SilverRubicon

I don't see a selection for I do the Letterbox Hybrid type of geocaches. These are the only letterboxes I have looked for or found. I even went out and bought a log book before going to find my first one so I would have a place to keep a record and stamps from the ones I have done. So far I have done 4 and stamped my log book for each one. SilverRubicon

Doesn't sound like too much to me, but I enjoy these type of caches. Ones that exercise the mind and body. I would expect that this type of cache would have less visitors though. Not everyone is into the harder ones, but those that are will appreciate it and your efforts in creating it. If they were all 1/1 then it would quickly become boring and not many would continue to do it, at least I wouldn't. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by Verboten:99% of _people_ are inconsiderate slobs. That's my point. -Vb This may be true but they don't run around with something to throw on the ground ever waking minute. Yes they do throw stuff on the ground, but unlike smokers, most don't do this dozens of times a day and most don't consider it perfectly acceptable to do so. The smokers I know don't feel it is littering to throw a butt on the ground. I would have to say everyone knows it is littering to throw a can or bottle on the ground. That is why most don't but most smokers do. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by Verboten:Ugh! I hate when I don't have a tin or empty film container. Stashing butts in the pocket sucks, but I do it when I have to. -Vb See that is the difference between you and the majority, you would when you have to and everyone else would instead just throw them on the ground. Thank you, I now know of two responsible smokers. I hope you also consider those around you before lighting up and impossing your smoke onto them as well. If so then I can say I also know of two considerate smokers as well. SilverRubicon

First let me say thank you to Verboten for your very rare smoking practices. You are a very rare smoker indeed. I'm not a smoker and never have been. I don't like being inside of places that smokers are. It makes my clothes smell and gives me a head ache if I'm there for too long. I know lots of people that smoke and a few of my relatives do as well. Of all the people I know that have this habit my father-in-law is the only courteous smoker I have ever met. He does not smoke when around others that do not, he does not smoke in his vehicles or house because he has friends and relatives that do not and he has never in my knowledge ever thrown a butt on the ground. He field strips them and puts the butts in his pocket to be thrown away later. If more smokers were like my father-in-law and Verboten then there would be less stereotyping of smokers as being inconsiderate slobs. Unfortunately 99% of smokers are inconsiderate slobs. Probabley a good thing I'm not a cop because I would give a ticket to every one I saw throwing a butt on the ground for littering. And every one still lit a ticket for attempted arson. SilverRubicon

Ok, since no one else has said it yet I will. Why would you ever use anything other than the best cache container ever made, an ammo box. I have found lots of the plastic cache containers, glad, rubbermaid, tupperware and generic, and they all have one thing in common. Unless the hiding location protects them from the weather they all seem to leak. The change in temp here in New England is just too much for these containers. When the contents heat up the air inside expands, the press fit lid lets this expanding air out. Not a problem, however when the temp inside then drops back down it creates a vacuum. Once again the press fit lid lets the outside air back in, and along with it any moisture that happens to be present at the time. I have also found a few that have cracks or holes in them. The plastic just seems to lose what ever sealing qualities it had once it gets too cold. It also cracks easily in these cold temps. You know I have never found an ammo box with any signs of leaking or damage. I would have to say, at least in New England, the best container is the ammo box and the current sticker fits them just fine, with minimal triming for the small ammo box size. SilverRubicon

I would have to agree that I like the ammo box the best and other than adding a way to see inside without defeating any of it's advantages I don't see anyway of improving it. One of it's advantages is it's durability in the cold, I live in NH and it get pretty cold here in the winter. Any plastic would need to be able to take the cold without becoming brittle. I have inadvertantly damaged some plastic containers finding or digging out in the cold NH winter. They really don't like a wack with an ice axe at 20 degrees below zero. And I'm not talking celsius either. That and it will be hard to beat that nice metal on metal sound when probing in the deep snow with the tip of your carbide tip walking pole or ice ax handle. SilverRubicon

The Ultimate case looks and sounds nice. However, it looks a little to bulky for what I wanted. Since I wanted my GPSr on my pack strap, which will be on my chest, I wanted the smallest case that my Meridian would fit into. This Ultimate case just looks a little too much to be hanging off my chest while I hike. SilverRubicon

