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Grumpster

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Posts posted by Grumpster

  1. After using the Invisible Shield for 3 years on my Dell Axim X50v it looks almost new with only a couple very slight scratches. I have no doubt that without the IS, my screen would have suffered MAJOR damage instead. Consider that I carry and use my PDA on a daily bases not only for my geocaching, but for EVERYTHING else as well. It gets way more use than a GPS would and still looks good. The egg shell texture does not affect the view of the screen at all.

     

    The only thing that I really noted when I first applied it was that my stylus doesn't slide as easily on the screen as without a protector at all. For the normal tapping this can be a advantage because it helps to prevent your stylus from sliding on the screen causing a unintended tap entry. On the other hand, if you use some type of hand writing recognition instead of the virtual keyboard, their is slightly more slide resistance with the IS than with no screen protector at all. This took me only a little to get used to and now I don't even notice it. I can best compare it to the difference between writing on a thick note tablet verses writing on a single sheet of paper on a hard surface such as a desk or glass. Yes, their is a difference in how easily your pen glides across the paper as you write, but it's not a problem.

  2. Thanks to Truck Lee for posting this on the GeoTruckers site. I have bookmarked it and will keep an eye our for it. If I get a load up in that area and it's truck accessible I'll make a point of picking it up and getting it back to you. I'll encourage our other members to do as well.

     

    Best of wishes to you.

  3. GeoTruckers.com membership is up to 390+ and their are well over 1300 caches listed on the site. All of the caches are submitted to the list by members and cache owners. The group support has been fantastic. They even have a number of club caches placed and the members help each other to take care of caches when they can. Without the members of GeoTruckers.com I'd hardly ever be able to cache while on the road.

  4. The vast majority of geocachers never surf these forums. Many truckers don't even know about GeoTruckers.com. We're always getting members that say that they found about the club from another trucking geocacher by word of mouth. As of now, we've got 393 members on our site and that's only scratching the surface. Theirs also a lot of RV'ers with large rigs that have similar problems finding caches that they can fit into during their travels.

     

    How many geocaching truck drivers are there out there? I don't know, but based on the membership of GeoTruckers, and the fact that many of the members found out about the site by word of mouth, I'd say their has to be THOUSANDS!!! How many thousands I don't know, but their are a bunch.

  5. It would be great if there was something like an attribute to work with the Geotrucker.com group. That way a seperate list wouldn't be as needed.

     

    I'm not sure how a attribute would be integrated with our site, but all of our truck/RV friendly caches, around 800 of them are in our bookmark file that you can find on our site. Also, 9Key had provided a geotruckers.com listing in his Selector (thanks 9Key)

     

    As mentioned by Neos, a truck friendly attribute most likely not work on GC simply because most people have never driven a 10-wheeler and don't really understand what it takes to maneuver one of those things or the legal restrictions that often interfere with their movement. That's where Geotruckers comes in. The membership is built of truckers, RV'ers and others that understand and support "size challenged" vehicles.

  6. The method that I've used to find caches that are along a freeway and truck'RV friendly for Geotruckers.com is very simple.

     

    Run a cache along route and filter is at you like. Import it into GSAK. Run any additional filtering that you'd like and export it into Delorme Street Atlas USA (my choice), or MS Streets and Trips and just look for the locations, exits etc that you like. The whole process only takes a few minutes and I can examine the entire 900 mile length of I-10 crossing Texas in very little time. Even quicker in any other state highway.

     

    To make things even easier I run GPS while I'm driving and can easily see all the caches along the way and stop when I want to and keep going if I choose knowing I'll see every cache along the way on my map.

  7. Thanks for getting this all started . Geotruckers.com has helped me continue caching since my new career change 6 mths ago. It's bookmarks has saved valuable time trying to find caches that an eighteen wheeler can visit and take a much needed break from the long day on the road.

     

    Almost all of our quotes have came from our members. We have a great group of people on our site. Last I looked there were around 800 caches in our list and growing. The coins have sold well and we're almost out of them. I'm glad that so many people have found the site useful. It has been a lot of fun doing the site and I have had the opportunity to actually meet a number of our members. I just got together with another member a few weeks ago for the evening and had a heck of a great time.

