GRANDMASTER CACHE

Cease and desist and further emails. Stand down. If you have another credit card, then cancel the one you gave them entirely, and ask for a replacement one in the mail. It should only take about 10 days tops. That kind of stuff worries me, and maybe I'm overreacting - but ask anyone who got "took" by giving out their CC number to the wrong person, and I'll bet they would already have done this. You have the picture loud and clear. Somebody is reading your emails, and you are not registering. You've given far too much info, IMO, to risk anything bad happening. I've never heard of someone needing your phone number for the bank... sounds fishy. I've never had to cough up my phone number along with my CC number. I don't have to give it at the restaurant, the store - why should I give it online? Hope you don't get turnstiled on this one. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

Hi, I'm not so sure about comparing two units side by side - that can jarble the readings big time. We've tried this with the ST Pro and a GPSV. Within 4' of each other, they messed with each other. Someone with the reasons can explain it, but I thought I'd throw that out in case the last post was referring to signal loss if the units were both on. Now as for the Vista v. the ST Pro, I disagree with Renegade Knight. First off, the "best" unit is always the one you own, but surely the Vista isn't "better" in all regards but that it doesn't "float" or has an inferior antenna. Indeed, if the antenna is better on the ST Pro, then why would one prefer the Vista in a canyon or mountain? Is that because the ST Pro has a "better" antenna? I've used both, and here's my thoughts. I never had a problem with the "patch" antenna on the Legend, but everybody said "what good is a GPSr if it loses lock?" That was advice HERE on this board. Now, that weighed in mighty heavily on my mind - a better antenna. But the ST Pro is not immune to satellite loss either. That shouldn't be the sole reason for getting a ST Pro. Yes, it does float. Great if you're into water sports. But VOYAGEUR makes a waterproof phone/gps case that makes any GPSr float. A good thing to have if you're tracking in a kayak, etc. The most important thing to me in ditching the Legend was that little toystick protruding from the unit which was begging to be snapped off. I tend to use my equipment, and while I take good care of it I still didn't like the horror stories of snapped sticks, sticking sticks, etc. That was one of the big things I compared. And there is no comparison, IMO, in that the ST Pro is much more ergonomically friendly - in either hand. I found the base map to be superior in the ST Pro. I like the Streets and Destinations much better than Mapsource. In a comparison, it actually showed the entire rivers dumping into Donner lake, while the Mapsource only showed the inlet on the GPSV. Hopefully, Garmin has a map which does show that - which brings up another point - Garmin sells regions; S&D gets you everything. A compass? That's easily solved with a good manual compass. And, there's no denying that if you need a compass on a trail, that you should not be relying on your GPSr - so that means you'll already have a compass to get a stationary bearing. Otherwise, move a few feet. Not much thought required for that one. The Vista does have better resolution, but the ST has larger display capabilities. This one has that, that one has this, etc. etc. I would not say that either unit is superior to the other. The only damning thing on either one is that stupid toystick the eTrex's have. Most say it's the play-antenna, but I never had a problem with the patch antenna, and I never had anything but solid reads with my Legend. It performed superbly. So does the ST. So, if you can save money (and you need to save money) then I'd go for the ST. If money's no big deal, then read more opinions. I'd say you should do a search (plenty of threads discussing comparos) and listen to people who have owned/operated both units. I agree that you'd be happy with either unit. I know I would have kept my Legend without the toystick horror testimonials. Now, I wouldn't go back to it. The ST does have superior reception on the dash, mounted where I can easily see the larger display. Big plus. I can pan simply by reaching out and moving the large thumbpad. Huge plus - no going into menus, dropdowns, etc. I get an alarm when I lose signal - I like to know if I lose signal, not simply have a little unit keeping mum while it does guesswork. I like the 9 different displays to choose from. You may or may not need them. I've used more as I've gone along. Oh well, I've shared a bit. I'll let others chime in. There will be pros and cons from everybody, and again - the best unit will be the one you own. Good luck, don't stress too hard as they are both good receivers. Instead, get one and get out caching... You'll have no second thoughts when you start the bagging process! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

