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I pretty much agree with the consensus. I like to play with mine and it’s neat to come back to a spot and show within two feet of it every time. (Garmin V had a software update that improved WAAS) But, that is assuming that you are pretty well in the open. I’ll use WAAS when I hide a cache and leave it average for as long as I can tolerate, but for hunting, I disable it.
Steve Bukosky
WaukeshaA quick look at the site gives me the impression that it just displays the track log on a map. Mapsource and USAPhotomaps does that too. Let me know if I’m missing other features.
Just to show that you can’t take anything for granted, I just came from two advertised family friendly caches. Short walks and playground gear nearby. I had my grandson, Joshua with me and was saving these for him. While just a few feet off a bark trail, I spotted a short 2X4 with long nails pounded through them! It was nails down, fortunately, but I recognized it for what it was and ”trashed it out”. Just got in from the garage from pounding them over and tossing it in the trash.
The good news is that this is only the second time in over 400 caches that I’ve found this. The first time was at ”Country in the City” where someone was trying to flatten ATV tires.
Steve Bukosky
WaukeshaJudging that you are in the Waukesha area, here are some easier ones that I’d recommend. Fox River Lair, GC2634. Beam me up Scotty, GC2D74. Birthday Cache, GC28A2. Glacier Cone Workout, GCE6C6. LPS14, GC3BC0.
Try these. The GC*** stuff are the waypoint numbers if you do a search on geocaching.com for them.
If you have a calculator, this is a good one, BADGER VOR. You have to drive from a spot in Hartland to a park in Pewaukee but once you have the coordinates figured out, the hike and other waypoints are easy. Also in the same area and pretty easy are ”Toy Box” and ”Chief O’Brien, Energize, Part 2”
It takes a while to get a feel for where things are hidden. There comes a time when you get into the area and know what is a likely spot.
2200 Mah is pretty good. I didn’t know they were up to that level. Most of us have been using NiMh batteries for a few years. I’ve bought mine from Walmart and have them in all my power hungry devices. The Ray-O-Vac’s I’ve got in my Garmin must have been recharged about 1,000 times by now and still are going strong. What a savings!
Steve Bukosky
WaukeshaGeocaching in itself is not necessarily kid friendly though many caches are aimed to be that and several of us have tried to put such intentions in the description or by using special icons or graphics, such as what Should Have Bought The Tie has been doing. But even with that, anytime there is not an obvious path or trail that is maintained by some entity, unknown hazards must be expected. When bushwhacking is necessary, the cacheowner cannot know every direction a hunter might enter or the hazards that must be watched for. I’ve come across my share of barb wired scratches and other trips and slips. Just got a bit of a poison ivy rash last Sunday for the first time in years. Ruined a $400+ leather motorcycle coat from thorns. My point is to expect unknown hazards and if intending to take younger children on a hunt, search the descriptions and ALL the logs for comments showing that you might want to pass this one up. Also avoid new caches until a few logs are posted to reflect the general conditons. Most important, don’t give up! The hobby is still relatively new and evolving. I also suggest that you post your comments on the geocaching.com bulletin board under geocaching.com discussion. The more comments they have about kid friendly caches, the more likely they are to put something in the cache page that can be used to show good or bad caches for the young ones.
Steve Bukosky
WaukeshaWhich of the continental US states is furthest north?
Here’s another one. How many state capitals are WEST of the pacific coast city of Los Angeles California?
Hey Hotdogs! Thanks!!!
I’ll be donating a few useful items along with my Magellan cap I won at the treasure hunt in Illinois, assuming it arrives in time for the picnic.
Steve Bukosky
WaukeshaI was in the area today for work. Since I had the correct coordinates in the Garmin (cough cough)I decided to check it out. Still some hat coupons left. I took one and will fill out the questionaire. I hope that this helps Magellan evolve a GPS that will rival my Garmin V. If they make one with the V’s features but add some memory, I’d buy it.
Anyway, when I get the hat, I’ll probably put it in a container, hide it and put the coordinates on here so some Magellan owner can snatch the hat. What am I thinking??? It goes to the picnic as a door prize!
Steve Bukosky
WaukeshaKeep it going! Only reason that I can think of is that it is in a Waukesha county park where you have to pay to enter. Maybe check the cache logs at Nagawaukee and Menomonee parks. You might find that those have been seldom visited too. That would validate the fee being the discouragement.
I’ve noticed that my Rebecca’s cache has not been searched for even though I simplified it to a conventional cache. It’s members only but I did that because it is a sensitive area and I only want serious geocacher’s to hunt it.]
I figure, keep it and they will come.
I went here after the Chicagoland picnic. I think its a great idea. Now before anyone thinks that I’m inconsistant, this event is not a geocaching.com listed cache. If you want information about it, you have to go to Magellan’s website and register. Participants obviously are not interested in statistics of number of finds but instead in the adventure or prizes. I went for the adventure, knowing that the prizes have been dwindled down to maybe a few hat coupons remaining. While I did not find it due to a technical goof on my part, I’m looking forward to seeing one listed in Wisconsin soon.
This and other GPS adventure offshoots will no doubt rub with geocaching.com philosophy. It may also affect WGA work if something goes wrong and it is lumped with geocaching.com and it’s affiliates. However, Magellan appears to be paying geocaching.com something to advertise on it so I have to think that ”our” rules will be held to. Until something changes, I think it is a good series of events.
Steve Bukosky
WaukeshaIf you haven’t been checking the hides out, one was just found on the south side of Chicago. Some hints were given over the last few days and the coordinates were posted about evening rush hour time. Here’s hoping one for Wisconsin will be soon to come. I’ve got lots of vacation days left!
Originally posted by Trudy & the beast:
The bathtub is empty Steve, there is no bar of soap there.
Now that I think about it, that would be the case, wouldn’t it? I concur about the Grape Tangle. I kind of circled in on that one, first passing by the correct northern entrance then going east of it and then entering from the south. Much crawling and such was necessary and then the cache was pretty easily seen. Once the cachework was tended to, I looked at my breadcrumbs and saw that I had passed rather close to here from the north and thus found the easier way that I should have taken in. I seem to remember some kind of small pool like a sunken bathtub very near by. I hope this isn’t too much of a spoiler
[This message has been edited by sbukosky (edited 07-06-2003).]
Yes, I have. I like to use the analogy of not being able to find a bar of soap in an empty bathtub. Sometimes I hope that the cache or waypoint is indeed missing, but usually someone logs a find shortly after. Sometimes I blame my DNF on having my dog along and not being able to concentrate on the search. Other times I just don’t care to look all that hard because the trip there was enough reward.
I had one a couple weeks ago. I went to the cache and used the clue. I found the spot that just had to be where the cache was, but nothing. Later on, I read someone found it out in the open a ways away from the intended spot. I wonder why I didn’t find it? Oh well, I figure finding it or not finding it or running up my totals doesn’t put a dollar in the bank. I’ll just keep a watch on my DNF’s and come back when the time is right.
One thing I am curious about. Were there hints or not? Good ones or too general to help?
Steve Bukosky
Waukesha -
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