BadAnimals' Geocaching Blog

Geocaching puts 'outing' in Scouting :: Herald News :: Lifestyles

2010-02-21T20:12:00.000-08:00

Geocaching puts 'outing' in Scouting :: Herald News :: Lifestyles

Geocacher special?

2010-01-10T16:44:00.000-08:00

Rubbermaid 7K9800CIRED Lock-its 12-Piece Container Set

12 Piece set with 4 Locking Tabs for Secure Storage
Molded Gasket for Improved, Air-Tight Seal
Polypropylene Easy Find Lids Base
Lids Secure to other lids and containers for Easy Storage
Lock-Its set includes: two 1-1/4 cups; one 2 cups; one 3 cups; one 5 cups and one 7 cups.

Price: $10.50 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.

Link

Amazon.com offers the Rubbermaid Lock-its 12-Piece Container Set, model no. 7K9800CIRED, for $10.50. Shipping adds around $6.17, but orders over $25 qualify for free shipping. Even with shipping, that's $22 under list and the lowest total price we could find. The set includes 1-1/4-cup, 2-cup, 3-cup, 5-cup, and 7-cup containers.

BlackStar

2010-01-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

BlackStar is a freely available GeoCaching and Waypoint Management tool.

Using your BlackBerry device and BlackStar, you will be able to keep track of your current Latitude, Longitude, Altitude, Speed, Direction and the distance to your destination. This makes BlackStar ideal for Geocaching™, hiking, biking, hunting, and even flying. Best of all, it's free.

Along with it's Navigational aspect, BlackStar boasts several Geocaching features. Allowing you to list caches closest to your location, import lists of Waypoints/GeoCaches, log your find immediately online, and view the specific Cache Details. This effectively allows you to quickly access nearby geocaches, seek them out, and even log your finds online. As long as you brought your GPS capable BlackBerry, you're all set.

BlackStar is integrated with bcaching.com, a site intended to make geocaching with an Internet-connected phone easier, allowing you to easily and quickly access uploaded Pocket Queries.

BlackStar now supports Track Management functionality. With this, you may now record, save, and export your track as you use BlackStar. This is perfect for recording a trip, exercise, or just to see where you've been.

BlackStar 1.6.4 Features

Great for GeoCaching
Great for Hiking
Save the location of your campsite while hiking
Submit cache updates
Field Notes per Waypoint
Directional Compass
Integration with Google Maps and BlackBerry maps
Night Mode
GPX/LOC Importing
Search for 20 nearest caches
BackLight Lock
Supports BlackBerry Devices
Improved Storm Support
Track Functionality

Contact Us: contact@blackstarnavigation.com
Support: support@blackstarnavigation.com
Feedback: feedback@blackstarnavigation.com

Link

Texas state parks opening to digital treasure hunting | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Travel | Dallas Morning News

2009-12-29T13:02:00.001-08:00

Texas state parks opening to digital treasure hunting | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Travel | Dallas Morning News

Posted using ShareThis

LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT

2009-11-29T15:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight on Bravo - 7pm/6pm Central

THE UNBLINKING EYE

STREET SHOOTINGS RAISE PUBLIC OUTCRY AS POLICE PROBE FEMALE STALKER -- AND HIGH-TECH TREASURE HUNT GAME -- After a young actor Mike, (guest star Jeffrey Hephner) is wounded and his fiancee is shot dead on the street, Detectives Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Eames (Kathryn Erbe) are pointed towards the surviving victim's former girlfriend, who is known to have stalked him. The key, however, might turn on their probe of "geocaching," a high-tech treasure-hunt game that could yield vital clues. As the media and public mourn the man's tragic loss, the police want to take another look at some of his acting buddies, especially one who never lets go of his Palm Pilot. Jamey Sheridan and Courtney B. Vance also star.

The Annual Great TB Race

2009-11-28T23:13:00.000-08:00

Link

Erika Jean's Postcard Contest!

2009-10-30T23:01:00.000-07:00

Follow this link for your chance to win some great postcards!!

Geomate jr. update kit now available!

2009-10-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

What it means to have an update kit

Always have the latest and greatest nation- wide cache list.

Get every possible cache for any given region.

Vacationing in Germany? Then get the cache list for Germany, or England, or Australia...

You can even customize your Geomate.jr – change the units or give it a name!

The UpdateKit

The geocaching anywhere, anytime with a Geomate.jr rocks. And the 250,000 geocaches that the Geomate.jr comes with is sure to keep anyone busy for some time. But new caches are being added every day. And geocaches exist all around the world! So if you want fresh new caches, or are looking for a geocaching adventure in New Zealand (for example), then you may want to think about an Update Kit for your Geomate.jr.

Link

I'm still around!

2009-08-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

And waiting for summer to end here. Should be about four to six more weeks, maybe a little more and then we'll get back to geocaching. I sure miss it.

Survival Kit Giveaway on Erika Jean's blog

2009-07-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

"Survival Kit" Giveaway! Deadline July 20th -10pm EST

Follow the link above to get your entries in!

Don't you just hate it when your stuck in the middle of nowhere without the things you need? I know I do - Especially when I'm out in the woods Geocaching. Since I figure I'm not alone, I would like to give everyone a chance to win some items that may be helpful in a situation like that.

While most of these products will probably not help you actually survive in the middle of the jungle, desert or tundra - they may help with that unexpected sudden downpour, random scratch or just make you feel a bit more comfortable while out in the wilderness.

The giveaway "Survival Kit" includes..

Houston heat emergency declared amid record temps

2009-06-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

Houston’s relentless heat wave prompted the National Weather Service today to declare a “Heat Emergency,” a designation that air temperature and humidity is a potential health threat for all people and is particularly dangerous for high-risk groups.

The emergency designation is expected to last through Friday, said Houston health department spokeswoman Kathy Barton.

Barton said the health department has accordingly invoked its heat emergency plan, which involves working with Metro to bring people to designated cooling centers, such as libraries, and generally urging people to take extra precautions to stay inside.

It is not uncommon for the weather service to declare a heat emergency in Houston, though it didn’t happen last summer. Such an emergency is declared when the heat index, a computation of air temperature and humidity, reaches 108 degrees on two more consecutive days.

The index reached 108 Wednesday and is expected to reach that level today and Friday. Houston's actual temperature hit 104 degrees Wednesday, the hottest it's ever gotten in June.

State electric regulators, meanwhile, will consider a request by consumer groups and a Houston lawmaker for an immediate ban on electric service disconnects because of the continuing heat wave.

The abnormally severe heat -- yes, even for Houston -- is not expected to abate through the next 10 days or more, according to the National Weather Service.

"Today and tomorrow both, we have the potential to set records," said Matt Moreland, a weather-service meteorologist.

A high pressure area, which more common in July and August, has parked over most of the state for weeks. It has prevented rainshowers from reaching the area, plunging Houston into a moderate drought and keeping the official weather service rain gauge at Bush Intercontinental Airport from getting measurable precipitation all month.

High temperaures Friday and through the weekend and much of next week are predicted to be near triple digits, and overnight lows will be near 80 degrees. Isolated showers are possible, but no major rain systems are expected to move into the area.

104-degree day sets record

2009-06-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

And how about some rain? Houston's still waiting for it

The temperature in Houston on Wednesday reached a ridiculously hot 104 degrees, easily eclipsing the previous high for the day which was 99 three decades ago. The last time it was this hot in June was, well, actually never.

The previous hottest day for this month was 103 degrees on June 30, 1980. This has been the seventh hottest June in recorded history.

Don’t expect much relief in coming days. Thursday’s high is expected to be around 101 although some isolated showers could provide a break from the heat, the National Weather Service said.

But while Houstonians tried to beat the heat by desperately secluding themselves indoors, meteorologists are used to the area’s wild weather.

“When people talk to me, most just want to know when it’s going to end,” said Brian Kyle, a Weather Service meteorologist in Dickinson who said it was just another day at the office for him. “It’s summer, and it’s hot and sometimes records occur.”

After Wednesday, Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport will have gone 31 straight days without rain. The longest period without measurable rain was from January to February 1904 when Houston went 40 days without the wet stuff, according to the Weather Service.

By MOISES MENDOZA

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

June 24, 2009, 7:14PM

Slim rain chance enters long-term Houston forecast

2009-06-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry to post local weather conditions, but as I feared, the Houston summer has put a dead stop to any geocaching for us. - Marc

A slim chance of rain may be possible next week as a high pressure area that has blocked thunderstorms from hitting Houston moves away.

But the rain chances remain very slight, according to the National Weather Service.

Today and the next 10 days are expected to be dry with high temperatures near triple digits and the lows in the mid to upper 70s under sunny skies.

But the weather pattern that has allowed the mercury to rise for nearly two weeks and brought near drought conditions to the Houston area could change in the middle of next week, said Scott Overpeck, a weather service meteorologist.

Overpeck said a dome of high pressure over much of Texas has kept rain storms away from Houston, but there’s a slight chance it may move toward the west.

“That would be a window to allow some rain to come in,” Overpeck said. “I wouldn’t put too much stock in that.”

Houston’s weather is in contrast to much of the rest of the country. The east and west U.S. coasts have been cooler than normal, spring storms have continued to rake the nation’s midsection, Chicago is having a record cool June so far and some Midwestern crops are struggling to grow in too-low temperatures.

Overpeck said the drought that has parched southwestern Texas may soon find a foothold in the Houston area if no rain arrives.

