Mount that Pathtag!

If you are like me, you have collected quite a few Pathtags. When you trade or buy a Pathtag, they usually come in a small cellophane pouch that is stapled on the open end.

I started putting them in a Lock & Lock for storage. This was fine when I had just a few, but, I have collected nearly a hundred of these little buggers! It's time to organize.

I looked at many options, but finally settled on products used by coin collectors. A cardboard coin holder sometimes referred to as a "flip" is an inexpensive little item that makes storing and collecting coins easy.

A "flip" comes in several sizes for just about any size coin. It is made of a cardboard shell lined with Mylar. There is a hole punched in the center a little larger than the coin you intend to display. For Pathtags, the U.S. Quarter size is just perfect. The Mylar film and punched hole creates a round window that you can view the coin or Pathtag through while protecting it from fingerprints and the elements.

I found a good source of the 2" x 2" U.S. Quarter sized flips on eBay. I bought 100 flips that come in a red storage box. Once you mount your Pathtags you can use the box as a storage container. The price including shipping was $6.95 and the seller was very prompt on shipping the flips. You can view his eBay auctions here.

One way to mount coins or Pathtags in a flip, is to center the Pathtag over the window area and fold over the flap and staple on all four sides of the flip surrounding the Pathtag. Make sure you wipe the Pathtag clean of all fingerprints before mounting. I tried this method and it works well, but the staples don't look good and they take up more space in the storage box.

A better method us to use a "permanent glue tape" dispenser to apply a layer of the sticky substance on double-sided tape without the Mylar strip. Just run a strip along all four sides between the window and the edge of the flip. Now center the Pathtag in the window and close the flap. This gives a cleaner look to the final Pathtag mount.

To finish the mounting, I write the Pathtag number on the corner. This makes it easy to file them in order and also lets you reference the Pathtag quickly.

You can keep the mounted Pathtags in the storage box that came with the flips or you can buy three ring notebook size clear vinyl sheets designed to hold the 2" x 2" flips. There are other coin collector options available to Pathtag collectors. Just remember to use the U.S. Quarter size mounting products.

I have prepared a slide show of the mounting process below. Enjoy your Pathtag with style!

You got a GPS for Christmas...Now what?

Santa brought you a brand new GPS receiver (GPSr). Now what?

If you have a friend who is into geocaching, he or she is the person that can be of most help. But if not, here are few tips.

Garmin has an interesting page, "What Is GPS?" This page is a little technical, but does explain how a GPSr works.

Garmin has also produced a good document, "GPS Beginner's Guide." It is not very specific, but is worth reading.

One of the best documents is provided on wikiHow. It is titled, "How To Go Geocaching" and should be read completely. Many questions can be answered there.

Take a while to become familiar with your new GPSr. Learn the basic functions, especially how to add waypoints. Most new GPSr's come with a USB cable that allows you to transfer coordinates, but if not, you will have to enter them manually. This can be time consuming and I don't recommend it unless you don't have any other means of entering the information.

Take your GPSr into the back yard or a nearby park and walk around with it. Switch to the compass screen. On most models, the compass screen doesn't work exactly like a compass. A real compass will point north even when standing still. Your GPSr changes only if you are actually moving. This is because the computer inside is looking at several coordinates and calculating where you are, what direction you are heading, and your speed.

Explore all of the features of you new toy. You will find it can be very useful for things other than geocaching!

Happy Geocaching Holiday!

I found a nice, little geocaching holiday greeting on YouTube.



Happy holidays from CarolinaCacher!

Groundspeak announces iPhone application.

Groundspeak announces a new application for the iPhone. This application not only lets you see the geocache pages, but also utilizes the features of the iPhone to navigate you to the geocache location.

The iPhone application is best supported by the iPhone 3G but it is also compatible with the iPod Touch and 1st generation iPhones.

Here are a few screen shots of the new application for the iPhone.





