Ginger Grabbing a Trackable!

Funny, isn't it?

I picked up a trackable out of a cache last week, and it looks like my Ginger!

Gin just turned 16 on Monday, and she loves to peer over my shoulder when I'm on my iPad.

What a hoot!

Happy International Puzzle Day!

Yes, that's correct! I hope all of you solved at least one today!

This is an exciting precursor to this weekend's release! A group of local cachers are releasing a series of solvable puzzles on the 1st and the 15th of each month.

The goal of Puzzle Solving 101 will be to teach a technique, recommend shortcuts and resources, build new solver's confidence, resulting in a smiley!

The first cache in the series is mine, publishing February 1st: Sherlock Holmes's Dancing Men cipher! I really hope it wins over some new puzzle converts!

Plus the Advance Search Email from Groundspeak!

Ooh! I also received the Premium Member's email to beta-test the new Geocaching.com Advance Search feature.

First of all, thanks for being a Geocaching Premium member. Without you, we wouldn't be here. In 2015, one of the ways we're showing our thanks is by giving Premium members exclusive sneak peeks at new tools, features and upgrades.

Right now, you can help fuel the future of geocaching. Get a first-look at the new and improved Advanced Search, a tool that's been requested by the geocaching community. It's been completely retooled, revamped and streamlined based on geocaching community feedback. Here are a few of the features we've been working on:

•   Search by Geocache Name - Look for any geocache with a certain keyword in its name, anywhere in the name, not just at the beginning.  

•  Search by Minimum Favorite Points - Only like finding the best of the best? This will make it easier.  

•  Filters - Narrow your search with ease using filters like geocache type, D/T and more.

 

Keep in mind this page isn't 100% complete yet, so some things may change before the official release. We'll send you another email in about a week to get your insights and opinions. We're excited to hear your feedback.

I LOVE the idea of using the Advance Search instead of the pocket queries to gather a refined list. This one below involved finding enabled caches that myself nor TaGeez has found yet.

I'm excited because it generated a list of 911 results (with no paging required - all results appeared below).  I'm able to map my results, but I don't see a method of creating a GPX export or bookmark list from the results, though.  

For those who aren't aware of this pending update, GeoGearheads released a good show on it this week (episode 160.5).  What's cool is that Eric from Groundspeak did a demonstration (around minute 26:00) on locating favorited challenge caches and he searched Detroit, Michigan!  Some of my challenge caches showed on the list! Woot!

I can't wait to give this Advance Search a whirl this weekend.

An Email from Michelin USA!

I’m so geeked right now!  (Amazing how many blog posts I start with that, but life is a hoot!)

Really, though.  I just received an email from Michelin USA asking to use two of my photos submitted in the #MichelinQuest contest for a video!  Mine (and probably several hundred others) will be part of a company video and possibly posted on their website and social media sites. 

Here are the ones they asked for:

Can’t wait to see it! That was a nice surprise!

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

OOH!  Just found out my friend (zug) was picked, too!  I really like his POW photo!

Um.... CO, We Have an Issue...

Too funny! After chipping out the ice around the concealing stone and then digging out the cache with a penknife.... We found the log encased in a cupcake-shaped ice block!

#cachinginwinter #michiganiceblock
#joyinlife

Wherigos: Shout-out to Michigan Geocachers

Michigan Geocachers rock!  Woot!

I was listening to this week's Oh Beep! Geocaching podcast (episode 58).  Eric, from Groundspeak, and Mark, from the UK, were talking about the differences in geocaching dependent on the region/country. 

Then Mark asked Eric about the future of Wherigo.  Eric said some determinations were to be made within the next 6-9 months.  Then (around minute 25:45 of the recording) Eric made mention along the lines of "talk about how different folks play…. In Michigan, in the United States, they [Wherigos] are pretty popular".

Granted, it was a small mention, but my friends and I have been creating some fabulous Wherigos lately using Ranger Fox's Wherigo\\kit.  I just thought it's cool that someone from Seattle was talking to someone in Great Britain and Michigan came up.

GeoTalk - A Loss

I just heard the heartbreaking news that Darren Osborne (Spindoc Bob) lost his battle to cancer.

Darren was the long-time host of Australia's GeoTalk podcast. He told the most wonderful tales about caching in the Outback, and the roving reports just fed my urge to explore.

