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The Rising Cost Of Caching Finally Hits Signal


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Brilliant!
Hey now, you are dangerously close to mixing up an English thingy with an Irish thingy. :laughing::tired::lol:(Guinness is good for you...)

 

Spot on photograph!

 

PS: Did that infernal Gecko always have that accent?

Edited by MrCOgeo
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I do have to say the cartoon was funny, but seriously - how many of you have been (or haven't been) affected by rising gas prices and the pursuit of this hobby?

 

Gas prices have been rising? :unsure::laughing:

 

Hmm - did we find someone who bicycles or walks everywhere? Or maybe rides the bus? haha

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I do have to say the cartoon was funny, but seriously - how many of you have been (or haven't been) affected by rising gas prices and the pursuit of this hobby?

Actually, gas prices have been declining. From a high of about $3.10 here in Phoenix a few weeks ago to a current price of $2.85. I never really let it affect me. I think about cutting back, and I could, if I really wanted to...

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I do have to say the cartoon was funny, but seriously - how many of you have been (or haven't been) affected by rising gas prices and the pursuit of this hobby?

Actually, gas prices have been declining. From a high of about $3.10 here in Phoenix a few weeks ago to a current price of $2.85. I never really let it affect me. I think about cutting back, and I could, if I really wanted to...

 

They have been declining around here also - now in the just under $2.70 range... but still much higher than they were a year ago... and that was why I was asking... :laughing:

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I do have to say the cartoon was funny, but seriously - how many of you have been (or haven't been) affected by rising gas prices and the pursuit of this hobby?

 

Gas prices have been rising? :unsure::laughing:

 

Hmm - did we find someone who bicycles or walks everywhere? Or maybe rides the bus? haha

Not if he can help it. :P

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I don't have an ego that requires driving an SUV. So I suspended the insurance on my car for the summer and ride my scooter. The thing tops out above 60 MPH and with 70+ miles to the gallon, the higher the prices the more I will be laughing all the way :laughing:

 

Jan_Verona.jpg

That's me on the red Verona.

 

Jan

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I don't have an ego that requires driving an SUV. So I suspended the insurance on my car for the summer and ride my scooter. The thing tops out above 60 MPH and with 70+ miles to the gallon, the higher the prices the more I will be laughing all the way :laughing:

 

Jan_Verona.jpg

That's me on the red Verona.

 

Jan

 

Care to share the make and model info on those?

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I don't have an ego that requires driving an SUV. So I suspended the insurance on my car for the summer and ride my scooter. The thing tops out above 60 MPH and with 70+ miles to the gallon, the higher the prices the more I will be laughing all the way :laughing:

 

Jan_Verona.jpg

That's me on the red Verona.

 

Jan

 

Very cool, and certainly nothing to be ashamed of!

 

Assuming you can:

1. Carry all the necessary SWAG and cache maintenance goodies you need.

 

2. Negotiate the rock-strewn, loose-sand infested, swamp crossing 4WD trail to the cache.

 

3. (MOST IMPORTANTLY!) Avoid getting squished by some H2 driving fool trying to juggle their GPS, cell phone, and Egg McRubber breakfast sandwich while reading the cache details on their PDA!

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3. (MOST IMPORTANTLY!) Avoid getting squished by some H2 driving fool trying to juggle their GPS, cell phone, and Egg McRubber breakfast sandwich while reading the cache details on their PDA!

 

Confirmed, that's the most important one. We don't have many caches that require my Jeep to get to here in eastern PA, and I have a GIVY E370 Monolock trunk that fits more than a full face helmet if need be, so cargo and terrain are no issue. But even with the 132 db low-tone horn I fitted in it's not safe to get into the middle of a SUV stampede with the scooter. Too many SUV drivers associate scooter = slow, don't look at the speedo (which they would have to lookup in the manual to find it anyway) and simply tailgate at 55 in a 35 MPH zone. Best of all, they get offended if you tell them what they were doing at the next traffic light ... but enough of that ranting, that belongs onto the scooterbbs.

 

Jan

 

PS: The TN'G Verona 150cc is a new style scooter with big 16'' wheels. That makes for some decent stable riding at higher speeds. The automatic belt transmission gives me shiftless continuous power, which helps especially on slippery surfaces. I know what I'm talking about, I put over 5,000 miles on it since September last year, and only 800 or so on my Jeep. I commute on that thing rain and shine and even go for two hour rides when its below freezing.

