Lyra

I've been away from Geocaching for a couple of years. Career obligations and a new kid have hindered me a bit. Funny that I should log back on after such a hiatus and see your post. I've got a cache at Smith Mountain Lake that someone just logged today. Click here. There are a couple of others in the area, as well. Do a ZIP Code search on 24137 and it'll give you a good list.

Actually, I think I'm probably going to have nightmares tonight, just from looking at your avatar!

Glad to see I've sparked some interest. I became interested in Dru's disappearance due to a tragic story that happened in my local area involving the double murder of a husband and wife and the apparent abduction of their nine-year-old daughter, whose remains were found about a month later about 30 miles away. I will forewarn you that the forums on www.finddru.com have gotten way out of hand, with lots of typical childish arguing and such. If you're interested in helping with searches, however, check the forums and try to ignore the idiots on board. What's sad about it is that the website was put up by Dru's family, and people are being stupid enough to proclaim their detailed theories about how she must have been adbucted and raped and whatnot. I'm sure her family has long since abandoned the site in favor of holding out hope that she's still alive. Anyway, there's another search that's being coordinated by Dru's family and law enforcement within the next month or so. There's a police contact number at the website and I would suggest calling that number if you want to volunteer. The "unofficial" searches appear to be little more than pissing contests between people who want to show that they're more "holier than thou" by actually doing something. Unfortunately, the general consensus appears to be that they're searching areas that have already been searched or have been ruled out as possible fruitful search areas.

Every year, there's a boatload of new cachers that got their first GPSr for Christmas. Just to avoid having numerous new topics, tell us about it here!

Anybody who might be interested in helping with searches for Dru Sjodin, the missing 22 year old college student who was apparently abducted in Grand Forks can find more info at www.finddru.com. Her family would appreciate it greatly.

Anybody who might be interested in helping with searches for Dru Sjodin, the missing 22 year old college student who was apparently abducted in Grand Forks can find more info at www.finddru.com. Her family would appreciate it greatly.

It would not, of course, be mandatory. It's simply a one-line ticker that gives a link to relevant information if there's an active Amber Alert issued. If you don't like it, it's pretty simple to ignore.

Our hobby frequently takes us to out-of-the-way places not regularly visited by many other people. I live in the same community where Jennifer Marie Short's mother and father were murdered in their home and Jennifer abducted, only to have her remains discovered about 30 miles away a month later. During the time that Jennifer's whereabouts were unknown until she was found murdered, an Amber Alert had been issued. I came across an Amber Alert ticker that can be easily added to any webpage and thought that it might be a useful addition to the main GC page to alert cachers to be on the lookout for missing children while caching. If you're interested in making this addition, the URL for ticker code is: http://www.codeamber.org/?tck1 Just a suggestion. At the very least, it may generate some donations to this worthy undertaking. Thanks! Lyra

How about one that says "I'm not geocaching. I'm LOST!" for those urban caches where stealth hunting is a necessity?

Oh, jeez! I just saw my post and realized that I'm no longer a charter member. Better get out the checkbook! Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

How about a bushwhack of cachers? OT: My wife, a middle school teacher, recently came up with such a name for a group of schoolgirls...a "giggle" of girls. Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

quote:Originally posted by kristine bean: quote:Originally posted by Squatting Dog:Anybody have any interesting stories of novel uses of GPS's? For example, I recently heard of a woman that suspected her husband of seeing someone else, so she put a GPS in his car, then later retrieved it and followed the breadcrumbs to a motel. HA! Now that's clever! Check out this thread Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

Test test test.... Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

Scale Model of the Solar System Unfortunately, it's a bit far away for me to locate all nine planets for the coords. Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

