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Yes, it is a bit annoying when people bring back a design over and over in different colors and metals just to make money. Absolutely agree with that statement! ~J no one has answered why this is a bad thing. most coin designers do it ALL the time. new colours, new metal combinations. does anyone think this is anything but a way to make money off the original design and dies of a successful coin? it is not for the generosity of spirit, otherwise coin designers would be selling coins for EXACTLY what they paid to have them minted. there is always profit, profit is a good thing. people, we live in a capitalist society so can we really point fingers at someone who is being a capitalist? anyone who buys coins at one price and sells them for another is doing the same thing. i think folks are ticked off because tranquility prices have gone so high as to make them almost impossible for the average coin collector to obtain. i can't afford a bmw sports car that i would truly love to have, but that doesn't make me angry at those that can afford it. a little jealous perhaps, but not angry. such is the way of the world. rsg I have to agree with you on this. When I started collecting, we were a community of traders. When I bought a couple of coins, I could count on the extras I bought being traders, and being able to get coins I missed. Supplies were that limited. Now, we mint and mint until everyone can buy one. Along the way, prices have skyrocketed. Trades are few and far between. Why trade when you can buy? Which is a shame since I valued the relationships I built by trading. But things fade away, and we all get on with life. But this coin, they could mint in 1000 new metals, and give them away, and I still wouldn't add one to my collection. Way too much drama from the folks who bring drama in everything they do.

Yes, it is a bit annoying when people bring back a design over and over in different colors and metals just to make money. Absolutely agree with that statement! ~J no one has answered why this is a bad thing. most coin designers do it ALL the time. new colours, new metal combinations. does anyone think this is anything but a way to make money off the original design and dies of a successful coin? it is not for the generosity of spirit, otherwise coin designers would be selling coins for EXACTLY what they paid to have them minted. there is always profit, profit is a good thing. people, we live in a capitalist society so can we really point fingers at someone who is being a capitalist? anyone who buys coins at one price and sells them for another is doing the same thing. i think folks are ticked off because tranquility prices have gone so high as to make them almost impossible for the average coin collector to obtain. i can't afford a bmw sports car that i would truly love to have, but that doesn't make me angry at those that can afford it. a little jealous perhaps, but not angry. such is the way of the world. rsg

now how do you trade up or even a Nissan? Maybe a BMW or something? lol

I hit a BMW once. Does that count?