Edited by JanniCash
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Confirmed, that's the most important one. We don't have many caches that require my Jeep to get to here in eastern PA, and I have a GIVY E370 Monolock trunk that fits more than a full face helmet if need be, so cargo and terrain are no issue. But even with the 132 db low-tone horn I fitted in it's not safe to get into the middle of a SUV stampede with the scooter. Too many SUV drivers associate scooter = slow, don't look at the speedo (which they would have to lookup in the manual to find it anyway) and simply tailgate at 55 in a 35 MPH zone. Best of all, they get offended if you tell them what they were doing at the next traffic light ... but enough of that ranting, that belongs onto the scooterbbs.

Wouldn't be a problem if it was a Harley. :laughing:

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Wouldn't be a problem if it was a Harley. :laughing:

 

I'd love to have a Harley ... too, not instead. A Harley is more a recreational weekend vehicle than a daily all-weather commuter bike. And this isn't meant negative about Harley riders, it is just a matter of common sense that you don't mount your 15+ grand bike when there are wet leafs, 80+% chance of rain or even possibly black ice out there. You might be crazy enough to do that with your $2500 scooter. I am that crazy but limit those conditions to my 6 mile commute where I know the potholes and problematic pavement markings by number. But nobody does that with a Harley or anything else in that price range.

 

It is never what you ride, it is why you ride. Same with geocaching. Doesn't matter what you find or how many. What matters is why you got out there to find anything at all.

 

Jan

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I do have to say the cartoon was funny, but seriously - how many of you have been (or haven't been) affected by rising gas prices and the pursuit of this hobby?

Actually, gas prices have been declining. From a high of about $3.10 here in Phoenix a few weeks ago to a current price of $2.85. I never really let it affect me. I think about cutting back, and I could, if I really wanted to...

 

They have been declining around here also - now in the just under $2.70 range... but still much higher than they were a year ago... and that was why I was asking... :laughing:

It's good to have long term memory for this sort of stuff. It's still $3+ in many parts of California. 85-87 octane Regular was around $2.60-$2.70 in Colorado and Kansas at the beginning of the month.

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Sorry, didn't see 'Verona'...got it....

 

Yup, TN'G Verona 150cc. The black one in the background is Eric's Aprilia Mojito 150cc.

 

At the HCSC we have everything from 50cc two-stroke vintage to 400cc Burgman's in the mix. As said, doesn't matter what you ride ... you're even welcome if it's only a Ninja, 'Busa or Goldwing.

 

Jan

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Sorry, didn't see 'Verona'...got it....

 

Yup, TN'G Verona 150cc. The black one in the background is Eric's Aprilia Mojito 150cc.

 

At the HCSC we have everything from 50cc two-stroke vintage to 400cc Burgman's in the mix. As said, doesn't matter what you ride ... you're even welcome if it's only a Ninja, 'Busa or Goldwing.

 

Jan

 

Just out of curiousity, what does a scooter in the 150cc range run pricewise?

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But nobody does that with a Harley or anything else in that price range.

 

Some my riding group do that and much more on BMW's, some of which are close to 20k now.

I've got a picture somewhere of my father headed up to the Artic Circle in the snow, heh.

 

-ajb

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Our gas topped out at $3.39 and is (finally!) back down to $3.11. Bad part is, last year at this time we were griping about it getting to $2.75!

 

I wish we lived in an area where caching by bike is feasible. We have found the 3 caches in our town, and then next "town" is 15 minutes away by vehicle. I could go to Fresno to cache on foot/bike, but that city has areas I would like to have a more dependable and speedy method of escape! So I try to make a 20 + cache day when we actually DO get out and find some. Or know where the darn thing is ahead of time based on the location and past logs...then I get those on trips to that particular area anyhow...

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I don't have an ego that requires driving an SUV. So I suspended the insurance on my car for the summer and ride my scooter. The thing tops out above 60 MPH and with 70+ miles to the gallon, the higher the prices the more I will be laughing all the way :blink:

<snip>

My ego is not why I drive an SUV.

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I don't consider my truck an SUV, but I DO know that people look down on trucks as a family car. We are a family of 4, two adults being 5'11' and 6'2" respectively, with kids doomed to also be that tall. We have a car, a Sable, and it is almost too small for all of us. AND, since we go camping, haul animals to the vet, shop at warehouse grocers, we NEED a pickup. Plus, it is taller and easier to get into, especailly with back and knee problems.

