Choppersean

Filled out the survey. Hope that helps.

Good point. This was one of my first caches since it is close to home. I don't recall seeing the actual TB that is reported to be in this cache. I was going to go back and pick it up if it were there. Maybe I should go take a look and see..........then report it to the owner if it is not there.

You don't list where you are from, but if in the USA, how about something to do with a very interesting period (IMO, at least) American history? '29 saw the Wall Street Stock Market crash.......in '31 Congress declared the "The Star Spangled Banner" as the US national anthem.......and in '37 (May 6) the Hindenburg burst into flames as it was about to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

I have been eying a TB in a cache near my house. Reportedly it is still there and has been stuck there for the last 9 months. I have never picked up a TB before, but was wondering if it would be OK to email the owner and ask permission to pick up their TB and help it on its way? I have a vacation planned late next month (6 weeks away) which could get this TB well on its way around the world........to Ireland, to be specific.

I grew up in Colorado Springs and was recently there to visit family during the kids' Spring Break. A large City park near where my childhood house is is Palmer Park. It is a very scenic place and there are like 8 to 12 right in that area. There are a couple that have some fairly difficult terrain, but not too bad........and lots of great views of Pikes Peak. Here is one of them in Palmer Park......(Colin's Cache) If you then use the map feature on this cache page, you can find a bunch of other close ones in the park.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!!! I have a few leads now. The Honey-doos kept me around the house this AM, so I will definitely do some homework this week and try some next weekend.

Was hoping to get out early tomorrow morning with the kids.........before it gets too hot. Anyone have any suggestions on some really excellent caches in the West Valley area of Phoenix? I guess I am just getting kind of tired of the magnetic key holders stuck to the backside of a street/traffic sign or a lightpole, etc. I would love any suggestions of more traditional caches (non-micro) that are unusual, that have fun stuff inside, or are in a really cool location......and ones that are not terribly difficult but not too easy either. Any particular puzzle cache that was fun/good would also be nice. I want to make sure the kids have fun. I think they are getting more tired [than I] of caches that are.........well, less than inspiring and hardly creative. Thanks for any suggestions you might have......... Sean

OK, I am new to this whole Geocaching thing. I didn't spend much time searching the forums for an answer to this question........sorry. I will be traveling next week from Arizona to Colorado.........then again on vacation in July from Arizona to Ireland. I thought it would be great to try and seach for travel bugs locally which I could help along their way provided their goals are in alignment with my travel plans. Got any suggestions on the best way to seach for this info, or am I just going to have to search through pages and pages of GC listings to look for TBs and read their goals? Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

We just went and found On The Trail and enjoyed a nice warm day and an encounter with a furry hopping friend on the trail. I didn't have my telephoto lense, but if you can imagine near the left of the base of the large Saguaro cactus you can see our Jackrabbit friend. I blew up the picture so you can see him......

Here is our Geodog..........Trango. One of him on a hike with me a month or so ago and the other is of our third-ever cache hunt just yesterday.

I got my first GPS on Friday and am 2 for 3 over the weekend. I think I am hooked..........and I think the whole family is too! I already have another half dozen planned for near by and am looking to our trip to Ireland this summer to maybe take and pick up a travel bug if I can find one to help along its journey.

Airmapper, that link to the Lowrance Users Geocaching Guide is AWESOME!!! It answers all the questions I have about the LOC and GPX files. My new iFinder Expedition C arrives tomorrow.............just in time for the holiday weekend and forecasted sunny and warm (75F) southern Arizona days ahead!!!!

I am waiting to get my new Expedition C.........it is in UPS's hands somewhere between Sacaucus NJ and Phoenix AZ........boy I wish they would hurry up!!! I am new to this Geocaching thing too. I ordered the unit for the positive reviews I have read and the testimonials I have received. I REALLY liked the Garmin Legend Cx (I think it was) but for the price and the features I had to go with the Lowrance. I have also been known to go against the grain.......well, BIG TIME. What I read about Magellan (please don't flame me) makes me think they are crap and have even worse customer service and support. I must say that the thing I have learned (after the fact) is that they only have a serial cable connector to the computer......which is extra. They really should take a lesson from the rest of the world and go with standard USB connections. They also have an awkward location for their memory cards...........in the back, under the batteries. Those things were minor enough to me that they were offset by the better feature set of the unit. Anyway, I think for free...........can I have it if you don't want it?!?! ;-)

WOO HOO!!! I just ordered my first GPS unit............a Lowrance iFinder Expedition C (w/ Plus) package!!! I cannot wait to get it!!!