USAF 1984-1988 2054th Communications Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, TX. My cache vehicle, a 2003 Jeep Rubicon, wears my Veteran plates with pride. All gave some, Some gave all SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by Leahi:Sweet, is it waterproof? Not waterproof as the closer is a zipper and is on the top of the case. But the case is made out of nylon so I would expect with a good waterproofing spray it could be very water repellent. Plus is you have a Meridian, it is waterproof anyway so not a real big concern. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by Jamie Z:I might have to get me one of those. $9 you say? Jamie Actually it is only $8.00. But if you have been looking for one like this as long as I have, it is well worth it. I have since attached it to my pack and it fits and looks great. The clip was perfect for attaching to my webbing and makes for a very secure attachment. I can't wait to try it out this coming weekend. SilverRubicon

Thanks Stunod for posting the pictures for me. SilverRubicon

Ok I have taken the pictures now how do I get them up here for everyone to see. I don't have a web site I can post them on. SilverRubicon

I too try to trade up or even if possible. I also try to clean up or out caches that I find that are in poor shape. I have found caches full of what I consider to be junk and will take the junk items and put in a couple of nice things. I also contact the owners if I find a cache that is in need of repair or attention. And since when are business cards a trade item. If you want everyone to know you have been there use the logbook. A small piece of paper with your name on it is just that, a piece of paper with your name on it. Keep them for doing business, not caching. And for every cache I find I leave my signature item, a golden dollar. Even if I don't do any other trading. I figure at the very least it is a small item that is of value to everyone, whether young or old. I also try to remove items I feel should not be in there to start with. Like any food items or liquids. Since this is NH and winter, anything liquid becomes solid and out grows its container making a mess in a cache. But I really hate to see cachers that are very active leaving worthless items in caches. There is one in our area that does this. He caches all the time and leaves things like army men and pokemon cards and takes other items worth far more. While these things are not terrible things to leave they are worth about a nickel each. Leaving one and taking an item that is worth two to three dollars is not far trading in my book. If you want to leave them because you think they will be prized by some kid fine, but don't use them to trade for something worth far more. I also try to only trade items that are waterproof or if not, in a ziplock bag. It is my experience that if the cache container is not an ammo can it will leak. And when it does anything that is not waterproof, like pokemon cards, will become trash instantly. SilverRubicon

Sorry for not getting back to you Cracker7M and Jamie Z before now. I will take some photos of the clip mechanism tonight and try to get them posted here for everyone to see. The clip looks like it should work quite well. It is hinged on one side and you squeeze the other side to open it. The locking side locks with two tabs that should hold it very secure without any issues of it accidently opening. The only potential issue I can see is it is only going to fit over a one inch wide strap. So if your pack strap is larger and does not have any one inch webbing for attaching things the clip may not work for you. But you can remove the clip and use your own attaching hardware to the one inch loop that the clip attaches to on the case. Well hopefully I can get some good pictures tonight that will show what I have tried to discribe above. It is perfect for my Gregory which has webbing on the pack straps. SilverRubicon

I would have provided a link if I had found or purchased it online. I found and purchased it at an EMS store locally. If you like I can provide you driving directions. Stunod has graciously provided a link for those wanting to see it or wanting to purchase it online. Thank you Stunod. SilverRubicon

I don't know about the rest of you Meridian owner's out there but I have been looking for a case for mine to attach to my pack for over a month now. I searched online and in local stores with no luck. Even read a post here on attaching cases to your pack, but was no help. Because of the Meridians larger size I was unable to find any cases it would fit into. Other than the one Magellan made for it that was just too large and didn't lend itself well to attaching to my pack strap. It is so large I store my GPS in it with 4 extra batteries and a pen. Well I'm happy to tell you all, that may have been experiencing this same problem, that EMS has come to our rescue, or mine at least. I was in today doing my normal weekly looking around when I came upon just what I had been looking for, a case that appears to have been made with the Meridian in mind. It is the same shape and size as the Meridian and comes with a pack strap-attaching clip. It also has a smaller front zipper pouch that looks like just the right size for an extra set of AA's. It is made by EMS and is called a "Cell Phone Case". But also says on the tag "Padded protection for your phone, GPS or radio". It is black and was $8.00. It may say it is a cell phone case, but after looking at numerous cell phone cases to find a case for my Meridian and having no luck, they were all way too small, I know better. It is a Meridian GPS case for sure. I was so happy to finally find one I felt obliged to share my great find with others. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by Northern-Lights:.....since there are enough caches out here for non members already,,,,I think most of mine will be members only.... I too are fairly new to this sport, since January 2003. But have thought there should be more member only caches. Right now there is only one in both VT and NH. While there is not a lot of caches in these two states as compared to other, less than 300 combined, the percentage of member only caches is less than 1 percent. I would think more member only caches would help our sport in two ways. First it would give the paying members some additional caches to find for their support. Second if there is enough of them then it would convince more to support our sport finacially in order to have access to them. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by MercRocks:Maybe make them Member Only Cache ...??? That seems like a reasonable way to do moving caches. I realize it will not guarantee each new hide will be a great new location. But being a Member Only cache I would at least think it would be done by someone that knows and follows the rules. I personally have never found or hidden a moving cache, but I have one on my radar and hope to find it this coming weekend if someone doesn't beat me to it. Seems like another fun type of cache that I hope can be saved for all to enjoy. SilverRubicon

