CarolinaCacher

To archive, or not to archive: That is the question.

2010-08-22T11:55:00.001-04:00

As geocache hiders, we are often faced with this question. I have had to face it several times. Sometimes it is difficult to find the time to replace the geocache and equally difficult to archive it. It is a decision that all geocache placers will have to face.

When faced with this dilemma we must put pride aside and do what’s best for the geocaching community. It may be that if you can’t make time to check on and replace the geocache, you may need to archive it and open up the area for an active geocache. In many cases, the site will remain available giving you ample time to replace the geocache and ask the local geocache reviewer to unarchive it.

In the case of “event” geocaches, we must remember to archive it shortly after the event ends. The guidelines published on Geocaching.com is one month. Many people will download pocket queries to see what events are available in their area. It is an inconvenience to rummage through events that have long since ended.

How should you react when someone requests your geocache to be archived? Instead of looking upon it as a strike at your geocaching integrity, you should look at it as an opportunity to make things better. Look upon it as constructive criticism and see if the problem can be corrected. It may be that archiving the geocache is the best alternative. But remember. An archive post is a legitimate post. If it weren’t, it would be available to each and every geocacher.

CarolinaCacher issues a geocaching challenge!

2010-08-17T13:00:00.001-04:00

I am issuing a challenge to my fellow geocachers. Micros are nice for padding numbers. Tupperware and Lock and Locks are quaint. But, nothing satisfies a geocacher like the sound of a steel ammo can being opened in the woods after a geocache hunt.

The challenge is that you hide a steel ammo can of 30-caliber or larger in the woods by the end of this year. It doesn’t have to be a death-march, but, it must be in the woods. Hiding an ammo can in the “urban jungle” is not a good thing! Please demilitarize the ammo can by obscuring the military markings.

When you post your geocache listing, please link to this posting so we can spread the fun. Now go hide that can!

The evolution of Geocaching.com’s logo.

2010-08-03T09:33:00.001-04:00

I was doing a little searching on the Wayback Machine and found some old Geocaching.com listings. While searching for some historical geocaching events, I noticed an evolution of logos used on that site. Here are a few of those logos:

February 3, 2001

April 13, 2001

August 5, 2001

June 2, 2002

Geocaching event to celebrate 10th anniversary of North Carolina’s first geocache has been approved.

2010-08-02T08:52:00.001-04:00

On September 30, 2000 North Carolina’s first geocache, “Octopus Garden” was placed. It is now ten years later. An event has been planned to celebrate that important milestone.

“10th Anniversary of NC's Oldest Geocache” has been published on Groundspeak’s geocaching website, Geocaching.com. The event will be held at the parking area and trail head to the “Octopus Garden” geocache. The event will start at 2:00 PM. Visit the Event Page for any updates to this event geocache.

Geocache find #400 – North Carolina’s oldest Geocache, GC70 Octopus Garden.

2010-08-01T22:16:00.001-04:00

I wanted to search for North Carolina’s oldest geocache, GC70 Octopus Garden, but, I wanted it to be a milestone find. I was approaching my 400th geocache find and decided it was time to find this 10-year old geocache.

Milestones are points in your geocaching history worth noting. Your first, 100th, 1000th, etc. Sometimes the milestone just happens. Other times you plan for a special geocache or geocaching event to coincide with the milestone. I was wanting to find North Carolina’s oldest geocache for a long time. Since my 400th geocache find was approaching, I decided to make it this one. I wanted to wait for the 10th anniversary of GC70 Octopus Garden, but, I was only two geocache finds away and the anniversary was two months away. Now’s the time to do it!

I was in Charlotte, North Carolina today scouting a location for an upcoming event (as yet to be announced). What better time to mark number 400? I first had to find number 399. I chose a micro nearby for this purpose. Sorry GC1A3T9 Altoids Sours – Tangerine. After preparing for number 400, I found the parking area where the hunt for the Octopus Garden begins. This was a puzzle geocache. That means you must solve a puzzle to get the actual location of the geocache. Luckily, the puzzle was pretty simple. That’s good because I’m not too good at puzzles! I solved the puzzle long ago so I already had the final coordinates.

By reading the previous logs of GC70 Octopus Garden, it was clear that the hardest part of finding the geocache was to find the right way to the geocache. A direct course is not always the best way to get to the geocache locations. I studied topographical and satellite maps of the area. It was clear that a direct approach would require crossing one of two creeks. It looks like a deviation from the prepared trail was in order.

