A star pattern is born.....

You know those days that start off in the line of "we can grab these caches and they are together" you know what I am talking about. It never happens that way, and never even close.
Yesterday afternoon we set off to find a handful of caches and figured we could make a little time for it. Off we go, arriving at the first cache site, Doobies was no where to be found. I am beginning to wonder if its too obvious for us. So we moved on, not giving that one to much though. Arriving at Youse Guys, we set out to find what had left us 2 DNF's in the past. I knew it was there because a friend owns the cache and he stated it was there.. "I believe ya!" so after much looking I finally admit that I can't see it, but Mrs.Wapahani makes quick work of it and we finally have it, another DNF off the list!
Moving down the road our second recon for the Bath house cache, the pool was still open, high muggle presence and we just moved on.
The next cache was a Crumbling Cache. A quick survey of the area made us decide having the kids with us wasn't an option for this find. Moving on....
We arrived at visiting with the uncle, its a location that my family is buried and I am familiar with, so I got the chance to get 2 caches while visiting family. Nice cemetery too.
We left there to grab what I thought was a sure bet. When we arrived it was what I figured a sure bet. 20 minutes later we figured otherwise and called it. I'm still not sure with all the clues why we couldn't grab it.
Moving along the next cache was a "here is your location, nothing else" cache. STINKS yes, but we decided to try. The GPS hit our spot, but nothing we could find.
2 DNF's in a row, that just stinks.
Moving along

Next was called "Lots of Tech, No Ivy". Arriving I didn't even have to take the GPS for this one, I told Mrs. and the kids to stay and I would make the grab. Sure enough, right in the spot I figured.
Next we decided to find an older cache, but it was found in April. We arrive, but the location left little to find. We looked all around and nothing. I lifted a block off the wall that was lose, and got a nice hornet in my face. We called this one and moved on.

Carmichael Cemetery was a location I had passed many times as a kid. I had actually been in it, but hadn't paid attention to it in years. A nice visit, we found a cache located in one of the most obvious places I have ever seen. We signed the log and moved on.
The next spot was the Firefighter memorial. I wanted to find this one, and visit my family that was on this memorial. I have 3 family members that were firemen the died. I found the names and we found the cache. I got to say thanks and we moved on. The location was heavy on ants, I've never been attacked by ants like this in my life. All over the place. Time for some raid.....

Moving on we decided to take a few looks about. We recond the Northbound/Southbound and Old Bridge, but too many muggles to even chance it. We moved on to the "behind the fence" and got a greeting with a Rent A Cop, so that killed the 2 caches that we wanted to grab. Moving on, we grabbed the final cache at Wilson Road... A nice Bison tube that was hidden well. All in all, 7 caches found.

The Keyboard warrior?

Visiting a popular caching sites webforum might lead you to wonder how many on there are keyboard warriors. What is a keyboard warrior? A person that thinks they can say anything they want behind a keyboard, but would dare tell you it to your face.
You will find this in every forum. Sometimes it seems like some hobbies or forums have more of them then others. Luckily in my other hobbies this doesn't seem to be an issue, atleast not like it is in caching. I've also found you can run many people from a hobby when you have others like this in so called leading positions.
Example that I use is the model RC airplane hobby. I'm somewhat into this, as my father is far more into it. The reason I don't find it greatly enjoyable is the fact that it has too many pushers, to many people that know it all, and don't care to help others along. A secret society if you will of guys that just don't care to progress the hobby for anyone besides themselves.

I have to chuckle, back to the keyboard warriors. You know the ones that like to belittle others in an attempt to make themselves seem bigger. I do find these types funny, because I refer to it as a little mans syndrome. Sadly someone that might be a great asset to the hobby only turns themselves into a public fool. Oh well, sometimes you must state your idea/peace and move forward. Let them be, as they just don't get it.

Can you find me?

Can you? Or do you just want to stand there with your hands on your hips and say "its right there according to the GPS!"
Today was just a funny day.
I decided to take a board Wapahani Kid #1 out with me, while Wapahani wife and kid #2 got their hair cut. We decided to stop by and grab a few caches, our first was called 'protect & serve'.... Arriving at the location, I knew it well. I spent time here as a kid watching my cousins KART (gokarting) its actually the entrance to the F.O.P. lodge and a softball field, the KART track is back farther.
I figured we could grab this one and move on. We arrived, logged the COORDS and they matched, but wait. The location had been cleared, and on top of that new debre from recent storms had been piled. Looking at the place date, its 2 years old, and the last cache found was 3 months before. No good. We looked around, but both of us decided that it probably wasn't here and we would move on.
So, scratch that one.