So far in June, the area has recorded a trace of rainfall, which is about 2.5 inches below normal for the period. For the year, the area is about four inches below normal.

Overpeck said Houston is experiencing a typical July weather pattern that arrived a month early, but it’s not uncommon for Houston to have a scorching June.

“It’s summertime,” he said.

Ouch!

2009-06-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

Damaging storms battered North Texas overnight and drifted southeast, but fell apart before providing any relief to the even-hotter-than-normal Houston area.

As for the Houston area, National Weather Service forecasters see more of the same ahead. The high temperature is expected reach into the high 90s today, and with humid air blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico, heat index readings should be in triple-digits.

The forecast doesn’t change through next Wednesday: Highs in the upper 90s, overnight lows in the mid-70s and heat index readings easily over 100 degrees.

In fact, Sunday through Wednesday, the heat index is forecast to approach the 109-degree mark.

The heat index is a measure of what heat feels like once humidity is factored in.

There's nothing new about summertime heat in Houston, but normal high temperatures are around 90 degrees this time of year, several degrees below forecast highs for the next week.

No rain is forecast over the next week for the immediate Houston area, continuing several weeks of unseasonably dry weather that began in April.

I'm here...

2009-06-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

I just haven't had a chance to make any posts. I haven't found a geocache in almost a month now.

And I have been to Corpus Christi twice in the past two weeks but I had no time to go geocaching.

There has been some really hot and humid weather and there has been some pleasant weather as well in the past month but I wasn't able to take advantage of the latter.

Now that it is June in Houston, the pleasant weather is gone for the next 4 months.

I have been going to the other blogger's sites and reading their updates. I do have a post to write about missing caches, I just need to find the time.

Thank you for visiting and I'll post when I can.

Darcie Gudger's article on Head Hard Hat

2009-05-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

Link

EasyGPS Helps PC and GPS Device Plan Trips Together

2009-05-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

Steve Horton

May 14, 2009 8:17 pm

Ah, trip planning. If you'd like to set your itinerary of points of interest, landmarks, and destinations on your PC rather than struggling with a GPS's touchscreen, then EasyGPS is a nice, free solution. It works with numerous models of Eagle, Garmin, Magellan and Lowrance GPS receivers. It doesn't work with TomTom, nor does it work with the GPS receivers embedded in many popular mobile phones.

EasyGPS works fine with the tested Garmin Nuvi 200 standalone GPS; all I had to do was enter the model and plug it in to a USB port, and sending and receiving waypoints was simple. One issue is that entering new waypoints to transfer over requires knowing the longitude and latitude of the waypoint. A roadblock to this issue is that Google Maps doesn't give up its longitude & latitude easily. Simple paste this into your Web browser when centered on a desired location, and then a popup will appear with coordinates for EasyGPS:

javascript:void(prompt('',gApplication.getMap().getCenter()));

The Nuvi 200 doesn't support route transfer at all, though, as it's a 15 month old model. Newer GPS models do, though, and EasyGPS works with those models. Waypoints easily transferred to the PC and back to the GPS, though.

One bug I found in EasyGPS occurred after dragging a route between multiple locations and hitting Undo. The route disappeared from the map, but so did all the waypoints associated with it. (The waypoints were still listed; I just couldn't see them on the map.) I had to restart EasyGPS to get the waypoints to appear on the map again.

EasyGPS can also come in handy for geocaching, which is the sport of hiding a cache of objects at a specific latitude & longitude and having other enthusiasts go find them. EasyGPS includes a couple of geocaching functions, but publisher TopoGrafix also promotes its GeoBuddy software for more specific geocaching uses, which has a GUI similar to EasyGPS.

Hikers and other on-foot travelers will love planning out their routes with EasyGPS, but it's also useful (and free) for those of us who use GPS to drive from one place to another.

Link

Low cost, child friendly geocaching GPS launches

2009-05-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

LBS provider Apisphere is launching today its first consumer, hardware product, geomate.jr, a low cost ($69.95), single purpose GPS unit dedicated to geocaching.

The goal of this new product is to offer a geocaching experience out of the box and is particularly targeting kids. Geomate.jr has 250,000 geocaches preloaded, covering the entire USA. The device has a black and white screen with indication of the direction of the nearest geocache and its distance. Menus have been kept to a minimum to make it simple to operate.

Running on a SiRF StarIII chipset with 2 AA batteries, this device has an estimated 12 hours battery life. Moving forward Apisphere will sell a cable and software ($24.95) in order to maintain an up to date database or go geocaching out of the United States.

While geocaching is becoming more mainstream there was so far not such simple way to go geocaching. Warren Hewerdine, director of marketing at Apisphere believes that his first customers will be “the existing geocachers buying the product for their friends and relatives in order to introduce other people to the activity”. The second layer of customers are likely to be the existing outdoor community that could know about the activity but do not practice today.

In terms of distribution Apisphere has already signed an agreement with outdoor chain REI (107 stores in 27 States across the USA) where the product is already available, as well as on its website REi.com. Geomate.jr will be also sold directly through the official geocaching website, geocaching.com. Apisphere expects further deals to be made in order to enlarge the distribution of the product.

Geomate.jr was born from the idea developed by Navit Innovations, a start-up founded in 2007 by former SiRF employees Warren Hewerdine and Robert Harvey, and acquired by Apisphere in August 2008.

Link to story

Official Site
Buy it at REI

Darcie Gudger's article on the Geomate Jr.

CNET review of the Geomate Jr.

#42

2009-05-08T23:49:00.000-07:00

With this one, I got the last of the ones in my area to grab for lunch. :-( I'll have to drive further for any others. Or to a different part of town. Between the distance and the weather, my lunchtime grabs are about done.

I parked too far from this one, Mykawa Road Hideout. But it was windy here and I didn't mind the walk. The cache was nestled in some trees and difficult to find. Actually, I found two bottles first but they have been there for many years as the trees have grown around them and they can't be moved.

Still a nice hide. Signed log.

#41

2009-05-08T23:41:00.001-07:00

Another in the Sims Bayou Adventure series, I think I have one more left to do for it but it is farther away. I didn't care for this one too much because of where I had to park. My vehicle was out of sight from me and in this neighborhood, it could probably be broken into or disappear in a second.

As far as the geocache itself, Sims Bayou Adventure #3, I like the hide very much. Signed log. It was very warm and humid today with no wind around this one, too many trees.

#40

2009-05-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

Darn GPS wouldn't settle down today. I briefly looked where I thought it, Sims Bayou Adventure #10, might be but it was heavily covered by weeds and I was afraid of sticking my hands in them. I looked around at some other obvious spots but nothing. I went back to the one spot I feared but then spied it. No weed whacking needed. Great hide! Signed log. I'm getting near the end of this great series.

And while it was warm and humid in Houston today, it was also pretty windy which made it tolerable. Also, on this hide, there is an elementary school across the street and the kids were outside running and playing and laughing and that was a nice background noise.

The cache is hidden in the picture above.

#39

2009-05-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Got to go out for lunch today. This one, Sims Bayou Adventure #9, had me baffled for abit. I looked in the obvious place first but didn't look hard enough. My GPS was jumping all over the place today and I was having trouble finding ground zero. No muggles about but there definitely could be at times I imagine. The cache is still in good shape. Signed log. All except for one cache that I didn't care for (documented below), this series has been really nice.

The cache is hidden in the above pic.

Lunchtime grab?

2009-05-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

I had plans to go out today but the free KFC deal caught my attention instead. I think you have until sometime later today to print the coupon.

#38

2009-05-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

A squirrel guarded the cache, Sims Bayou Adventure #4, for a second but he went on his way. Signed log.

#37

2009-05-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

Nice hide. In the Garden I couldn't get the log out.

Can you spot the cache?

Lunchtime grab? DENIED

2009-05-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Weather was fairly nice today, warm but low humidity. And I needed to get away from work.

I was hungry so I drove through Sonic to get food before I went hunting. As I waited, I fired up Geocache Navigator on my Blackberry and got the following message -

"Thank you for using Geocache Navigator. Your free trial period has expired. Please visit www.TrimbleOutdoors.com/bbsoftware from your computer to learn how you can continue using the application and your data collected during the trial."

Doh!

Went back to work and visited that site. Turns out May is National Fitness Month and they have their software for 50% off! Regular one year subscription is $39.99, on sale for $19.99. So, I did the yearly subscription. If you are using the free trial of Geocache Navigator, you might want to take advantage of this great deal!

DNF

2009-05-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

We had to take the youngest BadAnimal to the RediClinic today (he's had a sore throat for a couple of days (so have I, I think it is just allergies) and we wanted to make sure that he didn't have strep throat) and it was going to be a long wait and there were no seats available for me so I decided to take a walk.

I checked my Blackberry and saw there was a close cache, Among The Trees, nearby. As I got to ground zero, I stepped on a 3' or 4' stick that disturbed a water moccasin on the other end. I could have just as easily stepped right on this snake or very near to it. I took a quick pic with my Blackberry (zoomed in) and let it be in peace.

Finding a cache isn't worth getting bitten by a very poisonous snake. This did scare me and I was VERY VERY thankful that my kids were not with me. Geocaching, I'm finding out quickly, is not the safest of hobbies (snakes, spiders, thorns, bad people, etc.). I was just wearing tennis shoes and shorts, I didn't expect to go geocaching.

I'm going to insist that we all wear long pants and perhaps have walking sticks too if/when the next time we go.

If you attempt this cache, please be careful.

