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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: Holly - It's Not For Everyone

I remember as a kid growing up in Michigan around Christmas time and drawing tons of pictures with bright green holly leaves then throw in those beautiful red berries. Such a wonderful holiday plant. How can anybody not like holly bushes?

Cough - Well I'm one for starts.

Oh sure holly bushes and trees are still amazing to look at and in North Carolina they grow everywhere including in the wild. To look at is one thing but to go diving in for a bison tube is totally another matter. Those little points that we learned to draw so well for the holidays are in reality extremely sharp needles. The leaves themselves are rigid so sticking your bare hands into one of these monsters can be very painful. Many geocachers think it is quite the fun place to hide geocaches and holly hides are common. I personally do not like looking in these bringers of grief and avoid them when I can. Yet today's Geocache of the Day had me looking in such a beast. Fortunately for me the plant was cut in such a way that the bison tube was in a spot where you did not have to probe far.

So my advice to you is to always include a pair of work gloves in your geocaching pack. You never know when you are going to need them for these prickly placements.

On to the drive-thru and lunch.
GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: A DNF - A Valuable Lesson: Check Those Logs!

Whenever I do my Lunchtime Geocache of the Day posts I always try to put some little nugget of knowledge that may be useful when you go out geocaching. Most of them are actual incidents that happen while I am looking for that particular geocache.

Something will happen and I'll go, "Hey, that would be a cool thing to discusss."

Todays DNF (Did Not Find) is brought to you from just such an experience.

Ever go after a geocache where you searched and searched then searched some more only to find out that it has not been found since 1864? Okay maybe not THAT far back but maybe it has a string of DNF's that goes back for months or even longer? Wouldn't you want that 30, 45, hour+ back to go looking for something instead of wasting your time on that geocache?

Here is my geocaching suggestion for the day. If you are really having issues trying to find a Difficulty 1.5 or 2 and it is taking more time than you know you should be searching for it. Check the latest logs!

Many of the paperless geocaching gizmos out there like smart phones, certain GPSr units, netbooks, PDAs, etc. allow you to see what the latest logs are for a particular geocache. Many of them are right up to the latest minute if you have Internet connectivity. There are also other applications for computers like GSAK that will tell you right up front the last four or so DNFs a geocache may have but you have to look first. (Note - there are filters and macros that won't even put a geocache available to you if here are more than x recent DNFs logged - but that's another posting).

The point with today's DNF is that it had not been found for well over a year. If I had checked the logs via Geocache Navigator after the first 15 minutes or so of not finding it, I wouldn't have had such a rushed lunch.

Just something to keep in mind when geocaching. If you can't find that geocache and you know you should have found it by now. Check the geocache logs, you'll save yourself some unneeded headache.

-HHH



GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Keeping A Geocache Alive By Adopting It - Three Really Great Posts

Earlier in the week on Twitter a discussion was brought up about adopting a geocache and then ultimately going out and doing maintenance on them. A request was made to go over my experiences with them and to put it on my blog (thanks sirtomcat1).

That year I adopted about 60 geocaches and it just so happens that I have three really good posts of just that. Check them out!




GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Friday, March 26, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD - Love That Sound

Let me paint you a geocaching picture. You're in the woods with loads of potential hiding spots all around you and the pine needles are deep. There is no apparent hiding spot for the cache. No handy pile 'O sticks to make you go aha. What do you do?

You utilize your hiking pole to search for potential hiding spots. You poke and you prod and then suddenly it happens. That wondrous pwang of a sound that can only be of a hidden ammo box just below the leaves and needles.

For me personally that never gets old. Whether its your first attempt or your fiftieth that feeling of "aha, gotcha" gives quite a thrill.

Today's Lunchtime Geocache of the Day was just as described. The area was thick with logs, stumps and heavy pine needles. As shown above there was no trace of the geocache until I actually found it with the pole. A very satisfying find indeed. I took the travel bug that was inside and placed some new swag including one of my signature first aid kits.

Now on to some food!