Moving down the road, back to the greenway. The old C&O of Indiana railroad is now the Cardinal greenway, a very popular bike/walk trail through Muncie. Its also home to several current and archived caches that beg to be had.
We decided that a short walk would net us a nice cache and move on. We parked and walked the short distance south on the trail, arriving at the location, we looked all around. The GPS locked on a location which appeared to have been muggled. We dug around and even pushed over a few plants. At this point, Wapahani Kid #1 decided to look around the other side of the trail. So, I kept looking and what should I spy? Nope, not the cache, but 2 druggies pushing their dope. I decided that since they saw us, it was best to move on. I grabbed Kid #1 and we headed back minus a cache.
Another good learning example for kid #1.

We decided to make our planned stop, and while doing so, we could grab another cache after finishing this one, just by walking.
So, we trek the 2 blocks to the cache. The owner of this cache sent me an email after I logged a DNF, telling me the cache was just moved and gave me the new clue. So I figured that we could grab it and move on. WRONG. Upon arrival, it was a muggle paradise. The term "we look like freaks" came from kid #1's mouth, to which I replied "heck, then we fit in here!". We looked and after a short 5 minutes decided to retreat. The eyes became such that even if we had found it, I wouldn't have logged it because it would have given up the location. While I am pretty sure I spotted it, I will wait until a better time comes to grab it.
So we moved on.

I had noticed the "2for1 special on wyes" had been repaired and we decided that a quick grab could be had. We stopped and I jumped on this one, it was a grab and sign, replace and move. The choochoo led by a nice GEVO was nice to hear, but without having kid #2 it was rather pointless. Kid #2 just loves "ChugChugs"...
So, "What now?" came from Kid #1's mouth.... I said "another cache?", she said "sure" so down the road we go.

We arrive at site "Wilson Field", the old Wilson Middle School's track and football field, which is now a garden for the public housing and a mulched walking trail. Very nice, quiet area. We went right to the COORDS, but it was very heavily grown. We looked, each taking time to search. The bottle if there was well camo'd into the area. Funny, but a bird in the bushes sounded much like a cat crying. Kid #1 even said "is that a cat!" funny, but no cache, no glory.

Arriving back at the cachemobile, I said "this sucks!" So far too many DNF's and only 1 find. And it only got worse.
While trekking toward the next cache, Wapahani wife called and we met them at the Curly Coo, or Cooley Park to try and grab one more. Alas, NOTHING. This cache was placed 3 years ago and hadn't been had in hand for several months. This is another highly muggled zone and noted for it. I'm guessing that, that factor, plus an absentee owner won't see this one found again!

Finally, the rain started to fall, we decided to head on home. 1 find, atleast we got something.... but Can you find me? Apparently only one of you!

The impossibly cache?

While I won't say its impossible, one has to wonder what is the best container?
Is it something that can or can't be found?
While 2 of the 3 caches I've hidden thus far under this account are pretty easy, my last placement took some time and its very tough.
TOUGH? Yup, it took planning, wasn't something I jumped into and I actually researched this idea first. I found no cache like it and figured that it would have to be done.
So, over the course of a week, I slowly finished it off.

NO, I can't tell you. If I told you, you or others could and would find it.
The hints on the site page are enough to find it. The math problem will lead you to withing a few feet of it, and actually you can see it from that point.
I'm not going to say much other then the next cache I place will be tough, but nothing as tough as this one. I have the feeling that too many tough caches might just lead to other cachers not looking. OR WOULD IT?

I've not posed that question yet to anyone. Do you like a tough or HARD TO FIND cache? I'm guessing from the reaction that MeanStreak got, people from beginners to veterans love it.

So what cache am I rambling on about?
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=33c2dc67-4a96-4f9a-9bae-aef844b87864
or
GC1DGZA

So go look and perhaps you can take a crack at it.

Oh honey, lets just grab one....

Ya, we all know that false truth. When you tell the wife that you just want to go grab one or two caches and come home. Just get one by your home and crash for the evening.
It never works that way, and well you always take a few more miles and a few more caches to end the evening.

