hide & seekers

I've only had one case of PI (this summer while geocaching) but it was a bad one. I researched it a lot and found out what works for one person, doesn't always work for another. I used Caladryl to dry it up and then hydrocortisone cream to relieve itch. When the cream stopped working, GoldBond Medicated Lotion did the trick (I was kinda amazed by that). But. . . .all that was on top of a predisone shot and oral meds for 15 days with Benadryl at night. Oh yeah, the HOT showers were the best! Stopped the itch for hours. But a friend of mine says cold is the way to go (didn't do diddly squat for me). My PI was so bad in spots I have scars now.

ohmygosh, I didn't think there was any 5/5s in Indiana! I really don't think I'll ever try this one, but I enjoyed reading the logs.

Sometimes I post in the appropriate regional forum asking for caches in the XXX area. Sometimes people will post some or share their bookmarked list. I don't have a laptop or PDA so I have to research everything before I leave on a trip.

I bought mine off of eBay also, along with a holder that attaches to the windshield and also a carrying case with see-thru window in front.

Ohmygosh Patrick, what happened to you??? Zoe-dog says the last time she saw stitches like that was when she and her sister were in a fight.

MoreToll Road caches, recently listed. #1-2005 White Sox Great Lakes Interstate Tour #2-2005 White Sox Great Lakes Interstate Tour #3-2005 White Sox Great Lakes Interstate Tour

Patrick has once again tried to be the center of attention by trying to be our cache dog of the week at our new cache A Doggone Good Cache!. Because Zoe-dog thinks he's really cute (and because he has more finds than us!) we allowed it, but the real cache dog is Annie the Newf whose daddy was the FTF.

There's a new cache in my area that sounds pretty similiar. I haven't been able to check it out yet. Follow the Dots

I don't know what type of cache you're searching for, but as already mentioned make sure it's a 1/1 in difficulty and not a micro. Also, don't look for a relatively new one, make sure it's one with quite a few finds and also recent finds (so you know it really is there). I too rely on my GPS too much. My husband will say, duh, didn't you see the worn path leading right to that pile of sticks?? Now I don't think anyone mentioned this, but there's two ways to find your marked waypoint. My husband prefers to use the general map that shows him as the static point with the location moving around him. I prefer the "find waypoint" method that shows the statis waypoint and me moving towards it. With the second method, my GPS shows me how many feet away I am (in the upper right hand corner on mine), NOT the screen distance. I hope I'm not pointing out the obvious, but I only realized this recently. Depending on what screen you're on (20 ft, 30ft, etc) you make think you're "on top" of it but you're really not. Let us know when you find your first!

I visited a cache this summer and found a TB minus its tag. A week or so later, I was able to visit a different cache, pick the tag and reunite the two. Keep watching, maybe someone will log the tag again and you can pick it up like I did!

I've seen two similar travel bugs: Travel Cache (or Cache in a Cache) and Cache in a Cache

My "small" caches are about 2.5" x 2" Smallish TBs have fit in them. A geocoin fit great! I love finding small/tiny TBs just so I can leave them in another small cache.

You only hit one in Indiana though! (and it wasn't mine ) Better get in that truck and head south again!

I am not a caching widow! Instead, I have the "reluctant hubby" as I call him in my logs. Actually, he getting much better. He says he likes to cache when we're away on trips as something else to do. He likes it when caching is part of another planned activity, like a bike ride or trail riding on our dirt bikes. He just doesn't like to go out to geocache just for the heck of it. He's picked out the location of a new cache and has assisted me with a couple of other hides. He has his own travel bug, and we're planning a second one for him. He takes more of an interest that way. Husbands can be trained. . .it's just a slow process!

I hadn't checked before, but it looks like only one of your bugs is in Michigan right now and is in the hands of geopigs. Geopigs also moves a lot of bugs (and is friends with MaxB, I believe). Coincidentally, geopigs also is currently holding one of my bugs! At least your bugs are moving! Mine are still pretty new and have had (I think) a slow start.

Oh, forgot to say that I only started caching the spring so I only have spring and summer and now fall experience. Looking forward to winter caching too! I love winter hiking.

Hmmm, having lived in Indiana most my life, I was unaware that we only had one season! Temps in summer can get 90+ and temps in winter can go under zero. Best of everything! Maybe Kentuckians don't watch the national forecast on the Weather Channel. . .

A cacher who visited a cache after me really like a handmade item I left, one of my I (Heart) Geocaching bracelets. Pa liked my bracelet I haven't really found any "treasure" other than discovering a few spots I never knew existed (and isn't that part of the point?). My favorite swag item I traded for was a simple 99-cent flashlight from Walmart (shhh, don't tell the hubby, he HATES Walmart). I love it because it's small enough to fit in my purse and I can use it while searching in dark places.

I know people have done animal themed ones before so my idea is nothing new. . ..but I want to create a pet theme one where all the trade items (ideally and probably unrealistically!) will be pet toys and accessories. But I'd like people to tell their favorite pet story, something about their pet, how they got their pet, but somehow tie the the find into the pet. I'll allow shameless posting of pet photos too. I'm trying to figure out some sort of item I can stock it with. . .some sort of tag for the pet's collar. . .or for the cacher's keychain. "I'm a geo-pup." "I'm a geo-kitty." "I found XXX cache!" Stuff like that. Still researching custom dog-tags (ones I've found are too pricey). Thought about a photo keychain item (too big for a dog collar). I like crafts and cross-stitch so I don't mind at all if it's something I make. Any suggestions???

The biggest bug collector and mover, MaxB on the River, is in southwestern lower Michigan. Check out their stats sometime! If any of your bugs end up in their hands again, you can ask them to move it out of the state. They are close to Indiana and also seem to travel a lot.

I totally agree!! I recently posted a topic asking if anyone can mark a bug missing (answer: no, only the bug owner and cache owner). This past weekend I placed a bug in a cache which has a "phantom" travel bug. I'm afraid the cache will get ignored (it's not visited a lot) because people won't really think there's a bug in there. It was a great location and I loved it so I really wanted to leave the bug there. There's several missing bugs and coins in my area. I get tired of seeing the icons when the TB/coin really isn't there.

I own three recently released bugs and none of them have been in event caches. . .yet. I would prefer they wouldn't be. Just my opinion, but I rather see how many caches my bugs visit rather than be at an event where they may get logged 5, 10, 20 times without actually going anywhere. For me and my bugs, it's about how many caches and how many miles. . .not how many cachers.

My Zoe-dog doesn't care about the numbers, only the finds, so she doesn't have her own account (also too hard to type, she says!). But I give her credit in the log-book if she's with me. "Hide and Seekers with Zoe-dog." I'm thinking of a placing a new cache with our geocaching dogs in mind. Dog toys for trading items, etc.

I am also a paperful cacher. I don't have a PDA so that's out. I input my coordinates manually since I generally research caches while at work and print out sheets here too. I have high-speed internet at work but only dial-up at home. I can't connect the GPS to my work computer and simply never tried it at home. It might take to long to download with dial-up anyway. My husband doesn't like the screen littered with waypoints, so I have to input them, find them, and then delete them. I research caches for when we travel and print out the sheets because the husband likes to see them. It works for us. I'd like to be able to logs our finds online while we're traveling, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

I got a bad case of poison ivy in June while searching for a cache. I had to get a steroid shot and take oral steroids for 15 days after the stuff just kept getting worse and worse and worse. I have permanent scars from it. I stay away from any cache that notes that poison ivy is nearby. I'm waiting until the vegetation dies down, there's good hard frost and preferably snow, to go find a couple. I know the PI is still there, but figure my chances will greatly reduced in coming in contact with it. Coincidentally or not, now in my mid-30s I started seeing an allergist this year spring because of seasonal allergies. She warned that unless I tried to reduce my contact with certain allergens, my body could simply decide to be allergic to everything one day. Evidently I'm one of those people who get worse as they get older.