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Central Valley Cachers


Fattuhr

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....this is the regional discussion forum for a dozen or so cachers in the great central valley (and a little San Francisco bay area) of California.

 

We use it to keep in touch with each other (when we're not caching together) and to discuss general caching subjects too.

 

We had two previous threads at 10 pages each thinking the thread size might affect speed of loading. BUT...I use a dialup and it doesn't seem to make any difference, so we are going for broke !

 

The fact that an OHIO cacher saw our page says something for our level of activity.

 

In this area we have some of the top cachers in the world in terms of number of caches found and placed, so you know we're right up there with our caching "addiction".

 

Join us anytime you want !

 

Ron (401 found/106 placed)

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

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...but STATISTICS....now that's something else.

 

Don't get me wrong though...I have trouble knowing the difference between average, mean and median...please don't try to educate me.

 

Anyway, check out one of my new member-only caches here. This is Fac-Pac.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=36622

 

I'm directing you to the table in the middle of the page for the statistics info, but you'll probably find the overall Fac-Pac approach of interest too.

 

The stats were done manually, so that's why it won't be updated in the future except for one column.

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

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My new goal is to obtain and maintain 10% of Ron or Georges finds (who ever has least).

 

I stopped off at Fizzy's old bulb today (World Record Light Bulb) and found out they packed up the offices and moved to Pleasanton. We had to wait around for about 30 minutes until a fireman passed and let us in. (Beating on the doors didn't work and we just couldn't force ourselves to call 911 - lol). This shouldn't change the cache but it does add to the time factor. icon_wink.gif

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"A closed mouth gathers no feet!"

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You are all too kind.

 

Thanks.

 

Geocaching news....

 

I just checked on Slithering, I was going to recover the container since I heard that stickers had grown up around the zero point. Boy was that right. I couldn't even get close to the area. I was not able to find my own cache. The container is going to have to stay there but the area deserves a cache. Watch for one in the future.

 

george

 

You know it's a steep climb when the nose of you bike seat hits you in that special spot.

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quote:
I just checked on Slithering, I was going to recover the container since I heard that stickers had grown up around the zero point. Boy was that right. I couldn't even get close to the area. I was not able to find my own cache.

That figures! I went through all that pain for nothing!

 

I am always confused, lost, or heading the wrong direction... Who cares?!?

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By the way, for those of you who have my spreadsheets...

 

Try double-clicking on a subtotal in the Pivot table and watch what happens. You can easily delete the new sheet that results by right-clicking on the tab at the bottom and choosing "delete."

 

I've got a brand-new script that updates the spreadsheet without having to go grab the whole thing. I'm working on a way to distribute it.

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Cool new pic Mike...but I really liked the other graphic you had. Is that yours?

 

Geesh....I though I was bad spending too much time on these boards, that UMC guy is ALL OVER THE PLACE on the general board.

 

Hey George, are you going out towards livermore anytime soon? I really want your 2 cents on my "Got Gas" cache esp. if I should pull it or not.....

(Maybe I'll just have to put out a few more caches to make it worth your while.)

 

KURTULEAS

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quote:
Originally posted by kurtuleas:

 

Hey George, are you going out towards livermore anytime soon? I really want your 2 cents on my "Got Gas" cache esp. if I should pull it or not.....

(Maybe I'll just have to put out a few more caches to make it worth your while.)

 

KURTULEAS


 

Are you asking if I got gas? Well yes I do. I'm just trying to keep from cropdusting the students as I walk between the desks.

 

I'm thinking about makeing a loop to clear up some caches this afternoon. I might make it up that way.

 

george

 

You know it's a steep climb when the nose of you bike seat hits you in that special spot.

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Kurt, Thats pretty cool that you have a good picture of a relitives ww1 plane. My wifes grandfather was a ww1 pilot. We have a few pictures. They are neat to have.

 

The plane-

Well with out doing any research the plane in the pictuer is not a Fokker it's an Albatros D.va

It's a 1917 model it came with a 160hp engine it flew around 107mph (top speed) and had a service ceiling of about 19.000 feet.