  8. The question has been asked a number of times what defines a "Truck Friendly" cache. The following is taken from the Geotruckers.com web site "What is a trucker friendly page. The requirements are very simple basic common since items based on safety and accessibility.

     

    Note: I am allowed to post this here because I'm the one that wrote it.

     

     

    What is a Truck friendly Cache?

     

    Simply put, a trucker friendly cache is a cache located within walking distance of a 70 foot parking place. Unfortunately, this is quite restrictive. Trucks are not usually welcome at mall parking lots or many other public places where you'd normally expect to park your car. We need lot's of room to park our trucks (or RV's), that's a safe location and a reasonable distance on foot. Following are a few simple requirements for a trucker friendly cache.

     

    1. Ample parking for an 18 wheeler. (Rest area's Truck stops, "safe" pull out's etc.) Freeway exit ramp's are not only not safe, but illegal in many areas

    2. A reasonable walking distance from the parking area.

    3. The walking path must be safe. A busy street or narrow road without a sidewalk or walking trail is probably not a good idea.

     

     

    Something to keep in mind. Just because you see a truck parked some place does not necessarily been that "any" truck can park there. It may be a trucking company, a warehouse or some other business that only allows trucks to park there on business. If in doubt, ask the owners.

     

    Also, dropping your trailer is not a good idea. Although some drivers do this, it can get you fired from most companies if your caught, and you risk the trailer and load getting stolen.

     

    With a little effort and common since Geocaching can be available and safe to truckers and RV'ers

     

    Happy GeoTruckCaching. :)

  9. I'm surprised that the 3 cops haven't mentioned one thing that is obvious to me. Even IF you were able to obtain unquestionable air tight evidence of this clown taking a cache, it's only one cache. That's all he could be prosecuted for assuming you could get it into court to begin with. You have no way of connecting him to the other stolen caches. My bet is that all of the other cache owners haven't kept his little note. Assuming that a few of them have kept the note (the only evidence connecting the thefts) then you would have to have a hand writing expert analyze the writing to testify in court that it was written by the same person. He'd obviously have his own expert to say otherwise. His defense (assuming that he accepts that the evidence has him dead to rights) is that he simply committed a copy-cat crime. He'd most likely win on that issue and the case would come down to the one single stolen cache with airtight evidence.

     

    As for the debate on rather or not he's "legally" stealing the cache. If a "reasonable" person, unaware of the game were to find a container in the woods, they would have no reason to think it other than abandoned. (Most of the caches I've done did not have the paper in it explaining the purpose of the container.) However, if a person who was well aware of the game were to take the container, then they are full aware of it's purpose, it's listing on the site, the game guidelines etc, and would be knowingly taking something that they knew was owned by someone and placed there for a purpose and that the owner would be likely to return to the cache for normal maintenance etc.

     

    In a nutshell, if you have reason to believe that something has been abandoned and would not likely be retrieved by the owner, AND had no reasonable means of returning it to the owner (that kills the wallet argument) then it's not theft. If you know with reasonable certainty that the owner placed it there intentionally and would be likely to return to it, then it is theft.

     

    As a cross-country truck driver with well over 2 million miles under my belt and over 25 years in the business I can testify to this much. I have taken a look at a number of the caches on the map near the beginning of this thread, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that a truck could not be parked any where near many of these areas. Remember that I'd have to walk from where I park. That seriously limits how far I can go. I can also tell you that the reason that my find number is as low as it is, is simply because I just don't have the time to cache, and I have MUCH more time than a local or regional driver does. Between shippers thinking that I have all day to sit in their dadgum docks and still drive 700 miles, the fact that I've got a log book and all it's federal regulations to deal with, never mind the need to get my day's drive over as fast as I can in hopes of finding a parking space that is nearly impossible within a few hours of sunset in that part of the country, I don't have time to cache. Why do trucks park on exit ramps? NO PLACE TO PARK A 70-FOOT TRUCK! = no place to go to the bathroom, eat, shower or anything else. I'd rather find a proper parking space than find some dadgum cache.

     

     

    As for Neos2 being insulted. If the accusation were that a black man must be behind it with no logical reason given, then I'd think that most black people would be offended. Same goes true if the accusation was loged against a motorcycle with no substantiated reason. To justify the statement that a truck driver must be responsible by saying that many of the stolen caches occurred near highways is OBSURD! THAT'S THERE MOST OF THE TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE ARE!

