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What is Geocaching?

Submitted by King Boreas aka Ian on

Flash Intro-"Geocaching" 
6 minute Movie-"Searching for a cache" 
Basic Info

 

  • Buy or borrow a Global Positioning System receiver. A basic unit is the Garmin eTrex GPS or Magellan GPS 315. Both cost about $100 and can be found at stores such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy or online at http://www.amazon.com
  • Find a cache near you at <http://www.geocaching.com> Enter a ZIP code and the site will list nearby caches. Select a cache, such as "Geocache by Ray" or "Arboretum One" and click on its "details" button. Write down the cache's coordinates and print out the description. Use the online mapping site link at the bottom of the page to get driving directions to the location.
  • While still at home, enter into your GPS receiver the coordinates of the cache as they are listed on the Web site. Coordinates -- such as N 39 degrees 24.661; W degrees 094 14.86 -- describe the latitude and longitude of the site.
  • Follow the driving directions until you can drive no closer to the cache and park your car. Follow the arrow on your GPS receiver as it leads you to the cache. Be aware that heavy tree cover can block the GPS signal. Once you leave your car, it could take anywhere between 15 and 45 minutes to find the cache.
  • The GPS signal will fluctuate once you are within 100 feet of the cache, so from that point on, you're on your own. Check around stumps and under rock and leaf piles. Remember that almost all caches are placed above ground, so no digging!
  • Congratulations! You've found the cache. Take an item, leave an item and record your experience in the logbook. Reseal the cache and put it back exactly the way you found it.
  • When you get home, e-mail the person who hid the cache and let him know you found it. Also, post a description of your experience on the cache's online page at <http://www.geocaching.com
     Have Fun !

    GPS info ... Minnesota Geocaching Association ... Geocaching videos 

    Attachment:etrex.jpg

 

KC0GRN

Nice, did you make up a stamp for it?

I'm considering doing one of those myself, but I'm not good with poems.

Tue, 06/29/2004 - 12:06 PM Permalink
KITCH

Ian....

I know you collect a records....but I'm wondering....you don't "play" anything do you???

Tue, 06/29/2004 - 4:33 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

you don't "play" anything do you???

yeah, I have a turntable with my stereo and a portable in my garage. Why?

Tue, 06/29/2004 - 4:35 PM Permalink
KITCH

oops...
I was thinking like a guitar or a piano....

Tue, 06/29/2004 - 4:43 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

oh hell no

Tue, 06/29/2004 - 4:47 PM Permalink
mrmnmikey

I play guitar


<-------------

Tue, 06/29/2004 - 5:03 PM Permalink
KITCH

hmmmm....something is just wrong with a ground rat that plays a guitar.

Tue, 06/29/2004 - 5:12 PM Permalink
mrmnmikey

not as long as you look the part

Wed, 06/30/2004 - 5:12 AM Permalink
KITCH

Get out there and find the damn thing!!! I want a coolerhead to find this soooo bad!!!!

Fri, 07/02/2004 - 5:40 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

I keep waitin for the coord to pop up. Think if they do, I'll see about sneakin out of owrk for a few mins if it's close.

Fri, 07/02/2004 - 7:45 AM Permalink
ThoseMedallingKids

You guys think it will be at Harriet Island?

Fri, 07/02/2004 - 7:59 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

It's that or somewhere near Lake Harriet....

I got a GPS, if anyone is interested in quickly meeting up after the coords are posted (I have no idea when that'll be). I'll let you know where to go and we can meet up. It'll have to be really quick though.

Fri, 07/02/2004 - 8:17 AM Permalink
ThoseMedallingKids

I have no gps and I have to work at 2.  I would wait out near one of the parks if someone wanted, but I don't think there's really time now.  Plus it's hard with me not having a gps.

Fri, 07/02/2004 - 8:28 AM Permalink
mrmnmikey

we're a lot harder than the chipmunks

Fri, 07/02/2004 - 9:03 AM Permalink
KITCH

NICE job on that find CM....i'm glad you had fun!!

Sun, 07/11/2004 - 1:39 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

Nothing like finding sweden, virtually :)

Hey CM, you should get the ISS locationless one, really easy too.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=49993

There's a link on the site to tell the next time it passes over. Just get a pic of the printoff map, your GPS, and a watch at the time is passes over and you get credit for the find.

Sun, 07/11/2004 - 4:37 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

Driving in Dallas sucks.

Rules of the road:

1) Drive FAST
2) Drive reckless
3) KNOW where you're going, or see 1) and 2) above
4) Do NOT look at, or talk to the corner "sign" people
5) Do not expect street signs at every corner
6) Do not expect signs to be lighted at night
7) Do not expect restrooms at service stations
8) Stock up on motrin, anacin, cafergot, herbs, alcohol, mushrooms

Tue, 07/13/2004 - 8:31 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

Was out caching in Bayport last evening. A new cache popped up out there Bayport Cutoff

The foot trail to the cache runs through the biggest patch of poison ivy I've ever seen!