As I left the trail it became abundantly clear that searching for the “Octopus Garden” shouldn’t be done just after a rain storm. Well, I was already here, so, quit whining and start the swampy adventure. After trekking through some very soft soil and knee high weeds and grass, I became completely soaked from the knees down. I tried following a little use path. It was taking me a little off course. I found another “path” to follow. It was a little better, but, still didn’t take me directly to the coordinates I had. Time for bushwhacking!

After a couple hundred feet, I found what was surely the path intended to be used. I was right…This time, anyway! It wasn’t too long before I found the geocache. It was right where I thought it would be. Except for a few minor deviations, my planned path was correct. There was no creek crossing involved. It wouldn’t have mattered because I was soaked anyway!

Me With The “Octopus Garden” Geocache

I stopped and reflected on my accomplishment. I have just found North Carolina’s oldest geocache. It was placed on September 30, 2000. This was near the beginning of geocaching as we know it. I thought it would be nice to have an event to celebrate this historical geocache. I have just submitted an event cache. I will keep you posted when it is approved.

Southside Park geocache replaced!

2010-07-31T18:25:00.001-04:00

I finally replaced the missing geocache at Southside Park in Newton, North Carolina. The “Southside Park – Newton, NC” geocache is a micro geocache in the middle of the park. Be careful for muggles. The container and hiding spot is exactly as it was before.

Southside Park is a great little city park. There are two walking trails. Bring your dog with you. There are several picnic sites with grills and picnic tables. The kids will love the playground facilities.

Southside Park – Newton, North Carolina

Geocache ethics - Doing geocache maintenance on someone else’s geocache!

2010-07-25T23:18:00.001-04:00

Let me preface this by saying this blog posting is as much directed towards myself as anyone else. I am not preaching, but, rather giving a little perspective on my limited experience with geocaching. I am sure you have read a log that goes something like this:

Found the geocache. Couldn’t sign log. It was so wet it was falling apart. The rubber o-ring is gone. Maybe the geocache owner should check on it.

Yes, the one who placed the geocache is responsible for maintaining it. But, it really is nice when someone helps out! So what should you and I do when we come across a geocache that is need of a little tinder, loving care?

First, if you are not prepared, you can do very little to help other than report it. I took a year off of geocaching. I used to carry a bag of goodies when geocaching. Of course, the bag contained things like swag, water, wet-wipes, etc. I also carried several other items that would help in maintaining my own geocaches and any found that needs some help. Here is a simple list that will help you be the one praised for keeping the sport fun for all.

Zip-lock bags of all sizes.
Several paper towels in a zip-lock bag.
Small bottle of alcohol.
Paper and small notebooks.
Assortment of rubber o-rings.
Three complete geocaches (regular, small, and micro).
Camouflage duct tape.
Children’s scissors.
Swag

This sounds like a lot of stuff to carry, but, you should be able to carry it in a small bag. It’s probably obvious why you should carry these items. I will go over a few just for clarification.

Zip-lock bags are used in most geocaches. They keep the log and swag dry. The problem is that with time, these bags will wear out. Maybe the pen or pencil poked a hole in it and the log is getting damp. You can find the bigger zip-lock bags at your local grocery store. The smaller ones are a little harder to come by. I have found all sizes available on eBay. The prices are usually very good. I’m sure there are other sources.

Paper towels can be used to clean yourself after searching for the geocache or to dry out a wet geocache container. I like carrying the blue ones you find in the automotive section. They are tough as nails!

The alcohol can be used, like the paper towels, to clean yourself of clean out a messy geocache container. The alcohol based hand sanitizer is great for cleaning your hands, but, can make a messy container even messier. Alcohol can take the itch away from insect bites, also!

Take a couple sheet of paper and a notepad size notebook. The notebook can replace a full, missing, or damaged log in regular size containers. The sheets of paper can be cut to size with the children’s scissors to fit most small and micro size geocaches. Why children’s scissors? They will get the job done without poking a hold in your bag. They’re also very light weight.

The rubber o-rings that come on some of the metal pill containers (bison tube) used as micro geocaches are usually not UV (ultra-violet) proof. With time when exposed to the UV light in sunlight and weather, they will become brittle and crack. When that happens, you get a damp log inside. Take one of these containers to your local hardware store and get some replacement o-rings. Make sure they are UV rated. I usually get them a little “thicker”. They seem to work better for geocache use.

