OuttaHand

FTF!!!! Lots of people have looked at this cache for quite a while without being able to reach it. Thanks to the thousands of people helping us, we were able to land and log it. It was only one small step for me, but it was, well, you know. I really am a bit surprised that this cache was approved, though. Seems like it would be hard to do maintenance this far from home. Overall, an excellent location for a cache. It's a REALLY long trip to get here; but the view is absolutely unbelievable!!! VERY few people get to enjoy an earth-rise like that! I'll tell you one thing, though. I'm sure glad I didn't have to pay the fuel bill for the cache-mobile on THIS one! I feel that we really traded UP on this cache. We took some rock samples and left millions of dollars worth of scientific equipment. The next finder is SET! We didn't find a log book to sign so we left an American flag and took lots of pictures to prove we were here. Thanks for a REALLY great cache! N.Armstrong Team Apollo edit--spelling

Awwwwww man! That was just tooooo cooooooolll Headed out in the van to do the "Yasgur's Farm" event cache. whoa -- what a huge turnout! We could see some kind of purple haze rising over the field before we even got there so we knew we were close. We got settled in and then it started raining! What a drag! But we were having waaaaayyy to much fun to care. The music was great! But the bathrooms were just too packed, man! We couldn't shower or anything, either. Most of us didn't care, though. We just kinda hung around and mellowed out. I'm pretty sure I signed the log book. I think. Er - wait. WAS there a log book? Kinda fuzzy on the details. Oh well. That's one event cache I'll never forget, man. People are gonna talk about THIS one for a while. Hey --what are these red spiders and purple glowing elephants doing on my screen? WHOA -- now they're dancing!!! MAN!!! I wonder what was on that blotter paper they were passing around??? Thanks for the event cache, man. Far out! HippyCacher

Sorry for the late post. I've been kinda out of it for a couple days. Found the cache on Tuesday? Wednesday? Somethin' like that. First found the patch of 'wildwood weed' that was growing nearby. Smoked a little of that and then the memory gets a little hazy. Pretty sure we found the cache after my brother got me down from the silo. Took: "a trip but never left the farm" Left: my senses Jim Stafford -- just settin' here on this sack o' seeds. (OuttaHand here ---- guess I better stop now. But this is just TOO fun!!!)

July 27, 1875 Hmm hot today. Find cache fast. Had "help" from idiot on white horse. Him run around shooting silver bullets. Me do all work. Find cache using natural ability. Take wool blanket. Leave Where's George wampum. Fun cache. Me go find idiot on white horse now. Him get lost easy. Thanks for cache, Tonto

Feb.12, 2527 Wow -- exciting cache visit to earth! "Computer" said there were now 85,378,257,380 caches on Earth! Time to hit a few of them! This was #128 of 585 today. Found this one after a bit of a search. That idiot Scotty was supposed to beam me right TO the coords. Moron. He sent me 15' away and I had to SEARCH! Fortunately, Spock's tricorder led us right to the spot. Didn't even have to decode the clue! Spock did have to subdue a muggle with his Vulcan grip and then mind-meld with him to wipe out his memory of our encounter. Took: dilithium crystals Left: Tribbles (see if YOU can stop these little buggers from multiplying!!!) Thanks for a great cache! JimboKirkboy

I've done a couple locationless caches. It was a way to play with my GPSr when there was too much snow to do a real cache. My thought for a locationless was "Population Poker" where the cacher would take a picture of themselves with GPSr in hand in front of the city limits sign for a town/city with the population showing. It would be open ONLY to towns/cities with 5 digits in the population figure as there are 5 cards used in a poker hand. The population of the town/city would be your hand. Does your town's population give you a pair? 3-of-a-kind? a straight? or what? No poker pot to win -- just the joy and satisfaction of a job well done -- and a "found" added to your cache list.

I had written this on the old boards, but here goes again... Before you go, check the web site of the airline on which you'll be flying. When I flew Southwest a couple years ago, I checked their site. They had a very specific list of items and when they were/were not allowed. They specifically had GPS receivers listed in the category of "OK at the gate or in level flight -- but not takeoff or landing" I had a window seat and used my Rino120 (I had the radio shut off) from Milwaukee to Atlanta and then down to Florida. Pretty cool to see what cities you're passing over, to see the speed you're travelling, and to see the track log when you get home and put it on the computer! But final authority on any airplane is the pilot. If he says do something -- DO IT!!! It doesn't matter if the airline USUALLY allows GPSr's. If the pilot doesn't want it on, shut it off. It's HIS (or HER) bird!

