[The Lil Otter]

Mr. WISearcher…

I’d be willing as long as you don’t allow Mrs. WISearchers to drink before hand (grins)

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

If you were thinking of Walking in Circles, Seeing Red (which was located North of Madison) I archived it because of a hunter removing/moving my reflectors (pouts) There are the Glow In The Dark caches near Milwaukee..

Hope this helps..
~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

What a great question, Wooden_Nickel

I was just over at my geocaching website thinking of updating my finds for 2005’s campout (back in May) and realized that as I scanned over each of my caches that I could relive so many. Geocaching gave me and my imagination a chance to explore and and see so many amazing spots.

I believe that my highest finds in one day just bumped 50.. grouped with BruceS (he was the top male soloist when I was the top female soloist) and we were at a Chicago event so decided to team up for a few days. At the time I met him, he seems very focused on the total counts he gained each day.. it confused me why he’d put a daily “find goal” on himself. We had the same “HIKING” style so no one lagged behind.. but I felt awkward on any delays/detours.. so after the two days I finally called it quits and told him I needed to get out of the city and find “trails” etc again. He mistook my “get me the H***” out of here” and actually drove his auto from downtown Chicago (as I followed in mine) to Wisconsin’s stateline wayside…(giggles) I’ve always lived by my motto of when it stops being fun.. Stop.. take a break.. yet it was the first time that he/I both realized that caching styles can ruin another’s enjoyment/journey..

Being a soloist.. I can take as long as I wish at any cache site… and it’s always been the LOCATION that draws me there and lingers in my memories. I’ve seen so many creative hiding styles but they are wasted if there’s nothing there besides the “hide”.. You have to remember.. that when I was in FULL STRIDE in this sport.. that caches were far and few between.. that those that chose to hide a container.. actually wanted to show off a special spot.. so it’s easy to REMEMBER most caches that I went to… I might not remember the name of the cache.. but after a few minutes of chatting I can put myself back at that spot and remember the Location or the reason behind the hide there.

I’m hiking alot lately seeking out Indian Mounds and Indian trail marker trees.. in a few natural areas.. knowing full well that a cache can’t be placed there.. but yet totally enjoying the “feel” of how geocaching used to be.. the discovery.. I’m frustrated as heck about Cranberry Creek Natural area but will be teaming up with another geocacher (Cachew) to scout out more of the area to finally locate these mounds. It seems that the 3+hrs I spent combing the 675 acres I slipped between the two main mound groups.. (giggles) Perhaps if we have time.. we’ll take in the few caches in the Juneau county area that we yet both can find.

JThorson also peaked my interest in telling me of another geocache called ” Nitschke Mounds by circuitprotector ” GCPM7C where there were so MANY mounds in a natural setting.. YET ALL the recent logs done seem to only be in a rush to log and not share how amazing this site is historically. I am one of ONLY two watching that cache.. what a shame..

But perhaps this is what geocaching has become.. numbers.. but let’s hope that those that are on other missions.. still get to experience AMAZING or fun spots that stay with them.

I have been back to caches such as Lone Rock Cache(5 times so far) Breakneck Cache (4 times so far)and Can you Par Frey’s Glen? cache (3 times so far) etc because they are meant to be shared.. but they are logged so far and few between because of the easy caching clusters that draw so many to other areas..

As far as answering your question..
YES I remember my 83rd..

83 GC362D 7/10/02 Mr. Elver’s Cache – WI (took me 6 hrs)

227th..
227 GC6B6D 8/6/02 The Shocking Truth About Henry – WI
I can remember every moment of that adventure

and my 543rd..
543 GC9178 11/11/02 Glow In The Dark – WI
With only 40 some caches left in WI for me to find I headed out of state and I ended a 10 day – 6 State (100 caches found) trip at this cache with meeting up with my geobuddy JThorson before driving 3hrs back home.

WHO wouldn’t remember THOSE special caches..
I think the only time my “found” caches get a bit mirky is at temp event caches.. because I was always teaming up with fun groups and not making the “find” the top priority.

I have been asked a few times if I gave up caching because my NUMBERS don’t raise.. NOT AT ALL.. I just do it a bit different now.

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

Shrek & Fiona are my “geokids”.. I got them started so I watch those two like a hawk.. all I can vision of them is what I first saw.. a cute couple so excited about this sport that they followed me on their motorcycle to find another cache..

