Team Mixster

Road Rescue should head out to TN, as I hear that Oscar's express had some engine trouble... (Flat tire would be fine too). J/K, looks like there are some dedicated Cannonballers out there! I've updated the map for today (remind me not to 'watch' all 70+ bugs in the future. 133 new messages to read today... geez! Any word on Silver & Gold or Superfly? I thought these were entries too, but no logs yet... -Mixster

This has probably been covered before but I couldn't find it... Today while looking for a cache, we saw through the trees that a group of people were at the likely site, about 350 ft away. We pulled back and waited for them to finish up. Then another group happened upon it. I was beginning to wonder how we were ever going to log this one. Finally we peeked and saw they were gone, we crept up and I saw one of the previous cachers on the hilltop waving. I asked if they were looking too, and she said they'd already found it. So, my question is, given the above situation, what should you do? Go on towards the cache and if they have it, introduce yourselves? Wait until they leave? Just wondered how anyone else would handle this... -Mixster

Stomach was acting up so we 'cached' in early. However, I did update the map and two bugs have managed to make it into PA!! We'll see how the rest of the logs go as I imagine everyone was out today! -Mixster

Okay so I've only been in the chat room twice, but hey, that counts right? Actually it's pretty fun to sit back and watch, as this weekend will really get them moving. Please be patient with me updating the maps as I have a feeling I'll have a ton of watch logs to parse through (haven't gotten the CSV to work that Egnix posted) but no big deal, a little typing as a lot of them are passing through the same caches... Go Cannonball Go! -Mixster

Just got a barrage of emails of ones that were snagged. I've updated the map for the day, but I believe only two bugs moved. This weekend we're in for a real treat as around here (Cincinnati area) it's supposed to be close to 70 degrees! Woohoo! -Mixster

It went from a cache to the gathering *today*? Not sure I truly understand that one... I'll be generating today's map and file soon... -Mixster

quote:Any bug that skips a state intentionally or not is required to backtrack to the last continuous state that it was in (not necessarily the same cache) and begin again from there. The same holds true for any bug leaving the country. Hmm, guess that means if you went NY to Canada, you'd have to go back to NY before going any further. Ouch! -Mixster

quote:Originally posted by trippy1976:Or at least they would only be able to go from State 1, through Canada and into State 2 where State 1 and State 2 share a common border anyway. That was my understanding... If your bug goes through Canada, it's still got to come back into Pennsylvania before it can move on...

Anyone familiar w/ S&T 2003 know how to add tooltip-like tags to the bugs on the html map? I know I can turn each of them on, but it seems like that would be too crowded? With 70+ bugs on the screen, maybe I should leave the name pointers to the official map? Let me know your thoughts... -Mixster

I did a replace all on the HTML. What a pain in the a$$. I'll probably keep this up to date if that lets you focus on the db stuff... it keeps me busy and out of trouble. -Mixster

Egnix, thanks, I'll have to give it a shot. For now the URLs above should have the latest excel files and map w/ links. -Mixster Eh, guess it'd help if I posted the URL map: http://home.insightbb.com/~mmick1/cannonballrun.htm

I think the 'official' page isn't using S&T anyway, so no real issues there. I didn't mean to cause any issues, I just figured since I was doing this for myself I might as well provide it if someone else could use it. I made the mistake of actually creating a hyperlink on each of the bugs for their page at first, which isn't interpreted by S&T, so I had to copy and paste each one to a seperate field. Yippee! -Mixster

For those that want it... contains a couple of bugs that I found that hadn't started, but not sure if this is all of them or not... http://home.insightbb.com/~mmick1/Cannonball_Run.xls Also, for those bugs in Lumberjack's Haven, I chose the coordinates for another nearby cache as this one hasn't been approved yet so I can't get the actual coords. -Mixster

I put together an Excel spreadsheet to feed into S&T 2003. Looks like about 3/4's of the bugs are either not logged as in someone's hands, or logged as picked up but not placed yet. Of the ones that have been placed about half went NW towards the highway, I assume, and half went NE (sabotage already!). If I can find a place to upload the spreadsheet I'll do so. Plus I've added the bugs to my watch list so hopefully I'll update once daily as are other folks on this board. (This isn't in place of their efforts, just a way for me to play with the maps.) Oh, and it would appear that my bug and at least one other are in a cache that hasn't been approved yet??? Always fun... -Mixster

Hmm... brand new member, only logged the event cache and the one where the MIG went... HMMM... Very interesting... Direct meddling, but who to blame it on? -Mixster

site (even at this stage) looks pretty good. Can't wait to see how things progress. One suggestion would be to put up a section describing the various awards that have been mentioned (first to be lost, etc.) And if there's an email address to send donations, I'd contribute to help offset the cost of everything. -Mixster

looks like some bugs are already picking up the miles. Is the map listed above the 'official' tracking page, or did one ever get established? I think mine's still awaiting placement so we'll sit back and watch - this is great! -Mixster

...does anyone know of software that will give the turn by turn and then do a count down of the distance to turns and an audible beep (or actual words) of the upcoming turn? (I like the way the routes are handled on the eTrex Legend but I'd like something similar for my laptop as the Legend is usually wedged at the very edge of the dash/window... Thanks, Mixster

Wouldn't you *always* be heading in the right direction that way? Course, I doubt you'd have many takers in MI or AK... -Mixster

We've had a weekend where we've done eight on Saturday and five on Sunday, but then we've also had weekends where the kids are sick and will NOT allow Daddy to go without them. They just barely tolerated me doing the virtuals when I had a trip to Vegas recently. -Mixster

Twice now I've parked in the wrong spot for a cache. Once lead me to cross a golf course (middle of winter, no real biggie) but then I was on the wrong trail and had to scale up and down a bank which would eventually lead to erosion. Second time I ended up parking on the side of the road because I could see no possible way to the cache other than that. For my future caches, I'll post coordinates. If you want to make it more of challenge, don't use them. -Mixster

... Indiana Village for Epileptics?? I did a quick search and only came up with something about a future prison. Strange what you find sometimes eh? (I was filling in the area around Cincinnati - my hard drive will soon just cease to operate) N 39.962689 W 85.370085 -Mixster

Did a search (no Markwelling here) and found this thread - myself, I'm down 20 pounds so far. I'm finding that getting out every weekend is a serious help. Now if only I can give away these darn girl scout cookies I'll be all set! -Mixster

Letterboxing (www.letterboxing.org) might be more up your alley - alot of it is done with compass and so many paces or steps. YMMV. -Mixster

I'd modify the bug's webpage so that it's new goal is a specific cache near you, and can someone along the way attach a card with that information so once it reaches it's destination it won't be picked up within 20 minutes of being dropped. -Mixster