I don't have an iPhone, but this looks like a great way to have an "all-in-one" device for geocaching!

"It was a cold and quiet afternoon."

"It was a cold and quiet afternoon". That is how my geocaching journey began today. GC1JMPG - Foul Ball was the geocache I went to find today. This was the newest geocache in may area and I wanted another FTF (First-To-Find). I wanted this FTF because it put me in the 15% club!

This geocache was a very good hide. The spot was easily accessible, the coordinates were dead on, and the geocache container was very imaginative. Good job five0xpress!

It was a little spooky going in. I get there just as the sun was meeting the horizon. The shadows were long and the only noises I heard was the dogs calling for the moon and the ice crystals crunching beneath my feet. Wow it was cold.

I noticed a very large dog's footprint. By the size and depth, I would say the dog is well over 100 pounds! I'm glad I didn't meet FrankenDog on this geocaching trip! Take a look at the picture.



As I was leaving, I was treated to a lovely scene of nature. The sun was just about below the horizon. I stopped long enough to grab a picture.



This was a good day for geocaching. Thanks five0xpres for getting me out here. Your geocache was imaginative and hidden in a good location.

The GSAK Pathtag has arrived!

I just received the latest of my Pathtags. The GSAK Pathtag recognizes the contribution that GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) has made to the geocaching community.

The GSAK software gives geocachers the flexibility to focus his or her geocaching activities precisely on the desired objective. GSAK lets you filter geocache listings by many criteria. This lets the geocacher load only the geocaches he or she wants to search for.

There are too many features that GSAK has to list here. Visit the GSAK website to learn more!

I will have very limited trading on this Pathtag. If you would like to purchase one, see the side-bar to the right.

I got my first Pathtag today!

I got my new Pathtag in the mail today. I am very happy with the results.

I decided to show my interest in GPSgames.org with this Pathtag. If you are not sure what Pathtags are, they are similiar to a geocoin, but smaller and far less expensive. They are the size of a United States quarter.

They differ from geocoins in that they are not trackable on Groundspeak. There is a serial number on the back. This lets you log it at Pathtags.com and add it to your collection.

There is a large group of Pathtag traders. You can offer any Pathtag you have for trade. If accepted, you both will send each other the Pathtags traded.

The cost of a new Pathtag is $99. This includes the making of the stamping die and 50 Pathtags. You can select an number of colors you want. Since the Pathtags are small, you can't get too detailed with the design, but with a little creativity, you can design a very nice Pathtag.

If you are interested in creating a Pathtag, I offer my help in designing it. Just send me a message and I will get all the details and start designing.

Take a tour of Pathtag by watching this YouTube video.

Add additional waypoints to your geocache hide

Did you know that you can add additional waypoints to your geocache listing on Groundspeak?

When you hide a cache you may want to mark certain locations on the way to the cache container. Parking area, trailheads, reference points, questions to answer for a mystery or multi-cache, stages of a multi, and of course the final location.

All can be added to your cache listing and when the GPX file is downloaded, those waypoints will be loaded to your GPSr!

This makes it easier for the geocachers searching for your cache. Update your current hides and when placing new ones, include these useful reference points to help the geocachers searching for your cache!

CITO Coordinator for NCFG.

The "North Carolina Foothills Geocachers" have been sponsoring and coordinating CITO events in the City of Hickory parks for some time now. The Parrotheads have been shouldering the responsibility since we started. They have done a magnificent job, but decided to turn the reigns over to someone to carry on that responsibility. That someone is me!

CITO (Cache In, Trash Out) is a service provided by geocachers. It is a way of paying back the community for letting us play on their playgrounds. It is a valuable service and is one of the things that define us as geocachers.

CITO not only cleans the environment in which we play, but it also allows us to say why geocaching is a good thing when talking to state and local governments. With the explosion of new geocachers and geocaches, some state and local governments may have to face the reality of restricting some geocaching activity. We have a stronger position when we can say what we do to benefit our area.