And always be aware of your surroundings wherever you go!

This is my second water moccasin that I have seen while geocaching. I don't think I have ever seen one in my entire life out in the wild and now I have found two within a month or so. Argh.

Is that really a water moccasin? From this site -

"If the water is close, then they will often dive for it, even if the threat is between them and escape. I have had them rush around me and over my feet to get to the water. This may be a source of some of the Water Moccasin's rumored (but non-existent) aggressiveness. Most other aquatic snakes will usually flee away from the threat even if it drives them away from the water.

However, if a Water Moccasin is caught out in the open, it will coil and display by opening its mouth wide exposing the white lining of its mouth (hence its second name cottonmouth). I believe that this behavior serves two purposes, as a threat and as a practical defense of its head. It would certainly be difficult to grab this animal by the head without being bitten.

Be advised, though the Water Moccasin is not aggressive, it will readily bite and bite from a Water Moccasin can be very serious. Their venom is very destructive to the tissue around the bite and bite victims often get nasty bacteriological infections like gangrene."

Opossum Update

2009-05-01T23:05:00.000-07:00

Not on Opie or the babies unfortunately (see stories below) but on new possums.

My wife told me she thought she heard a noise behind the clothes drier out in the garage this evening and asked me to come check it out. I moved some wood we have beside it and underneath the drier hose leading out of the garage were two young possums. They aren't as small as the ones I had rescued the other day but they're not near as big as Opie.

I noticed this morning that most of the cat food was gone in the garage and saw a bunch of slobber in the cat bowl too (they're messy eaters!). I wondered if we had new visitors. Now we know.

I'm happy.

I'll try to get a picture of them. I just went out to try to get that picture but they're not in the same place. :-(

I just went out to see if I could see them, it's 1:45 am, and I caught an adult possum eating the cat food. Hmmm, we have more than we thought.

#36

2009-05-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

Another easy park and grab, Sims Bayou Adventure #8. Mosquitoes seemed a little less thick here even though it was only about a block away. I still maybe had time to grab another but I was tired of the mosquitoes and was ready to be rid of them. I liked this hide. Took none, left two. Signed log.

#35

2009-05-01T18:58:00.001-07:00

This one, Sims Bayou Adventure #7, was an easy park and grab. The mosquitoes were still very bad and they followed me into my vehicle. I think this was my first bison tube. Signed log.

#34

2009-05-01T18:56:00.001-07:00

Went for some lunchtime grabs today, first time in two weeks. First one was, Law Park - YAMS #5 .

This one is very near a park and a bayou. I was able to travel down a sort of road that wound into the weeds and trees just about 100' in so nobody could see my vehicle from the street which made me a little nervous (remember, I'm still not in the best part of town). I couldn't drive all the way to the cache because of recent rains. Alot of garbage around this one, large, dumped items, you'd need dump trucks to perform CITO. The actual cache is just a couple of steps into the weeds and trees. I took 2 items and left 3. Signed log. Oh yeah, the mosquitoes ate me alive!

The cache -

Me not too happy about the swarm of mosquitoes. Looks like I killed one on the right-side of my jaw, note the smeared blood.

The road leading to the cache -

Darn garnit

2009-04-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

As my oldest son used to say when he was little. :-)

I go out for a lunch find or two for the first time in two weeks and it starts pouring down rain. Argh.

So I drive to McD to get some lunch and head back to the office. Of course it has stopped raining now. I check the radar and the rain was only in that small section of town. Argh. Wasn't meant to be I guess.

Work, weather, chores - Oh my!

2009-04-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Work has been crazy lately. My co-worker had bypass surgery a couple of weeks ago and so my work load has more than doubled with a couple of unforeseen projects.

We've had an exceptionally rainy April (I think we broke a record for rainfall) which kept me from caching either because it was raining or because it left areas flooded from the rain.

Chores. Well, there is always stuff to do at home. Unfortunately too much stuff to make time for geocaching.

Rain!

2009-04-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from my Blackberry (almost all the pics on my blog are taken with my Blackberry) of the rain this morning. Sorry I don't have any comparison pics for you but trust me, the water is very high.

Free geocache stickers!

2009-04-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

I got these in the mail today. They look great I think. I'll stick one on my vehicle and use the others for swag. Thanks Leann!

Baby Opossums

2009-04-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

This Sunday afternoon I was coming home from running some errands and saw a dead possum in the middle of the road. However as I got closer, I noticed movement! And as I got beside it, I noticed two babies. The mother must have just been hit. I don't know what she was doing out at 12:30 pm (middle of the day) but she was. I quickly maneuvered my vehicle to block her and the babies. I think most folks thought I was crazy to block the street trying to help possums. I called my wife to tell her where I was and to come meet me with a cat carrier. One of the babies did get off the street and went to the ditch near some bushes. The other was trying to get back in his mother's pouch, it was very sad. I grabbed an empty Happy Meal box out of my car and tried to shoo the other off of the street, it did not want to leave his mother, poor thing. I was able to get that one into the box. I held it until my wife showed up and I put it into the carrier. I pulled my vehicle out of the middle of the road and went to get the other one. I got it into the Happy Meal box and put it into the carrier. They're very cute.

I brought them to the same place, Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition, that I brought Opie (see story below). I asked about Opie but they didn't know anything. I donated some more money by buying a couple of t-shirts for my sons and also a stuffed raccoon.

No lunchtime grab for me?

2009-04-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

Too busy at work. It is another beautiful day in Houston. I might try to grab one on the way home or take the kids out after supper. Maybe. :-(

UPDATE - Consecutive days streak broken. Got 10 days in. But this is OK. I have a story to tell and I'll do it when I get a chance.

OK, not every post on this blog is directly geocache-related so shoot me.

We were just about to sit down for supper when a neighbor hurriedly rang the doorbell. He told me he watched a possum come into our front yard from a couple of houses away. The possum wasn't moving and he said he was just playing dead. But I could see from 15' away that there were flies around him. I walked over to him and saw that he was alive but that maybe he had been hit by a car. The flies swarmed his left back leg which had an open wound.

I know this possum. We call him Opie. For the past year+, he comes into our gargage every night and eats the cat food. We don't mind. He's fun to watch and doesn't bother the cats. I had just taken the picture below of him the night before.

I think Opie was coming home (to die or be safe). I ran into the house to grab a cat carrier and to tell my wife that Opie was outside and that he had been hurt. We successfully got him in the carrier. I was able to take him to the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition. I gave a donation and checked off on the form to let us know what happens to him.

We miss you Opie.

As of 5-1-09, I still hadn't heard how he is doing. I'm hoping no news is good news.

Oh, I finally got news on Opie (6-1-09), he was euthanized shortly after I brought him in. :-(

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Doh! The ugly side of geocaching. I question some of the facts of this story. I doubt it was buried. Geocaches are never supposed to be buried. - BadAnimal

Geocachers prompt Boulder school evacuation

A buried geocaching box prompted an evacuation of Fairview High School in Boulder today while officials determined what what in it.

A teacher called from the school at 1515 Greenbriar Blvd. at 11:40 this morning, police said. The teacher saw" a man and a woman burying some kind of box near the stone sign in front of the school," a news release said. They drove away in a cream-colored SUV with Nebraska license plates.

Officers went to the school and decided to evacuate while the building while they investigated the box.

Students were moved to Southern Hills Middle School, 1500 Knox Drive, and Fairview High School was closed for the rest of the day, police said.

Geocachers use hand-held GPS devices to pinpoint hidden caches filled with trinkets.

UPDATE from Darcie Gudger - Boulder High School evacuated because of geocache

UPDATE2 - this looks like the complete story here - Couple seeking teacher's geocache cause school's evacuation

What NOT To Use As A Geocache

2009-04-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out HeadHardHat's latest GeoSnippit - What NOT To Use As A Geocache

Good stuff!

#33

2009-04-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day! But due to real life, it got in the way of geocaching.

But right after supper, I grabbed younger BadAnimal in search of a regular geocache, A Honey of a Cache, for obvious reasons, his favorite. Unfortunately the rain over the past two days had left this field flooded and neither us wanted to go through the standing water. We headed home. We'll have to come back here another day.

Later, I needed gas for my vehicle and since maybe I am obsessed and a little OCD about breaking the daily streak, I went to get gas where I knew there was a cache nearby.

I easily found this one, Hail to the Chief - John Adams. Sorry no picture of my (ugly) mug, my Blackberry was being squirelly and I needed to get back home. Signed log.

#32

2009-04-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

What a miserable day weather-wise! Alot of rain which has caused flooding and been, at least partially, responsible for some deaths.

But the youngest and I had a good day starting out at the Scout Fair (where I worked a booth for an hour and a half and young BadAnimal went off to have fun) and then we went to a shop that gives free magic lessons every 3rd Saturday of the month. Unfortunately I got a little lost getting there, amazing to me how much I depend on seeing the skyline and the sun, today's washout had me totally lost. After buying him a couple of magic tricks, we went in search of a cache. Hey, I need to keep my consecutive days streak intact!

I used to work across the street from this cache, Good to the last drop, back in 2000 for Kraft (Maxwell House), so going back to this area brought back some good memories. We parked as close as possible and had to use an umbrella. I spied it first and then he did. We brought the cache back to the vehicle to examine the contents and sign the log book in drier conditions. Took 2, left 2. Signed log.

Underpass under water. Poor picture quality. You can barely make out a car partially submerged.

#31

2009-04-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

And the daily streak stays alive!