I found them at the ‘Tunnels’ and explained why I was darting about like a crazed otter and they fell in love with the sport within moments.. I’m so glad that they yet love the sport as much as I do.

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

quote:

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Originally posted by IceCreamMan:
I’ve been reading your forums as I have a trip to Wisconsin coming up in July. I happened to catch this reference to Lil Otter’s post on her Florida trip. Her comments caused an understandable stir in Jacksonville and I wanted to jump in to defend the quality of our caches because I believe that her comments were unfair and inacurate.

I met Lil Otter (a wonderful lady from my own home town whom I enjoyed finally meeting) at the CITO event she attened in Jacksonville and discussed with her the methodology she used on her trip. She had pulled pocket queries from the downtown areas of the cities she visited. Surprise surprise. Urban areas contain lots of urban micros, few hikes and little terrain above a 2.

A little time spent on planning and selection would have yielded multitudes of caches that were right up her alley. Whatever direction her alley might take.

To get an accurate flavor of the quality of the caches in the Jacksonville area and level at which they are maintained, I suggest reading the logs from Geowoodstock 3 as well as several of the lead up articles from Today’s Cacher. While we certainly have urban micros that some might consider lame (but that others consider a fun diversion), we have a high quantity and a wide variety of quality caches for all kinds of cachers. The descrptions and ratings are as accurate as any area I’ve cached in and the level of cache maintenence is head and shoulders above. Not only that, you’ll find that the locals are a warm and welcoming bunch.

---

A copy of my last post in that Geocaching forum follows below.. just to correct the fact that it is yet thought that I only downloaded urban…
also remember that in that gpx at the time I only had 7 UNFOUND caches in that 35mile Jackosnville area since my last visit.

My words stand.. as should have yours stood in your original postings on that forum.. Grousetales is perhaps concerned with how many parking lot/mall/traffic light/guardrail/business/mailbox etc type hides are filtering into our state and only used my words on the geocaching.com forum to bring to light how others coming to visit Wisconsin could be overwhelmed with driveup hides without any view/history/reason etc except for the hide/count.

So what does it matter that I had done almost all of Jacksonville’s caches… except for my own insight of how drastically the hide ‘area’ has changed in just one year’s time. Perhaps a newcomer into the area would have the balance you speak of when you stated “A little time spent on planning and selection would have yielded multitudes of caches that were right up her alley. Whatever direction her alley might take.” If they would have had the MIX of the OLDER caches involved in their gpx.. 500+ new caches placed in a 35 mile range is extreme within a years time.. but perhaps not if the norm is just parking lot drive ups or hides geared towards numbers and not memories to make.

If you would check out and download all the caches I did on that last trip in FL.. you’ll notice that I did not just HEAD to cities but traveled around.. now able to do multis as well as any terrain below 5..

Please tell me if you are again to personally attack me/or Wisconsin.. if so.. please take this BACK to the original forum on Geocaching.com and not cause troubles here on the WGA boards.. I had respected the rights of the FL board forum site and stayed quiet on them.. please do the same here if you’ve come to cause strife.

(quote)
Last posting on that forum in Geocaching.com
The Lil Otter
Charter Member

Posts: 18
Joined: 28-May 02

Understood.. that’s why I have not closed this forum.. because I already knew I’d have some PERSONALLY attacking me.. misundering me.. twisting my words around as well and trying to find someway to get back at me.. but trust me.. it’s hard to read some of this without wishing to REPEAT and CONSTANTLY explain my personal thoughts and words.. It’s really odd how my words at the CITO have been twisted.. not just once but several times.. even my own state attacked when it wasn’t good enough to just do a personal attack on me.

With that said.. I’ll prove how hard it is to actually sort and figure out what is not just a drive up mall/parking lot/diner/business/guardrail etc type that offers nothing but the search..

My Jacksonville .gpx 35miles area that I received before my trip now to weed out the ones I need to study/read – (35 miles south brings in a bit of St Augustine’s caches.. heading north GA’s caches..)

