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Inmountains

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Posts posted by Inmountains

    Do You Carry Any Sort Of Protection?

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    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.

    Too Easy In America?

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted · Edited by Inmountains

    Hey, "The 2 Dogs", easy caching in America?

     

    I logged this find today, but found it Sunday:

    http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...95-a4aa3579a7d1

    It cost me one night in a tent with the rain pouring down, one broken down ATV after 60 miles on it, over $300.00 in expenses just for food and gas, and it was ONE FIND.

     

    I have to maintain this one annually, between 20 feet of snow and picky animals destroying the cache:

    http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...8f-5bb09582e050

     

    Last year, I got in serious trouble trying to obtain this cache:

    http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...7f-937f851c9418

    I actually LOST my new Magellan coming back down, after having a serious fall at 13,900 feet elevation. And I didn't reach the peak, so it was a DNF!

     

    I placed this "picnic" cache this year:

    http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...46-10150e580739

     

    Yes, there are "easy" caches in America, but I challenge any cache in Australia to match some of these. This is why I have only 130 or so finds in 5 years of caching, because here in the mountains of Colorado, we measure it in "hours per cache", not "caches per hour"! I have placed some easy one's in town, many older cachers like to vacation here, but aren't about to hike up to 13,000 feet and more. But I also have caches for those that like the challenge. It is a good mix of caches for cachers of all ages!

    Rebates On X Models

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I ordered my Garmin 60CSx from this company:

     

    http://www.gpsonsale.com/garmin/products/60csx.htm

     

    And the invoice was dated 7/21/2006

     

    So when the rebate was announced, I emailed them back and offered them two choices. One, I could return the units and buy them again, or they could issue me a new invoice dated after July 28, 2006. So what did they do, they issued me a "Credit Memo" for the return of the GPS units and then issued a new invoice, using the Credit Memo for the purchase, Invoice dated July 29, 2006. The units never left my home. THAT is what is called CUSTOMER SERVICE. So I got my new Garmin 60CSx for UNDER $320.00. Not too bad!

    Garmin 60csx, Now What Do I Do?

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I just replaced the 64 Mb SD chip with a 512 Mb SD chip, $24.99 at Radio Shack. Is there some where on the unit that I can make sure it shows the 512 Mb Memory? I checked that original web site and the manual, and can't seem to find the answer on where to look for it. Thanks again for all the help, you have all been great.

    New 60csx

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I opened my new 60CSx today, turned it on and then let it acquire the satellites where I live. The initial acquiring may take 5-10 minutes, as it is establishing which satellites it will be acquiring. If you move or go on vacation more than about 500 miles, it will have to do it all over again at the new location. But each time after the initial acquisition, it gets a lot faster, usually under a minute.

     

    Don't worry, I am still full of hundreds of questions myself. But I am having fun!

    Garmin 60csx, Now What Do I Do?

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    Wow, that worked. I was missing that one "menu" key once inside SYSTEM, I was close.

     

    Now, if I want to have Geocaching load all Geocaches that I have not found that are within 100 miles of my house, I am trying to figure out how to do that? The nearest unfound cache is over 25 miles away, so it will not be a lot of caches.

    The First Geocacher In History.

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    The first motorcycle?

    When Joshua's Triumph was heard through out the land.

     

    The first car?

    When all the disciples where in one Accord.

     

    The first gun?

    The disciples found a farmer with a Colt......

     

    The first computer?

    The serpent tempted Eve with an Apple............(well, some kind of fruit)

    Is Geocaching A Sport?

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    It is NOT a hobby in any sense of the word.

     

    A Hobby is collecting things such as stamps, coins, old car tires, etc... Or, tinkering like working on old cars, building bird houses, making quilts, etc....

     

    Main Entry: hobby

    Function: noun

    Inflected Form(s): plural hobbies

    Etymology: short for hobbyhorse

    : a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation

     

    Now, to throw a curve into the equation, I believe collecting certain items from caches is a hobby. The Travel Bugs are a hobby.

     

    I liken it to playing baseball, which is a sport. But if you collect baseball memorabilia, it's a hobby.

     

    The folks who say that there is no score or no competition per se, how about jogging? Is that a hobby? Working out? A hobby? If ESPN shows a bunch of old farts playing POKER and call it a sport, then geocaching, where I climb to 13,100 feet or walk/bike a mile to sign a log and so much more, is darn well a SPORT.

     

    Oh yes, one more thing, internet FORUMS are BLOOD SPORTS!!!

    I Joined Recently!

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    This topic had been beat to death, but I would like to take a pragmatic view of the subject. So here is my first question:

     

    If EVERY single cache was a "Member's Only" cache, how many of you would be in the sport today?

     

    Do any of you have as a "Member Only" cache as your FIRST find?

     

    Personally, I do believe it is best to join the Geocaching site, it helps the sport. But I also know that it is good to continally bring new members into the sport.

     

    One thing I was wondering is if a "Member Only" cache could also include people with less than a certain number of finds, say around 50? Let people get their "feet wet" in the sport, being able to find caches, member and non member caches. Let them be able to find out if they enjoy it or not before joining?!

     

    In addition and tangent to this, how do you introduce people to the sport? Do you do in only while caching? Do you do it at parties? At work? In your neighborhood? At church? Maybe some other way? I am interested in hearing your ideas!

    Where's George Tracking

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    Is it just me, or does anyone else think that "tracking a dollar bill" is pretty useless? So I have a dollar bill and know that someone bought a pack of gum in Ohio, a McDonald's burger in Florida and a candy bar in Texas with? I mean, really, who cares? How many one dollar bills are in circulation? Millions and Millions, I bet!! So I just save my Where's George bills from caches and buy a Travel Bug tag with it, and put in on a one of a kind 'toilet gasket' or 'used fan belt'!

