Sandstorm

I started a similar thread this time last year – to be told it had been discussed 2 years earlier! See here: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...topic=80906&hl= You can probably guess my personal view. I do tend to remove them from my own caches when I revisit – if only to create room for swaps. Sandstorm

Well done Gary and Jane - hiders of some of Dorset's finest caches - never mind the small matter of the 500 you've found. Well done, Stephen

I'm using the TomTom maps for Navigator 3 which I ordered from the TomTom website last week they arrived pretty quick and are a bit on the expensive side - but hey I've got to have that gadget fix!

Conversation with self continues .... Why don't you download GSAK? Ah yes - I meant to try this before ... Try it. Yeah I have - cool, thanks .... Think I'll go have a lie down now .....

I have successfully installed all 5,000 odd UK caches on my pocket PC running TomTom Navigator 3. These were simply and easily installed from Geocacheuk.com – thanks Teasel. So where can I get a similar file for US caches – particularly Florida caches? Any ideas? Thanks Stephen

Well those kind folks at globalpositioningsystems.co.uk said there wasn't anything available - but you appear to be right. Only prob I can see on first investigation is that it doesn't seem that simple to buy just the maps. I'll investigate further. Cheers.

Can any Geo-Geeks help. I've got to liking the Sat Nav benefits of TomTom on a pocket PC and have all the UK caches overlaid nicely. Apparently there are no TomTom maps for the States - so what do they do over there? Anyone have previous experience of this? Ta ...

Thanks for that, hadn't heard of Buxleys before but it would seem to do the trick.

Can anyone give me a clue as to how best to search for cache details in Europe. If you know you’re going to a specific town in the UK or USA it’s easy enough to stick a relevant post or zip code into the search page. But what’s the best way in Europe? For example – we’re skiing next week in Courchevel. So how do we search for details of any caches nearby? I know there probably won’t be any in Courchevel – but in May we’re planning to tour through N France, Belgium and Holland where I’m sure there should be some lunch box hunting opportunities. I’ve done a few in Normandy in the past and I thought I remembered that there was some sort of crude map that could help you look for caches near your destination – but that seems to have disappeared. Am I missing something really obvious?

We’re headed that way too – managed to take a TB that was headed to South America last time. But I always wonder about that question at the airport “Has anyone given you anything to carry on board?” Florida caching is different – urban micro and virtual (and not always in the greatest locations) was definitely our experience last time. However a search last week brought up many more Trads which is more promising. We’ll see. If you get to Key West we enjoyed GC936D repeatedly! You have a nice day now. (As they say).

Hi U4nJ, Come to Poole – lots of great coastal caches and others in the rolling Purbeck hills. Like you we started on Trad caches only – but when local ones ran out found that virtuals nearly always take you somewhere interesting. Also having two under 8s we found they could be motivated to hunt for the answer to a question or whatever the subject of the virtual cache is. And usually we ensure they are rewarded with either something from the stash of child friendly swaps we carry or (horror of horrors) sweets! And the caches others have found that you find aren’t listed are almost certainly old ones that have been now been archived. Typically that could be because the cache was repeatedly “muggled” or the owner has retired from the game. Have fun,

I have a cache that has been muggled twice and while maintaining the location wanted to make it a two step multi so that it is less likely to attract muggle attention. I notice you can't edit the cache type ... Anyone have any ideas. Or have I got to create a new cache (and let the 30 that found the original refind it).

Well we didn't make Oxford this weekend - but we will do soon. We did manage to clear up a few locally and take a few off the list in Winchester. Going through the first 100 on a viaduct by the M3 is a moment to remember. Now the boys are a little older and better able to cope with more walking hopefully we'll make the second 100 in less than the 26 months the first 100 took. Thanks again for the suggestions. Sandstorm

Thanks for all the suggestions. We don’t have the stomach for London with the kids in tow – might have to go knock a few of those off when I have an “important meeting” in town (all meetings in London must be “important” don’t you think?) Numerous contributions from cachers north of the border, who momentarily hijacked this thread for a bit of inter clan bickering. It’s long day out from Poole … (that’s on the bottom of the big lump attached just below Embra and Glasgae). BTW We have done Bute – in days of old – BGC. Hungerford / Newbury – looks good – cycling down that canal tow path. Think we’ll save it for better weather. Oxford could be in with a chance on Saturday – and perhaps Winchester on Sunday. If the weather’s good we’ll go flying through our first ton. Thanks for the ideas. Sandstorm