This is placed at the beginning of the log section on each cache page for a reason. If you are not looking for additional information that will help you with your finding of this cache then don't read the logs until after you have found the cache. The same goes for decrypting the hint if there is one. No reason to do it if you don't want additional information for your hunt. As far as having a track this geocachers movements, there is one. You may not be able to have emails sent to you but you can click on his name and have his profile page appear. Then all you have to do is click on the Found caches link. This will take you to a list of the caches they have found in order of last found. SilverRubicon

I usually get out caching every weekend and will try to get any travel bugs I have picked up back into another cache the following weekend. But if I have a travel bug with a specific goal that requires me to take it in a certain direction, I will sometimes have to wait another week before getting it back out. But I have never held onto one longer then three weeks before making a special trip to drop it off. This has only happened once and in that case I just went to a cache I had already found to drop it off. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by HartClimbs:How's this for an idea. I like BP's suggestion of having to renew caches (an email verification once a year isn't a big deal for cache owners I'd imagine), but there *is* the issue of the old abandoned tupperware sitting under a rock someplace. How about having a new cache designation: 'NonRenewed' where the next finder would be asked to collect the cache. When he/she logs their find (on the NonRenewed cache) - if they've picked it up, the cache should THEN be archived. I wouldn't mind picking up old abandoned caches if it helped eliminate some of the garbage out there. Cache in - pack out! Otherwise, as others have already noted - it just becomes trash. Seems like a reasonable way to help remove, both physically and from the web site, any abandoned caches. I'm fairly new to this sport and have only place one cache myself. But I intend to maintain that cache for its entire life. Should I lose interest in this sport someday, and not wish to maintain my cache or caches, then I will make sure to both remove them and archive them. But for those less conscious of their actions and abandoning caches this would be a good way to clean them up for the lazy or uncaring former cachers that placed them. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by Dad and the Dynamic Duo: I wonder if there would be any value in having a seperate icon for the coins on the cache page that is similar to the TB icon but looks like a coin? Perhaps that could be carried through to the tracking page. Seems that with the coins all having related tracking numbers (1nnnn), the system could easily identify a USA Geocoin as different from a traditional bug. George That would be a great idea if they could implement that. Have a seperate geocoin icon that would show up the same way a travel bug does when you look at a cache page or listing of caches. As someone that likes finding and moving travel bugs, I would also enjoy finding and moving geocoins. And having them appear as travel bugs do in cache listings sure would help to do this. SilverRubicon

How many you can find in a single day really depends on where you are and what time of year it is. Living in NH, and only geocaching since January, my best is 8 in a single day. But it's winter with 2 - 3 feet of snow on the ground and caches are not very close together here. There are only 180 in the whole state including virtual caches, which I have no interest in doing at this point. I have only done traditional caches and have done them alone. The majority of them required substantial digging to find in all the snow, some as much as an hour. And the eight I found in one day were spread out over 43.8 miles. That and the closest one was 29.9 miles from my house. These distances are as the crow flies and actual driving distance is substantially more. I realize once summer comes and the snow melts here the number of caches found in a single day will go up. One because the amount of daylight will increase, and two because you won’t need to dig for them in a couple feet of snow and ice. But even then I don’t see being able to find more than a couple dozen due to the amount of distance between the caches and the fact most around here require hiking to get to them. With the majority of them requiring at least a half mile of hiking to reach, and quite a few further and up the side of mountains. So cache numbers alone don’t really tell the whole story. City caching and country caching are just not the same. In fact VT which is the state that borders NH only has 79 in the whole state. There are probably cities that have more than that. SilverRubicon

quote:Originally posted by flask:does it matter really? it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six. Not saying it really matters. Just they change your name from Geocacher to Charter Member when you sign up to support the site. So why not change that to Administrator when you take it one step further and work for the site. SilverRubicon