Central Valley Cachers

2.6k · January 10, 2003

Can you tell where he put it. I'll give you a hint. You can see windmills in the photo.

george

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

[This message was edited by georgeandmary on January 10, 2003 at 08:19 AM.]

2.6k · January 10, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by georgeandmary:
http://img.Groundspeak.com/cache/46796_200.jpg

Can you tell where he put it. I'll give you a hint. You can see windmills in the photo.

george

Can I tell you how early I had to get up to get out there (almost in L.A.) and search for 40 minutes? Shake-n-bake (our Rooster) wasn't even awake! Whaaa. Whaaa. But it was worth it! I'll just be claiming that i title from LO.

Long at last... The real Cacher I appears!

A= LuvOzzy

B= Fattuhr

C= Fallen

D= Brute-Force

B, E= Fattuhr

F= C&MMorris

A, G= LuvOzzy (Ag= Gold too)

H= georgeandmary

I= Green Achers

Now, you're thinking... Oh, Grate! Where's Green Achers taking this cache now? How about...

N37*41.847

W121*35.353

Vg'f bhg bs Fgnavfynhf Pbhagl. ''Vg'f abg n ovt qrny vs vg tbrf bhgfvqr gur pbhagl ohg qba'g yrg vg jnaqre gbb sne, CYRNFR.'' V'z fher vg jvyy or onpx fbba vs abg gbavtug!

Bill of Green Achers

"Why is 'Tourist Season' not mentioned in the Fish and Game Manual?"

January 10, 2003

Well, that's about normal. I spent the 1st 4 days of the week driving past there. Today? I gotta head up to Sonora.

If a little Brute Force doesn't work, try using a lot!

5.3k · January 10, 2003

I've been working hard on my own replacement for MobiPocket, which everyone agrees sucks. I am doing something vaguely similar to what LilDevil is with his GPX Spinner, but meant to run on the local computer instead of across the internet, and incuding a bunch of features that Brian Scearce's pages used to have as well as a few new ones I always wanted.

Since CVC cachers tend to make a great deal of use of these things, I thought I'd be able to get some willing volunteers to try it out. It works for me; so well that I have removed MobiPocket from my Palm.

So here's the deal. The good news: it does all these things:

Generates HTML from GPX very compactly; I got over 900 caches into 1.6 MB!
Includes cache descriptions, recent logs (5), hints (both encoded and a link to decoded), and (get this) nearby caches.
Has a summary of date last found, as well as number of finds and DNFs in the last 5 logs.
Can combine results from multiple GPX files into one Palm file.

OK, so here's the bad news:

Requires Perl to be installed on the user's machine.
Requires using Plucker or AvantGo to convert the HTML into Palm format.

That's not so bad, is it? Do I have any takers? George, for example?

5.7k · January 10, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by fizzymagic:
That's not so bad, is it? Do I have any takers?

I'd definitely like to check it out. I'd also like to work on something that will generate WML instead of HTML so that I could put it up on my web server and access it from my phone.

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

2.6k · January 10, 2003

I'm game. School starts up again monday and I'll be mostly getting ready for that this weekend. But I should find time to do some caching.

My leg is still sore from the ride I did on wednesday. Right Hamstring is stiff and sore, I should ride this weekend to loosen it up but the rain is going to keep me off the bike.

george

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

2.6k · January 11, 2003

Hey Pat, did you really take pictures of the nice gentelman and their cars at the Tuolumne River Park by the airport?

george

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

1.2k · January 11, 2003

....Wow !

I got the Spinner working and really like its results. I also am pleased with the Cache Watcher by Clayjar....

Now Fizzy has one in the works. The features sound great...the downside of needing Perl on one's computer doesn't sound to inviting though...maybe Fizzy will find a work-around that.

Fizzy...here's a more general question for you.

Does geocaching's use of GPX insure that your and the other new programs will ALWAYS be available to us, or will these too fade away in the next 6 months to a year?

I know that Lil Devil has already seen big demands on his server from people tapping his Spinner.

That seems to be the good thing about the Clayjar Cache Watcher as it runs completly on one's home computer...on the other hand (as far as I know) it doesn't convert to Palm held files...maybe he is working on that.

Thanks to all three of you (and any others) who bring this aspect of caching into our hands while out in the field.

