JASTA 11

Sometime soon I'd like to go after Ed Watson was a Bad Man using just canoes, no motors. I'm having a hard time convincing somebody to attempt it with me.

We'd take a good, well planned multi that had a hike or paddle involved over a bunch of traditionals in a small park. A single stage traditional would work too, if it had a decent hike or paddle involved. When we started out, we avoided the multis, but now that we have a few tough ones under our belts, we try to seek them out. Someone earlier in the thread mentioned 'Fun Factor'. We agree, but we also have the satisfaction factor as a motivator. In the end, to each his own.

I'd rather deal with the creepy crawlies than be seen logging a lamp post cache.

Here's the picture I promised earlier: I apologize for the quality. I stink at photography. It was about 2 1/2 inches in length and was in a web that stretched about seven feet from the ground up to a branch. The picture I missed all together was another large spider in a web just a few feet away that was feeding on a large insect.

It's funny that this thread was started at this time. We were in Florida on vacation and were doing a string of caches that were recommended to us by a local cacher. There we were, only 1/4 mile in when we came upon two deer on the trail. One took off right away, the other stood and stared at us. I moved closer, while trying to get my camera out of my backpack. Then, it charged towards us but diverted into the underbrush. That was bizarre. Later on we were seeking a cache that mentioned a fallen oak tree in the description. So with our loyal Pooch bringing up the rear, we climbed on the tree, little did we know there was a wild hogs' nest right under the tree, spooking the heck out of all of us. Afterwards, we searched around for the cache and encountered some of the spider webs that inspired this thread. ( We'll add pictures) The best encounter came shortly afterwards. We were working our way deeper into the forest when a nasty smell came over us, we weren't close to swamp, so I started wondering if we had come upon Jimmy Hoffa's body or something. Then, a few feet up I spotted two wild hogs. One saw us right away and ran into the palmetto's. The other didn't see us, so I tried to get closer to get a picture with my camera (which was readily available this time). Edging forward, with my loyal Pooch right behind me we got about eight feet away from the hog. About that time, the hog screwed into the underbrush 90 degrees to my left, and my Pooch ran down the path 180 degrees behind me. I finally caught up with her about a third of a mile away. Man's best friend. The hog didn't run half as far as she did! Oh well. All in all it was a great time, critters and all!

Having used my Camelbak on active duty with the Army, I agree that immediate maintenance is required after usage and before your hydration pack becomes a biology experiment. However, I have had great success with the Gatorade powdered product. Putting just about any liquid product such as Gatorade or Powerade won't give you much problem, it's the powdered versions that will give you trouble later on. Most need you to continuously mix them up to prevent the solids from settling to the bottom. I've found that the (powdered) Gatorade product, when used as directed, worked fine in my Camelbak. No clogging, tasted the same throughout. Here's what you need to do after each time you put anything but water in the bladder: Totally disasemble the unit, disconnect all drinking tubes, flush the bladder with hot (if possible) water, rinse the drink tube with (hot) water, soak the bite tube in (hot), exercising the nipple. If you do that, you should have no need for any special mixtures.

We are big supporters of the CITO thing. We take small plastic containers and put in a trash bag and a latex-free glove inside. Then we put a label on the outside that has a CITO logo and our Avatar on it. Our hope is that it will be used to do some CITO on the way out and will then be a sort of 'collectable'. We also put special CITO kits in our caches. Both our caches are level 5's, so the CITO kits have a special photo of the terrain on one side, our Avatar on the other, and include the GC waypoint number and coordinates. Kind of a 'Proof we were there Prize'.

I used to get mild cases when I was a kid. I've pretty much had a 99% immunity to it since. I'll get the first few 'bumps' and redness but that's it. That's why my Father-in-Law sends me into the rough to find his golf balls. You'd think it was enough that I took over payments on his daughter! Speaking of her, she gets really ill after getting PI. The last time she had it she ended up in the hospital for four days. Here's what we recommend (as in previous threads), it's called TECNU. It will work even after you think you've been exposed but still aren't showing any symptoms. It removes the inflicting oils from your skin, your clothes, even your pets. There were other treatments suggested earlier in this thread. We've never used them, so I can't make any recommendations. We do know that the TECHNU product has worked for us. As always, beware the three shiny leaves!