The City of Hickory has been very pleased with our efforts in the city parks. In return, we have been given, for the most part, a free hand in using these parks for geocaching. We are important to the city park system! Let's keep it that way.

The Parrotheads have done a great job and I will use their examples along with some other (not better) ideas for trying to keep our group active. After all, geocaching is supposed to be fun!

I am open to any suggestions you may have. You can email me at the link at the top of this blog or call me at 828-394-GPS-1 (4771).

Do you "preserve" or "pilfer" the geocache?

When Dave Ulmer created and placed the first geocache, one of the rules was "take something, leave something". He didn't say so, but it should be implied that when you do trade, you trade equal or better.



I placed a large geocache a little over a year ago. In it I placed about $50 of good, new items. I wanted it to be a very pleasant surprise when they found the "Big Store" of geocache swag. After several months I stopped by to check on the cache and to my surprise the cache had been pilfered. No, everything was not taken, but most of the very good, new items was traded for used McD's toys and plastic army men.

So, I did what any geocache owner would do. I restocked the cache with many new items. Several high quality baseball hats were placed in the cache. Now, these were not the cheap hats, but even if they were, they would be worth $5.00 each!

Another few months went by and I checked on the cache again. PILFERED! I just don't understand it. After examining the logs I surmise the following:

Geocachers are not prepared for trading items. They have their GPSr, camera, cellphone, but not much else. When they arrive at the geocache, they see the nice goodies and decide to "just take one". Also, some geocachers cache in groups. Maybe it is their friends, or maybe children and their friends. When the children see all the goodies, they must have one.

Now understand, I don't blame the children. They are just doing what kids do. The adults are the ones who totally miss a teaching experience. BEFORE going geocaching with the children, the parents/adults should explain to the children what it means to trade fairly. The adults should encourage the children to pick a couple of their own toys that they really like. That way, when they trade, they are trading equal or better. If the adults arrive at the cache with the children and the adult was ill prepared, they should explain to the children what fair trading is and since they didn't bring anything nice to trade, they would have to come back another time when prepared.

But, I think, what really happens is that the privacy of the moment just "excuses" the parents/adults from having to exercise parental responsibility. I know it is difficult to tell a child no, but that's part of parenting! Not teaching a child when not to do something is just doing that child a disservice.

The lesson to learn is that if you go geocaching, be prepared to trade or don't take anything from the geocache. Parents should prepare their children in advance so the geocache is not pilfered. If you find the geocache and are not prepared to trade equal or better, then just sign the log and take nothing.

We all need to take care of the geocaches we visit. Be prepared with trade items, blank logs, paper towels to clean out damp caches, etc. Make sure the experience of the next geocacher is better than yours!

CarolinaCacher wants YOU to vote!

We often take the right to vote for granted. This right is one that people fought and died to get and protect.

There are many issues today that effect your life and is too important not to make your wishes knows. I don't care who or what propositions you vote for, but I do want you to participate! This right is too precious to just ignore.

Election day is Tuesday, November 4th. If you need to know where to vote, you can visit Vote411.org and locate you local poling place.

I am addicted! My next Pathtag is being minted.

I have ordered my second Pathtag. This can be addicting. If you have to have an addiction, I guess this one is relatively harmless.

Many geocachers know of GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife). GSAK is a fantastic database manager for all of your pocket queries downloaded from Groundspeak, GPSgames, and Terracaching.

I contacted Clyde at GSAK and he gave his permission to use his logo on my latest Pathtag. I will have a limited supply of these, so I will not be trading them right away.

South Carolina has zero tollerance on illegal geocaches.

Many geocachers place their cache containers on private property or highway right-of-ways without permission. Now South Carolina is taking a "zero tolerance" for these placements! Here is a recent quote posted on a geocache listing by the South Carolina reviewer for groundspeak:

"I have been notified by the SC DOT that they are taking a zero tolerance approach to geocache placements on right of ways. They are using SC Title 57 Section 57-7-20 as the authority for their action.

