JennM

Here we go.... http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inf...x.jsp#sometimes Under "Devices you can sometimes use" it says GPS systems. I'd paste the passage but it won't let me copy/paste. That settles it then Just can't use it during take off/landing. I should print that in case anybody gives me static! I've requested a window seat (I get motion sickness - need that seat, plus I take Dramamine)... I have a window seat assigned for my return trip but no assignment for my outbound flight... hopefully I'm not bumped/overbooked! Nothing like throwing a trip together at the last minute! I haven't had a vacation in 2 years and haven't been back home in 8 years! Woohoo! Jenn

Thank you! That's the info I was looking for. OK in checked baggage, not OK to use.. which is fine with me. I'd rather have it on me than have it vanish during flight... My Mom travels quite a bit and she's had things disappear from her checked baggage - destination and airline don't seem to matter. Now I can't wait... one week from today I'm outta here! And the best part is, there's a cache hidden no more than 1500 feet from my Mom's house I've got a couple of travel bugs with me that have Canadian destinations... it doesn't get much better than that! Jenn

Hmmm well I bought it 18 months ago on eBay... it's definitely not new and I doubt I have a receipt for it unless I can go that far back with Pay Pal to print one. I'm not so much worried about that - just having it taken away at check-in. I won't be using it on the plane - I just want to bring it with me. Flying is such a pain these days... glad I don't do it often. Jenn

Ah conflicting information... Who has actually taken their GPS in a carry on on an international flight - preferably Delta from the US to Canada? Jenn

That's what I figured. I have no need or intention to fire it up in flight... and I don't want it stolen out of my checked bag I suppose I should leave the batteries in it to power it up at security if they ask? I'm bringing my laptop, camera and other junk so I guess I'll just put them all in my laptop case, yes? Jenn

Thank you. Hard to get a straight answer from "official" types - and I don't want it confiscated I'd go through serious geocaching withdrawal! Cheers, Jenn

Hi all, I'm coming home to Ottawa next week for a visit - first time I've been back in 8 years since I moved to Georgia. Any tips for winter caching? I almost forget what snow looks like! Jenn

Hi all, I'm going to Canada next week and plan to do some caching. My question is, do I pack my Etrex Legend in my carry-on, or checked luggage? Do I take the batteries out, or leave them in? I've been to the TSA website and GPS devices aren't listed. I called the airline and the clerk said that if it's not listed as 'prohibited' then I should be fine. Of course I've had conflicting info from the airlines (2 answers from 2 people) regarding what identification documents I need too... so I'm asking here to see what others' experiences have been. Thanks in advance! Jenn

Timely thread - I'm trying to figure out if I can use my old Sony Clie with Palm OS 4.1 I'm not a premium member (yet) - debating whether I can make this work before I plumb for the membership. I downloaded Cachemate and installed it on my Clie, that worked. I have the Palm desktop on my computer at work, and on my laptop but I can't get it to download on my desktop at home - but I'm trying to work around that. Can somebody explain to me how the Swiss Army Knife program works to convert the stuff downloaded via premium membership, to cachemate? I'm not a complete techno-peasant - but I'm not super-savvy either... Jenn

I haven't been stopped (yet)... but our very first day caching, the very first find we made, the *next* cachers got busted. The cache was in front of a local courthouse/city hall, under the skirt of the flagpole. It had been there for about 3 years. Figured it was a good easy first attempt, so we found it, logged it and moved on. Shortly after I posted my log, the next pair of cachers logged that they were detained by the local constabulary (I think it was Labour Day - the building was closed), police thought they were doing something with drugs. They showed the officers the cache, and were let go - but they had to keep the cache - which was archived the next day. That was close... whew! I do carry brochures, just in case. Last night my son and I were looking (unsuccessfully) for a micro behind a strip mall and one of the employees saw us. As he pulled away, he asked us what we were doing, "I'm curious..." so I explained what we were doing - he was fine with it. I told him if he saw others, "like us" that was likely what they would be doing. He told us to have a nice evening Jenn