Ron

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

5.3k · January 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Streeter:
.Now Fizzy has one in the works. The features sound great...the downside of needing Perl on one's computer doesn't sound to inviting though...maybe Fizzy will find a work-around that.

I am working on that; there is a way to turn Perl scripts into exe files, but I don't recall all the details. Actually, though, installing Perl isn't too bad, and I am working on a way to automatically do everything else.

quote:
Does geocaching's use of GPX insure that your and the other new programs will ALWAYS be available to us, or will these too fade away in the next 6 months to a year?

Excellent question. The answer is: as long as geocaching delivers GPX files, the new programs will work. And there is no reason to believe that geocaching will ever stop delivering GPX files.

Actually, this is why we've been so excited to see GPX files, because now we can do all this stuff without putting any additional load on geocaching.com's servers. With my solution, all the processing is done on your local machine, which means you are not dependent on anybody else.

As I said elsewhere, there are some other exciting things we can do with GPX files. For example, I am working on a way to get distances from caches to a path (instead of a point), which will allow you to select caches along a travel route.

2.6k · January 11, 2003

Looks like another freak encounter of the 3rd kind at Learn to use your GPS. (I thought it stood for Global Positioning System... not Gay)

It's my guess he'll never be... ahum... seen again (Pun intetended). However, I'd bet you'd clear the area quicker than a camera in a parking if you where to start ''taking pictures'' with your GPSr! Anyway, I hope that one stranger didn't cause the closure of that cache site. We can still hunt it when it's too cold for him!

Hey Fizzy and Ron,

I'm hoping you two work the bugs out on that system as I'm saving up for an old PC laptop and a nice new palm pilot. My Mac just doesn't interface. Until then, I'm wasting branches and hand loading the waypoints (both taking too much time).

Bill of Green Achers

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

1.1k · January 11, 2003

Hello all

Since many of us in the CVC area started caching in early 2002, January and February for most, I would like to propose an anniversary event of sorts.

We've done the buffet thing..we've done the outdoor BBQ thing..we've done the pizza thing..we've done the casual restaurant thing.

What I would like to propose is dinner at Olive Garden (they have veggie stuff, right??) on a Saturday evening. Some after-dinner socializing in the way of drinks/dancing/whatever would be fun also. OR..maybe that would be the perfect time for the caching gals to head out!!

The days I am looking at are February 15th or March 1 (a VERY good day!!). If anyone is interested, please let me know which day is best for you and how many people will be in your group. Once I determine which day is better for the majority, I will do a page for the event.

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!

1.2k · January 11, 2003

LO...

I don't care which date the gathering is, but PLEASE make it on a weekend night...I've missed the last three I think because they were on Thursday nights when I teach.

I'm anxious to get back in touch with the old and new cachers.

Bill...

I am only a user of the great programs being developed by the geocaching/programming types so my contribution is limited to thanking them !

I see the travel bug waypoint has gotten another visit. My experience with a single traveling bug hasn't been all that satisfactory. I think over time they've lost some of their charm. I will still pick one up when I see it, but I wouldn't drive out of my way to grab one. I try to put them out in reasonable time too.

One that I had an attachment too went to Florida with a young lass and hasn't been heard of since !

Ron

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

January 11, 2003

There is a program for the Pocket PC that is called GPXView. It can be downloaded from http://strandberg.org/gpxview. It seems a bit slow when working with really large (3+ Meg) GPX files, but it gets all of the information.

Because of the small screen of the PPC, the icons have been left out on the principal screen. Once you request a cache though, it displays all of the graphics that are on the geocaching.com pages.

One thing that I found with it is that the Bearing column is not accurate. Some caches appear correct, while others are not. Strange.

You also cannot currently search with it, but you can sort by Waypoint, distance or Description so it makes it a bit easier to find things when they are in alphabetical order.

Anyway, there is a PPC replacement out there. I am sure more are to come and the ones that are out there will most certainly see improvements.

/cw

2.6k · January 11, 2003

Sounds good here. Were booked on 3/1 but 2/15 is available. Guess you know 2/15 may be a busy resturant day (1st non-work day after Valintines Day). I could be wrong but thats when 2 could go from Green Achers.

Also, Do we have a CVC Username yet? She who puts everything together should get a find (or Ten).

