EFLFT

Maybe in today's modern world this idea could be done with the online log. Provide a coloring book page they can print, color, scan and upload into their log. And instead of a DVD, put a youtube link in the description. There are several issues I think you'd run into with a coloring book in a cache: (1) Weather -- it's not always practical to sit and color at the time of the find; (2) Muggles -- hanging around longer at GZ may mean bringing too much attention to the cache; (3) Theft - The DVD and/or crayons and/or coloring book will probably disappear. I also like the idea above about adding these activities to a travel bug instead of a cache; that gives you the flexibility to take it home and do the activities there! Another idea would be to make those creativity-inspiring items your swag that kids can take home. There are many party-supply type websites that sell mini coloring books or crayon sets or other type items in bulk at small prices and in small sizes that would make great swag to give out in caches. I may have to start doing that myself, as I do love the idea of inspiring kids to put their creativity to use!

I think the OP meant looking for already placed caches. I would agree that placing a cache wouldn't be appropriate given that you won't be available to maintain it ongoing.

I recently got a Heys USA TravelMate Cross-Body Utility Bag (at an overstock type store for $15). It has tons of space, and several of the compartments are expandable depending on how much space you need at the time. It has many compartments with zippers and a water bottle holder. I have separate sections for supplies (hand sanitizer, flash light, batteries, gps, etc.), swag, repair kits (zip lock baggies, extra pencils, etc.), trackables, camera, etc. It's small enough I can carry it into a restaurant or something (when I have my camera and GPS in it and don't want to leave it in the car) and have it just look like a purse.

We went caching last year at ports in The Azores and France during our transatlantic cruise. It is a great way to get out and explore the city during your brief stop there. I bet you'll even find you aren't the only geocacher onboard! You can connect up in advance with others who will be on your same cruise at the bulletin board for Cruise Critic (there will be separate threads by cruise line, destination, and exact date of your cruise), and post there if you want to meet up with other geocachers during your cruise adventure! TIP: If you are going to foreign countries, I would suggest planning ahead including translating the description/hints if they are in another language. I would have been lost with descriptions in Portuguese and French if it wasn't for google translator I used at home before we left.

I'm waiting on the item to arrive to attach to my hubby's TB and then I'm shipping ours off. I am excited about participating in this, and we're each doing one as a little added family competition. Thanks for organizing!

I received my Oregon 450 yesterday (ordered on 11/26, but then it was delayed due to backorder) from GPSCity ... everything is great. I picked up some TB's and stickers and stuff too, and got everything exactly as ordered. I'd never heard of this site before it was mentioned here, but I had no issues and would gladly order from them again.

Well I don't think I'm in a good place to give a review right now, as all I've done is turn it on basically ... I haven't had an offroad GPS before, I've only had my nuvi and blackberry apps ... I can tell you this puppy is much more responsive already than both of those, and rugged. Seems great so far!

Thanks everyone for all the tips! I've got my screen protector on, batteries in, and updated the settings you guys suggested. Next to backup, update, and upload some caches! woohoo!! I did see REI sells a video tutorial for the 450 .. has anyone viewed it? Good? bad? too basic to bother? I've no doubt I'll figure out how to use it .. but I want to figure out how to use it most efficiently, so that's sort of the guide I'm looking for. Thanks again!

I don't know anything about this GPS, but it seems like a great deal .. not sure if it would be usable for actual geocaching, but I'd think it would at least be handy to get you close to where you're going while driving. Radio Shack has the Mio R403 4.3 inch GPS for 69.99 .. with coupon code it's only $19.99 (plus $6 shipping) Coupon Code: TODAYSHOW (case sensitive) http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=4233553

My Oregon 450 is on it's way, and I'm wondering what I need to know when I open the box .. what I should do first .. what I should learn most importantly before going out in the field and trying it out. The only GPS I've used before is my nuvi for the car and apps on my blackberry. Are there any good tutorials out there for setting up your Oregon 450 for the first time, and/or using it from a geocacher's perspective? Thanks in advance!

