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'tis not! For me the hints are an important and fun part of caching so for gosh sakes next time glue them to the back of your GPS so you don't leave them at home.

 

Now Lodi is Geocaching Hell. They favor 'Needle in Haystack' type caches with 'No Clues Needed' or 'E-mail me if you get stuck' notations. Sure, I am going to drive 100 miles back just to paw through a mountain of dense vegatation looking for a heavily camoflaged hollowed out asperin tablet.

 

I feel better already. Maybe I should write a song about getting stuck in Lodi.

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Hey Fizzy and Pepper,

 

Why would you hide such a nasty cache like that in our friendly little valley. icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

 

I think you two should have a time out for not playing well with others (lol).

 

Well, the valley cachers came out in force to meet your challenge and we are pleased to say that we met your challenge and found your cache. icon_biggrin.gif The glory of this find goes to Luv Ozzy (FTF).

 

Thanks for the fun!

 

Mary

 

39570_500.jpg

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

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We just hid a new cache in our neighborhood that is a bit different. In a conversation with Marty Fouts at the last picnic, he told us how you can just go to photo processing places and ask for empty film canisters and they will just give them to you. So, when we were at Costco I asked and they gave me a grocery bag full of them! 200 of them, to be exact. Yesterday, Joani spent the day printing stashnote/log sheets for 50 of them on rite in rain paper. She put geocaching.com labeling on the outside of them. Then she put them in a big plastic jar that used to hold a bunch of biscotti. We hid it in a nearby park last night. This is a take only cache. You just take a cache or two if you want to hide them. So far, from my count, 10 have been taken already. I noticed that one has already been placed! Looks like other cachers like this concept. icon_wink.gif

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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quote:
Originally posted by Marky:

We just hid a http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=43993 in our neighborhood that is a bit different. In a conversation with Marty Fouts at the last picnic, he told us how you can just go to photo processing places and ask for empty film canisters and they will just give them to you. So, when we were at Costco I asked and they gave me a grocery bag full of them! 200 of them, to be exact. Yesterday, Joani spent the day printing stashnote/log sheets for 50 of them on rite in rain paper. She put geocaching.com labeling on the outside of them. Then she put them in a big plastic jar that used to hold a bunch of biscotti. We hid it in a nearby park last night. This is a take only cache. You just take a cache or two if you want to hide them. So far, from my count, 10 have been taken already. I noticed that http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=44034! Looks like other cachers like this concept. icon_wink.gif

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"


 

We had to get 30 film cannisters a couple years ago for a grade school demonstration. Only we had to get the white kind that had a lid that didn't hang over the tube. We hit up all our friends and came up with a hand full. We decided to try to buy some. It was a plesent surprise to find out that any film place will just give them to you. All you want.

 

So microcachers, let be known that film cannisters are free. Go forth and hide!

 

george

 

39570_500.jpg

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

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But geocaching is still fun, even if I only get to go once a week, for a couple of hours. So, since I don't get to read the forums much these days, let me cache up on various things:

 

1) I got to introduce a family to geocaching today. Guy sent me email a couple of weeks ago and asked if I'd take his sister and her kids out, so my wife and I did today. We definitely hooked the adults, icon_biggrin.gif but the kids are going to take a bit more persuading. icon_frown.gif

 

2) I like Markey's microcache cache idea. Wish I'd been clever enough to put together how easy it is to get 35mm cans with that idea myself. Very nice.

 

3) I got 291 today. Planning to get to #300 by the end of the year, even if I do only get to cache for 3 hours a week now. icon_wink.gif

 

But I need help. I wanna do something special for #300. any suggestions?

 

Marty Fouts

ae6ip

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quote:
Originally posted by Marty Fouts:

3) I got 291 today. Planning to get to #300 by the end of the year, even if I do only get to cache for 3 hours a week now. icon_wink.gif

 

But I need help. I wanna do something special for #300. any suggestions?


Joani and I got to 291 today as well. It would be cool for both of us to do 300 at the same time, but there's no way I could convince Joani to slow down.

