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BizB
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Geocaching
2006-01-25 |
Geocaching is my new no-wind hobby. If you're not familiar with geocaching, allow me to tell you a bit about it. Geocaching started about 4 years ago and has grown as GPS devices have become more and more affordable. Today, there are caches hidden all over the world. In short, geocaching is a treasure hunt. The object is to locate a small cache (treasure) hidden by another geocacher. Some of the caches are so small that they only contain a pad and pencil. When you visit a cache, you're supposed to log your geocache.com username and the date that you found the cache. Some caches are larger and offer the opportunity to trade little trinkets that you brought for a trinket that is already in the cache. You find a cache by selecting a cache from a list of nearby caches on geocaching.com and then you enter the longitude/latitude of that cache (provided on the site) into your GPS as a waypoint (kind of like a bookmark or virtual landmark). Then, you use your GPS's navigation function to point you to the cache.
There are many many side effects of geocaching that I didn't anticipate. They include... Having funExerciseSpending time with people that you likeFinding new places in your area that you wouldn't otherwise visitYet another web site to keep track of
Tal and I went out on Saturday and Sunday with no luck. On Saturday, We were looking for a cache that hadn't been found since September 18th. There is a good chance that it is no longer there. Of course, there is also a good chance that we just missed it. There is a knack to finding these things and the first one (that we actually found) took us quite a while. The second was easier as we were given a better hint about the location (in a hollow log.) We never did find the Sept 18th cache. Then, our second cache hunt involved a cache that had a math riddle that needed to be solved before you could get the real coordinates for the cache. I didn't read the whole site for that cache and we ended up going to an area that was outside of the bounds of the park. Later, we spent a great deal of time trying to figure out the location of that cache. PAIN IN THE ASS math problem. I'll include the problem at the bottom of this update in case any of you want to flex your brains.
The first cache we found was placed at the top of a hill in a state park. It was placed by a Boy scout troop. We hadn't originally set out to find this cache first. We were actually headed for another cache which we walked right past - though we were 500 feet below the cache walking along some railroad tracks. We kept walking along the tracks until we came to a hill which cut back into the woods. We followed that trail until I realized that we were actually close to the second cache that I had stored. I changed the navigation to seek out that cache and it pointed across a small stream. Of course... the wrong side of the water. This was the story of our first day out, too. Though, that river was considerably larger than this stream. We walked along the stream until we found a place where the rocks would permit us to cross. The GPS was pointing straight up a hill that had no direct path. Tal decided to follow the path around and I climbed straight up the hill. I beat her to the top, but it was a lot of work to get there... for both of us! It took a while to actually find the little tupperware box hidden under a log. I was getting pissed and I said, "This is really pissing me off!" Tal asked, "Why?" At that very moment, I saw the little box and I said, "Because it's right there!" We snapped some pictures of the box and then opened it up and rummaged through the contents. Among the first things that Tal noticed was a NA keychain... on the very day that she celebrated 10 years without a drink. It was meant to be. We traded a small sticker out and put in a Halls cough drop.
  
Here's the walk we had. This obviously doesn't show altitude. Trust me when I say it was quite hilly.
On the way back from that cache, we both followed the trail down. We crossed back across the stream and then continued along the path in the same direction we had been traveling. Between the two caches were some amazing view of the stream as it fell through the hillside.
   
At one point, the GPS pointed straight up a rather tall, steep hill. It didn't appear that the trail was going to go anywhere near there, so we opted to climb the hill. When we reached the top, the cache was a quick find inside a hollow log. It was kind of neat reading the log as many of the items that had been taken from this cache were contained within the first cache we had found. We signed the log, took a sticker and left a Halls cough drop.
Looking at the contents of the second cache...
On the way back to the car, we followed a line of electric-wire towers that cut through the forest and led right back to the parking area. We did see a deer about 15 feet off the path on the way out of the woods, though.
 