I toggle between both BlackStar and Geocache Navigator. The main difference for me is that I use Blackstar when I've planned ahead and have uploaded a pocket query. I use Geocache Navigator when I want to on-the-fly search for a nearby cache. GeoNav LIKES: You don't have to plan ahead, you can search on the fly, and it's quick to search. You can see the hints, the recent logs, the description, etc. You can look at it on a radar view, compass view, or map view (where you can select background of terrain, street map, or satellite). You can log it as found or not found directly from the app, and it goes to your field notes to easily add logs later. DISLIKES: You can't filter the finds much, and you can't save the filters you can set. I want to eliminate all micros, for example .. or search by a specific size. The results are limited to the closest 10-25 caches, so when you can't eliminate things you don't want, sometimes those things will take up the whole search results. Blackstar LIKES: You can use pocket queries and see lists of exactly the caches you want to include in the filter. You can view multiple caches on a map at one time (using the blackberry map not google map) Oh .. and it's FREE! You can save multiple different pocket queries .. and then whenever you want to see a different list, you clear the current one and import the next one. This lets me better organize my query results to meet what I'm currently looking for. DISLIKES: Unless you've planned ahead with a pocket query, it's hard and slow to search, because it basically just gives you a web link to geocaching.com to search for nearby. The maps also just seem to send a link to the external application, which makes it slower and (at least it seems to me like it) hogs more blackberry bandwidth/cache/memory (again, not scientifically proven, just what it feels like to me).

Backordered for me, as well. I wish it had any sort of estimated date, but it doesn't. I'm sure it will be fine, I'm just a bit impatient. If anyone hears of this type of deal in stock somewhere, please let us know .. I assume we can cancel while it's on backorder.

I'm not sure if I love you guys or hate you (well, my budget anyway) ... but I'm excited to say I just ordered an Oregon 450 on gpscity.com Also, they have some geocaching supplies and coupon code for 10% of off them (doesn't work on the GPS, though) while you're there: GUBF10GEO Thanks for sharing the great deal!

An pretty owl oversaw my geocaching hunting today, laughing at me as I kept walking past the cache several times without realizing it. I put a couple of additional pics in my log for the find.

Thanks! I think I can definitely make 5000 cache storage work. 1000 was a bit more challenging if I wanted to have lists all over the city. And sounds like I definitely want the paperless caching option to be a built-in feature instead of having to use macros to try to achieve what I need. Thanks again!

I'm trying to decide what GPS I want (and yes, I've read all the reviews already, which has in some ways just confused me more!). I want it almost exclusively for geocaching. I want something that is accurate, easy to use, easy to maintain cache lists. I currently use my blackberry and geonav or blackstar apps. I like having aerial view available in addition to street view, but I want something that won't break the first time I trip in the mud. I would also really like to be able to view a bunch of caches on one map, so I can see which one to head for next instead of going around in circles based on the GPS's next closest. I'm considering the Oregon 450 (or 550?) or the Mag Explorer 610. I'm open to other suggestions, as well. I want something that is going to last a few years, something that isn't on the verge of extinct technology, etc. So here are my questions: 1. Does "supports paperless caching" actually matter ... versus using GSAK macros to upload the caches? (like I do now with my auto nuvi) 2. Most of them say they hold a max of 1000 caches ... is that the actual max total? What if it offers a memory card expansion, can I hold more? I like to run a lot of queries and have the data stored and available so I don't have to plan every little adventure right before. I saw the Mag Explorer 610 holds 10k versus the Oregon 1k ... so I'd like to understand if that is a "real" stat or if it can hold more. 3. Does lifetime map subscription for Garmin work between multiple GPS units owned by the same person? Thanks in advance! Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm really struggling to decide between the eXplorist 610 and the Garmin Oregon 450 (or 550) .... one of the things that caught my eye was that the explorist holds 10k caches .... what I read on the Oregon is only 1000?? is that true?? I want this almost exclusively for geocaching, and I don't want to have to plan every outing by updating small batches of caches, I'd like to have a big selection already saved in the memory. Also, do either or both of them allow you to filter the list of geocaches you have saved? For example, if I want to only see size=small, can I do that from within either GPS, or do I have to sort it in GSAK before I upload it? Can you save off the GPX files on the memory card and load/unload them as you need to? I've done that on my blackberry .. where I have several queries saved, and only load the one for what I'm looking for. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give .. I have read all the reviews and done lots of research, but it has seemed to be more confusing and every time I read another one I change my mind. lol Thanks!

And I don't either, but there's a big difference between a few standard DNF's and a bunch of screams for help from the CO that have had no response in months. Sorry if I made it sound like I was using NA for regular DNF's .... when I DNF, I assume it's me being a noob, not the cache being gone.