You sure about that? I was just reading the DeLorme website stuff and I saw a section on their compass. Here is the compass screen....... http://www.delorme.com//images/sampleMaps/...a**/default.htm Read here by scrolling down to "The Compass Page".......... http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtp...;minisite=10020

Sorry, just had to go off-topic for a sec and rub this in..........I live in Phoenix and it was 81 degrees F today and yesterday and is supposed to be that again tomorrow. Supposed to be in the mid to upper 70s the rest of the week. I came from Colorado where I grew up and have only been here for 6 months.........man, can I get used to this weather!!!!

How about Benjamin Franklin.............I would bet even Da Vinci would have been great.

I wanted to explore a topic that surfaced in another thread of mine on an entry level Lowrance GPS unit. Evidently, Lowrance doesn't have "AUTOROUTING" as a feature. Ok, so basically auto routing is like those GPS screens in the rental cars I sometimes get that tell you "TURN RIGHT A THE NEXT INTERSECTION"..........or "MERGE LEFT".......... or "FREEWAY EXIT APPROACHING".......that kind of thing? Maybe I am more of a purist, but isn't that feature somewhat cheating? Isn't part of the fun of this to actually plan a route or even plan as you go? As a newbie here, maybe I am thinking this sport is more like old-time orienteering is. Maybe I should just go buy a good compass and some maps. On the other hand, I guess the technology is there, isn't it........so why not use it?!?!?!?

Maybe so, but I guess that is what I was getting at. For the feature set of the Lowrance and the reported satisfaction and performance of them (certainly a hell of a lot better than what I have heard of Magellan), WHY WOULDN'T anyone consider the Lowrance as a fist time GPS unit??? That $250 seems to get all the features and LOTS MORE than the other leading brands. You know what, I think I just convinced myself...........I think I am buying the Lowrance.

Wow, everyone, thanks for the information. I am thinking the Lowrance is probably the top of my list now......BUT, I do have a GPS NEWBIE question. What the heck is autorouting? Any recommendations of where to purchase a Lowrance iFINDER Expedition C online? I have looked some locally and cannot find anyone. Online I can find some smoking deals in the $250 range, but don't know if those are reputable suppliers or not. Thanks again for all the info!!!!!

So, cacheoholic, since you have owned so many GPS units, which one do you feel was the best and why? For say $250 or less, which one would you buy today if you could only buy ONE and it was solely for Geocaching?

I am new around here so please be patient with me. I posted a question about Lowrence iFINDER Expedition over in the Geocaching.....Getting Started area. Since it appears that this forum gets more traffic and it is directly related to GPS units, I thought I would post here as well. Go here for the original thread/question I have about Lowrance as a first time Geocahing GPS unit. Thanks everyone!

I am interested in the Lowrance iFINDER Expedition unit for my first GPS. I am primarily interested in Geocaching with my kids and I do a fair bit of hiking in remote parts of Arizona and Colorado. It seems that Garmin is the market leader followed by a distant Magellan.........and an even more distant Lowrance. I am really anal retentive and am NOT an impulse buyer, so I research even small decisions such as this.......well, too much probably. Anyway, in looking at features, there is not one Magellan unit which appeals to me and then I have read lots of reviews on their units and I don't think I want one.........poor match of desired features, poor customer service, and sounds like lots of returns/lemons/breakage. I am also looking at the Garmin eTrex Legenc Cx..........lots of good reviews and is expandable memory and mapping functionality, USB connectivity, etc. Definitely seems like a solid choice in the $250 range. The Lowrance iFINDER Expedition, though, seems to have lots more features than the equivalently priced Garmin and Magellan units. Memory expandability, color screen, mapping capabilities, USB cable, external aentenna connection, electronic compass, altimeter, etc. I don't hear much about Lowrance, really. What is everyone's experience? What I have heard is they are good units although maybe a tad bid more technical and not as user friendly. That is OK since I am a civil engineer and I am pretty savy with surveying/mapping, electronics, computers, and such. Answer me this, why wouldn't you want a compass feature? This seems to kick the price of units way up. Again, to get the expandability, color, compass, altimeter, mapping, USB, etc. it appears that this Lowrance iFINDER Expedition C is THE total package. Any feedback on this would be much appreciated.............