atfritz

How true Back then, the morning after the posting you couldn't find a parking space near a new cache. I like how you put that all in perspective. I am very fortunate, in this day in age, to have the option.

From what I understand though, I can only do pocket queries if I'm able to download data to my GPS? Would I be able to query from the web-site alone?

Hello. I was wondering if there is any way to search geocaches by difficulty/terrain level?

Yes, it does depend on where you are. It depends on the state and area. The blury images you see are satellite images from a LANDSAT IMAGER most likely. The detailed aerials are images taken by plane, like in Indiana (my home state). Local and state governments can decide when to sell the rights to Key Hole or Google Earth to display the images. The images from Indiana where a product of Homeland Security and therefore had to be made public. In almost all cases, aerial images in either .tif (mrsid) or jpeg files can be downloaded with spatial references. For example, I have Pike County, KY aerials, the same exact ones on Microsoft Local Live (USGS Orthoquads) and all the USGS topo maps loaded on my computer. I simply add them as layers into ArcView or ArcExplorer (GIS) and I can pan and zoom quickly and easily to locate trails and such. You can use other programs to make route layers that then could be loaded into your GPS. This information, with the right plugin, could all be overlayed into Google Earth. So, in short, yes, it does depend on where you live, but with the right tools, you can add a lot of power to Google Earth.

I have only done one geochache and I am already at the point to where if it doesn't have a terrain of 4 or 5 then I am not doing it. I am being extremely selective. I need the thrill. I need mean dogs, steep hills, walls to climb, mud to splash, miles and miles of endless wilderness, hillbillies that shoot, people to yell "run Forest run" while running. I'm not a guy full of hormones, just in need of a good ole' fashion adventure. I want to tell lots of stories when I get back. It makes the cache so much more exciting for me. It makes life more meaningful.