Let me clarify ... If I'm looking at the logs ... and the last 5+ are DNF, and say things like "found the wadded up log but no cache, and this appears to be a highly muggled area" .. or "area has been plowed down and covered in cement for new building, and this cache is definitely gone" .... or ones where the CO themselves have said "yes, this is gone, I will go out next week and put a new one in it's place" (post dated months/year ago) ..... You don't think it's ok to add an NA log without going out there yourself only to see the same exact thing? I am not just doing it for things that a few people had trouble finding. However, in some of those cases if nobody has been able to find it after many finds, I am sometimes putting in a Needs Maintenance log asking the owner to check on it. I'm not talking about level 5 difficulty ones here. If there's a level 1.5 difficulty, and 7 long-time cachers haven't found it and their logs make it sound like it's not there, it needs to be checked on. Also, if someone put in a needs maintenance a year ago, and there are still DNF's only, and the CO STILL hasn't posted an update to confirm it's ok .... that is not being properly maintained and needs attention. I am NOT putting NA for things where the last few people tried half-heartedly and didn't find it. There is a clear difference in logs between a couple of people DNF and a bunch of veterans declaring this one dead. None of us need to waste our timing going after caches that plenty of geocachers before us have already declared to be dead just because some CO's aren't maintaining their postings and getting dead caches out of active searches. I appreciate CO's endlessly, without them of course, we'd have no game. But if you aren't going to check on your cache or even acknowledge needs maintenance posts or endless DNF logs (and I"m talking about ignoring them for months/year(s), not hours/days/weeks), then you don't have time to be a CO and should leave it for someone else.

Ok so at least I'm not alone. And yes I have learned to not be so quick on the NA post for 4-5 star difficulty ones (I wasn't paying attention to that and learned I need to from a nice reply from a CO). And yes, I'm putting some NA posts out there based on other logs, I'm not wasting my time going out to look for something that the last 5+ people (who have more experience than me, anyway) already said is missing. I just want it to be marked inactive at least so it stops showing up on new searches I run for active caches.

Yeah it feels extreme, but it gets results when maintenance requests often don't ... Submitting the request doesn't actually archive it ... it notifies the CO and moderator and lets them review the situation. Usually the moderator marks it temporarily inactive and gives the CO a week or two to provide an update before it is archived. I also assume that if a cache is archived and turns out to be in error, it could be un-done by the moderator?? Queries (at least in Portland), already show up with a gazillion caches on the list (not complaining about that!!!! it's awesome!!!!) and it's hard to keep track of it all and sort through it without also having to worry about whether or not it's really active or just not updated. Whenever I don't have time to check the logs, inevitably it's one of those that is missing, and it's so frustrating to have been trying to find it only to find out the last 5+ people already reported problems (and wasted the time looking for it themselves!). When I use tools at home like GSAK, I can easily see if it was found in the last 4 or not ... but on the road, I find it more challenging to dig through that info using geocache navigator or blackstar on my blackberry or using the gpx through my car garmin. If there's a better way to screen these out, I'd love to hear it!!!

So I have a question about submitting a "Needs Archived" log ... when is it ok to post and when is it not? I'm really frustrated with having to sort through logs before going after a cache in order to study it and make sure it's still active. if it's got a bunch of DNF's, then I'd hope the CO would go out and check on it and leave a note confirming that it's still there alive and well. If they don't, and more DNF's are posted, I don't want it showing up in my queries as something I can go hunt for. I've tried leaving Need Maintenance logs, but they are not often responded to .. and in fact among the DNF logs, there are usually some Need Maintenance logs already there. So I've been submitting Needs Archived logs. In when you make one of those, the CO and the moderator get on them quickly and action is taken, either to confirm they are still there or to mark it inactive. I've had one CO email me letting me know it's still there just very challenging, and so I deleted my Need Archive log .... Really, I just want to make sure the CO's are keeping their caches current so that others (and me) don't have more frustration going after caches only to find out they are long gone. So am I doing a major social no-no to take action via the Needs Archived log? It seems to me to be the only way to get action.

So *this* is what they meant about the chirp adding a new dimension to the game! You might want to up the difficulty rating on this one! lol

I setup the twitter update thing a few days ago when it was announced as being available again .. I wasn't sure if it would work for me, since it specified 2 specific devices/apps and I wasn't using them, but to my surprise, I have seen them start to come through while using my Blackberry and Geo Navigator app. Today, I found 11 caches, marked all as found on the app .. they all show up in my field notes ... but Twitter only got 3 of them, rather randomly. Not a big deal to me, I was just wondering if others are experiencing this inconsistency issue?

lol touche!