knowltonGeo

I have a Garmin etrex Legend Cx handheld GPS. Is there a way to select ALL geocache locations and delete them...start fresh? I have EasyGPS for Windows installed on my laptop. Can it do what I am wanting to do above?

I do understand what everyone is saying. My original question was IF I could view archived caches such that I could pocket query them (.LOC files). Which was answered. Thank you.

Thank you for clarifying. I think my concerns are -- I am planning to make this a several hour event -- going to each cache, repairing or replacing it as needed, then attempting to enable it. Worst case - I may have a cache too close to another cache? In which case I would go and remove MY cache and re-archive it.

I am not entirely clear on why activating an archived cache is such a big deal. Is it just the fact that another cache may have been placed there by another person?

Hi everyone. : ) I have a few geocaches I've hidden. Some are still up and running. Some have been archived due to my neglect. Tomorrow I want to go and visit each geocache and replace / repair as needed. But my Pocket Query seems to only want to list the ACTIVE caches. Is there a way to force it to list ALL caches I own, disabled or not?

Loved reading this just now. Adorable! My 12 year old son is Autistic, so he gets pretty much the same joy of discovery that your younger children get. A while ago he scored some "Glitter Glue" ... awesome. : )

I have had a very positive experience on here. Maybe I'm just too dumb to understand snarkiness or sarcasm when it is thrown my way. LOL. But you are correct in that rudeness and personal attacks do not need to be tolerated. Most of the folks I meet on here are polite and very personable. You get some sarcasm, but most of the time it is just poking a little fun at you. I think some people do get a little tired of answering the same questions over and over and OVER AGAIN. Sometimes it shows. I've noticed that at least one or two folks on here have very well prepared responses for beginners that cover the basics (start with larger caches, not micros; go for easier terrain; look for cache "trails" and other hints). I am surprised the FAQ is not updated more often than it is, or that folks are not pointed to it more often. Maybe they are and I am just up in the night. : ) Anyway, hopefully your post is taken as intended; something to think about and apply to ourselves if we realize we have been a little cross with newbies. Of which I am one.

I have been told that having new caches muggled is part of the game. Over time I have realized that certain locations don't work for caches. The reasons range from being poorly hidden to other factors that you just cannot account for. You are dealing with human beings. So all bets are off. : ) Although I can't prove it, sometimes other cachers are to blame, I'm sure. They may not hide it again properly. Or the cache may experience "drift" and not end-up being where you hid it when you check on it again. Eventually you will end-up with a few solid locations that will get lots of finds and require little maintenance, beyond the replacing of a log book on occasion. Still, I am sorry this has happened to you. The first few I lost were very difficult. Now it does not bother me (much).

It would seem that the game has evolved somewhat from it's beginnings. I always find it interesting that some activities take on a life of their own apart from what the founders intended. Like - people who are just interested in getting 30 caches per day. Did the founders ever imagine that would be possible? (I wonder what the most found in a day record is...) Or - that log entries would get smaller and smaller? Or that there would be permutations like multi-caches, puzzle caches and a host of other -cache derivatives! And yeah...I'm sure the convenience of the internet has also changed the original game dramatically from what was originally conveived. Not to mention the military. I am sure they are pleased as punch to find out we are using their billion dollar system to "find hidden tupperware in the woods". Thank you, Pentagon!

I found one log going back 7 years in a recent find. It was really neat to see some of the entries. Some folks had a lot to say!

Guess what - you are correct. I am really super sorry for wasting everyone's time. I wrote it down wrong in my notebook. I thought I had deleted it off my GPS device so I hadn't bothered looking. Turns out it was still there...and then I realized what I had done...I had missed a 2 in the sequence. Thank you! Tom

How do I find the reviewer?

If there is an effect, it will be negligible. By the time it comes to the small intestine where most of it is adsorbed, the water's temperature will have adjusted to your body somewhat and temperature is primarily important for adsorption of salt and other solubles. Water will move no matter what. Hmmm...interesting. So...cold water seems more refreshing and thirst quenching (I think most would agree) - but the body does not care? I guess once it is drunk...it begins to warm up anyway, since the body is around 98.6, right?