Hi, this is what I have had for some time, now. I'm sure it's probably outdated as far as PDAs go, but using the Avantgo software I can download news from the internet - and the addresses are nice. Anyway, my question is, would these be compatible for downloading the cache-pages? Currently, we print them out - and I like the information on them. Marky showed me his (he's got a Palm) and he was able to download the webpage and some of the logs. The Sony does have the capability for the Memory Stick media (I've never even bought a stick, yet - no need). I did a search exactly as the subject line says, and no results. I'm specifically interested in THIS model Clie, and if anybody is using it successfully. I understand you have to be a charter member, and for $3 a month, I'd like to try that out and see if I can run the queries and download the 200 closest to home, for example. Thanks in advance! This would be neat since my Clie spends the majority of its life gathering dust. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

Hi, I'll keep the discussion here so everybody benefits. You already know all the positive things about geocaching, and the way in which most geocachers are sensitive to the environment (well, at least as sensitive as any hikers I've seen! What could the eco-freaks bombard you with? You really need to know? They have problems with people doing yardwork, let alone caching in a state park. They'll hit you with how people venture off trail an "disturb" habitats when placing a cache. They are right. Most people do veer off trail. Your response? Much wildlife ways a lot more than "us" and spend a lot more time trampling about. Placing a cache is a lot less "damaging" to the environment than building a house, and that should be your constant "throwback" to the eco-freaks. Make sure they live in a tent suspended in air with no ties into trees before they yammer about a light box which is not carelessly abandoned litter. "Off-trail" is probably a more commonly used argument against people otherwise enjoying the planet. But I'm not gonna argue against the ecofreaks, I'm trying to repeat what I've heard 'em say. Environmental "terrorism." That's right, a box could be endangering Stuart Little's house. Leaving trash. Hey, they'll make the argument and that's probably the only one I'd see eye-to-eye on them with. But I'd see eye-to-eye with anyone arguing against outdoorsmen/women strewing their garbage about the place. There's only one thing I don't "trash out" and that's the same thing bears don't "trash out." If I was out 4-wheeling, oddly enough, I'd have no problem with a crapperbag on the rear of my rig (most all responsible wheelers do that now, anyway). Still, the majority of cachers can detain the doot until they get home. But other than that, trash. Soda cans, snack wrappers, water bottles, etc. We've all seen this, and this is really the only thing that can legitimately make us look bad, IMO. Well, I'll let other share what the pros/cons are. These are just a few. Remind them, however, that visitors to the State Park pay entrance fees to help maintain said State Park. Geocaching brings many more visitors to the parks. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

I try to remember to decrypt them before printing out the page. But I print off all the pages way in advance, as I come across them... They then sit in a binder until we go caching - so no hints are fresh. If the kids are along, I let them find it, but I read the hints to see if I can help point 'em in the right direction. Most of the time, we don't even need them, but I suppose they're nice to have, just in case. A lot of times they are just even more confusing, and I think that's a "strategy" of some cache-hiders - just so they can toy with the minds of people looking for the easy way out. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

If this raises the awareness of just one person, it is so valuable. I'd also like to point out that on the Chevy Suburban (which in turn can be seen on many other GM platforms) circa 99 and before, that the front passenger airbag actually had a recall to place a steel panel on the dash just above the glovebox. This was to keep the airbag from deploying too far up and being useless for smaller passengers. We opted to not have the local dealer tear our dash apart to put in a piece of aesthetically unpleasing black piece of metal. Their attitude was pretty crappy about doing the work, and I'd rather they didn't cut into my truck with a poor attitude. Anyway, point is that this is to retain the top of the dash.... So, if this helps anyone I'm glad to help. Airbags deploy so darn fast and a GPSr can easily cause fatal damage where a person could otherwise walk away without a scratch. Great topic, and I hope people are reminded from time to time. I really like the Magellan mount which can be mounted center window (just to the right of the radar detector) and turned to face either the driver or passenger. The Garmin beanbag mount is also an easy to place unit. We used to use place our legend (face side up, of course) as far forward as possible, in the center, and I'd only check it at a stop, or my wife would be "in charge" of it. I am just now starting a thread about PAYING ATTENTION which is also important. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

