vw_k
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Posts posted by vw_k
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That's a real shame.
Is there any way to notify cachers that a cache/area is at risk before they drop someone else's geocoin in the cache? It's bad enough being the last person to handle a TB/Geocoin before it goes missing, without then finding out the area/cache is well known for having TB's go wandering. Obviously I can appreciate that no cache is completely safe and the loss of items is all part of the risk all items take.
Jon
I have seen cache listings saying things like "please do not place TBs/geocoins in this cache as it has gone missing in the past"
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Well, I had a great day. Three out of three ain't bad for a complete novice.
Really enjoyed myself but cor ain't there a lot of admin work.
Waiting now for my next mile stone whatever that will be.
Good fun.
Glad you had a great time
I presume the "admin work" is the logging of the caches? Don't worry, it becomes second nature and all part of the fun
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A big welcome to the crazy world of geocaching
We do try to stay inconspicuous, especially when there are people around, hi-viz jackets work well if you need to inspect benches/lamp posts etc, and one of my favourites is hanging around with my mobile phone to my ear, nodding occasionally whilst I'm looking for a cache!
I'm also not going to open the can of worms (much) but I will say that all of the 200+ caches I've found have been on publicly accessible land, were they there with permission? That's something only the cache owner knows.
Use the Streetmap or google map at geocaching.com links on the cache page to get maps showing where the cache is, feel free to print and take a map with you and don't be too ashamed to use the hint!
And if you find a travel bug or geocoin, make sure you log it online and plan to place it in another cache soon, if you have any trouble with anything, we're a freindly bunch, so ask any questions on here
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Alot of respect to you for cleaning those TBs! I'm sure the owners are grateful, and I hope the culpable muggle gets peed on one day!
There are tablets you can buy in outdoor/camping/cycling shops that are used for cleaning Camelbak hydration packs, I've used these on my Camelbak and they certainly do the job, if anything they leave a slightly "clean" smell, a bit like soap or other cleaning products (they containe chlorine), but they are designed for cleaning drinking water containers so should be quite effective and safe.
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I've found memorial TBs before and think they are a good idea. Although as has already been mentioned, TBs do sometimes go missing, due to inexperienced cachers or caches getting muggled, so be prepared for that to happen.
I found a TB that was the collar of somebodys dog who died, to be honest I thought that was a little creepy, especially as it was all worn and dirty, but a coin or plaque of a relative would be appropriate.
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I hope that's a joke, Markenstein.
My TB The Penguin Posse was dropped into a cache in Florida which got muggled. I hope that one day it will turn up. Maybe at a garage sale, maybe a visitor to the cache location will find it lying on the ground and read the TB tag, or maybe the muggle who stole it will be honorable enough to contact me. Does anyone have any more stories about TBs re-appearing?
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My first TB The Penguin Posse was doing well for the first few months, it had visited another country and had photos taken for its mission, then someone picked it up in London and placed it in THIS CACHE in Florida, on an island known as a "party island" by the locals. Guess what, the cache got muggled before any cachers found it.
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Pizza/fast food delivery is a good way of snapping up all the local caches, and you can grab newly placed ones as soon as they appear. Sadly I now work in a health food warehouse but I do occasionally get to save waterproof screwtop containers from the dustbin, these get given away at local cache events
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Caroline. I think this is a great idea. I'm local (ish) to Guildford and have spent many years walking and cycling the Wey Navigation. I also like the suggestion of approaching Groundspeak about a cache category for caches on NT property. (Maybe even historically themed virtual caches set by the NT or other organisations? Similar to the Geological Society of Americas "Earth caches".)
If you could come along to the event near the Wey in Send next week, as mentioned by "4 Badgers" it would be a good way to meet local cachers. Or perhaps a meeting with interested local cachers could be arranged.
I look forward to hearing how this project progresses.
Dave
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I'm trying to get this webpage to work...
http://elachimo.homelinux.net/El-Achimo/ge...ice/english.php
But I'm having trouble working out the dialling codes etc, it doesn't seem to make sense, I managed it once before on my old phone number but I've forgotten how to do it, and I want to do a webcam cache in a town I'm visiting this weekend.
Can anyone advise me on how I should enter my number on the page, and what the actual number I have to dial is from my phone. I'm in England.
Cheers
Dave
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A few ideas for grown up items in caches:
I've seen caches near motorways and major roads that are music cassette and CD exchanges, if you do alot of driving and are bored with the music you have in your car, you can exchange a tape or CD for one another cacher has left. If I'd certainly appreciate some good music in a cache.
I saw a listing for a D.I.Y/home improvement cache which contained packs of bolts and washers and small tools (no knives or anything sharp). There are alot of inexpensive items that home improvement enthusiasts or home mechanics would appreciate, as has been mentioned before, tools, tape measures etc. One cacher local to me leaves vinyl gloves in caches, useful for taking muddy boots off afterwards, or for working on your car/truck/bicycle etc.
Things that come in useful on the trail or when travelling, waterproof ponchos, torch or GPS batteries, car fuses, bicycle puncture repair kit. Anything that you'd appreciate finding if you really needed it but didn't bring it with you!
If a cache is placed in a wilderness area how about putting some survival whistles in there? Everyone should carry one with them when going out walking away from civilisation. It's something that could save someones life and only costs a couple of pounds/dollars.
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Are you serious? Geocaching is one of the cheapest hobbies out there, if you already have internet access then all you need is a GPS, and not an expensive one. Plenty of cachers walk and cycle to caches, and you can choose how many caches you want to do.