 

I believe the Jasta groups went from Jasta 1 to Jasta 28. These groups where also known as the flying circus because of all the colors that where on the planes. The Red Baron was one of the orginal jasta leaders. He had most of his victoys in a Albatros airplane and not the Fokker Dr1. When you think of the Red Baron you think of the pretty red tri winged airplane. But he didnt fly that one for very long. There is 2 stories about his death. One is he was shot by ground fire and the other is he was shot by another airplane. Either way he was shot in the head and killed instantly. The ghostly thing about the hole thing is he still made a perfect 3 point landing, DEAD. Pretty weird.

How the Red Baron got his name-

Manfred Von Ricktafion (not spelled right) Was a Baron, Hince the Baron part. He was so good at shooting down planes Hince the blood of others, Blood is Red.

 

So now you know The Red Baron was a Bloody Baron. (RED BARON)

 

If you want some info on your relitive Kurt let me know and I will research it for you. I love History. Mike

 

I REMEMBER WHEN SEX WAS SAFE AND FLYING WAS DANGEROUS

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I know that I am supposed to have an ansestor named "Kurt Schneider" from southern germany, or Alsace Lorraine (the area between germany & france) and he would be somewhere in his 20's I think, during WW1. I kinda remember my grandfather telling me that his uncle flew in WW1, but he may have fought for France for all I know.

Searching the internet I found THIS Kurt Schneider, but I am not sure if it's the right one. I really need to find out where Wurzen Germany is. It would be REALLY cool if this is the right guy.

Do you know anything about the "Schneider Trophy"? I think it's a seaplane race....

 

KURTULEAS

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Hello all

 

I forgot to send out a "Congratulations" to Ron and G&M on hitting the 400 mark..so here it is! icon_biggrin.gif

 

Hope everyone is having a good week.

 

On another note, anyone wanna come shoot some coyotes?? They have eaten 3 of my chickens this week...I now have 1 lonely chicken left. icon_mad.gif I know they have to eat, so I guess I shouldn't be mad at them..I should be mad at the a-holes who keep developing and developing and pushing all the animals out of their habitats. Hopefully they get satieted on the chickens and don't try for my cats, dogs or pigs!

 

Off to work and school..have a good day!

 

Jaimee

 

Before criticizing others, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you do the criticizing, you will have their shoes AND be a mile away!

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Hello all

 

I have a question for everyone. While browsing around on the Geocaching site and looking at various cache pages, I was noticing some numbers. There are a few folks who have found quite a few caches and placed very few. Do you think this is cool to do? I am not asking for a big debate here; I was just wondering what others thought about this.

 

I personally feel that if you are going to seek, you should also hide. I noticed one set of stats where the person had found over 150 and hidden 2 caches. Of course, there is no rule saying you have to hide any, but I guess I am of the opinion that you should hide in order to help further the game and make it fun for others as well.

 

Jaimee icon_cool.gif

 

Before criticizing others, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you do the criticizing, you will have their shoes AND be a mile away!

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Right now our find-hid ratio is 10%. We have 60 finds and 6 hides. Does this seem about right? I don't want to hide a cache just to do it - I'd like for it to be interesting in some way.

 

Just curious what everyone thinks. Ron and George are around 25%, and their hidden caches are great. What would this area be like without them?

 

Maybe we'll go though a hiding phase and do some interesting ones and get our ratio up! icon_smile.gif

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When I first started caching there were very few for me to go for and everytime I found one, I would walk an extra mile or so and place another so the next guy would have two to go for...my hope he/she would place some too so I would have more to go for.

 

I gave one guy a hard time because he had found 50 and hadn't placed any. He placed one. Now he has found about 135 and still has only the one placed. He lives in the bay area, and hasn't been very active the last few months.

 

It's true there is no "rule" that you have to place any, but when I started a thread on this over a year ago, one person responded by comparing it to a potluck in which everyone participates by bringing something to the banquet.

 

He pointed out that if a person attended half a dozen or so of these and never brought a contribution, that he likely wouldn't be asked to the next one. Our situation is different of course because geocaching.com is open to everyone, invited or not.

 

******************

 

Yes, I think if you find a bunch you should place some, and the general feeling a year ago was that placing one for every 10 you found was a good ratio.

