Trying To Start A New Trucker/rv Gc Club

[rightseatsis]

Thanks for starting this. As an RVer I can appreciate the need for a big parking spot for cache grabbing.

 

One thing I was wondering is what is the max time truckers want to be stopped caching. I know with you time is money, so I wanted to know when setting out a cache that is trucker friendly what are your limits.

 

I am mostly RVing here in coastal Northern Calif. so can help out maintenance in that area. See you on the highway.

[+Grumpster]

Ask 10 drivers that question and you'll most likely get at least 15 answers. Best way I can answer that is to think more of distance. Remember, we don't usually have transportation so a good trucker friendly cache needs to be within walking distance of where we park our trucks. Granted, some drivers will drop their trailers, but most companies have strict policies against doing so and it's never a good idea.

 

If I'm on a run I usually can't afford much more than a hour of time. If I'm laid over then time is of little issue. Mostly you have to think of what's within walking distance along a safe route.

 

I am working on building geotruckers.com. One of the things I am planning is a page that discusses what makes a trucker friendly cache. We'll also need volunteers like your self to help us maintain our caches. Offers like that are greatly appreciated. It's hard to place a cache for many of us simply because our routes are erratic and we can't reliably return to a area for maintenance, so help from others in the area is critical to the success of our group.

[+TwoTruckers]

Ask 10 drivers that question and you'll most likely get at least 15 answers. Best way I can answer that is to think more of distance. Remember, we don't usually have transportation so a good trucker friendly cache needs to be within walking distance of where we park our trucks. Granted, some drivers will drop their trailers, but most companies have strict policies against doing so and it's never a good idea.

 

If I'm on a run I usually can't afford much more than a hour of time. If I'm laid over then time is of little issue. Mostly you have to think of what's within walking distance along a safe route.

 

I am working on building geotruckers.com. One of the things I am planning is a page that discusses what makes a trucker friendly cache. We'll also need volunteers like your self to help us maintain our caches. Offers like that are greatly appreciated. It's hard to place a cache for many of us simply because our routes are erratic and we can't reliably return to a area for maintenance, so help from others in the area is critical to the success of our group.

Very well put. Couldn't have said it better.

 

One other thing that we are hoping to include in the website is a section that provides tips and pointers on how to do things. As well as possibly have regional gatherings. Who knows where it will all go once it takes off.

[+Grumpster]

Well. I'm glad to see the involvement that has been going on in these two forum's. It has been very helpful to me. After reading the comments made by every one, both in the forums and what has been emailed to me I have decided to go with this forum over the other one. That would seem to be the general consensus and one that I am very happy with.

 

An update about the site.

 

I had a major breakdown a few weeks ago and spent 8 day's stuck in a hotel in North Platte, NE. $7000.00 later I finally got back on the road ready to make up for lost miles. Well, it would seem that I wasn't that lucky. Seems something more is wrong with my engine and I'm looking at a complete overhaul of my engine at 700,000 miles. A bit earlier that I was expecting. Anyhow, I'm home right now trying to work out the financing of it and who I'm going to get to do the work. I really hate the idea of getting major work like that done by just any one. I'm sure you all understand that.

 

Anyhow, I hope to have the truck in the shop by Tuesday 10-04-05 or so. While it's in the shop I should have some time finally to work on the site. It'll be simple at first and over time we'll add content. I'll add content as I can but will also welcome any content from other's as well.

 

This is NOT my site. I am only the web master of it. TwoTruckers spawned the idea, but it is and will always be a community site and all are welcome and encouraged to contribute to it.

 

My apologies for not getting it up and running sooner. Sometimes, life get's in the way of having a life. I'll have about a week off while my truck is being worked on. That will give me time to work on the site. I look forward to seeing every one join in once it's fully up and running.

 

Thanks to all

 

djstern.

[+kc8bdr]

It has been a couple of week since any thing has been posted.

 

Thought I would offer at least one cache for the list of trucker friendly caches.

 

GCN81M Perrin, in the city of Troy. There is a large parking lot that will allow the biggest of trucks to park within 600 to 700 feet of the cache.

 

I do have my CDL Class A drivers license, but am not employed as a driver at the moment.

 

Thanks

Jim

Kc8bdr

[+TwoTruckers]

Will add that to the list. Our webmaster has been busy working on things in between gaving to deal with his truck breaking down twice. The site has not yet been updated. He has been testing a number of things out nad making sure it all works before we go live with it.

[+fluffy&itchy]

We travel in our RV all the time and would love to participate in what you guys and gals have been talking about.

 

We cache as much as we can on the road, but like all the rest of you, those tight spots can get a little aggravating. I just hate it when I have to unhook my dinghy car because I couldn't make that turn I thought was big enough.

 

We have done almost all of the caches in rest stops and welcome centers along:

I-75 from Atlanta to northern Ohio,

I-71 from Cinti to Indy,

I-81 from TN to PA

I-95 from SC to Jacksonville,

I-40 from Jackson, TN to Ashville, NC

I-65 from Indy to TN line

I-26 from Asheville, NC to where it runs into I-95

I-64 from Front Royal to DC

 

I may have missed a few but those are the general ones I remember.

