Zurcher

How about oldest in Connecticut? have been doing it for 10 years now..born 1934 = 78 !!!

This seems to be a really old thread..but also looking for a good area for biking... how about Stewart Forest near Newburg NY....its next to the airport. Any one been in there with a bike?

Dunno, just got my chops busted by the Groundspeak "gestapo" for logging a bunch of virtual "armchair" caches similar to the blatent practice of many german cachers...and? seems they get away with it? Looking for names? zurch.

As little as possible!!

Found a guide book and good trail maps: http://www.montanyearts.com/stewart/largemap.jpg this of course for Stewart State forest....take a peek. Zurch

great stuff..thanks for all the good input. Have found a map on internet and of course do use the topo maps and are handy with them, was just wondering what others have done? Looks like an interesting but long day in the saddle!! but am interested in tackling some time. thanks again. zurch.

Any one familiar with the trails in stewart state forest near Newburg? Looks like a fun day on a mountain bike and try for all 20 or so caches? Any one done that? Is there a MAIN entrance, and where, ranger headquaters...or good parking or access point? Perhaps a pass or permit needed? Have seen a trail map in a website..but not very detailed! Zurch.

Yep sure, do it all the time, at least the "urban" ones!

I use stainless steel fishing line! I think it is soft monel? the stuff we use to fish for bluefish in long island sound in CT / NY. zurch.

Am in agreement with just about most of what was mentioned above. Has anyone come across a decent rating system...I know, many will squalk, cry bloody murder at having there cache rated poorly....urban in a crummy location nano container stuff..!!!! etc etc....a MICHELIN guide of sorts? Perhaps just invent my own " secret" code..??? Zurch.

I think I've just solved my own problem, coming from Europe, shudda've known better.... scrap the tenths of a foot or inches stuff and just use the METRIC !!!! side of my tape! On a data sheet the boys will , as an example say : 26.67 meters ( 87.5 ) Ft......ok, in this case, 87 and a half foot or 6 inches, but can read off 26.67 real quick and easy. Z

On the benchmark data sheets, seldom see anyone using magnetic bearings? in common use are old fashioned marine compass designations such as : its NNE or NE but nothing more accurate than every 22 1/2 degree increments! As an example: if it says NNE, its 22 1/2 degrees on my compass and I supose need to be corrected to a TRUE bearing? I have noticed that many / most bearings not very accurate? Do the surveyors [ seems to me ] just say" its over there, about north? " and not bother with magnetic bearings? [ Yes, we know the declination changes over the years! ] but whats a guy to do? standind there, gotta start with the trusty old boyscout compass. z

Ok, on the subject of underground marks... An example: LX7441 They will say: the station is set into the top of a round concrete monument..and flush with ground blah blah etc...then...the underground mark is a standard disc blah blah...SET INTO AN IRREGULAR MASS OF CONCRETE 1.1 METERS BELOW THE SURFACE. What gives? a disc for all of us to find flush up top...then burried inside a glob of concrete another UNDERGROUND job as a spare/backup, BELOW the top one...in case someone damages the one up top.?? Doesnt sound good...what am I missing? Z

Wondering why they use decimal feet...and not just feet and inches? Is there such a thing, they, the surveyors use...as a tape with tenths of a foot divisions..tick marks... I know, I know...if its 9.6 feet just take a bit more than 9 and a half foot!! Z

I was a member of the power squadron for a few years, took a few boating courses and felt they where a nice bunch of guys. Only small problem, I was into sail boats and most of them where power boaters...but nice guys never the less....! At the time, 70-80's , never new about benchmark hunting etc, so this theme never came up at any meetings. Currentley, in my area at least [ Connecticut shore ] they USPS, do no longer seem to check benchmarks. Interesting to read about this anyway...Looks like I have to take a closer look at the ones "THEY" posted as no finds. Z

Dunno how to insert a pix..but if you check my pix LX3612 on top of Mowhawk moutain in CT... its of a broken off stem. I loged it as a find. Dunno if BuckBrook [ who is she?...] will approove? also....wondering if its possible to get hold of some official witness stakes.... many locations getting difficult to find BM's , after all, aren't we cachers doing uncle sam a favor and documenting stuff with pix. Might as well ID the location...??

Can we "BORROW" this thread to discuss the San Fran Sisco puzzle cache...and ask owner of this thread not to dissable it or just start a new one?

How about GCQEE3.....San-Fran-Cisco ??? Anyone any ideas?

Just lookup FIZZYmagic's geocalcs.....accurate to millimeters!!!

Am told this one is a "dog"....meaning..much too difficult! GCRVY8 "The Puzzling Bethel's Projections Can be solved at home..try it..and send me your estimate. Z

Great big thanks to the "HERMIT" for the tip...re using Compsys21, works like a charm! Once I realized I need to work with nautical miles !! Z

Does anyone know of a neat , easy on line calculator , like Fizzymagic.... that can figure out the intersection of two arcs on this earth. Example: take lat/lon of los angeles and newyork.....lets say its 3000 miles and give the two , unequal lenght radii....one 2000 other 1300 miles and get lat lon of the 2 points of intersection. no azmuth or degrees... [ I know..they intersect in 2 places....] Z

My rig...[ 2 years ago ]..is 27 footer, they do not seem to go out and check! Dont think its a problem! ..just go for it! About night caching, I still have 2 night caches in place...but dissabled for winter, and can with not much trouble...get them up and going again. [ as is ] only problem is....whats a guy to do? leave them as is..for the newer cachers...? Lots have done Willies easy one? or re-design that one? The more difficult one..kettletown 2 was not visited by many? but judging from the logs, well recieved, and probably shud be left as is? Perhaps RJ would like to make one? or..is there anyone else that would like to "install" another night cache? however....not enuff time for all to vist many caches all night long!.. remember..only gets dark after 9pm. please enter thoughts and ideas here. Z

Hi Fizzymagic, great stuff your calculator!!!! was looking for a way to do checksums....digital root is great! now, only question....whos calculator is most accurate? What / who is the standard? distances etc? thanks for all the good work Z

I was born in 1934 71 now, still going strong! can outhike most jungones.... Z