I cannot log my find: GC2RNK WARNING - spoilers below for any UTAH cachers... Says it is unpublished. But this cache was in my list of caches to find and I found it. This cache was muggled pretty badly. But even if the condition was reported, I should still be able to log my find, right? Is a moderator or someone able to tell me what is going on with this cache? When I opened the cache, the contents were soaking wet. The container had this thick chain around it so I could barely get it out of it's hiding spot and wrangle the thing open. I tore off a piece of dry paper and signed and dated this as a "new" log, then put everything back inside. I'd be surprised if my log entry survived the next rainstorm, though. Also inside the cache were coordinates to guide us to another location. We were able to find this second location, under a bridge, but the cache appeared to be muggled as well. Again we found the cache attached to a thick chain. But all that had survived was the lid. The container itself and the contents (if any) were no where to be found. It looked like there was a lot of thought put into this. I would like to see the original CO notified so the cache can receive the TLC and attention it desperately needs. Thanks! Tom

I just act like I have a right to be there. : ) Because I do. : ) It always makes me laugh when I think of one poster's recommendation to dress in a cape with a mustache, approach the cache with an exaggerated tip-toe, then laugh maniacally when you find the cache.

Thanks for the tip! I just want to second the several recommendations to take WATER with you. My 12 yr old son and I have been caught outside in pretty hot weather, far from our car with nothing to drink a few times. Not lost, not in any real danger, but ... miserable. : ( So if you anticipate being further from your car than a few hundred feet, take some water with you, especially in hot weather. [EDIT: Also surprising was how quickly water becomes warm and even hot when left in a car or even a backpack for a while. So, unless you enjoy drinking lukewarm / very warm water, you will need some way to keep it cool as well.] Is there a substantial difference to the body, as far as hydration, drinking very cold vs very warm water? Does anyone know? Just curious.

I am really impressed by the amount of work you put into this. Amazing!! I wish I lived close enough to search for it!

Do I like being barefoot? Sure! I think almost everyone does. Would I go geocaching barefoot? No. Is there a right answer? No. If you enjoy it and are careful, I guess it could be kinda nice. For me, there are just too many hurtful prickers on the ground. No matter how careful, I would miss seeing one, and I think the pain of it would sour the experience for the rest of the day. For me, I think I'll limit it to the grass on my lawn or at a park, or the sand at the beach. : ) But for those who enjoy it, please go ahead!

This one was interesting:

I am not sure what the appropriate forum is for "gee whiz this is neat" type stuff, but I came across this on you tube and thought I would share. I invite others to share links to videos or just tell your story about some of the most Evil / Clever Caches (of any size) that you have come across since your introduction to the obsession. : )

Also, you tube has tons of great videos on geocaching for beginners:

I've not read it, but here is one I found. Geocaching for Dummies No offense intended by the title...it's just what the series of books is called.

If it's a bad caching day as far as swag, take them out for ice cream before you head home. Nothing fancy, just a small vanilla cone at McDonald's or something. That way it ends on a positive note for them and they'll want to go next time. : )

There are a couple of schools of thought on this.... 1. Trench coat, fedora, and dark glasses. MP3 player with the Peter Gunn theme is optional. 2. Black ninja outfit complete with weapons. Blowgun darts also double as a nano log removal tool. 3. Fluorescent vest, hard hat, and clipboard ....no one questions the maintenance guy. All kidding aside, there are quite a few cachers who actually use #3 I was waiting for this as I began reading the replies. : ) Personally, I think the "exaggerated tip toe" is very effective. Nobody will think you strange as you sneak up on the cache... : ) Think Jim Carrey in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective":

Hi! Welcome to the obsession! It is normal for the coords to be off. What some people do is get to "ground zero" and then they begin searching in ever widening circles to make sure they cover every bit of ground and explore all possible hiding spots. This is a "brute force" search intended to find the cache through sheer methodical searching. Another strategy is to "think like a hider". Once you get to "ground zero", start looking around for spots where you think somebody would like to hide a cache. Are there stones or sticks or leaves or other ground cover that looks out of place? Often you will notice that the grass is undisturbed almost everywhere else except around where the cache is located. These "geo trails" can be useful. Take advantage of them! The name of the cache, the cache description, logs from previous finders and cache hints all can provide useful information to help you find the hidden cache. Keep in mind that the coords may be off. Plus, your coordinates may be off. The cache may be 100 feet from where "ground zero" is. Also, over a period of time, the cache may not be put back EXACTLY where it was hidden, resulting in cache "drift". On some occasions I simply stop walking and just stand there looking around carefully for a few minutes. The brain is an amazing information processing device. Sometimes it needs a few minutes to process all the information it has taken in. Then you will "feel inspired" to go back and look at a bush you passed by earlier, or inspect a log more closely. We know how to hunt and how to track instinctively, but our skills have atrophied due to modern life. Many caches will be CAMOUFLAGED to blend in with their surroundings. You can often look right at it several times and not see it. Some cache hiders are EEEEEEEEEvil! : ) If smaller caches prove too much of a challenge, then try larger sized caches for a while. Even experienced cachers with hundreds and even thousands of finds still have DNFs. It happens. It is part of the game. I hope some of this helps. Tom