I went by this one, Dementia Concretia, on the way home, it had been a very stormy afternoon. I had never heard of this place so it was a great new find. This one was a virtual cache.

Before I reached the location, I came across this rocket house? Another thing I had never seen.

And then for the virtual cache. It was raining while I was outside visiting. I must bring my kids back to this place! The Orange Show

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Another great article by Darcie Gudger! and a plug to yours truly's blog, thank you!

Geocachers Organize Events to Protect the Environment

CITO - Cache in, Trash Out

Geocaching is growing in popularity. More people are getting outside and into the woods. Volumes of people trekking to specified coordinates will impact the environment. In 2002, CITO environmental initiatives were launched by the world-wide geocaching community.

Leaving traces and trash by a few irresponsible people will ruin the sport for the rest of us. Geocachers are expected to practice "cache in trash out" whenever they are on the hunt. Also, cachers are expected to leave the area where they found the cache in better condition than when they found it (Leave No Trace).

Sometimes the volumes of trash are more than one geocacher can carry out.

The solution?

CITO events, hosted by devoted geocachers. For example, a CITO event will be held along Bear Creek on May 2nd. At 11 AM, geocachers will converge on the pavilion near the parking lot at the Stone House open space. The city of Lakewood, CO is supplying trash bags for the cleanup efforts.

Picking through trash to find a cache is disgusting and dangerous as well as detrimental to the environment. Read about a blogger's experience with trash at a cache site in Houston, TX here.

No lunchtime grab for me?

2009-04-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

We're under a tornado watch and it is headed this way!

Didn't make it out, mainly for work reasons. My 7 day streak is in jeopardy. There is a virtual cache I could possibly grab on the way home.

SWAG Bag Give Away! on Erika Jean's blog

2009-04-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Check out Erika Jean's blog for a chance to win alot of swag!

Pretty sweet eh? Contest ends on 4-23-09 so check out her blog and leave some comments! By the way, us bloggers love comments.

#30

2009-04-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

I was going to walk from #1 to this one, Sims Bayou Adventure #2 . But decided against it given the limited amount of time that I had. I looked at my map and realized that I could park closer to it.

Driving to the location I saw lots of flowers and other items by the mailbox of a house and then noticed the the house was badly burned and I realized that I had come across the house where two of Houston's firemen had lost their lives a couple of days ago. Very sad whenever we lose our policemen or firemen or first responders or armed forces personnel.

I parked just a house down from there and got out and began my walk. Turns out I could have parked even closer but that's OK, it was nice outside and I got to see more of the surroundings.

There were some mattresses and other furniture around but I think it was from dumping and not from folks using them. I found the geocache under a small log that the last finder had placed it under. But I saw a hole in the end of that log and saw that the geocache fit perfectly into it and left it that way confident that that was the way it was supposed to be. Signed log.

Note bayou behind me.
Bird in swampy area between where I parked and the geocache.

#29

2009-04-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

The temperature in Houston was pleasant today but it was very cloudy and maybe abit more humid. I've gotten addicted to the lunchtime finds but I am running out of them very quickly. I am anxious to getting back to geocaching with my sons. Hopefully this weekend we can do some. There is an 80% chance of rain tomorrow and Saturday though, might end my consecutive days streak that I have going on.

I went back to the Sims Bayou series hoping that there wouldn't be questionable people at these. I started with this one, Sims Bayou Adventure #1. It was on the edge of a very nice looking park.There were some neighbors out very interested in what I was doing but I tried to be as quick and stealthy as I could.

One of the logs read "poked around inside with a stick cause a massive nocturnal critter coulda been waiting for a little snack." I confess I was worried about sticking my hand in this area too. I brought a flashlight to help but it didn't. I grabbed a stick and poked around til I thought I found its shape. And then I blindly reached in and grabbed it. This cache could easily fall into some of the other areas of this space never to be retrieved. Signed log.

Frustrated look when I realized that a neighbor was standing on his front porch across the street. I don't know how long he had been watching me. He went inside when he realized that I saw him.
Pic of park next to geocache.
Pic of house next to geocache.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

Good explanatory article so I'm posting the entire thing.

Grab a GPS, a trinket and start geocaching

Caroline Skelton, North Shore News

Published: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The growing practice of geocaching is really a simple game of hide-and-seek.

Except the seeking is done by hand-held GPS devices, and the hiding is done by geocachers keen on sharing their favourite places with the world.

The global game is a growing trend with families of all ages.

It's administered through the website www.geocaching.com, and encourages players to hide geocaches -- boxes containing a few trinkets (of no monetary value) and a logbook -- at a location they love.

Then adventurous geocachers, armed with GPS devices and co-ordinates found on the geocaching website, search for the box, take a trinket and replace it, or record their visit, and meanwhile, enjoy someone's special spot.

In North Vancouver, newcomers can use a network of geocache locations to find out more about the large and unique collection of public art on display in the community.

Lori Phillips, public art co-ordinator at the North Vancouver Office of Cultural Affairs, started the public art geocaching initiative a year ago, positioning 10 geocaches at public art sites around North Vancouver.

Geocachers were then invited to visit all 10, and get a comprehensive tour of North Vancouver's public art collection in the meantime.

The program proved an immediate success, and within the first six months of the program, Phillips had received 600 e-mails from people who had visited the sites and wanted to share their experience.

Phillips was thrilled with the results, and happy to see a new group of people discovering the public art that helps make North Vancouver a special place.

For those looking for an even greater challenge, many geocaches also contain "travel bugs" -- small trinkets with identifiable numbers that eager geocachers can take with them and leave at other geocache sites. Of the 10 that were placed at the North Vancouver sites, three have made their way around the world, to places as far-flung as Japan and the Netherlands.

There are many other geocaches hidden in North Vancouver, says Phillips, and she encourages everyone to bring the kids out to explore the special places in the community. All you need is a GPS tracker, and perhaps a few little trinkets to trade for the trinkets that are often hidden in the geocaches.

"It's a great, family-oriented game," she says. It's fun, cheap, and at the end of the day, "you're going to end up in a spot that someone else thinks is a special place in the world."

Visit www.geocaching.com for more information.

cskelton@nsnews.com Link

#28

2009-04-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

Looked for this one, THE GREAT FLOOD, after Fields of Dreams. This one had me stumped!! I very nearly gave up but kept thinking of the hint - FLAT. And took a gamble at where it might be. Success! Signed log.

#27

2009-04-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day in Houston! I went in search of this one Fields of Dreams - . I'm glad I checked the logs first. "Be careful! I saw a big snake leaving where the cache was. It was probably 3-4 ft long." and "I, too, hiked to the back of the nearby park only to find the same treatment place and fence. Lots of grocery carts, so there may be people living in the woods nearby. Once I found the way to the field, it was an easy find, but I was a little disappointed at the location. So many prettier places it could have been."

So, I drove right up to this one. No muggles around. I moved one rock looking for it and found a snake, it was a little guy, I don't know what kind it is (see pic). There's also alot of ground cover covering the concrete and trash, I was worried about sticking my hand anywhere. I finally saw it and was able to grab it without incident. There's alot of trash around this one (I didn't have a bag with me to follow CITO and this is HISD property.) Took nothing, left nothing. (It still had the golf ball and a red hotwheels truck.) Signed log.

#26

2009-04-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day in Houston! I went in search of Cullinan Park Keychain Cache again. I took another 20 minutes or so to find it. And I did get some e-mail help from 'no muggle', thank you! Not sure why I had such a hard time. I did do alot of bushwhacking yesterday before I stumbled onto the paved path that is very near this find. This cache does blend in with its surroundings. And the hint says it is under a fallen tree, but there are many fallen limbs over the area. Many, many keychains inside. Very nice. Signed log. Took nothing, left nothing.

Can you see the cache?

Pics of the swamp in Cullinan Park.

This one is located in a questionable part of town. But I wasn't too concerned. Although there was a young guy yesterday walking around with his hoodie up and it was close to 80 degrees and that was kinda strange, you could barely see his face. But today, there were couples walking around and mothers with their young children. Some of the comments in the logs made me wonder about this one too - "Lot's of people in the park and on the trail, a few of which looked on the unsavory side. But I went for it anyway and found it without incident." and "When I first parked there were too many people just sitting in their cars watching me leave. So I went back and parked closer to the playground where there were more people and activity." and "When we came out, cops were everywhere as several cars were broken into so yall be careful parking there." (I did worry about my vehicle being broken into while I was doing this one.)
Mosquitos are also mentioned but I didn't have an issue on this beautiful day.

#25

2009-04-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Ate lunch quickly so that I could go grab at least one. Unfortunately, the caches in this part of town are few and far between and not in the best of locations as previously discussed so any lunch time grabs are going to be limited to literally just a handful. :-(

This one, This Cache is Anchored!!, was a great park and grab. Look in the background of the pic to get an idea of what's around this location. Signed log. Log was just a little damp.

I also looked for this one, Cullinan Park Keychain Cache, for way too long and struck out.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

Winter Haven Fl has got a really cool program for geocachers. I like reading about how some of the municipalities and parks and what not are getting involved in geocaching in order to attract visitors. Wonder if/when Houston will get onboard (or maybe they are and I don't know about it?).

Read this very nice article - Outdoor enthusiasts find fun in Polk with geocaching

Here's another nice one - High-tech treasure hunt - Galesburg Il

I wonder if geocaching could almost get too much publicity. Hmmm. Hopefully the more the merrier.