I'm still fairly new to this, but I carry a few "supplies" with me. I've placed a new log sheet if the one in a cache is full, tidied things up etc., but I've never had occasion to replace a container (although I have some small micro type containers in my bag). I don't think I'd replace a container without checking first. Once I tried to find one that *must* have been muggled (micro - a few DNF before I tried) so I posted a note on the cache page, and contacted my local reviewer when I noticed the owner hadn't logged in for over 6 months. The reviewer left it disabled for a while, in case the owner resurfaced but then it was archived. I don't think it would have been appropriate to replace that cache. However if something was badly damaged etc., (ie beyond repair) and I had a suitable temp container with me - I'd probably do that, and contact the owner to return his/her container to him etc. Any time I've added log sheets or whatnot and noted it as such, cache owners have been very appreciative of that - it saves them a trip (or at least an immediate trip) to the cache, and keeps it active for other players. JMHO Jenn

I stayed near the airport a few weeks ago when a relative was passing through overnight (I live 45 mins NW of the city). There's a great restaurant called Malone's right off Norman Berry - it was walking distance from the Hyatt Amerisuites where we stayed (although we drove there - had old slow folks with me!). Best steak dinner I've ever had in a restaurant (or anywhere, for that matter). I think the location and type of caches we can direct you to depends on where you're staying, whether you have a car or not and the duration of your stay here. There's some good ones up here but I wouldn't suggest driving up here during rush hour (which is most of the day!)... BTW - weather in late may could be classified as "stinkin' hot". Jenn

My reasons are similar to others' here. A friend/client told me about geocaching and I'm hooked now. I'd heard of it a few years ago but didn't know what it was, and didn't care to find out - now I wish I'd started back then. I own my own business and I work about 70 hours a week. Exercise? Who has time for exercise? If you put me in a park and told me to walk 2-3 miles I'd roll my eyes and tell you to get stuffed. But put a GPSr in my hands and a set of co-ordinates to find and I'm off like a herd of turtles! I don't have much free time, and this enables me to take a few hours on a Sunday morning with my kids and we're out there bushwhacking or lifting lamp skirts (usually the former - I don't like urban micros much). We all enjoy it, it's fun to see where travel bugs have been and where they are going, it's fun to see where our travel bugs are, it's fun to collect smilies and even log DNF when we're scratching our heads over the one that got away. I've told a bunch of people about the game and I think a few are into it now. I'd really love to attend an event, but unfortunately except for Sunday mornings early, I can't get away to attend an event - but at some point I hope to be able to add that dimension to this crazy hobby. I have met quite a few cachers, and all have been really nice folks - a side-benefit to an activity that is good for me, and for my family. I hope to go back to Mexico on vacation next winter (I missed this year) and there's a cache right near the place where my parents stay for the winter Planning to grab that one! I also may be going to Canada to visit my childhood home this summer and I've already scoped out a few near the old homestead! Jenn

I log DNFs. The first couple were newbie errors - but I've noted that in my log. I always try to make my logs comprehensive without being long-winded. Two of note were one at a restaurant, under a deck. I got to GZ, but there were muggles around and I didn't feel comfortable looking. In fact, IMO that cache was poorly placed - and no explicit permission was stated in the cache page. The restaurant was closed when I looked (I was trying for a FTF.) Cache was published in mid-Feb, and to date (over a month later) it only has 2 finds and no other DNF aside from mine. I don't think it was a particularly difficult one to find, just difficult to get without arousing suspicion. The other one was this past week - I was in another state on business, and I looked and looked - it was in a busy area and I was getting nervous about the amount of time I'd spent lingering in a weird place in view of lots of people. It had been found about 3 weeks before - but I logged the DNF with a note that I'd be back in the area in a month and may try again. Unfortunately the owner of that cache hasn't been on the Geocaching website in about 2 years - I don't know if anyone else is tending that cache but there are 2 users watching it so hopefully somebody's keeping an eye on it in case it was muggled. Oh yeah - and I also went and logged a DNF for one that I believe to have been muggled - a couple of others had logged it DNF also - so I thought I'd check it out. I emailed the cache owner but the email bounced, so I contacted our local reviewer who disabled it with a note to the owner to check on it. The owner hasn't visited this website in a while so he may be out of the game - the reviewer told me if a reasonable amount of time passed he'd archive it - or it may be put up for adoption. I don't feel so bad if I have trouble finding something that somebody else has logged as DNF - or depending on what the log says, I may pass on looking until either the owner posts a not confirming the cache is intact or not. I think that properly done DNF logs are helpful to all. Jenn

... you remove all the batteries from your TV remote, stereo remote, TIVO remote, and your kids' handheld video games because you're out of GPS food...

