whereabouts

It would be really awesome if GPSr's, cameras, and phone's could all talk with bluetooth with eachother. Imagine this.. You are out geocaching, you take a picture with your camera and it gets the coordinates from your GPS over bluetooth and tags your photo. You can then send the photo to your phone (over bluetooth) and email the photo to friends or post live on Facebook. I've seen that the new Magellin has a camera built in. But, my cell phone has a better quality camera. I'd rather buy a few devices designed to do something really well, than one device that does everything really crappy. So I wouldn't mind carrying a GPS, camera, and phone that talk to each other. At least with the CO, you can hold cache notes so you don't need a palm. No, I don't want to carry a PDA and a GPS if the GPS can do everything related to geocaching well.

I'd just like to second that some Facebook applications would be cool. I see some of the applications on Facebook are written by other entities. It would probably be more official if Groundspeak wrote their own apps instead of Joe Blow writing a Facebook app and trying to interface the geocaching site. I think there is an app there now to display your stats bar. I'd be more interested in an app to list my last five caches on my profile page with links to the cache pages on geocaching.com or maybe something to list my favorite caches. Doing a favorite caches app probably wouldn't require interfacing with geocaching.com data (maybe it could have more functionality if it did). I'm not really much of a programmer, but I was just reading over the Facebook Development site and was thinking about it. I might be able to hack something together, but it might be cool if the Groundspeak staff did something because then it probably would work best. I'm sure they are all probably really busy working on geocaching.com V2.0 or whatever it's up to.

I found it... I had to click the "Options" button in the top right hand corner and switch it from "Outline" to "Standard". Never realized that was there!

Previously when I viewed a forum topic, I would see all the replies in the same page. Now, I see a tree type thing where each reply is on it's own line with the subject. I then have to click each one. It's really annoying and would like to see all the replies expanded. I'm not sure if I changed an option or how to get it back. Anyone know??

I was caching once with someone else in our area. I was worried about the muggles. She looked at me and gave me this look like I was crazy. Then she said not to worry about them. She explained that everyone else is so self obsessed that they don't care what we are doing. So the other day another group of us were doing some caches in a park area that had a camp ground. We were doing a cache that was a micro on this sign in this big grassy area. About 250 yards away was a bunch of people sitting around their popup camper. They watched us for awhile when we approached the sign. By the time we finished signing the log, they could care less what we were doing. They were all talking to each other and totally ignoring us. So, I wouldn't worry too much. Kids will probably ask questions and "scavenger hunt" is what I tell them. Then they will help me. If I'm by myself, sometimes I might wait a bit or come back later. But all of this is usually for micros and nano's. You're better off finding a nice long hike in the park and no one will bother you out there.

TwoCat, thanks! That seems like a good place to take a break. I see a few parks over the NY line where I might stop as well. I made sure those caches are in my PQ.

I'm going to be traveling from Delaware to Upstate New York. I would like to get a couple caches on the way. I was thinking about stopping somewhere in Northern NJ and maybe around the Catskills. I plan on taking the NJ Turnpike to the Garden State (and maybe take 17) to get to the Thruway, and then to the Northway. I probably will do a few micros or whatever are easy at rest stops on the way, but I wouldn't mind finding a good quality cache to get a chance to stretch my legs. Something with a little hike (that would be okay to do alone). Any recommendations?? Thanks!

Both MS SQL and MySQL can be setup in cluster type configurations. I'm sure they've got some good people working on this redesign stuff.

I think it would be cool to get RSS feeds to each state's page. The latest hidden caches could be an article each and the links could go to the cache pages. I don't think I'd really care to have an rss feed for each cache, that seems a bit over the top in my mind.

Starting Fires with steel wool and AA batteries I love Google.

I think it's nice to be able to log finds and have the smiley face, but I wouldn't mind hiding my numbers from other people to view. By being able to log finds, you can still use pocket queries and GSAK to track what to load into your GPS. For some reason, I'm not sure if the ignore a cache feature will work as well. It seems like rigging the system.