Nós alugámos uma carrinha BMW em Milão, com matricula italiana e isso pode ter sido determinante... ou não. Na Croácia aconteceu-nos um episódio caricato que tem a ver com este assunto. Ao estacionar num lugar muito apertado encostei o meu pára-choques ao pára-choques do carro que estava atrás. E quando digo encostar é isto mesmo, um toque quase imperceptível. De dentro do carro sai um Croata a dizer (num inglês muito macarrónico) que tínhamos um problema e que eu lhe tinha destruído o carro todo (que estava podre de velho). De tão caricata que era a situação (quase ao nível dos "Apanhados") não lhe dei muita saída, mas perante tamanha insistência, acordei em accionar o seguro do aluguer. Ele alegou que o carro não era dele, que era do patrão e que não tinha autorização para estar ali, por isso tínhamos que resolver o assunto de outra forma (passando-lhe umas notas para a mão). Discordei totalmente e se ele quisesse pensar no assunto do seguro, deixava-lhe o meu contacto telefónico e resolveríamos a coisa a bem. Assim fiz, dei-lhe o meu número de telemóvel. Ele reclamou comigo por aquele número de telemóvel estar errado porque o indicativo não era de Itália. Fiz-lhe prova de que não éramos italianos mas sim portugueses. Nessa altura ele quase me abraçou e disse: "Meu amigo, então acho que o nosso problema está resolvido. Pensei que eram italianos!" A Maja explicou-nos então que há bastante animosidade entre os italianos e os es-Jugoslavos. Para a próxima, já combinámos de levar uma grande bandeira portuguesa para colocar no vidro traseiro. Como portugueses somos sempre bem vindos em todos os cantos do Mundo. Por motivos profissionais, todos os anos tenho que ir a Milão em Maio e na primeira vez aconteceu-me exactamente a mesma coisa. A partir daí passei sempre a atestar à saída de Milão. Apesar de ainda serem cerca de 40 kilómetros é o suficiente para chegar ao parque do Rent-a-Car com o ponteiro no máximo. Não voltei a ter problemas. Normalmente também uso o booking.com (e apenas esse site), mas em geral apenas para a primeira noite quando sei exactamente onde vou ficar. Numa viagem de 10 dias como foi a nossa torna-se bastante difícil prever com exactidão onde vamos ficar cada noite, e é muito frustrante ter que perder determinados sítios que se revelam grandes surpresas, ou ter que andar a pastar e a fazer horas em determinado local, condicionados pelo calendário da dormida. Temo-nos dado muito bem com esta estratégia, apesar de por vezes não haver grande alternativa a dormir numa "estrebaria" ou então só conseguir arranjar hotel às 6 da manhã como nos aconteceu nos Montes Apalaches no Canadá. Encaro isso como um salzinho extra que em alguns casos são as recordações mais rocambolescas que trazemos das viagens. Sim, já tinha noutro post chamado a atenção para a Vigneta na Eslovénia e a eco-taxa de Montenegro. Não há como as evitar. Mas creio que foram as únicas "portagens" que pagámos. Verdade seja dita, tentámos sempre evitar auto-estradas e optar por percursos mais panorâmicos. É natural que tivéssemos pago um troço ou outro, mas não chegou sequer a ser assunto. Rijeka e Zadar (excepção da marina e da zona ribeirinha) são muito fraquinhas e só as atravessámos porque tinham umas caches a piscar no radar, mas foi mesmo de fugida. Das coisas que tenho mais saudades é da comida. Ainda no sábado passado fizémos uma grande jantarada de Cevapcici e Kajmak em casa do João e da Maja (Team Hulkman) que trouxeram da recente viagem a Sarajevo no final do mês passado. O Cevapcici do Mrkva no centro de Sarajevo é especial, nem que seja pela carga histórica que encerra. Foi graças a ele que a Stari Grad (cidade velha/centro histórico) de Sarajevo foi poupada aos bomardeamentos dos snipers sérvios, pois o maior desejo de Radovan Karadzic era ír lá comer um belo Cevapcici depois de ocupar a cidade. Nunca chegou a ter esse prazer, ao contrário de nós, que realizámos lá um Evento no ano passado

I agree - I have the Oregon RAM mount on my motorcycle but the Garmin one is well made and perfectly adequate for a mountain bike or car dash. What mount are you using and where did you get it? I'm also interested in what bike you've got and how it attaches as I want to mount my Oregon onto my cbr. I have an F800GS BMW and use the RAM mount which I bought from GPSCity.ca Click the image above to go to the site. Check out their selection of bike mounts - you could find something very inconspicuous for your bike. This is what it looks like on the F800: I use this Garmin cable to power the gps from my Battery Tender connector. But this is more like your CBR - my wife's Oregon is mounted on her TT600 Triumph:

Well well, what can I say - what a rush! The best part of this event is that the fun continues, I can sit back and wait for the logs, ignore the complaints, have a devious grin, look at the caches received and start scheming as to where they'll go. And start planning maintenance runs... My garage is sorted the way I wanted 3 years ago, and because Bruce did such a good job with drilling holes and hanging stuff in the garage my wife roped him into mounting mirrors and stuff in our bath room and things outside - things she asked me to do a year ago already! Thanks for everyone who supported the day - the quick storm at the end of the day made it look like a flash mob gathering wrapping up, but fortunately it didn't feel like unfinished business. Someone even caught a fish! What blew my mind was when I went to clean up after the rain - seeing that people cleared out in a rush trying to flee the rain, you couldn't expect people to clean up properly? And what do I find, after looking carefully? 60-odd people, a braai with food and containers from home, lots of stuff that is used up and can be discarded... and I find ONE small plastic pull-ring!! Well done guys, you make me so proud to be a cacher!!!!! Thanks to the Damhuisclan for the braai and gazebos (also Cabey and others I think) and GreenJaM for the awesome help on the morning and before, my awesome wife and kids and Mom+Mom-in-law (muffins, coffee/tea, marking, registering, etc., etc., etc.) A great thanks to everyone donating prizes, I hope the recipients enjoy them! BMW Bavarian Motorcycles, Tracks4Africa, Irene Running Club, Team Da Garma of previous years, Wormgeocache (Jacques), GreenJaM (Marinus), GEO936 (Rolf & Silvia), Groundspeak (Andy) - and I've lost track (i.e. who gave the Mugg&Bean voucher?)... so thanks to everyone I've forgotten to mention! And lastly, the biggest thanks go to my partner in crime, BruceTP, the strangest friend I have (no wait there are a few others too! ) He gave time, money, effort, put up with my grumpiness and unstructured ideas and brain, and generally just poured himself into the event. Tx partner, onwards to Microfest 2020!!! ...fading out with the theme from Jaws...