It deeply saddens me as as I remember many of his last episodes talked of completing a major Australia historic cache challenge - heartbreaking knowing it won't happen. I'm so sad for his family.

He had a fabulous accent and kindest voice. I still have his congratulatory email when I won a geocoin on his final show.

His nephew, Ryan Osborne, has started a fund for cancer research and honoring Darren here.

You can still access his podcasts on iTunes or at the show's website. This is a great loss.

I Geocache...

Saw this on a social site and had to share...

Happy Friday!

A Fun Australian Puzzle: Draw Your Own Adventure

I just saw this on FB – had to give it a try.  It’s a puzzle called Draw Your Own Adventure for a cache in Australia.

Just click the button and follow the instructions.  Here’s my valiant attempt!

At the end, the final coordinates appear.  Just BRILLIANT!

Treasure Map! See Where the Treasure is Hidden!

I don’t want to sound all mystic-spiritual-touchy-feely, but I do believe in Karma.  How else would you explain the wonderful surprise in my Inbox!

Do you remember my pirate map?  It celebrated my 5,000^th find and 1,000^th day of cache-a-day streaking.

I shared it wil all and asunder because the map is so cool!  And now I have another one!

Apparently, I helped boost the Geocaching Milestones and Extrememes FB page to over 600 “Likes” and Wayne created a “Milestones and Extremes First 75 Hides” map as a thank you!  It just arrived in my Inbox out of the blue.

WOW!  To see the bigger picture!  I didn’t realize how far I’ve spread my caches out.  And the wonderful favorite points and number of visits! I'll confess - I love the numbers, too.

It’s an absolute hoot looking at each of these smaller maps within a map.

Wayne even added a special cartouche to the map.  Do you see the ammo can?

LOVE IT!  Maybe on my next milestone “Hide” map there will be a few in Canada or further north, too.

Major Puzzle Milestone!

I hit a major milestone today! I surpassed 1000 Unknown/Puzzle finds while out grabbing a few Professor Crafty finals!

The Last Word....Detroit's ODS Drive

I was flipping through the Sept/Oct issue of FTF Magazine when I came across an article on Detroit's Outer Drive Series (on the last page under the column The Last Word).

Outer Drive was a grand boulevard that encircled the outskirts of Detroit. Once the site of the Golden Era residences in their heyday, many of these grand homes have deteriorated or left abandoned as the area has fallen on hard times.

At this time, cachers RayQix and n8dxg have hidden over 200 caches along this 40-mile stretch. You can see their interesting write-up here: http://coord.info/GC393E1

So, I was excited to see an article about the ODS in a National magazine. Unfortunately, the contributor was a little more focused on the negative aspects of the area. Let's face it... If you make an illegal left turn and pick-up someone pretending to be a hitchhiker, a visit from a LEO shouldn't be too surprising.

Now don't get me wrong... I don't wear rose-colored glasses - there are some sketchy areas and burned-out buildings. But I am proud with the preservation and restoration of many of these beautiful homes, the community gardens, and the smiling neighbors. This area really has the Detroit Can-Do area.

TaGeez and I have completed over half of the series and have been greeted with a smile and wave from people out cutting their grass or sweeping the walks. If you take your mind off your numbers run, you can almost imagine the horse-drawn carriages and buggies that once inhabited this wide boulevard.

Men of Steel!

Out caching along the Detroit River with TaGeez. We had to stop a few minutes for HNY-15 Man of Steel  -- fun cache!

That's the Ambassador Bridge crossing over to Windsor, Ontario in the background.

Unlock File for iPhone Wherigo Player

AAARRGH!  If I had only paid attention!

There's a fun set of challenges nearby called the "Year-Round Challenge...." by mmc81. (I'm sure by now you realize I'm a challenge-junky, right?)  I was thrilled to grab the Traditionals, Unknown and the Multi challenges, but the others....?  Well, a year's worth of Earth Caches?  Not that many around here as well as Wherigos.... (sigh)

Yesterday a new Wherigo published - there's been an influx of them in the area due to the sudden popularity of Ranger Fox's Wherigo//kit (LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT).  TaGeez and I decided to go for the grab, and I took a look at my stats - AARGH!  If I had grabbed a Wherigo in December (there is a D/T 1/1 Wherigo just a few miles from here), I would almost qualify for mmc's Year-Round Challenge - Wherigo cache!

(sigh) Now I have to start over again. Ok, let's be honest. It's not that much of a hardship.. forcing myself to enjoy a Wherigo monthly!