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD - When Construction Strikes

There are many ways that a geocache can get "muggled". It can be seen by an actual muggle and tampered with, taken or destroyed. Animals can move into the geocache or take it to another location. I personally have had a geocache that was placed in an area designated for a controlled burn (it was a crispy cinder by the time I got to it). Weather can sweep away a geocache faster than anything. Finally a geocache can be placed in an area and carted away by construction. My Lunchtime Geocache of the Day unfortunately seems to have had that very thing happen to it.

The plan and we all know what happens when we make a plan, was to go and get the final two beads from the Jewelry Series I had been working on the past month or so. I was all ready to swoop in and just get'r done. The first geocache was actually so close to the construction that I thought it was gone right off the bat. Fortunately it was the next tree over from the point the construction had stopped so I was able to retrieve it.




The final geocache wasn't so lucky and you can see quite plainly that it went when the surrounding area was plowed. The best I can do now is notify the owner and let them shut down the cache until after everything has calmed down.

It's a shame when it happens but it does.

Now time for some grub...

-HHH
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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: Southern Springtime Geocaching

The springtime weather is about a month late this year. Even though it has been a slow start it is making up for lost time. Just about every tree, bush or plant that should be flowering is and what a show they are putting on.

The Lunchtime Geocache of the Day for today is the next to the last of the Jewelry series I have been working on. Hopefully tomorrow I will have found all the components and collected a bead from each. I think I will end up making the bracelet like bangle and then putting it as a top piece for my path tag walking stick that I am currently making. Will show photos when completed. Oh and the path tag walking stick is a future article coming soon to a blog near you... Namely this one ;)

-HHH

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

GeoSnippits and HeadHardHat Mentioned on the Podcacher Podcast









I wanted to send a quick shout out and thank you to Sonny, Sandy and Shawn the extremely talented crew of the Podcacher Podcast.

Sonny and Sandy, "from sunny San Diego", have been putting on a high quality geocaching based podcast for some time now. I really enjoy listening every week to hear what interesting topics they get involved with. Shawn is their very cute little son who many times can be heard doing kid stuff in the background while they do their show and appears to have just as big of a following as his proud parents.

In this weeks show I was mentioned doing the Geocaching in the Media video at Cachercon 2010 earlier this year. I appreciate the air time and again would like to thank all of them very much... Hmmm, maybe we can get them to come visit the east coast for some ocean side geocaching... Will have to ask.

Anywho, we are mentioned during the show and on their webpage shown below. So be sure to check out Sonny, Sandy and Shawn here on the Podcacher Podcast website:


GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Monday, March 22, 2010

Black Berry Phones Powering Down - My Findings

I have worked in computer support for a combined 15 years so I am putting in the disclaimer here. My situation may not be the exact same as yours so you will have to do a little research to see if this will indeed work for you. When in doubt check with your carrier for more details... yadda.. yadda... yadda...

So here's the situation. I own a BlackBerry 8310 also known as a Curve. It has worked fairly well for me for over two years now, until recently. The issue I was having would be the unit powering itself off regardless of what the visual indicater stated was left of battery life.
  • Pressing the power button did nothing
  • Using a power adapter or charger would restart the phone when connected
  • The battery indicator would usually show a significant drain when the phone reinitialized.
What to do? It literally was at the point that if you pulled the battery and put it back in the phone would again power down a moment or two after booting yet the indicator still stated there was at least 1/4 of battery life left.

This was very frustrating. Nothing like being 100' from a geocache only to have the phone die and no way of getting it back up. That is also why I am mentioning this on my blog because it easily can be geocaching related. To The Internet!!!

The Internet gave many ways of potentially resolving the problem. Everything from reseating the battery to wiping your operating system and restoring. The problem is very common and you can find example after example all over the net. I had no problem doing a wipe of my phone but if there were any workable solutions before going through all of that I wanted to give a shot. So I did do the remove the battery for several minutes trick. It actually seemed to work for about 30 minutes before going back to bad habits. Then I read that you should replace your battery. Hmmmm, I thought. If I am going to spend the $50 for a new battery I better be able to return it if the phone insists on being uncooperative. So I made sure I kept the receipt before proceeding.