It may seem that carrying around three complete geocaches will be a little bulky, but, if you plan it properly, it will take very little space. Get two lock and lock type containers. One medium size and one small. Also carry a micro container like a 35mm film container or bison tube. You only need a few swag items. Make sure you have a couple pens and logs. You can “nest” the geocache containers together to save space. If you run upon a missing geocache, you can replace the container and notify the geocache owner that you placed a temporary container.

Why camouflage duct tape? Well, with duct tape and WD-40 you can fix anything! You can also use the camouflage feature to repair a camo job if needed.

Bringing a geocache back to good health gives you a rewarding feeling. The geocache owner will be grateful and you will be making the sport better for everyone. Now I must get my geobag ready so I won’t be such a hypocrite!

First-to-find. What is the big deal?

2010-07-20T02:37:00.001-04:00

Ok, what’s the big deal about being FTF on a geocache? I freely admit it. I am an FTF hound. Just this week, I stormed out at 1:30 AM in a severe thunderstorm just to attempt to be the FTF on a geocache.

A FTF or (first-to-find) is a term used for the geocacher who is the first to find a newly place geocache. Some could care less about being the FTF and other obsess about it. I think I fall in the latter category. I currently have 61 FTF’s out of the 395 geocaches I have found. That is a 15.4% FTF rate. Yes, I am counting! This confirms my obsession. I even went as far to establish a 10% FTF club and am a proud member of the 15% FTF club.

The appeal of being FTF depends on the finder, but, I think most would agree that being the only one, other than the original geocache owner, that has seen the geocache in its original condition and hiding spot is something special. Every time it is found after that, it will change a little. Also, being the “first” at most things has its certain prestige.

So, how can you become a FTF hound? You must be a premium member of Groundspeak. Why? One of the premium member perks is to be notified of any newly reviewed geocaches. In my area this is a must. There are too many FTF hounds around here. In many cases, if you don’t find it within 2 or 3 hours after it is listed, you will not find the clean geocache log. Also, if you have one of the new “smart” cell phones, you will have a leg-up on most others. I have lost several FTF’s to those with an iPhone or other similar phone. Another thing you need is the willingness to pay the price. What do I mean? If you are going after the FTF status, you will probably be driving a lot. Gas ain’t cheap!

I freely admit that I am addicted. This is more than just an obsession with me. It is a bona fide addiction. I fully expect to one day making the following public statement. “Hi. My name is Randy. I am a FTF addict. I have been sober for 12 days.” (Cell phone sounds) “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…There is a new geocache in your area.” “Oh, crap! I will be back in a little bit.”

Geocache Ethics – Signing the log.

2010-07-18T19:09:00.001-04:00

When you find a geocache, you should sign the log. If you found a regular geocache, there is probably a pretty good size log book. I have seen everything from a wire-bound notepad to a full size composition book.

Micros are another thing altogether. All micro size geocache have very small logs. Some are so small you can only put your name or initials! Those who place micro geocaches usually have to do maintenance often to replace the logs.

When I was geocaching I came across a micro with a limited space log. Here is what I found.

Two geocachers used prepared labels for logging purposes. On regular size geocaches, this would be fine, but, on a micro geocache, it causes excessive maintenance from the geocache owner. The two logs are taking eight lines. Is it really that difficult to just write your name?

When you are geocaching, please remember that the geocache owner has to maintain the geocache. If you cause needless maintenance requirements, the owner may just think it isn’t worth it and archive the geocache.

Urban Geocaching? Use your auto GPS.

2010-07-11T20:09:00.001-04:00

If you ever go geocaching in an urban environment that you are unfamiliar with, you will quickly find that even with your handheld GPSr, you can find yourself a little lost in the city. I found this out one day geocaching in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Luckily, I had a solution right under my nose…Uh…I mean in front of my eyes. I had an automobile GPS receiver. I am sure you have seen them. Some popular units are TomTom, Garmin, and Magellan. I have one called the Mio C230. It is a basic unit, but, does help me get around unfamiliar areas.

Handheld GPS receivers are, by design, to function at its best while being carried while walking. Automobile GPSr’s, on the other hand, don’t work very well in the woods, but, are great for getting you around town. Most automotive GPSr’s will allow you to input coordinates. You will have to adjust the way you input your geocache coordinates.

We are all used to seeing a GPS coordinate in this format:

N 35° 37.017 W 081° 16.962

This is the standard format used on Geocaching.com and other geocaching listing services. This format works great in your handheld GPSr, but, most automotive GPSr’s require the digital format like this:

35.61695 -81.2827

Both coordinates are exactly the same, but, in different formats. Since your geocache coordinates will be loaded into your GPSr, you can simply tell your handheld GPSr to display the digital format. I have had several handheld GPSr’s and all have allowed me to do this. Here is how it looks on the Garmin GPSmap 60CSx:

The format highlighted in yellow is the decimal format. Now when you view all of your waypoints on your handheld GPSr, it will show them in the format compatible with your automotive GPSr. Don’t worry. You can always change the format back.