On the plus side, I learned a really nifty trick using the Wherigo player on my iPhone.  In the past, when you complete a Wherigo cartridge using the iPhone, you get a super long confirmation code that didn't fit anywhere.  If you go on the Wherigo site, it doesn't accept the number to "unlock the cartridge".

Unlocking a cartridge marks it as successfully completed. It's a badge of honor to share your completed cartridges with the rest of the Wherigo Community. There are alternate ways to unlock your cartridge - from uploading your save file to using an unlock code from your cartridge or your friends.  [Source: Wherigo.com]

Last night, while fiddling with the iPhone app, I clicked the arrow next to the cartridge name (when I had actually intended to delete the cartridge because I was done with it).

It opened this screen where I could Upload unlock file or Report a problem - cool!  So I clicked Upload unlock file.

This part confused me at first.  It took me to the Wherigo.com home page within the app (even though the cartridge name was clearly labelled on top above the browser bar).  So, I decided to search for the Riddle Monkeys Treasure cartridge (make sure you are logged in before searching).

Ok, I found the cartridge listing so I clicked the link to open it.

Now, here you see the buttons on the far left.  When I initially opened this screen, the green button read Unlock (it now reads Completed because I took this screenshot later).  Click the green Unlock button..

Under Option 1: Upload your Save Game (preferred), I clicked the Upload your save game link.

It was very quick and the "success" message appeared on my screen.  I was able to go right in and enter a review for the cartridge.  Fabulous!  One less hassle using the iPhone app.  At this rate, I may never pull out my Garmin T450 for Wherigos again.

I'm not sure if this functionality works for the Android, but, TaGeez was super-geeked with the last Android update that his WhereYouGo app allows him to directly download cartridges to his phone (versus having to save them to a folder first).

I think it may be time to start planning my next Wherigo cache.  

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Earthcaching!

Apparently we missed the party! It was yesterday. Not much in the mood for celebrating Earth Caches with a windchill factor of -14°F yesterday - ugh! But I experienced several amazing Earth Caches last year so I will dream of completing 6 more in 2015.... when it's warmer.

Until then, a Traditional here... A puzzle there...

Oh Beep! It's Geo-Resolution Time Again!

I had quite the chuckle on my drive in this morning.  Dr. D, of The Oh Beep! Geocaching Podcast (UK), tried to do a female American accent! Better yet…. MINE! (There’s a reason I’m a blogger and not a podcaster).

Mark (aka Banana Source aka Dr. D’s Dad) asked Facebook followers to post how they did with their 2014 Geo-goals.  Here were mine:

On this week’s episode, Welcome to 2015 (the one where we talk about geocaching goals), they read them off.  Now, normally Dr. D’s offensiving of Americans and our accents can get…. well… let’s just say a little tiresome… But I thought this was a hoot!  Listening on my way into work, I swerved & gasped when I realized he was “speaking me”.

Check it out!  That part is around minute 32:50 in the show. 

A big THANK YOU to Mark for pronouncing my name correctly – that was almost as big of a shock as hearing my resolutions on air.

I did have a laugh at Dr. D’s expense though.  Mark was playing sound clips from past shows talking about their 2014 goals.  Boy, can you hear the change in Dr. D’s voice! Priceless. 

Since we're on the topic of geo-resolutions...

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Scrapcat’s 2015 Geo-Resolutions

1. Pass the 3-year mark of my cache-a-day streak (I only have 53 days to go).

2. Claim at least 6 more Earth Caches, bringing my total to 30.

3. Qualify for the Historic Caches of Michigan Counties MetaChallenge GC30JWA.  TaGeez and I have completed 7 of the 10 challenges required to qualify.

4. I only have 4 squares left on my JASMER.  As we’re unsure of TaGeez’s work status, I will target only two (but hope for all 4) for 2015.

Wish me luck!

Big Red Roo

This cracked me up so I had to share.

scrapcat and YellowJeeperman

I was at the Livonia Meet & Greet last night, sitting next to Mrs. YellowJeeperman (aka Jen). Someone dropped a handful of Trackables on our table to move them along and she grabbed the chicken TB.

She posted this picture last night on FB - the TB with her Mr Big Red Roo! Won't that TB owner be surprised when he opens that Found It log!

I’m a Pirate! I’ve Got My Own Treasure Map!