 

When I went caching in Stockton with Streetseal, his wife and baby recently I mentioned this ratio to him. I'm hoping to find his first cache sometime in the next few months.

 

*************

 

No, neither I nor anyone else can "dictate" what another person should do or beleive, but the term "peer pressure" and what other people think about you does have some affect and I hope that people will place in some "reasonable" (open to interpretation) ratio to the number they find.

 

****************

 

In our central valley a lot of the parks are filling up with caches and that may be why people aren't placing also. George has been branching out to further flung locations, and I have too, in an effort to inspire some new cachers on board, and to get old cachers to new areas where they might place some new caches.

 

I am continually surprised by the fact that Sacramento cachers can't seem to get south of Elk Grove. I think only one Sac cacher came to a cache I placed in Lodi...the original car wreck cache. I guess they have so many up there, they don't feel the need to come south except when going on a trip down to LA or the Sf area.

 

Well, enough venting....hope I made some good points.

 

I DO APPRECIATE all the cache most of the local cachers have placed, and I think they are good quality and well thought out. Keep up the good work.

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

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Thanks to our great leaders and several great runner ups, we have (Geocaching) life great! Thanks always for the clever, theme, beutiful, educational caches guys! Keep 'em coming.

 

I personally wish to maintain 10% but it's difficult as all my numbers are so low ('cause I work). I think my finds will go up soon and I'm planning one more stash (is that a spoiler?). Ron and G&M can disregard any concerns over their ratios (keep going please)!

 

I've also noticed the same thing of some people with a ratio of 0.02% and I'm not sure that's a bad thing. It is nice to have caches to hunt but I'd rather have a few really good hunts then many, um, not so good ones.

 

Coyotees! Yikes!! We took care of our problems when we picked Senior Thomas de Llamas. Great protection and haven't had a problem since. Want some eggs and to borrow our hatcher??

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"A closed mouth gathers no feet!"

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I think it is important for people to place caches, but I'm not so sure about the ratio idea. I currently have 14 out, and plan to reach a total of about 20, which is as many as I think I can reasonably maintain. I figure that good maintenance probably means visiting the cache once a year even if there are no problems, and being ready to visit it within a week or so if there are.

 

But I am also singularly reluctant to archive my caches; if one disappears I tend to replace it instead of archiving it. I figure I put enough effort into the location and name that I don't want to let it go. Other people are much more willing to let their caches die a natural death, so they can probably handle more.

 

My point is that someone who has found 200 caches and never placed a single one should maybe be gently urged to place a cache, but someone who has found 1000 but only placed 10 is probably being responsible in their estimate of what they can maintain.

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quote:
Originally posted by LuvOzzy:

Hello all

 

I have a question for everyone. While browsing around on the Geocaching site and looking at various cache pages, I was noticing some numbers. There are a few folks who have found quite a few caches and placed very few. Do you think this is cool to do? I am not asking for a big debate here; I was just wondering what others thought about this.

 

I personally feel that if you are going to seek, you should also hide. I noticed one set of stats where the person had found over 150 and hidden 2 caches. Of course, there is no rule saying you have to hide any, but I guess I am of the opinion that you should hide in order to help further the game and make it fun for others as well.

 

Jaimee


 

Well since you asked. I actually like to see people hide caches. It seems there haven't been many new caches in this area for a while. I know I only have 3 out at the moment but I have 4 more planned for this area and 2 for the sierras this weekend.

I think if people maintained a 10:1 ratio it would be cool. So if you have 100 finds you should have about 10 hides. Not a requirnment, just a suggestion.

 

~`Fallen`~

 

I am always confused, lost, or heading the wrong direction... Who cares?!?

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quote:
Originally posted by STREETSEAL:

I think the underlying 10:1 rule is good, I'm new to geo-caching, but not to gps, I have probally

25 caches stored from Ron Streeter in my gps, I'm

a weekend warrior at this, I've found 5 so far, and am getting the hang of this. I have some caches in the making for the pros (Ron?) give me a few weeks......StreetSeal & Family. icon_rolleyes.gif


 

From one new guy to another, hunt a few before you plant the first one. You'll get a better idea of what to do (or not do). Looks like you're under Ron's wing so you're in great hands. Welcome to caching!