    National Forest Caching

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    I am asking for any help from the Caching Community. The San Juan National Forest in Colorado does not allow geocaches to be placed. So has anyone in the Geocaching community had luck getting a National Forest to allow geocaches?

     

    What is really strange is that there are 100 geocaches already in The San Juan National Forest, if my counting is correct.

     

    Does anyone have an URL links to National Forests who have "Geocaching" Policies?

     

    Thanks for your help!

    House Caches

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    What a bunch of sissies!! Afraid of a "house cache"! I think people should put house caches INSIDE the house, maybe hide them in the toilet tank or under the Master Bedroom Bed.

     

    Seriously though, most house caches are done because a cacher wants to MEET other cachers. My parents have a cache at their house, "Howard Blake's Travel Bug Hospital". They live on the corner of Blake Street and Howard Circle. The cache explicitly states that it is in the Car Port, so it is very easy. It is also a nuclear weapon ammo box, so it can hold very large TBs.

     

    So if the cache owner OWNS the house, and explains very clearly about the cache, I think they are fine! After all, if we want to meet cachers, we can't sit all day at our cache at the bottom of the Grand Canyon now, can we?

    Geocaching Trivia!

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted · Edited by Inmountains

    I am not sure if this information is obtainable on Geocaching.com so I thought I would post a few questions that I have always wondered about. I have been to the site that rates Cachers by how many caches found, so I know about that, but what about these questions.

     

    1. Which Geocache has been "in the field and active" the longest, without having been muggled, replaced or otherwise met it's demise?

     

    2. Which Geocache has been found the most times (by the most different cachers)?

     

    3. Which Geocache is the highest (Mt. Whitney?) and the lowest (Death Valley)in the US? The World?

     

    4. Which Travel Bug has verifiably gone the most miles? Visited the most states? Most countries?

     

    5. Who is the oldest geocacher?

     

    6. Who has HID the most geocaches?

     

    Maybe you can think of other interesting questions, and maybe you have some verifiable answers. Maybe Groundspeak can even have a "Trivia Page" and people can submit trivia information for the page. We all know who has found the most Geocaches, which state has the most, but all that information would be of interest to all cachers, novice and expert alike!

     

    Inmountains

    aka Mike

    Will Micro"s Kill Our Sport

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    With the great explosion in ammo boxes, I think there is much damage being done to our sport. Look up the definition of a cache anywhere, on geocaching.com, or anywhere else, and you will see that ammo boxes don’t fit the basic definition as they represent war, terror and violence. Ammo boxes were/are only to be used for military purposes and wartime activity, not to put out a true cache.

     

    If you read the forums on our state site, or on GC or on several other state sites, you see more and more discussion about states or area’s of states where it just isn’t worth caching, primarily because of the vast amount of ammo boxes. There have even been instances where local police had to blow up an "ammo box geocache" because it looked so much like a terrorist bomb. I certainly don’t want to see my state on that list. I know that in certain states we just put our GPS away, and we are not alone.

     

    Let’s look at why ammo boxes are becoming so prevalent.

    1. They are cheap. To put out a good well stocked cache in a good container like an a kevlar lined, stainless steel box can cost about $100-$200 bucks or quality, fireproof tupperware, where ammo boxes are cheap in any Army/Navy surplus store (check out the Howard Blake TB Hospital Cache, $14.99 for a HUGE ammo box, big enough to hold the largest Travel Bugs.)

     

    2. They are much easier to hide. You can hide an olive colored ammo box almost anywhere, but to hide something larger like my last 5 years tax returns (2 inches thick per year) takes more effort and thought.

     

    3. It feeds on itself. A new cacher goes out caching, finds mostly ammo boxes and thinks that is what a cache is, therefore that person starts putting out war weary ammo boxes.

     

    What is wrong with ammo boxes?

    1. One of the reasons I like this sport, is that it is truly a family sport and many people cache with their kids or grandkids. The little ones aren’t very interested, in an ammo box that's been to Korea, Vietnam or Iraq filled with trinkets laden with gun powder and lead. They like finding something with CLEAN treasures.

     

    2. They just seem to lend themselves to, cheap and dirty instant caches. Is it really necessary for every park in the country to have one right next to the parking lot. I at least seem to have no difficulty finding a parking lot without a set of coordinates. I would rather hike a mile into the woods to find a tupperware container than find an ammo box under a tree in the parking lot.

     

    3. Ammo Boxes represent war and violence. They promote the dark side of human behavior. They are terrible cache containers.

     

    4. Unlike micros, which can be filtered out if you don't like them, there is no filter for ammo boxes. It is just a regular size cache. No way to distinguish between a nice, dry, roomy tupperware container and a camo green ammo box.

     

    I should say that I am not dead set against ammo boxes in general, and have stored some very good rounds of ammo in them as I enjoy Trap and Skeet shooting. I have also done some really poor ammo box caches, some chained to a railroad car. But it seems there are many more poor ammo box than tupperware caches.

     

    I should also state that my favorite type of cache is one that takes me someplace interesting, or teaches me something, or takes me to a beautiful place, REGARDLESS OF THE CACHE'S SIZE.

     

    What can be done to save our sport:

    1. Maybe our reviewers should get tough on ammo boxes, we should be a "peace loving group." Ask questions like, can't you spend some change on a real container, is there a reason to even put this one out?

     

    2. Maybe we are not too far from needing a rating system. Something like what you see on companies or products. One to five stars, rated not by the placer, but by the finders. Having the ability to search for “X” stars or above in pocket query’s, to weed out poor caches.

     

    3. Maybe they will have to go the way of the virtual’s. Bring on warcontainercaching.com!

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