namiboy

make sure you act like it is way way way hard to do it that way, or santa may think you dont NEED a gps...

Basically... it's not the fact that it's 100 (or 160) dollars as the FTF prize that I find unfitting here. It's the fact that the cache keeps reiterating that there's a BIG PRIZE!!!1!11!!!one!!1! for the FTF. The FTF prize of a hundred bucks just doesn't come close to living up to the hype that is being built up around it. So in retrospect... it's the overhype of the FTF prize that's unfitting of the cache... not the prize itself. As stated earlier... given the chance and means to go for this cache, I would regardless of a prize or not. It's rare that I even take anything from a cache to begin with. What I like best about geocaching is the journey and the act of finding than the contents of the cache itself. The only problem with this cache is the overhype of the FTF prize. It just seems quite unusual for someone who stated that they got three different crews to work on multiple occasions for this cache to keep saying that 100 is a large number. Yes, I agree that in the world of high finance or corporate contests, $100 or $160 is not much money. Howerver, in the world of geo swag and geo prizes, which at best is usually exemplified by dollar store items and more often is dominated by broken toys from McDonalds, a prize or swag item of that size is indeed large, in my view. And most of the local cachers in this region seem to agree. BTW, not sure what you are talking about regarding the web page: nowhere on the cache listing page does it use the terms "Big prize" or "large prize" or "big cash prize". To my memory, the only place where I employed this terminology was in the subtitle of this thread. However, as I noted above, the reality is that in the geo world, such amounts actually are large prizes. i guess i should clarify: when i saw the original post saying "big cash prize" i thought i was gonna see something like at least a grrr or more. that's all i was saying. if i wasn't so new at this, and far from where it is, i too would try for this just for the hunt.

"big cash prize"+"$100"=does not compute.

from a fellow noob, welcome to the game. by the way, i just ate some natto.

can i add a noobie perspective? i have just an etrex legend, i'm not a premium member although i recently bought a pda and have google earth downloaded. i have out of my 9 finds two that were lampposts. i think a lot of caches sound pretty lame when i look thru an area that i might be going to, or am going to. the way to search on geocaching.com is so good that it's very easy to pick the ones you might want to go find. i like some micros, but not if they are so easy. i think the point of the OP was that lame caches are harming the hobby and i have to agree. i don't care about 'how many smileys' i care about was it fun or interesting to make a find. as a noobie, and with the personality i have/had before i even started geocaching, i simply cannot understand the lure of logging a lot of finds. who are you impressing? and why do you feel the need to impress? maybe this is all flying way over my head. i bought a gpsr because i go mountain biking and my wife was worried, later i found out i could use it for geocaching and i thought it would be a fun thing to do with my daughter. i do worry that the hobby could become way diluted with the lamppost or dumpster thing. that's just my opinion. if many people ignored them would they go away? it seems to me, and again, i know i'm a noob, but this hobby is getting away from what it was originally intended to be...

i bought the same compass a couple of months ago. i love having the global needle since i do some world travelling. suunto m3 global...

"i can fix it...my dad's a tv repairman, he's got an awesome set of tools..."

i'm an 8 year navy vet. i was an AT which stands for aviation electronics technician. first 4 years in san diego, then 4 years in japan. 10 total months of sea time. made stops in hong kong, korea, africa, phillippines. i fixed electronic components on F14, FA18, A6, EA6B, E2C, S3. highly recommend a stint in the military for everyone.

thanks everyone. good advice all around.

maybe i was misunderstood, and i appreciate your reply, but i already bought a tungsten e2, so i was looking for any advice/tips/tricks. when i got into geocaching i was hoping to just download by hand the coords to my gpsr. lo and behold i bought a palm so i was seeking some advice, geocaching or otherwise.

got 6 finds so far, with a legend. got some money for my birthday so i bought a palm tungsten e2. my question is: what can i do with it geochaching-wise? is the e2 any good? it's all i could afford any way, but besides the non geochaching stuff i can do with it, what else? any help would be appreciated.

didnt know the ad would be on there, if its not allowed i apologize.

But it isn't difficult... Unless there is a gun toting maniac hovering over the cache or some such. There is *nothing* stoping you walking up to the cache, retrieving it, signing the log and walking away. There are no special skills like tree climbing involved. We've already established (at least I think we have established) that failure to retrieve the cache unobserved does not constitute reason for log deletion, so there are no special required skills for getting at the cache, therefore it is very different from the cache up the tree scenario, which you may not be *able* to retrieve and replace. i am very new at this, but i want to weigh in, where it applies to above. when i went on my second ever hunt and found the cache there were some muggles watching intently. i was standing there looking at the cache, an ammo can, knowing that if i pulled it out and signed the log that it would probably be muggled as soon as i walked away. so i figured i would just leave it, so it wouldn't get muggled. i emailed the owner, proved beyond doubt that i found it, and he allowed me to log it as found. as far as getting it without the muggles seeing me, it was near a campground, it wasn't gonna happen. i felt that even if i was not allowed to log it, i would still rather have that happen then to sign it and have the cache disappear five minutes later. i don't see the same situation happening much, but shouldn't there be some discretion?

i just downloaded google earth, version 4 i believe, and i dont see anything on there about geocaching, can you help?

I think I have only taken one thing for myself out of a cache. I will pick up a TB if I see one. I take my kids along usually and they love finding the trade items. We have never found anything neat though. I leave mostly kid items too. I do have some GEO decals that I leave, and I have left batteries, fishing tackle, etc. but mostly kid items because kids don't usually enjoy the hunt. I have to drag mine with me and they get really disappointed when there is nothing in there for them. I would like to find more personalized items in caches, though. The one that I found was a magnet. I enjoyed finding that one. "kids dont enjoy the hunt", "i have to drag mine with me" if i may be so bold as to ask...if this is true, why do you even take your kids?

everybody gave excellent advice. one thing i want to touch on being a newbie is do what you can to keep the kids interested until you find your first one. we didn't find our first try, and my 8 yr old daughter and i were "thisclose" to giving up on our second, then we found it. the smile on her face was so great. she was so excited.

i also lived in japan, and my wife is japanese. i ride big waves on my boogieboard especially during hurricanes down here in sofla. nami is japanese for waves, and my wife says i'm 43 going on 12 so it was waveboy instead of waveman.

you are correct sir.

i go to disney all the time since i live in florida, i would not have time for geocaching there, nor would i want to carry around my gpsr while going on rides, there are so many caches that you can find without paying 60 bucks for...in my opinion.

did i name my gpsr? no.

do gas prices affect my hunt? no.

I was thinking of Gatorade or similar that offer electrolyte replacement as a benefit beyond plain water. Is it worth "gumming up the plumbing" of the hydration pack with the sugar/salts from this sort of stuff? Mark i've been mountain biking with a camelbak for a long time and let me tell you, do not put anything except water and ice in it. way too hard to clean. you can bring some of these: http://www.amino-vital.com/fast.asp with you, they take up like no space, you just pour a small packet of powder in your mouth and wash it down with water.

miller lite

thanks folks. as i said i only have one find, but i am already enjoying this immensely. fun outside with my daughter. nice.

My daughter (Murasaki) what made you decide on that name, if i may ask. as someone with 1 find so far, before i saw this thread i was wondering if i have to log every find, or can i just go out looking for caches? i wouldn't take anything, just go find it and sign the log. i still don't know the answer.