M&Ms
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Posts posted by M&Ms
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Regrettably I don't know much at all. It appears to be used by the more professional geo packages Arcview and so forth. I tried a trawl over the Internet without success. Maybe someone else can help us with further information. Best of luck in hunting down a map.
M of M&Ms
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And another appeal. Currently Saudi Arabia does not have the map facility within the Geocaching.com that other countries do. The stalwarts running Geocaching.com are slowly widening the distribution of these maps the aim being for every country to have one eventually. We can improve our priority considerably if we can supply *.spc map of the Kingdom. Has anyone got one?
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You are of course correct however all of our caches are of varying difficulty and most (about 80%) require 4WD. Terrain for us is an important criteria. What people can achieve in a 4WD varies enormously and it is important to convey accurately what is involved to enable seekers to make an informed view as to whether this is a cache they want to bag. A stony track requiring a 4WD in a popular area where many people pass is very different to soft sand several hours drive from the nearest habitation which itself may not have recovery or medical facilities. Similarly, when the temperatures can reach 50° it is important to let seekers know how for how long they will out of their vehicle and how far away from their vehicle the hunt will take them so that they may prepare properly. The star rating is the first filter towards this. The system would be ineffective if the vast majority of caches fell into one category. Moreover there is a vast difference between a 3* in South Africa to those in UK and similarly here a local interpretation of the star system has evolved to make it more useful.
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For one of my caches I received the comment that the grid was 6m out and therefore the cache took ten minutes to find. Well excuse me how long did they expect the hunt to last? On a more serious note at the top of a wadi I have experienced the problem of being exactly at a given grid recording a good accuracy and being unable to find the cache. However as I descended down the wadi side the accuracy dropped off rapidly, increasing the search area leading to us finding the cache. Clearly the person setting the cache recorded the grid in less than ideal circumstances and this led to the subsequent confusion of being on top of the recorded grid with a good accuracy but not being at the correct location. I do believe there is case for listing the recorded accuracy where it is not good especially when it can give rise to this problem.
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Ah Walz you have baited my web. I have been advocating more caches accessible to the two-wheelers. Would people listen and there you are crying for more. I have to say the number open to you is a tad limited. Martin's Fall (GC9D2B)is a possibility as is Hair of the Damned (GC937E).
M of M&Ms
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We are so lucky here, we have access to cache sites that would all be behind wire in other places, old forts, abandoned villages, camel trails carved into the rock of deep escarpments, etc. Even what would be major tourists sites in private hands are open to us. Some sites are in the midst of the desert that takes two-days, off-road drive to get to. A challenge for all abilities. The caches themselves are in buildings, old walls, under rock shelves (the favorite at the moment). The containers themselves are getting more creative with coffee pots, jugs, urns, etc. as well as the old faithful Tupperware container. Indeed with the increased security situation we endorse the advice given at another post of using a see-through container at dodgy sites.
M of M&Ms
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Not quite. The idea behind the super cache is that hidden in existing caches is a clue that will reveal a single figure in the co-ordinate of the super cache. Because some caches are so difficult to get to, one took two days drive into the desert to set, the same clue will be in several caches and so if one is lost the treasures within the super cache may still be found. We expect that it will take time, several months at least, to bag the ultimate prize. But what an achievement, what a prize and what fun.
M of M&Ms
[This message was edited by M&Ms on November 25, 2002 at 07:20 PM.]
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I think it may be a bit early. Give it time. Geocachers tend to be visiting locations and then bagging the cache close by rather than be purists/addicts. We have a plan to set up an event down Hidden Valley and Wadi Nisah for a particular group but open to all. It will be of interest to see who attends from outside the group.
M of M&Ms
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How can they get into this great game without a cache to bag. I would set one.
M of M&Ms.
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The two caches relating to Letter Group 1 are set and contain the clues. Note these clues are not in the silver boxes described in the previous serial, they would not withstand the environment.
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Note that you cannot delete comments made on this page and may only edit them for a limited time. Please take care particularly if you are from outside the Peninsula or have made a comment in a moment of spontaneity.
[This message was edited by M&Ms on October 24, 2002 at 08:57 PM.]
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We are setting a super cache the clues of which are hidden in special silver covered chests, 12cm long. These are hidden in other cache sites within Saudi Arabia and should be left. The chests are not swap-outs. The project is quite ambitious and will take a few months to set up. If you come across the chests before the cache is set and you fancy a go at the Super Cache then record the letter within along with the location... but ssssh! keep it to yourself.
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Couldn't find the cache, tough luck but it all adds to the fun. However please record it on the appropriate web page. The cache may no longer be there and logs of failure are the best of way of finding out that there may be a problem and alerting Geo Rescue to the task.
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Three points about the locals:
- An unintended find usualy leads to a lost cache. Please consider this when deciding on a location. The shepherds get to some very unlikley places. Though interestingly the "bottle" (not a cache) hidden in one of the lower caves of the Summan is not only there but locals have left their signatures within.
- Rememeber the security situation hiding secret containers can cause a tad of a stir.
- We are fortunate to have access to sites which would be classed as national treasures back home and fenced off. Lets not spoil them for those that follow.
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Maybe the purists will accuse me of cheating by using this forum for advertising. Indeed if you found yourself here then this may be of little value. However, our campaign to promote geocaching in Saudi moves up a gear on 8 Oct when M&Ms will be lecturing on the topic to the Riyadh Rovers Register. Interested in learning more, then be at the Conference Room in Arabian Villas, above the restaurant, at 7.45pm.
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Caches are set for many reasons some for a physical challenge, others to tempt people to places well worth a visit and to which they might not otherwise go. It may be disappointing to some to travel for hours into the desert drive straight to the co-ordinates and then spend time hunting through a boulder field with little else to see. Why not say in the description why you have set the cache and let the potential seekers decide whether this is the one for them.
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Remember the flash floods of winter. Is you cache safe from the water flow.
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Remember the heat of summer. If geocachers hunting your cache can expect to be separated from their vehicle for some time then warn them in the description so that they can prepare themselves appropriately.
How did you hear about geocaching?
in How do I...?
Posted
We are trying to promote geocaching with lectures articles, assistance to beginners and ensuring there are sufficient local caches of a sort to hook the absolute beginner. It is a shame however that posters and other bits and bobs promoting the activity are not available from anywhere… or do you know something I don't.