I've gotten PI many times. I use to work as a lifeguard and would take the liquid chlorine for the pool and dab it on the areas effected. I use to do the same thing with bleach. If you don't have calamine lotion around it does relieve the itchyness. I never scratched up the area or put it on open wounds (I would never recommend doing that either). I believe chlorine/bleach basically dries out the area. I did a quick search for "poison ivy remedies" and found people also put aloe vera on the area. I would try to find a real aloe plant or a lotion with the highest percentage. It's worth a shot.

I have mixed feelings on this one. For one, I don't really care for the parking lots. I will do them if they show up on the GPS as I drive by and there are a bunch around me. Sometimes its not about the destination, but the journey to get there. There are a few micros along scenic drives and that I can appreciate. Also, if I've had a few DNFs one day.. doing a LPC and just getting a cache can make you feel better. On the other hand, there can be so many of these things and I think sometimes that people just like to do them to bump their numbers up. I don't really care for that as much as going out and seeing new places and taking hikes in local parks, or just driving around new areas.

I recently found a cache where the container had velcro all around it. Then it was stuck to a piece of metal, which had velcro on one side and very strong magnets on the other. I think there was a couple reasons for doing it this way. The metal object with the magnets kept the cache container out of plain view. It also prevented putting glue on the surface it was hidden under. Also, if just magnets were used.. muggles might have heard the *thunk* sound as the cache was being replaced.

I think the original question was about creating your own route. I think letting Google Earth recommend the route is easiest, but I've found it has me going ways I normally wouldn't drive (cause of traffic and all). You can create your own 'path'. Basically you do a new path and then click points in order that you'd drive them. You can then right click on your path and save it as a kml file to upload to the geocaching site. I've never tried this first hand, but don't see why it wouldn't work. http://earth.google.com/userguide/v4/ug_drawing.html

I've been wanting to place my first cache. This past week I got some containers and have painted them to be able to hide them a little better. There is a general area which isn't very cache dense, so I found some area parks that don't have caches (as the county doesn't require the whole permission/forms business). I did some drive-by's last week and like the terrain. So today I went out with the box and hid one. After hiding, I was a little unsure about the closeness to nearby homes but thought it'd be okay. Then after I got back to the car, I started thinking I shouldn't have left it. But, I didn't want to go back in because of people in the area. Then I went to a second location and didn't bring the cache with me. I really liked that location better. So, I think I might go back tomorrow and grab the one and take it to the other place. Kinda sucks. The whole area is dominated by housing neighborhoods. Only recently have there been requirements to set aside park space (and that method has been criticized as well). I know some other cachers in the area who are worried about whats allowed and whats not. So they haven't placed any. I don't really want to stick a couple LPCs out there just to get something in the area. I want to have quality caches. Kinda frustrating..

Delaware doesn't have a fee system that I know of. They have an application process and it all makes good sense to me. http://www.destateparks.com/geocache/Geoca...20Directive.pdf Basically, you need to get approval for certain areas. They want them placed in areas where spurs will not be created. They also want people to re-apply each year (probably so they can check for trails). In my younger days in scouts, we did a lot of trail maintenance. If a geocache is just dropped somewhere and a new trail is created, that could create runoff and erosion and so forth. I don't think any of the municipal parks have a permit process. I haven't been caching all that long, but I believe some sequence of events caused this application thing. I think it may have involved park rangers yanking caches as they showed up in the park. I'm not really sure what happened. The Delaware State parks charge entrance fees during the season. So, I'll probably buy the season sticker. They are well maintained and there are lots of caches I'd like to do. I think it makes more sense to charge the entrance fees then to charge to place the cache. Being that permits for hunting and fishing cost money, it isn't too outrageous. I think it would be better to charge people coming for the cache though. The whole free advertising thing...