Needless to say I replaced the old battery with the new one and for the last week or so it has been working flawlessly. Well as much as a Black Berry can anyways. So if you are having troubles similar to mine I suggest you trade with a friend that has a new battery to see if it goes back to working correctly or go buy a new one like I did. For me it was the best solution and this time I did not have to reinstall all the software.

I hope this information proves useful to you.

-HHH


GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

HHH's Lunchtime GotD - Regular LocknLock Find

I really thought I was going to be using my umbrella today with all the thunderstorms that blew through this morning. Yet by the time lunch came around it was another beautiful spring day with a light breeze and blue skies.

Today's find was a quick search 200' from a walking path that reveled a nice regular sized geocache LocknLock container.

Found it quick enough for a nice sit down lunch. Ahhh, I do so love spring.

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Friday, March 19, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: Turning a Frown into a Smiley

Yeppers, I went back for that DNF from a couple of days ago and after expanding my search area I came up with the find. It was 75 feet from ground zero, eh, it happens. Usually if it is that far off it is good to notify the owner of the geocache so they can come back out and reverify the coords.

So this means yet another bead for me plus that welcome smiley. Just goes to show ya that you should never to give up no matter how many times it takes. Eventually you are going to succeed.



As a side note, it is 78 degrees out and the trees are starting to pop... Ahhhh, spring.
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Thursday, March 18, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: Attempting To Finish The Jewelry Series.

Today's Lunchtime Geocache of the Day was a bit of an adventure. You see my most used and trusted equipment failed. Yep my Black Berry is no longer even on it's last legs. At the moment it has a nasty issue of powering off about every 10 minutes or so. Today I was within 80 feet of ground zero and it died on me again. Yes I wanted to toss it into the rather swampy water nearby but instead just shoved it in my pocket and continued searching. After a partial soaker and using some pejoratives I haven't used in a while I was able to actually find it on my own.

So yes if you put two and two together and realize that I am wearing the same shirt as yesterday you will know why. My camera is my phone - sigh. The find for today is another of the jewelry series so the caches are all identical. This means another bead for me and only a few more to go. This will open up even more caches on my list ;)

So that is how it goes with technology. If you use something like a smart phone for geocaching even if you have not done anything disastrous like drop it on a rock or in a river it still takes a lot of wear and tear. The bad news is I have to go out and get a new phone. The good news is I have to go out and get a new phone... Will let you know what I end up with.

If you have any suggestions as to what you feel is the absolute best smart phone for geocaching with please let me know. My tastes are very simple I want the very best.

Now it's off to the drive-thru (again).

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD : Geocache Coords Equal No Way

Ever reach ground zero for a geocache and just go, "umm, no". That is what happened to today's first attempt at a lunchtime geocache of the day. Ground zero was literally in the center of a walking path with a few trees sprinkled around. So I did what I always do in situations like this and search anyway. It must have been amusing to anyone watching this large man play ring around the rose, err, treesie. I gave it a pretty good go, looking that is, with no luck at all. Actually not even some close possibilities. Eventually I covered the 60' radius and just said enough was enough. There was another similar hide another .12 down the road so I was hoping I would have better success.


I did and here it is.

This was another part of that jewelry series I have been working on and I think I am about half way through. More beads for me.

The one cool thing that did come out of this was a very scenic spot near this geocache. I can't do anything with it because this geocache is right here but would it not be fun to go exploring...




Here?

Ah well, took some extra time for today's smiley so it's off to the drive thru.








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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

GeoSnippits An Introduction To Paperless Geocaching















There is one phrase that is on the lips of almost everybody in the geocaching world. It is far and above the most popular search item on my blog and websites and it is Paperless Geocaching.

Many geocachers want to go green either with the intent to help save the planet, make their geocaching experience easier and with that new ease more enjoyable. Many times it is a combination of all of the above.

To help provide information to our viewers we put together our latest GeoSnippits Video entitled "An Introduction To Paperless Geocaching".

