The Adams Family Circus

hey now! We've hit 7 in the last three months due to one thing or another!! Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

Two for (counting Kite and Hawkeye), one against. You guys aren't helping! We scouted, and found a few likely spots in the PERFECT area. Now we need to clean up the box (even if we don't use it, I'm not having a poison oak laden box sitting in the garage!), get it loaded and placed. It also reeks! Appears to have been in the open for awhile, and created some bio-specimens or something. One thing after another, we'll get to the logs. In short, we only hit 3 caches before dragging ourselves to bed - and we were always 4th. Honestly I have to admit being disappointed - I expected decent booty, darn it. And, don't get me wrong, there WAS decent booty - I just didn't get any of it. We had a good time, though! Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

Somebody string up CaptainTrio, if he's not pulling our collective legs. I'm giving notice now - somebody needs to step up on the Summer picnic. Or else. Or else you'll make me do it again. 8-) Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

K&H, I like that idea a lot. Nimmie proposed another thought as well that I'd like feedback on - as we're having to start over anyway, perhaps we should place a normal-sized ammo can for the Wizard, and use the big ol'ammo can for the next picnic. I'm of the opinion that if you don't know there was a huge stash at the end of Wizard, you'd probably not do it. 8-) In any event, we visited the end of the run, recovered the box and some of the swag, and cleaned up the rest. Took an hour...8- Anyway, please respond here - big box or little? Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

Got to agree - adding puzzles shortens the list of cachers willing to check out your hard work. On the other hand, those that complete it seems to use it as a badge of honor. Blowing my own horn: Off to Find a Wizard: the SD Potluck Memorial Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

How we got started Last May, for Mother's Day, LionTamer Nimmie decided she wanted to go for a hike. I tried to complain that getting that much sunlight would ruin the mold and mildew collection on the north side of my body (the side away from the PC screen) - but it WAS Mother's day, after all. So I searched out a suitable, short hike online and away we went. Harmony grove is short drive, and the hike we were to attempt was a short loop that was off a main, really long hike. NO problem, we thought. So, 90 degrees, 6 month old on my back, we started out, and the first 1/4 mile was quite pleasant - lots of shade, crossed a creek, fairly level - we're thinking this isn't so bad. THEN we got to the 'Hill'. I've been on steeper, longer hikes since (can you say Inselberg Cache?) but this one nearly killed us. My wife was concerned about the various shades I was turning, and took the baby pack from me, but the damage was done. I seriously considered finding the person who wrote this up as a 'nice little walk' and committing severe bodily harm to his person. My son and daughter were VERY happy, out enjoying nature, chipped, laughing. We nearly left the remote area childless, but I didn't have the strength (it's a joke, people). By the time we reached the top, Nimmie and I were completely wiped out. We nearly crawled back to the car, and complained about our lack of physical conditioning. My personal idea of fun doesn't involve getting sweaty for the sake of seeing sage brush. If there's nothing more to it, I ain't going. Later in week, I received Randy Cassingham's newsletter, This is True (www.thisistrue.com), a weekly list of weird news stories. As a follower of the list for several years, this wasn't a big deal. However, in the comments section of the letter, he mentioned his 'Get Out OF Hell Free' cards (www.goohf.com for more info) were turning up in unexpected places, and a reader sent him a message stating they were turning up in 'Geocaches'. Randy mentioned researching what this guy was talking about, and Randy posted the link to GeoCaching.com. I started reading at the site, and realized this had something for everyone. My kids would get outside, Nimmie would get her hikes, *I* would have a purpose for hiking in the first place, and we'd all get some exercise. I couldn't have been more excited to point this out to Nimmie and explain it. She was thrilled too, and immediately saw all the possibilities. Now we needed a GPS. Ebay was killing me on bids, so we tried a local cache ( Barking cache, since suspended) w/o a GPS. Based on information provided, we were able to walk right up to it - and discovered it was missing. We also tried to get Lua's cache w/o a GPS, and were skunked there too (although we were within 4 feet, we didn't look hard enough). Then our GPS arrived, and we took off for the Barking Cache - and proved it was gone. <sigh> As for the Circus itself - The second time we decide to 'go caching', at 9a we decided to go: at Noon we finally were in the car. The preceding 3 hours reminded me of the clowns in the Circus all trying to fit into one car. And our nickname was born.... 8-) Earl, Ringmaster (and tired just thinking of Mother's Day 2002) The Adams Family Circus

OK - WHERE'S THE BUZZ? At the Sea-to-Sea Trail meet, I heard a lot of 'When's the next picnic?'. I know I heard someone say they were going to put it together - so what's the scoop? I don't want to name names and make anyone feel 'put-out' if I guess wrong. so Let's get together again! Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Fmaily Circus

<Chuckle> I've never seen this post, and I don't recall getting an email about it... For the record, my wife and I are SD natives - but I'm a trivia nut, and have all kinds of useless information on tap. 8-) Man, I'm hungry - anyone know where I can get good donut-holes? Earl, Ringmaster, The Adams Family Circus

Well, all of you handily proved my point, to my wife's surprise. Cachers are masochists who enjoy getting challenged and dragged hither and yon. 8-) The non-puzzle appreciating minority represented a small enough segment that I'm comfortable with my puzzles. here's the cache, and thanks for all your collective input! Off to Find a Wizard: the San Diego Potluck Memorial Cache

OK, OK. Two people read the puzzle the way I had envisioned. After Reading Warm Fuzzie's Fuzzy detailed breakdown, and going over that line a few times myself, I agreed with Warm - it's ambiguous currently, which doesn't meet my 'only one right answer' criteria. SO: let's amend the first line back to what I had in mind. We can use Warm Fuzzie's Fuzzy Logic to check it. "Your Father's mother's ONLY daughter's son's sister's brother's ONLY cousin is Bob, the driver of a school bus." NOW let me know. And for the record, each step of the way will be a different sort of puzzle, and (I'm giving this away, I know) the entire theme is following the steps of Dorothy in the The Wizard of Oz. Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus (Now getting a C- in Warm Fuzzie's Fuzzy's Geneology class)

Hmm. you sure?

