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grateful cacher

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Everything posted by grateful cacher

  1. Thanks for the link, and I'll keep it in mind. With all the other types of coins that are available, I'm surprised the no one has made a First Find coin anywhere.
  2. Does anyone know if anyone makes a "First Find" geocoin. Not FTF, but for someone making their first ever geocache. Haven't found one, and all my searches bring up lots of First to Find but no First Find. Just curious, I would like to get one for a young cacher who just found her first one. Actually her mom did, since she's only 5 months old.....
  3. It asks me for a user name and password to get into it......
  4. Looking for a Steal Your Face geocoin. Don't care if it's activated or not. I'm familiar with the history of this coin and would like to add one to my collection. thanks Rich Cunningham aka Grateful Cacher
  5. On your stats page, under caching chronology, it should tell you how many caches you've found and in parenthesis it should tell you how many unique ones you've found. If your found caches is greater than your unique ones, then you've logged the same one more than once.
  6. Since Geowoodstock will (hopefully ) be a Mega Event, and there are logging requirements for that type of event, you would not be able to log it. But let your geo-conscience be your guide...... If you didn't attend, no. Let me point out the appropriate sentence in the guidelines: An event cache can be logged online if the cacher has attended the event. That seems to indicate you have to attend an event in order to log that you attended it. It seems pretty straightforward but I hope this helps clarify the sentence. To sum up, if you didn't do something you don't say that you did it. Or to simplify further, don't lie. Thanks. Greetings from Seattle.
  7. I'm curious when you say you turn off your WiFi and 4G. Didn't know the iPhones had 4G yet. I've reading the thread and a lot of contributors say they have good luck with the iPhone 4 and the GPS. I've been caching in the wilds of Oregon, with no cell or wifi signal, and my phone won't do anything with regards to geocaching (or anything else for that matter). I did a little research, and found that while Apple says the iPhones have GPS, they are acutally calling it A-GPS, or assisted GPS. I read a review on AnandTech about how it work: "GPS The iPhone 4 previously used a BCM4750 single chip GPS receiver, and shared the 2.4 GHz WiFi antenna as shown many times in diagrams. We reported with the CDMA iPhone 4 that Qualcomm’s GPS inside MDM6600 was being used in place of some discrete solution, and showed a video demonstrating its improved GPS fix. I suspected at the time that the CDMA iPhone 4 might be using GLONASS from MDM6600 (in fact, the MDM6600 amss actually flashed onto the CDMA iPhone 4 includes many GLONASS references), but never was able to concretely confirm it was actually being used. MDM6610 inside the 4S inherits the same Qualcomm GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Gen8 support, namely GPS and its Russian equivalent, GLONASS. The two can be used in conjunction at the same time and deliver a more reliable 3D fix onboad MDM6610, which is what the 4S does indeed appear to be using. GPS and GLONASS are functionally very similar, and combined support for GPS and GLONASS at the same time is something most modern receivers do now. There are even receivers which support the EU’s standard, Galileo, though it isn’t completed yet. This time around, Apple is being direct about its inclusion of GLONASS. The GPS inside MDM6610 fully supports standalone mode, and assisted mode from UMTS, GSM, OMA, and gpsOneXTRA. Just like with the CDMA iPhone 4, I drove around and recorded a video to illustrate GPS performance, since unfortunately iDevices still don’t report direct GPS NMEA data. The 4S has a very constant error radius circle in the Maps application and shows little deviation while traveling, whereas the 4 sometimes wanders, changes horizontal accuracy, and velocity. In addition, the 4S GPS reports the present position in the proper lane the whole time as well, while the 4 is slightly shifted. I don’t think many people complained about the GPS performance on the 4, but both time to fix and overall precision are without a doubt improved over the GSM/UMTS 4. Subjectively, indoor performance seems much improved, and I’ve noticed that the iPhone 4S will report slightly better horizontal accuracy than the 4 (using MotionX-GPS on iOS) indoors. Unfortunately we can’t perform much more analysis since again real NMEA data isn’t presented on iOS, instead location is abstracted away using Apple’s location services APIs." Full review is at: AnandTech iPhone 4s review What I gather from this is that while the hardware in the phone maybe capable of standalone GPS funtionality, Apple only allows it to use the assisted mode. Why? I have no answer. But my best guess is that since this is a hybrid device, they don't want to give it the reputation for being a standalone GPSr, possibly for liability. I'm very curious about other cachers experiences with the iPhone 4 in areas where there are no cell or wifi reception available. Not trying to stir up the pot, just trying to maximize my use of the GPSr devices that I have when I go caching. When I cache, I turn off my wifi and 4g. I turn off all signal. And I cache just fine oh,and I have AT&T too!
