Buggies

I'm looking at upgrading from the iPhone to a GPS for geocaching and backpacking. I've been a slave to the internet looking at reviews of GPS units for about a week now. I hear a lot of good things about the Garmin Oregon 450. Does this sound like a reasonable GPS? Or is there better or bang for the same price? I have some questions about the unit though. First off, I've read some posts here about the difference between the 450 and 450T. I was planning on getting the 450, since I would like to get the 24K topo maps fr more detail. This leads me into my next question about purchasing Garmin maps. I want the Northeast 24k topo maps. Now I'm looking at those and there is two options: a DVD, and an SD card. The DVD looks as if it gives you a larger chunk of the Northeast than the SD card gives you. I was wondering why that is? And what would be the way to go? DVD or SD card? I read a few posts on the forum that the SD card is the best way to load maps on the GPS.

I guess I'm lucky in that I have the iPhone app that allows me to create logs immediately after I find a cache. I don't want to make it seem like i'm wining or complaining. I think that because I'm really new to geocaching, I am overly excited to find a trackable and move it along towards its goal. I'm just finding it odd that nearly every trackable in my area is missing. I added most of the local trackables to my watch list in hopes they pop back up. I'll just keep searching!

Yep I checked both the cache log and the trackable log before I left. Spent a few hours picking the caches out. According those logs, these trackables should of still been there. Went and searched for more today where some were to be, and nothing. I check the log sheets inside the caches, and there is one user name that pops up over and over.

We went out last night for the sole purpose of finding a trackable to take with us on our beach trip. Visited 8 caches with trackables in their inventory (some with 2). We found ZERO trackables! That's a little discouraging to say the least. Is that common to search so long for one? It seems my entire local area has been purged of trackables.

Yep I agree with you. In general, I think people suck at following direction and paying attention to detail. The same can be said about any hobby really. I'm an avid disc golfer,and we can see the same there. D-bags leaving garbage like water and sport drink bottles out on the courses.

I wonder if municipalities are concerned with "suspicious" packages being placed on their domain? With everyone worrying about homeland security, drugs included, it may raise an eyebrow if people are "sneaking" around looking for suspicious packages? The above is just a though for discussion. But in reality, I can understand the concern that a municipality may have a problem with people disturbing natural areas with undue foot traffic. But in the same breath, and I've only been doing this for a VERY short time (2 caches), the folks interested in geocaching seem to be good folks out enjoying a wonderful hobby. The same folks I think are also very conscious, outdoor/environment loving people. That may be the majority, but I'm sure with just about anything, there are the minority who may not have the same intentions. I haven't placed any geocaches yet, but I plan to. I don't think I'd place one without asking permission. But at the same time, you may need to educate them a little on what the hobby is about. If it IS in a sensitive area, you can always add that into the cache description.

I posted a NM log. But like you've all mentioned, it looks like this one has been abandoned. Thanks again for the replies. I'll keep my eye on this one. Looking forward to getting out and finding number 3!

Thanks for the replies. Is it OK to post a few log messages on one cache? I already posted a "fount it" log for that cache. I'm not sure if it is acceptable to post multiple log messages for one cache. In reality, I would need to post three log messages: a found it, needs maintenance, (and unfortunately) a needs archived. Because this cache is pretty much ruined due to the water inside.

First off, I've found two caches so far using my iPhone. I'm officially an addict! Looking forward to getting a GPS to do some serious geocaching. Anyway, my trouble (or general question really) is about my second cache I found. It was in very poor shape. In the cache listing, it has the "needs maintenance" icon. But this poor cache was in really really bad shape. It's inventory showed that there was a travel bug included, which there wasn't. And the darn thing was filled with moisture. To the point where there was visible water in the bottom of the container. The log sheets (all sticky notes, and a few receipts with log info on the back) were all soaking wet, even though they were in a sealed plastic bag. My question is, what do I do about it? I only live about three blocks away from it. It bugs me that it is in the shape that it is in. I want to fix it up, so more people aren't disappointed. What's the proper protocol for fixing it? Do I just fix it? Do I contact the owner? And then fix it? Fixing the cache is the first thing. But what about the travel bug? How do I tell others that it isn't where it is listed as being? Should I go to the travel bug's page and make a log note that it is MIA? The cache: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=f48fc9cd-c1fe-418c-afb0-6318385a4e85 The travel bug: http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?guid=714a0d7b-9f14-448a-8eb2-93c9a9aaedeb