These arrows are more interesting then giant plus signs. I see there is one in the area which doesn't look like anyone has recovered or destroyed since it was put in (JU3678). There is also no description on it. I sorta know this area too. We use to ride four-wheelers on the old dump that is just north of there. It looks like it's at the end of a public road according to Google Maps. I might try and go by that on the way to work next week. If the arrows are actually in line with the airstrip, it might be a bit southeast of where the coordinates put it. I wonder if that land has been changed. I think they dump the dredgings from the Delaware River there. That's not really something I want to walk around in too much. Might catch a case of cancer or something.

Aerial mapping makes the most sense. Thanks. I was reading some other odd benchmarks page and saw something else interesting.. http://www.unm.edu/~creelbm/pages/benchmark/cross-1.jpg http://www.unm.edu/~creelbm/pages/benchmark/cross-2.jpg Description is on the next page about 3/4's of the way down. Supposedly these were used by U2's to get their cameras aligned. http://www.unm.edu/~creelbm/pages/benchmar...ks_unusual.html Who knows if it's true or not, but it's kinda neat. I wonder where it is exactly, I can't read what the gps or benchmark says. I see a Z 47 on there, but I don't know how to search for that.

This is probably slightly off topic, but I'm curious if anyone has seen these before. I should probably take a picure and post it. When I was in high school I was in boy scouts and we were hiking somewhere around the area. We came to a clearing and saw a giant X or cross. It was probably 5ft by 5ft painted white on the clayish gravel. That was the first one I've seen. A couple nights ago, I saw one painted in the concrete of the median to an intersection near my house. I think I've seen them here or there over the years. I wonder if someone painted these big while X's to align satilite maps or coordinates? It definitely seems like something for people to see from the sky. Maybe for airplanes? Maybe I'll take a picture and send it. Could be a local oddity..

Okay. I originally was just trying to go and find things to see if I even take to doing this before investing too much. I did throw a small gardening shovel and some clippers in my car. I want to buy a longer tape measure though. Mine is only 25' and most of the datasheets say 122' from this or that. There are quite a few problems with the datasheets for this area. For one, the string of telephone poles along the rail line don't even exist anymore. I think the buried fibre must have replaced those old telegraph lines. Also it looks like a lot of them use the centerline of the road and even gravel driveways of farms. Well a lot of the farms got replaced by office parks and I-95. Thats why I thought a metal detector would be helpful. Some of the areas have dramatically changed. I suppose I should just look for ones in places that haven't changed much. I think there might be quite of few of them along the DE-MD line and probably in Cecil County if they aren't all done yet. [EDIT: Fixed spelling errors.]

Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I had downloaded the file from the NGS website for all the benchmarks in the three counties near me. So I was sitting out there on the train tracks with my laptop trying to figure out the distances and whatnot. I didn't even think about the RR police, good thing they didn't come by. I guess that is why seventhings didn't attempt these. There are a couple others near an old canal system and are on private land. He didn't attempt those either. It's a horse farm and the gate is posted. I was thinking about knocking on the door of the house across the street to ask for permission to look for them. I think I ought to be more aware about private property and all. I don't think I would mind if I owned the land, but I would want to know what people were up to if they started walking across my fields with my expensive horses with a metal detector. Anyhow, JU1916 does have buried fibre nearby. I found some "do not dig here" signs knocked down on the south side of the tracks and the benchmark is supposed to be on the north side. But, they could have fibre on both sides and I wouldn't take anything for granted. I might hold off on finding benchmarks until I buy a metal detector. I saw Radio Shack has a cheapo $60 one. It said it can find small coin like objects 5" deep and large objects 3' deep. Will these be good enough? I think a disk would be considered a large object and I don't think I want to dig more then a couple feet. Thanks again for all the great info!