 

quote:
Originally posted by C&MMorris

Come to our CVC Christmas party on December 19th! We can celebrate your 300th


It's so hard for me to get over there on a weekday evening. I work in Pleasanton, then have to commute home. You can just imagine what it would be like having to drive from San Jose to the party during commute hours. Maybe I will take the day off and Joani and I can cache in the area. So, what are the details on the party? icon_biggrin.gif

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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A coworker of mine spent the weekend racing at Sears Point race track (now called Infineon Raceway). During one of his runs, he saw smoke ahead on the track. He slowed as a car rolled down the left embankment. The red flag came out, of course. Shortly afterwards CHP responded! Why? Well, the car was a rental car equiped with a GPS and the GPS system alerted CHP that the car was upside down! I hope the driver paid for the optional insurance (is there a no racing clause, I wonder).

 

P.S. Driver and passenger were unharmed.

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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My last one for a while. Next two Mondays I am finishing off my scuba certification before I go to the Carribean. Today Pepper, George, and I went to Berkeley, where we met with a nice grad student from Finland who is studying the geocaching online community. He did a couple of caches with us, then asked a bunch of questions.

 

We did a couple of caches that had been on my list for a long time: Sniff/Safe Deposit and Hole In The Air. Both were very cool. It was a gorgeous day and we had a lot of fun!

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quote:
Originally posted by Marky:

Joani and I got to 291 today as well. It would be cool for both of us to do 300 at the same time, but there's no way I could convince Joani to slow down.


 

Looks as if you two will pass me by Wednesday if not today.

 

Well, the Breaking Away cache now appears to be listed on the site, even though it's now in an archived state. Earlier today, they prefixed the cache name with "HOLD: NC ". There's some speculation that NC might stand for ncflyers, the same guy who blocked fouts's Levin cache from being listed. This evening, it seems that Tim & Jane approved the cache, then decided it was a mistake and archived it.

 

--

I'm off in my own little world. That's okay, people know me here.

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quote:
Originally posted by kablooey:

Well, the Breaking Away cache now appears to be listed on the site, even though it's now in an archived state.


It looks active now. I know just where it is and how to get to it. You FTFers have until this afternoon to find it. icon_wink.gif If we can do that one and the new one in Santa Theresa then we'll be tied with you (assuming you don't do any today icon_razz.gif).

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

 

[This message was edited by Marky on November 26, 2002 at 09:38 AM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by Marky:
Originally posted by kablooey:

Well, the http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=44315 cache now appears to be listed on the site, even though it's now in an archived state.


It looks active now. I know just where it is and how to get to it. You FTFers have until this afternoon to find it. icon_wink.gif

 

Well, you probably realize this now that you've been to the cache, but the cache has already been found once in June.

 

--

I'm off in my own little world. That's okay, people know me here.

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quote:
Originally posted by kablooey:

Well, you probably realize this now that you've been to the cache, but the cache has already been found once in June.


Yup, I noticed that. Joani and I had a great time finding this cache in the dark. It's interesting terrain to wander along with just a flashlight. Mine was just a 50 cent penlight and Joani's was a three LED flashlight. Neither of them throws that much light. We made it to the cache site and back with no mishaps. For anyone else that enjoys a night cache, this one is great. Relatively easy to find at night. I found it with my dinky penlight. It's interesting that this cache was found about a week before we first started geocaching (we bought our first GPS on the 4th of July of this year).

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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another new cache. Wishing ya'll a Happy Thanksgiving and to work off all of those T-day calories, we placed our first micro cache today. Not sure when it will post but it's called "Tao House Overlook" (GCAE27). Hope you enjoy it! Also, since we will be out of town until Saturday evening, any hints that may be needed will have to wait until we return. Happy trails!

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Joani and I hit 300 this morning and then spend the rest of the daylight hours blowing right past it. It was a wonderful day to be up in the hills!

 

(We also planted a Micro in Pleasanton while we were there for a history lesson [icon_wink.gif].)

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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to all you Bay Area Folks! Enjoy your friends, family and the food, and remember we are all blessed.

 

Marky and Joani congrats on hitting 300, soon you will be passing me and thats ok I enjoy following your caching days. Oh and thanks for the new cache I am gonna TRY to be FTF!

 

Pepper

 

Horizontals where it's at!

 

[This message was edited by SuperGenius on November 28, 2002 at 07:15 AM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by fizzymagic:

Here's an interesting exercise: find the exact location of the Tao House online. It's a lot harder than you might think -- the NPS is pretty cagey about the location. Probably for good reason, I suppose.


 

Yea, they don't have a whole lot online. Here's the official link Tao House.

 

BTW, the admin at Ground Speak did not approve this cache due to it being on NPS land. I emailed her to inform her that it is actually within Las Trampas Regional Wilderness.

