Inmountains

Geesh, why so big and with "period" when the answer should have been 60Cx? He wrote in CAPS that he DON'T NEED compass and altimeter! Ok it may be 50$ more (only for some) but maybe he prefer traditional compass and really has no need for altimeter? I know I would go for a Cx before a CSx. As my pappy once told me, "Better to have it and NOT need it, than to need it and NOT have it". Doing some good shopping, the 60CSx can be had for between 300 and 325. You never know when you might get a chance to do some Mountain Caching and the Altimeter is a huge help. I have one cache at 13,100 feet and another once at 12,500 feet. There are few in my state over 14,000 feet. Taking an up close picture of your GPS showing 14,000+ feet is quite a keepsake. The highest I have had mine was 13,900 feet when attempting to climb a 14er and got driven back down by the snow, in AUGUST. Besides, I like big letters! Helps me compensate for......................never mind.

Garmin 60CSx, period.

So I downloaded that North America Navigator into my GPS 60CSx on Friday. I go out caching today and the maps just keep popping up all the time, driving me nuts. How do I stop that? Also, when I hit FIND\waypoints and then chose a cache, I get the first cache page with the name, coords, note, etc.. but when I hit GO TO, it goes to the map, I want it to show the directional compass, distance to cache, etc.... How do I fix that? Also, somehow, I lost the "found" button so I can mark a cache found. What am I doing wrong?

I will not try and step on any toes here, but I do have a few things to say. First off, the statement, "reviewers are only human" is such a "cop out". Saying there is no "black and white" is also a cop out. Leaving the interpretation of the rules and guidelines open to each reviewer would be like Baseball Umpires, Football Referee's and other's in charge of enforcing sports rules allowed to enforce the rules as they see fit. The rules become meaningless as there is no uniform enforcement. Like I tell my children who are starting to drive, 35 miles per hour means 35 MILES PER HOUR, whether you are 16 or 106. BLACK AND WHITE. One police officer can't allow 45 and another 55, etc.... The only "gray" area is that, by law, I believe they can't ticket within 3 mph either way due to speedometer variance's. As pertaining to this scenario, GC.com should have a more clear guideline on what constitutes a "commercial cache". I think it should be as SIMPLE as possible. If a cache is placed INSIDE a place of business, it is a commercial cache, BLACK AND WHITE. The Parking Lot, the field next door, the park across the street, even if the cache uses the business name, is NOT a commercial cache, you don't have to enter the place of business. I saw the cache called THE HOME DEPOT and they actually used The Home Depot Wall Paper for the cache page. That is advertising. Rule: No Cache Wallpaper with a business name on it. Very black and white. Although GC cannot possible think of every scenario, they can get the rules and guidelines a lot CLOSER to black and white than they are now. BEST BUY CACHE is ok, but OUR SPORTS TRUE VALUE is not ok?? Especially when the Best Buy cache is in the business parking lot and the Our Sports cache is in a vacant field! Using that guideline, every cache with the name "TARGET" in it should be archived! It's just beyond ridiculous. I have stopped placing caches because the rule enforcement is so varied. All the cachers in our area love my caches, they are well placed, show interesting area's, have good swag in them, and make caching in our area fun. I even get emails from out of area cachers who enjoy my caches. But what I have had to go through to place my last few caches just takes the whole fun out of placing caches.

I have to admit that the quality of things in a cache seemed to have dropped over the years. Some caches, it borders on "used toilet paper" and "used toothpicks". If you are setting a cache, at least put some effort into it, and not just used gum wrappers, vending machine plastic toys and a rock from the ground. Log only caches are fine, and I am not out to gain assets when I cache. But if I am going to leave a 10.00 pocket knife, it would be nice to have a 10.00 item to take. Granted, many cachers take a 10.00 item and leave a 10 cent item, and that is a VALID RANT. Those are the type of people that do not belong in our sport. But overall, it would be nice to see some nicer items for those that want to trade "like for like".