Now all you have to do is look at the coordinates of the geocache you are trying to find and enter the decimal format into your automotive GPSr. You can use your automotive GPSr to take you to the area of your geocache hunt! It is easier and quicker than using your handheld unit. This saves time and gasoline…And time and gas are money.

Garmin technical support. As good as the hype?

2010-07-08T11:58:00.001-04:00

I have heard many say that the Garmin technical support is the best in the GPS industry. You really don’t know whether this is hype or truth until you can see for yourself. I had an opportunity to test this belief.

I use GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) along with my Garmin GPSmap 60CSx for geocaching. In addition to loading waypoints, I use the GarminCsvPoiExport-v2 macro to load POI’s (points of interest). Why POI’s? Because you are limited to the number of waypoints that can be loaded. POI’s are virtually unlimited to the number you can load to your GPSr (GPS receiver). It is only limited by the memory space on your memory card. Other features of the POI’s way of loading geocaches to your GPSr is you can have custom icons matching the ones on Geocaching.com and you can have information from the geocache page like the hint and description as well as notes you make…All available from your GPSr.

I have been doing this without a hiccup for years. A few days ago this changed! While using Garmin’s POI loader, I received an error message. The message said, “invalid string position”. No matter what I did, I could not get rid of the message. I tried only loading one POI thinking it may be some errant characters in a recent waypoint added. The same error message was displayed. I tried restoring my computer to a date that I knew the POI loader worked. Still, the same problem appeared.

After doing as much as I could do, I called Garmin’s technical support. The wait time to talk to a real person was pretty short! Usually, you have to wait a half hour or better for some technical support calls. I spoke to a person and explained the problem. I emailed them the entire error message to see if this would tell them anything. After about seven minutes, I was basically told to reinstall the POI loader software and if that didn’t work quit using the POI feature of my Garmin GPSr.

This is just unacceptable. They were just admitting they either didn’t have the time to help me with the problem or they were unable to help me with the problem. This didn’t match the hype. Reality had just set in pertaining to my experience with the legendary Garmin technical support staff.

Unwilling to just give up, I searched the internet to see if anyone else had a similar problem. Mr. Google is a fantastic tool. After a few minutes of searching, I had a theory of what the problem was. And this would explain why Garmin either wouldn’t or couldn’t help me.

I found another person having the same problem using another Garmin device. When he was loading POI’s he got the exact same error I did. The current version of Garmin POI loader is 2.5.4. That is the version I have been using. Apparently, there is a string of characters that this not recognized by the loader. I also read an upgrade document for Garmin’s MapSource program version 4.13. One fix says, “Fixed an issue where MapSource would crash if the registry value that stored the user preference for distance units, which was set by MapSource 4.09 and older, contained an invalid value. Now, if an invalid string is encountered for this preference, MapSource will replace it with the default value.” I think that the latest version of Garmin’s POI loader does not handle this error well. It should basically ignore it or replace it with the “default value” and go along it’s merry way! The fix the other person had was to install an older version of the POI loader.

I called Garmin’s technical support again and spoke to a different person. He was a little more helpful and didn’t seem anxious to just finish the call. I explained the “fix” I had discovered and asked him if he could send me a link to an older version of the POI loader. I was surprised that he did. Most companies don’t want to give you older software! He sent me a link where I could download version 2.4.2. I installed that version and it worked great! Now I can load thousands of geocaching POI’s without a hiccup.

My conclusion based on my experience with Garmin’s technical support staff is it depends on who you get. The first person I spoke with and the person helping him seemed to just want me gone. Maybe it was because I had a problem they couldn’t solve or maybe they was busy on something else. Either way, they should have spent more time with someone who has spent several hundred dollars with them. The second person seemed clueless on how to solve my problem, too, but, at least he did help me with the fix I discovered. I sent the technical service staff an email documenting the problem I had and the solution I discovered. Maybe they can include it in their fix database.

I hope someone from Garmin reads this and will let their technical support staff they need to work with those who call. Most geocachers are pretty electronics savvy. Don’t assume they are just dumb users of their devices. Listen to them. Try fixes outside your database “box”. Use internet search engines to see if anyone has had and solved this problem on their own! It’s ok to admit that you don’t know how to fix it right now, but, at least assure the caller that you will work on the problem. Telling us to just quit using the feature is totally unacceptable.