 

-Mark.

 

Elvis is dead. Get over it.

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Congratulations. You've blown past me as well. Well done.

 

Marty (still at 292)

 

quote:
Originally posted by Marky:

Joani and I hit 300 this morning and then spend the rest of the daylight hours blowing right past it. It was a wonderful day to be up in the hills!

 

(We also planted a Micro in Pleasanton while we were there for a history lesson [icon_wink.gif].)

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"


 

Marty Fouts

ae6ip

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I can't recall having ever been to Ceres. This sounds like a good reason. Let me see if I can make it work out.

 

quote:
Originally posted by C&MMorris:

Come to our CVC Christmas party on December 19th! We can celebrate your 300th with party as your benchmark find! icon_biggrin.gifWe'll get a page put up tomorrow. It will be in Ceres-not to far off of 99. We'd love to meet y'all! icon_wink.gif Carolyn

 

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


 

Marty Fouts

ae6ip

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I'm like Marty - I've been too busy working to do much geocaching lately, and I don't read the board much, so I thought I'd ask two questions at once. Someone will know the answer to both questions.

 

1. I sent my check in for Charter Member two weeks ago and still haven't received the e-mail. I'd like to do Amazing Race. Can anyone tell me how long it takes for that to come through? icon_confused.gif

 

2. I'm ready to upgrade. My eTrex doesn't do well in the woods and ravines. I know this isn't the gear board, but you guys know the terrain around here. What model(s) do you recommend for my Christmas stocking? icon_razz.gif Any particular features to look for - or that aren't worth the trouble? icon_frown.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by The Rat:

2. I'm ready to upgrade. My eTrex doesn't do well in the woods and ravines. I know this isn't the gear board, but you guys know the terrain around here. What model(s) do you recommend for my Christmas stocking? icon_razz.gif Any particular features to look for - or that aren't worth the trouble? icon_frown.gif


I really like the meridian and sportrak series from Magellen. The Meridian series is great with the SD card for holding different maps, different sets of waypoints, giving the unit a welcome amount of flexibility. The Sportrak, especially the gift pack at Costco, is really one sweet little unit. It does pretty much everything the Meridian series does (except the electronic compass of the Platinum, which I found more annoying than useful and eventually turned it off! icon_mad.gif), is smaller and easier to hold. The costco gift pack has a few must haves:

Winshield mount with integrated 12v external power cord. This is just the best. You can pop the GPSr in, and it will be on external power. Pop it out and you are back on batteries, ready to go.

Clip on/clip off GPSr case. This is nice on hikes. The belt clip is sturdy, and the case clips on to it very solidly. When I know I have a ways to go, I clip my Sportrak only my belt and I don't have to carry it in my hand.

Mapsend USA Streets. I prefer the Mapsend Topo, since we do a lot of hiking in the parks, but the streets are nice as well. It includes some handy POIs like restaurants.

I have found that both the meridian and sportrak series have similar reception, and it is good. The gift set at Costco was $289 last time I checked. Quite the bargain, I would say. icon_smile.gif

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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WOW what an awesome cache, but then again we here in the Bay Area really wouldn't expect anything less from CHUGUY & CHUGAL! Yes I was FTF and I have bragging rights it took over an hour to find the cache. No way was I leaving without finding it, and the time spent was well worth the find.

 

Pepper

 

Horizontals where it's at!

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quote:
Originally posted by The Rat:

1. I sent my check in for Charter Member two weeks ago and still haven't received the e-mail. I'd like to do Amazing Race. Can anyone tell me how long it takes for that to come through? icon_confused.gif

 

2. I'm ready to upgrade. My eTrex doesn't do well in the woods and ravines. I know this isn't the gear board, but you guys know the terrain around here. What model(s) do you recommend for my Christmas stocking? icon_razz.gif Any particular features to look for - or that aren't worth the trouble? icon_frown.gif


 

I can't really help you on the first question because I used PayPal and they came through very quickly.

 

Which eTrex do you have? My Vista doesn't do very well either, but it's only been a problem on two caches -- and one of those is one which no GPS unit does well on. WHat I've noticed is that you sometimes have to trust your trail sense and believe that the hider had a pretty clear sky near where they hid the cache. This has worked for me on every cache so far, but the two I mentioned.