#24

2009-04-12T17:27:00.001-07:00

One of the new caches near me that got posted the other day via the Groundspeak Weekly Notification e-mail had a riddle attached to it. Raven flies to 1000 caches!!! I printed it out and was fairly lost as to what to do with the riddle. I looked at it again today and noticed details that I hadn't noticed before. I did what I needed to do with the paper and got the coords. I manually put those into the Geocache Navigator software on my Blackberry (I did have to change the default settings to accomodate the manual coords.) and saw where it was located.

Had to go get some gas and drop off the paper recycling and knew that the cache was located between my two destinations. The neighborhood that this was located behind is a very nice one. I was equally impressed with the way that folks had kept up their area outside of their back fences. It did take me several minutes to find it but the encrypted hint helped alot. The only issue was some neighbors seemed to be having an argument. I couldn't hear what was being said but I kept hearing a woman scream and I kept hearing a noise like a pneumatic gun or something. This made me pretty uncomfortable in what was a pretty nice setting. I wonder what the neighbors think hearing these people argue.

Congrats to Raven for their 1,000th find! Wonder if I'll ever get close to that.

I was just the third person to log this one.

#23

2009-04-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

A virtual cache, our first. Down at the End of Lonely Street No picture, going too fast down 290 to do that.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

Looks like the Girl Scouts have gotten into the geocaching business!

GeoTry-It also Hi-Tech Hide & Seek

Boy Scouts too!! - Geoscouting and Geocaching to Promote Scouting

#22

2009-04-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

Went out of town today to visit the family and found time to sneak in one cache. Ghosts of Robertson County - James This was our first cemetery cache. It had an interesting camo. We grabbed a couple of items and gave back several items. Signed log. This would be mega creepy at night. It is down a long lonely dirt road out in the middle of the country.

Interesting camo job!

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a very well done article, "Come and Find Me".

Snippet -

"It’s called “Geocache” and it’s basically one big, global and (now not so) very clandestine treasure hunt. I must admit that I wanted to keep the whole thing to myself, but after a couple of days spent outdoors, discovering new places, feeling the sun on my skin, being bitten by bugs and scratched by branches, I felt the need to break the code because the more people avoiding shopping malls and PlayStations on the weekend the better. Geocache gives new life to well-worn walks, and childish promise to familiar surroundings. It makes you want to get out there."

Here's something interesting from this article! - BookCrossing - Welcome to BookCrossing, where 762,115 people in over 130 countries come to share their passion for books with the world. Where books take on a life of their own.

Oh I also ran across Letterboxing tonight.

#21

2009-04-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

Yet another great cache in this series! Brooks Lake 3 - At the Bend I really enjoyed finding these! I thought this one was going to be very difficult but just look 'around'. Signed log.

Sorry for the spoiler pic but I liked this hide!

#20

2009-04-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

I walked up on a big black snake, water moccasin?, on this one, Brooks Lake 6 - Cast Your Worries Away . It slithered into the water. It was at least 3' or 4 ' feet long and a couple of inches around. Didn't get a pic.

Another great cache. Found it fairly easily. Older logs helped. Signed log.

Yes, that's the cache hanging from my sunglasses.

#19

2009-04-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

Well guess I should see what else is the area, ah! there's another, Brooks Lake 5 - R&R close by. This particular one was off by about 10' according to my software. But reading a previous log - "Was on the wrong side of the trail when lil ags spotted it." - gave me an idea of where to look. Nice cache! I keep finding different caches everytime and am enjoying it! The log was full on this one and it was damp. Found a spot to sign it anyway.

There were some ducks right behind me but my big head covered them up. :-)

#18

2009-04-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

Needed to go to Sugar Land for my job. We got out at 3 today for Good Friday and I decided to see what was in the area.

I first went to this one, Brooks Lake 4 - Keep Fit . Found it fairly easily. Cammo'ed Altoids can. Not giving too much away here, the hint reads - magnetic.

This area is soooo much nicer than the area I was in earlier. You can definitely take your kids here and enjoy a walk along the water with the ducks.

Signed log.

#17 - My second FTF!

2009-04-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

The next one was in the area so I went to find it. Sims Bayou Adventure #12. Judging from the map I had printed out and from the map on my Blackberry, I parked on the north side of the bayou and walked toward it but I pretty quickly realized that it was on the other side.

So, I drove over the bridge and into the neighborhood looking for a place to park but settled on parking at Sonic. Walking toward the find I noticed a couple of homeless men on the under side of the bridge on the other side of the bayou. This concerned me. This is not a very good part of town and I was by myself. I continued on and continued to keep an eye on those men.

I walked into the woods there and very near the area was a homeless shelter, there were blankets hanging from the tree and I wasn't sure but I think someone may have been in there from the direction that I approached. I didn't like this at all. I walked back out and approached from another direction. Lots of ground cover here and I was happy to be wearing hiking boots and blue jeans. I spied the geocache, which is locked by a cable to a tree (smart move!) but that shanty town was still about 20' from me. I admit I was scared (my heart was racing) and quickly opened the ammo can. Yay! I am the FTF! Grabbed the FTF prize, and the Jeep toy, signed the log, put back several items all the while keeping en eye out for people.

OK, I know bad things can happen anywhere but there are some areas where the liklihood that something bad might happen increases. I DO NOT recommend doing this one alone. Finding this cache wasn't worth my life. If you go get this one, please go with several adults and have your cell ready (I was very ready to dial 911). I would not bring my kids to this one with just me. I definitely would not recommend a woman doing this alone. Oh, and please do this one during the day. You are completely isolated and if anything were to happen, nobody would see it. Sorry to sound so paranoid, but better to be safe than sorry!

#16 - My first FTF!

2009-04-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

Got the Groundspeak Weekly Notification e-mail this morning. I like getting those e-mails! Tells me of upcoming events and the latest geocaches placed within a 100 mile radius of my home location. One titled, Sims Bayou Adventure #11 , caught my eye because I work fairly close to Sims Bayou. So, I looked at the details and thought this could be doable for lunch and there are a couple of fast food places I could go to for lunch right there in the area.

So, I parked across the street at the Walgreen's and went in search. The details on the site for this one say "Never used this type container before so we'll see how its lasts. You could call it a container inside another container or draw your own conclusion. A seeing eye dog is not required to find cache." He's right, once I saw the container, I knew what it was. I opened it, grabbed the container inside, unfurled the log and verified that I would be the first! I have to post a picture of the cache at the risk of spoiling this for someone.

Signed log - BadAnimals

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

Nice article here on searching for a GPS device.

Sample of article -

"The eTrex Vista has been so easy to use. I can operate it with one hand. Downloading caches from www.geocaching.com is as easy as one mouse click. The device lists the caches I hope to find in order of what's closest to where I'm standing at that very moment. When I mark one as "found" it moved to the next set of coordinates. My path of travel from one cache to the next is somewhat logical and so much fun.

Problem is, when I'm thinking it's time to head back and the next cache is only .16 miles away, I MUST find it.

For the past two days, my three-year old son and I have been out 2.5 hours at a time hunting treasures. Yesterday we meandered nearly five miles!

The geocaching community is huge and very friendly... very family friendly.

Time is a'wasting and there are some undiscovered caches out there. My next article will demystify geocaching and introduce you to the web-based cache log and community."

Darcie's Articles

Here are other great geocaching-related articles from Darcie -

What exactly is geocaching?

Geocaching neophyte

Geocaching fiction thriller

Interview with geocacher and author Colleen Coble

Geocaching and corpses: a true story

Geocaching Survey

2009-04-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

1. What is your name?
Marc

2. What is your GC name?
BadAnimals

3. What kind of GPSr do you use?
Blackberry Curve 8310

4. What is your favorite feature on your GPSr?
Using Geocache Navigator on my Blackberry, I don't have to have anything else with me, I am paperless. I can look at maps and hints and past logs, it has it all.

5. What is your best memory of geocaching?
Alot of my answers on this probably don't hold alot of water since I am only at 15 finds, might be interesting to do this again a year from now. Anyway, I would say our first find was most memorable.

6. What is the farthest from your house you've ever found a cache?
42.5 miles. I guess that is by 'how the crow flies'.

7. What is the hardest cache you ever found?
Hmmm I might say Bling Baby.

8. What is the most amount of caches you've completed in one day?
Four.

9. How did you get started in geocaching?
As documented on this blog, my Scout was going to do some orienteering and I Googled that and ran across geocaching, I was immediately hooked.

10. What is the silliest mistake you've made while geocaching?
Nothing too silly yet.

11. What memorable animals have you encountered on the trail?
So far, just a rabbit.

12. What is your favorite earthcache?
I don't even know what one is. :-(

13. When do you geocache most often? (Season? Time of day?)
Only been at this a month but I can tell you the most comfortable times in Houston are Fall and Spring. Late afternoon, evening.

14. Who do you usually geocache with?
My sons.

15. Have you ever logged a find on one of your own caches? If not, would you?
I haven't hidden one yet and I wouldn't do this.

16. What is the most consecutive days you've gone caching and had a find?
One, I think.

17. How do you feel about people who "collect" trackable items?
Trackable items? No way! Move it along. They probably paid money for it, it isn't yours to keep.

18. Is it all about the numbers for you?
Not at all. I know I don't have the time. I'm happy with whatever we have.

19. What have you learned since you started geocaching?
That this seems to be a really great community to be involved in. And that I get to spend time with my sons outdoors.