ROTFLMAO Aristocracker!!! I know that was probably "ultra offensive" to one cause or another, but I thought that was hilarious. I had a friend who did just what you suggested after years of being a doormat... his wife stood there like an overthrown dictator... That actually probably saved their marriage. Anyway, a good laugh is always enjoyable - and I did a double-take on that one! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

true, true.... about the money. Germs, etc. But realistically, no "terrorist" is going to waste their time and powder on a boom-boom that will only take out one to a few people. In fact, you and the kids are probably "safer" at a remote cache than she is at home. Tell her that and if she buys it, she'll be hooked and you all will get to do plenty of caches together! I'm not sure if it's personal safety (from an assailant) or a booby-trapped cache she's worried about. But booby-trapped caches aren't signed and logged on the cache page by frequent cachers. Personal safety is thought of differently by everybody and everybody has their own way of protecting themselves, whether it be actual weaponry or just "not going" where there is an increased probability of harm. Cover these issues with her, and hopefully she'll get on board that driving there is a much greater risk to you/the children than actually getting out and finding the cache. It's important that the better half be "cool" with ya going out caching so you don't have to hear the griping on the home front. Good luck. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

I think that's what Marky meant... Of course he'd "take care" of a cache that was laying out in the open, obviously having been plundered. There's a clear distinction between a cache that's been tossed out in the open and a hidden cache that just doesn't agree with a particular GPSr. If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

Sure, it certainly has a lot of options (various screens, ability to customize fields, level of detail settings, etc.) You will figure them out as you get to know the unit. The manual does cover them all, and I think it does a pretty good job. Other questions can be answered here by those that have 'em and are familiar with them. I think they are definitely user-friendly. It's really cool to just push the thumb-pad and automatically pan without having to click this or that and select pan, etc. etc. It comes in real handy when driving and you want to see the "big picture" when you come to a red light. And when the light turns green you just hit the "x" button and you're back in motion. I don't think you'll be unhappy with the SporTrak Pro. HTH If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

hehehe.... Wow, Brian... Don't you have a few live violinists? What's up with the "recorded" music? If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

What kind of GPSr? That's what I want to know. Under the hood, tucked down near the radiator? I could live with that sort of reception! It's ironic, though... I'll bet more insecure people would do that sort of thing if they had the tools, ya know? My first thoughts were, "No way would I ever do that." Then I read the guys "equipment list," and really asked myself if I would if I had all those gadgets.... Almost as quickly, I again said "no way." It has nothing to do with being insecure and everything to do with having some personal dignity and pride. Life is too short, and there are too many beautiful people out there to allow yourself to be jilted by the few. This guy should have found a new friend. (On his own, because he's certainly gonna get a few "friends" now! If you hide it, they will come. Grandmaster Cache

It is rather refreshing! Agreed, Centaur! Although we might need some of your signature "mood desiccants" to keep things happy! Grandmaster Cache

Hey, Big Red! Ya can't be discouraged just because a hundred folks read your post and didn't respond. Maybe that's because they've nothing to improve upon, right? It's a splendid foundation of an idea to work/build upon. A fun "tour" which incorporates hints and clues along with actual GPS use would be really cool! I think maybe some folks thought it would be a group of 20 people all walking shoulder to shoulder with a GPS unit in search of a cache. That can't be too fun. But small groups utilizing a few GPSrs with everyone looking for visual landmarks and working out puzzled clues would be really cool. You've a great idea to build upon. Don't get crapped out so easily. I think a lot of folks already do something along those lines... We try to plot out a "tour" of caches that our whole team heads out to grab. When we get "close" the crumbsnatchers start their Easter-egg hunt! Now, some caches like Marky places are real clever and the more in the group, the merrier! We just did his Benchmark Moon and a "tour" of sorts, with several of these (be it on a trail, or in the city) would certainly be fun. C'mon, if you think it would be fun, then certainly a lot of other folks would, too. You know what they say, if you hide it - they will come. I'm sure you'd draw a crowd. Heck, do it here, and we'll show up with a headcount of five! Good luck, and chase your visions! Grandmaster Cache