I’ve heard of Cajun Abear’s wonderful Geocaching Mapsof Your Milestones and Extremes awhile ago.  With 5,000 finds and a 1,000 days streaking, it was time to have my personal map made!

FOR FREE (or a small contribution towards the upkeep of the software*), Cajun Abear (aka Wayne) will take a pocket query of your finds and makes a detailed map to your specifications.  Wayne was VERY patient and accommodating, and these maps are of an amazing quality and can be printed in an 18x24 format (if desired). My wonderful map includes the states I’ve cached in, my FTF’s, my first finds by type, my best weekend and best day, and my milestones.

He will also personalize it upon your request!  I liked his initial draft, but D/T is not as important to me as the adventures I’ve had. He took the D/T detail out and added my Michigan Star geo-art, my team logo, an image of my almost-complete JASMER (I’ve come a long way, baby!), and the Power Island adventure!  He even added a sea dragon to signify my fear of water!  I still shake with the memory of my walk along that dock towards the boat… stepping up into it… and heading out into the open bay.  I wasn’t sure if my stomach was flipping in fear of the water or the adventure ahead. Terrified and excited – as much of a cliché as it sounds, this is really what geocaching is all about.

I feel like a child every time I pull up my map.  It’s a visual image of everything I’ve accomplished so far and the journeys geocaching has taken me.  I told TaGeez that it motivates me towards my 10,000 milestone and completing my JASMER.  It also makes me itch to travel to all those green areas that border my main map.  I’ve got that travel bug and Spring is so far away!

^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^

How to get your map

Instructions from their Facebook page - I am not affiliated with this group - just spreading the word

In order to make a personalized map there are a number of requirements,

1. Your My Finds Pocket Query (email to: cajunabear@gmail.com)
2. A list of your FTFs by GC codes.
3. And as much detailed information about your history using GC codes for your Milestones, favorite finds, challenges you have completed and related finds. Special Trips which you would like shown on the map can be given by the days in which you made the finds on the trip. (Alternatively if you post this information on your profile and keep it updated I will data mine the information for your map.
4. Notification of your position on whether you allow the map to be posted to the web. (You may tag the image after it is posted)

THE PROCESS

Taking this information a table is constructed using the following programs, GSAK, MS Excel, MS Access.  This table list all of your accomplishments tied to the GC code and thus the location.

The data is then converted into an ESRI GIS Shape file which can then be thematically mapped by different categories of data in the table that was earlier finished.

Using ArcGIS a map with insets is created to show many facets of the geocachers adventures.

The finished map is exported as an image out of ArcGIS AND then an art program Paint Shop Pro is used to do touchup and special affects to give the map an antique look associated with a "pirate map".

The whole process is about 4 hours long for a 1K map and longer for more finds and depending on the history of the geocacher.

 *$0 Costs! Why?

This is just another way of geocaching, it also helps me in learning the tools of ArcGIS and gives me a way of giving back to this fun hobby.  Actually this is a hobby within a hobby.  While I love doing this there is an annual associated maintenance fee for the software of $490.  I do NOT want to charge for the maps (they are priceless for more than one reason), but donations are accepted and if you wish to purchase one of our Geochallenge Gazettes for your state, it will certainly help.  It takes about 5 hours to make a map, what does that costs you in gas during a geocaching trip?  I don't need that much LOL, but $20 will help maintain my software.  Printing costs generally will run over $10 and I understand as high as upper $20s for special prints such as canvas. My extraordinary business manager and life partner has set up a Paypal account if you are interested in helping with the Yearly $490 maintenance fee that enables me to keep making the maps.

 Product

You will receive the JPG image by email, full resolution, about 5 MB on average.  The image will be at 200DPI 18 inches high by 24 inches wide.  The size is usually easy to find frames and not so large as to take up a lot of wall space.

Why not a printed copy mailed?

The costs of printing, packing and shipping a map is actually about 3 times higher than if you take the image file to a Walmart, Office Depot, or other place that can print poster size images.

Permission to post your Map.

If you request a map be made for you it will be assumed that you are ok to post it here on the site. If this is not OK  please let me know when you send your "MyFinds PQ" whether you are ok or not with allowing me to post your Map when it is completed on the Facebook Page.  After posting the map you may tag the map image with your name.  If you desire I can tag it for your but please be sure to give me the correct spelling for your FB name.

1.Notification of your position on whether you allow the map to be posted to the web. (You may tag the image after it is posted)

THE PROCESS

Taking this information a table is constructed using the following programs, GSAK,MS Excel, MS Access.  This table list all of your accomplishments tied to the GC code and thus the location.

The data is then converted into an ESRI GIS Shape file which can then be thematically mapped by different categories of data in the table that was earlier finished.

Using ArcGIS a map with insets is created to show many facets of the geocachers adventures.

The finished map is exported as an image out of ArcGIS AND then an art program Paint Shop Pro is used to do touchup and special affects to give the map an antique look associated with a "pirate map".

The whole process is about 4 hours long for a 1K map and longer for more finds and depending on the history of the geocacher.

$0 Costs! Why?

This is just another way of geocaching, it also helps me in learning the tools of ArcGIS and gives me a way of giving back to this fun hobby.  Actually this is a hobby within a hobby.  While I love doing this there is an annual associated maintenance fee for the software of $490.  I do NOT want to charge for the maps (they are priceless for more than one reason), but donations are accepted and if you wish to purchase one of our Geochallenge Gazettes for your state, it will certainly help.  It takes about 5 hours to make a map, what does that costs you in gas during a geocaching trip?  I don't need that much LOL, but $20 will help maintain my software.  Printing costs generally will run over $10 and I understand as high as upper $20s for special prints such as canvas. My extraordinary business manager and life partner has set up a Paypal account if you are interested in helping with the Yearly $490 maintenance fee that enables me to keep making the maps.

Product

You will receive the JPG image by email, full resolution, about 5 MB on average.  The image will be at 200DPI 18 inches high by 24 inches wide.  The size is usually easy to find frames and not so large as to take up a lot of wall space.

Why not a printed copy mailed?

The costs of printing, packing and shipping a map is actually about 3 times higher than if you take the image file to a Walmart, Office Depot, or other place that can print poster size images.

Permission to post your Map.

If you request a map be made for you it will be assumed that you are ok to post it here on the site. If this is not OK  please let me know when you send your "MyFinds PQ" whether you are ok or not with allowing me to post your Map when it is completed on the Facebook Page.  After posting the map you may tag the map image with your name.  If you desire I can tag it for your but please be sure to give me the correct spelling for your FB name.

GeoGearHeads 155: Lucky, Lucky Girl!

As Winter storms in, there’s nothing more enjoyable than spending our evenings listening to geocaching podcasts and solving puzzle caches!  In December, the GeoGearHeads hosted their monthly Randomize show.  And, of course, Randomize XXX had to be co-hosted by Walt & Scott of the Chicago Geocaching Podcast!

It was like visiting with old friends again.

Lucky me, I entered and was one of the winners of the live drawing!  Woot!  A 2014 Compass Rose Geocoin! 

I had to laugh at Walt’s reaction when Darryl announced my name:

“Scrapcat?!? The amount of coins scrapcat has she can build a house now”

With Darryl replying,

“And path tags…… she can use them for the roof.”

Hmmm…. I guess they’ve seen all my posts – LOL.

Thank you, DarrylW4, for delivering this gorgeous coin to the HNY-15 event!

Starting the New Year with a Bang!

You Might Be A Geocacher If.... You ring in the new year kissing your Sweetie in 19° weather while standing next to a power pole. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

NYE-14 Cache GC5JD5F

Thursday was a fabulous day!  TaGeez and I rang in the New Year with a first-to-find at 12:01AM!  How romantic! LOL!  Ringing in the new year in Warren's industrial area, kissing and signing to the fireworks!

Ten hours later found us at the HNY-15 6th Annual New Year's Day M&G GC5ET23.  

Several of the area's local cachers hid a total of 405 caches around the Roseville area!  This included 7 cache types including Wherigos, Earth Caches, and Multis.  TaGeez and I hid 12 of them along the I-696 roadway.

Team Ratspazum - they cleaned up in the raffle

Members of Team Free Range Lobsters:
SnakeyLicks, WikidKriket, and TaGeez

The event included the pre-loading of the event caches, a pancake breakfast, event path tags and a HUGE raffle table.  I was one of the early winners and grabbed this gorgeous coin!

Thank you Team ECCS21!

Very excited that JLIEB won the kayak!
If anyone deserved it.... 

405 event caches

In the end, we found 28 event caches with 12 of them as FTF's.  That grouping of 189 are very conveniently in my caching zone!