TeamMJ2

I'm looking forward to the day I can visit the UK and log this TB!

Too fun! If I can help, I'd love to get a picture with it in front of Target Field, home of the MN Twins!

Panda Inc, what awesome success! You should figure out how to bottle that mojo and sell it! I love those ideas that involve connecting a TB to a physical location or person. My next TB waiting for me when I get back to the states will start a mission to meet and get a photo with Chris and Martin Kratts, my kids LOVE them. Way to go J Grouchy, I think I'll have to watch those TBs and to see how they do and maybe I'll try it here in my home state.

That's a cool twist. Do you have any certain criteria you're looking for in the photos? What sort of TB, i.e. will it be personalized in any way? How long to do you let the contest go?

That's a pretty fun idea. I think I would put just a little twist n it and make it a key that opens a specific cache. I think I would need to attach a request to the TB that stats the key should stay within a certain distance of the cache and I might need to have some other requests guidelines like requesting the key is put in a different cache within a week or something. Oh, and definitely have a backup key or two for when (not if) it eventually goes missing. Can anyone think of any rules this idea would break? I'm actually in Cambodia on a trip with my church and we visited Angkor Wat. I released a TB attached to a MN quarter with the simple goal of traveling the world and hopefully making it back to me in one year. In the meantime I'm going to buy a world map, some string, and push pins. My preschooler and I will connect string to every new location (major province or state) as a way of introducing him to geography.

I had a similar thought for a future TB mission. The biggest difference was that I thought it would be fun to act it out in video format. Each person would create a video comment and add the next portion of the story using the same characters that we started with, and main thread of a plot. That's really cool. Yeah, I don't think I would mind at all if my TB or coin never made it to its mission, but had adventures like that! I noticed that most of the places your TB's have been to have major military bases... That would be a pretty cool mission. Make it to as many military bases as possible, including over seas. I think that is one of the smartest ideas I've ever heard when it comes to trying to keep TB's moving. It's a nice way to remind people to get them on their way, without sounding too much like, "Hey! I'm watching you!"

I totally agree! If I'm going to spend $5 (or $6, if you buy the new tags) with the knowledge there's a better than good chance I'll never see it again, I want to at least try and for a mission that's worthy of my "investment."

Great idea! Good luck racing your coin, I think that sounds super fun! How cool would it be if you could somehow get someone to take a picture of the coin with Bennedict Cumberbatch, who plays the great detective in the relatively new BBC TV mini-series "Sherlock". If you haven't seen the show, it's a MUST!

Great ideas! I like your creative themes, especially 'my precious'. I wonder how many TB's actually accomplish their missions? Any ideas out there? Also, how about the most creative/difficult mission accomplished? Anyone with a cool story?

I thought I would start a discussion dedicated to discussing some of the fun, creative, or just unique ideas you've used, are thinking of using, or come across. This has likely been a discussion (if not I'd be shocked) but since I couldn't find it, here we go. Good ideas I've found: 1) a small adolescent book (about 200 pages or less) with a hole drilled clear through to attach the bug. The idea was to read it yourself or with a kid and then post comments of it on the TB page. Sorta like a virtual book club. Good Idea (maybe) I've not tried. 1). Send out a TB with a QR code printed on a short mission description. QR code takes you to YouTube or Vimeo link where you can leave a video comment of your favorite geocaching experience or something. Feel free to steal this idea and let me know how it works Fun idea I've tried 1). Sent a TB attached to a small magnet of my family crest. Mission: make it to a cache in the county of Ireland my ancestors are from and and make it back to me. Unfortunately, the first person to find it was a new cacher who didn't know what to do with it and lost it. But I plan on trying again. How about you?

Am I missing something, or is there a way to get favorite point info in my PQ? I use GSAK to load PQ, so maybe it's a problem with GSAK, or does the PQ file simply not include the favorites point information?

I currently use a first gen. ETrex which, on a good day, as an EPE of about 20' and seldom gets me closer than 50 feet from GZ. I also use my Palm Pre to get cache info, but don't usually use the compass mode on it because although its accuracy is great when I can get a gps fix, I often can't get a gps fix. I am in the market for a paperless gps'r in the $300 range (probably a refurb or used) or possibly a non-paperless gps'r if I can find a good app for my Palm Pre that can save cache information on the phone, instead of accessing gc.com. My first question is what paperless gps'r in that price range has worked well. I def. don't want to have to buy extra maps (although I like the idea of being able to download free ones) and I'm not sure I care about buttons or touch screen. I need something that works well under tree cover as I'm often in densely forested areas. I like what I see, so far, about the Oregon 450 and 62s but I'm wondering if anyone has used both and how they would compare the two. What are the significant strengths and weaknesses when it comes to actual geocaching. Or maybe there are other devices I should consider? My second question is about using the Palm Pre. Has anyone found a good app that allows you to save cache info so that you can access it offline, like when I don't have cell or internet access?