Updated teams so far: BIG HUNT 1) Cabey & Alien3Inc & GreenJaM (4?) 2) Team Honeymoon (2, BMW club) & team symbol (1, BMW club) 3) cache-fan (tentative, 3) 4) Far-Jar-Hug (tentative, 5?) 5) Jors (?) 6) Besem (?) 7) Happy Hunters SA (2) 8) GEO936 (2) 9) Esitoli (?) 10) Team Ginger (2) 11) Wormgeocash 12) Team ZA (2, JPMZA & MeganZA) 13) DamhuisClan & The Gold Diggers & Wild Birds (11? part of team) 14) Team Star Trek (Sky Walker & Leia, Smurfie & Jokersguild) BRAAI ONLY: 1) BruceTP and dakardrix (+-10, organisers) 2) 2JMT (tentative, 1, from Finland) 3) RedGlobe (2) 4) DamhuisClan & The Gold Diggers & Wild Birds (11)

Just received word that I must go and pick up some more prizes from BMW Bavarian Motorcycles, Pretoria. If it's too nice, I'll just keep it...

Latest update: Microfest 2010 – The Kosmos Run Date: Saturday, 27 March 2010 Where: GC2381D - Clearwater Flyfishing Estate, south east of Pretoria – Severn Place cul-de-sac. S 25° 51.095 E 028° 15.988 As it is a security controlled area, I will send access details to confirmed teams. All drivers - i.e. vehicles and motorbikes - need to show their driver's license (as we all should carry on us anyway) or ID books in order to gain access. We will be phoned by security and check your team name and only allow those that confirmed (or team names we know) What: BIG HUNT in the morning, braai in the afternoon. Hunt for new caches in the area stretching from Midrand through Olifantsfontein, north of Bapsfontein, not quite as far as Rayton, but that general area and direction. • The idea with this event - keeping in mind according to Groundspeak rules the braai and social gathering is THE Event, the BIG HUNT hunt is separate and needs to be arranged not on the web listing but via the forum (here) and e-mail etc - is to do 4 things apart from the social: a. Have fun chasing lots of caches on one day. b. Help those who would like to boost their numbers a bit - come on, admit it, although we all like the hunt and getting to nice places (which will also be important for the Microfest), the majority like the stats part as well. c. By getting people to donate a cache, it shares the effort and financial burden of creating non-micro caches. d. Inject some life into the sport and the area. Schedule: 07:00 – 10:00 : Registration of teams for the BIG HUNT. 1. Entry for the BIG HUNT is 1 x prepared cache per TEAM – bigger than micro, preferably a REGULAR – OR a R50 donation that will be used towards cache costs. 2. The cache will be handed in, NOT TO BE PLANTED BY TEAM. Organisers will use caches submitted to either replace/upgrade some event caches or plant as a new one – credit will be given to contributing teams in listings. 3. No donation or entry requirements for the braai in the afternoon! 07:00 – 10:00 : Once teams have registered, they will be handed a paper list of all the caches available, their waypoints, hints and ratings (approximately 85 new caches), including a mark sheet that they will have to return and a rudimentary map to help with their route planning and perspective. 1. We will use Mapsource to load the waypoints onto compatible GPS units (mainly Garmin) – the naming format will be, i.e. ‘MF73 Zuma’ 2. We will keep it simple and no Pocket Queries or GPX files are promised at this moment – however our resident genius GreenJaM will play with the formats and might conjure up some paperless option. (BTW, GreenJaM has not been involved with the cache planting and will only receive the basic information beforehand in order to assist. He will not receive any keywords, enabling him to also take part on the day, but he doesn’t qualify to take a top placing.) 3. Teams will then be set off to find a random cache allocated to them within the hour, SMS’ing the keyword found in the cache. Once found, they can plan their route from there onwards, without limitations. The purpose is to spread cachers around the ‘course’ and avoid congestion or queues at any one cache. 