     

    To say that this is a person with time on his hands, obvious. To say that this person drives a vehicle that is capable of getting off the major roads and parking in small spaces, just as obvious if you take the time to think about it. Now, how in the heck could that possibly be a truck?

     

    I'm sure I'll get flamed for the last couple of paragraphs, but I'm only stating the obvious. I'll most likely get flamed for what I'm about to say as well, but again, it's how I see it.

     

    After well over 100 thefts I don't see him getting bored with it. This is the thrill he gets out of it. Just like some of you get a thrill out of finding over 1000 caches and don't get bored with it. He isn't going to go away any time soon.

     

    Basically, he'll continue until he gets caught. If he's still able to remain anonymous, (the person that caught him don't know who he is,) he'll continue again after a short break. Eventually, either he'll get caught enough times that he'll get scared that eventually some one will know who he is, or more likely, the wrong person will catch him and beat the living crap out of him. I'm not condoning or suggesting this action. Only saying what is likely to happen eventually. He can't do this forever without getting caught. All he has to do is get caught by the wrong person. Sad thing is that the person that catches him and beats the crap out of him will most likely be the one in trouble with the law instead of this slimeball.

     

    I'd like to think that this will go away, but I simply don't believe it will. Your thrill in geocaching is to find the cache and log it. His thrill in geocaching is to muggle it and leave a note. That's his "log" He's playing "his" game "his" way. He'll no more tire of geocaching that any of you will. This isn't a person that's done this a dozen times or so and tired of it. This is a person who truly enjoys what he's doing a great deal as is evidenced by his numbers.

     

    *soap box mode off*

  10. Ok. Time to put my two cents worth in. I made my dog nugget a TB and it turned out to be a great ice breaker. Through that mutt I met a lot of great people. Not every one has a dog to use as a TB ice breaker. Pocket cache seems to me to be a great alternative. The fact that so many people participated in pocket caches, either by having one or logging one tells me VERY clearly that it's a popular and desired way to meet people. I met a number of people that way and thoroughly enjoyed it. Fact is, if no one could log my dog as a TB then no one would have bothered. So much for a ice breaker. Same for pocket caches. Ice breakers are a great thing to have at any event. If some one want's to call that a find then so what. If some one just uses it as a excuse to open a conversation with no intention of logging a fine that's okay too. It ain't hurting no one. We need ice breakers at event and I see no harm in what was going on there. I did see a lot of benefit though.

     

    My thought on the issue. Create a category specifically for pocket caches or moving caches or event caches or whatever you want to call it and allow them at events. Make the event sponsors responsible for moderation of the event related caches. Allow those caches to be logged for a week or two following the event so that anyone that traveled to the event would have ample time to log their find. I really wish I could have ran a PQ and got all of the event related caches that were there. I'm sure I could have done a lot that I was not able to do because of personal time restrictions. I do not however condone taking a cache from some place else and bringing it to a event. That hurts the people that are trying to find it where it belongs.

     

    As for the numbers thing. WHO CARES!!!!! Be it TBs or caches I don't care what your ethics are about numbers. If you want to take a list of TB numbers from some one and log discovered it on all of them without even touching or seeing them, then that's your deal. If you feel that you have to actually touch a TB to log it then that's fine with me as well. Same with a cache. If it comes to you and you choose to consider it a "find" then that's your deal. If you'd prefer to "hunt" it to consider it a "find", again, your deal. We all have our own way of playing the game. Some don't consider sidewalk urban caches to be real while others go after them for the easy numbers. That's okay too. It really is your game. We all have our way we like to play it. Me, I miss virtual caches. They took me to a lot of interesting places. (Yea, I know about waypoints.com. A great way of screwing up virtual for those of us that actually liked them IMHO.)

     

    I don't know about you but when I find a cache I don't check to be sure it isn't breaking some rule before considering it a find. If it is a legitimate find to me then I expect to be able to log it. If that log is deleted and my find was taken away from me then I'd be irked. If it was a milestone for me and that was taken away it would sour me on geocaching entirely. If Groundspeak has some good reason to archive a cache then that's between them and the cache owner, but I don't think they have any business taking away my finds. If they choose to archive a cache a reasonable amount of time should elapse to allow people to return home and log a find on it for those who feel they have a find to log.

