RobertLG

Umm. How about adding a third category: Found the Site but not the Cache. That way the searcher can feel that the search was not entirely fruitless. RobertLG

I like Diet Coke. I don't like Pepsi, either regular or diet. It's been hot here lately. Just plain cold water is nice too. I like to dream. My dreams almost always have water in them. RobertLG

My first cache site is not too far away, and I drive by the area occasionally. Whenever I do, I eagerly look to see if anyone is working it. My response would be to stop and introduce myself and speak with the seekers. RobertLG

Thank you, OregonBlackDog, and Lazyboy & Mighty Mite for your kind words. RobertLG

Ooohh. Now that the beer-fog has cleared, I am embarrassed at what I wrote. What WAS I thinking of? Pins? Bears? Name calling? Sorry. In the cold, clear light of day, I take back my Tim-Allen-influenced words. RobertLG

What a girlie-boy. What a sissy. Should I ever get an urge like that, I think I would plan a fun day of sticking a pin in the butt of a suckling mother bear. Errrr-unffff!!! RobertLG

Actually, when I use the term "orienteering" I mean simply: use a map, clues, and compass to find a location, meaning cache. Searching the Internet, I find that orienteering means much more to a number of people. They would have the game/sport played as a complicated race, way more involved than how I see it played. It may be that "orienteering" isn't the best term. Though I wouldn't know how else to describe it. I have found that the aerial photos from lostoutdoors.com are very old, perhaps 30 years old? I like the idea of using topos. I can also supply my own map and post it to my web site. My first "orienteering" version simply instructed the players to use a Washington state road map and a ruler. The rest of the play was in clues, and then finally required a compass. I thought my game was quite clever until I heard from two very smart players (WaldenRun and RonParker) who "found" the cache (actually figured the coordinates to the cache) without leaving their computer. Both of them did so by consulting both my geocaching instructions AND my orienteering version. The orienteering clues there gave these players what they needed to close in on the cache's location. I have since tightened up my clues a bit. But I'll bet they could still figure the location out. On second thought, I know they could. I'm glad to hear there is interest in making the games accessible to those without receivers. RobertLG games page

Actually, when I use the term "orienteering" I mean simply: use a map, clues, and compass to find a location, meaning cache. Searching the Internet, I find that orienteering means much more to a number of people. They would have the game/sport played as a complicated race, way more involved than how I see it played. It may be that "orienteering" isn't the best term. Though I wouldn't know how else to describe it. I have found that the aerial photos from lostoutdoors.com are very old, perhaps 30 years old? I like the idea of using topos. I can also supply my own map and post it to my web site. My first "orienteering" version simply instructed the players to use a Washington state road map and a ruler. The rest of the play was in clues, and then finally required a compass. I thought my game was quite clever until I heard from two very smart players (WaldenRun and RonParker) who "found" the cache (actually figured the coordinates to the cache) without leaving their computer. Both of them did so by consulting both my geocaching instructions AND my orienteering version. The orienteering clues there gave these players what they needed to close in on the cache's location. I have since tightened up my clues a bit. But I'll bet they could still figure the location out. On second thought, I know they could. I'm glad to hear there is interest in making the games accessible to those without receivers. RobertLG games page

I have decided that when I make GPS caches, I will make an orienteering version of the same game. I don't post the orienteering version to this web site, but mention the fact that there is a version available for those without GPS receivers. I post the instructions for the orienteering version on my web site. I would like to encourage others to do the same. Or at the least I would invite some discussion of the recommendation. RobertLG Waypoint: GC63D4

GC63D4 I got my first cache approved a few days ago, and look forward to hearing from the searchers. RobertLG

I very recently hid my first cache and asked the Groundspeak group to comment on it before I submitted it to Jeremy for approval. (It was approved a few days ago: GC63D4) Almost immediately I got an email from someone who called himself WaldenRun. He said he was from the east coast, and that since he does not have a GPS he likes to try to figure out cache locations by clues alone. He told me the EXACT latitude and longitude of my cache. I'm still scratching my head about how he could do so. My hat's off to you WaldenRun. Very resourceful! RobertLG [This message was edited by RobertLG on June 15, 2002 at 09:24 AM.]