Well, sure! Trash out can mean precisely that! Swigging out! Isn't Markwelling precisely clear? To the geoworld it is like a badge of honour to note a previously-discussed topic. It shows a responder is "in-the-know" and in our "hunt and seek" mentality some folks desire to "markwell" and get the equivalent adrenaline rush as a FTF. To a geomuggle? (oops - sorry Harry, to burst into your world and kidnap/reapply your term to our world) Well, Markwelling is something you would say in that same Orwellian 1984 doublespeak fashion in regards to a friend named Mark who, of course, would be "recovering" from an illness or other misfortune. As in: Player #1: Ah, poor Mark... He's been so sick. Player #2: Alas! He is Markwelling! In no time he'll be better! Player #1: That's good to hear. He's been Markailing with that darn flu. Hey, if anybody's still into this frivolity, they had that coming! Grandmaster Cache

I suppose some folks would think this an utterly ridiculous post... Not me! I tend to shy away from expensive socks, because that's exactly my concern - sweaty, yucky feet. So I'm glad ya took the time to brag about these Thorlos. This weekend I shall hunt some down. I will check SportMart, and REI if need be. Are they by any chance sold at cheaper stores, like Walmart and Kmart? Or maybe Mervyns? Shoe stores? REI is a bit of distance (I prefer to use my gas for cache) but socks that keep the feet dry are a very good thing. I have a pair that's pretty good, but I don't know the brand. I hope they make 'em long enough (not "tube" socks, but definitely up the leg enough). Hey, thanks for the heads-up! Grandmaster Cache

nincehelser, I'm just gonna have some fun, so in advance don't take it too personally. But I assume you have thick skin if you ventured this type of "concerned topic" and expected to be taken, uh, "seriously." Other mishaps to concern yourself with? 1. Tight-end. What gives? I suppose it could mean two things to different folks. Ladies probably think the football players have one, while guys relate it to a position (in a football formation, mind you ) 2. Here, this mental confusion might hit closer to home. "Cache in, trash out." I hope in your endeavors to desire things be taken literally you don't go "trashing things" on your way out. As in, "I went caching, and man, did I trash on my way out! You should see how trashed I made it!" (Of course, in the perverse world of geocaching, we take "trash out" to mean carry a bag, pick up any trash, and make the place less trashy. 3. And what gives with this whole "Groundspeak?" How aboutsa movement to make this 1984 Orwellian term of doublespeak a bit more "proper and correct"? Does the ground really speak? I mean, literally I suppose I should give credit to the Indians who actually did "listen" to the ground with one ear to hear the advance of white settlers who were about to invade North America's pristine territory and begin the process of butchering the Queen's language. But what are geocachers doing revelling in these "Groundspeak" forums. Really, we're all about sattelite-speak You know, I think I'm going to start a movement to get that changed, lest I stir too much while trying to get some sleep. Uh, actually I think too many "movements" tend to stink up a place. So I'll just bite my tongue (ooops, I don't mean literally - it's just an expression) and keep my movements to myself. Anyway, I hope you don't think I'm attackin' ya... Just having my bit of fun with wordplay. You're right on track with your line of thinking that many words/phrases, etc. are misused, butchered, etc. Heck, if you travel a few states from wherever you are you're gonna get a real headache with language transformations... It's invaded our spoken sector as well! Did you know some folks "axe" people every day? Yep, every time they have a question they "axe" someone. Terrible, terrible. Egads, I've "added down" to another thread... And here I was doing so good with my nicespeak. Have fun, and enjoy life. I'll bet in a few hundred years "trade up" will mean something like "I'd like to trade up to Jupiter," meaning an earth-inhabitant would like to trade planetary residency and go to Jupiter. Hmmm.. Will that be because Jupiter is actually "up" or will it be because Jupiter is better... Heck, if we're stumbling and fumbling around with cache-trading, our future generations are gonna have real problems. Grandmaster Cache