  8. I use an iPhone 4s and a dedicated GPSr, an Oregon 550t. If you're leaning towards a Garmin, I'd go with a Oregon 450 or 550, rather than a Dakota. One reason is size of the screen and the unit. The other is the integrated Wherigo app on it. The 550 has a camera on it, and comes in handy. Whether you get one with the included topo maps is up to you, but I have them, and it does come in handy. The 450 prices are coming down, REI has it for $299 new in box. I know that you can do Wherigos with the iPhone (I have it and I use it, got a couple of Wherigo FTFs with it), and it has a far superior camera to the GPSr. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is best to use them as compliments to each other. It's nice to have two devices to compare with when you're caching. It's also nice to have the ability to get the most recent information off the internet using the phone. But I use the GPSr as my primary device. I've dropped it, and as one contributor to the thread has said it's better to replace a $300 GPSr than a $700 phone. Just my two cents worth, your mileage may vary, but whatever choice you make, I'm sure it will the best one for you.
  9. Then there was his taunting posting on the cache page (he has since removed) that said "tic-tock, tic-tock, tic-tock", or words to that affect. He also was responsible for the achiving of one of the oldest urban caches here in the Portland area recently. What heavy-handed actions would those be exactly? Disabling the cache? Really? Holding this cache to the same standards as just about any other cache?
  10. Actaully, I wouldn't plan on going for GC12 in the winter unless you have a dog sled. It's usually under snow for most of the winter, and not accessible. (Same for GC17, which is right next door to ti).
  11. The next oldest cache, GC12, was placed the day after Mingo, and it is in a beautiful part of NW Oregon, great view from the site of Mt. Hood. But it is not accessible year round, due to the snow, and is definitely not a park and grab, but a hike into it, and even in good weather, it's easy to get lost. The rating is has is a 1/1, is really more like a 3/3.5. Not a walk in the park. It has only been found 501 tiems since it was placed, and hasn't been visited in three months. It's also not really close to the original stash plaque, but both can be done is a long day. You can also get GC17 which is relatively closer to GC12.
  12. I wondered about the reviewer since he also was responsible of archival of an old cache in my part of the country as well. It just seemed unusual since the reviewers here pretty much operate in harmony with the community, and don't put in comments like "tick...tick....tick" on a cache page. That almost seems to be taunting the community. As for Mingo, I wish something would be done about it. If you look at the logs, there are still people logging it as a found, even though it's disabled. Those logs should be deleted, since you really can't find a disabled cache, no matter what is in it's place. If it can't be reactivated due to construction, fine, then keep it disabled till it can be. I know of caches that have been on the sidelines for 6-8 months due to road work, or bridge work, or other construction. We have had out of state reviewers in our area. They are not completely restricted to one area. Maybe they asked each other who wants to be the Bad Guy here to archive Mingo. Shoot, I felt sorry for Moun10bike having to archive his APE cache. I still have this thread on my watch but only peek once in awhile. Me I am just waiting for the ALARM to go off and get this over with one way or the other.
  13. But one has to wonder why a reviewer in northern California is taking responsibility for a cache in Kansas. The latest reviewer comment on the Mingo page makes me wonder even more.
  14. I've noticed that there are three new logs for Mingo, even though it is disabled (two in the past 48 hours). One alludes to a cache container being there. Is that possible that it's been replaced but not activated?
  15. It is not just the age of Mingo that makes it cool, it's also the type of cache that is it. You say it's just a bucket in a hole in the ground. You're right. But when it was put out, that was what a lot of caches were. For Heaven's sake, the very first cache was a 5 gallon bucket buried off the side of a country road outside of Portland. You're right, there is nothing imaginative about Mingo, except to show how this activity has changed over the past 10 years. That's why these older caches should be given as much respect and leeway for being kept in play, so that new cachers can see just how far we've come. Also, the intent of my previous post (and I will explain it here, since you are wrong in your interpretation of it) is that cachers should appreciate all caches that are out there to be found. But we should treat older ones that are part of the heritage of that this activity was built on, no matter what they are or where they are. The comments that you highlighted in my quote (which I didn't in my original) were simply used as an example of what makes geocaching so much fun (at least to me). But then your mileage may vary..... Let's not kid ourselves. In regard to Mingo, the coolness is the age. It is/was a bucket in a hole in the ground. We aren't talking about cool/creative caches, we're talking about Mingo. None of the things you listed (that I've bolded) have anything to do with Mingo and caches that you describe in this post were not the subject of your previous post wherein you were talking about Mingo. As caches go, once you take away the "published on" date away from Mingo, it's no different from the vast majority of caches that I've found or anybody else has found. I'd hunt it down if I were in the area, there's nothing inherently "wrong" with it, but don't group it in with "imaginative" caches to build it up to something that it's not.
  16. If you are going to quote me, I wish you would include my entire quote, rather that paraphrasing it to a few lines that supports your point of view. No, I do not think old caches or caches with movie tie-ins are the only enjoyable things to geocaching. My point was that they provide an enhancement to simply finding a 35mm film can in a bush, or a key box on a guard rail. I've experienced more on my travels since I've been geocaching than I did before. I've been to places where I've lived for 30 years that I've never been to before. I had a great time exploring Tombstone Arizona, finding a cache only 20 feet from where Virgil Earp was shot and crippled. It was a completing a loop of sorts since Virgil is buried in Portland Oregon, and is the subject of a multi cache here. Those are the kind of things that make caching so cool!! I agree that cachers are the backbone of this hobby. But cool and imaginative caches are the meat on the bone. Maybe I'm spoiled living 10 miles from where geocaching started, and having three of the oldest caches in the world (GC12/16/17) within 20 miles. I hope not. Someday the last A.P.E. cache will be gone. Someday Mingo will be gone. Until then, they are just destinations on a journey, and to most cachers, they're the high point. They were for me. So without old caches or caches tied to movies there is no joy to be found in caching. I’ll keep that in mind. No single or group of Geocaches are the backbone of this hobby- the cachers are. This highlights a disturbing trend I’ve seen since I started doing this almost five years ago(which to those of you that would impart Mecca status on a bucket in the ground must seem like the early 18th century) a move towards the caches(exchangable with "the numbers") being more important than the cachers. At best, Mingo is the House on the Rock of geocaches. The APE caches are old barns with the “See ROCK CITY” painted on their roofs. Interesting, fascinating, even enthralling to some, sure. Yes, they are in the scale of All Things Caching “important” but I think the use of terms like WHITE HOUSE and MECCA are out of scale and disingenuous to the cultural, sociological, and geographical value of those places. I get the coolness factor of Mingo. Heck in a few months if it’s still there I’ll be making the find. It’s a nice little set of numbers in my overall statistics. Neat-o. Nerd joy ahoy! But I don’t think it will compare to the sights I’m going to see along the way as we make our way across the country. In the grand scheme of things, there’s more “history” on the corner of North Warren Avenue in Winslow, Arizona then there is in that hole in the ground in the middle of Kansas. But I understand that I’m not going to change anybody’s mind and nobody is going to change mind and actually I just got back from the Grand Canyon of lunches and I need to take the Washington Monument of a whiz before I tackle this Pyramid of Giza of a spreadsheet. It’s really been a German Occupation of Poland kind of a week and I’m ready to take the persistent vegetative state of naps.
  17. To a certain extent, the A.P.E. cache was a Mecca, or geo-Mecca, if you will. I can't remember how many people came to the NW to do the geo-triad of this cache, the Lily Pad, and the original stash cache outside of Portland. People are planning their vacations around geocaching, or their get away weekends, or heck, just playing hooky for a day from work (guilty!!). Having iconic caches out there for folks to get to is what makes so enjoyable. When I drove cross country, Mingo was #1 on my list to get. I'm kicking myself because the last time I was in Atlanta, I didn't get Lake Lanier for the August 2000 jasmer (and there's only three of those left in the country, so don't delay). Yes, I think Groundspeak is keeping an eye on these older caches, as well they should. They are the backbone that has helped make this hobby last over 11 years. I don't really disagree with your point, but I can't help but grumble a little at this. It's like a 10+ year old hobby. Really? This is kind of on par to comparing Mingo to the White House and the APE cache to Mecca.
  18. I can't speak for the CO, but this is the third time in six months that Mingo has had "vanishing" issues. I don't know where he lives in relation to the cache, but he also owns one of the other oldest caches, GC31 Arikaree which is in NW Kansas, about 2 hours from Mingo. He isn't that active in the community, but obviously feels some responsibility for these caches, or else he wouldn't keep them alive. Maybe adoption is the answer?? ( Iknow that GC12, GC16, and GC17 in Oregon have all been adopted out). I agree with him that there are a lot more rules and regulations now that when geocaching started, and they do take some of the fun out of it. But finding a balance between iconic historic caches (like Mingo, and the A.P.E. caches) have to be balanced with the increase in number of caches that are being published. Geocaching has evolved to the point where we can look back at these older caches and realize that they're a part of the heritage of where this all started. I would think that the reviewers should give some leeway to the older caches, and their maintenance, so that this heritage can be maintained. But we also have to do our parts, and not go ballistic on the cache pages about what should and shouldn't be done. When the A.P.E. cache was archived last year, you would have thought the world had come to an end.
  19. I don't think that it's been filled with just cement. From the pictures, the dirt around it looks just like what is on the road that is about 10 feet from the cache. It's the same color/texture as what all the back roads of Kansas I was on a couple a years ago are made of. They're easy to drive on, but when they get saturated, you can sink way down in them. Again, I feel that whoever placed that there did just so the spot will be acurately marked so when it is eventually replaced it will be where it belongs.
  20. Having visited Mingo a couple of years ago, I have to admit that I got a feeling of accomplishment when I visited it. It is a real piece of geocaching history, one of the most popular caches in the world. It seems that the CO is working within the proper channels, both with Groundspeak and the state and county authorities to keep this cache active. Has anyone given any thought that the rebar, blue tape, and concrete are a way of the construction crews to mark where the cache is supposed to be located. That way when the work is all done, that marker will allow the cache to be returned to it's proper location. I also agree that anything other than the original cache container is NOT Mingo. Even an ammo can wouldn't do. I think that allowing this cache to be disabled while the construction work is ongoing is best, to prevent any chance of cachers getting in the way of the construction and getting hurt or vehicles damaged. The CO and reviewer should also be monitoring the log and deleting any posts that are being entered - there are three that were placed and refer to the micro container. Just my 2 cents worth.
  21. My 200 is pretty hard, just make sure you look at Google maps and walk yourself to GZ with coordinates. Hope to see your post on my cache very soon..... Scubasonic have wanted to do it a few times and have talked to you about it, but you can imagine, not many cachers would want to go with me on that trek who do not qualify. Some day though. Walk yourself, I think a hovercraft would be preferable! Unfortunately, mine is in the shop for a good while. I've done his 200 cache, and it really wasn't that bad, all things considered. It wasn't a walk in the park, but I would do it before the mosquitoes came out and after the rains have stopped. When I did it, I had to get through a gaggle of paintballers who were nice enough to declare me a neutral and let me through w/o a white flag. But I agree with SS, you need to look at the satellite picture and keep that in mind. Some folks went this year, and hip waders would have been appropriate. But it's worth the rating that it has.