20. What is the most interesting travel bug or geocoin you have discovered?
I've only had two in my possession so...

#15

2009-04-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

Nice cache! Hacky Sack My youngest and I spotted this one at about the same time. Took a hacky sack. Left several items. Grabbed Bicyclecacher pathtag. Signed log - BadAnimals

The ground cover getting to this one was about 6" to a foot deep, I worried a little bit that there could be creatures lurking underneath.

#14

2009-04-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

The youngest and I went out after supper to go find at least one. The oldest had already invested 10 minutes into NCIS and decided not to go. Nice camo work! I Think I Owe You a Smiley Without the hint, we might have had a hard time finding it. I gave the hint to my youngest and he spotted it pretty quick! It was about 7:30 pm when we found it so there was absolutely nobody around. Signed log - BadAnimals

Lots of ground cover around this one so be careful. Thorns don't seem to be an issue. I imagine though there will come a day when this lot will become another building along the Beltway. Get it while you can.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

Regarding the 'Geocaching in the news...' posts, I find them interesting because I am still a newbie at geocaching. I'd like to be making more 'found' posts than I am but that thing called life just gets in the way. :-)

I can foresee a point where the 'Geocaching in the news...' posts become less frequent. And, once summer hits here in Houston, I can see the 'found' posts becoming less frequent as well.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the site and find the posts and links I have on the sidebar helpful.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

Geocaching becomes popular adventure

With terms even Harry Potter would love, geocaching is becoming one of the hottest high-tech games in the world, and it has made its way right into Marshall County.

Geocaching is a treasure hunt for which anyone armed with a Global Positioning System unit can participate.

The idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, that are placed somewhere outdoors. Longitude and latitude coordinates pinpoint the location. Other adventure seekers then hone in on the item, or benchmark, to discover the prize.

Caches can be hidden in anything from an old ammunition box to a discarded coffee can - anything waterproof - and contain various items such as pencils, small toys or trading coins with names. They can be found anywhere along bike trails or public places such as GrimesFarm and city hall.

Once the item is found, the hunter signs a log book and returns the container to its original location.

Afterward, participants may go to on Web sites like geocaching.com or iowageocachers.org and share their experiences. Anyone can enter a postal code or address and explore the caches in their area and beyond.

There are currently 761,834 active geocaches world wide and hundreds of them are literally popping up across the state. People of all ages are becoming part of this phenomenon due to a sense of environmental and community support.

Marshalltown's Convention & Visitor's Bureau and the Marshall County Conservation Board are local organizations that participate in the cache-finding missions. In fact, the Girl Scouts have recently added a geocaching badge to their list of merits. Individuals can also set up cache boxes onto their property or another location with permission.

"There are quite a few people around town that do it," said CVB Director Shannon Espenscheid. "It's something neat that anyone can do, and it's a great draw to Marshalltown as far as visitors."

No longer a muggle or non-geocacher, Amy Mills, assistant with the Marshall Economic Development Impact Committee, has become quite savvy, locating nearly 140 caches on travels to places such as Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota.

"When we visit the Twin Cities, we'll stop along the way just to find caches," she said. "It's the excitement of having the coordinates in your GPS system and finding things. We became fascinated with it and my grandkids just love it."

Hand held GPS units may be purchased at various electronic stores or online with an average price of $100.

---

Contact Tammy R. Lawson at 641-753-6611 or tlawson@timesrepublican.com

Fact Box

Geocaching tips:

Figure out where you are going before you get there.

Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes and clothes for hiking. Be aware of poison ivy, oak or sumac - ticks, too.

Before heading out, make a way point to your car or starting location.

Route choice is an important part of the hunt. Stay on trails as long as you can.

Some caches may be hard to find. When less than 20 feet from the item, your GPS can't help when you are that close.

Carry a bottle of water if walking or biking long distances.

Leave something in the box stating your town or location to say you were there.

Always get permission from a property owner to search for an item or cache box.

Geocaching terms:

Caching: Geocaching

Cacher: Geocacher

Muggle: Non-geocacher

Ground Zero: Immediate area where the geocache is hidden

Sig Item: Signature item

Log: Log sheet or log book

BM: Benchmark

Coin: Usually refers to a geocache coin

Multi: A multi cache - a cache with smaller items, or stages, that provide information to find the final treasure

Swag: Items for trading

- Tammy R. Lawson, Times-Republican - Central Iowa's Daily newspaper

#13

2009-04-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

Found this, Way to Bovay , after spending the weekend at Bovay for Webelos Do Your Best, so it was just S and I for this one, we both easily spotted it.
Nice cache! Great area. Took a couple of little creatures, left 4 erasers (1 space-themed and the other 3 travel-themed) Signed log - BadAnimals - Left travel bug Tyler

There were some thorns around this one, careful.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

Geocaching the Tucson area makes for a great family day trip

Written by - Nancy M. Dickinson

Geocaching is the latest sport to take hold in the world but what is geocaching?

The website dicitonary.com defines geocaching as "a type of scavenger hunt for waterproof containers bearing treasure using the containers' exact geographic coordinates and Global Positioning System devices." People who do geocaching define it as fun, exciting, adventuresome and a great way to spend a day.

Go here for the full article - Link

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-05T01:19:00.000-07:00

GPS Marks the Spot: Geocaching Houston

Face it. You've been wanting to go treasure hunting ever since you saw the Goonies chasing One-eyed Willy's loot and running from the Fratelli's. Don't lie or we'll make you do the truffle shuffle.

Lucky for you thousands of objects are hidden around the greater Houston area just waiting for you to find them. All you need is a hand-held GPS receiver (less than $100) and a bit of creative thinking (priceless). The game is called geocaching and everybody's doing it for lots of different reasons like it's a great way to explore the city and sometimes you can win a Jeep.

Geocaching started in 2000 after the the US government made available data from the Global Positioning System (GPS). The roll-back of selective availability made it possible for civilian GPS users to increase accuracy ten fold. Dave Ulmer, a computer scientist from Oregon, placed the first geocache (a waterproof container containing a log book and some giveaways), recorded the GPS coordinates and sent them to a GPS user group. Within three days two GPS users had found the cache.

The popularity of Geocaching has snowballed during the ensuing six years. Caches have been hidden on six of the seven continents; only the Arctic is not represented. So, don't forget to bring your GPS next time you're in Antarctica. There are currently 17 caches down below including one named Cone_Z that requires a helicopter for access resulting in only three folks finding it in just over two years.

Those of you lacking a helicopter are in luck. Roughly 2200 caches have been placed in the Houston area dating back to February 2001 when the first cache, appropriately titled Houston's First, was placed near the Johnson Space Center. Don't worry about getting busted for trespassing ~~unlike when you're out cow tipping in College Station~~. All caches must be placed in publicly accessible areas like T.C. Jester park, Braes Bayou and downtown. But, that doesn't mean it's as easy as walking up and eyeballing the cache from 50 feet away.

Caches range in size from five gallon buckets to old ammo cans to empty chapsticks. The containers are hidden in such a way that non-participants (called muggles; yeah, like in Harry Potter; yeah, you should stop snickering) don't happen upon them and run off with the loot.

The loot typically consists of some sort of log, so that you can let folks know you found it, and whatever stuff the hider can stuff into the container. Five gallon bucket sized hides may yield something fancy while a film container may only contain small trinkets or maybe some foreign money. Finders may take an item from the cache, but must leave something in trade.

Sometimes folks place a trackable object, called a travel bug, into the cache. These items are tagged with a serial number that the finder enters on the website to record the location before placing the item in a different cache. The objects have a mission, like returning a hula dancer to Hawaii or a Randy Johnson figurine traveling the MLB ballpark circuit.

Sounds like more fun than a barrel of monkeys; don't it? Go pick up a GPS, or unleash the capability in your cell phone, and get started. And, let us know if you get a line on a helicopter.

LINK

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

It's Spring! Time to get out there and Geocache!

What is Geocaching, you may ask?

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a GPS unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, the treasure box reveals a visitor log book and an eclectic mix of favorite trinkets. The find is recorded in the book and any trinkets taken are replaced with equally interesting objects.

This is one of the fastest growing adventure/hobbies in the world today and the North Vancouver Office of Cultural Affairs has joined the game by hiding several caches at local public art sites. It is a family friendly activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. More importantly, it's about finding new places you can explore, that you may have never found otherwise. Combine this sport and fun adventure with a delightful outdoor art search. Start today! To find the game rules and FAQ's, at www.geocaching.com and to find coordinates for the public art caches search using postal code V7M 3H6.

Link

Geocaching in the news...

2009-04-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

Geocaching: It's the Trip, Not the Trove

By Virginia Heffernan
March 31, 2009 7:22AM

Geocaching doesn't attract the rogue and huckster gold-diggers of yore. And despite the early participation of some culty tech people, after nearly a decade geocaching is now a pleasant avocation largely for good kids, moms and retirees, with associations found around the world. This loose confederacy of geocachers has a Boy Scouts vibe.

Americans have a history of believing in oracles that tell them to dig. Where I grew up, not far from the American Society of Dowsers in Danville, Vermont, even skeptical farmers consulted dowsers to help them decide where wells should go.

Before he discovered Mormonism, Joseph Smith was a "money digger" who trusted that a stone in a hat, properly viewed, could lead him to buried treasure; when the stone pointed the way to a hill in New York that contained the Book of Mormon, he hit the mother lode.