This is another one that gets my goat too (I’m running out of goats ) Caching for us is an excuse to get the kids out – while they enjoy the hunt, the prospect of a goodie at the other end will keep them going. I can think of no more than one or two occasions when we have found something either Mr or Mrs Sandstorm valued. But for us but that’s not the point. We go well prepared - at any time my cache bag probably has upwards of 100 swappable items in it, with a value ranging from 10p (a bouncy ball) to somewhere over a fiver (19th century silver coins) and an average value of probably between 50p (Matchbox car) to a pound (fossil ammonite). There have been times when we have completed 5 trad caches in a day with six kids in tow. Even with the adults taking nothing, the kids required a total of at least 30 swap items. Gadget habits aside, caching is a relatively low cost activity and we feel that a small investment in swap items to keep the next visiting kids happy is well worthwhile. When we go and revisit our caches the boys always know they can have a laugh at the collection of twigs, single socks, sweet wrappers and calling cards *(ducks)* that people will have swapped in. I accept that what we leave meets our criteria but may not always meet others’ more adult expectations – but again each to his own. Although I’m running out of goats I try not to let it affect the blood pressure. Sandstorm

Some previous “friends” and Geomuggles who we kindly introduced to caching are now in danger of overtaking us in number of finds. You can imagine the disgrace this will bring on the Sandstorm family. So I need some ideas to help to clock up a large number of finds real quick. Apart from outright cheating, does anyone have any crafty suggestions? Do you know any areas where there are large groups of caches close together? Does anyone have a cute system for locating rich seams for easy cache mining? All (legal) ideas considered. Sandstorm

Now hold on there - nobody suggested we had to get all psycobabble about a few pieces of laminated card! We've had views both ways - and I'm sure a few more will come in yet. My personal view is cards are unecessary. The log is in the cache for people to make their mark - to prove they were really there. And we (well mostly the kids) like to find some interesting goodies to swap. I'm 100% in favour of people leaving a trademark swap - the T&J bears or Hedgehogs left by Mr & Mrs Hedgehog are good examples. And I have no objection to a sticker or stamp in the log as a quick way to leave your mark. But to me, calling cards, no matter how carefully crafted, seem to be superfluous clutter. It's just a one view and I know others will continue to enjoy placing and rummaging through piles of cards. Each entirely to his own. Enjoy. Sandstorm

I just visited one of our caches for a regular check-up - and it's nice place to sit in the sun as the weekend approaches. As expected the contents had deteriorated since we last restocked - but that's another rant. Along with a few bits of junk (a twig, sweet wrapper etc) I removed from the cache 12 calling cards. Now my question is; what are they for? They're not for swapping are they? Are they for me? Or are they to remain in the cache ad infinitum? Each of the cachers has left their mark in the log book, written up an amusing web log and I'm sure TNLN or made some interesting swaps. So what's with the calling cards? Call me an old grump (hey less of the "old"). It's Friday ... I'm trying to chill ... but my goat has been got. I'd be interested to hear other's views on calling cards, pro or con. Sandstorm

The new cache on Godlingston Heath, Dorset is now up and running – there will be a bit of deja-vu for the 15 cachers who found the original cache here and hopefully the location will be enjoyed by many who didn’t have the opportunity before. Enjoy. - Stephen "Are we nearly there yet?"

We need to rescout the location - but I suspect it will be in a slightly different location - the last one was a real b****r to find - just a lot of fairly random bush beating. Then when I did find it I nearly got bitten by a snake! As it was our first cache we almost gave up before we'd begun! And I will be making a new page - I can't be doing with adoption - I'm probably not a suitable parent! Sandstorm - Stephen "Are we nearly there yet?"

Thanks for that Emily and Neil, all systems go then. - Stephen "Are we nearly there yet?"

We're approaching our first minor milestone - I suppose 50 just begins to set you out as "not quite a newbie". Any way, to celebrate this momentous occasion I was hoping to place a new cache at an old location. The first cache we found – Agglestone Rock - was in a great location but was sadly archived in January 03 by the now lapsed cacher who placed it – GPS Walker. So the cache is still there in the database but archived, presumably permanently and this interesting location will never be visited by any new cachers. If we place a new cache near the location it will be within the 0.1 mile exclusion zone around the archived cache. So the question is - will it get approval or not? Seems a shame if it won’t. Sandstorm - Stephen "Are we nearly there yet?"

Perhaps we’ve just been lucky? Met Ninestar on our second ever cache on Brownsea Island. We’re a bit slow down here so after 9 months we’re still only at 28 found – nevertheless we met our second cacher RcwIow at Old Sarum over Easter weekend. I have also been known to convince myself that innocent muggles out on an walk are specific cachers and stop them to ask are you …? Don’t try this at home – unless you like the taste of egg on face! - Stephen "Are we nearly there yet?"

Aah. Or is that - "r". Totally enlightened - thanks to the folk from Wimbledon! Cheers - Sandstorm. --- Are we nearly there yet?