500 locationless already removed prior to receiving .gpx
Remove these:
486 14 sent already archived/disabled
485 1 knock down terrain from 5 to 4.5 (brought no special gear)
485 0 remove event caches (can’t hunt them until that day/time)
485 0 remove CITO cache in trash out events (can’t hunt them until that day)
478 7 virtuals (almost always historical/special interests)
476 2 webcams
470 6 Mystery type caches
468 2 Letterbox (almost always placed in parks/trails)
449 19 Multi’s (usually in parks)

now just dealing with these remaining caches.. let’ refine our list of those to study by:

448 0 drop Terrain rating to below 4.5
448 1 drop Terrain rating to below 4
446 2 drop Terrain rating to below 3.5
439 7 drop Terrain rating to below 3
427 12 drop Terrain rating to below 2.5

still further refining of searchs:

420 7 placed prior to my 1st trip last year that I did not find or didn’t yet do
418 2 LARGE containers (these are usually in parks/trails/woodland)
308 110 REGULAR containers (though this area now hides them in micro settings)
299 9 drop Terrain rating to below 2
269 30 drop Terrain rating to below 1.5

254 15 remove UNKNOWN size caches

252 2 Using Gsak do a search on “Histor”
249 3 Georgia caches with the 35 mile radius

249 rated 1 Terrain Micros to wade through now to find if there are any historical/special interest or reason besides the hide to sort through..

~The Lil Otter

(corrected the terrain 5 rated cache removed.. typo of 0 changed to 1)

(end quote on forums)

[The Lil Otter]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bnb:

Originally posted by rpaske:
Remember those good ole days?

---

Some of us are still in those old days. My connection at home varies between 19 to 44K. If I want to download something I have to keep reconnecting until I get something “decent” in the 40K range. I hate high-bandwidth required websites.

I’m still in the Good Ol’ Days too… 42k is a good way for me to realize to SLOW DOWN (grins).. so I save my 100’s of emails etc for over my morning coffee.. downloads?? (it takes me hours to download pictures that others send me.. but I love it!!)

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

Awwww.. I would have LOVED sending your group off.. but I’m sorry I was so busy this last weekend.. my home project (almost two long years in the making) is ALMOST done.. I’ve just finished planting over 300 perennials/shrubs and the last touches on the 900sq ft of decking I created… sore as heck but would have loved sharing another memory moment at my Gauntlet with your group…

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

I had a blast sending you guys off on your adventure… what great memories.. My bf Bill is a Eagle Scout and was prepared to assist if needed… we were lazy so we enjoyed the company of JThorson and Cachew/Wicket..and checked up on you guys via radio.. but it was so broken up that I only heard a few scrambled voices.. we would have tagged along but the weather was nasty (grins).. who’d have thought that May would bring snow our way..

Thank you again for such a great Memory..

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

Be sure to load up your gps with other caches around the area.. with so many coming it might cut the ‘find’ time down a bit.. and our days are now longer (goodie)

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

I would be honored with meeting up with any groups taking on the Gauntlet.. so.. see you guys on May 1st.. Also.. there’s a Country Kitchen right on hwy 12/hwy 13 corner that would make a great meeting up spot.

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

I had hoped that Bobcat98 would have had his candidate posting problem solved by now.. I was of little helps to him and pointed him in the right direction.

For those that don’t know Bobcat98 well.. there was an Article interview on him in March 2004.. http://wi-geocaching.com/archives/mar2004.html

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

I use my notebook as my geocaching autography memory book .. here’s my favorite.. (you have to scroll down to April 25, 2004 to find the start of my logs there and the notes made between the cache owner and I last til July 19th)
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=0faa56ae-3d7b -4c4c-83d0-06aea0b8923e&log=y&decrypt=

~The Lil Otter

[This message has been edited by The Lil Otter (edited 01-07-2005).]

[The Lil Otter]

I’ve seen a bear or two while geocaching ‘upnorth’.. and around the Armstrong Creek (NE’ern WI) area.. driving on a logging road.. I saw a black puma.. thought it was a bear til it lept into the bush and I saw a long…balancing tail

What a thrill.. so I stopped in to the first ‘local’ joint I could find and asked them about such sitings.. very rare but a few other locals were lucky enough to see it too.

Now.. to see an eagle in flight just takes my breath away..

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

Wow.. I loved that cache.. almost stepped on a baby fawn lying on a small bog/grass patch.. hope you don’t think you can take a straight line hike to the cache (grins)

~The Lil Otter

[The Lil Otter]

WOW! What a great picture!

Congrats!!!!

~The Lil Otter

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