 

Marty Fouts

ae6ip

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Joani and I spent the day working off too much food eaten yesterday. We cleared all the remaining Pleasanton caches off our list (and even snuck in a FTF on Fizzy's new Quarter Pounder cache). It was an amazing late November day. No wonder they call it Pleasanton. We ended up hiking about 10 miles in the Pleasanton Ridge park (Just One Thing is quite aways from the Foothill Road trailhead). Tomorrow is looking pretty nice... I wonder what Livermore will be like...

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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quote:
Originally posted by The Rat:

1. I sent my check in for Charter Member two weeks ago and still haven't received the e-mail. I'd like to do Amazing Race.

 

2. I'm ready to upgrade. My eTrex doesn't do well in the woods and ravines. I know this isn't the gear board, but you guys know the terrain around here. What model(s) do you recommend for my Christmas stocking? icon_razz.gif Any particular features to look for - or that aren't worth the trouble? icon_frown.gif


 

I've seen mixed reviews on Amazing Race. Dunno whether it's worth the money.

 

Big 5 had a Magellan Meridian for $150 after rebate as one of their post-Thanksgiving early bird specials today. Magellans are alleged to do better with regard to satellite lock, though I'd expect the top-of-the-line models are pretty similar. I'm using a lower-end Magellan 330x which can give me a position inside the house. Fry's sells it (including map CD and cable) for $150, but obviously the Meridian would be a better deal if you can find somebody else selling one for the same price.

 

--

I'm off in my own little world. That's okay, people know me here.

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thanks to fizzymagic, I now know how to make big beautiful pictures.

 

So George never ever again can you pick on me about my photo size! Soon I will be hitting some of you caches and I will have my camera in hand. I will post bigger, more beautiful pics now. icon_biggrin.gif

 

Pepper

 

Horizontals where it's at!

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We started the day with two FTFs in San Jose, and then made our way over to Livermore. Man, you guys don't mess around! We started the day at Magic Trig's satellite #1. Ivy! icon_mad.gif Spent about 30 minutes searching and gave up. Oh well, there are 3 more satellites. Why not go over to this easy 2/1 nearby (Midweek). We arrive at the cache site and we see.. Ivy! icon_mad.gif Took us about 30 minutes to find. The scale in Livermore seems off by one. icon_wink.gif So, we're in the middle of 1 Multi... and then come up to the starting point for a couple of hotfoot's. Soon we are in the middle of 3. Joani is a little leary of my calculating skills at the first stage of Plumbers Other Helper. So she prays for help and guess who walks up. Hotfoot! He helped explain a few details on how lat/lon coords are laid out. This helps my calculations greatly. Then one of the satellites takes us by Coffee Central and we are now juggling 4 multis. Yikes! Joani is now getting hungry and wants Taco Bell but I don't know where one is. We pull up to First street and Joani spies someone crawling under a bench. Joani says "Geocacher?" and points to the guy. He gets up and its.. Fizzy! I quickly pull over and say hi, and he points me to the nearest Taco Bell. At the end of the day we found 7 in town and finished all but the final calculations on Magic Trig and Coffee Central. A great day and very cool to run into Fizzy and Hotfoot. We may be back tomorrow to do the two multis, and then head up towards the lake to do some of the park caches.

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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So I gave Marky and Joanie and idea, according to Marky.

 

So Marky and Joanie implemented the idea as a cache full of micro caches.

 

So now there are micro caches springing up all over San Jose because Tammi the Dog took some caches from Marky and Joanie's cache.

 

So I do a lot of hiking where there's no cell phone coverage, on account of geocaching.

 

So I read about ham radio and geocaching.

 

So I get my ham radio license. Which means I can volunteer to do ham things for people.

 

So today I'm providing ham support at the Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade.

 

So there's a thread about headband flashlights on the #geocache IRC channel.

 

So this new cache pops up near REI in Redwood city.

 

So I stop by REI to buy a headband flashlight so I can use it at the parade.

 

So I have an hour to kill before I have to go support the parade.

 

So I load cache info into my GPS.

 

So now I realize that I can go night caching and look for the microcaches that were placed by Tammi the Dog because of the cache that Marky and Joannie put a lot of microcaches in because Costco gave Marky a zillion 35mm cans after I mentioned to him that photo processors would do that and Joannie made up a bunch of microcaches that Tammi the Dog placed that I can look for in the dark because of the headlamp I bought so that I can use the ham radio that I got because of geocaching to support the festival of lights parade.

 

Confused?

 

You won't be, after the next episode of geoSoap

 

Marty Fouts

ae6ip

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rofl!

