Borbus

I have noticed more and more that people are using Google Earth to "correct" their GPS coordinates or not even using GPS at all. I know for a fact that Google Earth is offset from GPS by a constant amount in many areas, so this leads to every GPS coordinate being off by a quite considerable distance. I became suspicious when the markers would just look too good on the maps on the cache pages, but I have heard from people now that this is in fact what cache owners are doing. I think this is a terrible practice and should be against the rules if it is not already. For geocaching we should need nothing more than a GPS while out in the wild and, while I like using maps and satellite imagery, they should not be a requirement for this activity. I have been telling people not to do this and to use a good accurate GPS (not an iPhone) and hope the word might get around but I don't think it is enough. I think Groundspeak need to make this issue much more clear for potential COs. Thoughts?

I first heard about it from my mother who actually found a cache by accident as a muggles! That was about 6 years ago. I didn't look it up at that time and forgot about it completely until late last year. I'm not sure what made me remember about it, but I suddenly thought that it sounded like great fun. I looked up caches near me on here and was surprised to find hundreds within biking distance, including one just down the road. Went out to find that one that evening but unfortunately a DNF. Ordered GPS straight away afterwards. The next day before the GPS turned up I made a find based on guessing the location from Google maps and the cache description. Then the GPS turned up and I was hooked.

I have taken my dog Geocaching. She's a lab-collie cross and got very impatient while we were searching for the cache at GZ. That's the border collie side coming out. But when we took her on a massive 6 hour long session she got a bit worn out and by the end was too tired to run any longer. That's the labrador side then, I guess!

I read this thread yesterday and today happened to find my first micro with swag in it. The container was a specimen tube which could just hold the log but someone had managed to get a marble, a penny and two tic-tacs into it! It was quite annoying to have to remove these random items. I actually chucked the tic-tacs to be kind to future cachers as I can imagine them melting all over the log. I've never even traded any swag while doing geocaching. But I can understand why some people like it. Just seems very silly to put things like that in a micro.

I think you're going to have to lower your price considerably since you can get this unit for $199.99 brand new from Amazon.com now...

I don't like them when there could be a normal sized cache in the same area. But they're a lot better for urban caches. The magnetic nanos can be searched for and retrieved very discreetly and then even the log can be filled in discreetly. In fact, I would go as far to say that I don't like larger caches in urban areas with too many muggles. But I prefer caching in the countryside and you can't beat a good hide and a nice big container.

In my bag I have pens and pencils, spare eneloop batteries for my GPSr and camera, my camera and water. The only other thing I carry is, of course, my GPSr. I plan to add things like spare plastic bags and stuff for cache maintenance in the future, though. I don't carry a mobile phone or radio or anything with me when I'm out. I like it that way. Doesn't feel like I'm really "out" if I'm carrying a phone.

I have been caching in the winter. The snow does make it a bit harder sometimes and this has resulted in some DNFs. I have noticed quite a bit less activity overall, though. I think it's probably more to do with the shorter days than the weather, though.

I currently use velomap for my Garmin. How do these maps compare to the velomap/mtbmaps?

GNU/Linux user here. I use QTLandkarte GT to upload and download caches, tracks etc. to/from my Garmin eTrex Legend HCx. It works quite well. I also used it with my netbook on the train in "live log" mode which is quite good.