I used to do motorsport, banger racing which is similar to demolition derby. Most of my money went on renting storage space for cars and a workshop, buying and preparing cars, safety equipment, buying a trailer and a vehicle to tow it, lots of travelling and on racing licences and entry fees.
I also do folk dancing and travel to events up and down the country, this costs alot in petrol, accomodation and in traditional kit and costume to wear. I spend as much as I spent on my GPSr every month driving to practices.
Walking out into the woods with a £100 GPSr isn't that expensive. You make geocaching as expensive as you want it to be.
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I'm a warehouse manager for a small organic health food company. At work I rescue small food grade cylindrical containers (about 6" long and 3" diameter) that would otherwise get thrown out. I take them to event caches and give them away as cache containers, they've been really popular!
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I found a cache that was in a plastic snake under a piece of wood, I thought that was funny. A group of cachers near me placed a night cache for halloween and on halloween night when the cache became active they waited in the woods with masks and chainsaws to scare cachers after the FTF!
I like the idea of finding all the body parts, perhaps a series of caches or a multi with the final cache in the head.
I'd recommend hiding the container under twigs/leaves etc so it can't be seen by muggles, if it does get spotted you know it'll attract attention!
I'd also recommend not posting in such a large font, it's like shouting on the internet!
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I started caching like Pnerissa, alot of my early finds were down to local knowledge and a good hint. Using google map you can zoom in and often pinpoint which tree a cache is hidden under as long as there aren't too many trees around!
Use google maps satellite images, the hint on the cache page, and study the logs and photos of previous finders and you may have a chance.
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If you're going to use a decon container make sure the seal is waterproof, as they can vary in quality and the lids don't fit well on some of them. Another option would be to use a lock & lock box of similar size, you can get these from most superstores or kitchen shops.
As for FTF prizes, actually getting a FTF is enough of a prize for me, you shouldn't have to tempt cachers to a new cache with valuable swag. One of the coolest FTF prizes I found was a plastic gold medal (I think it may have been from a kids party pack) and it's a good memory of a cool FTF. How about plastic or hand made 1st 2nd and 3rd medals? I've also found FTF certificates which had been designed and printed on computer and laminated.
Use your imagination, signature items, FTF keyrings or badges, a ready to go micro cache maybe?
Have fun!
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A quick search of google map on geocaching.com came up with a few suggestions for river/canalside cyclecaching routes.
Near Bingley there are a series of "River Walk" caches which have the bikes allowed attribute and other caches nearby, see GC14KG7 and look at the nearby caches too.
Another line of caches which may be suitable for cycling starts at Kirkstall Lock near Kirkstall (GCHRY6) and follows a towpath towards Newlay Lock (GCHRY4).
These groupls of caches may be worth investigating.
Also see if there are any caches on Forestry Commission land near you. They often have fire roads and off road trails where cycling is permitted.
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If you are comfortable with your son (and yourself) cycling along canal and river towpaths then have a search on google map for trails of caches along rivers and canals in your area. As long as cycling is allowed on those paths you should be able to find a few caches along an off road route that can be cycled.
I'm not familiar with caches in your area but the Thames Path, Thames Moorings and Weyside Wander series are good examples from my area. There may be similar series of caches in Yorkshire too.
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It's so sad when trackables go missing, they are usually items of little value but which bring alot of pleasure to their owners, I've heard of TBs belonging to children getting stolen, imagine how those kids feel.
If these people are stealing geocoins because of their monetary or collectors value, just think of how much money you'd spend on petrol or public transport getting to geocaches to steal these items. Do these thieves really think they cannot afford the less than £10 it would take to buy their own coin?
Electric Penguin described the replacement pebbles as "elaborately painted". No offence to you, Pengiun, but at least one of them seems to be a pebble with a computer print out glued to it and varnished and the others aren't exactly going to win a Turner prize! If the theif is doing it for the attention of his artistic abilities I'd suggest he'd be better off going to the Early Learning centre and getting a colouring book and packet of crayons to practice with! If someone wants to create their own hand made trackables then they can go ahead (The clay "Tiki Tiles" are particularly good) but don't replace someone elses property with your own creation.
The only other reason I can think of for this happening would be that the culprit is incredibly confused as to how trackables work, if this is the case we can only hope a more experienced cacher will put him/her right soon.
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An Easter Haiku:
Chocolate gifts from all
Such amount I cannot eat
Lunch for next two weeks!
Happy easter everyone and happy caching!
Dave
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Another great way to learn everything you need to know about caching is to go along to an event cache, you'll get to meet and talk to other local cachers and will be able to ask questions. Geocachers are a friendly bunch.
It's also recommended that new cachers find at least 10 caches before setting their own, this way you have a better idea of what makes a good geocache.
Have fun!
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Congratulations on your first finds and welcome to the sport
The best rule to go by when trading swag is "trade up or trade even" meaning if you take something, leave something of similar or greater value in its place. You're correct in assuming nothing illegal or illicit should be left, you should also not leave food items as these go off and the smell of food attracts wildlife which may destroy the cache.
Remember that this is a hobby for all ages and children will be finding the cache too, so nothing that you wouldn't want your kids to find. Personally I take along a few toy car keyrings as trades.
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I started caching without a GPS and found alot of my earliest finds using the hint, google map and local knowledge.
I now still find cache and dash type caches with this method.
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If you're planning on going to any event caches it might be worth letting people know you have them for sale and taking them along, it would save other cachers from having to pay postage.
Earthcache Masters
in EarthCaches
Posted
How does it work here in England? Do different counties apply as states/regions?