4. Caches are allocated points according to difficulty of cache find, terrain and distance from ‘home’ – cachers therefore need to decide which route will give them the best total. A rating for vehicles will also be given in order to help make a decision on whether to chance it with their cache mobile for the day 5. NB: Once a cache is found, the keyword in the cache must be recorded on the mark sheet and the mark sheet handed in for scoring once they return to base any time before 14:00. 6. Teams can decide on their time of caching and return at any time if they get tired and gatvol! No starting before 07:00 and return no later than 14:00 – BUT, do not speed and put yourself and others at risk!! It is only a game after all, not worth it to risk your life – also asses any security situation around a cache and walk/run away if you are not comfortable. Please! The intention is to publish 99% of all caches available on the day, as soon as possible after the event. Thank you to Andy (Fish Eagle – reviewer for Africa) for his support of the event, the preparation and final publishing planned. After 14:00 : All teams returned. Settling down and starting the fires for the braai – at your own leisurely time, please don’t rush home. • The main event in the afternoon is a "dop and chop" braai where we will celebrate the humble (or is that humbling?) micro, sharing our stories and coins as usual. This is of course for everyone and will count as event attendance (a smiley) just by pitching up. • We will provide limited (but hopefully sufficient) braai facilities, bread rolls, coffee and tea. You bring your chairs, eats and drinks. Also not too much shade available, so bring your hats and umbrellas/gazebos. If it rains the event will continue and we will make a plan with shelter. • The normal culprits can bring their geoware and trade freely. And the usual showing off of coin collections and stories going around. • There are 2 dams available to do some "catch and release" fly fishing (only fly fishing rods and gear allowed) and another 2 for papgooi anglers. If you are interested in fishing, please mention so in your logs and for how many people, as I need to obtain special permission - no costs involved. Bring your own rods/gear, only catch and release, keep the fish in the water when caught. Around 15:30 : Prizegiving. Prizes for the best cache submitted and for the top teams include 5 x Tracks4Africa SD card map sets and a 1000 Red Wiggler Composting Earthworms. Other prizes include coins donated by GreenJaM, GEO936, BruceTP, dakardrix – also various prizes from Fish Eagle, Irene Running Club, etc. Teams so far: 1) GreenJaM 2) Cabey & Alien3Inc (4?) 3) Team Lost (2, BMW club) 4) Team Honeymoon (2, BMW club) 5) Team symbol (?,BMW club) 6) cache-fan (tentative, 3) 7) Far-Jar-Hug (tentative, 5?) 8) Jors (?) 9) Besem (?) 10) Happy Hunters SA (2?) 11) GEO936 (2) 12) Esitoli (?) 13) Team Ginger (2) 14) Wormgeocash 15) Team ZA (2, JPMZA & MeganZA) Teams for braai only (main event according to Groundpeak rules): 1) BruceTP and dakardrix (+-10, organisers) 2) 2JMT (tentative, 1, from Finland) 3) RedGlobe (2?) 4) DamhuisClan (?)

From what I was able to discern from the Naughty Swag discussion, religious stuff is not prohibited swag because it isn't: Illegal Physically dangerous Obscene as defined by local laws It may be annoying to some, however. I personally find McToys, little erasers & pine cones equally as annoying, like really, really, really. ANGST ANGST ANGST! I also find the lack of keys to a late model BMW in a cache really, really, really irritating! Where's that "General Angst" thread anyway? I know I saw one once.

I would personally like to thank Tracks4Africa (Pty) Ltd for the generous sponsorship of the five copies of Tracks4Africa Version 9.10 which arrived today. I am sure the recipients at the event will greatly appreciate the prize. I would also like to acknowledge the other corporate sponsors as well: the Irene Runnning Club as well as the BMW Motorcycle Club. We are going to have a great event. Please support it, sign up and come along to a funfilled day for everyone. I look forward to seeing more than the current 7 teams who have indicated their attendance.