...I've asked a question on the General thread, not knowing this thread existed. Please check this thread, and reply. I've read over your thread here, and I think I've won by a landslide. BUT - please reply there. THanks! Can a Cache Puzzle be TOO Hard?

A pity we're 3000+ miles away - I LOVE the Battleship cache, and it has given me a way to do a Chess-based cache I'd envisioned, but didn't want to place 32 micro-caches around town. Thanks Brdad! Earl

Hello! Thank you for your quick responses. I think it's important to fill in some of the extra information you don't know about this cool cache puzzle we've been putting together. It is a multi of about 10 stages, which must be done is a particular order, each sending the unsuspecting cacher to the far corners of San Diego, North County and the surrounding areas. The clues sometimes make them go back & forth long distances. Now, normally I wouldn't think the puzzles are that big a deal either but because of the other "obstacles" planned, I can't help but wonder if it's too much. What is your thought on having a similar puzzle as described between each stage?

Hello all! We just had a very successful GeoCacher's get-together in San Diego, and as the organizer, I requested everyone bring a GeoTrinket to be placed in a Memorial cache. I'm pleased to say the locals did themselves proud coughing up some very nice swag. And proceeding to harass me about when the cache will be placed 8-). Here's the issue: I want people to work for this box. I've got a multi-stage planned, with puzzles in the instructions to get to each stage. HOWEVER, my better third (Nimmie) feels the puzzles I've constructed are too hard. I contend that GeoCachers are an above average group in the first place, and enjoy a challenge. As we've reached an impasse, I've decided to put up a Sample question here. Please give me your thoughts: Is this TOO hard? *************** Your Father's mother's sister's daughter's son's sister's brother's only cousin is Bob, the driver of a school bus. On his first day, he lets 3 kids onto the bus. Then he takes on 6 more at the next stop, 7 at the next, and 14 at the next, followed by a tremendous crash as he runs over and totals your parked blue Mazda Miata. The children, however, never pause in their 45th rendition of 'The wheels on the Bus go 'round and 'round". Along with your day job, you're studying to become a lawyer. Should you sue him? A) My car's ruined! Absolutely! For the car, no. For the song - YES! C) Nope! ************** And yes, there is only ONE correct answer. Thanks for your help! Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

...the ONLY GeoCacher's Potluck in the World with a 100k FunRun! (SD GeoCacher's potluck and 100k FunRun in Escondido on 2-1-03). But that's just a guess. Earl, Ringmaster (and potluck organizer) The Adams Family Circus

...how did you think you'd FIND the potato salad?? Earl

It's posted already - although awaiting final approval. SD GeoCacher's PotLuck and 100k FunRun Earl, Ringmaster, The Adams Family Circus

I ASSUMED (i know the joke, yes) that Feb 2nd WAS a Saturday. The last thing I want to do is discourage attendance (our Hebrew and Seventh Day Adventist Cachers I'll have to offer apologies to - we can't have it mid-week, so SOMEONE will wind up offended). Feb 1st. Kit Carson Park in Escondido. Pot Luck. Animals on Leashes. Got it? Now....I gotta get the event cache put up. I'll try to do it this weekend (I know, I said that LAST weekend - but If I'd done it THEN, I'd be revising it having found out it was scheduled on a Sunday). So - Tell your friends, tell your enemies, but don't make the Circus stand in the Park alone. Earl, RingMaster The Adams Family Circus

I give. GroundHog Day it is - Feb 2nd. The Adams Family Circus

...is currently in discussion under the SD Thread. We're thinking Kit Carson Park, Jan. 18th. Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

Advised my SWMBO (Nimmie, Lion Tamer of the Circus) and was told in no uncertain terms that I was having a 'Male' moment, and had been advised weeks ago to block out the 24th-26th for some kind of surprise trip. My apologies for those of you circling your calendar dates! So - howza'bout that January 18th?? And don't worry - once the word starts getting around, I'm sure we'll have a group there. Lessee - We've got a date (right??! RIGHT!), we've got a place (got to verify the pet-friendly part, but the Humane society used to be right there - how unfriendly could it be?!)...what's left? The Event cache, of course. I'll try to verify the pet part, and get the event cache setup by the weekend. That's a month warning, roughly... Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

Hey, what am I - the thread police?! Anyway - good point on the SuperBowl. Jan 25th it is. Now to work on WHERE...Personally, I like Kit Carson park in Escondido: free parking, kid and per friendly (for the most part) and two good caches by Parsa and daughter Lua in the immediate vicinity. Mission Bay also is a thought - it shouldn't be crowded, for one thing, although probably colder. Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

SO - Back to the get-together I was considering trying to get something organized for after the first of the year, and figured it doesn't take a whole lot of effort - - Everything BYO. - Setup a cache for the group to find (and I would assume the more intricate the better, with so many minds to put in effort!) - Get a good location, and post an Event cache for that date. and you're done! (I Think.) I'm sure someone will point out how simplistic this is....and this doesn't count all the inevitable 'But I'm not open that weekend! How about back a week/forward a week?' messages. Can it be this easy? If so, gimme a few block out dates - right now, I like Jan. 18th. Thoughts? Earl, Ringmaster The Adams Family Circus

Just found this thread (Bad cacher, bad!), and I know the Circus would love to meet all the goofs we've been following the footprints of. As I'm unemployed currently, I've certainly got the time - let's get this thing going! Earl