California, of course, was settled in part by men who felt called to go gold-digging. And in this century, with perhaps less riding on their hunches than Smith or the forty-niners, a growing clique of hobbyists who started in Oregon nine years ago have combined G.P.S. satellite technology and social networking in a curious pastime called geocaching.

Geocaching is a kind of global treasure hunt. It has a number of advantages over dowsing or other Luddite methods for finding hidden stuff. First, geocaching is undertaken just for fun. Second, someone has always deliberately buried the treasure (or "cache"), noted its coordinates (usually someplace outdoors) and supplied facts about it online.

Finally, players use no magic rods, enchanted sticks or seer stones to find their caches: They use G.P.S. devices. That must take some of the witchcraft out.

It's mysterious nonetheless: What's the allure? The treasure has been planted, after all, by people so good as to signal when the surrounding terrain is not wheelchair-accessible -- so where's the suspense? What's more, it's almost a certainty that the treasures in geocaching will be nearly worthless.

You might turn up a logbook that you can read and sign; or Geocoins, which are the Monopoly money of geocaching; or some old golf balls or coupons, the esoteric trophies of the sport. But there is never gold. Food is discouraged because it rots and draws bears.

Those who find caches are expected to record their visits in the accompanying logbook and at Geocaching.com, clean up their trash and replace whatever they take with something of comparable value. ("Cache in, trash out" is the "be prepared" of these sensible scouts.)

Paul Sookiasian, a recent college graduate who lives in Pennsylvania, has become an ardent cacher in the past year. He has turned up about 70 caches so far. "What drew me to geocaching was the little bit of mystery it puts into everyday existence," he explained in an e-mail message. "It's kind of fun (in a nerdy way) to go by these places with the knowledge that something interesting is there that everyone else around you doesn't realize. Maybe there's a little fascination in us left over from childhood of hiding little treasures in secret places."

That seems about right. Thor Muller, a Web entrepreneur in San Francisco, takes his 7-year-old son on geocaching adventures. Mr. Muller seems like a busy man; why go hunting for worthless trinkets? "You discover places you had no idea existed," he told me.

"Recently, we were out looking for a cache on Russian Hill. There are breathtaking views of San Francisco. But we couldn't find this thing anywhere. Finally my wife kicked a stone, and it turned out to be hollow. The treasure was inside." A great day. Sort of: When they went through the treasure, Mr. Muller said, "it was just junk. I think my son cried a little bit."

And then there are virtual caches. "The reward for these caches is the location itself" is how the Geocaching site explains them. They're just nothings, then -- an instruction to go somewhere for the sake of it. Virtual caches are no longer allowed on the site, but some older ones have been grandfathered in.

Geocaching, in spite of its superficial mystery, has to be among the least ominous epiphenomena of the Internet. It's a sweet and highly organized way to make ordinary vistas surprising, and it seems to speak to the better angels of the Internet's nature.

Sometimes the Internet is its own place -- a blown-out fantasia that exists independent of the world of rocks, soil, flesh and blood. At other times, it seems not like a pyrotechnic cloud above us but like an earnest guestbook for life on Earth, filled with entries that say little more than "I was here and it was beautiful." Or "I was here and it was weird." When you're feeling open to these sentiments, they're each surprisingly moving.

Link

Park and Gab: Eleventh Edition - GC1NK8H

2009-03-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

Great event! I got to meet and chat with Pappy'sPosse, The Popeteers and Manofsteel73. Saw Tachito but didn't get a chance to get introduced. There were many others there as well that I didn't get to meet. Picked up a TB to move along. The youngest BadAnimal attended with me and he enjoyed the games there.

Thank you Pappy'sPosse for hosting this event, I had a good time and came away much more knowledgable about geocaching.

Here's the Travel Bug, Tyler, that I picked up from the Popeteers.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-03-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

Tired of the treadmill? Get out and play instead

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Tired of the same old exercise routine? Get out and play instead, suggests a fitness expert who spoke at the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) Annual Health and Fitness Summit in Atlanta.

Play is "the perfect anecdote for when your exercise routine starts to feel like more of a chore than an activity of enjoyment," health scientist from Bethesda, Maryland, and ACSM faculty member Dr. Carol E. Torgan noted in a statement from the meeting. It's good for the body, mind and soul.

"Think about activities you loved to do as a child and incorporate those into your routine (and) include your family," Torgan added in comments to Reuters Health.

To rediscover your inner child, visit a playground, toss a Frisbee, take a hike, go rock climbing, pick up a hoola hoop, or dance. An adult weighing 150 pounds can burn more than 300 calories an hour by dancing.

"If you spent your childhood outside exploring," suggested Torgan, "head out the front door and try Geocaching" -- an outdoor treasure hunt game using GPS.

You don't need to be young to reap the calorie-burning, mind-stimulating benefits of play. "The 'power of play' for adults," Torgan said, "lies in simply focusing on the joy of moving, having a little fun with it, and not taking ourselves too seriously."

"Whether it's shooting hoops or even playing on a teeter-totter with a friend, these unstructured activities can create a sense of belonging and community," Torgan said.

Another benefit of "play" exercise is that it "doesn't require expensive equipment, a gym membership, or form-fitting Lycra - it's free. You only need an open mind," Torgan said.

"The key for most adults," she added, "is simply to give themselves permission to play - even for 10-15 minutes. Unplug and dance. Life is too short to spend it checking your email."

Link

Park and Gab: Eleventh Edition

2009-03-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

The boys and I are looking forward to this event tomorrow evening, hopefully nothing will come up where we don't get to go. I'll post about it if I do make it.

#12

2009-03-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

This cache, Slippin', is surrounded by ALOT of thorns, be careful! I wouldn't let my kids in without safety glasses on. I was in the midst of it and couldn't see it when my youngest, his third of the day, spied it from the outside. Took green Geocaching thing (anyone know what this is (hopefully you can see it in the picture)?) and yellow happy face whistle, left McD Dr. Oct toy and a couple of pirate coins. SL Nice cache!

Oh, and as we turned around to make our way back home, a rabbit came to visit!

Regarding the thorns issue, I saw a post on the Houston GeoCaching Society site and it was asking folks to post how much geocaching had cost them in terms of making mistakes, some folks had locked their keys in their car, or lost their GPS, etc. Well, I'd really hate to see some kid lose an eye because of geocaching in the midst of thorns. With this cache and the Bling Baby cache, you cannot avoid them. I have 5 well placed scratches on my arm from the thorns yesterday that I tried my best to avoid, well my arm is about head high for smaller kids. I'd just like you all to think about safety when it comes to geocaching, I don't want to see anyone get hurt.

#11

2009-03-29T19:43:00.001-07:00

Got this, Deadend, on a Sunday afternoon so the day care was closed. No muggles around except that one was cutting his grass on the other side of the brick wall, he never saw us. This was a first of its kind for us and my youngest figured it out, his second in a row for the day! TNLN SL

#10

2009-03-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

I haven't been in Bane Park since they made some major renovations to it and it looks great! This cache, Remember the Alamo, is super nice, full of interesting things regarding the Alamo. My youngest spied this one. Took baseball and electronic game. Left traditional yo-yo and Chinese yo-yo. Signed log. Left BUGGY ON! travel bug.

George Bush Park

2009-03-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

I've never been to George Bush Park, but judging from this thread, it looks like we might need to check it out sometime! There are over 100 caches in the 7,800 acre park.

Geocaching in the news...

2009-03-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

The great GPS stash hunt

Published: March 26, 2009

Click this picture to view a larger image.

A group of kids pillage a geocache stash. Geocaching is a great way to get the kids off the couch and out in mother nature.
Photo by Gary Short

By Jan Short

The ‘Wild Rivers Coast' is home to some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in the world. The coastal trails lead to shimmering waterfalls and pristine beaches through magnificent growths of forests, ferns and wild berry patches.

What many in this area are not aware of is that these same coastal trails hide other treasures – man made in origin. These treasures are called ‘geocaches' (pronounced geo-cashes). Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache (a container filled with tradable items) anywhere in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache's existence and location online.

Anyone with a GPS unit or a map and coordinates can then try to locate the geocache. According to the official geocaching website there are 724,583 active caches worldwide. In a 30-mile radius of Gold Beach there are approximately 239 caches hidden and seven active caches within the city limits of Gold Beach.

The origins of hunting for treasures goes back as far as prehistoric man and the hiding of ‘caches' of food. Cave paintings and marks on trees may have been clues to the whereabouts of these hidden caches. As need became less of an incentive, the quest for treasures became more of a game. Modern man has developed technology to improve upon this activity.

The game of Geocaching goes back to an event that happened on May 2, 2000, when, unknown to most people, our government released orders that upgraded 24 satellites' Global Positioning Technology. Since Oregon has long been acknowledged as a stronghold of outdoor enthusiasm, conservation and adventurers, it is not surprising that on May 3, one such enthusiast, Dave Ulmer, a computer consultant, wanted to test the accuracy of the new technology by hiding a navigational target in the woods near Portland. He called the idea the "Great American GPS Stash Hunt" and posted it on an Internet GPS users' group website.

The idea was simple: Hide a container out in the woods and note the coordinates with a GPS unit. In the course of a few years the game and the name evolved to include a website and players from all over the world.