I am quite new at geocaching, but I just got my first cache approved and posted today. I am in southwest Washington, near the I-5 corridor. From what I can see, I am the only cacher in this area so far. My wife and I are going out today to plan our second cache. I have plans for trying to encourage locals to try the game/sport/pastime/.... out. My games will probably all have an orienteering version for those without GPS receivers. If I can be clever enough, I will also work on county library games, and school games (elementary and high). BTW, just for your information: There is a cache south of here at an I-5 rest stop (southbound). On the news this morning it was announced that there was a murder/suicide committed at the northbound rest stop. No. Not connected. Just somewhat newsworthy. RobertLG

Well, I put my mouth entirely around my foot, when I said something about opposing "frolic" as a name for the game/sport/activity/past-time... Sorry Mr. Frolickin for the unintended insult. Please forgive me. I hearby formally submit Frolicking as a legal alternative to game/sport/activity/past-time... Robert(red-faced)LG

My Webster's(Third College Edition) has for its first definition of "game": "any form of play or way of playing; amusement; recreation; sport; frolic [? Yes, it does say frolic.]; play." I suppose one could find older dictionaries with narrower definitions. But language is fluid, and constantly evolves - whether we like it or not. I grew up calling all soft drinks "cokes". Today there are many, many others who do so similarly. I vote for "game". "Sport" doesn't feel right. I will protest vigorously against "frolic" however. RobertLG

Very encouraging and helpful advice so far. Even the last one about my needing to remove the links to my earlier pages offering commercial items. I was initially having trouble reading the intent of the Guidelines on commercial caches. That was one reason why I posted my questions to the group. I do not, however, see any problem with such links. The player does not have to click on them unless he or she wishes. This seems to me to quite fundamental in our free society. Before I posted my request I had done some lurking and reading of other's comments on this issue, and found quite a few who also do not see the need to refuse cache listings because of a commercial connection. (My intention here is NOT to restart a thread on this issue.) For the time being, I will probably remove the links just to keep the peace. However, while I am developing a liking for Geocaching.com I cannot see myself ever becoming married to it. The way I feel right now (today, June 10, 2002), if another site develops that is friendly to the small entrepreneur, like myself, I will consider moving my caches there. Can/will my feelings change? Maybe. Maybe not. I'm still quite new at this, and learning. Yes, the gazebo is on property accommodating to visitors. In fact, the gazebo is a traveler's kiosk. I tried to be very careful about each step, to insure safety, ease of play, and low impact on the surroundings. I appreciate the suggestions about the coordinates of a community nearby as the starting coords. I can then easily mention in the beginning instructions that while they have no direct part of the puzzle, they place you in the area. Thanks, too, for your gentleness. RobertLG

I was out getting my co-ordinates figured, and cache planted a few days ago and tripped over my own clumsy feet. I went sprawling quite spectacularly across asphalt and countless pointy rocks - so did my brand new Etrex. I was hurt, but not beyond healing. But my pretty yellow and black Etrex took a licking and kept on ticking! Man was I sore for the next three days. I will announce my cache formally in a day or so. (It's a Pacific Northwest I-5 cache.) Robert PS I heard from a Jeff that he, too, dropped his Etrex and it, "tumbled off a ledge and fell bouncing off the rocks for a distance of about 50 feet and survived, and it also tumbled off my truck onto the road after I foolishly left it sitting on the cab of my truck. The display screen has a couple chips and scratches, but the thing just hangs in there."

My mom (71) asked me to take her to ride the Ferris wheel at one of those small traveling carnivals that come through town in the summer. I hate carnivals. I hate ANY ride that goes ‘round, and ‘round, and ‘round.... (I'm not fooling, I'm getting sick just writing those words! My worst experience with this problem was while watching an Omnipuke film - you know, the kind they show at science museums, the one with the wide-lense camera mounted at the very nose of a helicopter flying hundreds of miles an hour at tree-top level, SWIFTLY rising to meet a cliff, and then just as swiftly falling, falling, falling, [urp!] over the other side - for a l-o-n-g time! And then they show way too much of a European sports car driving madly around those skinny serpentine Italian mountain roads! I was through about 20 minutes into the ordeal, but my young son was having a blast. I sacrificed myself for him. Man, was I green when we filed out from that nightmarish place! I was truthfully dizzy and nauseated for three days. Couldn't even talk about it for years. Don't really want to do so now [nnghh!]) But I digress. What was I talking about? Oh. The Ferris wheel ride with Mom. Well, I got to thinking, with all the very clever uses you put your receivers to, How useful would my Etrex be for riding on a Ferris wheel? Not so useful, I'm afraid. As I was fighting back waves of nausea, my Etrex was having troubles of it's own. The latitude and longitude were probably ok, I don't really remember - I was limiting my attention to speed and bearing because the longer I looked at the display while we were both ascending and descending (no, not at the same time, but we might as well have been) the queasier I became. Besides, as far as the satellites were concerned we really WERE at the same spot - just higher then lower, then higher then low.... [choke!] The poor Etrex was having a very bad time trying to tell me the bearing and speed, though. At the apex of the cruel spinning, we began traveling north. Then the stomach-turning descent had the receiver show no bearing movement. Then at the bottom, we began briefly moving south, only to rocket upwards and, as far as Etrex was concerned, nowhere. Wiping beads of salty sweat from my greening eyes, I attempted to examine the speed. Similar problem - At the top, and at the bottom the receiver calculated speed, but at the drop and the climb, nothing. After we, I mean "I" was rescued by the carnival-ride operator, I had my dear Mom hold me up while I quickly scribbled out the only numbers of interest to this group: The maximum speed this 35 foot Ferris wheel attained was 11.0 mph. But the average speed was 1.2 mph. You figure it out. Stupid carnival rides. Harrumph! RobertLG

