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Expanding the game


Guest Peter Scholtz

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Guest Peter Scholtz

It's great to see so many new caches. Finally I can go caching every weekend.

 

Can I suggest that there is enough caches in the South Peninsula for the time being and that you guys should try hiding in the rest of the Western Cape ...

 

See http://www.brillig.com/geocaching/western_cape.shtml

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

 

[This message has been edited by Peter Scholtz (edited 22 February 2002).]

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Guest Peter Scholtz

From the Arrowhead Rocking Rock cache (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=14533):

 

Cache Details:

 

CONTENTS

This cache contains South Africa?s first Geocaching Library Book ?Bring Me The Head of Willy the Mailboy? kindly donated in the first place by Peter Scholtz (Computer Cache 1 #GC11C6 - 21 July 2001) (I admit, I sat on it a long time but it required some serious reading and concentration. First I had to find out how to pass the ?Challenge of Death? before I could be placed on the Boss?s calendar. Next, I had to find how to extricate myself from an empty mayonnaise jar. Now, I can happily pass it on!)

 

Cache Log, my comments:

 

Some of us enjoy caching for the hike and the find, others also enjoy the `treasure hunting` aspect of it.

 

Raymonds remark that the book is now a libary book made me think that we need more items of value circulating among the caches for those that enjoy the `treasure`. So to start that off I've added the following items to this cache today:

 

1. Always postpone meetings with time wasting morons - A Dilbert book by Scott Adams.

2. Ground Control by Sierra (2001 PC Game). See the Sierra web site (http://groundcontrol.sierra.com). Serial Number is GYB6-NAJ8-NEB2-JUW6-8365. Original packaging material included. Sorry the manual is lost somewhere in my house but it has a tutorial/trainer.

3. Swartberg Pass - A Masterpiece of a brilliant engineer by Helena Marincowitz. (Useful for the Swartberg Pass cache (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5718).

4. Gamkaskloof - A Unique valley in the Swartberg mountains by Helena Marincowitz. (Useful for the Swartberg Pass cache (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5718).

5. Hand shaped water pistol.

6. Silvermine Tales 2 laminated map, cache details printed for Silvermine Tales 1 and Muizenberg.

 

Please take a book or the game and return to another cache later on.

 

I challenge other cachers to add items of value to caches. A library system of sorts ...

 

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Guest Peter Scholtz

Does any know where we can get printing done dirt cheap? I need to do a run of the Geocaching booklet for distribution to outdoor shops.

 

It's two A4 pages printed both sides, folded and stapled into an A5 booklet.

 

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Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Guest Raymond E

Perils of Proliferation! Overkill! A timely warning. Yes, I am inclined to agree about the number of caches in this part of the world. But, Please please! I have already hidden three more caches in this area where they are waiting to be logged - probably in the next week or two. Please dont make me remove them. I promise they are really worthwhile. I had already intended to make these the last in this region. Then, finito!

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Guest Peter Scholtz

quote:
Originally posted by Raymond E:

But, Please please! I have already hidden three more caches in this area where they are waiting to be logged - probably in the next week or two. Please dont make me remove them.


 

Geez Raymond, I'm not a jailer. Hide where ever you like, I'm just hinting to you guys that there are lots of other interesting spots too ...

 

------------------

Peter Scholtz

www.biometrics.co.za

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Well, I'm sure that since the last log was posted, that the caches have expanded greatly. Looking at a cache map, you will see that the Western Cape and Gauteng have the highest number of caches, while Northern Cape, EC and KZN are lagging behind.

We're from PE and are making an effort to get more caches in the EC, and believe that the only way to grow the participating numbers, will be to make it more accessible. PE has about 5 active geocachers to date and I am sure that it will grow exponentially from here. What I'd like to see though, is that we (SA) pass our tri-nations competitors in the total "number of caches" stakes. Ambitious I know, since we lag far behing Australia and NZ, but it can be done!

Now go forth and geocache!

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icon_smile.gif Hi, Tony here in New Zealand, I hope to be able to place a cache with a travel bug in Natal, very near St. Lucia while we are visiting my fiancee's parents in September. If I arrange for my future father in law to "maintain" the cache can you see any other problems in getting it listed?

 

I'm using camo painted plastic 1 to 1.5 litre containers here - is that Ok or is it best to use clear containers?

 

I noticed there were very few caches anywhere near that area. We will also be visiting Anita's family at Hartebeespoort Dam,Dundee & Pietermaritzburg. Advice on any easy-to-access caches in these areas would be welcome.

 

This will be my first trip outside of NZ so there's lots to see and learn!

 

A look at cache numbers per 1 million people is interesting. It's really taken off here lately with a good number of new caches every weekend - not that there are heaps of people doing it but just that those who are seem to be enthusiastic.

 

Cache / 1M people

Aust 78.2

NZ 107.0

SA 3.8

USA 161.1

 

Cheerio for now - Tony

 

[This message was edited by kiwitonita on August 01, 2003 at 02:59 AM.]

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Hey Tony,

 

I'm sure the camo containers will be good here. There isn't really a standard in South Africa, but opaque tupperware-type containers are very popular, as are 2 litre ice cream containers (white, or painted).

 

The modus operandi here is more along the lines of hiding a container in a very traditional way: under some rocks, in a crevasse, on a ledge. Usually, the caches are in pretty places, close to a path to avoid bashing through thickets and damaging the area.

 

I have not yet seen a cache in the open, but cleverly disguised; the Americans seem to do that quite often. Some of their caches look like a rock, or have bark glued to them, and are left out in plain sight (according to the posts on the forums). Urban caches (micro or otherwise) are also not yet popular here; not sure why not, though.

 

There are a few caches near the Hartebeespoort Dam. Most of our caches are not difficult to find, but may have a medium to high terrain rating because they involve a bit of a walk.

 

I like your stats on the cache to population density; very interesting indeed to see how high NZ rates. Geocaching is still a growing sport here, probably slowed by the cost of GPS receivers. But it's encouraging to see new players appear all the time.

 

Enjoy hiding your cache when you get to South Africa, and have fun finding some of our caches.

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icon_smile.gif Thanks for the friendly reply, yes, I'll definitley try Dassie Caves and maybe 1 or 2 others. I have another travel bug to drop off too - it originated in California.

 

I had a look at retail prices of the Garmin 12 GPS and saw they were about the same as retail here in new Zealand - in other words, far too dear. I bought mine through ebay and have continued buying them in for others. If anyone is interested in one I could bring it across - it'd be R1300. Also have a few quality aftermarket cables for the 12/12XL and Etrex range. They're about R170.

 

Thanks for your help - we'll be arriving next Thursday - it'll be a change from the 50mm of snow which fell, unforecasted, last night!

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