Happy Independence Day

2010-07-04T11:17:00.001-04:00

Our nation was born 234 years ago today. We should reflect on how important that day was. No only was we changed as a people, but, the forming of our nation changed the world. We decided that no person is more important than another. We wanted a government where it was lead by one of the people and not a monarch.

We decided that tyranny was now longer acceptable. We decided that we will have a say in our destiny and not to be dictated by any one person. Liberty was an unknown practice of much of the world at that time. It is hard to overstate how much of a change it was!

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The freedoms we enjoy today are the fruits of our fore fathers who voted to remove the yoke of a tyrannical King and put our future in the hands of the people. It was a decision that made the traitors of England and, if caught, they would hang!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Independence day is the day we declared independence from Great Britain with the “Declaration of Independence”. This ultimately lead to The United States Constitution that was adopted on September 17, 1787. It is the oldest written constitution still in use by any nation of the world. The ideas expressed on that piece of paper didn’t give us any rights. It only confirmed rights that we already had, but, were suppressed.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

As you enjoy the Fourth of July, remember the true meaning of the celebration. It is a celebration of freedom.

Unfound geocaches in Geitner Park!

2010-06-26T13:20:00.001-04:00

There are two geocaches listed on GPSgames.org that are unfound! Both are hidden in Geitner Park in Hickory, North Carolina.

The first is “JUST OFF THE BEATEN PATH”. This little Lock & Lock is just off the asphalt walking path. It is easy to get to. You may need to use a little stealth if you are there during the peak walking time.

Be prepared to copy the confirmation code! You will need it to log your find.

The next unfound geocache is “Geitner Park Stash”. This is a camouflaged Nalgene bottle.This one is a on the trails leading into the wooded area behind the picnic shelter.

It will be a little harder to find. Remember to download the additional waypoints linked on the geocache listing page as the trails take several turns.

Geitner Park has several geocaches hidden there from three different listing services. There are paved walking trails and hiking trails through the woods. Picnic tables, grills, and a shelter are available. Fishing and a boat launch add to the appeal of this fine park.

If you are new to GPSgame.org, you will find that it is not your typical geocaching website. It is far less restrictive than Geocaching.com. It is more for the pioneer spirit. One who is not impressed by the huge numbers of the “frog” service.

Use this opportunity to expand your geocaching experience.

Riverbend Park in Conover, NC

2010-06-19T15:00:00.001-04:00

The Catawba County government has decided that to save money, our use of the parks will be sacrificed. Several parks and library hours have been cut. This affects the Riverbend Park…Home of several geocaches.

OPERATING HOURS TO CHANGE AT CATAWBA COUNTY LIBRARIES, PARKS AS OF JULY 1, 2010
Due to budget cuts as revenues have declined, especially from sales tax and fee collection, operating hours at Catawba County Libraries and Parks will be changing as of July 1, 2010.
Baker's Mountain, St. Stephens and Riverbend Parks will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and closed Tuesdays through Thursdays beginning on July 1.
The parks will continue operating during the same seasonal hours as are now in place, opening at 8 a.m. and closing at dusk (varying from a 6 p.m. close from November through February to an 8 p.m. close from April through September).

It’s a shame that in the middle of summer when school age children are out of school don’t have these parks to visit during weekdays.

I did a little geocaching today in Riverbend Park. I was there early in the morning, but, it was still hot and muggy. The humidity was high enough to fog my camera lens. During my geocaching, I took a few pictures.

(One of the trails in Riverbend Park)

(I came across a patch of very small orange mushrooms)

(These mushrooms were about the size of a dime)

(Don’t eat them! They are surely poisonous)

My Canon PowerShot S1 IS finally gave out after many years of service. I decided to go with a cheaper “point-n-shoot” type camera. The Canon PowerShot A490 is a fantastic camera for the price. Here are a few more pictures.

(It could be easy to get turned around on the myriad of trails)

(An example of the wildlife in Riverbend Park)

I had a good morning geocaching. I only found one, but, as you can see by the pictures, there is more to Riverbend Park than geocaching.

NCGO Cito Event Schedule Change.

2009-04-22T11:21:00.003-04:00

Due to scheduling conflicts, the City of Hickory has asked us to move the the event date to Sunday May 3rd. The event will start at 11:00 AM. Here is the link:

http://coord.info/GC1P0HZ

This event has also been listed as a Terracache.

http://www.terracaching.com/viewcache.cgi?C=TCDEA

Please bookmark these cache page listings for any updates. You can also visit this site for updates:

http://CITO.CarolinaCacher.org

Thank you.