For shame.... Caches inanimate???? Why, they are an extension of every living, breathing soul who partakes and bestows. I am of course, joking (I wouldn't want you taking me literally!) That said, I would totally understand someone making a personal decision to not use a term they are in angst with. Grandmaster Cache

Marwagsalot has a signature keychain whistle that folks around here seem to have really taken a desire for. I guess I was lucky to nab one under a bridge one night! We like to leave a copy of a Zydeco CD because it's so cool for people with kids. Sometimes the caches aren't big enough, though. I'd really like to get a signature wooden coin for our family, though. Grandmaster Cache

Well, it's not just any knife... It's my Aitor Jungle King II. I'd waited years to find the perfect "survival" knife... you know, not a toy but a real deal? Made in Spain and currently the knife used by the Spanish military, the Aitor is the ideal companion. Internal compass (hey, it'll do the job), magnesium flint, signal codes/mirror twine, a seperate knife to be used as spear, cabled rope, emergency vial (fishooks, weights, safety pins, bandaids, etc. etc even a pencil!! lol , rubber hose for use as a tourny, and it also has a leather pad and flip out arms which makes the unit a slingshot, saw, multi-use tool (bottle opener, can opener screwdriver) ANYWAY you get the picture... Well worth the investment a couple years back. The blade itself? Rockwell C 55/58 hardness which is an improvement over the already famous 440-c alloy. Nothing like a high carbon stainless steel with the legendary Aitor "shaving sharp" edge. Well, not trying to sound like Rambo or anything... we actually use this gadget. LOL "Favorite" is kinda hard, because the Survival Staff our friend just got me for Christmas has to rank right up there with the Aitor... But that's too many more chapters to describe right now! Cool topic, and neat to see what ya'll carry! Grandmaster Cache

Nah, there's nothing to "fix." The term is precisely correct, because we are speaking on behalf of the cache. We "trade up," and that means the contents of the cache have been "upped," ya know? You are correct that it means to "improve" which is what we are doing when we "trade up" a cache. We are "improving it." There. Now it's fixed. Grandmaster Cache

Hi, This is what's been referred to as the "always changing" line between you (your current location) and the goto (your destination). With the old software, the line was "drawn" on your mapscreen when you entered the goto, but then as you drove towards it, it never changed (and therefore couldn't be seen many times on the screen for reference, if you were too far away from it). No matter, now the line changes to reflect a constant "as the crow flies" line between wherever you are and where the goto is. There are two options now. You can select just the first non-changing line, or you can select the one that shows the current directional line. You can also show both, if you had some need/desire to. HTH Grandmaster Cache

Got my new CMD Co Survival Staff by doing just that - following the coords! My friends were in a car and a truck across the street in a parking lot watching me. I was glad that they a) were keeping an eye on it, and saw me zero right in on it! It was a neat idea, even though I felt like I was on one of those "spy tv" shows (I had no idea I was being "watched"). Grandmaster Cache