Tonight was no exception for us. We decided to grab a local cache that we hadn't been after. So we headed out and arrived. Neighborhood muggles abound at this location and the cache hasn't been found in some time. So it was a risk cache and we knew it.
After plucking the COORDS, we found they were off, so far off that the cache should have been in the middle of the field. Logs past indicated the GPS showed this to be way off, but others had found it. Quickly we settled on a prime location, but massive poison ivy and overgrowth prevented us from grabbing it. So we stuck it on the "for winter" grab list.
We decided to head down the road a little to grab another 2 caches close together. Our arrival found more muggles, which is the expected norm for us. We decided to park and walk, but the grass was grown hip high, and we decided to wait this one out too, simply because of the growth around the cache site. Remember, these would be a quick grab type night!

Moving on we decided to check out the new wildlife park, and it was well worth it. The park has 2 caches, but we only logged in on one, the other was off trail and having a kid in the stroller didn't allow for this one. So we moved on, but we saw a few creatures stirring!

Moving into town, the first cache was again, MUGGLE HAVEN, so marking the east/north coords we found them to be WAY off. This cache hasn't been found in several months and the owner is MIA anyway. It was in a major muggle zone and has been muggled several times in the past. So, we move on.
Arriving the next spot, we needed a good one, sure enough, a quick glance and we have it. Sign the log and move on. Next, we visit David Letterman's alley, this was one of the better caches I have seen in some time. The log was packed and we signed the best we could. We moved on, and though cool, next!

We decided to visit a location of previous inquiry, and sure enough, nothing new. I don't believe this one to be there either! More muggle traffic left us to say we would return later.
Another cache location and the COORDS aren't even close. Not the first clue, but another park cache that left us saying not today.
The kids started getting restless so we moved to the last cache. It was a nice grab and we moved on home. Sorta makes you feel good to log 4 more on the day!

Mean Streak found? Rumor or truth?

Thats right, rumor or log says that Mean Streak was found this evening.
The legend of Mean Streak is gone..... But not forgotten.
A congrats to Team Itchy & Scratchy for the FTF on this 1 year and a month to find cache. Its puzzled a great many cachers!

Sometimes you feel like a cache, sometimes you don't!

True. Finally getting around to grabbing a few more caches the other day. Weekend obligations kept me from having a shot at a couple FTF's, but hey, we don't seem to care about that too much. Considering we don't have one yet.
There is still one that hasn't been found, but doubtful we can get to it right now.

So last evening we went out on a 10 cache look. We decided to eye up meanstreak again, but still too many muggles to effectively search the entire location. One spot keeps eluding me, and I am hopeful to search that spot soon enough. MUGGLES!
We left after a short while of looking and decided to head over and grab a "dead end #1" which even though close to us, we had been passing up. So, drive we did, made a nice quick find and signed the log. Next we headed back to Memorials on Memorial #2, but still can't seem to find it. I'm beginning to think Muggles might have gotten it. Besides that, while searching we cut the search short due to a drug deal going down behind us. Sad world isn't it? So we moved on, decided to grab a couple caches that a friend placed. The first 2 were busts, both highly muggle prone areas, but I sent him a note and he will be checking them. The next spot from the same friend, and I spied it. It was a puzzle cache and I solved it a week or more ago, but finally got to it. The GPS took me there, but I didn't have the right shoes to grab it. I shall return to it!
Finally we scouted a few other cache locations and headed to the final cache. After I spied around a bit and didn't see it, Mrs Wapahani took the eye over and found it in no time at all. We decided 2 finds would just have to do for the day. Although it was frustrating, it was a Monday and what do you expect?

So, the log book has been added to, putting in other caches that hadn't been in there before, so in town will be the next target or searches!

The funny side of.....

Some days you wonder if you will find anything, other days you wonder if you will miss anything. Today we decided to grab a cache or two and see a few sites.
We headed out the door for the latest cache, called "Mean Streak". Its been around a while and no one can find it. I thought I would make it a scouting session, and grab the local Park series cache. Upon arrive the park was a MUGGLE hotspot. The location around mean streak was totally over ran with muggles and so I just decided to look about and see what I was up against. Some have tried several times and never found it, so why would I just get lucky? Na.
I decided to let Mrs.Wapahani and Wapahani Kid #2 play on the playground while I grabbed Park Tag 1. So, I grabbed it, took a second, but I spied it. We signed the log and moved on.
Second stop was a larger park, more of a green space, but home to 2 caches. Lets just say, those caches are in question, as I couldn't find either!
That was all for today, other things had to be done.

