Geo Quest

I highly recommend you check out Equipped for some great information on practical survival kits you can assemble yourself for any occasion. Here's my take on it: 1) Commercial 1st aid kits SUCK! Think about it. The typical kit contains band aids, ointment, and aspirin. Will a band aid really do anything to save your life in a survival situation? It's a convienience item, not a survival necessity. 2) Most commercial survival kits SUCK! They contain things like Jolly Ranchers and fish hooks. How will this ever save your life? Think about what you do in the woods. What is likely to happen? Go over every possible scenerio in your head and assemble a kit to prepare for that. Might you get lost? Might you get injured? If you get turned around and break your arm I'll bet you'll be glad you packed those little fish hooks huh? Maybe you should put a band aid on it and take an aspirin. Please. Take your commercial kits and throw 'em in a lake. The 10 essentials is a good place to start and should be in EVERYBODY'S outdoor gear. From there it's a personal thing. My personal survival kit can provide me with: 1) Shelter A. space blankets (2ea) B. para cord C. emergency poncho 2) Fire A. mini-Bic lighter (2ea) B. magnesium block C. tinder kit 3) Water A. collapsible cup B. surgical tubing C. plastic drop cloth (componants of solar still) D. Iodine tablets 4) Signaling A. Items to build fire (see above) B. USAF issue mini signal mirror C. whistle 5) Misc. tools A. Swiss Army knife B. Mini-maglight There are other items in my kit but I listed the core items my kit is built around. The whole thing weighs about 2 pounds and stores in a zipped bag which can be attached to a belt, carried on a strap, or put in a pack. I have been stranded in the woods before but was able to hike out. If it happens again and I can't hike out I want to be able to maximize my chances of survivability. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I highly recommend you check out Equipped for some great information on practical survival kits you can assemble yourself for any occasion. Here's my take on it: 1) Commercial 1st aid kits SUCK! Think about it. The typical kit contains band aids, ointment, and aspirin. Will a band aid really do anything to save your life in a survival situation? It's a convienience item, not a survival necessity. 2) Most commercial survival kits SUCK! They contain things like Jolly Ranchers and fish hooks. How will this ever save your life? Think about what you do in the woods. What is likely to happen? Go over every possible scenerio in your head and assemble a kit to prepare for that. Might you get lost? Might you get injured? If you get turned around and break your arm I'll bet you'll be glad you packed those little fish hooks huh? Maybe you should put a band aid on it and take an aspirin. Please. Take your commercial kits and throw 'em in a lake. The 10 essentials is a good place to start and should be in EVERYBODY'S outdoor gear. From there it's a personal thing. My personal survival kit can provide me with: 1) Shelter A. space blankets (2ea) B. para cord C. emergency poncho 2) Fire A. mini-Bic lighter (2ea) B. magnesium block C. tinder kit 3) Water A. collapsible cup B. surgical tubing C. plastic drop cloth (componants of solar still) D. Iodine tablets 4) Signaling A. Items to build fire (see above) B. USAF issue mini signal mirror C. whistle 5) Misc. tools A. Swiss Army knife B. Mini-maglight There are other items in my kit but I listed the core items my kit is built around. The whole thing weighs about 2 pounds and stores in a zipped bag which can be attached to a belt, carried on a strap, or put in a pack. I have been stranded in the woods before but was able to hike out. If it happens again and I can't hike out I want to be able to maximize my chances of survivability. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I, too am a big believer in a single blade locking knife. I never had an Opinel but for 10 bucks you can't go wrong. Usually I carry a Spyderco Delica and a Leatherman Supertool but I lost both of them! DOH! Now I just carry a CRKT K.I.S.S. It sucks. I don't recommend them. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I heartily endorse said proposition. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

Although I cache year-round my activity really drops off in the summer. When the weather warms up and the snow melts I go hiking! "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

Although I cache year-round my activity really drops off in the summer. When the weather warms up and the snow melts I go hiking! "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I have, in fact, tried Avon's Skin So Soft because I heard it was a good skeeter keeper awayer. Turns out, it's not. I use Deep Woods Off in a little pump bottle. Works good, tastes bad. If you get it on your lips you'll be tasting it all day. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

"You'll have to excuse my friend. He's a little slow. The town is THAT way." - Lloyd Christmas, Dumb and Dumber It's still not funny though. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