Training Available! http://www.mtnguide.net/summer/climbing/courses.php

I reported 5 SBA's this year. The one that had been serviced the latest was 3 years ago. 2 of the caches hadn't been found or maintained in over 5 years. My general rule of thumb, due to living high in the Rocky Mountains is either 5 consecutive DNFs or 2 years of NO NOTES at all. Many of our caches here take an entire day to do, and some require an overnight camping trip. So there usually isn't that many finds on a cache.

I love the profiles. Is it a family? A couple? A single person? Do they cache a little, a lot. I love reading everything I can about my fellow cachers. Some do brag, but so what, let them. It's nice to put a picture with a name as well. After all, we are somewhat of a community, why not get to know each other a little better? The one thing that bother's me, "How much of the profile is true?" I mean, I could post a picture of Brad Pitt and say it is me. BUT, I am better looking, so I wouldn't do that. So, to me, the profile does carry some value. You can find out some things bout your fellow cachers. Hopefully, they have been honest. It's like the little bit of internet dating I did. If a lady said she was a "little" overweight, and then we meet, I find her definition of "little" is quite different than "mine"! If a cacher posts a 20 year old picture of themself and we meet at a cache or a function, well............ The truth always comes out.

There is no way for me to read this all, but it is an excellent idea. Maybe this was already mentioned, but since I don't have a lifetime to read it, is this a true "Multi Cache?" If so, the way it could work is for each cache to have TWO different coordinates depending on which way the cacher wants to head. In essence, a circle that can be navigated in either direction. This way, a person could start any where on the circle and do the Multi. Of course, the beginning coordinate for each cacher would differ, so BPR would have his hands full with that, keeping record of who has received a starting coordinate and who has not. Unless this is actually 50 separate caches, with each published as a separate cache. As for a FINAL cache location, either have hints in random caches: ABC DE. FGH IJK LM.NOP with some caches having one VARIABLE and some not having a VARIABLE. Or have some code in each cache, and all 50 codes sent to BPR for varification and then receive the final coordinates. Be sure to start a new thread when this Multi is complete. I would probably start in either Denver or Flagstaff, and try to do the circuit over a period of time. Question though, if this is TRUE MULTI, would it be ONE find or FIFTY finds? ********************** OK, just read my first cache. There is a code, so my idea was good. Next, they are 50 individual caches, so not a true Multi where you get coordinates to the next cache from the current cache. ********************* Maybe in the future, a fun True Multi could be done, with two coordinates in each cache, for either direction. Excellent job BPR.

I caught a glimpse of Vinny today, he had on red tights and a cape, very strange.

Isn't this cache considered a "Commercial" cache? It is promoting a nearby Bakery! As for difficulty, it's all in the ability of the cacher. Out west, we have several caches over 14,000 feet in altitude, that take a 10 mile hike or longer. I have two here that are over 13,000 feet. Take someone who lives at sea level and ask them to hike one mile at 13,000 feet, most can't do it. Around the world, I believe that there are caches over 20,000 feet in altitude. Not sure if this would work, but the column looks tapered. Why not just tie thick ropes around the column every 3-4 feet, and then use it as a ladder? If the column is tapered, the ropes will not slide down. If there are "holds" and existing "bolt holes", use them for safety and to assist the climb. Climbing anything under 200 feet in heighth is not that difficult, expecially compared to this: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...6b-d1c9dad155c4 The cache is easy, but watching the climbers while you cache is a real trip. I did it long before Geocaching was invented, and watching the professionals rock climb El Cap is a treat.