Therefore I must strongly suggest that the cache be removed and perhaps placed in a location that is not part of a right of way. If the physical cache is not moved with appropriate editing of the cache page, the cache page should be archived." -Brad, Groundspeak volunteer reviewer.

This may be a warning to the geocachers in North Carolina. Don't push the envelope too much! Rethink your guardrail hide. Try placing geocaches in public parks (if allowed by the park) or other areas where geocaching is allowed.

A good resource for South Carolina law concerning geocaching is the blog, UnderGroundspeak.

"Johnny Appleseed" keeps planting for GPSgames.org

My goals of holding the "Introduction To GPSgames" events is three-fold. First, to bring attention to fellow geocachers the existance and differences of GPSgames.org. Second, to hide more geocaches exclusive to GPSgames.org in my area. Third, to gather members of the geocaching community in an event to introduce them to the geocaching buffet which is GPSgames.org. Two out of three ain't bad!

Again, bad weather threatened the event up to about an hour before. The skies did start to clear and it turned into a beautiful day. The lessons I have learned is that there should be a little more time between these events to allow geocachers to prepare for it.

Instead of holding them once a month, I will try about two months (maybe a little less) between events.


I arrived about 10:30 AM and shortly after, set up shop. The park is usually more active, but the weather was a major factor. Some "muggles" glanced over. I would love for one to come over and ask, "What the heck is going on?"


The fall leaves against the lake this morning was breath-taking. I love this time of year. The weather is cooler. The insects are fewer. The colors are beginning to pop!


Geitner Park in Hickory has it all. If you haven't visited it yet, go soon! Geocaching is plentiful and there are several trails, some easy and some a little difficult.

There are now two GPSgames.org exclusive geocaches in the park. These along with geocaches from Groundspeak and Terracaching will make your geocaching experience a full one at Geitner park.

I will be planing the next event soon. Keep an eye out for it. It will probably be in mid-December. If you have any suggestions, please comment on this blog entry.

"Heritage Trail Freeloader" has been placed.

I have placed a new traditional geocache in Newton, North Carolina. "Heritage Trail Freeloader" is listed on GPSgames.org. I call it a "Freeloader" because it is inside of another geocache that is listed on "the other service".

My hopes is that this will introduce some to the buffet of games available on GPSgames.org.

Heritage Trail Greenway is a project by the City of Newton, North Carolina. It is a nice, little walking trail along a creek just a couple minutes away from the downtown area.

Enjoy the new geocache!

My Pathtag is being minted.

I finally took the plunge. I ordered my first Pathtag. Pathtags are a custom design coin about the size of an American quarter. You submit your design and in four to six weeks, you have your . A PathtagPathtag!

They are not geocoins. They do have a serial number on the back, but it is the same for every coin in the series. Each coin is not trackable like a geocoin or travel bug. The benefit is that they are much cheaper! You get the first 50 minted for $100. Additional coins are less than $1.00 each.

My first tag represents my appreciation for GPSgames.org; a geocaching games service that offers many games to be played using your GPS receiver.

If anyone would like to consider having a Pathtag minted, I will be happy to help you with the design. Just contact me and we will work on one for you.

Handicaching Ratings On Your Geocaches

There are many geocachers that also have some degree of disability. The rating system on all of the geocaching listing services do not contain enough information for these geocachers to make an informed decision on which geocaches to attempt.

Luckily, there is a rating service that fills this gap. Handicaching.com does offer a more detailed geocache rating system tailored to those with disabilities. Here is a statement of the rating system's purpose:

Handicaching aims to improve the accessibility of Geocaching for disabled people all over the world.

By rating caches using a simple system, disabled geocachers can quickly find the caches they are able to do. Too often a 1 star or 2 star rated cache turns out to be impossible, causing dissapointment. Our ratings aim to avoid that.