NCGO State-wide CITO: NC Foothills

2009-03-30T10:19:00.005-04:00

NC Foothills Geocachers will be hosting the NCGO State-wide CITO event for the foothills area. Each year geocachers gather at this time to clean the geocaching playgrounds of North Carolina. Please join us to give back to our communities.

The foothills area CITO will be at Geitner-Rotary Park in Hickory, North Carolina. Please visit the CITO event listing on Geocaching.com and sign-up. The event will be held on Saturday, May 2nd, 2009. The event will start at 11:00 AM. Here is the link:

http://coord.info/GC1P0HZ

This event has also been listed as a Terracache.

http://www.terracaching.com/viewcache.cgi?C=TCDEA

Please bookmark these cache page listings for any updates. You can also visit this site for updates:

http://CITO.CarolinaCacher.org

Thank you.

Introduction To GPSgames - Marion, NC

2009-02-18T10:11:00.003-05:00

CarolinaCacher will be hosting another "Introduction To GPSgames" event. This time it will be on the flyingpita farm in Marion, NC. This event will be on Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at 4:00 PM.

Flyingpita is hosting the second annual "Creekside Campout & Chili Cook-Off" and has asked me to give a presentation on the buffet of games available on GPSgames.org. The "Creekside" event will start at 1:00 PM. This event has been posted on Groundspeak and Terracaching.

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:

There will also be some "door prizes" given away! I have designed a few unique GPSgames.org items:

So, come one, come all and partake in this event within an event! A good time will be had by all...Be a part of the, now historic "Creekside Campout & Chili Cook-Off" and the Introduction To GPSgames - Marion, NC event.

Geocaching ethics.

2009-02-18T08:56:00.005-05:00

I am sure many of you have read the news articles where the local bomb squad was called out to dispose of a "suspicious object" and it turned out to be a geocache. In almost all cases, the container was larger than a micro and hidden on private property without permission.

An example is the Walmart parking lot geocache. Two things could keep the public from calling in the suspicious package report. Don't hide anything larger than a micro on private property that is being frequented by the public and get permission from the property owner!

Most of us who hide geocaches are guilty of not getting permission to place it on private property. The Walmart parking lot is private property! Ask the manager if it is ok to hide it there. You will probably get a "no", but at least you respected the property owner and you protected yourself from possible criminal prosecution.

Our sport is growing to a point where we are on the radar scope of the local law enforcement authorities. Sooner or later, a geocacher is going to be charged with a crime for placing a geocache. Don't let it be you!

NC Foothills - Geitner Park CITO (Winter)

2009-01-27T10:17:00.006-05:00

The winter CITO event for the NC Foothills Geocachers has been set. The CITO event will be at Geitner-Rotary Park in Hickory, North Carolina on Saturday, February 28th at 11:00 AM.

I have submitted the geocache listing on Groundspeak, GPSgames.org, and Terracaching. I will post the listing Terracaching in a couple days. I will keep you updated on my CarolinaCacher CITO page and on the NC Foothills Geocachers event forum.

A CITO event is a great way for new geocachers to meet other geocachers and to get tips and tricks.

There are several geocaches from Groundspeak, GPSgames.org, and Terracaching in Geitner park, so bring your GPS reveiver!

NC Foothills Geocachers CITO events for 2009

2009-01-25T18:19:00.003-05:00

I have submitted my schedule for the 2009 NC Foothills Geocachers CITO events to the City of Hickory Parks & Recreation department. I should hear from them soon.

The tentative date for the first CITO event is February 28th at 11:00 AM. It will probably be at Geitner Park.

I will provide updates here and on the NC Foothills Geocachers forums.

Mount that Pathtag!

2008-12-31T17:12:00.021-05:00

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?

2008-12-25T12:04:00.009-05:00

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!

2008-12-13T11:32:00.006-05:00

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

Happy holidays from CarolinaCacher!

Groundspeak announces iPhone application.

2008-12-07T19:09:00.007-05:00

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."

2008-12-07T18:29:00.019-05:00

"It was a cold and quiet afternoon". That is how my geocaching journey began today. GC1JM PG - F oul 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!

2008-12-06T21:28:00.007-05:00

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!

2008-11-15T15:01:00.008-05:00

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

2008-11-13T10:34:00.005-05:00

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.

2008-11-12T11:39:00.003-05:00

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?