My mom (71) asked me to take her to ride the Ferris wheel at one of those small traveling carnivals that come through town in the summer. I hate carnivals. I hate ANY ride that goes ‘round, and ‘round, and ‘round.... (I'm not fooling, I'm getting sick just writing those words! My worst experience with this problem was while watching an Omnipuke film - you know, the kind they show at science museums, the one with the wide-lense camera mounted at the very nose of a helicopter flying hundreds of miles an hour at tree-top level, SWIFTLY rising to meet a cliff, and then just as swiftly falling, falling, falling, [urp!] over the other side - for a l-o-n-g time! And then they show way too much of a European sports car driving madly around those skinny serpentine Italian mountain roads! I was through about 20 minutes into the ordeal, but my young son was having a blast. I sacrificed myself for him. Man, was I green when we filed out from that nightmarish place! I was truthfully dizzy and nauseated for three days. Couldn't even talk about it for years. Don't really want to do so now [nnghh!]) But I digress. What was I talking about? Oh. The Ferris wheel ride with Mom. Well, I got to thinking, with all the very clever uses you put your receivers to, How useful would my Etrex be for riding on a Ferris wheel? Not so useful, I'm afraid. As I was fighting back waves of nausea, my Etrex was having troubles of it's own. The latitude and longitude were probably ok, I don't really remember - I was limiting my attention to speed and bearing because the longer I looked at the display while we were both ascending and descending (no, not at the same time, but we might as well have been) the queasier I became. Besides, as far as the satellites were concerned we really WERE at the same spot - just higher then lower, then higher then low.... [choke!] The poor Etrex was having a very bad time trying to tell me the bearing and speed, though. At the apex of the cruel spinning, we began traveling north. Then the stomach-turning descent had the receiver show no bearing movement. Then at the bottom, we began briefly moving south, only to rocket upwards and, as far as Etrex was concerned, nowhere. Wiping beads of salty sweat from my greening eyes, I attempted to examine the speed. Similar problem - At the top, and at the bottom the receiver calculated speed, but at the drop and the climb, nothing. After we, I mean "I" was rescued by the carnival-ride operator, I had my dear Mom hold me up while I quickly scribbled out the only numbers of interest to this group: The maximum speed this 35 foot Ferris wheel attained was 11.0 mph. But the average speed was 1.2 mph. You figure it out. Stupid carnival rides. Harrumph! RobertLG

Ok. I am very close to submitting my first cache. But before I expose my innermost being to Jeremy, I ask for your help. 1. I do not have beginning Lat/Long coordinates. My game is in several stages and the beginning steps avoid full lat/long. 2. If this is not unacceptable, it would be helpful if the members of the group could look at my game page and give me useful advice - advice that will help me win Jeremy's favor. My games page I anxiously await your help. RobertLG

Thanks for your reply. I immediately checked and there was ONE reply to my post that happened today, but no new posts after mine June 5th. I would think there would be many posts in the last several days. I did consider contacting my server, and will today. Still, with that one recent (today) reply to my post of three days ago, and no new posts, it is odd. Thanks again

Just wondering if anyone knows what happened to this group? The last post to it was by me on June 5. Hope it didn't die because of my post. Thanks Robert

I got it that time. Thanks to all who helped. I had a bit of struggle seeing the number as anything less than some alternate form of map co-ordinates. Cache identifier it is. RobertLG

Thank you for your replies. I am prepared to accept that these waypoints simply identify the cache. IF THERE ARE HIDDEN MEANINGS IN IT: How is it created? Who creates it? How do I use it? It looks a bit like a hexadecimal number (less the CG) Sorry to keep at this, but my tiny mind wants to stretch out and become bigger. I need to feed it. RobertLG

First post to the site. The pages with information about a cache will give lat and long AND something beginning with GC. I clicked on the "What's this" link, but was taken to a page that did not tell me what it is. Is there a good web site that clearly explains this string's importance? Thanks RobertLG