You can help by taking a few moments to quickly rate the caches you have visited!

For disabled geocachers we also provide tools and resources to find caches with ratings, find out what caches you will likely be able to do and a quick reference guide to the rating system.

I have started rating my geocaches using this system. Please consider using this valuable service to inform everyone who may search for you geocache.

"Introduction To GPSgames II" Event

The first "Introduction To GPSgames" event was such a success, I decided that there should be a series of these events. Each in a different park in Catawba county. So, the "Introduction To GPSgames II" has been listed.

The second in the series will be held at Geitner-Rotary Park in Hickory, NC. Geitner Park is a geocache rich environment! There are geocaches listed on GPSgames.org, Groundspeak, and Terracaching. Be prepared to cache! Bring your GPS receiver and some trade items.

We will meet at the gazebo marked by the listing coordinates on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 11:00 AM. Soft drinks and bottled water will be provided. There will be door prizes available for those who attend. I will have extra GPS receivers with coordinates loaded for those who may not have one with them.

Two new GPSgames Exclusive geocaches have been hidden in the past week and there are several others to be found. Make sure to load-up your GPSr before coming! Make this a full day of geocaching!

GPSgames.org is a service for geocachers. All variations of geocaching are provided, as well as several other games utilizing the GPS receiver. I liken GPSgames.org as the geocacher's buffet! Some of the games available on GPSgames.org are Shutterspot, GeoGolf, GeoPoker, GeoVexilla, and others.

If you are a not yet a geocacher, this will be a good opportunity to learn about the hobby. If you are seasoned veteran, you will be surprised at the other games available to you. I look forward to seeing you there!

Look for this lawn sign:

Are you ready for muggles?

I was in Geitner Park today doing some geocaching. I was looking for a spot to place a new geocache for listing on GPSgames.org. I am planning an event this month and wanted to get another geocache in the park for the attendees.

While searching, I used the opportunity to go after "Hickory Greenway Letterbox"; a geocache I have been meaning to find, but have always put it off. I did find the geocache, but the trail in was pretty difficult. I found an alternative route out. It went up hill all the way, but was easier than the way in.

As I was leaving the woods and entering the paved walk/bike way, I saw a man and his two boys. I took a little break. They noticed I had a GPSr and asked about it. I showed it to them and asked them if they ever heard of geocaching.

They never heard of geocaching, so I took the opportunity to brag about our hobby. Luckily, I was prepared! I carry business cards with my geocaching "handle" and other contact information. It also has my blog's web site address on it. I gave him a card and talked to them about geocaching. I even had the Lock-N-Lock geocache that I was going to hide to show them.

The boys really liked the trading aspect. The father was interested in the GPSr. He asked how much they cost. I explained that the cheaper ones are good for geocaching and will be a good unit to start with.

So be prepared! Have some literature ready for that chance encounter. You may be able to transform that muggle into a geocacher!

"Just Off The Beaten Path"

I just placed a new geocache listed only on GPSgames.org. "Just Off The Beaten Path" is a traditional geocache placed in Geitner Park in Hickory, NC. This geocache was placed in anticipation of an upcoming event.

The geocache container is a camouflaged Lock-N-Lock. Have fun finding it!

GPS Simulator

There is a now archived geocache where you used an online GPS Simulator to find the geocache! GC55A5 Änglamarken is now gone, but the simulator still remains. You can click on the picture below to give it a test drive.

Are You Ready In An Emergency?

Recent events bring this topic to importance. Are you prepared for an emergency? Hurricanes and other disasters can put you in a life-or-death situation. Make sure you and your family are prepared.

The American Red Cross has a very good article on how to "Build a Disaster Supplies Kit". Take a look at it.

Oh...And don't forget your GPSr!

The First "Introduction" Event Was A Success!

Maybe the rain and gas shortage kept some away, but, the attendance to the first "Introduction To GPSgames.org" event exceeded my expectations!