2008-11-10T11:23:00.012-05:00

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!

2008-11-01T16:48:00.005-04:00

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.

2008-11-01T00:34:00.011-04:00

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.

2008-10-26T13:08:00.008-04:00

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

2008-10-26T11:12:00.011-04:00

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.

2008-10-18T15:51:00.005-04:00

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.

2008-10-17T13:26:00.006-04:00

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

2008-10-09T11:51:00.005-04:00

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

2008-10-06T10:32:00.006-04:00

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?

2008-10-05T18:46:00.006-04:00

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"

2008-10-05T18:30:00.006-04:00

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

2008-10-04T01:43:00.004-04:00

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?

2008-09-30T09:27:00.005-04:00

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!

2008-09-27T23:34:00.014-04:00

Maybe the rain and gas shortage kept some away, but, the attendance to the first "Introd uction 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!

2008-09-21T17:47:00.005-04:00

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

2008-09-16T10:51:00.002-04:00

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!

2008-09-14T14:17:00.017-04:00

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.

2008-09-13T17:32:00.002-04:00

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.

2008-09-07T20:15:00.009-04:00

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.

2008-09-02T10:04:00.007-04:00

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

2008-08-22T12:49:00.004-04:00

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!

2008-08-17T11:00:00.005-04:00

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.

2008-07-06T11:43:00.006-04:00

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!

2008-06-30T12:41:00.006-04:00

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

2008-06-18T10:27:00.006-04:00

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

2008-06-08T18:09:00.005-04:00

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.

NC Foothills CITO @ Geitner Park

2008-06-07T17:50:00.005-04:00

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 June 22nd at 11:00 AM. 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!

Two new geocaches in Catawba county.

2008-06-01T20:31:00.003-04:00

I have placed two new geocaches in Catawba county near Claremont. Connor Park is just off highway 70 and is the entrance to The Bunker Hill Covered Bridge.

The "Connor Park" cache is a small Lock-N-Lock container that is camoed, but is easily found. Bring your own pen on this one!

The "Bunker Hill Covered Bridge" cache brings you to a magnificent example of an old covered bridge that used to be plentiful, but are now pretty rare.

The park is only available at certain times. Visit the cache sites for the posted times that they are available.

Note: Both of these caches have also been listed on GPSGames. You can claim a find there, too!

GeoRadio.org

2008-04-27T15:49:00.013-04:00

Around three years ago I started listening to a "free internet audio program for the Geocaching Community, by the Geocaching Community." The host, Deltadawg, ended the show around the time of Hurricane Katrina.

The ten shows he posted were very interesting to listen to. They still are!

GeoRadio.org is no more, but I am preserving the shows for future geocachers to enjoy.

Episode 1 - May 1, 2005

Episode 2 - May 8, 2005

Episode 3 - May 15, 2005

Episode 4 - May 28, 2005

Episode 4.5 - May 28, 2005

Episode 5 - July 4, 2005

Episode 6 - July 11, 2005

Episode 7 - July 11, 2005

Episode 8 - July 11, 2005

Episode 9 - July 11, 2005

Episode 10 - July 16, 2005

Enjoy!

GC18VGQ / TC9FX - NCGO State-wide CITO: NC Foothills

2008-04-13T21:58:00.005-04:00

Members of the NC Foothills Geocachers gathered to do a little CITO! We cleaned the park and had a lot of fun.

The ParrotHeads did a great job coordinating this CITO event. Mrs. ParrotHead did a fine job cooking hamburgers and hot dogs. Other members brought the "fixins" and deserts. Take a look at the photo gallery below.

My favorite caches

2008-04-06T15:19:00.004-04:00

I have created a bookmark list of my favorite geocaches. Take a look and see what I enjoy on Groundspeak.

NCGO State-wide CITO event

2008-04-01T09:00:00.010-04:00

The NC Foothills Geocachers will be hosting a state-wide CITO event sponsored by the North Carolina Geocachers Organization.

You can participate locally by joining us at Gaither Park in Hickory, NC on April 13th a t 11:00 AM. You can sign up for this Geocache and Terracache event by clicking on the appropriate 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!

Armchair Geocaching.

2008-02-16T18:32:00.013-05:00

Are you stuck inside due to weather or illness? Are you hungry for some geocaching? You can...Right from in front of your computer!

Armchair Geocaching can be done on special caches. Most of them are in Europe, but are available from your computer. Most are task caches where you have to perform a task such as capturing a screen image of a particular item or situation.