Thank you all for the excellent dialogue. The exchange of idea and thoughts are how new ideas develop. I have found the "Geocaching Community" to be one of the most excellent communities in existence. When my mother came down with Breast Cancer last year, the outreach from the Southern California Geocachers just blew me away! See this cache: GCNKVH http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...18-e9a3ba7a423c Being retired, my mom belongs to quite a few groups, church, social, special needs folks, and more, and the GC Community just ROCKED in supporting her. The pink "Fight Breast Cancer" ribbon on the cache is not a "social agenda", it's encouragement to beat the cancer. In March of last year, my mom was given THREE months to live, and TODAY, she is CANCER FREE. I give some of the credit to GEOCACHERS, and their love and support for my mother. So, my hats off to ALL Geocachers! We care about each other, we care about the land, we care about LIFE. From what I see, the only AGENDA we have is, LIVE LIFE TO IT'S FULLEST! Again, thank you all for the wonderful dialogue.

My dad, who has fairly advanced Alzheimer's and my mom, who beat Breast cancer last year cache. Dad is 72 and mom is 69. They are closing in on cache number 900. I am 46, wife is 45, kids are 26, 19, 18, 16, 15, and 10. All have cached at some point. My sister caches, she is 42, husband is 50, and their kids are 22, 20, 16, 15, 13, 10 and 5. Yep, mom and dad got 13 grandkids from just two of us. Had to pick up caching so we would stop making babies!! Didn't average out the age, but I am sure someone will. Mom turns 70 next May, hopefully she will have 1000 finds by then!

And perhaps it was!! http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/about/mcd_history_pg1.html You see, McDonalds was open for 13 years WITHOUT a Big Mac. Now whether they got the idea from Bob's Big Boy, or some place else, it still all comes down to WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS. That is my only point, that the customer should have a voice. Even if, in the end, the customer doesn't get what they would like, it is the right of the customer to say something. If I get bad service in a restaurant, no tip, and possibly a complaint to the manager. If I get good service, a big tip and my compliments to the chef. Over all, I would say I am probably over 90 percent satisfied with GC/Groundspeak, which is excellent. My only complaint is there definition of "commercial cache" and "social agenda cache" is some what unclear and enforced differently state by state. Oh, by the way, if ENOUGH customers asked McDonalds to carry chili dogs and onion rings, and I do mean ENOUGH, they would probably start selling them!

I figured someone would come back with some sort of lame argument like this. So for those that need a more simple definition, let me give this one. When McDonald's first opened, they did NOT have a Big Mac on the menu. So how did the Big Mac come around? Did someone just one day say, let's make a double patty burger? Did some Leprachan just produce one, one day? Of course not. So where did it come from? WOW, Customers wanted it. McDonald's did research, polls, experimental sites, and now we have the Big Mac. So, how does this compare to GC? Simple. GC first opened, and listed caches. What has GC added, and why? GC added Pocket Queries? Why, because cachers wanted them and were willing to pay for them. Next, Cachers wanted "Route Caches" and GC was able to meet that request, sort of, still a few bugs in it. GC and Groundspeak do a fantastic job, organizing, running and promoting our sport. And, for the most part, they listen to their customers. Now, many cachers are feeling that GC/Groundspeak are becoming a little TOO STRICT with denying new caches. Most of us understand the need for safety, the need to not use GC for advertisement purposes, or for political agendas, or social agendas, and have no argument with any of this. A "Social Agenda" would be something like an "anti abortion" or "pro abortion" cache, or a "anti gun" or a "pro gun" cache, etc..., but hardly anyone would consider a tribute to those killed on 9/11/2006 a "social agenda". A memorial or a tribute is NOT a social agenda (with a few minor exceptions). If a tribute cache were made to astronauts killed on either Shuttle crash, it's not a social agenda, its a memorial. Another example. I have two caches, each with one of my daughters name in it. I tried to get a cache oked with the name, "our sports true value", because a True Value store was nearby. I no more want you to shop at True Value than I want you to date either of my daughters. (shotgun in my hand ). To claim it as a "commercial" cache would be like saying my daughters named caches are "escort" caches. It is just too far of an extreme. To me, and I am interested in others opinion, a "commercial" cache would be one where you were required to actually go inside the business. For that matter, put the word "Disney" in a cache search and see how many show up, and some require you to go inside the park, $60.00 or more. Just checked, 47 caches with the word "Disney" in them. 3 with Wal Mart, 11 with Home Depot, 4 with Office Depot, and just for kicks, 26 with "McDonald" in them (not all for the fast food place, but some). So my point here is, where is the consistancy for grading "commercial" caches? Just my personal opinion, I think that GC/Groundspeak could ease up just a little on the cache placement guidelines. If anyone were to still argue, "It's their website", I do agree it is their website. But I also argue that, as paying customers, we should be able to have a voice. The customer may be wrong, or the customer may be right, but in either case, the customer should be able to state what they would like to see. These forum's are a way for us, the customers, to state what we like, what we do not like, and what we would like to see. To finish this little essay, I want to say THANK YOU to Geocaching.com/Groundspeak, for inventing a fantastic sport, and for listening.

