Jump to content

You Can Get Lost in the Suburbs, Too


Recommended Posts

This took place recently in a park near me. It is a large park, with many winding trails (and many geocaches), but most people that go into it are totally unprepared for spending a night in it. That almost happened recently to a mother and her son. Even the officers that went to help them became disoriented.

 

Here's the article

Edited by knowschad
Link to comment

I liked this comment:

 

the trail system, if i could call it that, seems to be the result of the work of a committee of magical muskrats who have had too much to drink

 

Oh those magical muskrats!

 

Seriously, I can understand how easy it is to get turned around and confused in any woods, large or small.

Link to comment

I did a suburban cache last winter. It was about 200m from a Cul de Sac on some ATV trails. It was all scrub brush. After going in circles to find GZ it was time to head out. I didn't have my original coords punched in, I didn't have my tracking on. Why would I, I was 200m from a neighbourhood. I started walking to where I thought I was supposed to go and came across a half frozen pond. I never seen that on the way in. I was in a valley so I couldn't see through the scrub to find houses.

 

Eventually I found the right path heading south to get out, but it was a weird feeling to be lost for about 15 minutes.

Link to comment

There are a few parks in my area that are just like that. It is amazing how easily you can get turned around in a wooded area that is completely surrounded by roads. However, once you get into the thick of it, all you can see around you is trees.

 

I have had a couple of heart pounding moments when I got off trail, and turned around in a city park. It was very strange because I could hear city noises all around me, but I could not figure out how to get back to my car. :)

Link to comment
I am just thrilled they didn't run into any coffins out there. That would have been brutal.
For those that don't know, this is the park that bflentje had his infamous toe-pincher casket cache investigated as a possible crime scene, ending with the cache being confiscated and bflentje threatened with charges that eventually were all dropped.

 

I still think you should have rented a hearse when you went to pick that thing up from the police station, Bart. :)

Link to comment

From the OP linked article:

 

"Hiker's GPS for cops Hmm.. they have modern electronic devices for problems like this!"

 

The problem with relying on "technology" is that most folks have no clue how it works - which means it can then get you into trouble. GPS relies on having at least 3 unobstructed views of satellites. Which mean it doesn't work when under a heavy canopy of trees. GPS works great on a lake or in a desert. Not so much in a forest. That area of Leb is heavily forested, which is why GPS was useless.

 

I love posts like this! :laughing:

 

It's nice to have well-informed experts to tell us how things work. :laughing:

Link to comment

From the OP linked article:

 

"Hiker's GPS for cops Hmm.. they have modern electronic devices for problems like this!"

 

The problem with relying on "technology" is that most folks have no clue how it works - which means it can then get you into trouble. GPS relies on having at least 3 unobstructed views of satellites. Which mean it doesn't work when under a heavy canopy of trees. GPS works great on a lake or in a desert. Not so much in a forest. That area of Leb is heavily forested, which is why GPS was useless.

 

I love posts like this! :rolleyes:

 

It's nice to have well-informed experts to tell us how things work. ;)

 

I almost felt the need to reply to that one but then I realized I would have to create an account to do it...so I figured I'd just post here instead. That poster should have written "...most folks (including me!) have no clue how it works, (but here is my misguided interpretation)..."

 

I've done a few caches out in the middle of the north woods of WI. Once I turned my GPSr off and tried to get back to my vehicle (about .5 miles away) without the use of fancy technology just to see if I could do it. My .5 mile hike turned into a 1 mile hike in a hurry. Needless to say I always mark a waypoint whenever I plan to go any fair distance from the car.

Link to comment

From the OP linked article:

 

"Hiker's GPS for cops Hmm.. they have modern electronic devices for problems like this!"

 

The problem with relying on "technology" is that most folks have no clue how it works - which means it can then get you into trouble. GPS relies on having at least 3 unobstructed views of satellites. Which mean it doesn't work when under a heavy canopy of trees. GPS works great on a lake or in a desert. Not so much in a forest. That area of Leb is heavily forested, which is why GPS was useless.

 

I love posts like this! :laughing:

 

It's nice to have well-informed experts to tell us how things work. :laughing:

 

Oh really!?!?! How come I am finding caches deep in the woods? Is there something you arent telling me? :laughing:

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...