The third cache we found was on a trail right by Tal's house. It was what they call a "micro-cache". The cache was just large enough for a small pencil and a piece of paper acting as a log. It was, in fact, one of those mini-M&M tubes. The cache was about 7 feet off the ground in the crook of a tree that was suffering from what might have been a lightning strike. On this cache-hunt, I discovered a trick to getting the GPS to be more accurate. I set it down and left it sitting still for a few minutes. Soon enough, it was pointing right at the cache and telling me 18.9 feet away.
The walk was quite a bit shorter for this one...
It was almost perfect. BBCK and I will go try to find some local caches this weekend and I'll post stories/pictures then. |
 revitup314 Sun Jan 29 01:31:36 AM
Great Gran -- Saw Chris and Brooke today. We celebrated our son's and Brooke's B'days. I asked Chris about the tape and he said you called and said you got it today. He said it got put in the diaper bag, Brooke took it out, and then he finally got it from her and mailed it. Geesh, these kids! Now, however, I'm wondering if the wrong tape was sent. I really think I understood him to say he found it, mailed it, and you got it today. If not, your Christmas tape is still floating around out there someplace. As I said, it was in an envelope all ready to go - just needed to be addressed. I'm wondering if thats the one he mailed or if Biz took the birth tape and sent that. My hope is that 'fer also put ours in the mail for you. Oh, well. We only can do so much. Next time, I'll mail it to you myself. hee hee hee As I always tell myself over little irritations: If this is the worst thing that happens to me in my life time, I can live with this. Peace..............
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 BizB Sat Jan 28 05:30:21 PM
You got the tape that I sent you... Miss M's birthday. Just like I said.
'Fer is supposed to send the other one.
BigBro - I got my GPS for $80 from Amazon. It's the Etrex by Garmin. You really don't need anything more than that. If you'd like to join us, we're probably going to go out on Sunday. There are lots and lots of them to find.
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 sopops Sat Jan 28 04:06:54 PM
Hey ! Things are looking up..  
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 Betty Boop Sat Jan 28 04:04:02 PM
RE: cribbage - my pants are coming off!
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Betty Boop Sat Jan 28 04:02:49 PM
We just received and watched the tape we got in the mail today but I think we got the wrong one . . . not that I mind but we got the one taken the day Miss M arrived! No proposal! Oh well, the penality we pay for moving south, I guess.
Thanks for the pics of BBCK - so sweet! Her hair is sooo long! THANKS so much.
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 BigBro Sat Jan 28 12:56:44 PM
Tal is it you or Biz that's so good with the camera.
How much does a GPS thingy cost anyway? I'm going to look into it, sounds like fun.
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BizB Fri Jan 27 03:59:51 PM
You can start by downloading and installing these programs...
USA Photo Maps
Easy GPS
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sopops Fri Jan 27 03:18:10 PM
Found a cable on line and ordered it from Garmin. will have to call on you to fill in with your tech know how. Dont know if my old sailing waypoints are still in there.
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BizB Fri Jan 27 10:24:43 AM
The correct answer is...
N39.268
W76.77666666
We had it right! It was just in a different format than we were used to. I had to convert it to decimal.
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Betty Boop Thu Jan 26 04:46:08 PM
It is now late afternoon and we are tired from learning so much.....more on that on the phone.
We sent a box off to BBCK today so tell her to watch the mail. Hope she is pleased.
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 Talix18 Thu Jan 26 12:53:40 PM
No wonder I was so exhausted!
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BizB Thu Jan 26 12:27:28 PM
Mission accomplished. I sent it 2 day mail so you should have it this weekend... I think.
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BizB Thu Jan 26 08:28:31 AM
When I come down in April, I'll bring my GPS and we can go geocaching.
I wonder what 'fer is so busy with. Perhaps sleeping until 2pm is hard work?
I'm going to the post office today to send you some BBCK school pictures. I'll stop home and ask 'fer for the tape. I'll send along the tape from her birthday, too.
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Betty Boop Thu Jan 26 08:08:17 AM
First, a reply to "revitup" - No, I haven't received the video and I am hurt. He keeps telling me he just hasn't had time or he has been overwhelmed or something like that. I decided not to nag him anymore and if he gets it to me, wonderful but I'm not holding my breath. I also haven't seen any updates of Miss M for a month and that hurts, as we went in with her "Pappy" to buy him a dig. camera for Christmas. Oh well, we can't get blood from a stone, can we?
Son - your adventures sound like so much fun and the pictures - wow! Even seeing deer was a thrill. I will be so happy to read your book when you get around to writing it. I know for sure that you will!!! You have one or more in you somewhere.
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revitup314 Wed Jan 25 11:42:30 PM
Well, you certainly all live very interesting lives. Good for you! You seem to have a real zest for life. To great-gran --- did you get the video yet? I'm just hoping it gets to you. I think you will find it wonderful to see, especially when he gives her your (her) ring. I'm almost getting addicted to this sight and find myself checking for new pics of the baby also. Take care all...peace.
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BizB Wed Jan 25 09:10:48 PM
The math puzzle is located here... (*link*)
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