Not necessarily. Without paying "Premium Members", their site would not even exist, they would have to get some other job. So, as paying members, we should have some input about the product we purchased. It's like me giving McDonald's $20.00 and then having to accept what they give me. Groundspeak can't just say, "it's our way so take it or leave it". As a profitable company, Groundspeak needs to listen to it's customers, and make changes when and if necessary for the paying customers.

I placed a cache near our New Hospital here in Durango, and put in the cache "...dedicated to all the Health Professionals of La Plata County who are there for us when we are sick or injured..." and was told that I was pushing a "Social Agenda". Personally, I think Geocaching, and Groundspeak, has gone to far in finding ways to deny caches. My parents have one at a Vietnam War Memorial and another at one dedicated to all the Police Officers killed in the line of duty in their home town. I have a new cache, it was named, "Our Sports True Value", because the nearest business was a True Value hardware store. My cache was NOT on the True Value property, it was on a public right away, next to a city sidewalk. But I had to change the name because I was placing a "Commercial Cache". There are a dozen caches with the name Home Depot, or Sears, or Wal Mart, or McDonalds, or Disneyland, etc... that are all active caches. I find the reviewers, especially from state to state, to be very inconsistant with following Caching Guidelines. I guess the cache called "Best Buy Cache" in California is NOT a "Commercial Cache", but one stating "Our Sport's True Value" is a commercial cache. I can't figure out their logic!

I was just wondering if any cache has been found by at least 1,000 different geocachers/teams? If not, what is the highest visited cache so far?

Dangerous can be many things! http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...ce-4edbca627bb4 Just use good judgement and be careful.

It's where I live, in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado!

After getting a Garmin 60CSx for Fathers day, loading and buying GSAK, I still found that I needed more information for caching. So I purchased a Palm M515 on Ebay. What software should I load onto the PDA? Can I copy my PQ zip file directly to the PDA and have the hint, logs, description, etc..? Thanks for any help!

I am quite the shopper so when I went to upgrade my little yellow ETrex, I shopped around. I found the Garmin 60CSx for $369.99. Then I got a $50.00 rebate. Price is $319.99 plus shipping.

I got a brand new Garmin 60CSx for $319.99 plus shipping. Amazon is WAY over priced! http://www.gpsonsale.com/garmin/products/60csx.htm EDIT: Typo, sorry, meant to be a 3!

For those who say nothing bad will happen, this is just a few miles from downtown Los Angeles. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...;type=printable ATVing in Colorado, my kids have had a cougar follow them on the trail. A 4 year old boy was attacked at Mesa Verde National Park a few years ago by a mountain lion. There are real dangers in the wild as well as in the city. Just being aware and prepared is the key, whether firearm, pepper spray, stun gun, knife or ugly sister. Most of us have a spare tire on our car that we never use, but all of us are sure glad its there.

I have spent hours searching GSAK but still can't find detailed instructions on how to get the HINT and terr/diff to show up in the NOTES on a Garmin 60CSX after it has been imported from GSAK. I keep seeing "Cache description format" but don't know where it is, how to change it, what to change it to, any of that. Any help?