     

    As far as numbers goes, I still haven't even logged GW4 yet. Maybe I'll get that done this week.

  11. This is actually where speciality clubs like Geotruckers.com comes in. The caches that we have listed on our site are from truckers who understand the rig's their driving. Speciality clubs (including state/local clube) are a great asset to the niche group they serve as well as Groundspeak. Sites like that make geocaching more accessable and enjoyable to people and enhance the sport.

  12. The Geotruckers.com GPX files on our site are produced with GSAK and comprised of submissions from our users. I'm afraid that I don't see where that could be a violation of the TOU. If indeed I am in violation then every local, state, and regional club that lists caches in their area on their site is in violation as well. I seriously doubt that's the case

     

    Archived caches are removed with each update of the file. Setting up separate file for each highway in each state is not only a major undertaking but unnecessary. Simply loading the file into a map program like Street Atlas USA or Microsoft map etc. will let you see the location of a cache. I have put a lot of work into producing this for users that could benefit from it. It surprises and disappoints me at how many people will find fault with something designed to benefit others and the geocaching community as a whole. I would have expected better than that.

     

    As for those who have suggested caches to add to the list I do appreciate it. That's exactly how the list has grown to the size it has grown into to start out with. We will be putting out a updated list in the next week or two and yes archived caches will be removed.

     

    BTW We also have a Google map of all the trucker / RV friendly caches on our site now. I'm sure some one will find a way to complain about that as well. I hope the rest of you can enjoy it though.

  13. Geotruckers.com has finally come out with a list of Truck / RV friendly caches across the USA. There are over 400 listings in the file and growing. It is available in GPX, LOC, Google Earch KML, HTML and online format. The list is comprised of contributions from our forum menbers. Pleast drop by Geotruckers.com and check us out. If you know of more trucker friendly caches please let us know and I'll add it to the list.
  14. Delorme is in for an uphill climb. Remeber Cobra has not done well in the GPS market and they are also entered the market late in the game.

    Delorme is a strong contender in the mapping arena and have been making GPS receivers for years. I've owned 5 of them and had very good results. They've finally put a screen on one. It should be a good thing.

     

    Cobra is best known for their CB radios. Attempting to enter the GPS arena was a bit of a stretch. Kinda like Ford or Chrystler trying to enter the motorcycle arena. Yea both have engines and wheels, but it's not the same thing. ;)

  15. WRITE SHOP ROBERT. Liked the idea of caches in the west. I travel I-40 and I-10 in and out of California a lot and the lack of caches along there is a frustration. I've been meaning to spend some time working with pocket queries but just haven't had the time. Lot's on my plate right now. That would be a great area for me to help support cache maintenance though because of my regular travels through there.

     

    As for a company to start out with I'm afraid that I can't help you there. I used to work for Werner and couldn't have hated them more. (Sorry Two Truckers) :anitongue: The company that I'm with now is all owner operators and requires minimum 2 years so I'm afraid that's no help.

     

    I did get your email on the site. Thanks for the observations. I appreciate it. Soon as I get the chance I'll get more done on the site. I've got some work going on on my computer right now but it's not quite ready to upload.

     

    As for comtributions to the site, we could always use content. How-to's, cache stories, trucking/RV'ing articles etc. I especially need content from the RV community. I'm a trucker, and tent camper, and backpacker, but don't own a RV so I'm not the most qualified to write content on that topic. I have done some trailor camping years ago, but I'd prefer content from some one more current in the industry than I am. I'm sure we have a lot of RV'ers here that have some good experience that we'd all benefit from and I'd encourage the contribution of all, both truckers and RV'ers.

     

    djstern.

    Webmaster of Geotruckers.com

  16. Well. I'm glad to see the involvement that has been going on in these two forum's. It has been very helpful to me. After reading the comments made by every one, both in the forums and what has been emailed to me I have decided to go with this forum over the other one. That would seem to be the general consensus and one that I am very happy with.

     

    An update about the site.