This should almost be in the "interesting stories" forum, but it also has to do with a great product. I couldn't tell ya about the product without sharing the story. So, two members of Team BigM (Grandmaster Cache and Krissy) are out doing night caches. Our first is a micro. I wanted to put some more hours in on our new SporTrak Pro (upgraded to 4.03! ). First one's a cinch. Next, the Merry Christmas Cache. I'd promised earlier that day at a caching event to "drop" another one, and this seemed the perfect place (our Zydeco CD). My buddy was coming down from Folsom (the very same one who got me started in the hobby). Unfortunately, I seem to more aggressively pursuing caching thesedays - and I was grumbling to myself about how "none of my friends want to do this very much." It's kind of important, because I love doing night-finds, and that includes off the beaten path. Always wiser with another big friend, cause then there's two of us big fellas. Much safer. So, he calls me as we're indulging ourselves with the delights of the Christmas Cache. The signature item of Marwagsolots keychain whistle disappeared into my pocket and our signature item (CD) was inserted in the ammobox. I'm telling him of this, trying to make it seem like he's missing out on quite a great time. I begrudge that I must go home, because he's going out of town and brought some presents for the family. We had to give him ours. He asks me if I'm done, I say yes. Then he informs me I have one more - he's placed my present as a cache! I don't know if he's just joking, and think the coords he gives me are probably my house, where he's at. He gives me a clue. 7 letters and numbers. (???) I key in the coords, and immediately see it's not my house. Off we go, all the while noting that the rubberbanding is indeed a great new feature on the STPro. (Got along without it fine, but get along much better with it!) I end up in a store parking lot. It's late. Employees are cleaning up a parking lot strewn with probably a hundred or so shopping cart. It's a strip mall. I start walking along, following my compass indicator. I wind up zeroed in next to some Dodge truck. It has a bow on the front. (No, he did not get me a truck). I think he's horsing with me. But it's "zeroed in." Hmmmm... I look around over my shoulders and peer into the bed of the truck. You never know! There is something rolled up in blanket. A surfboard? Too small. Is it mine? Nah, he must be joking with me! I call him. Jerk!!!! He tells me, READ YOUR CLUE I immediately do the math and look at the clue, then the license plate - bingo! Look, I tell him, you better not be screwing around with me, because this is somebody's truck and I'm looking into the bed of it. I park our SAV nearby, so I don't look to abnormal. I'm wondering how bad he's messing with me. Looking in every direction, I see employees from a Starbuck's cleaning up. Hmmmm. They haven't asked me what I'm doing lurking near their truck... IS it their truck? Hey, I'm going for broke. Maybe they are being legit, and just placed something stupid in the bed of someone's truck? I reach in, poke it, hear wrapping paper, GRAB the package (It's almost 6 feet long) and scoot over to insert this "thing" through one of the rear doors of our SAV. As I'm sliding it in, I'm relieved to see a gift tag with my name. I still feel uncomfortable that they put it in someone else's truck. My phone rings. I'm edgy. HEY, I yell, tell me if that's your blanket. It looks like I'm totally bagging crap from someone's truck!! Do you want it??? If not, I'm outta here! I hear a ton of laughter. Long story wrap up. Three of my buddies are across the street watching. It is one of their mom's husband's trucks. They are rolling with laughter as they watched me "scout" this truck for about 5 minutes before bagging it! LOL What is it? A CMD Co survival staff.. Totally awesome!!!!!! The 66" model (the big 'un!) Camo accessories, I'm lovin' it! This is the bomb. Wowbangers, I'm lovin' it. This rivals the quality and workmanship of my Spanish Aitor survival knife. 40 feet of 1200+ lb test cord machine rolled around it, and too many other accessories... All the usual first-aid and survival gear. LED light, compass, 17-function Swiss-type utility knife in a pouch... This is indeed a whopper of a hiking staff. Decked in camo, it literally spoke my name to my buddy when he saw it. I actually told him about this wonderful looking thing. It was one of those things you drool over but never manage to find the funds for. He did. Awesome.... THANK YOU SO MUCH for a great present, Damon! Thanks to the lady that makes 'em right in your neighborhood, and my favorite place to camp! Right off Icehouse Road! Folks, they are undoubtedly pricey - but my life is worth more! This is The Staff!!! Perfect for my late night excursions. Great for unstable ground... And there's a more personal reason which makes this almost a necessity for me! I'm loving it!!!! Can I give CMD Co a plug? She sells this on Ebay, and they are not a mass-quantity production item. Very personal, made to order. She had no idea about Geocaching. Well, she should! This is awesome for anybody that likes both a staff and to have "always-ready" survival gear - stuff that can REALLY be a life saver. Thanks again! I can't wait to trudge the mud and USE this awesome gear. A good staff can be good for many people. A lifesaving staff can be a lifesaver! THANKS CMD Co and THANKS DAMON!!!!!!!! Grandmaster Cache

hehe... Ain't that the truth. Grandmaster Cache