Looks like the Cannonball Run is getting ready to start March 8th. Everyone's getting their travel bugs tagged and mailing them to New York. This would be fun to watch if someone programs a web site to monitor progress.

Bill of Green Achers

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

January 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by georgeandmary:
Hey Pat, did you really take pictures of the nice gentelman and their cars at the Tuolumne River Park by the airport?george

YES I actually took out the camera after I was standing there feeling a little uncomfortable with 16 cars, and 1 motorhome in the parking lot. I went back to the van grabbed the camera and started shooting pictures. Within minutes the parking lot was empty with the exception of the motorhome. There was an older couple in it reading the morning paper.

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

January 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Streeter:
Bill...

I am only a user of the great programs being developed by the geocaching/programming types so my contribution is limited to thanking them !

I have used the spinner from Lildevil and am quite happy with it. In fact I won't be using Mobipocket anymore.

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

2.6k · January 11, 2003

I haven't gone through Fizzy's new software yet. I'm just checking out gpxspinner for now. But I have removed mobipocket from my computer and handheld. Mobipocket has caused my handspring to crash hard twice now. Thankfully, it doesn't look like I'll be needing it any longer.

george

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

January 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Brute-Force:
Congrats on the achievement. As much as I like geocaching, I wouldn't bike 3.7 miles up 800 feet for one. 30 years ago maybe... Coords were off 60 feet? That would have been horrible to go that far and not find it. Glad you did.

If a little Brute Force doesn't work, try using a lot!

I guess I have been away for a while. I have been sitting here for about an hour reading everything to get caught up!

Thanks Brute for the congrats and congratulations yourself on #200!

If there is something to B17ch about I'll make sure you're the first to know.

5.3k · January 11, 2003

I think I have solved the Perl problem for my GPX-to-HTML converter. I ran the script through a utility that turns Perl scripts into self-contained Windows .exe files, and changed the script so that it automatically processes all the GPX files in the folder it's run in. So it should basically just work automatically. All you have to do is create a new folder, put the program and the GPX files into it, and run it.

Give it a try! Go here and download gpx2html.exe.

January 12, 2003

All in all, it was a good trip. Searched 24. Found 18. The Christmas cache offered by Jaimee and Pat was a big bonus. After we talked for a while, I discovered that I was allowed to take the whole cache, ammo can and all. Thanks again.

I didn't get any caches planted like I wanted to, though. I watched for good spots, but being unfamliar with the different areas of town, and not wanting to duplicate, I was reluctant to leave caches. Need more planning time.

Looking forward going to Modesto again. Still a few more caches to grab including some old nemeses. Maybe, if the next get-together is on a weekend I'll be able to attend.

GS!

2.6k · January 12, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by fizzymagic:

Give it a try! Go http://home.attbi.com/~fizzymagic/gpx2html.html and download gpx2html.exe.

I just got back from a little caching and I'm headed out the door to finish up some grading before school start tomorrow.

I'll have a chance to look at in soon.

george

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

1.2k · January 12, 2003

...got your 2 pm phone call about 7 when Marilyn and I got back from an afternoon in the foothills.

I actually don't have the answers (specifically) to your Stockton locations question. I could drive to two of them I think, but I couldn't tell you more than that.

I'll look for your today's finds !

Ron

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

1.2k · January 12, 2003

...deleting duplicate post.

But while I'm here...Fizzy...I got your email and see you post here. I'll take a look at it soon. Sounds good !

Ron

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

January 12, 2003

Originally posted by Brute-Force:

I think my brother is having trouble with some newbies to the game. They look for his MICRO and keep finding something big enough to put large items in. LOL! Check it out.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=45467

Zarni! What is it they're finding??

The base of the light pole. Even though there was NOTHING there. No log..No note LOL

1.1k · January 12, 2003

Ron..we were able to find what we were looking for, which was VERY interesting. More info when I get the page posted. Be on the lookout for two new caches in your area.

We did the three over in Oak Grove park after coming in from Hwy 4 and then planned on heading back down Hwy 5 to do a few along there. We started running out of time and changed plans.

I checked on my "Yep, Again" cache, and it's gone. The stupid thing disappeared before it was ever even found. I did replace the cache in a nearby location, and I will be changing the coordinates on the page.

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!

