mind, I've heard cachers talk about that one like it's a ghost. And TBP's Tecolote Canyon Caches deserve mention. And there's Sazr Foyo in Chula Vista, that one was incredibly hard to get to. I'm working on a pretty massive puzzle right now, just getting the outline done currently. If I can make it through Ranger School this summer and have the puzzle finished, I'll make y'all one worth going out for. Oh, and it'll be a team effort.

Now THAT'S funny!

how'd I do that?

Hello San Diego Geocachers! boysnbarrie and I will be doing a few caches in the Border Field State Park area, with a focus of getting GC12BHH, on Saturday the 19th. We'll be meeting up at the Starbucks off the intersection of Palm & Saturn at around o'dark-thirty (just kidding, more like 0600). We'll pack a lunch, the park is pretty well seeded with caches, and there is a nice rest area to the west on the beach that would be great for the end of the trip, if you want to join us there for lunch (there's a cache there, too!). The hike will vary from two-star to four-star terrain, so be careful how you pack and who comes with. After lunch, we'll see what else is leftin the park, and go from there. See ya'll on Saturday!

Wait a second ... couldn't he ask for a helicopter to lower you onto the cache? Sorta James-Bond Style? I'm sure they could call it 'training' ...

They might give you DNF's, but it's only a matter of time till that all ends. I used to DNF the same series in my neighborhood for months. Then, with a simple hint, it all finally made sense. I nearly swore to never go back to one, and then I figured it out.

I might be up for some trolley caching. Depends on when it starts and where, though.

I might be up for some trolley caching. Depends on when it starts and where, though.

Well, it does seem pretty jacked-up that this person is just messing with a cache. Personally, I would go for the 'shoot first, questions later' approach. But, it might help to get a list of photographs of local cachers, to keep from shooting one of our own. In all seriousness, it would help to just watch and see if any other caches get this treatment, and then decided on a course of action. This could have been a one-time prank by a kid. Or it could be a malicious attack on geocaching. If other caches remain in good shape,then it's probably somebody who happened to see the cache and wanted to take out their frustrations on someone they didn't have to face.

I've been thinking about setting up an earthcache in my area (Southbay San Diego), but have a feeling that there is a little more to the cache than just setting it up. Does anyone out there have any suggestions on earthcache setup and maintenance? I have done a few here in SD, so I do get the concept behind an earthcache.

Hello all. I have cached in Anza-Borrego with many of you here in SoCal. I enjoyed my experience, and was careful to respect the park and the locations I was in. The only time I moved/handled anything was to move a rock atop a cache. I made sure to respect the plants and animals in the park, and to leave no trace of my passage through. During my visit to the park, I saw beer cans and other evidence of other people who had gone before me who were not so respectful of the land. The purpose of this thread is to see how many cachers have visited the park and been conscientious of their surroundings. Whenever I go out with people I am introducing to the sport, I make sure to remind them to respect the area we are in at the time. I know other cachers who do the same. Let's disprove the theory that this misguided gentleman has produced that geocachers are destructive to our surroundings.