Delorme Challenge

[+a_friend_of_dorothy]

This question has probably been asked and answered before but I'll ask anyways (if it has just point me toward the thread). I'm ready to get serious about doing a Delorme challenge and was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to organize the caches you have found onto the Delorme pages perhaps using some sort of computer program. I just want to be able to tell which pages I have completed, which I still need to get, and what caches can be found on a particular page. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[+calkan]

I have been using GSAK software to organize my caches. It gives the owner a quick one page look at all the caches you download. GSAK also gives you a method of organizing by different options ie miles, alphabetical,owners, dates, cache size, etc. The beauty of GSAK is the ability to pick description pages at a touch, without the irritation of going back and forth between pages. It will download into your GPS by cache name, rather than GC#. It takes a little practice to become familiar with the software, but I highly recommend GSAK. The plus is you can use it for free (until the nagging window gets you crazy) then for 20 bucks you can have it without the nagging. It is well worth the investment.

Edited October 31, 2006 by calkan

[+Okiebryan]

I have been using GSAK software to organize my caches. It gives the owner a quick one page look at all the caches you download. GSAK also gives you a method of organizing by different options ie miles, alphabetical,owners, dates, cache size, etc. The beauty of GSAK is the ability to pick description pages at a touch, without the irritation of going back and forth between pages. It will download into your GPS by cache name, rather than GC#. It takes a little practice to become familiar with the software, but I highly recommend GSAK. The plus is you can use it for free (until the nagging window gets you crazy) then for 20 bucks you can have it without the nagging. It is well worth the investment.

 

I have GSAK. I use GSAK. I even LIKE GSAK. But I don't see how GSAK can help with the Delorme pages in the slightest.

 

I hope someone has a good answer to the OP's question, I've been wondering the same thing.

[+hikergps]

You might try contacting the keeper of the cache, they may have a suggestion on how to keep track, or how to figure out which pages you have done. I know the The Washington Delorme Challenge has very good instructions and links to helpful tools built into the cache page. Maybe you can get some ideas on where to start from that page.

Edited October 31, 2006 by hikergps

[+The Leprechauns]

hikergps gives the "right" answer. A lot of the newer DeLorme Challenge caches offer downloads of files that have the grid boundaries marked for use with different mapping software packages. And Washington is the best example, IMHO.

 

As the co-owner of the Pennsylvania version, I can attest that it is a huge timesaver to open a file of cache waypoints and then quickly spot which map grids have treasure chests inside them.

 

But the problem is, the OP lives in California, birthplace of the DeLorme Challenge. A lot of the older DeLorme Challenges don't offer such fancy files. But if someone puts it together once, it can be shared for everyone else's benefit. Our Pennsylvania files are hosted on one of our state's regional geocaching group websites.

 

For organizing my OWN work to find this cache, I use two bookmark lists. This list keeps track of the grids I've already found. Note that re-naming the caches to include the Grid Number forces the list into numerical order. On a second, private list, I bookmark likely candidate caches in the grids I'm missing. If I read rave reviews about a hike up a mountain, and it's in a grid I've not visited yet, it goes onto that planning list.

 

Then it is a simple matter of using the caches along a route tool to string together a roadtrip to knock off a few grids. I did that a couple of weeks ago, finding eight caches to and from my score on a 4/4.5 cache to earn me a new map grid. Others have organized epic roadtrips to cover huge sections of the State at one time.

[+The Jester]

 

I have GSAK. I use GSAK. I even LIKE GSAK. But I don't see how GSAK can help with the Delorme pages in the slightest.

 

Polygon filters. The Delorme pages are pretty easy to set up: top left, top right, bottom right, bottom left, top left (or which ever order you want). Store in text files and load as needed.

[+a_friend_of_dorothy]

I understand how to setup polygon filters on GSAK but I don't quite understand how to translate the pages I see in the book to a polygon. Perhaps someone could elaborate...

Edited November 1, 2006 by a_friend_of_dorothy

[+a_friend_of_dorothy]

hikergps gives the "right" answer. A lot of the newer DeLorme Challenge caches offer downloads of files that have the grid boundaries marked for use with different mapping software packages. And Washington is the best example, IMHO.

 

As the co-owner of the Pennsylvania version, I can attest that it is a huge timesaver to open a file of cache waypoints and then quickly spot which map grids have treasure chests inside them.

 

But the problem is, the OP lives in California, birthplace of the DeLorme Challenge. A lot of the older DeLorme Challenges don't offer such fancy files. But if someone puts it together once, it can be shared for everyone else's benefit. Our Pennsylvania files are hosted on one of our state's regional geocaching group websites.

 

For organizing my OWN work to find this cache, I use two bookmark lists. This list keeps track of the grids I've already found. Note that re-naming the caches to include the Grid Number forces the list into numerical order. On a second, private list, I bookmark likely candidate caches in the grids I'm missing. If I read rave reviews about a hike up a mountain, and it's in a grid I've not visited yet, it goes onto that planning list.

 

Then it is a simple matter of using the caches along a route tool to string together a roadtrip to knock off a few grids. I did that a couple of weeks ago, finding eight caches to and from my score on a 4/4.5 cache to earn me a new map grid. Others have organized epic roadtrips to cover huge sections of the State at one time.

 

Thanks! That sounds like a great way of doing it if I cant find anyone willing to share their files with me

[+The Jester]

I understand how to setup polygon filters on GSAK but I don't quite understand how to translate the pages I see in the book to a polygon. Perhaps someone could elaborate...

I don't have a Delorme book, I can only go by what I've seen on the WA Challenge page. But the corners of the maps seem to have the lat/lon noted - somewhere/how - for all I know it's in UTM. In WA they seem to be half degree in size. You'd have to examine the maps/pages themselves.

 

Edit: I see on their web page that the map pages have "GPS grids and tick marks". Those should define the page for use in a polygon filter.

Edited November 2, 2006 by The Jester

[+climbstuff]

I'm not a GSAK user... so maybe I over tasked myself! but I did just complete the VA Delorme with some primative 'My Documents' methods. I started 2 major folders.. Pages Completed and Pages Incomplete (names dont matter) Then I made a folder for each page of the Delorme and I saved all the HTML file versions of the caches I visited in these folders.. and the HTML files of the caches I had planned for unfinished pages.. Then when I was done with a page, I would delete the files of the caches I didnt find and slide the whole delorme 'page' folder from the Inompleted to the Completed Main folders.. Plus I made a little spreadsheet where I kept track of the waypoint codes per page.. I know I overworked myself but I didn't want to goof up and miss a page while on the road...