Steve0512

I understand your grief. There should be a special place in Hell for CO's who place their caches in the middle of winter when there is no foliage around. And give no consideration what the area may look like on a hot August day.

Try going to Java.com and update to the newest version of their software. Look for the big red button in the middle of the page. You can't miss it. I can't tell you how many times this has cleared up little glitches such as this for my clients.

Many people filter out undefined container size. So you might get fewer finds.

I just avoid urban caches.

You can Google Paracord Bracelet and find many suppliers.

Google Earth does a fine job!

+1 for the Zagg screen protector. Although I do think it does affect the touch screen sensitivity. http://www.zagg.com/invisibleshield/garmin-oregon-series-cases-screen-protectors-covers-skins-shields.php

Definitely a pair of leather gloves for everyone in your party. I always bring a multitool but have never used it. If I ever forget it I'm sure I will need it. Buy everyone in your party an inexpensive pair of clear safety glasses. You can get them for around $3 at your local big box. Imagine being deep in the woods and getting a stick in your eye from a tree branch. How would you get yourself out of the woods? it is well worth the $3 investment. Buy yourself some serious bug spray. It's usually sold in the camping department of specialty stores and smells horrible. If you buy something that smells pretty the bugs will laugh at you as they eat you alive. A small flashlight to look in dark holes before you poke your hand in. An ultra fine point Sharpie will write on damp logs. Buy yourself a good pair of hiking shoes. The best you can afford.

Did you loose your owners manual too?

I'm thinking along the same lines. If the bullet was at the end of it's arc path with most of it's kinetic energy dispersed. MAYBE the marketing department can get away with making this claim....MAYBE.

Thanks for starting this topic as I was planning to do it myself. Yes I often wear safety glasses while in the woods. I bought a pair for both myself and my wife at the local big box for less than three dollars each. Wearing safety glasses is second nature for me because I am in the trades. My wife has to be reminded more than once to put hers on.

I gave a cursory look at the 450 unit, and then purchased the 450T and never had any regrets. Just yesterday I was in the woods and used the topographical map to decide how best to approach a cache. In about 30 seconds, someone will chime in and post a list of websites where you can get free maps. I have added some of those trail maps to my 450T because they also add trail maps to my area. I highly recommend you do as well. I purchased the Groundspeak app for my iPhone 4 on the ATT network here in the states. Like I stated earlier, the 450T blows the iPhone away when it comes to accuracy and ease of use. I often use both when I am Geocaching. If I decide on a whim to do some Geocaching, and If I have a 3G signal I can search for the nearest cache, copy the coordinates from the iPhone to my 450T and be on my way. once I am under the tree canopy, I usually have found the cache long before the iPhone has figured out where in the 50 foot diameter circle on its screen it thinks it is. Once I've found the cache, I file the log on the iPhone from right there in the field and then do a search for the next nearest cache and repeat the process all over again. Cheers!

Keep the 450T. Once you use it for a while, you will see that the accuracy is way better than the iPhone. The day will come with out a doubt when your 450T will take you straight to a cache while your iPhone will still be trying to find itself within that 200 foot diameter circle on its screen. At that point make sure you turn to your husband and properly thank him for your nice gift.

Yes, invest in a good pair of hiking shoes. you wont be sorry.

"I am sure someone with more experience will chime in but that is what I have heard. " Cover your head, it's a comin!

Okay here is some info on identifying Poison Ivy. I stole them from Wikipedia: Various mnemonic rhymes describe the characteristic appearance of poison ivy:[4] "Longer middle stem; stay away from them." This refers to the middle leaflet having a visibly longer stem than the two side leaflets and is a key to differentiating it from the similar-looking Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac). "Leaves of three; let it be." "Hairy vine, no friend of mine."[5] Poison ivy vines are very poisonous. "Raggy rope, don't be a dope!" Poison ivy vines on trees have a furry "raggy" appearance. This rhyme warns tree climbers to be wary. Old, mature vines on tree trunks can be quite large and long, with the recognizable leaves obscured among the higher foliage of the tree.[6] "One, two, three? Don't touch me." "Berries white, run in fright" and "Berries white, danger in sight."[7] "Red leaflets in the spring, it's a dangerous thing." This refers to the red appearance that new leaflets sometimes have in the spring. (Note that later, in the summer, the leaflets are green, making them more difficult to distinguish from other plants, while in autumn they can be reddish-orange.) "Side leaflets like mittens, will itch like the dickens." This refers to the appearance of some, but not all, poison ivy leaves, where each of the two side leaflets has a small notch that makes the leaflet look like a mitten with a "thumb." (Note that this rhyme should not be misinterpreted to mean that only the side leaflets will cause itching, since actually all parts of the plant can cause itching.) "If butterflies land there, don't put your hand there." This refers to the fact that some butterflies land on poison ivy, since they are not affected, which provides them protection as their predators avoid eating the plant.[8] "If it's got hair, it won't be fair." This refers to the hair that can be on the stem and leaves of poison ivy.

I'm looking forward to Geocaching in the winter. A couple of good hard frosts should knock down the vegetation that makes some finds very difficult.

Invest in a good pair of hiking shoes. As you get more adventurous and trek deeper into the woods. You will be happy you have them.

A good set a rechargeable batteries and a charger. The merits of both have been debated to death here so do a little searching and you will find plenty of info.

There is a plugin to Google Earth to help you find Geocaches. I find it very helpful to view caches in areas where we are thinking about hiking.

This guy, http://www.cachefreak.com/ has a series of 8 videos that he has produced that are very informational. His website is a little disorganized, but the links are there. You just have to hunt for them.

Your pictures are VERY good! You have a good eye for photography. I was simply stating that when purchasing the 550 you are paying an extra $100 (list, YMMV) for a 3.2 megapixel camera. Again, JMHO.

I purchased the 450T and couldn't be happier. I didn't see the need to pay an extra $100 for a mediocre camera. JMHO.

And the donuts are REALLY tasty!