 

So I really need to get my backlight fixed on my GPS,

so I can cache at night,

so in order to do that (night caching) I need to buy a headlamp,

oh never mind.

Marty I am soooo ready to hear the rest of the story.

 

Today we had three guests in town for a FULL day of caching. Forman, Dgrano and KarenS from Petaluma so far as I can tell they hit 27 with no DNF's now that must be come kind of record.

Cache on guy/gals hope you had a good time.

 

Pepper

 

Horizontals where it's at!

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quote:
Originally posted by Marty Fouts:

So there's a thread about headband flashlights on the #geocache IRC channel.

 

So this new cache pops up near REI in Redwood city.

 

So I stop by REI to buy a headband flashlight so I can use it at the parade.


 

Okay, now Joani wants a headband flashlight too... sheesh. icon_wink.gif

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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Karin, Dgreno and I were in the Pleasanton area today, as you could tell we covered some ground there. 27 caches, I am tired.

Almost had to call Pepper a couple times.

Lots of great hiding spots. We had a good time over there. There is a lot of caches in Pleasanton. Like Arnold says "I'll be back"

 

Don

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Hotfoot, I was browsing through the contents SF Bay Area Picnic cache and I came across a note addressed to you from a park ranger. It sounded like the park ranger took Hedwig. Included with the handwritten note was the park ranger's card. I wonder if maybe he still has Hedwig. E-mail me if you want more details.

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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Oh. icon_frown.gif

 

Crap. icon_frown.gif

 

I've got a really serious problem. icon_frown.gificon_frown.gificon_frown.gif

 

After finding 5 and planting 1 in less than two hours. icon_frown.gif

 

I'm addicted to night caching. icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

 

Oh, and, by the way, Forget Petz. Black Diamond headlamps RULE. icon_wink.gif

 

Look for Clara and The King. Coming to a geocaching site near you. icon_cool.gif

 

Marty Fouts

ae6ip

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The Hedwig Saga-- After I got the TB Hedwig back from the no good DoctorPuzzleMakerI gave it to a park Ranger/Naturalist to take with him on a 'Night time Hoot Owl Hike' through Sycamore Grove Park. He did this and I placed Hedwig in the Picnic Cache along with the certificate and business card of the Ranger/Naturalist. After that I lost interest in Hedwig. So whoever took Hedwig from the Picnic Cache left some important items and has not logged in their activity. This bug has bugged me more than you will ever know. Working through the main office of LARPD was futile. Finding a Ranger/Naturalist with a sense of humor and weakness for doughnuts was more difficult but fruitful. I was out a lot of time and a dozen glazed and I had a lot trouble anthropomorphizing that little piece of sheet metal.

 

The Saga of GoldGarbage: While in the hands of Lamneth someone, apparently breached his flawless security and managed to kidnap this TB. Not so strangely GoldGarbage seems to have resurfaced and is passing through the shadowy hands of SF2062 and the phantom like 'Vanona'. The Central Travel Bug Agencies dossier on Vanona is empty save for one TB found entry and the bio is equal unrevealing. We suspect the kidnappers evaluated the Gold and found it mere plating and now are trying to reintroduce the TB with the least amount of fuss. Also it is very small and could be used as a lure for some of the more difficult caches. We will just wait and see.

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Where is that picture of Joanie taken?

 

Joanie looken good girl!

 

Must have's on my christmas list:

 

LED flashlight

Headlamp

Brand new Megallen Color

IPac PDA

Lots of Cables

New Hiking Shoes(the first pair are history)

the list could go and on on, but I think this will break the bank. icon_biggrin.gif

Oh well it's my dream and I can dream BIG!

Pepper

 

Horizontals where it's at!

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quote:
Originally posted by SuperGenius:

Where is that picture of Joanie taken?


I took that picture of Joani just before we arrived at Speckles in Pleasanton Ridge Park. We liked the cache a lot. icon_smile.gif It was an amazing day to be out caching. The last 5 days had the best weather for geocaching. Normally I would be getting depressed that it wasn't snowing this time of year. It's nice to have something fun to do on the days that the weather is good. icon_wink.gif

 

quote:
Originally posted by Marty Fouts

Oh, and, by the way, Forget Petz. Black Diamond headlamps RULE.


Now I know what to get Joani for Christmas. Of course, there's not freakin way she will wait that long to get one, so we will probably be hitting REI this afternoon... icon_wink.gif

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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