This introductory of paperless geocaching goodness gives several prime examples of why you would want to go paperless and some suggestions of which devices may be for you. Note that we do not discuss GPSr units that have paperless functionality. That will be done in a future GeoSnippits. What you do get though is some really good information for geocachers who are trying to decide what works best for them and to bring up interesting discussion. Have fun and please let me know what you think. Most of the videos we create come from viewer suggestions!


GeoSnippits An Introduction To Paperless Geocaching

If you do not see the movie in the viewer above please click on this link here:

Included below are links to several other paperless geocaching videos and posts also made by yours truly. Enjoy this fine assortment of helpful hints.




GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Monday, March 15, 2010

And I Thought We Had A Snake Problem Geocaching...

I was reading one of the comments to a recent post HHH's Lunchtime GotD - No It's Under THAT Rock that I had written in regards to looking for geocaches and the possibility of getting bitten by a snake here in NC. I thought my point was fairly visual until I read this comment from "Andy".

I attempted a cache in the middle Zambia Africa and had to go through tall grass (taller than me) for 170m in deep snake country. When I got to GZ it turned out to be a few piles of rocks with many holes. I had a poking stick in one hand and a machete in the other.

I abandoned my quest when I found the skull of a python that was about a foot long - whatever killed that I was not interested in meeting!!

I will never look at a snake here the same way... Thanks Andy for using better judgement and not continuing for that smiley...

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

HHH's Lunchtime GotD - No It's Under THAT Rock

Geocaching rock hides is like yogurt, it's an acquired taste.


I personally am slightly uncomfortable with them in North Carolina because of the rather wide assortment of snakes that frequent these parts. Let's just say that every rock turning is an adventure and poke it with a stick can mean the difference between a smiley and a trip to the hospital.

Anyways I usually give rock hides about 15 minutes before the fun factor runs out and I move on. Todays find, yes the pun is intended, if it twir a snake it would have bit me but thankfully it didn't.

I signed the Lunchtime Geocache of the Day log and moved on to a chicken sandwich. The area was very scenic and the pond with fountain was a pleasant view.
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What is a Pathtag and What is a Geocoin?
























There are two different types of "coins" that can be found in the geocaching world.
Note, I am not including personally made, wooden or other signature coins in this discussion.

These coins are very popular and work slightly different from each other. They are Pathtags and Geocoins.




















Pathtags

Pathtags are about the size of a dime and have a hole in them. The front is a very customizable enamel face which can hold a lot of detail and colors. On the back is an ID number that can be logged at the Pathtags website http://www.pathtags.com.

Pathtags are affordable trade items that are meant to be kept in a geocachers personal collection. In other words you can keep them. Unlike geocoins that are the property of individuals and move from one geocache to the next.

To design your own pathtag you go to the pathtag website and for about $99.00US get one of their starter kits. When complete you receive 50 pathtags to start trading. That's about $2.00US a pathtag. After that you may refill your pathtags for about $1.00US each. They are not as expensive because they already have your design on file.

Once you start trading there is a complete trading manager that takes over for you where people can ask if you want to trade pathtags and who sent what to whom. A world map is also available so you can see roughly where your pathtags are in other collectors possession.

Geocoins
















Geocoins to me are the "shiny objects" that first put the word treasure in geocaching "treasure hunts". They range in size from about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The first time I found a geocoin my eyes got wide and the feel of a well made geocoin made me drool just holding it. Then when I found out that you could track it on geocaching.com and actually see all the places it has been I was hooked.

Now the big difference between pathtags and geocoins is that geocoins is someone else's property. They are not meant to be kept but instead move from one geocache to the next. As heartbreaking as it is to find some you would really like to keep for yourself they are to roam free on the geocaching game-board.

Geocoin Personal Collections

Now can you have a personal geocoin collection? Sure you can but you have to either buy them from one of the many geocoin stores on the internet or trade them with other goecachers. I usually do that when attending geocaching events. The cost of a geocoin can range from about $8.00USD and up. There are a couple in my collection I paid $30.00USD at an auction. It's all about how much a geocoin is worth to you.