Holy cow, people! The horse is DEAD.... ::::::running:::::: Jenn

Yell - really loudly and point at the child (who was at least 20 feet away from you). Yell HELP or something that will attract attention to you, and thus to the kid. If you were a perv looking to snatch a kid, stealth would have been your MO - but if you'd attracted somebody's attention deliberately, you'd automatically disqualify yourself from being a suspect - and if it was the same circumstance that I was in, the child was nowhere near arm's reach to me - I was sure to keep a big distance without letting the child leave my field of vision. It's sad that we've all become so paranoid - I'm female, had my own kids with me - hardly "likely" according to statistics, to have brought harm to this kid, but even I was too afraid to try to take her hand and lead her back to the playground - because there was a lot of distance back to the playground. I even felt weird about speaking to her - I asked, "Where's mommy?" She looked at me and carried on her merry way - in the wrong direction. My first thought was not to get too close, and not to touch her but not to let her "escape" and I wasn't sure just how to do that - but fortunately I wasn't alone so one of us could have followed and the others could have gone for help of some description. In fact, as I was standing there contemplating my next move, I thought about yelling, and just as I was going to, the lackadaisical mother finally moved out of the crowd. As I was contemplating options, one of my kids asked if she should run to the playground and start looking for the mother - I was caught between that option and just yelling when the mother suddenly noticed her child was missing. We were nowhere near the playground equipment - we were a good football field's distance away - the playground was at one end of the park, and the trail opening was at the other - a cacher can go to this one without going anywhere near the playground, don't even have to pass by it or through it - there was parking at both ends. We were just past some tennis courts, but those were not of any concern. This incident was unusual, and *hopefully* not likely to be repeated... but it sure did give me pause for thought as it happened. Fortunately the mother retrieved her child - but I can't help but think what could have happened, if we didn't happen to be there at that time - there was nobody else at that end of the park when this child wandered off - I guess we were in the right place at the right time. If we hadn't spotted her for the mom, that kid could have gone off into the bush.. I don't even want to think about it. Jenn

There is a cache near my work, which I've never logged as a "find" because I helped place it. It belongs to someone else but I thought it would be a lame reason for a smiley so I have never "found" it. However once I had a TB in my possession and I knew I wouldn't get to move it as soon as I'd liked so I dropped it in that cache and posted a note (not a find). Ironically - nobody picked up the bug before I went caching again, so I retrieved it, and moved it on someplace else anyway. I've seen folks have multiple visits to certain caches (find it once, note it on later visits) - in fact TB Hotels and such often get repeat visitors. IMO if you can move the coin or TB on its mission, I think it's ok to revisit a cache if you intend to help the bug on its way promptly. JMHO Jenn

Sometimes I watch bugs that I've moved - just for the fun of seeing where they go after I've moved them. I've got a few on my watch list, I'm just curious to see if they get where they were supposed to go. I put one on my list once when I did not find the bug, but found its bag of "accessories" that accidentally got separated from it. I'd posted a note to the bug's page asking the next finder to contact me and I'd mail them the stuff that went with it - and they did contact me and I did send on the stuff, to reunite with the bug. That bug hasn't been dropped yet, so it's still on my list, and I plan to keep an eye on it until it does move on, with its goodies intact. I do have a couple of caches on my watch list that are very far away. One's in Mexico near where my uncle lives - I'd hoped to get there this winter and wanted to find that cache - it took me some doing to find it on the website so I put it on my watchlist to make it easy to find there again. I did the same thing with a cache near my Mom's in Canada because I may be heading up there this year, and I want to go caching. I put the one nearest her home on my list, and that will make it easier to find nearby caches using that one as a starting point. That's why *I* have some stuff on my watchlist - perhaps that will explain why others have your stuff on theirs HTH Jenn

