HangGlider

My wife and I were recently in the Puget Sound area visiting her mom... I took advantage of the opportunity to attempt a few caches in the Puyallup area. I was within feet of three different caches (according to the GPSr), but there were SO MANY PEOPLE around!!! I had to bail out on all three caches. How do you people Geocache over there? Glad I'm living in Spokane!! -HangGlider

My niece in Sultan was supposed to be having a new arrival by now - which would have made justifying the trip over easier - alas, no news is bad news. I can't make the gathering today, but I'd certainly like to contribute to the effort. Keep me in mind as the "Eastern Liason" - if that's ok with whatever the group decides. I can still committ to attending the Park Commission meeting in Ephrata, if that is deemed to be worthwhile. Best regards, -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by MissEm:I'm trying to come up with a list of quick caches along I-90 between Spokane and Seattle. When you're on the West side of Spokane, be sure to hit the Finch Arboretum cache (GC27E8). It's only two-three minutes off the freeway (east or west bound) and in a beautiful park the kids will love. There's a letterbox there too! -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by MissEm:I'm trying to come up with a list of quick caches along I-90 between Spokane and Seattle. When you're on the West side of Spokane, be sure to hit the Finch Arboretum cache (GC27E8). It's only two-three minutes off the freeway (east or west bound) and in a beautiful park the kids will love. There's a letterbox there too! -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by Zzzoey:Do you use any sort of GPS for work? Yep, 24/7! We use a TrueTime 100 Network Time Server that sync's to the atomic clocks in the GPS sat's and allows all of our computers to sync to an accurate time base. -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by Wander Lost: [sNIP] The key part is that they set the policies for the agency. We might try to get in touch with one or more of these commissioners. They also have public meetings. The next two are in Eastern WA. We might be able to get some of our dry siders to help out by attending one of these meetings. I ran across the same info and I agree wholeheartedly - the commissioners are who we want to target. I can probably make the next meeting in Ephrata, but we might not make it on the agenda. We need a Very Specific agenda (want do we want to change) and a VERY SPECIFIC outcome (what do we want it to look like when we've arrived at our goal). Do we want a permit system as the end result? Do we want no system at all? Do we want the Park Dept to police us or do we want to police ourselves (the latter is the better way to go here - the parks budget is already stretched - a fact we might use in our favor). It'd be good if people can start thinking about these things before the meeting, since time will be somewhat limited. -HangGlider

Sat. evening or Sunday - north or south doesn't make much difference to me! Might want to add organizational info, like bylaws, etc., to the agenda. We'll need to convince the powers-that-be that we represent the majority of GeoCachers in Washington state. Having a solid organizational structure in place will help. -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by Wander Lost:_Enough talking about this lets do something!_ It's a ways from Spokane, but there's a better than even chance I can make it Sat. eve. or Sunday morning. The issue makes the mileage worth it! -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by Wander Lost:_Enough talking about this lets do something!_ It's a ways from Spokane, but there's a better than even chance I can make it Sat. eve. or Sunday morning. The issue makes the mileage worth it! -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by travisl:I think it's started: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=2302 and http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4968 have reportedly been removed by parks officials (see notes on each page by FWadmin): [sNIP] So in spite of my comments elsewhere on the subject, if you're placing caches in a Washington State Park, it looks like you'd better ask permission first. And if you have one already in a state park, I think you should check on its status. Wonderful. Some state-appointed administrator has a severe case of "Bureaucratitis." "Pose a hazard?" Give me a break! I really have a hard time with this...in case you couldn't tell How long before they tell me what kind of shoes I'm allowed to wear in the park? After all, some shoes may "pose a hazard." Half the kids I see playing in the parks (are they authorized to play in the parks? Did they ask permission?) "pose a hazard." These are public parks - right? I understand and support the need to preserve these areas for future generations. No argument there at all. I would like to see common sense applied though - something which is apparently a contradiction in terms when used in the same sentence with the word "government." So, how much time/energy and how much of our money are they willing to spend removing unauthorized geocaches? I wonder what the real criminals are doing while the rangers are out geocaching. Time to find another state to live in. -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by travisl:I think it's started: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=2302 and http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4968 have reportedly been removed by parks officials (see notes on each page by FWadmin): [sNIP] So in spite of my comments elsewhere on the subject, if you're placing caches in a Washington State Park, it looks like you'd better ask permission first. And if you have one already in a state park, I think you should check on its status. Wonderful. Some state-appointed administrator has a severe case of "Bureaucratitis." "Pose a hazard?" Give me a break! I really have a hard time with this...in case you couldn't tell How long before they tell me what kind of shoes I'm allowed to wear in the park? After all, some shoes may "pose a hazard." Half the kids I see playing in the parks (are they authorized to play in the parks? Did they ask permission?) "pose a hazard." These are public parks - right? I understand and support the need to preserve these areas for future generations. No argument there at all. I would like to see common sense applied though - something which is apparently a contradiction in terms when used in the same sentence with the word "government." So, how much time/energy and how much of our money are they willing to spend removing unauthorized geocaches? I wonder what the real criminals are doing while the rangers are out geocaching. Time to find another state to live in. -HangGlider