It's just like a cache owner logging a find on their own cache every time they visit it to do maintenance or whatever, Just ask Rock 6, he knows.

Come again?

NVG, I'm glad to hear you say that you're not in league with the creep. In reading his profile, one can see that he has quite an affinity for you. He has your handle on some of his cache hides. I'm not sure why you tolerate him since you know what a jerk he is. Why didn't you include yourself in that list of FTF'rs? You have an impressive count yourself, including some of the ones placed by him. As for the counseling, one should never under estimate an opponent. One last thing. Did you let him kick you in the nads like that, or did he just haul off on your groin without warning? Inquiring minds want to know.

Based on his profile page, it seems that he's somewhat intimate with the owner of many of those caches. That's probably why they don't get deleted. The little boy would benefit from some 'wall to wall' counseling.

I'm coming in a little late on this one, but my opinion hasn't changed. When we first started this game, we were headed out to Missouri and I was researching some caches. I came to find that the owner of several caches would log a find on his own caches (this was also my introduction to the beloved nano). How can you claim a find on your own cache? Multiple times he would do this. It bothered me that this guy would lack the integrity to post a note when he did maintenance or drop a TB instead of logging a find. Well, I soon got over it, and you should too. This thread has a common theme with many others dealing with integrity in this game. You'll hear time and time again that you can play the game as you like to. Personally I find this to be cheating, despite there being no trophy or other prize to claim. In the end, if you have noticed this going on, then so have others. It's not something I'd like to be known for, it ranks right up there with watching chicks light farts.

I don't get it. If you're going to get the final coords from the owner then why bother? I personally wouldn't give out the final numbers. To me that's cheating. But as I've read a number of times in the forums, "you're free to play the game as you choose". That's been applied to micros, logging multiple finds, owners logging finds on thier own caches, ect. Why not log a DNF? That way the owner sees it, and can either go check on it, or put a hint on the cache page? All in all. I say let your conscience be your guide.

Frogs and snails must be a welcome treat for you folks after all those years of being fed bratwurst and saurkraut!

Thanks IK for the additional recommendations. Is there anyone else around there that enjoys these types of caches? You seem to be the only one!

Any more?

No music. Just whatever sounds are there. No cars, radios, nothing. We avoid most things urban.

I cast my vote for 'Technu'. It's produced by Oak-n-Ivy Brand. When the Mrs gets PI it's serious. Last time, she ended up in the hospital. Me, I could practically roll around in it without much trouble. It has two parts, the first is your standard clear calamine lotion, the other (the best part) is the Technu. It removes the irritating oils before they can mess you up. Works on skin, clothes, dogs, ect. You can find it at most any pharmacy.

I was doing a lengthy multi in a state forest near my house. It was raining, but I really wanted to ride my new mountain bike. On my way to stage four I found myself going downhill on the path. Across the path, up ahead was a fallen tree. It would need about eight inches to clear it. So as I got close I pulled up on the handlebars, and they just rotated in my hands. The mounting bolt was loose. So, needless to say I didn't get over the log, but I almost made it over the handlebars. I would have cleared both if it wasn't for my groin impacting the steering column.

We found a cache once that had an animal skull (pretty sure it was an opossum) in it. Talk about a cruddy trade item. Got hit with a nasty stench when I opened the container. Darn thing stunk to high heaven!

Thanks Isonzo, all of them look great. I'm gonna try to get them all. My wife will probably divorce me but hey, what the heck.

I have to laugh! That would be some justice! What comes around, goes around. What a creep.

I'm deaf in my right ear, but only when I'm driving with my wife.

We'll be in the area this October. It's been a few years since we've visited there. We're looking for some suggestions from you local folks for caches with a nice hike or paddle involved. No urban micros or magnets please. I've hunted around on the website and found a few interesting ones, but you can't always judge just by looking at the cache page. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.