January 12, 2003

Change the coords tonight. Heading that way tomorrow. Maybe see what whiteouts condition is too!

If a little Brute Force doesn't work, try using a lot!

1.1k · January 12, 2003

Coordinates are changed and ready to go! There is White Out II that will be posted shortly as well.

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!

January 12, 2003

Hey, now that I think about it, it would seem that I froze and got soaking wet for no reason then. Wonder when it disappeared? Strange that it would be stumbled upon so soon in that spot. Hope I know where the new spot is.

I planted another cache today too. Not planting a lot, but I am makeing them fairly big.

Also, that Spinner is great! Love being able to tell what the cache is by looking at the waypont. And, the plucker for the PDA is awesome! Too bad I tossed 20 bucks at mobi only 2 weeks ago. Anyone else seen the new Garmin PDA/GPSr combo unit? It's slick! Slick price too. :eek

If a little Brute Force doesn't work, try using a lot!

1.1k · January 13, 2003

Hello all

Has anyone else had problems with their cache pages coming up all ugly once approved?? I did this cache last night and it was seperated into paragraphs purposely so that the directions would stand out and not be missed. When it was approved, everything was crammed into one big paragraph. I can't fix it because it's already like it should be on the "edit cache" page..grrrrr

Check it out and let me know if you have any ideas on how to correct it!

Thanks!

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=50110

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!

5.7k · January 13, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by LuvOzzy:
Check it out and let me know if you have any ideas on how to correct it!

Possibly, did you check the "I'm providing HTML" box? If so, the approvers won't touch your description, and if you don't add the paragraph

or linebreak

tags, things will tend to get run together. Just go in and add one of the above tags inbetween the two paragraphs and see if you can get the results you want.

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

1.2k · January 13, 2003

...if you checked the I will provide HTML box, then you have to put in

to separate the paragraphs.

A

will push a line down one line, but it won't put in a paragraph break (one blank line).

I see Pat has carried the picture lesson I gave him one step forward and the resized and centered pics look good !

Ron

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

1.1k · January 13, 2003

Got it now. I had done the html thing because I put the pic on there, but we didn't realize we had to do the space thing on the rest of the page.

Thanks guys!

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!

5.7k · January 13, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by LuvOzzy:
Got it now. I had done the html thing because I put the pic on there, but we didn't realize we had to do the space thing on the rest of the page.

Thanks guys!

It looks much, much better now. Good job.

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

2.6k · January 13, 2003

Works well, and it generated a whole folder of pages, but how do I get them on Avanto am I going to have to upload them to a host site?

george

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

5.3k · January 13, 2003

Oops. I guess I was wrong about getting local files into Avantgo. You'd have to be running a local Web server to get at them.

Plucker can get local files without any pain. I highly recommend it, since the whole idea of my app is to eliminate the need to suck huge amounts of data across the Internet. Besides which, Plucker is open-source and free.

January 13, 2003

Here's a comment I got from a log on my Cupertino cache.

User comments:

"WOW. This cache was the smallest cache we ever saw. Also, we had a bit of trouble finding it."

Just a decon container. And, my hint was a complete spoiler. Someone will have a thrill if they stray into CVC territory. That 1 cache has turned out to be very fun. Lots of logs. Many from 1st time finds.

If a little Brute Force doesn't work, try using a lot!

1.2k · January 13, 2003

...that's roaringly funny ! I've got one so small I can't find it to place it !

Ron

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

2.6k · January 13, 2003

I guess Toto was hunting for a cache somewhere up north at a rest stop and found a hidden package of crystalmeth. I talked to Bill a little bit about it and Toto's daughter mentioned it to me at school today.

What do you trade for that?

george

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

January 14, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by georgeandmary:
I guess Toto was hunting for a cache somewhere up north at a rest stop and found a hidden package of crystalmeth. I talked to Bill a little bit about it and Toto's daughter mentioned it to me at school today.

What do you trade for that?

george

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/39570_500.jpg

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

A Where's George Dollar.

Elvis is dead. Get over it.

2.6k · January 14, 2003

How about 15 thousand (gestimate) Where's George Dollars...

... Judge, "Good job young man on the FTF prize. You'll be able to log your find in ten to 15 years!"

Good thing he's honest.