 

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Thu, 07/15/2004 - 1:07 PM Permalink
Clue Master

Wow! - Do you think it was intentional?

Thu, 07/15/2004 - 4:16 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

Nah, if you read the cache page it said beware of poison ivy. Luckily I've never had a reaction to the stuff, but I try to mess with it as little as possible anyways.

Just odd that a used foot trail goes right through it, like lots of people have done it.

Thu, 07/15/2004 - 8:35 PM Permalink
KITCH

I'll take this JOE.

Fri, 07/16/2004 - 4:55 AM Permalink
me2

WOW! thanks for the warning!

Fri, 07/16/2004 - 10:32 AM Permalink
KITCH

WHAT my name is an international geocaching story???

Thu, 07/29/2004 - 6:59 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

1 in como, not yet approved

1 in burnsville, submitted today

1 in eagan, submitted today

Thu, 08/05/2004 - 10:58 AM Permalink
KITCH

1 in orchard...submitted today.

Thu, 08/05/2004 - 11:13 AM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

This is why you shouldn't reach into trees:

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 11:53 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

I don't get it... what am I not seeing?

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 12:00 PM Permalink
KITCH

I'd put my arm in there....so what's up???

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 12:03 PM Permalink
THX 1138

I don't see it either.

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 12:05 PM Permalink
KITCH

IAN's just being a wuss again...........

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 12:19 PM Permalink
ares

geo-joe!

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 12:42 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

So if I go to Mounds tonight to get the rehide, will I have any trouble with kids breaking into cars? I'll have to make sure to take anything of any value with me.

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 1:01 PM Permalink
Clue Master

Is that an Owl in the top hole?

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 6:09 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

owl makes more sense, I was thinking raccoon. scared the shit outta me when i touched it and it moved up.

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 7:13 PM Permalink
Liquor Lady

who's that guy on the right ;)


[Edited by on Aug 30, 2004 at 07:27am.]

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Mon, 08/30/2004 - 6:27 AM Permalink
THX 1138

What's that from?

Mon, 08/30/2004 - 8:57 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

Yeah just a geocaching booth at the science museum I helped with.

Mon, 08/30/2004 - 10:13 AM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

Today's Cacher:

http://www.todayscacher.com

wants me to do a Halloween article about my Warrior Women travel bugs. Hmmmm

[Edited by on Sep 2, 2004 at 04:10am.]

Thu, 09/02/2004 - 3:09 AM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

PLEASE do not go to these caches.

I had a pleasant conversation with the Land Manager today. She describes herself as the "lowest rung on the approval ladder"

She has standard answers that are not definite answers. In other words, bshe's not the one who rejects proposals. Hope is dim, but there IS hope.

I have a meeting with the Director and Land Manager, tentatively on the 15th or 16th, in the afternoon. If you'd like to accompany me, let me know.

RE the links provided above: a permit is $500.00 and a $500,000-$1,000,000 insurance policy is required. Do I think this kills it? Probably,
but not necessarily. When I asked about waiver (for a major CITO) or discount, she said "I'm told to tell you that isn't done."

For whatever reason, DNR does patrol the area, and she got a report from the agent mentioned in one of the logs. She tried to look at the website, but never found the caches listed. Hasn't heard a thing more, until I called this morning.

Attn: Legal Eagles

Does the standard disclaimer on each cache page, or the one I included, have any real weight? Is it enough to argue the insurance is not necessary?

A bunch of you probably have no idea what this is about. Here are my two caches:

Gopher Munitions Plant

The Concrete Forest

Anyone who has been there, anyone who would like the opportunity to go there, anyone who would be willing to participate in a CITO event there:

PLEASE post your thoughts, ideas, etc. here.

Yes, it may appear that I'm being selfish, trying to protect my two caches. Actually those would be archived because with approval, I have far grander ideas.

I would rank the chance of permissible geocaching, whether it's a one-time CITO event or something on-going, as slightly better than with the DNR.

A slim hope? That's all there is for now.

PLEASE post ! Fill up the cache pages with "notes"

Thank you.

Thu, 09/02/2004 - 9:09 AM Permalink
KITCH

I wonder why DNR patrols that area??? Must have a histroy of poachers....

Thu, 09/02/2004 - 10:09 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

Hmm.. they actually sound like interesting areas, Doh! Now I'd like to go do them, but I can't...

Thu, 09/02/2004 - 11:14 AM Permalink
KITCH

cachers are sooooo cool....

I asked somebody to help just send my TB on its way home..

turn out they offered to mail it....

I said ok..sure gave them my addres.....

they over night it....wow!!

I would have been cheap and sent it ground...

 

Thu, 09/02/2004 - 10:22 PM Permalink