So can you make your own geocoins to sell and or trade? Sure, there are several companies out there that will make a geocoin that you designed but don't get sticker shock when you see the final price. Depending on the quality and weight of the geocoin itself and the minimal amount that needs to be made for an order you can be looking at some big time financial commitment $$$

To sum things up I have found that pathtags have become the best bang for the buck when it comes to personal trading items for geocachers. They are less expensive to create and fit many a geocacher's budget. Geocoins on the otherhand are the wandering nomads and the kings of the geocaching coin. They are prized when shown in collections and bring that amazing "wow" factor when found and released.

The choice of what works best with these treasures is of course entirely up to you. My advice is to take your time designing them to exactly what you want because you will be investing some of your hard earned cash in their making.


GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Friday, March 12, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD - Treasure Trove of 35mm Containers.

Yes I found a micro today near the shopping center I visited to get these - a big ole bag of 35mm containers. Much to my delight most of them are the white ones with the tight inside seal instead of the loose cap tops that tend to be less waterproof.

How did I get them? Very simple, I asked. Yep called up my local camera store and asked for the empties. They were more than glad to give them to me. In fact I made arrangement so that I could pick them up once a month or so. There manager was so cool that she wrote my name and number on the box and when it gets full she gives me a ring. I just love it and thanked them profusely.

This will work with my CITO plans later in the year. I will be putting plastic grocery bags in many of these as I distribute them into other geocaches as I go. The outside will have a sticker that states CITO so the next finder can pick up trash on the way back to their cars. Replace the plastic bag and put the 35mm container back into their next find. Then on and on it goes.

I know this has been done before and I have found these canisters in the past. I just like the idea so much that I would like to continue the tradition.. Lets help keep our game board, our planet clean.

-HHH


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Thursday, March 11, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD-Crowns Are Not Just For Royalty

In geocaching a crown means something a bit different than your standard royalty head gear.

To a geocacher a crown is when a tree splits somewhere in the trunk and has multiple smaller trunk-like branches in it's place. Usually there is a nice hole that develops within the crown that is perfect for hideing geocaches in.

This particular crown of three held a medium sized Lock n Lock container about five feet off the ground.



What a great lunchtime geocaching find of the day!


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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: Ammo Box in the Woods


This lunchtime geocache of the day took me .20 of a mile following a nature trail in a very swampy woods. In my humble opinion now was a really great time to go for this geocache because I can imagine the skeeters during the summer months.

The trail was a combination of asphalt, pine needles and good ole fashioned dirt. Some spots were wetter than others but the 200' bushwack was uneventful. If it were more towards spring you would definitely have to keep a better eye out for snakes, spiders and other common critters.

This particular hide was fairly easy and nestled in a nice above the water line hidey hole. Everything inside was secured in large storage baggies and perfectly dry. I added to the mix some swag (my first aid kits) and a travel bug.

All in all I had a blast finding this cache. Now for some lunch.
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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Spring Fever Lunchtime GotD

No that's not the name of the geocache but rather my state of mind today. The normal North Carolinian weather has returned and it is 72 and sunny out.

This cammie taped Lock N Lock container was a tad harder to find due to the density of pine trees but even with the bouncing arrow I was able to make the find.

So now I have a few minutes to soak up some sun before heading back in. Hmmm, I wonder if it is too late to play hookie?

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Monday, March 8, 2010

Where in the World is Pete the Parrot?















Well apparently my travel bug Pete the Parrot is back to his wondering ways. He attended a geocaching event in Germany over the weekend where he was discovered about a dozen times and since then has landed in Espace Mittelland, Switzerland (BE/SO) that is about 335.6mi S of where he was.

Pete has 10617 miles as the crow flies and it now does not appear to be slowing down. I hope he sends back some nice photos of his time in Switzerland.

Go Pete Go! What a party animal.