I never see a value for glide ratio either, even when I took the unit with me for a sailplane ride a couple of weeks ago. -HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by baileyj205:Anyone know where I can get one? http://www.rei.com then search for Garmin. They have a mount for $28 I think. HangGlider

quote:Originally posted by TheYorks: A couple examples would be ... http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=26750. if someone asked me to figure it out with a paper and pencil, I wouldn't even know where to start. Try your local community college - and don't be afraid to start with one level of math lower than what you feel comfortable with. When I started back to college I started w/ bonehead algebra - and I'm 48 ! I'm clear through Linear algebra and Differential Equations now! If I can do it ( I flunked High school algebra)- so can you! Good luck! HangGlider [This message was edited by HangGlider on July 06, 2002 at 10:10 AM.]

quote:Originally posted by TheYorks: A couple examples would be ... http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=26750. if someone asked me to figure it out with a paper and pencil, I wouldn't even know where to start. Try your local community college - and don't be afraid to start with one level of math lower than what you feel comfortable with. When I started back to college I started w/ bonehead algebra - and I'm 48 ! I'm clear through Linear algebra and Differential Equations now! If I can do it ( I flunked High school algebra)- so can you! Good luck! HangGlider [This message was edited by HangGlider on July 06, 2002 at 10:10 AM.]

quote:Originally posted by majicman:HangGlider, How do those Great Gray Owls taste? (I heard they were kinda stringy...) By the time you pluck the dang things there ain't nothin' left but a pile 'o feathers! Beats me how they taste... Like chicken I suppose.

quote:Originally posted by majicman:HangGlider, How do those Great Gray Owls taste? (I heard they were kinda stringy...) By the time you pluck the dang things there ain't nothin' left but a pile 'o feathers! Beats me how they taste... Like chicken I suppose.

quote:Originally posted by trees: I have a standard topo map, 7.5/7.5 How do I detirmine the coordances of a place on the map? There are 2.5minute marks on the map but how do you get closer? A friend gave me a Topo Companion back when I was tracking Great Gray Owls into Canada. We did a lot of GPS to map/map to GPS stuff back then and the TopoCompanion was just the ticket. I see REI sells them, and the following phone # is printed on the thing: 800 275-7526. It's essentially a clear ruler/scale that works with most common topo scales. You can read the Lat/Long directly off the ruler for any point on the map. Or you can read the UTM coords off if it - if that's what floats your boat. I'm not affiliated in any way with the TopoCompanion folks - I'm just a satisfied user.

quote:Originally posted by trees: I have a standard topo map, 7.5/7.5 How do I detirmine the coordances of a place on the map? There are 2.5minute marks on the map but how do you get closer? A friend gave me a Topo Companion back when I was tracking Great Gray Owls into Canada. We did a lot of GPS to map/map to GPS stuff back then and the TopoCompanion was just the ticket. I see REI sells them, and the following phone # is printed on the thing: 800 275-7526. It's essentially a clear ruler/scale that works with most common topo scales. You can read the Lat/Long directly off the ruler for any point on the map. Or you can read the UTM coords off if it - if that's what floats your boat. I'm not affiliated in any way with the TopoCompanion folks - I'm just a satisfied user.

APRS has already been mentioned - but I'll second that opinion! You've got the GPS, go get your Tech Class HAM license (no Morse Code required) and hook your GPSr to your Kenwood TH7D-A(G) handheld radio. You'll be broadcasting your location world-wide whenever the GPSr is on and hooked up to the radio AND an APRS digipeater can pick you up (there are alot of digipeaters currently in operation - most on mountain-tops). All the family will need to track you is an Internet connection.

Many thanks to all who answered! Good info, (and some entertaining info too!). Fortunately, none of the solutions involved the use of automatic weapons I guess creativity is the key... I suppose hunting for a cache while dressed in a BioHazard suit is out?

Many thanks to all who answered! Good info, (and some entertaining info too!). Fortunately, none of the solutions involved the use of automatic weapons I guess creativity is the key... I suppose hunting for a cache while dressed in a BioHazard suit is out?

quote:Originally posted by Criminal: Anyone familiar with these? How well do they work? FWIW, I bought a Lowe active antenna for my GPS 12XL and it made a HUGE difference in reception - even in dense foliage. Out in the open, if a satellite was in the sky, the signal strength bar was pegged for it. Every satellite above the horizon came in strong. Reviews I've read rate the MM and Lowe very closely. Good luck!

Found our third cache today! We were shadowed the whole time we were in the park by another person (who knows? maybe another 'cacher'?). We tried to be discrete, but this person came by while we had the cache open (15 yds from it's hiding place). I stationed a lookout when I went to put the cache back in its hiding place, but the person re-appeared on another trail (there are several trails into this location). Not sure if he figured out what was going on, or if he saw where the cache was hidden. How do you handle being discovered when recovering or returning a cache?