It would only be lame if you had rated it higher; or described it as more than it is. Since you rated it 1/1, and you described it as a simple cache with no real point other than being a cache, then you've done what you needed to do. If someone feels like it is too simple, then they should not go after it! It's just that simple! You place what you want to place -- and rate it accurately. Beyond that, it's up the the finder to decide if they want to go after it.

Hi -- I'm OuttaHand and I'm a geocacher. I started with just one GPSr but now I have 3. I know. I'm addicted. For me it was a matter of upgrading and not getting rid of the old ones. I started with an old Garmin45 which was useless under trees. Then bought a Garmin76 which was great. Until they came out with the Rino. Had to have it so bought a Rino 120. Love it! But now they went and came out with the Garmin 60CS. Oh man!! Trying.... not... to... buy... ' it!!! Need strength.

...so if you hold this while you walk up and down those stairs, you'll see the numbers next to "Altitude" go up and down!

My first attempt to find a cache was with a Garmin 45. It could do NOTHING in ANY tree cover. I don't know how Soar_Feet can make the thing work! I then got a Garmin 76 which I used for an entire summer and found a bunch of caches with it. Bought a Rino 120 as soon as they came out about a year ago and have been using it since. VERY happy with the Rino120! Very good reception, good mapping, etc. etc. I'm a little disappointed that more people don't have them. I have yet to see another one appear on my map screen with the peer-to-peer positioning feature. I'm awfully tempted by the new Garmin 60 line. Think I'll wait a while until they're time-tested (and I can afford one!). Might pop for one for a Christmas present next year -- we'll see.

I was in scouting as a kid in the 70's and made it as far as 2nd Class or 1st Class (don't remember which). I would have enjoyed scouting a LOT more if there had been more activities like campouts, hikes, etc. AFter a while, I pretty much just got bored with meeting and talking. Since that time, I did do some helping with my Brother's troop. I acted as the indian for 'Arrow of Light' ceremonies, made an electronic finish line for their Pinewood Derby track, and made a softwqre program to keep track of the double-elim pinewood races. I think scouting would definitely benefit from a new merit badge for something involving the coordinated use of GPS, maps, and compass. They need to stay up-to-date in technology in order to keep the attention of the younger generation which is growing up with Sega, cel phones, PC's, and DVD players.

If he was so concerned about his friend being the FTF, he should just give that person the coords before it's approved and let him find it. Then once it's approved, he can make his log. I think once it's approved and listed, it's fair game.

My first find was in July of 2002 so I fall into the "over a year now" category. I think the biggest change I've seen is the elimination of virtuals. I applaud the attempt to get more "real" caches out there, but I don't like the idea of completely doing away with virts. Living in Wisconsin, about our only opportunity to cache in the dead of winter is to do a virtual. It's pretty much out-of-the-question to go out into a woods and dig through 3 feet of snow to find some tupperware. So if I get the urge to geocache when there's a couple feet of snow on the ground, I'd like the opportunity to look up a virtual to check out. Now I understand that the existing virts are grandfathered in, but I, personally, would like to have the option of finding new ones when I can't find the real ones. Other than the ensuing loss of virtuals, I don't see that much else has changed. Perhaps a trend to hide the containers a bit better is all.

I am not the seller -- I don't know anything about these antennae -- I just stumbled across this listing on eBay and thought I'd post it here for anyone who may be interested. This is a listing for a pair of external antennae, with 8" (oops -- corrected now) leads, that says they will work with Garmin & Lowrance units that have external antenna connectors. Take a look: Ebay listing [This message was edited by OuttaHand on October 23, 2003 at 12:37 PM.]