It's a little known fact by those except experienced veteran cachers that caches are secretly designed to self-destruct if removed more than one mile from its hiding place. If so removed, the cache will initially spray a scented liquid chemically similar to skunk scent in a quantity sufficient to create a stink cloud 10 feet in diameter. If not replaced within a certain amount of time, the cache will then fire McToys at high velocity in random directions. Finally, if sufficent time elapses, the cache will "grow" robotic feet and begin its trek back to the hiding place based upon the programmed coordinates entered on the cache page. Oh, and any travel bugs contained in the cache will come to life and begin biting the culprit. If replaced, the smell goes away,the McToys disappear and the travel bugs will return to the cache. I'm kidding, of course. ------------ Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

I think they may have been using subsonics of a caliber that I can't tell, but looks bigger than a .22 from what I can see. Subsonics have a lower muzzle velocity and, thus, less penetrating power. Lower powder load results in a slower bullet that tends to cause more impact than clean "pass through" of higher velocity bullets, plus less penetration. Definitely looks bigger than a .22 though. Dunno what kind of pellet gun would pack the kind of wallop that would actually pass through the metal ammo container, if only two bullets were recovered. Just a thought, though. Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

Inside the hole in this tree would be a great place, except that the tree's located on private property at the hunt club I belong to. An escapee quail led me to it. Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

The Climb. By far, the most difficult cache I've found, thus far. 75 degree slope on a difficult hill above the Smith River in Virginia. Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

You're right. That's pretty scary! At least they don't PULL each other's fingers! Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

Glad to see it made its way back to the top! Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

That was Wildcat's only hide, too! Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

quote:Originally posted by lysa:Well, I am sitting here ... one hand of wet nails, a towel on my head.... less than an hour and a half till we have to head to Dave's mom's house and I still felt compelled to check up on you crazy people ! lol Even though I still reiterate that this totally... TOTALLY isn't necessary I would like to say that what I see on this site warms my heart completely... people who do not even know each other reaching out and doing something so nice for someone else... IF nothing else about the sport interested me.. I would be drawn to it JUST for the type of people that it seems to attract... again.. I really do not know what to say except thank you ... all of you... and if everyone treated everyone this way... the world would be a much better place for it. I have to run now... people are waiting and I can't wait to start the rest of my life with my son and my new (wonderful) husband !! Have a stupendous day everyone ~ I know I will ! Lysa Check out a few more threads and you'll see what we're like, zits and all. You're still our heroine, though. Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

What do Michael Jackson and a grocery store bag have in common? They're both white, made out of plastic, and dangerous for children to play with! Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

Kevin Bacon was in Hollow Man with J. Patrick McCormack. J. Patrick McCormack was in Star Trek: Nemesis with Wil Wheaton. Wil Wheaton is GroundskeeperWillie Always wear proper caching safety equipment!

quote:Originally posted by lysa:Well, That really is the plan, I have been doing nothing but surfing this site and reading the forums.. since this whole thing started.. And once I get an itch, lord help the rest of my family lol... This sounds perfect.. I moan all the time that my son does nothing but sit on his behind in front of his Sony Play station II, but until now could think of NOTHING that would keep us all interested... when *drpepper* pasted my emails.. he left out certain parts... which was very nice ... he was trying to protect my privacy... but I am getting married this weekend... and then we have all that lovely INS stuff to go through to get myself and my son legally able to work and live here permanently, I am assuming that it will take until the summer.. but after that, DEFINATELY will be trying this out.. I think it sounds like a hoot ! Lysa I think we can all attest to the fact that, once you've found your first cache, you'll be addicted. It's a great sport. I also think you handled the affair with your son in a pretty responsible fashion, although I'd be inclined to think that the kids didn't even bother to read the cache information or the log book once they made their discovery. A GPS receiver is a great investment for lots of family fun, but judging by the history of your situation, I think all you'd need is to take your son with you into the woods. He seems to have a knack for finding caches without electronic assistance. I would also comment that, if you do become involved in Geocaching, yours would definitely be the strangest story as to how you discovered this site! Hope you enjoy the sport as much as I do! Always wear proper caching safety equipment!