To learn more about this aspect of geocaching, look at the latest edition of "Icenrye's Geocaching Videozine". Icenrye docuements this in his latest video.

Here is a bookmark list of some armchair geocaches.

Trade Equal Or Better

2008-01-27T19:10:00.003-05:00

When Dave Ulmer placed the first geocache he made up some rules. The first rule was "take something, leave something".

This rule should, by extension, also means trade equally. With new geocachers coming into the sport all the time, we should emphasize the original intentions of the hunt. One is fair trading.

I have created a banner that I use on my cache pages. You are welcome to use it if you wish.

Click on the image above to download the full size version of the banner.

Glenn Hilton Links is now open for play!

2008-01-27T14:39:00.004-05:00

I have setup another golf course. The Glenn Hilton Links is in Hickory, North Carolina and tightly centered around the Glenn Hilton Park.

There are several Geocaches and TerraCaches in the area. Stop by and enjoy the park and some GeoGolf.

Catawba County GeoLinks is now open!

2008-01-15T12:25:00.003-05:00

Have you ever heard of GeoGolf? It is one of several games on GPSGames.org.

The way you play GeoGolf is to navigate a course of 9 or 18 holes. The holes are randomly placed within a given distance to a center point. The object is to get as close to each hole as possible. You will log your distance on the GeoGolf game's website. The shortest the distance, the lower the strokes. As with real golf, the lowest score wins!

I have started a new GeoGolf game centered in Catawba County. There is a 15km maximum distance from center with a 9 hole course. All holes should be within Catawba County in North Carolina.

The "Catawba County GeoLinks" is now open for play!

GC176WQ / TC99Y - Creekside Campout & Chili Extravaganza

2008-01-12T13:00:00.006-05:00

Flyingpita and her husband did a marvelous job. No detail was spared. The land was cleared and the barn finished. I was amazed at the level of planning and the attention to detail on this event.

Activities for the children kept them happy and occupied. I didn't see one bored child. Caching activities were planned to keep the adults busy, too! An event multi-cache was placed on the 26-acre property showcasing many of the interesting aspects of the surrounding points of interest. There was even postings of nearby caches...But who wanted to leave the event!

First, was the chili contest. Seven contestants had prepared their favorite chili recipe. All were good and it was difficult to pick one that was the best. Edwin prepared the dogs and burgers. He kept us all fed! Everyone brought some food and drink and the table in the barn was full of goodies.

After we all stuffed ourselves there was a drawing for prizes. We all sat or stood around a nice, roaring fire as Flyingpita called numbers. It was a great time. I think everyone had a fun time...I know I did.

Thanks to Flyingpita and her husband for putting on a fantastic caching event that will be long remembered.

Cache logs and information inserts

2008-01-06T16:58:00.005-05:00

I have created a few cache information inserts and logs. Here are a few PDF files. Feel free to download and use these.

Click on the PDF logo to the left to download a cache information insert. This insert is intended to be printed on 4" x 6" sheet of photo paper. I have found that the photo paper, while not waterproof, does provide very water resistant results. Use a "Sharpie" type pen to fill in the blanks.

Click on the PDF logo to the left to download a generic 35mm film container log. Instructions are included with this file.

Click on the PDF logo to the left to download a 35mm film container log with the "NC Foothills Geocachers" logo. Instructions are included with this file.

GC16XRY WWFM Queen City, Charlotte, NC

2007-11-10T17:17:00.004-05:00

On Nov. 10, 2007, there was a world wide geocaching event. Flash Mobs all over the world happened at the exact same time. Surrounding "muggles" had no idea what was happening.

This Flash Mob took place at Freedom Park in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina USA. The "Bottlecaps" did a great job planning and executing this event on this beautiful and cool day.

Take a look!

GC13PWY / TC4MA - 3rd Annual NC Foothills Picnic in the Park

2007-08-04T11:00:00.005-04:00

The NC Foothills Geocachers hosted the "3rd Annual Picnic in the Park". The combination Geocaching and TerraCaching event was held at Winkler Park in Hickory, NC. The event was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Parrothead.

This year was different. We had the event indoors for a change! No more heat to deal with.

There was many friends, food, and good times. Another great event by the Parrotheads.

Lake James Summer Event 2007

2007-07-21T10:05:00.003-04:00

Wrightsphoto and Catscastle hosted the Lake James Summer Event 2007...A Geocaching (GC13FY3) and TerraCaching (TC4P4) event.

I created two videos of this event. One if a photo montage and the other is a video. Here are the videos:

Photo Montage Video

Video Of Event