After reading through dozens of forum posts, my eyes are bugging out of my head and I still feel just as in the dark as I did before my retinas burned up. I thought I'd just ask what I'm trying to figure out and hope someone(s) can shed some light on all this for me. I currently use a combination of my Palm Pre and an old, first generation, Garmin Etrex. My Etrex is frustratingly inaccurate, and although it has helped me to develop a keen geosense. I'm ready to get something more up to date and with higher sensitivity. I'm also interested in getting a paperless GPS'r. I currently use my Palm Pre to download cache information, look up caches in a certain area, and other "paperless" GC tasks. The problem is that it usually has no idea where I'm at, and is mostly useless in finding geocaches and using the "find nearest cache" search. It does work great to be able to look up logs, hints, and other info, but I have to have cell coverage, and ideally 3G coverage. As far as budget: i don't want to spend a dime over $300. I'm totally fine with buying used/refurbished etc... to do it too. My first question is: Given my budget, am I better off buying a higher end, non-paperless GPS'r and keep using my Palm for the cache info? If so, I would need to know if anyone knows of an app that would work on the Palm Pre that would allow me to save cache information on the phone, as opposed to accessing it from the GC.com site as the current mainstream Palm app does? My second question: if I'm going to get a paperless GPS'r (as I'm leaning toward now) what's going to be the best bang for my buck? I don't think I need a lot of bells and whistles as I only use my GPS'r for geocaching, although I wouldn't rule out ever using it for other stuff, if I could. I don't want to have to buy extra maps, but I don't mind having to download free ones. The main thing in a paperless receiver for me is to be able to look at hints, at least the last couple logs, and basic cache info. I realize everyone has their own tastes and likes, but I'd love to know your suggestions for me and your reasons for it. Please, for my sake, keep any responses relatively non "techy". Thanks!

Thought I would add my own tip. This definitely isn't for everyone, but if you're a bit OCD like myself, its fun and can actually work. I bring a tape measure with me and if I get really stumped on finding a cache, I've double checked where GZ should be and then either used the tape measure or just paced off about 25 feet to the N., S., E., W. I use a stick or something to mark the points, and then I have a visual, more or less, of my search radius. I then start at the perimeter of the search radius and work around in a circle bringing it it closer and closer with each rotation to the GZ. This was especially helpful in huge meadow I was looking in where the cache was a micro and could have been ANYWHERE. Yes, I did find it. :-) Hey, I warned you, I'm a bit on the OCD side.

Hey, it doesn't take a newbie to do that one.... Three years of caching and one can still occasionally do it. I ended up having to contact the cacher who dropped it in the first cache to get them to dig up the right tracking code for me. The geocoin owner had been posted to that sandy area where they fight a lot and I didn't figure he'd taken the codes with him.... My advice, other than what's already been mentioned...take a look at some of the websites that sell caches to get an idea of what you will be hunting for out there. Oh, and if you possibly can, go caching with someone more experienced a few times. Having a mentor can make all the difference in getting a good start in the hobby/sport or not! This is also really good. This bit of advice helped me find a pine cone cache just a few days ago. I would have never thought someone could do that! I also found a nano/micro cache just yesterday that super tricky. They put a Mike's Hard Lemonade cap on a nano tube and stuck it in the ground so that only the bottle cap was above ground.... Some people are just DEVIOUS! :-) I think I'll try one like it soon.

Or the specific spot your GPS is pointing. The cache could be 40,50 or more feet from where your GPS says it is. Our units are far from perfectly accurate. Also, mark the location of your car if you are entering the woods, swamp or other off the road areas. This has possibly been my biggest issue on the learning curve. Learning to put the gps down and start thinking like a cache owner in the radius of gz. Thanks.

As a new geocacher myself, I would like to know what some of the best pieces of advice or tips to finding caches you've picked up along the way are? If this topic is already been brought up somewhere, I didn't see it and apologize.

As a youth pastor and new geocacher I'm not sure how much weight my opinion has, but heck, here goes. Logistically, there doesn't seem to be a real definitive problem. On the cache page, you could just mention that you have permission for the cache to be on private property. You wouldn't even have to say that it's a church or hint at it. But in regards to leaving religious swag...i get sorta uneasy. As a proud, evangelical Christian I have no problem sharing by beliefs with others...when appropriate. However, I'm also painfully aware of the ultra and maybe even over sensitivity some people have toward religion and especially evangelical Christianity. Even though I think your motives are probably innocent and harmless, I would hate to see a bent out shape geocacher with an axe to grind leave some nasty note or log about your church or Christians in general on the cache site. I guess all I'm trying to say brother is be careful your actions don't needlessly offend people.

if airfare is included with lodging and meals, I'll gladly fly over and help set it up for you!

Maybe all the geocachers should make up a secret salute or hand signal to identify themselves.... or you could just walk up to the next guy you see staring blankly at a lamp post and say, "you too huh?"

lol...google "trail tack" instead of "fire tack" and all you get is horse stuff....

not sure if this will help, but as I've been reading a lot of these forums, I heard about someone borrowing gps units from a local college. If you have an REI store nearby, they used to have a ton of stuff you could either rent or just demo.

I own the same unit and spent a ton of time trying to figure out the same thing! I love my gpsr for its cheapness, but it sure isn't the most user friendly device.

As a new geocacher and one who often takes his 13 month old son with him....I'm definitely not in favor of "booby trapped" caches to the effect of sirens, startling loud noises and such. That said, all the ideas about lights, and funny sound effects when you open sound pretty cool. I would love to find one of these someday.

After 3 DNF's I had my first find a week ago and geocaching went from a "stupid hobby for people with too much time" to staying awake late at night reading through hundreds of forum posts so I can get better at this.