Creating containers

Yesterday I sat about to create a nice cache container.
Mrs.Wapahani picked up a few smaller LockNLock containers and I wanted to camo them up.
2 of them got a wrap in a special duct tape that allows painting. After about 20 minutes of work, I had 2 containers wrapped. Next I sat about making my own camo.

Since I am also into model railroading, I had pleanty of real paint colors, green tree leaf, brown bark, brown burnt earth, black and so forth.
I quickly coated the containers in black to fill in the color, then came over them in green and finally I added brown stripes random. Then I recoated in green, and dusted in black to help soften edges.
I decided to attempt the same method minus the tape, just to do it direct on each container. Luckily it worked and worked well. So, I have 3 LockNLock containers ready to hide!

Oh, I also have the 2 match safes ready to go too!

Interesting day, can't be worse?

This evening I received word that a previous DNF that we thought was AWOL, was actually still there, according to the owner. So we decided to seek it out.
When we arrived I sat about quickly to get the COORDS locked to the spot. While looking a truck drove up to us and the old gentleman asked us "Can I ask you guys what is going on?" to which we explained our situation. He chuckled and said "that explains all the cars down here!" and went on to inform us that "I own the land here , long story, but I bought this land a few years ago."

Turns out the land (former Church and Cemetery) had been under a tax sale and a gentleman had purchased it, sold all the innards and stored old tires in the church. When the guy we spoke to purchased it, he found all the tires and found that the church he wanted to restore was gutted and in bad shape, such bad shape that he couldn't fix it. The roof alone was $20,000 and that was just the start. So the structure beyond that was in unrepairable shape, and he made the hard choice to tear it down. This farmer had been around this church and cemetery his entire life. The original farmer that owned the adjacent land use to haul in dirt to fill grave and when this gentleman was a kid working for said farmer, he hauled in the dirt himself.

Long story short, he told us the story and we learned something new. So it shows you not all people are bad and most are good hearted people and if you listen, they will tell you stories of the area you cache in!

We also learned that the historical society that restored the cemetery used sand and water to polish the stones. I hope to get a picture of this cemetery, as the stones are the most beautiful I have ever seen!

New Cache posted!

Well, our latest Cache is posted. Check it out at http://www.geocaching.com/
or
Click Here to view it

Its simple enough difficulty of 2, so try it out if your interested!
More to come too!

Quick find? Certainly can be....

If you chose that is. Recently there had been a cache that came up AWOL, and had been posted as such for roughly 4 months and probably 10 logs! Finally, another cacher came to the rescue and placed a new log. Luckily I had been keeping an occasional eye on this one and well, noticed it.
Today on our way home, we stopped and made a quick grab and log, and came home. Took a max of 2 minutes! So you can find the occasional quick grab!

Fathers Day adventures....

The entire family got out today, we decided that a lovely afternoon should be spent outside. So after getting everyone we headed out. Luckily this part of the state has enough caches to make 5 to 10 per trip very reasonable. Today was no different as we had around 10 or so caches lined up.
Setting out we headed toward a round barn find. Quickly grabbing this cache, it was unique in that it used a contact lense holder! Never seen that before. We moved on to a old one lane covered bridge and grabbed the next find. The third cache was location in a cemetery and was AWOL. Sadly, that can be a very common thing. This cache had just been replaced not more then a month before this after being muggled. Upon getting home I sent the owner a note. The cache discription left nothing to guess for once you got there and looked. So I made a note, emailed him with the specifics and we moved on.
Upon arriving in the small town at the north end of the adventure, we discovered our next location to be heavily muggle oriented and decided to move on, maybe later!
The next spot was vacant, another park, it was a small neighborhood park and well cared for. We let the kids out and the find was made in a minute or two. Storm clouds started building to the west, so we decided to run and make a few more grabs. The next location was a settlement cemetery that had grown over the years. The access was made and we say many graves of historic nature. The GPS led us right to the cache, we signed and finished looking about as the clouds moved farther in.
Heading out, we knew of another location on the route home, we stopped. As we walked into the location a large tree branch came crashing down in front of us. Mrs. Wapahani stated "perhaps that is a sign!"....I had to chuckle. The river is close to this location and this month we had experienced flooding here, and the water had been up to the cache location. After about 15 minutes of looking we decided that freshly trimmed trees, and cleaned earth, plus flooding of recent weeks left this cache MIA or muggled. Move on! I hate to say it, but this certain owner seems to have a high percentage of uncared for or MIA caches. We have made the choice to no longer go after this persons caches, as most generally (50%+ of them are gone and we aren't the first to note this!)