Yea, it seems seventhings got a lot of stuff in this region. I started looking into an area on the MD-PA border where we use to go cliff jumping when I was in high school. He's even snagged a bunch out there. He writes really good descriptions, so following up behind him is pretty easy. I guess I'll log JU1673 as not found. I might edit it later to post a picture of the witness post. I'm determined to go back to JU1917 and the others nearby. I just need to park in an already built development so they don't think I'm mucking with their new construction. There is lots of thorns and ivy back there. I need a machete or maybe I'll bring my hedge trimmers. One of the logs said there was a metal witness post, so I feel good about that. I need to bring a tape measure or learn to pace off distances better. Another area which seems rich in un-rediscovered marks is along the PA railroad along the susquehana river. When I was younger, we went to this place to go cliff jumping. I have a vague memory of it kinda sticking out into the river and I know there was a tunnel there the RR went through the point. At the top of the rock where everyone jumped there was a mark. I don't know how I remember that and not remember how to get there! I looked on Google Earth and I think it might be at N 39° 43.139 W 076° 13.514. I'm not sure though. There seems to be a bunch along that line when I did a search on geocaching.com. I don't see anything right there though. The locations all look SCALED, but the coordinates put them right on the RR. I might have to try and find it, take some pics and then figure out what I found. I hope it's still there. Last time I was there it was '95 or so and someone busted my car window out. Maybe I can get someone to drop me off there one morning and come back for me later. [EDIT: I think I was getting the descriptions for JU1673, JU1675, and JU2499 confused. I'm not sure if the witness post I found belongs to JU1673 or JU1675 because of the SCALED coordinates and the changes in the area. I wouldn't mind going back with a metal detector or something to poke the ground.]

I finally got my GPSr in the mail today (shoulda done overnight). So I went out and went benchmark hunting today. Since it was my first time out hunting, I picked a couple that were already found. A few of them haven't been found in a few years though. It's kinda neat to see that they are still there. I also took note of a couple that were never found. So one set that haven't been found is JU1916, JU1917, and JU1918. I'm sorta familiar with that area although they are still doing improvements. The JU1917 marker should be near the road and went for that first. I parked in a housing development that is still being built. I didn't want to stick around too long and upset anyone. Also, the RR tracks are posted and occasionally used. I found a concrete marker around 30ft from the road (should have brought a tape measure). On top of the marker it had DE, a plus sign, and RW. My GPS showed N 39 37.072 W 75 40.735. I don't think that is the USGS marker according to the description. I also took all these nice pictures with the camera and when I got home, all the pictures were gone. I'm not too happy about that. So, should I bother putting this marker in the Waymarking site? I read that other article about putting benchmarks in the Waymarking site. What is this marker anyhow? I also found a couple other markers as well (but no pictures). I just saw the orange witness posts and pulled over on the side of the road. Both were a round copper type marker (not a disk) on top of a yellow plastic square. They look really recent. One was marked as "DELDOT ROAD DESIGN SAL62 1699" (not sure about the 6 though). The other was marked "MERESTONE CONSULTANTS, INC" and had no numbers. Do people log all of these finds on the Waymarking site? I'd have to go out and get new pictures if I'm going to. The last thing I went after was JU1673. I was hoping to just find the cement base. I did find a metal witness post in the area but nothing else. No pics for that either. Would that be a "did not find", or maybe I should just make a note. I guess since it was noted the disk was gone, it never can be found. I wonder if someone removed the cement base from the ground (maybe some landscapers). Hunting for these things is a lot of fun. I saw holograph's site and was thinking of looking for an extreme benchmark nearby. Thanks in advance for any insight!

http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=tv0430 This page is generating an error. I don't get errors for any other pages. Hopefully this is a temporary problem! Stack Trace: [Exception: ParseSheetException: No Valid Header Found!] Groundspeak.Web.CustomWpt.HelperExceptions.ThrowParseSheetException(String exText) +50 Groundspeak.Web.CustomWpt.Benchmark.ParseSheet() +2547 Groundspeak.Web.CustomWpt.Benchmark..ctor(String PID) +432 Geocaching.UI.benchmark_details.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +393 System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +67 System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +35 System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +750