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 The_Bronze.
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| posted on October 12th, 2002 at 09:15 AM |
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`www.geocaching.com`
I would like to share with my Fellow dubbers a new concept sport / game called Geocaching (Pronounced 'Geo-Cashing' .
It requires a sence of adventure, about 1/2 a day in most cases and a GPSr which is a Global Positioning System reciever ($150 2nd hand).
The concept is that cachers -(one who hides and seeks a cache) have hidden in your area a cache which contains a few little goodies, a log book, and
pen in a waterproof cache (box which contains goodies).
Step 1- Borrow a GPSr, turn it on, wait a while for your areas latitude and longitude and type these into your computer at Geocaching.com and it will
tell you how many caches are within a 160kilometer radius (100 mile). I have 170 around me here at Newcastle.
Step 2- Choose a cache or two, print out the sheet with the caches Latitude and longitude coordinates, description, clues, and previous logs.
Step 3- Pack a picnic lunch, step into a nearby VW, preferably your own and type in to your GPSr the caches coordinates.
Step 4- the GPSr will tell you which way and how far the cache is. Drive / walk in that general direction until you get there.
Step 5- Exchange somthing of your own with somthing in the cache you want. Leave a note in the log. Go home and write a log on the cache page back on
the web which work just like the forum here.
Sound easy eh! Well in most cases it is. Each cache will display a level of difficulty. Most are located in parks, reserves, bushland and beaut out of
the way picnic spots. Some are for die hard bushwalkers.
As of today-
"As of today, there are 31173 active caches in 149 countries.
In the last 7 days, there have been 16216 new logs written by 4789 account holders."
Personally I have been doing it when I can for the last 6 months and do something caching every weekend I can get off. I have found 5 and hidden 10.
It's excellent fun, especially if you have a family. What I tend to do is take 3 items to put in the cache from a $2 shop. That way the cache
increases and each of the boys can choose somthing to keep.
Tips- A GPS will get you with 2-30meters of a cache.
- Pack some lunch and water.
- Take a VW with you. Heaps of fun to drive.
- Take a friend. Good friends are hard to come by.
The Bronze.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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Minister of Volkswagenism
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| posted on October 12th, 2002 at 09:24 AM |
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Here my eldest boy Chandler (4) hiding a cache up on Mt Vincent.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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Minister of Volkswagenism
Posts: 1922
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| posted on October 12th, 2002 at 09:37 AM |
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This last attachment is an example of a Cache page without the clues (which are encripted) and the logs which you have to scroll down for.
I should add that it is not my interntion to turn this into a Geocaching forum as there is alread a successful caching forum active, I just wanted to
share with you all a cool way to enjoy your familes and an excuse to cruise any weekend you want!
Cheers,
The Bronze.
Let me know how you go and your thoughts.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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KOM123
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| posted on October 13th, 2002 at 10:55 PM |
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Hey Bronze, is the forum you were referring to this one??
http://pub66.ezboard.com/bcachingaustralia
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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| posted on October 14th, 2002 at 07:56 PM |
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Yep!
The Bronze.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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KOM123
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| posted on October 14th, 2002 at 09:40 PM |
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What model GPS did you pickup? On second thought I've probably got a few questions to ask you so may have to go offline and email you instead
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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| posted on October 15th, 2002 at 08:16 PM |
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No worries. Happy to answer any questions anyone has. It's great fun and an excellent reason to get out. You don't meet as many people as I
had've hoped because its still virtually unknown. There are very few caches in Qld but heaps in Syd, Melb metro hinterlands etc.
Thursday I meet with two other geocachers and go find four around the Gosford area. First time I've actually gone out with other cachers.
The Bronze.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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KruizinKombi
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| posted on October 24th, 2002 at 06:42 PM |
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That sounds excellent Bronze, I may have to try it myself. I just bought a GPS for work, its a Magellan Sportrak ($565 but I got it from Tandy for
$510), see http://www.magellan.com.au Its the entry level model, but has room for
500 waypoints. Its fully waterproof and even floats. It runs on 2 AA batteries (I use 1800mAh rechargables which will run it ALL day) and within a
month (waiting on delivery) I will have the optional power/data cable and computer software which will allow me to download & upload waypoints as
necessary, as well as using the convenience of a computer for such things as mapping, graphing of altitudes over distance, etc. We'll be getting
the kids at school to do some Maths they'd normally not even attempt. :thumb
The user handbook was crap (only 10 pages of English) but it came with a cd with a pdf file of 74 pages which is much more comprehensive. I printed it
out and put it in a clear pocket binder.
I've only been playing with this thing for two days, but we took it hiking today and I found it excellent!! It tells us exactly how far we have
travelled, how high we have climbed (Mt Erica 1518m from the carpark at 1100m) and even displays the path back in a range of scales.
This thing is so good that I might even consider buying one for myself, even though I can use this one anytime I want!!
Just for interest's sake, my place is at 38o 21.656S, 146o 21.362E, 110 metres altitude.
Kruizin Kol
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KOM123
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| posted on October 24th, 2002 at 10:52 PM |
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I'm pretty interested in this also but hoping to get one that will do an adequate geocaching job for a bit less. I was hoping more around the
$450 mark inlcuding cables and software etc but perhaps that's a bit unrealistic 
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KruizinKombi
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| posted on November 6th, 2002 at 08:30 PM |
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I've now got the cables and software and stuff, but I've probably spent closer to $1450 than $450. Thank christ I didn't have to pay
for it myself!!! :jesus
Of course, the cables and software really aren't necessary to get into geocaching. I just bought them so we can use the data I collect to do some
Maths-type classes at school.
[Edited on 6-11-2002 by KruizinKombi]
Kruizin Kol
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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Minister of Volkswagenism
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| posted on November 6th, 2002 at 10:14 PM |
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Still waiting for that email KOM123.
I have been away for a while. Finishing off the last of the assignments. Only have one resubmission to do and I'm done. Technically I'm
finished but I can get a better mark for this last subject if I resubmit this assignment.
Anyhow I haven't been doing any caching but have been klocking up the k's with Klub VW as they were down here last weekend. I was going to
hide a cache on the Sane dune somewhere but I plain forgot. Was having too much fun plus there wouldn't have been anywhere to put it where it
wouldn't have been buried in two weeks. The Wind and sand movement particulary on the Saturday was awesome to say the least. Where it wasn't
windy, it was literally raining sand, so hard I had the wipers on when driving along below the lee of crests. Just glad I had windows, he he!
Colin you may find that your area might be a bit sparce for caches but there is no reason you cant hide some and then get the kids to try and find
them, say around the school, a nearby park, a field trip or where ever.
Have a read about virtual caches as well which is interesting for students to work on but there is one catch with student s caching.
Remember when you were a student. Have a think how long a cache would last in your area if students knew how to find them, where to find them, and
what goodies are on offer for well established caches. For this reason I'm prettly selective how I introduce caching to school otherwise you end
up with caches in nearby surburbs being raided or simple taken altogether. There is no reason why you can't set up temp caches and archive then
after your lessons. Future caches in the are require a car and some effort, car = licence, licence = hopefully enough maturity to know better.
Anyhow let me know how you go. It's not my intention to turn this site into a caching forum as there already is a good one but I think its a good
pastime for dubbers who love to travel and get lost in far off places we love to retell around the fire.
The Bronze.
Here's a little cache I whipped up earlier for Stockton. A coffee jar - No metal no rust, plastic seal to stop moisture, glass is easy to spot in
the sun, all the goodies have to be small. Log is note paper hole punched and rubberbanded together.
KISS - is the way to go for beach caches.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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KOM123
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| posted on November 7th, 2002 at 06:06 PM |
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Heya Bronze, thought you'd gone on holidays to the Bermuda Triangle for a while!! Haven't forgotten about sending you the email just finding
the time to sit down and do it has been my problem. Been busy at work and also the crappy redundancy thing happening through the company On a brighter note I secured a contract to do a simple business website for a
group of surveyors so that's been keeoing me busy too. hopefully this weekend I will get a chance to jot down all my question and drop you a line
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KruizinKombi
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| posted on November 7th, 2002 at 07:28 PM |
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Bronze, there are four caches in my area, and I haven't introduced the kids to them for the exact reasons that you mentioned.
Kruizin Kol
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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| posted on November 8th, 2002 at 07:00 PM |
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What I've done in the past is just put on the morning notices a call for students and staff who have an interest in bushwalking and the internet
to come to Blah Blah room at whenever to find out about anew concept sport which is a lot of fun and exciting prises.
This evokes the interest needed in the right people before you introduce them to the geocaching.com idea. Out of 1000+ students I had 5 students and 1
staff member turn up. I though that was pretty good. Don't mention GPS cause no one will show. Generally people know someone with one.
The Bronze.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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KruizinKombi
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| posted on November 8th, 2002 at 07:44 PM |
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We only have 9 students and two staff, so everyone knows we have it already. A couple of the kids are starting to show some interest in it now that
they're gotten over the initial "You paid $500 for that?:o" kind-of thing.
I've finally received some of the software and can finally download & upload waypoints, routes and tracks between PC and GPS and I have to
say, the potential is truly amazing.
The software I was using today (Mapsend) is fantastic. The GPS automatically tracked our hike yesterday, so I downloaded the track to the pc and it
overlayed the track onto a fairly detailed map that came with the software. It produced a nice little graph of distance vs altitude, and can also
replay the route showing our position, speed, altitude, etc. at any of the available scales, at speeds ranging from 1X up to 50X.
I'm not 100% sure how useful this will be, but I'm sure going to have fun finding out!!
Ps. We're going to Walhalla next Thursday, which just happens to have a cache hidden somewhere!
[Edited on 8-11-2002 by KruizinKombi]
Kruizin Kol
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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| posted on November 8th, 2002 at 09:44 PM |
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Sounds like a good start. Do you research, print the cache page, decrypt the clues only if you haven't foind it after a set period of time
otherwise they can make it too easy.
Let me know how you go.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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Veedub-Al
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| posted on November 24th, 2011 at 01:17 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by The_Bronze.
I would like to share with my Fellow dubbers a new concept sport / game called Geocaching (Pronounced 'Geo-Cashing').
As of today-
"As of today, there are 31173 active caches in 149 countries.
In the last 7 days, there have been 16216 new logs written by 4789 account holders."
The Bronze.
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Interesting to come across this old post. We're pretty keen geocachers as well, but in the time since The Bronze made his original post, the number
of geocaches hidden has rocketed to over 1.5 million!
For anyone who's interested, I'd recommend taking a look at the Geocaching Australia
website and if you want to see some of the bits and pieces you can buy, check out this Australian based geocaching store |
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