So down the road we go. We arrive and chuckle at the next location. It had 3 trees in the entire place, leaving little to the GPS or GPSless cacher to wonder.
We followed the GPS to be sure and well, sure enough it was there. The cache hadn't been found in a year and we wondered if it would remain. Sure enough, there it was!
I opened it and it was WET. We signed a new sheet, stuck it in and rehid the cache, moving forward.

Next we decided to press our luck with the weather, the clouds looked horrible, but nothing on the radio about weather yet. Turns out we would be wrong. As we approached a major intersection we saw a van with flashing lights and a cop setting next to them. The van said "SkyWarn", leaving little to the imagination. The clouds started rolling and sure enough looked BAD. We decided to try and get the next cache as it was only 3 miles away. We arrived but no rain yet, nor lightning. So we booked it to the location, and it had to be far from parking. We found it really quick for its type cache, and signed the book. We decided the weather would win today and we would call it a day!

So, the totals today, 6 finds, 3DNF's..... Total for 2 weeks is now at 21 finds!
And at the end of the day I got "Happy Fathers Day!"...nice

Using that TomTom for caching...

Really? Yes.
Like I said before, you can use your TomTom for caching.
The type of device I am talking about is the TomTom One XL or XL-S.

I will make this a "Using TomTom for Caching and Dummies.." Yes, I will since I figured I am and figured it out...
_______________________________________________

First you have to go to the Geocaching.com site, and find the locations you want to use. Then in another browser window, open up google maps. Simply copy the coords from geocaching for the cache you are after and past them into the search maps box, and click search maps. This will bring you to your cache's actual location, then above the map you will see "Print, Send, Link to this page". Click the send and then go to the GPS option, then select the TomTom for device. Then you can enter the name of the cache and other info. Generally I try to give detail in the name also.
example: The name of the cache is SeldomRest and the container is a locknlock under a tree, I will say this.... "SeldomRest LnL tree" The title says it all. When I arrive, I know I am looking for a locknlock under or around a tree at SeldomRest!

Now, what to do once you have arrived. See, that is the nice thing about the TomTom, as you can navigate to the site. So no getting lost enroute!
Upon your arrival, simply clear the route out of the TomTom and go back to the navigation screen using the done button. Where is shows you the bars for sats, time and speed? tap here...and whent "No route planned" screen appears, you will see a battery bar, satellite bar and coords? tap that. Now, you have a screen with bars and also your actual coords! This is what you want to use when looking for the actual location. This really is nice and depending on the day, cloud conditions and other variables might take a second or two to get the real coords. I call it lag, no matter what you call it. When I get close to the spot, I just stop and let the TomTom gather its info. Sometimes you will see the coords change, but just let it settle for a moment.

Thus far I haven't had a issue with it. Its taken us right to every cache! So, if you have a TomTom, let it be known you can use it for the hobby.

Hiding of the Cache

This past week gave me time to think about doing a cache. While we have spent time out hunting, this lead me to think about the time most put into making a cache up and hiding it, and then giving the clues out.
So, I just had to do it. My mischievous side lends well for this.
I wouldn't want to do anything outside the rules of Geocaching, so I set out to make sure I had a good grasp on things and then go from there.

Cache containers can be almost anything you can think of. From an old Ammo can, to a match safe, or a film cannister. So, start looking. It took a while, but I came up with what I needed. Now, I just needed to think of locations. This wasn't too tough and I quickly had permission for the location. Now, what stuff do I put in it. I had to think of stuff that went along with the hunt. So, shortly after that, I had a container full of stuff, a log sheet, and so forth.
Now, lets hide it.

mischievous=maliciously or playfully annoying. I like the annoying part better....

When the cache gets posted (I've waited 48 hours out of the 72 so far....) I will post it here, as I will with the others I hide.

6-14-08, can you find me?

There are days when you wonder if you will find anything. Today when it was done and the cache count was in, I wondered why we bother..LOL Certainly not because we care is it?