     

    I had a major breakdown a few weeks ago and spent 8 day's stuck in a hotel in North Platte, NE. $7000.00 later I finally got back on the road ready to make up for lost miles. Well, it would seem that I wasn't that lucky. Seems something more is wrong with my engine and I'm looking at a complete overhaul of my engine at 700,000 miles. A bit earlier that I was expecting. Anyhow, I'm home right now trying to work out the financing of it and who I'm going to get to do the work. I really hate the idea of getting major work like that done by just any one. I'm sure you all understand that.

     

    Anyhow, I hope to have the truck in the shop by Tuesday 10-04-05 or so. While it's in the shop I should have some time finally to work on the site. It'll be simple at first and over time we'll add content. I'll add content as I can but will also welcome any content from other's as well.

     

    This is NOT my site. I am only the web master of it. TwoTruckers spawned the idea, but it is and will always be a community site and all are welcome and encouraged to contribute to it.

     

    My apologies for not getting it up and running sooner. Sometimes, life get's in the way of having a life. :ph34r: I'll have about a week off while my truck is being worked on. That will give me time to work on the site. I look forward to seeing every one join in once it's fully up and running.

     

    Thanks to all

     

    djstern.

  17. Ask 10 drivers that question and you'll most likely get at least 15 answers. :P Best way I can answer that is to think more of distance. Remember, we don't usually have transportation so a good trucker friendly cache needs to be within walking distance of where we park our trucks. Granted, some drivers will drop their trailers, but most companies have strict policies against doing so and it's never a good idea.

     

    If I'm on a run I usually can't afford much more than a hour of time. If I'm laid over then time is of little issue. Mostly you have to think of what's within walking distance along a safe route.

     

    I am working on building geotruckers.com. One of the things I am planning is a page that discusses what makes a trucker friendly cache. We'll also need volunteers like your self to help us maintain our caches. Offers like that are greatly appreciated. It's hard to place a cache for many of us simply because our routes are erratic and we can't reliably return to a area for maintenance, so help from others in the area is critical to the success of our group.

  18. That's the beautiful thing about the site we're building. Trucking isn't off topic. Neither is RV'ing. :( If only I can get off my #*% and find the time to work on it we'll be in business. :huh:

     

    As long as we're "off topic" on the food issue, TA had a cook book specifically for the Burton. (the lunch box type of oven) They have recipes for things like Beef Stew, lasagne, chicken cordon blue, creamy herbed pork, and many others. Well worth a look at. I love it when my wife is making something like that and a driver walks up to my truck and smells it. I just sit there and glote when I tell him to enjoy his buffet at Flying J. :huh:

     

    Most of what's in the book is the "dump method of cooking" In other words, you dump all the ingredients in a oven bag, mix them up and toss it in the Burton. A few hours later WHALA! Dinner is served.

     

    A quick hit on the microwave and you've got Mashed Potatoes, stuffing etc.

     

    One other option is in the section of Wal-Mart where they have the microwaves etc. Look for a CD called One Million Recepies or something like that. It has a section of microwave recepies and also a section on Crock Pot recepies that work very well in a burton.

     

    Between that cookbook from TA and the million recepies CD you shouldn't be lacking for a good dinner selections. You'll even find something for desert.

     

    Gotta love that!

  19. Hi New Englind n00b.. Welcome to trucking. You ask some good questons about trucker caching and I intend on putting together a FAQ on the web site about trucker friendly caches as soon as I can. As you can see I'm still in the process of building the site and others are working on the graphics for the site.

     

    Basically, a trucker friendly cache needs to be near a safe, legal place to park a truck. Truck stops, rest area's etc. Many malls are not good choices because of the no truck parking policy of many malls in the country. Anything that is withing walking distance of a parking area. Belive it or not, there are more than you would think. TwoTrucks has a decent database of locations and it's growing all the time.

     

    You should be able to do your geocaching along your route with little problem as long as you have the time. Sometimes, when I have a weekend off I'll rent a car and get all my personal errands done and go geocaching as well. Only problem with that is that most rental companies are closed on Sunday so returning the car so you can make your Monday delivery can be a problem.

     

    As for working with Werner, I'd ask around about them before you jump in with that company. Two trucks works for them and I used to. IMHO they'll ruin you on OTR driving. This isn't the best forum for that topic but you can take it off this forum to PM's or goto one of the trucker sites like layover.com or something.

     

    Hope this helps. We'll have the site up soon and more informatio will be available there shortly after that.

     

    djstern. Webmaster geotrucking.com

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