Got some more goodies today from Irene Running Club... nice! And a couple of teams from Pretoria BMW Motorcycle Club... watch out!

Isto está realmente complicado com interpretações históricas no mínimo interessantes... A Europcar remete para "paises sobre consulta" e já me esclarecerem que só cobre a Croácia e a Eslovénia. Para mim ficou claro, é o mesmo da Avis, Hert, Budget, etc. OK a Eslovénia já faz parte da EEUU e a Croácia está pronta para entrar. Os outros países ainda são muito esquisitos. Alugam localmente, mas não permitem a deslocação de veículos do 'Ocidente'. Agora a Sixt é surreal Nas condições gerais têm "Cross Border Rentals to Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and ex-Yugoslavia are only allowed with car groups ECMR, EDMR, CDMR, CWMR and IVMR." Para mim parecia-me claro como a água. Ok só podem ir carrinhos pequenos e há ali uma redundância entre Croácia e Slovenia e ex-Yugoslávia, que ou se reportava a Reino da Jugoslávia acabado em 1941 e que comportava o Reino dos Sérvios, Croatas e Eslovenos (muito pouco provável ) ou á República Socialista Federativa da Jugoslávia que acabou em 1992 que me parece ser a que faz lógica referir como ex-Jugoslávia e que tinha as républicas da Sérvia, Montenegro, Eslovénia, Croácia, Macedónia e Bósnia e Herzegovina ou á ultima versão República Federal da Jugoslávia composta pela Sérvia e Montenegro e que acabou em 2003 em que o nome Jugoslávia foi abolido. Isto para já não complicar com a independência do Kosovo de 2008 e com a autonomia da Vojvodina... Assim não vejo como raio conseguem ter uma interpretação de ex-Yuguslávia como a que me foi esclarecida por mail "Ex-Yugoslavia is Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia and Croatia." Se estou um pouco receoso de ir á aventura pela Europcar e esperar para que não aconteça nada, não me parece que a Sixt consiga defender esta interpretação de ex-Yuguslávia em nenhum lado. Existe sempre a opção mais chata de alugar um carro na Croácia em que aí sim os países já são expressamente referidos (embora não possa alugar carros alemães ) "Cross Border Rentals are allowed to the following countries: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegowina, Czech Republic, Denamrk, Finland, France, Germany, Great-Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW and Audi vehicles may not be taken into: Bosnia & Herzegowina, Hungary and Serbia & Montenegro." E aqui sim a expressão Serbia & Montenegro já me parece estar referida á última versão da Jugoslávia... Não está fácil... P.S O Torgut que está mais perto dos Balcãs e que também não pode alugar carros grandes na Itália para levar para a Républica Checa, talvez consiga percebe qual a lógica da SIXT

Jip! Never mind the Drix, just a name evolving from Hendrik (birth certificate, but you'll ruin a friendship if you call me that! ) which was replaced by Drikus to distinguish between all the Hendriks in the family years ago, which became Drix by friends after school. And yes, my current F800GS is the official Dakar F650GS replacement, but they didn't call it the Dakar or the Adventure as some expected... to me, the Dakar (bike) will always be special as it started my second life as a biker (or more specific an adventure biker, as these bikes are classed) and my geocaching path started soon after, the perfect marriage! Trackz introduced me to geocaching, but I didn't quite get it - GreenJaM made me get it, so I'm grateful to both! A real highlight is still doing our 500th find together (with GreenJaM) within 12 months from registration (for both of us) - took some juggling near the end to make it co-incide. So, although I don't ride a Dakar anymore, it will be my great memory forever, so dakardrix it will stay... Over to you... maybe you can explain your own Bavarian/BMW link..? Oh yes, forgot about Trackz...sure I read about that in one of your logs. Oops, I got the model name all incorrect...it is late, I haven't had much sleep lately !! So does this mean it is our turn to go? Can't believe it 'cause I haven't been able to be on line much lately!

I know you ride a BMW so I presume it is a "Dakar" with the "drix" coming from Asterix perhaps? Did Obelix get you into caching? Funny!