Well, we decided to head out and see if we could find a few. The first was a cache that we had looked for the other evening but gave up on because of approaching darkness and dinner being close. We arrived and quickly plugged the COORDS in and went to it. When I stood there I thought HMMM, really. Sure enough I grabbed the location and after 30 seconds I saw it. We made quick to log in and get back to the car. "Great Start!" I remarked to Char and wondered is that too good to be true? Surely you have heard of bad days when it all starts too good.

We headed off for the second cache, arriving it was a small hole in the wall location that well, if you blinked in passing, you would surely miss it. We parked and plugged the COORDS in, and went to the location, but NOTHING to be had. We searched but nothing. We looked all over and nothing. The COORDS didn't add up to anything and the close by locations didn't lead to anything. Char decided to return to the car to get the remaining clues that we logged in earlier, but when she did a man in a car pulled up. I figured a Muggle and we decided to call it a end for this location and move on. When we got to the car, the man exited his and had a note pad, I figured a fellow cacher, but sure enough he wasn't. We headed to the next cache.
The same cache owner for the last spot also placed this one and we figured we should grab it. It too hadn't been found in some time and at one time had gone AWOL. So we just did a quick look and sure enough, nothing. There wasn't even a good spot for it anymore.
We moved on.

The next location sat at the county line and was an old church cemetery, it was in honor of veterans so we gave chase. Upon arrive the GPS led us right to it. Boy, did I get a shock when I opened it up and heard Char say "what is that!" it was a slug, the log was molded and very wet, so we decided to start a fresh paper and place it back, making a note to tell the owner it was in need of maintenance. When we started to leave, the muggle from the last location pulled up, I joked that we had a stalker!

Finally through the countryside we arrived in a small town, and decided to check out a "iffy" cache, that was highly muggled in the past. What is MUGGLED/Muggle? Muggles are people that don't know about caching and that eye you up while hunting. Muggled means someone other then a cacher has gotten to it and moved or removed the cache. Ya ya ya. We all have been muggles..
So upon arrival the GPS takes us to it and NOTHING. Sure enough I figured out the location, but the spot was void. It was too obvious and I am pretty sure it was often found. So chalk that one up and say a DNF =Did Not Find. All cachers hate that.

Moving down the road. We decided to check on a cache that on our last visit was gone. The location was an old country church that had a nice fence along the road. Our first visit yielded a freshly repaired fence with a lot of splintered old fence material around. When we got there today the GPS hit us right on the section that had been replaced, but we decided to recheck the area so I could give an update to the cache owner. Yup, as suspected, NOTHING. You might think if they found it when repairing the fence they just might, maybe, you know replace it in the new spot. Doubtful at best and probably either hit the trash truck or was thrown to the ground and mowed over. So, mark it down for the owner and move on.
Move south man, move south......

Mountain Man, and his wooden beasts. There is something to be said of art by a chain saw. Remember that, what was so popular in the 1980's, to take a old tree and make an owl.....?
This brought it to another level. A mountain man carved out of a 20 foot plus high tree. And then surrounded by other animals carved out around him. Very neat if I do say so, even though I never found that stuff interesting, this piece of work brought attention.
We found it quickly as the COORDS had been spot on. We had a single muggle and decided to move on for more. 3 down, we are doing pretty good!

Popular Cemetery? No, Poplar, but you get the point. Lots of cows and other eyes on us, but no humans so to speak. We arrived and the COORDS hit the spot that was described. A flag pole was the spot, but in the 2 years since the original placement, we wondered if it would even be there. The last log on it shows a DNF and questions its existence, while I won't go this far, I did note it to the owner later on.
We left empty handed and decided to gather 1 or 2 more before calling it an afternoon.
Arriving the next location I let out a chuckle, figuring we could find this one in a matter of minutes and be gone. WRONG. Ya, I know, never underestimate things.
The GPS got slow, dunno if it was tree cover or it just being a pain. Finally the GPS gave us the location that fit the description. Char handed me a branch and in the midst of Poison Oak I started pushing it aside. NOTHING. It was a Lock N Lock container, and should have been a quick find. I'm not sure if it was there or not. I notified the owner, as he was the same as the previous.
"LETS GO!" I said, "enough, we can grab the next!"

I knew the next location well, as I had passed by there many times as a youth, it was the first real black settlement in Randolph county. I had read about the last family member there, they called it "Scott's Corner" after the family. We arrived and the GPS went to work. Funny, but most generally the description of the container is spot on, but this one, well, NOT CLOSE. But I found it and quickly logged it, and we looked around and payed a minute of respect.
"You ready"...."yup"
So we headed home. Totals for Saturday, 4 for 10, minus the 2 we knew wouldn't be there, so hey, 4 for 8 is 50%....
Call me lucky, don't care!!!!!!!!!

