Something New in the Air

 OOH! Can't wait to see what's happening on Bonner Street soon!

Looks like "Another" geocache is coming!

"Law Enforcement Approved"

I received a message from my friend, Team GMMP, "New and improved! Custom paint! See through window to satisfy law enforcement requirements!  😀"

"For limited time only! For 10 easy payments of $0.01, buy one, get one free while supplies last! 😀"

Now, I know he's kidding about "Law Enforcement Requirements", but I think he's onto something. Top and bottom camo'd to help conceal it, but it's still transparent for law enforcement and park officials.

Sweet, Greg. Do you deliver?

Flat Packs - Also a Michigan Thing!

It’s a Michigan thing! Like PBN’s – we’re in inventive crowd.  If it’s said on a podcast, it must be true!

I was trying to explain “flat packs” to somebody outside of Michigan. Made using small resealable plastic bags (like the pill bags), duct tape and (optional) strong magnets, they are great for concealing behind signs, under power boxes or inside guard rails.

Inexpensive and quick to mass produce.  Easy to feel when reaching blindly but not thick enough to draw anybody’s attention.  I’ve seen them as small as 1”x1” and concealed in the cracks of a utility pole (often with a little hanger attached to grab it with).  I’ve seen them as large as 6”x8” and magnetized behind a green power box.

And with the plethora of duct tape colors and textures, they camo pretty well with their surroundings.

Pick an appropriate sized magnet to suit your bag size

Here is your winter tip (thank you, Mr. RayQix): After signing the log and sealing the bag tightly, replace the pack with the opening hanging upside down.  This is added protection from melting snow or drizzling rain from seeping in.

PBN – It’s a Michigan Thing

Paint by number (or painting by numbers) describes kits having a board on which light blue or gray lines indicate areas to paint, each area having a number and a corresponding numbered paint to use. The kits were invented, developed and marketed in 1950 by Max S. Klein, an engineer and owner of the Palmer Paint Company of Detroit, Michigan and Dan Robbins, a commercial artist. [Source: Wikipedia]

The Palmer Paint Company is just up the road – on the way to my sister’s house.  And Michigan Geocachers have a particular affinity towards them. They invented one of our favorite little cache containers: the paint-by-number containers, or PBNs. Their benefits are the caching trifecta: Water-proof, durable, and inexpensive.

With or without magnets. You can use a 1/2" log and they camouflage nicely.

As discussed on the different podcasts, each geographical area of the US has different methods of hiding caches.  To excel in an area, you have to learn the quirks of each region.  Last month, at one of our events, we had cachers from Ontario visiting.  They had never seen a PBN before – didn’t understand it as a hint on the caches.  But they laughed because they are everywhere around Southeastern Michigan!  You can buy a package of 18 for $3-$5. And if you look around sometimes you can find slightly larger versions!

USES: We like to thread wire around the hinge and bend it into a hook.  We will adhere a magnet (preferably a strong ½” magnet with Amazing Goop!) and hide them in signs.  We will also use them to protect logs inside other cache containers.  And they camouflage beautifully using Rust-oleum camouflage spray paint!

There's even a tribute cache!  Visit Thanks for the Invention by TheGrundalows onsite at the Palmer Paint Company.  But don't ask for a hint on what the container is!