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I love my truck, 2004.5, 2500HD, Duramax Diesel, 4x4, Crew Cab. BIG DURAMAX TRUCK hence the name 'Big Max'. I use it for hauling my trailer everywhere. Gets great mileage compared to anything even close to it in a pickup or SUV, pulls anthing you can hook to it and blows the doors off of most cars, including the rice burners. It is known as the Long Range Geocaching Assault Vehicle (LRGAV) in my posts. However, for everyday driving right now I use my '99 Honda ACE 750. Gets 50 mpg, runs circles around the scooters and has a pretty good cool factor. :) It is cheap on gas, maintenance and insurance and saves wear and tear on my more expensive pickup. It is known as my Urban Geocaching Assault Vehicle (UGAV). :rolleyes:

Edited by Big Max
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I live in an urban area, but have been out on the country enough to know that there's no need to knock on SUVs and trucks if they are being used for their intended purposes. :)

 

However, a shiny Hummer H2 without passengers going on a grocery run in the middle of the city is just SO WRONG.

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The gas prices have affected my caching drastically. I make VERY LITTLE money (just above poverty level) in spite of my education, so unless I can hit 10-15 caches in one trip, I just can't do it at $3 a gallon. My find rate has plummeted...

Well, I know what you mean about relatively low income, although I am not at all complaining! I have a grad degree (in the sciences, also trained at grad level in acupuncture), but chose to leave the corporate world and indeed, the entire world of salaried jobs -- where I was at the time making a 6-figure income -- in the year 2000 in order to follow my heart and do only things (work, projects, etc.) which were close to my heart and in consonance with Spirit for the rest of my life. So, yes, I make far less income nowadays than I did in the heady corporate-world-income days, but I have never felt more happy, more healthy and more alive, and I would not trade my choices in life for a billion dollars! And, yes, that far lower income level does affect a number of my choices in life, including driving for caches, and other kinds of caching trips, but this is a deliberate choice, and amzaingly, for anything which I really want to do in life, and to which my heart says yes, the resources always appear to do! And, as far as caching, well, I tend to pick and choose very carefully the caches which I want to hunt, and so gas prices have not been a problem for me!

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I have a 650 V-Strom. It is a Dual Sport motorcycle that is great on pavement but also very good on dirt and fire roads. Being 70Hp and capable of 110mph it is also my daily commuter. A Givi trunk works perfect to carry gear or lock up helmets. Best of all it gets 50 mpg.

 

BTW July 19th is ride to work day.

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Just out of curiousity, what does a scooter in the 150cc range run pricewise?

 

Depends on the quality (newsflash, eh?). You can get utterly low grade Chinese junk that falls apart after 2,000 miles with 90 day parts only warranty from eBay or other fly-by-night online sellers for $1,200 or so. You'll have to do the final assembly and prep yourself (which usually voids the warranty), have trouble getting parts and even more trouble finding a mechanic willing to work on it. Unless you have a serious argument with your wallet ... don't!

 

On the high end you're looking at Vespa, Piaggio, Honda and the like with a price tag more around $4,000 and above. You can find those brands used on craigslist and don't have to worry if they have 20,000 miles or more on them.

 

Anything in between ... well, you get what you pay for.

 

TN'G is a CMSI company. I have 2 dealers that do warranty work (one or two years depending on model and options) within 1 hour of driving. I just had some minor problem with the scoot and the dealer I bought it from fully backs that warranty. Can't complain. My scooter was $2,900 out the door (including prep fees, taxes and registration). All I can say after over 5,000 miles is that I would buy it again tomorrow.

 

Be sure to actually sit down on any motorcycle or scooter you think about buying. The personal fit size wise is a very important security issue. There are scooters where I with 6'1'' and a 36'' inseam hit my knees with the handlebars while steering. And that is independant of the scooter size. So shop for a scooter like you do for a suit.

 

Jan

Edited by JanniCash
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I don't have an ego that requires driving an SUV.

 

I don't have an ego that requires making flippant statements stereotyping SUV ownership. So I drive a Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, or Audi TT to caches, and walk to work.