6-13-08 Caching

Well Friday evening let us get out and do some caching. Yes, its Friday the 13th. Sure, whatever. I still joke, but its true. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. So you can't get more then that when it comes to 13's can you? Ok, onto the story.
Now that we have the GPS ready and running fast we decided to go out and get a few caches that had led us astray.
First cache was a small playground at the local reservoir. We had been there a few times with the kids, and before out caching days we never knew a thing about one being there. Once I found it was there, we have since visited the site with no luck. Well, Friday night would be no different.
We spent a solid 20 minutes looking for it. We looked high, we looked low, we looked from side to side and everywhere in between. NOTHING. Sometimes you have to stop and ask "is this even here anymore". Checking the log for it showed that it had been found recently but that another cacher hadn't found it the next day. So, we just decided this one has defeated us and we moved on.
The next cache was a find, we had been discussing it and thought, why not try it why we are close. So, we headed down the road and BINGO. Well, not that fast. See it was rainy and cloud cover was heavy. So, the GPS was slow and bounced badly. We entered the location in the wrong spot and when I exited the car the GPS wasn't even remotely close. So after getting my bearing, I moved down the road a little and when I got out the GPS took a minute but finally got the right spot. So we moved in for the "kill" and got it quickly. Thank goodness, finding a cache is always good!
Next we decided to head back up the road and see if we could find another few caches before it got dark. The next cache has the wrong name. The location isn't really what its called, but we will forgive that. When we arrived, although I had programmed the COORDS into the GPS, we didn't have the paper for the site. So, it was quickly a no go. No waste however.
We headed farther down the road to find my friend "WabashBanks" puzzle cache. I had solved the puzzle earlier and was waiting to be close to get this one. So we grabbed it.
We arrived before dusk and quickly followed the GPS to the location and found the log. Signed it and retreated to the car. The final cache of the day was for a dead end cache. These are caches placed around a a T intersection sign. Well, most of these we have gone after are long gone.
This one would be no different. Luckily the location is known and just had the road extended, so the location was completely obliterated. No cache here!
Good night and time to head to the house.....

Caching, the beginning....!

Funny, but the first time I heard of this I thought "What the heck is that about!" and "how could that be fun!". Well, having a few friends that do it, and being introduced to it didn't initially mean a thing to me. I figured that it was something I could say "oh ya, I have friends that do that!". What I didn't know was that a chance encounter with a Cache close to my house would lead to this, this whatever you want to call it. I don't call it an obsession, but something close to it.
What was it? It was a camo tape match safe that had a piece of paper in it. So how could that be anything that would get you interested? Dunno. I guess it was knowing there was more hidden stuff to find close by. I figured just a few things would be around and then I discovered a website called http://www.geocaching.com/
It had TONS of caches all over the area, most of which we could get to quickly.

I mention we, because myself and Char are both into this now. Yes, and we have taken the kids to the parks that have caches and let them play while we hunt. I guess you could say it gets us out of the house? LOL

The next thing was figuring out we had to have a GPS unit. Well, not really, but it makes it a lot easier to do the whole caching thing with one. The first few days out caching included a lot of guess work. We found a couple of caches just by good old luck and looking. But we decided quickly we had to have a GPS unit. My parents had a TomTom One XL and we borrowed it. We decided it would do for a few days and let us decide what to get in the meantime. So while we had it I started looking on the net for things that would help us better use the TomTom. Sure enough I found a few things and learned quickly how to use the TomTom to benefit us in our hunts. I found a feature that has actual coordinates like any other GPS unit and since its small enough we could take it out in the field. After 2 days of testing, we decided to purchase our own TomTom One XL and did so. Actually we have the XL-S version and really like it.
http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=421&Category=0&Lid=4

So far it works great and fills the role of being both a navigation GPS and a caching GPS. So if your looking at a GPS to fill both roles, I suggest looking at this. However, if you plan on doing more hard core Caching, get a traditional GPS unit!
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The first few days......
They tended to be fun, we could go out and find one or two caches. Sometimes we thought it was far too easy, but then a cache would come along that well, would through us under the bus and leave us wondering if its really there. So never give up, because a few of them we have gone back and found.!