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Friday, March 5, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD - The Elusive Bison Tube

Bison tubes are a real love'm/hate'm type of geocache. Many like how they have an almost mystical capability to blend in with their environment. Ever try to find a bison tube in a grape vine before? Others dislike them because of the apparent lite weight o-rings that dry out and break over a very short amount of time. This allows moisture into the bison tube and you end up with a soggy log book.

Well regardless of how you feel about bison tubes there are tons of them out there waiting for you to find them. So grab that GPS unit and do some serious micro hunting! Good Luck.
















Hey do you know the proper way to put a log book back into the bison tube?

Here's a tip from the HeadHardHat to you...

Always roll the log book as tight as you can. Usually a toothpick or needle can be a good base to wrap the log book around for starts. Then when you have the log book as tight as possible put the logbook into the cap (not the base) first. The cap is a little smaller than the base and it will slide right in place. Otherwise you are trying to jam the cap onto the logbook and that never works. You end up having to rewrap the log book all over again.

See you out on the trails,

HHH


GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

TB Pete The Parrot Back To His Partying Ways

Okay this one falls under the category of "never expected this, now what?".

Pete the Parrot is a real party animal. He is a travel bug that went into the wild way back in April of 2008. Since then Pete left the United States in August,2008 in search of the companionship with geocachers abroad.

Pete has partied in Turkey, Oppland, Sweden, Islas Baleares and over a year ago landed in Nordrhein-Westfalen. He has seen more of the world and hung out in more interesting places than I can only dream of.

Then suddenly around September of last year Pete stopped moving. I didn't really notice until recently and sent out an email to the last person who recorded having him. The response that came back sort of bugged me a bit.

Apparently the geocacher who had found Pete in September had died. The email was from his wife who said she had found Pete with the geocaching stuff left by her husband and that she would get him back in circulation soon. I wrote back and gave my condolences and thanked her for getting Pete back into the wild.

Now how many times does something like that happen? I have heard of travel bugs being lost, stolen or abandonded by noob geocachers who lost interest in the game but to loose a travel bug due to a geocachers death? Hit me odd for some reason.

Has anyone heard of this happening before? Let me know.

-HHH


GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Thursday, March 4, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: Must Have Thingamabob: Inspection Mirror











Today's Lunchtime Geocache of the day is not necessarily about the find but the tool to help find the find. It was a grate find (no not great - a drainage grate) and I really do not like exploring these popular hiding spots for two reasons. One spiders, black widows are rather common and even though we are not out of Winter's grasp yet I am uncomfortable reaching into spots I can't see. The second is many times I have to get on all fours to explore these.

My solution, a three foot expandable inspection mirror. Just place your mirror so you can see underneath and all around without getting your knees dirty. A helpful hint from the HeadHardHat to you.

Oh you can pick these up at any auto store for about $6.00US.

You can find a big listing of other really helpful thingamabobs at my posting here:

http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/2009/03/whats-your-geocaching-must-have-thing.html


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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

That Will Be Two Lunchtime GotD FTFs Please

Well after getting skunked yesterday the results of today are a lot better.

Yeppers, I not only found one Lunchtime Geocache of the Day but Two. I was fortunate and they happened to be close enough to each other and by the same hider that I was able to make quick work of them. Ahh the sweet taste of victory and speaking of taste it's time to move on down the road for some grub.



Lunch will taste just a little better today I think.

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Monday, March 1, 2010

HHH's Lunchtime GotD: FTF-No DNF-Yes - Wall Hunt

Well no joy in Mudville today. I knew I was in trouble when I noticed no one bagged this FTF geocache. There are oodles of FTF hounds in the area and an FTF just does not sit for more than a few minutes in these parts.


Then as I walked to ground zero I realized my suspicions were justified. For before me was a wall sometimes up to 80 feet high and about .20 of a mile long. The chosen spot for ground zero was actually curved where the wall took a 90ish degree turn. This meant that the ground zero coords were within 60' for a very long stretch of said wall.

I tried my darnedest to find it but many of the brick joints have tons of small stones on them so if it is a nano the finder is going to have quite the challenge to figure this one out.

I just plain ran out of time for this micro in a wall hunt and will give it another go in the future.
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