BikerKats

Both, as above. Technology (and batteries) has been known to fail occasionally so paper maps are a good back-up when using the PDA.

Totally agree. We, too, like to use paper maps and it is useful to be able to plot approximate cache locations on paper maps. When we first started caching and were still getting to grips with the GPS, we relied on paper maps and OS references to check we were in the right general area. I also agree with KewFriend's request to put the GC numbers on print-outs. I hadn't noticed these were missing until reading this thread. These changes mean more preparation time at home and less time caching - preparation should not be made more cumbersome.

Just checked my e-mails and the American cacher has the coin, and has offered to post it back. I'm not sure whether to ask him to do this or whether to just let him place it in the States. Any views? Thanks to all who replied and offered to rescue the coin. The next twist in the tale is that the cache has been muggled!

Ooops! Post in haste, repent at leisure! edited to completely remove implied insult

Many thanks to Sarah and Ian - I have sent e-mail replies to both. Unfortunately I have been unable to confirm that the coin has been left at the hotel and have heard nothing else from the American cacher who may well not have checked his e-mails before leaving. I will post up-dates if and when I have further news. Jenny

On the Bank Holiday Monday we released our precious Yorkshire Geocoin, whose mission is to get to Yorkshire then spend the rest of the year travelling around the UK. The following weekend, the coin was picked up by an American cacher in the UK on business, who e-mailed us to ask if we would prefer him to take it back to the US with him or place it in a UK cache. We replied that we would prefer it to stay in the UK. I have just opened an e-mail from him in which he says he has not been able to place it in a UK cache, so if we don't want it to go to the States, he can leave it at the hotel reception desk for us to collect, which the hotel are happy with. I have spoken to the Reception and they have confirmed that they are happy to hold on to it until we (or someone) collects it or they can post it to us. I've also e-mailed the US cacher and hope he will read the message before he leaves in the morning. We are not likely to be in the Newbury area in the foreseeable future, and I'm a bit reluctant to ask them to post it in case it goes astray, so, the question is: Is there any cacher local to Newbury who would be willing and able to collect the coin from the hotel in the near future, then help it on its mission? Please contact us through our profile and I will let you know the hotel in question. I will then give the hotel the name of the person who is collecting it. Any help would be appreciated... Many thanks, Jenny - BikerKats

In our experience, no. We had an FTF on a member-only cache and the contents consisted of the usual rubbish. It almost spoiled the whole FTF experience. Our then ten year old was particularly disappointed. Like many others, we try to carry a selection of swaps; and buy some new, better quality items from time to time so that we can take higher-value items and exchange them with something of equal value. We do leave newspaper freebie CDs and DVDs sometimes - I know some people don't like them but I've also seen people logging that they've taken them. We recently did some caches around the Thatcham Discovery Centre. Most contained loads of excellent swaps for children and even some good things for adults. Trading is not the main reason why we go caching but it makes for a more satisfying outing if we've been able to trade "well".

Yes, that's me exactly. I also map read to locations. Mark does the driving and the techie stuff. We both enjoy finding caches - probably an equal number of finds each. Two youngsters (they don't like to be called "kids"), 16 (f) and 11 (m), who cache with us with varying degrees of enthusiasm depending on how long it is since they found a cache and whether their feet hurt. The 16 year old will elect to stay at home if we're doing a short-ish afternoon trip, the 11 year old isn't often given a choice. I would cache more often but I there are some locations that I would not like to visit as a lone female. So two of each. Edited to say: when it comes to setting caches, he will make the disguised micros and I make up the contents of tupperware boxes.

I thought this question had probably been asked before and tried to search for it before starting a new topic. Worth posting a link then, IMO: Slightly modifying a cache name

Thanks all, we'll do this as and when we think of suitable names.

We currently have 10 'live' caches, amongst them 5 camo micros, imaginatively named "BK Camo 1, BK Camo 2" etc, named in order of placement. However, we sometimes forget which is which , and would like to add to each cache name a couple of words indicating a rough location, along the lines of "BK Camo 4 - The Marsh", "BK Camo 5 - The Lane". What we don't want is cachers to think these are new caches - unlikely, I know, as they would not show up on new cache notifications, but we seem to have a lot of newbies around here. Can anyone see any potential issues with this, or shall we go ahead and modify the names?

My two penn'orth: We would do a 14-stage multi within easy reach of home. We would be unlikely to do a 14-stage multi in an unfamiliar area, but might travel to that area if it meant the possibility of finding 14 caches. If for any reason we couldn't find one or two of the 14, or ran out of time or daylight, it wouldn't spoil a good day's caching. If we were unable to find one or two stages of the multi, and were therefore unable to bag the cache at all, this would spoil a day's caching. When looking for caches to do in a new area, we don't usually consider long multis. If we have to travel for a length of time to get to an area, we don't want to come away with only one find - or even none. So I would go for Option A.

We left a "lucky dip" lottery ticket in one of ours (and purchased another ticket with identical numbers in case it won - sadly it didn't!). Easy, inexpensive and small enough to fit most caches.

All of the above plus: 2 Del Monte 3 Castrol 4 Legal & General 19 Lowenbrau 20 British Airways 22 Diners Club

Congratulations to the WereRabbits for reaching their first 100 yesterday. Here's to the next 100 (ours and yours!) and places in the UK Hall of Fame.

Friends of ours (the WereRabbits) asked us whether we had a GPS (yes) and had we heard of Geocaching (no) and could they borrow our GPS for a weekend so they could have a go. We lent them the gadget, looked at the Geocaching.com site and registered the following day. A week later we had found our first three caches, and have never looked back. I'd like to be able to get out caching more often, but real life gets in the way...

Ha ha! Thanks, and we'll be the first to congratulate you when you get to 100!

Thanks for these suggestions; we have sent a request to Rubberstampz and are awaiting their response.

We have noticed that many cachers use custom-designed rubber stamps in log books and would like to have one made up ourselves. Can anyone recommend a supplier and give us an idea of what this would cost? Many thanks.

Ours arrived this morning - it was posted on 23rd December. I requested it very close to Christmas so was pleased to get one. Its mission is to reach Uckfield, Sussex, 46 miles away. We'll release it by the end of the week, if not today.

having lost my APOS gps, i need to buy a replacement. I use it in connection with an Ipaq5450, using memorymap 2004. As i use it for geocaching, so Accuracy is the main priority. any advice greatfully received

testing testing

We will have to give this one a miss as it's in the middle of exam season.

We have come across this in our cache log books. Personally I find it a bit strange to find caches and not log them, but if that is all they are doing, these "closet cachers" are not doing any harm. It hadn't occurred to me that these non-logging "closet" cachers would take TBs or coins, whether they intend to move them on or not. We have picked up TBs from caches where the TBs were not logged. I hope they don't take any of ours - we do like seeing the mileage and maps of our TBs' journeys.

Apart from at and around events, we've met three cachers that I can remember: ** Andy ** (Hidden Haven) Cryptik Souls Crew (hoping to get an FTF on Zealous Scout, whose co-ords were located W when the cache was actually E) Mark met Rodz when carrying out a maintenance visit on one of our caches Jenny