Jip! Never mind the Drix, just a name evolving from Hendrik (birth certificate, but you'll ruin a friendship if you call me that! ) which was replaced by Drikus to distinguish between all the Hendriks in the family years ago, which became Drix by friends after school. And yes, my current F800GS is the official Dakar F650GS replacement, but they didn't call it the Dakar or the Adventure as some expected... to me, the Dakar (bike) will always be special as it started my second life as a biker (or more specific an adventure biker, as these bikes are classed) and my geocaching path started soon after, the perfect marriage! Trackz introduced me to geocaching, but I didn't quite get it - GreenJaM made me get it, so I'm grateful to both! A real highlight is still doing our 500th find together (with GreenJaM) within 12 months from registration (for both of us) - took some juggling near the end to make it co-incide. So, although I don't ride a Dakar anymore, it will be my great memory forever, so dakardrix it will stay... Over to you... maybe you can explain your own Bavarian/BMW link..?

Definitely "Dakar" from the old BMW FS650 Dakar bike that you used to have. (Nice replacement by the way). I'm not sure about the "Drix"? Something from when you were a young lad? I think it was GreenJaM that got you hooked into geocaching if my memory serves me correctly.

I know you ride a BMW so I presume it is a "Dakar" with the "drix" coming from Asterix perhaps? Did Obelix get you into caching?

I agree with the GPSr being more accurate. The first time I used one to check, the speedo read 60 and the GPSr was 54. So, I went to a forum for for my car (BMW) to ask what others could tell me about the speedo, and learned that BMWs have a 7% margin built in (on the high side, obviously). Interesting to see the post from GermanSailor about it being the law in Germany.

thanks for the info. yes, by "recently downloaded" i mean during the last week, and it doesn't seem to depend on cartridge, but it does seem to depend on the user. I might have isolated the problem, though: For me, the "15-digit" unlock codes always seem to have 16 characters. (example is the BMW tour in moscow, which gave me an unlock code GE3TAOBVGQYTSNZQ) When i try to unlock with this code, it fails. But when i deleted the last Q, the 15-character unlock code (GE3TAOBVGQYTSNZ) was accepted. (emulator reads 16 characters too, so this is not openwig-specific) i sent a message to the other users to confirm this

I sent a message to Groundspeak about this. Actually, I couldn't try it myself at that time. I had just finished shooting a haunted attraction and was in my car a little past 2AM, reading the topic. It was one of those busy weekends. I have now had time to test this. I downloaded and successfully unlocked the BMW Tour in Moscow cartridge. Can you do so, matejcik? If you can, which cartridge did you try to produce the problem? And by "recently downloaded cartridge," you mean a cartridge downloaded within the past week, right? I'm going to guess this may be related to the cartridge download problem we recently experienced. The cartridge download error, from what I've been able to gather from talking with Groundspeak, was related to creating the unlock code for user accounts. It makes sense to guess the same users who had trouble downloading cartridges will now have trouble unlocking them. However, matejcik didn't have trouble downloading cartridges, so there might be a little more to this.

Ditto..... I'll even include all the motorcycle rides you can handle (BMW or Harley).

Jest tam kilka wynalazków, które naprawdę warto obejrzeć, jeśli ktoś lubi silniki. Jednym z nich jest silnik, w którym wał główny jest związany sztywną z konstrukcją samolotu - to korpus się obraca i do niego przymocowane jest śmigło. W samolotach na ogół nie stosuje się diesli - w muzeum stoi przeciwsobny diesel z latającej łodzi. Jest też pierwszy gwiaździsty silnik BMW, w którym zastosowano instalację wtryskową i sterowanie elektroniczne, oparte o lampy elektronowe. Długo by można jeszcze pisać o tym co tam jest Bardzo polecam to miejsce (zwłaszcza, że teraz jest pewnie jeszcze lepiej wyposażone). Skrytki jeszcze nie zaliczyłem, w takim miejscu to na pewno jest wyjątkowa sprawa (właśnie planuję kiedy jechać ).

@ LadyBee4T; Very moving to see people can identify and Tod's story touches people. I have one to share also: Log Date: 10/10/2009 Was very glad to find this coin, being on my bike, a red BMW F800GS. Will show to fellow members of the BMW Motorcycle Club, Pretoria, South Africa. I hope it all helps a bit.