 

If I avoid jackrabbit starts and steep inclines, I get about 10 miles per gallon (of water, on foot). With hard acceleration, towing, or mountainous conditions my mileage drops to 5 mpg-H20. The vehicles do better on gasoline, of course, but they spend most of their time in the garage.

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I do have to say the cartoon was funny, but seriously - how many of you have been (or haven't been) affected by rising gas prices and the pursuit of this hobby?

 

Gas prices have been rising? :):P

 

Hmm - did we find someone who bicycles or walks everywhere? Or maybe rides the bus? haha

 

huh? what? Are you talking about me again? :D

 

I do enjoy pulling up to the pump and exclaiming (loudly) "Where do I put this thing?!?" I only occasionally get weird looks- most people are too busy yapping on their cell phones! :huh:

 

Happy Caching

Jeff

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I don't have an ego that requires driving an SUV.

 

I don't have an ego that requires making flippant statements stereotyping SUV ownership. So I drive a Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, or Audi TT to caches, and walk to work.

 

I have a 97 Wrangler which is not needed for the summer time because I can ride the scooter and my wifes 99 Cherokee Sport can get us to campgrounds and wherever else we go all three together. Having two Jeeps I was making a flippant statement stereotyping myself. :huh:

 

It might be unmanly for you, but some people can make fun of themself. Do I need a Jeep? Do we need two Jeeps? Certainly not. We aren't the tough, rugged offroaders that grind super swampers through mudholes and get turned away at the carwash because of too much "earthcrust". The Jeeps are handy when going remote locations in the winter, but most of the year they are what 99% of all SUV's in America are, 4x4 grocery shoppers. I can still laugh about SUV jokes and there is nothing unmanly in laughing about yourself. :P

 

Now why exactly do you drive a Jeep?

 

Jan

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I don't have an ego that requires driving an SUV.

 

I don't have an ego that requires making flippant statements stereotyping SUV ownership. So I drive a Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, or Audi TT to caches, and walk to work.

 

I have a 97 Wrangler which is not needed for the summer time because I can ride the scooter and my wifes 99 Cherokee Sport can get us to campgrounds and wherever else we go all three together. Having two Jeeps I was making a flippant statement stereotyping myself. :P

 

It might be unmanly for you, but some people can make fun of themself. Do I need a Jeep? Do we need two Jeeps? Certainly not. We aren't the tough, rugged offroaders that grind super swampers through mudholes and get turned away at the carwash because of too much "earthcrust". The Jeeps are handy when going remote locations in the winter, but most of the year they are what 99% of all SUV's in America are, 4x4 grocery shoppers. I can still laugh about SUV jokes and there is nothing unmanly in laughing about yourself. :)

 

Now why exactly do you drive a Jeep?

 

Jan

 

I drive a Jeep for pretty much the same reason you do--to reach remote locations that are inaccessible by car. Before buying the Jeep, I used a mountain bike, but it wasn't practical for some of the really remote sites. Honestly, I never understood the appeal of four-wheeling as an activity unto itself. After a jolting ride down an abandoned mining road in the Arizona desert, I'm all too anxious to get out of the vehicle and start hiking.

 

A self-deprecating sense of humor is a form of modesty, and therefore an extremely manly virtue. Turning it outward with statements like "it might be unmanly for you" and "Now why exactly do you drive a Jeep?" is something else entirely.

 

Here was my first Geocache foray with the Jeep. I didn't spare any unflattering details in the log.

 

As someone who is most often a pedestrian and sometimes driver of a turbo-go-cart (the TT), I'm not exactly enthusiastic about cellphone zombies at the controls of gigantic vehicles, but I try to avoid the casual slander of stereotyping :huh:

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A self-deprecating sense of humor is a form of modesty, and therefore an extremely manly virtue. Turning it outward with statements like "it might be unmanly for you" and "Now why exactly do you drive a Jeep?" is something else entirely.

 

Quite right on that. I would call it provocative. I didn't know these two are mutually exclusive qualities.

 

Jan

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A self-deprecating sense of humor is a form of modesty, and therefore an extremely manly virtue. Turning it outward with statements like "it might be unmanly for you" and "Now why exactly do you drive a Jeep?" is something else entirely.

 

Quite right on that. I would call it provocative. I didn't know these two are mutually exclusive qualities.

 

Jan

 

Drat! You've confounded me with your brilliant feint-selective-quote-nonresponsive-reply-fadeaway move.

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