  22. Pretty minor reason to post a NM log. I personally have NEVER seen a NM log posted for that reason. It wasn't for just that reason. I was simply responding to the question. The reason for posting was to alert the CO that there was a problem with his cache, and the he needed to look into it. Since it is ultimately his responsibility to maintain the cache, if he approves of the replacement, then all they have to do is post a maintenance completed entry. If he doesn't like it, then he can disable it till he can repair/replace to his satisfaction. Or if he doesn't feel like maintaining it, he can put it up for adoption. I'm sure there would be no shortage of folks willing to adopt this one. Yes. The question was, "What part needed to be maintained?" (as in, why did you feel the need to post an NM log). Your answer was, "What arout the trackables?". Sure sounds to me like you gave your reason right there, and I'm saying that I have never seen that as a reason before. The cache owner, if he sees your NM log, has already seen the log that the container went missing and has been replaced. Your NM was, at best, redundant, and at worst, a red flag for a reviewer doing a routine sweep of unmaintained caches. Actually, the full question was "There is a log and a container. What part needs to be maintained?". That makes my response seem a little more accurate. Just because someone put a log and a container to replace the missing one may not adequately fulfill the maintenance to restore the cache to how the CO wants it to be. Notice that the CO (who thankfully is stil in the game) said that he has a container like the one that was taken and will replace it in a couple of days. If one of my caches is reported missing (either via a log or a NM entry), I disable it at once so that cachers know that there is an issue. If someone replaces one of my containers and notes it, I still disable it till I can check it out. That will ensure that the cache is still within the parameters that I submitted it for approval (ie, where it's hidden, proper cammo, etc. etc). Then I will renable it. I've never put an NM entry for missing trackables, and that was not the sole reason for this entry. Also, how do you know that the CO would have seen the entry about the missing container before seeing the NM log?? If all the emails are for cachers finding it, one would think nothing out of the ordinary, unless every log is read. But an NM log would, or should, draw their attention to it. Isn't that's what they're is for? in hindsight, I'll admit to a breach of etiquitte on posting the NM log, but it was not intended to cause any harm to the cache. To quote Stan Lee, " 'nuff said!".
  23. You will find once you get that far along on a daily caching streak it is very hard to "Let it Go" when it only takes 1 more to keep it going, at least for me it was, and in our area finding another cache is not a problem with the amount coming out just a little South of us. Keep it going I know you can...... SS I stopped my streak at 409 days because I found myself starting to get burnt out on doing it. It started to seem to be more of a "have to do" rather than a "want to do" activity and was taking away from the fun of geocaching. I mean, isn't walking through a wet and muddy park in the dark, slipping on the mud in a driving rainstorm to find a bison tube on tree fun? Or driving through 6 inches of snow to a 1/1 cache only to find it missing?? I could have kept going, but the desire wasn't there for me. But I know several others in our area who do have the drive and are still keeping their streak alive. We have caches for 101, 200, 300,400 and 409 days in our area. Now there's the 1095 day cache. I guess I should have kept going.......NAW!!! No desire to go slip slidding away down into some blackberry bushes in the dark. I'm sure that someone will get this one sooner or later.....
  24. Pretty minor reason to post a NM log. I personally have NEVER seen a NM log posted for that reason. It wasn't for just that reason. I was simply responding to the question. The reason for posting was to alert the CO that there was a problem with his cache, and the he needed to look into it. Since it is ultimately his responsibility to maintain the cache, if he approves of the replacement, then all they have to do is post a maintenance completed entry. If he doesn't like it, then he can disable it till he can repair/replace to his satisfaction. Or if he doesn't feel like maintaining it, he can put it up for adoption. I'm sure there would be no shortage of folks willing to adopt this one.
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