 

We hope to do some on I-40 out past Jackson, TN all the way to TX on our way to Geowoodstock 4. We have already made our resevations at the campground where GW4 is being held and we are going to try to amke it at least a 10 day trip.

 

NOTE TO MY NEIGHBOR, TEAM ZEBRA:

We have been using a Nextel PCMCIA wireless card for the past 2 months. It works pretty well. The speed varies but most of the time I can surf the net in the RV while we are moving down the highway with no problem. Most of the time the speed is faster than dail-up but slower that broadband unless you are in a larger city. It's really not been too much of a problem except if we want to upload pictures. The cost is $69.95 for unlimited internet usage and $150.00 one time fee for the card. Sometimes they have specials and you can get the card cheaper though.

 

The coverage is getting better and with the merger of Sprint and Nextel, it should be getting even better as the days go by.

 

Keep us updated on the progress.

Edited October 19, 2005 by fluffy&itchy

[+terri and billy]

We may be able to add a few on I-40 to TX. We drove it to NM just last week.

 

Terri

[+TwoTruckers]

OK it's a reality now. The front page of the website is not really there yet, but the Forums have been set up and are running. All those interested in joining can go to GeoTruckers.com Forums and join.

 

Hope to see you all there soon. Thanks for your patience.

Edited October 28, 2005 by TwoTruckers

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Well, I haven't yet read all the posts in the thread but it looks like it will cover a lot of the questions I have. I'm in school now and will soon be out on the road. I'll be reading through for tips on how to blend my new carreer with my favorite pastime! Thanks, WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+TwoTruckers]

Well we look forward to having you come join us in the forums. Your input is ver much welcomed as well as needed. Also DJSTERN has had a few free moments and is starting to mold the fornt page of the website.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

I think that with the concentration of caches growing in the cities, and the increase in the number of members who don't like hiking, there will be many more drive bys popping up along the interstates. on my recnt trips across the southwest, I came up with plenty that would be easy enough along I-40 and I-10 west of ABQ and Las Cruces. I especially liked the ones that were a 5-10 minute walk from a rest area! as I find the time I'll build a bookmark list to share with the ones I remember that would be easily accessed.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

not exactly on the precise topic, but do any of you have any good companies to reccomend applying to? I'll finish school and get my CDL in about a month, and will need an entry level position.

[+Grumpster]

WRITE SHOP ROBERT. Liked the idea of caches in the west. I travel I-40 and I-10 in and out of California a lot and the lack of caches along there is a frustration. I've been meaning to spend some time working with pocket queries but just haven't had the time. Lot's on my plate right now. That would be a great area for me to help support cache maintenance though because of my regular travels through there.

 

As for a company to start out with I'm afraid that I can't help you there. I used to work for Werner and couldn't have hated them more. (Sorry Two Truckers) The company that I'm with now is all owner operators and requires minimum 2 years so I'm afraid that's no help.

 

I did get your email on the site. Thanks for the observations. I appreciate it. Soon as I get the chance I'll get more done on the site. I've got some work going on on my computer right now but it's not quite ready to upload.

 

As for comtributions to the site, we could always use content. How-to's, cache stories, trucking/RV'ing articles etc. I especially need content from the RV community. I'm a trucker, and tent camper, and backpacker, but don't own a RV so I'm not the most qualified to write content on that topic. I have done some trailor camping years ago, but I'd prefer content from some one more current in the industry than I am. I'm sure we have a lot of RV'ers here that have some good experience that we'd all benefit from and I'd encourage the contribution of all, both truckers and RV'ers.

 

djstern.

Webmaster of Geotruckers.com

[+ATMA]

Way to go Geotrucking.com on the new coins. They are awesome and we really like the gold and silver versions picked up at GW4.

Good luck in getting them out there. I know you were sure busy at the event.

[+Trucker Lee]

A small group of us over the road drivers are trying to organize and form a club for those of us that travel the highways and byways of North America.

 

Please check in here and tell us what you think.

 

Sounds like an intriguing idea. Just started geocaching, and have already found myself hunting places to hide along my runs. I see your initial post was last August, and already something come of it. Will be headed there shortly. At the very least, we could maintain a list of "trucker friendly" caches, those within say, a quarter or half mile of good places to park our behemoths.

[+Prairiepartners]

Thanks for getting this all started . Geotruckers.com has helped me continue caching since my new career change 6 mths ago. It's bookmarks has saved valuable time trying to find caches that an eighteen wheeler can visit and take a much needed break from the long day on the road.

[+Grumpster]

Thanks for getting this all started . Geotruckers.com has helped me continue caching since my new career change 6 mths ago. It's bookmarks has saved valuable time trying to find caches that an eighteen wheeler can visit and take a much needed break from the long day on the road.

 

Almost all of our quotes have came from our members. We have a great group of people on our site. Last I looked there were around 800 caches in our list and growing. The coins have sold well and we're almost out of them. I'm glad that so many people have found the site useful. It has been a lot of fun doing the site and I have had the opportunity to actually meet a number of our members. I just got together with another member a few weeks ago for the evening and had a heck of a great time.