Recently my kids (teenagers) and I went to a park to find a cache. The cache was nowhere near the playground, it was off a hiking trail a good distance from the playground (good!). However as we walked from the parking lot to the trail entrance, a toddler maybe 18 months to 2 years old, came running across the grass, heading for the trail, with no parent anywhere to be seen. The playground (at least a football field away) was crammed with parents, nannies, kids - and I kept one eye on the child (I did NOT approach her - I'm a mom too but any attempt at contact could be trouble - even I'm paranoid about that!), and I kept looking over at the playground waiting for some panicked mother to realize her child was missing. We followed the child at a very safe distance, I instructed my kids to not let her out of their sight, and I kept scanning the playground for a frantic parent. The kid was dressed in a green outfit, blended in with the foliage and instead of heading into the trail, she headed up an embankment where she virtually vanished because of the colour of her clothing. After a long 5 minutes, a mother popped out of the crowd on the playground. She must have seen us standing there in the open, watching a "spot" on the embankment. I pointed to where the child was - and again we were a good distance from the kid, but I just couldn't keep going on my way leaving this child to potentially get lost, without *doing* something. Eventually the mother toddled along, calling the child, who definantly kept moving in the opposite direction. I told the mom that I saw her, and just couldn't keep moving til I knew she was attended to - the mother didn't even thank me. If I'd been one of those freaky pedophile types, I could have snatched that child, unnoticed, and been 2 miles down the road (or more) before anybody even missed the kid. I was polite, but inside I was screaming at this woman. Had we not come along when we did, that little girl could have wandered off into the woods and been lost - or she could have been picked up by a perv - anything could have happened. I'm glad *we* were there and responded appropriately - but parents like that drive me nuts. Then we wonder why we are so paranoid as a society? I can see the discomfort in a lone adult (male or female, but men in particular) skulking innocently around a playground looking for a cache - but I can see the value in it for those cachers with young kids. IMO if the cache owner specifies in the cache page that this is a good one for kiddies but not ideal for a lone adult, that would help folks decide whether it's in their comfort zone to try for it. Jenn

Here you go... http://www.geocacher-u.com/resources/brochure1.pdf Jenn

LOL! I placed my first cache on Monday afternoon, it was published Tuesday morning and found on Tuesday afternoon - I feel the same way! Tupperware in a park - who'd have thunk that would be so exciting! I'm having as much fun watching to see it logged as somebody's find, as I am about finding somebody else's tupperware in a park! It's almost as ridiculous as golf!! (And I love golf too!) Jenn

I think you missed a symptom... not sure what stage it falls into... - You eyeball every piece of Rubbermaid or Tupperware that you own, pondering whether you can spare it to use it for a hide, and/or if your spouse will kill you if he/she finds out you took the good Tupperware to hide under a rotting log. I don't have a spouse to seek approval from - but I have to admit I'm looking in the cupboard now and then wondering if I'll regret using this container or that one for a hide - then I'll have nothing to put my leftover spaghetti in!!!!! I think that definitely qualifies as a symptom... Jenn

Heh well some of us are "unbalanced" to begin with Don't say it like it's a bad thing! Jenn

I concur with Mushtang. While you may not have intended to sound a bit, umm, short, it certainly could have been construed as such. Written communication can be tricky that way - the reader doesn't necessarily know the frame of mind you were in. To me you sounded frustrated - and the owner may have been sensitive about that. BTW - I hear you on the pine needles - I fell flat on my face about 2 weeks go, trying to scramble up the other side of a concrete drainage ditch after a cache that must have been muggled (several DNFs...), going up the other side I hit the pine straw and I slid back and went down like a ton of bricks!! If you feel your log was misconstrued, you may wish to rephrase it and/or send a note to the owner with an apology for the miscommunication, but tactfully reiterate your point. That's likely what I'd do... Jenn