I arrived at the park around 10:30 AM. The park was pretty empty because the rain just stopped about a half an hour earlier. The skies quickly started to clear and it turned into a great day for an event.

Soon after my arrival, ChiefWings and "Griz" pulled into the parking lot. "My attendance expectations has been exceeded by two!", I said.

I started the event off by explaining why I liked GPSgames.org. I feel that GPSgames.org embodies the spirit of the original geocachers better than the other geocaching sites. I went over the history of geocaching and how geocaching has evolved into a more restrictive and centralized hobby with Groundspeak. Don't get me wrong! Groundspeak is fine. I am not suggesting that you give up the frog, but rather, enhance your geocaching activities with the buffet of geocaching games available on GPSgames.org.

We discussed the variations of the geocaching games and the other "less traditional" games available on GPSgames.org. Shutterspot and GeoPoker spiked the most interest at the event.


About two-thirds of the way through the event mr007s shows up! He likes to make a late and fashionable entrance! I am glad he came because mr007s really knows much of the geocaching history in the foothills region. His perspective on the game is well appreciated.

I guess the meeting had to end sometime. The yellow jackets hastened the end of the event. They really liked Griz and one took special interest in my neck...OUCH!

I am very happy with the first "Introduction" event. I plan to have some more in the near future. With each event there will be more geocaches hidden. I think once people see the variety of games you can play with your GPSr, GPSgames will become popular in the foothills of North Carolina.

Geitner Park gets a new geocache!

I have hidden a new geocache and listed it on GPSgames.org only. While at the CITO event, I used the opportunity to give this Hickory city park a new addition.

"Geitner Park Stash" is a traditional geocache. It is a camouflaged Nalgene container hidden just off one of the nature trails that are along the Lake Hickory. These beautiful trails offer hikers and bikers convenient access to nature.

The geocache location is only about five minutes from the parking area. I have included this and other additional waypoints on the geocache page.

NC Foothills CITO @ Geitner Park

The NC Foothills Geocachers will be hosting a CITO event at Geitner Park in Hickory, North Carolina.

You can participate by joining us at Gaither Park in Hickory, NC on September 21st at 11:00AM. You can sign up for this Geocache event by clicking on the link.

The members of NC Foothills Geocachers have adopted city parks in Hickory. We have agreed to walk through and pickup trash several times a year. During this event we usually have a cook out and always enjoy each other's company.

If you are new to geocaching, there is no better way to meet your fellow geocachers and pickup tips and tricks along the way! Come out and join us for a good time.

Oh, yes, there are several geocaches you can grab while grabbing the trash!

A new GPSgames geocache "Horizontal Trunk", has been placed!

A new geocache has been placed in Southside park in Newton, NC in anticipation for the upcoming event, "Introduction to GPSgames.org".

The geocache is "Horizontal Trunk". This is a camoed Nalgene container hidden in the northwest corner of the park. This geocache uses a confirmation code. Remember to make a note of the code. It is needed to log your find!

This geocache is a GPSgames Exclusive. You will not find it on any other geocache listing service!

GeoGolf has been made better.

It you have played GeoGolf, you know that some holes are on private property and are unreachable. You can get only so close. Scout to the rescue!

Scout, head cacher at GPSgames.org, has added an option to GeoGolf. "Restrict to Streets" will use the Tiger map database published by the US Census to have the holes placed on or near public streets. This option only works in the United States.

Thanks Scout for making GeoGolf better! Fore!

A new geocache, "Southside Park", placed in time for event.

I have some good news. First, the Newton Department of Recreation has completed the cleanup of Southside park. This means that the "Introduction to GPSGames.org" event will still be held as planned.

Also, I hid a new cache in the park today...Just in time for the event. Feel free to go out and find it. There is a confirmation code, so please write it down.

I have heard that there are some from the world of the frog may be attending. The more the merrier!