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"A closed mouth gathers no feet!"

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...Fizzy brought up a couple of points that I've heard before and can relate to.

 

One is that a person might not place more caches than he/she can maintain. This certainly seems right. My further spin on that concept is this...I've had good luck in involving an area cacher to maintain a cache for me if it is quite aways from me.

 

I have several caches in Arizona and Oregon as examples. Some of them are watched over by one person, and for those that are not, I have had excellent luck in simply posting a note and asking the next cacher who goes in to 1) replace a bag 2) put in a new little notebook (or just a piece of paper) 3) etc.

 

So that works for me. One of my caches in Arizona has gotten high marks for bringing ARizonans to a place they would never have visited otherwise. Sounds like a service to me!

 

************

 

Another concept Fizzy raised was archiving caches that have gone missing, etc. I don't have it right in front of me, but MY drift on this is:

 

I will always be sure the container is retreived by me or someone I ask. Then it is a matter of either archiving (and not re-placing the cache somewhere else) or of getting ahold of the cache and putting it somewhere else under the same cache description (unarchived).

 

Since I sometimes spend an hour or so doing artwork and photography for some of my caches, it would pay me to get a cache up and running again. The fact is, of the 107 caches I have placed, I think 7 or so are archived. One in Oregon got snatched. One in Modesto had a heavy wear factor on terrain. I pulled it and have not republished it. Other similar stories for the others.

 

So, a lot to consider. I also remember the time when Dave Ulmer (who lays claim to the original cache concept) started tirades in several threads) that we were 'littering". Others did this too, so if Dave reads this and I mis-attributed the "littering" term to him, I apologize.

 

Now that we have over 35K caches out there (maybe more, but close enough) It DOES give one pause. Yet when I go to a large regional park and know that somewhere in that 10,000 acres are hiding 6 caches, I lose my concern. I have been in little glens the size of a house and have seen worse clutter from fishermen and party animals.

 

Gotta go...just some thoughts on our hobby.

 

Ron

 

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

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I contacted the Dept. of Fish and Game last year with regard to the coyote issue. They gave me the name of a trapper in Escalon who they pay to come out and "remove" the coyotes. They also suggested to me that I just wave my gun at them..uh huh...who do I look like, friggin' Annie Oakley?? I was also given the option of shooting them myself.

 

After contacting the "trapper" (I use quotes because I think the word IDIOT would be much more appropriate here), I figured out that we were not going to get any assistance with the problem. I did have some concerns also because I really didn't want the coyotes killed for doing what is their natural instinct for food. I was hoping to maybe have them relocated or something..wishful thinking I guess.

 

Now a concern is raised because where the coyotes live, a grape vineyard right across the street from us, is going to be torn apart for a school soon. Where on earth will the rascals move to then??

 

I am just sick of them eating my birds. I actually found my big Rhode Island Red...I thought she was coyote lunch, but she must have been hiding. Still, our lost chicken count in the last two years is somewhere around 8 now. The neighbors have lost cats, and my other neighbor has lost lambs. Thank goodness none of the horses are pregnant mares with colts..I have heard horror stories what the coyotes do to birthing mares icon_frown.gif

 

We never did find Mali, our dog who disappeared almost 3 weeks ago. I kinda wondered if she might have gotten out and been overpowered by the coyotes. I know they normally won't attack a dog, unless very, very hungry or sick. I might wander through the grape vineyard and look for evidence of some sort..and hope that I don't find it!

 

Okay..I guess I have rambled on enough about the coyotes now. If anyone has any suggestions on who else I might contact for assistance, let me know!

 

Jaimee

 

Before criticizing others, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you do the criticizing, you will have their shoes AND be a mile away!

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quote:
Originally posted by LuvOzzy:

I did have some concerns also because I really didn't want the coyotes killed for doing what is their natural instinct for food. I was hoping to maybe have them relocated or something..wishful thinking I guess.

 

Jaimee


 

Hey Jaimee,

 

It's my understanding that coyotes will have larger litters after they have been thinned out and the problem often becomes worse down the road. Also, I can tell you that I have never been so lucky to get a shot off as they are too strealth. I even thought about tying up some braty kids and letting them scream to draw the coyotes in - but my wife said no.