You place a cache with a 100 bucks in it. It also has a bill charging the cache finder 100 dollars for your time in placing it? So basically you're saying you want your money back. But it's a joke? It's funny, it's just not "ha, ha" funny. I can think of many other ways 100 bucks could be used to buy laughs. But hey, whatever makes you laugh. Go for it. I'd hunt it. I just wouldn't laugh. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

These kind of virtual caches suck because there is no log book to sign. Even though I hate virtual caches this one meets all the requirements to qualify as a bona-fide geocache. What would be really cool (or lame depending on your point of view) would be a whole series of Christi caches. This is where we had her 5th birthday party... this is where she crashed her bike...this is where she went to school, etc, etc. A new sport is born....Geostalking! "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

These kind of virtual caches suck because there is no log book to sign. Even though I hate virtual caches this one meets all the requirements to qualify as a bona-fide geocache. What would be really cool (or lame depending on your point of view) would be a whole series of Christi caches. This is where we had her 5th birthday party... this is where she crashed her bike...this is where she went to school, etc, etc. A new sport is born....Geostalking! "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I like the speed display myself. Used it when I went horseback riding to see how fast the horse could run. Used it to see how fast my dad's new boat could go. I loaned it to a person who's speedometer (in their car) quit working. I've used it to make maps of local logging roads. My main reason for buying it was for secondary backcountry navigation (map/compass is primary). But I find myself relying on the GPS and using the map/compass as backup now. I even used it to find a geocache or two. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I like the speed display myself. Used it when I went horseback riding to see how fast the horse could run. Used it to see how fast my dad's new boat could go. I loaned it to a person who's speedometer (in their car) quit working. I've used it to make maps of local logging roads. My main reason for buying it was for secondary backcountry navigation (map/compass is primary). But I find myself relying on the GPS and using the map/compass as backup now. I even used it to find a geocache or two. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I'm glad I got the chance to do this cache before it went away. I was on cloud nine when me and a couple of friends finally cracked the code. The container was awesome but I thought the location was the weak link in this otherwise world-class cache. I would love to see this geocaching gem live on at a better site. Long live Fractal, and thanks for the hunt! "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I'm glad I got the chance to do this cache before it went away. I was on cloud nine when me and a couple of friends finally cracked the code. The container was awesome but I thought the location was the weak link in this otherwise world-class cache. I would love to see this geocaching gem live on at a better site. Long live Fractal, and thanks for the hunt! "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I cast my vote for a used Jeep Wrangler. They're called "jeep trails" for a reason. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

Never cached by bike but I would if the opportunity presented itself. As an aside I ride a rigid mt. bike with toe straps (much cheaper than clipless). I have always wondered why people who extol the virtues of clipless pedals (i.e. no wasted motion, more efficient etc.) will install them on full suspension mountain bikes. They make more sense on road bikes or rigid mountain bikes where their advantage can be used to it's fullest. But then the biking world has never been about functionality. It's all style, baby. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

Never cached by bike but I would if the opportunity presented itself. As an aside I ride a rigid mt. bike with toe straps (much cheaper than clipless). I have always wondered why people who extol the virtues of clipless pedals (i.e. no wasted motion, more efficient etc.) will install them on full suspension mountain bikes. They make more sense on road bikes or rigid mountain bikes where their advantage can be used to it's fullest. But then the biking world has never been about functionality. It's all style, baby. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I thought it was called "pop". I drink water while on the caching trail. No real preference when it comes to pop. As long as it's not Fresca. BLECH! Do they still make that? "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

In my experience most caches don't require much in the way of hiking. Hence, a pack is not needed. I feel that most people would be best served by a cargo vest or some kind of quick-don fanny pack. I love the looks I've gotten when I pull up at a park and start strapping on my hydration daypack. It's just not worth it for a 10 minute jaunt into the bushes. Now actual hikes are another story. For those I suggest anything by Camelbak although I feel the Platypus reservoir is superior in every way (and cheaper too). And a good place to order online is REI.com. They have good prices and excellent service. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

There are no rules contrary to what you intend to do. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

Is Ozkar a troll or what? "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

I politely let the other cacher go forward. That way I can rush them from behind and knock them down thereby gaining the edge. Seriously though, it's never happened to me but if it did I would just introduce myself and ask to make it a joint operation. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

If it would be too expensive to have personal coins minted then maybe geocaching.com could offer somthing like travel bugs in coin form. They would be personalized (i.e. numbered) and trackable like the Canadian geocoins. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

Have you noticed you can now buy geocaching patches? Way to go Jeremy! "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."