Update to the "Introduction to GPSGames.org" event.

I stopped by the Southside park in Newton, NC and say a sign that said "Park Closed". I called the Newton Department of Recreation and they told me that the park was closed due to debris from a recent storm. They assured me that the park would be open in time for the event.

I will keep an eye on the situation and if the clean-up takes longer, I will select another park in the area. Keep an eye on the cache page listing. I will post any changes there.

Pelham - A new geocache on GPSGames.org

A new geocache has been added to GPSGames.org by talesfromthesurface. Pelham is his first hide on GPSGames.org. It is a micro in South Carolina just off of I-85 between Spartanburg and Greenville.

You can read more about the owner of this cache at his blog. Click on the picture below for The Cache Report:

GPSGames.org Event Cache Coming!

You have found many geocaches. It's fun, but you may be asking yourself, "What else can I do with this GPS receiver?" There are many games to play other than geocaching!

There will be an event on September 27, 2008 at 11:00 AM. This event will be held at the SouthSide park in Newton, NC. Introduction To GPSGames.org is an event where we will discuss the "other" games on GPSGames.org.


Some of the games to be discussed are ShutterSpot, GeoVexilla, GeoPoker, GeoGolf, and others.

Refreshments will be provided to all who attend. There are plenty of playground equipment for the children. Leashed dogs are welcome!

There will be two new "GPSGames exclusive" geocaches hidden in the park in time for the event. Bring your GPSr's! If you are new to geocaching, I will have a couple extra GPSr's available with coordinates preloaded.

Bring your friends and family for a look at the next level of geocaching.

A new "ShutterSpot" has been posted.

What is a "ShutterSpot"? ShutterSpot is a game on GPSGames.org using pictures as the clue to your find.

You are given coordinates that is within a few kilometers of the actual location. You must find the actual location and mark the coordinates. Your coordinates must be within 100 meters of the actual location to post a find. Confirmation codes are sometimes used. Research on the internet could be very helpful.

The new ShutterSpot is 210mm German Howitzer. This is an old World War I cannon that was surrendered as a war prize and on display near Hickory, NC.

Expand your geocaching experience by trying ShutterSpot!

It's tick season!

It's tick season and there are many emails going around touting easy ways to remove ticks. Some of the more popular myths is to use liquid soap. This and other methods do not work and can even make the problem worse!

Ignore these emails. Here is what the CDC (Center for Disease Control) says about tick removal.

One of the most common diseases spread by ticks is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Here is information on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

4th Annual NC Foothills Picnic in the Park & CITO

The NC Foothills Geocachers will be hosting the 4th Annual NC Foothills Picnic in the Park & Cito event at Winkler Park in Hickory, North Carolina.

You can participate by joining us at Winkler Park in Hickory, North Carolina on July 26th at 11:00 AM. You can sign up for this Geocache event by clicking on the link.

The NC Foothills Geocachers has a celebration of geocaching every year. It is a gathering of geocachers to enjoy each other's company, food, drink, and geocaching.

The NC Foothills Geocachers have adopted city parks in Hickory. We have agreed to walk through and pickup trash several times a year.

If you are new to geocaching, there is no better way to meet your fellow geocachers and pickup tips and tricks along the way! Come out and join us for a good time.

Oh, yes, there are several geocaches and a couple listed on GPSGames.org that you can grab while partying and grabbing the trash!

Logs for GPSGames.org geocaches

I have prepared some logs for geocaches listed on GPSGames.org. These are in PDF format and a couple of them have instructions within the file.

When you download the files, there may be instructions included.  Please read them.  It will make preparing these logs easier.

Click on the PDF logo to the left to download a log sheet designed for a Bison tube. An instruction sheet is included.

Click on the PDF logo to the left to download a log sheet designed for a 35mm film or similar canister. An instruction sheet is included.

Click on the PDF logo to the left to download a log sheet designed for a "Nalgene" type container.