5.3k · January 14, 2003

I'm slightly worried about it. I originally didn't bother, since I wasn't going to move it in the right direction, but Monday I saw nobody had gotten it, so I went by on my way to Tracy. Couldn't find it. Has anybody else tried?

2.6k · January 15, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by fizzymagic:
I'm slightly worried about it. I originally didn't bother, since I wasn't going to move it in the right direction, but Monday I saw nobody had gotten it, so I went by on my way to Tracy. Couldn't find it. Has anybody else tried?

I'm not too worried. It's tough to find and you've never seen the container. I know what the container looks like and had trouble with it when I looked for it last time.

Bill told me where to look incase it didn't move while he was in Las Vegas. I might check on it this weekend if it doesn't move.

george

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

2.6k · January 15, 2003

If that Tag cache isn't moved before I get back, I'm going to replace it with a perminant cache and move it myself. Maybe I'll have to meet Fizzy there this weekend!

I've had about my fill of Virtuals down here. I'm really floored that they have such great caching areas and waste it with none conatin caches. I brought five micro caches to place down here but the area is saturated with virtuals. Maybe, I'll have to do an off set or two.

Bill of Green Achers

"I'm Not Sure I Understand Everything I Know About This."

January 15, 2003

Hi -

We are a couple of South Bay cachers, and we are wondering if we could get a bit of advice for the week-end.

We will be spending the night in in Los Banos, and heading out for our caching mini-trip after waking up at about 7AM on Saturday. We are going to finish "Black Box" which is in the general vicinity. Now... we have until 3:30PM to get home... our thought is to drive between Los Banos and Tracy, and then zip home from there on the highways...

So, another way to put it is: We have between 8AM and 2:30PM to hunt for other caches - but just as important to us, we like to see towns we have never visited before. We have thought of meandering up CA33.

What towns would people recommend seeing a bit of, or more than a bit of? We see our copy of Street Atlas, going from Los Banos to Tracy on CA33:

Los Banos

Gustine

Newman

Crow's Landing

Patterson

Westley/Grayson (Grayson's a bit off CA33, but not too far

Good suggestions for what to see, where to eat, what caches to hit would be welcome.

Thanks!!

-Joel

January 15, 2003

OK YA'LL, We planted a couple of caches up in the Red Hills area. For those of you that havent been up there yet there's 6 caches that's fairly close together. If you dont have a high clearance vehicle you will have to do a little walking or biking to a couple of them.

I just started a new buisness, It's called MIKE'S 4 WHEEL DRIVE TOUR.

$25.00 for The Red Hills tour.

Mike

If it's got wing's, I can fly it!!

2.6k · January 15, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by TeamJiffy:
Hi -

+ Los Banos

+ Gustine

+ Newman

+ Crow's Landing

+ Patterson

+ Westley/Grayson (Grayson's a bit off CA33, but not too far

Good suggestions for what to see, where to eat, what caches to hit would be welcome.

Thanks!!

-Joel

If you head up 33 you can spend the day and get quite a few. Although there are NO caches in Los Banos there are a few in and around San Luis Res, 2 in Santa Nella (1 may be missing), 1 in gustine, and 4 just east of gustine in the wetlands, 3 just outside of newman, and a handful in and around Patterson.

Fear Factor seems to provide a different sort of challange

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=38251

Plus, if you're into the puzzle caches, an easy puzzle is Test of Genius, but you need to work it out before you head out there.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=38255

Since I live in Patterson, there a few around here,

Egret

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=21863

And for a different type of cache entirely

Fossile Find

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=27537

If you can find time to drive up Del Puerto Canyon, there are a handful up there.

You'll notice that all caches listed are mine.

george

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

1.2k · January 15, 2003

Found Some Caches AND played golf too!

The sun was out in Stockton from about 1 to 5 and the only thing that would have made it a better day was a better performance on the links.

Ron

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

January 15, 2003

I guess $25.00 wouldn't be bad if it includes use of the jeep. But, would gas be extra or included in that figure? What about the snacks?

If a little Brute Force doesn't work, try using a lot!

1.2k · January 15, 2003

...do I get a discount if I bring a movie ?

Ron

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

1.1k · January 15, 2003

You guys could combine this with some of the stuff going on in the Sacramento cache world, and you could have NUDE Jeep tours!! WOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

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!

Central Valley Cachers

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