It is not surprising that many innovations to this game have been added over the years. One called ‘Travel Bugs' has become very popular. Travel bugs have tags with numbers that have been logged by the official Geocaching site. When a travel bug is launched it is put into a cache and the number and location are logged online. Whenever this bug is found and moved it is logged by the finder and the new location is posted. One travel bug, "Mr. Wonderful," began its journey in Gold Beach. It has traveled across this country, the Atlantic Ocean, and through Austria, France, and back again. Mr. Wonderful has not made it back to Gold Beach, but it is still traveling in the United States and has logged more than 14,000 miles. Most travel bugs do not enjoy such a long journey; many disappear, so Mr. Wonderful's journey is quite a feat.

One of the best aspects of this game is that it leads you to places you might not have ever seen without the incentive of the game. Caches are hidden in places that people have found and want to share with others, either because of the history or the beauty of the spot. Many towns and cities have begun hiding caches in places they want people to discover such as hidden parks or memorials and places of interest within their city that the casual tourist might not ever discover on his own. Boy Scout troops have begun using the game as a means of teaching the scouts outdoor skills. Parents and families use the game as a way to explore and spend time together.

If you are interested in learning more about this game you can log onto geocaching.com; don't be intimidated by the fact that a GPS is required.

There is an offshoot called ‘letterboxing' that is done strictly using clues. To learn more about letterboxing you can begin on the geocaching site and then find the link.

Good hunting.

#9

2009-03-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Had to get some fast food for the family, was jonesing for a find! A nice quick and easy park and grab. Signed log. SkyRookie's PNG series #11

Hopefully the boys and I can get some hunting in very soon!! I'm tired of seeing my ugly mug!

Header

2009-03-20T17:27:00.001-07:00

I made the header for this blog last night, what do you think?

#8

2009-03-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

I went by Aquarium World to get rid of some of our platys (which this was my first visit there and I highly recommend going to this place, the fish they have there are as good as, if not better than, the zoo's), decided to see what geocaches were around and, again, there was one pretty much in the parking lot. Hail to the Chief - Lyndon B. Johnson. I never even knew this BBQ place (Lyndon's Pit Bar-B-Q) was here. Coords dead on. Easy find. Microcache.

I know my graphic says 7 found but one of the ones we found is for premium members only and I can't log it until if/when I become a premium member. Would someone like to buy me a membership? :-)

#7

2009-03-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

I had to get gas last night and while I was doing that I decided to check my Blackberry for nearby geocaches. Turns out there was one, SkyRookie's PNG series #10, right in the parking lot. I hadn't been geocaching in over a week and was jonesing hard. :-) Coords for this one was spot on, fun find! Signed log. I don't feel too guilty for doing some by myself, this was just a microcache anyway. :-)

Space Center Houston - Treasue exhibit

2009-03-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

"Your hunt for fun has just begun at Space Center Houston with an exciting all new exhibit called Treasure!

This hands on exhibit features seven thematic areas that explore the unique history of treasures and treasure hunting, including mysterious underwater treasure, old treasures in the attic, Pirates’ buried treasure, gold rushes, the modern treasure hunt and more!

With interactive hands on activities, guests will be able to try the tools of a real treasure hunter, embark on a special adventure to find a hidden treasure chest, and will ultimately answer the question, what do you treasure?"

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

We went to Space Center Houston on this day during the boy's Spring Break. In their Treasure exhibit, they had a display of Geocaching! If you click on the pictures, you should be able to read the words on the plaques. I was hoping to get in some geocaching while we were in this area but we ran out of time. Space Center Houston is always a great time and I highly recommend taking your kids there.

And I did look for this while there -

"Attention Visitors to Space Center Houston: There are Travel Bugs to be found and/or discovered there.

I found this geocache on Thursday, February 19. I was in town to install the Treasure! exhibit at Space Center Houston. I intended to drop two TBs in this cache and two in the exhibit. I forgot to bring them when I went for this hunt and then had to catch my flight home. So, if you go to the exhibit, look for the geocache. Inside the geocache are two TBs that you may 'discover'. For one lucky person, there are also two TBs hidden under the large fern right behind the cache. (Yes, this is indoors. The fern is fake.) Please take those two TBs. One TB is wearing the other TB on its head."

But I was looking in the fern to the left and to the right of the geocache box. I didn't look (or feel) right behind it. :-(

Geocaching in the news...

2009-03-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

Geocaching catching on with several hundred sites within 10 miles of Saginaw

by Gus Burns | The Saginaw News
Tuesday March 17, 2009, 7:23 AM

Spring-like rays thawed the soggy the ground at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church cemetery in Frankenmuth as Michael K. Boensch, a $300 Garmin Vista HCX handheld global positioning system slung around his neck, rooted through a solitary pine tree checking and replacing his geocache.

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure-hunt-like game/hobby. Geocachers, utilizing GPS and the Internet, hunt for the "geocache" or "cache," a container with a finder's log, writing utensil and sometimes a memento. Caches are nearly everywhere, in every town and state, cemeteries, parks, mountains, historical landmarks and private property. Some 745,790 active geocaches are registered across the globe at geocaching.com, and several hundred are within 10 miles of Saginaw.

More...

Geocaching in the news...

2009-03-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

A story from the Milwaukee Outdoor Recreation Examiner

Enjoying the great outdoors doesn’t mean you have to head out to the trails and parks. If the city is your type of jungle, then Milwaukee had plenty of things to do there too. For instance, you can grab a GPS receiver and head to www.geocaching.com. From there you can get a list of coordinates and head out into the city. There are plenty of caches stashed around Milwaukee. For an enjoyable afternoon, you can head out to the River Walk. One I recently finished is Gertie and the Bridge War. This is a 2 part puzzle cache and a lot of fun. I recommend this one. If you don’t have a lot of time then there are also smaller micro-caches hidden around. Get a list and head out on the concrete trails. If all the walking and searching made you a little tired and hungry then stop off at the Milwaukee Public Market and grab a bite and a drink. They have free Wi-Fi so you can get online and fine a few other caches while you rest your feet.

Milwaukee is covered with geocaches. There are over 1400 caches hidden around the Milwaukee area. Geocaching is a great game that gets you outdoors, whether hiking in the parks and trails or hiking through the city. If you haven’t given it a try, get out, give it a try and enjoy the day. Take a walk along the river and stop by and say “Ayyyy” to the Fonz. Tell him Dan sent you.

An unusuccesful hunt today

2009-03-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

I looked for this cache, A Trip through the Country... #4, today, I didn't find it, not to mention that it was cold and raining. I was alone for this one. I didn't read the logs to see that maybe it wasn't there. I didn't have a chance to look for any other caches in the Waller area.

#6 - My first solo find

2009-03-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Before I headed home from work this day, I decided to check the caches on a road I often go down. I decided to try to find this one - Softball Anyone?!

This one was in plain sight! And there were a bunch of folks around. At least one gentleman wondered what the heck I was doing.

Signed log. Yeah, no camera. Took travel bug. Will deposit soon! Put it (cache) back in same exact spot but threw a couple of pine needles on it.

#5

2009-03-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is one that I had looked for earlier in the week and was unsuccessful. This time the boys and I looked and looked when I finally noticed the surroundings seemed a little out of place and there it was. This was a great cache with lots of bling! We took one, left one and signed the log. BLING BABY

Be careful, this one has ALOT of thorns around it. I would not let anyone in this area without safety glasses on.

#4

2009-03-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Ryan spotted this one first - Ammo Can Cache. It wasn't what I expected it to be.

#3 - Our third find

2009-03-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

While still in the neighborhood, we go looking for Signal's in Houston! This did take about 10 minutes to find. Ryan and I spotted it at the same time. If you read the geocaching sites, they do recommend having a stick with you and after doing just a few, I wholeheartedly concur. This particular cache is just a log only. Oh, I am VERY happy with Geocache Navigator on my Blackberry. When using the radar function, it seems spot on.

#2 - The boys and I find our second cache!

2009-03-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

We started looking for Turn around again because it was in our neighborhood. We searched for about 5 minutes before I found it. It was a very nice cache that had three travel bugs in it, I left them there because I didn't know what to do with them at the time. And I didn't get a picture. We did take one thing and left one thing and signed the log.

And, unfortunately, this is a premium member cache and I can't officially mark the log that I found it. I found it because Geocache Navigator saw it.

#1 OUR FIRST FIND!!!

2009-03-07T20:21:00.000-08:00

We went to Stephen F. Austin State Park today for the Spring Cub Scout campout.

I had done some research before we left and knew that there were two geocaches near the entrance of the park. We had an extra hour before supper began so we went in search of one of them, the Brazos River Run.

We spent maybe 5 minutes searching for it before I spotted it. This is great fun and my boys enjoyed it too! We took one thing and left one thing and signed the log - BadAnimals.

Looking again and striking out

2009-03-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

Friday night I went to Walmart and searched for this one, Ozan831's park and grab #1, but maybe because it was dark, I could not locate it.

Made of notebook of some local caches...

2009-03-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

and two of where we were going camping the next day at Stephen F. Austin State Park.

I'm not paperless. While I love Geocache Navigator on my Blackberry, it doesn't provide any hints, if there are any, from the geocaching.com website. It does give everything else though.

(Update - I've since realized that if there are any encrypted hints on the geocaching.com website, that those hints are available in the Geocache Navigator software. Also, you read any of the logs posted on the website which will often give you a hint or two and will also give you the date of when it was last found.)

Looking for my first find

2009-03-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

After work on Wednesday, I looked for this one, Bling Baby, for about 15 minutes. I was right on top of it, as it turned out, I just didn't know what I was looking for.

I also looked for Turn around again (this one is for premium members of geocaching.com however you can find it with Geocache Navigator) for about one minute but was unsuccessful.