quote:Originally posted by minister:I am saving for my first GPS unit. I live in SW Washington. From what I have been reading I am confused. For geocaching in the woods will I need both a GPS unit and the appropriate Mapsource software, or does the GPS unit normally come with it? Russ Folks -- back to minister's question: Minister asked if he needs BOTH a unit AND mapsource for "geocaching in the woods". NO! If you are going to use your GPS just for geocaching, you do not need ANY Mapsource products. Strictly speaking, for geocaching in the woods you can get by with a very basic GPS and the coordinates of the cache. Everything else is just to get you close to it. The other responses above are accurate IF you are considering a GPS with mapping capability. That is handy in getting you TO THE AREA of the cache only. I found many caches with a Garmin 76 which has no mapping. I used online maps and a Gazeteer to get me to the area of the cache and then "followed the arrow" to get in closer. This is more difficult, but it will work just fine. If you spring for a GPS unit that includes mapping ability, it will come with a "basemap" installed. This is usually the larger interstates & hiways. You can then buy some sort of Mapsource product so you can get more detail in the GPS. That will help you navigate to the area of the cache and perhaps find closer parking. A good mapsource product will also show the little backroads that might get you right in next to the cache. Other mapsource products will show you the topographical nature of the area. This is the mountains/hills/rivers stuff. Since you are in WA state, you may want BOTH! You can view samples of the Mapsource products at garmin.com if you are considering buying a Garmin GPS. This allows you to see what each particular Mapsource product looks like. Hope this helps!

I'm not going to suggest a new one. Went through the list above and I really like: WANDER I think I would enjoy being part of a 'wander of cachers'. Just sounds very relaxed.

I regularly remove items from my own cache. I collect key chains so I remove them from my caches and restock with other items. I believe the cache is yours. If someone traded something into it, it's because they wanted someone else to enjoy it. You ARE someone else, aren't you? Take the item out and restock the cache with something of similar or better value.

If you get hungry in the woods, avoid the temptation to make a salad from the 3-leafed plant with the pretty white berries. On a related note, do not use those leaves as a substitue for TP.

Duc -- you are absolutely right. GPS is not allowed during takeoff or landing. When I mentioned the route taken in my previous post, I was speaking more of the first 50 miles or so after climb-out; and the last 100 miles or so before final approach. They swing out to avoid (as best they can) large cities, etc., and get that big chunk of aluminum lined up to avoid tight turns. A lot of it also has to do with their position and landing order. If they are not first in line to land, they need to go out a bit, stack up, and "get in line". That usually happens before you get word to shut off electronics. Once that order comes, shut it off and stow it!

It definitely WAS cool to see where you are at any given time. Since we were above clouds all the way, we couldn't see ground at all. The GPS was the only thing that told us where we were. Also interesting is the altitude and speed! We were cruisin'! When we got home, I put the track log into Mapsource and saw exactly where we had been. Kind of interesting to see the round-about method needed to get into and out of airports.

Check the web site of the specific airline you will be flying. I flew one (don't remember which) earlier this year. Before leaving I checked their site. They had specific lists of what devices were allowed A)any time B)at the gate only C)during level flight but not during takeoff or landing. They specifically listed GPS units OK for at the gate or during cruise -- not during takeoff and landing. Also -- when in doubt, have the flight attendant ask the pilot. It's HIS plane!

I hunt with my wife 90% of the time -- partly because I like it, partly because I HAVE to go with SOMEONE. I'm legally blind and cannot drive. I can see fine when looking straight ahead (very long story) so I can operate the GPSr, get along on the trail, help with the final searching, etc. But I just can't drive. So I do all the prelim work including mapping, satellite photos, etc. and then we head off. I have a spare GPSr that I've offered her the use of, but she's mostly in it for the walk and our 'together' time. I am usually the one who starts the idea of going out for a cache, but she is usually quite receptive to it. The other 10% of my caches I have done with my dad. But he lives 100 miles away so we don't do it very often. I think caching has improved my relationship with both my wife and my dad. Gives us something to do together and that is critical in a marriage.

Maybe you could try this: Open up the picture that you took in Photoshop (or any photo editing program). Highlight the area of the GPS and copy it out of the photo. Produce a second image of the GPS highly-enlarged -- hopefully showing enough detail to meet the person's requirements. Post both pics with your find log. In the log, add some comments about what you saw around you at the time -- things that will "prove" you were there. If it still gets deleted, then you've got no more options --- and you've got a cache-hider that is (sadly) more interested in details than in the spirit of the adventure. And that's just sad for HIM!

...when you call your wife at work because a new geocache just got approved nearby and you have a chance to be first-finder. And you know you've converted a new geo-geek when she says "I'll pick you up RIGHT AFTER WORK!"