 

Without a doubt, the llama did the trick! No visiting coyotes, no lost sleep and he's fun to watch! Also, I'm not sure if you saw, but I offered eggs and a loan of our incubator to rebuild your stock.

 

Best of luck with your project.

 

Bill of Green Achers

 

"A closed mouth gathers no feet!"

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They have found a couple of mine lately too. They are doing very well. They got my Roberts Ferry caches today. They found Kassie's Kid Cache. Zack and Liam was the last ones there and thought it was gone. They couldnt find it. Now that you know it's there Zack and Liam you should go back and get it.

 

Anyone caching this weekend? We are having a BIG yard sale Friday,Saturday and Sunday. So no caching for us. BUT!! Next weekend we are going to go get some. I hope everyone has a good weekend. Mike

 

I REMEMBER WHEN SEX WAS SAFE AND FLYING WAS DANGEROUS

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I searched the internet a little and found this link:

http://www.livingwithwildlife.com/backyard_critters_coyotes.html

 

Basically it says there is NOTHINg you can do. The Llama thing may really work though.

 

On the other side, I did read on a message board at fishingbuddies.com (a redneck site) that people in other states will actually BUY coyote pelts. Even being a "Neck" that's kinda wierd to me.....

 

I may have "permission" by my wife to go caching sunday, look for a few more kurtuleas caches early next week. This time they won't be "quick and easy"

 

KURTULEAS

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<<<<<>>>>

 

I would bet they don't have a one year old infant that has the effect of adding about 2 stars to the difficulty of every cache!!! icon_smile.gif

 

We're going to have to go after these again. When we were at Dragonfly it was just WAY too hot for the kids to spend any time looking around, and at Kassie's it was just getting a little too dark. Enough excuses?!?

 

We're going to Yosemite this weekend and will plan to get the one pretty easy one by Happy Isles. Pat, do you want your travel bug to go there? I know it's not an airport, but it would get it to move quite a bit - let me know!!!

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Now that the weather is cooling off a cache that has been overlooked is Skyride out near La Grange. I think that was one of the toughest caches we have done.

Last weekend we went kayak camping and hid two caches up at Lake Utica. The computer went down (bad crash) so we didn't get them posted until now. One is easy to get to the other will make a wonderful paddle on a pretty Sierra lake with lots of cool granite.

 

Sherrie

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First of all I actually got to go do some caching in some cool weather. It was nice. Found four, three I couldn't even try for.

Chili Cook-off- To many men playing cards.

Colony-House across the street had too many people outside watching me when I got out of the car.

Hilmar-Guy sitting in van right in front of the cache area.

Randy you can drop the bug off anywhere you want to. Just want to get it moving.

 

My wife says put a coordinate on it and I'll find it.

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that's one's a bugger, I had to wait until 10 pm at night to grab that. The place is NEVER empty.

 

You need to go back to Sacramento. The caches are getting harder but over all they're still like picking apples off the tree.. 1..2..3.... and so on.

 

I had planned on hitting more in Elk Grove but as I drove up there I realized that the areas I loaded into the gps had me missing all but 2 in that area. My pocket querries left most of Elk Grove as a dead spot.

 

george

 

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

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I have this proposal for those who like to keep score of how many caches they get. The problem with raw numbers is that they don't very well reflect the "style" of the caches you have gotten.

 

So here's my idea: the Style Score for each cache is:

 

Style = Diff * Terr * log(Dist) * TypeFactor

 

where Diff and Terr are the difficuly and terrain ratings of the cache, Dist is the distance from your home coordinates to the cache in miles, and TypeFactor is a factor that attempts to correct for residual differences in cache type. A lot of the difference is already there in the rating, but I'd propose a table to TypeFactors like this:

 

   Locationless = 0.5   Virtual  = 0.75   Normal   = 1.0   Micro    = 1.25   Multi    = 1.5

 

What does everyone think of this?

 

It probably goes without saying that I have kinda rigged this score to do well on the kinds of caches I like best, and also to make my score look good. icon_wink.gif

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