2014 Compass Rose Geocoin: Immortality

Look at what appeared in my mailbox last night!  My prize from the Podcacher raffle (episode 502).

It’s antique bronze with a Swarovski gemstone on the front.

Gorgeous, isn’t it?  CoinsandPins.com had a fascinating explanation of the coin detail. Every aspect represents something.

I’m a lucky, lucky girl!  It's beautiful next to the Compass Rose: Protection geocoin won on the GeoGearheads show last month!.

Podcacher 502: I'm a Winner!

I received a message on Monday from a geocaching friend in Australia (FireSafe), asking me if I had listened to this week’s Podcacher.  Nope.  It’s not Tuesday.  A creature of habit my podcast rotation is Wait! Wait! Don’t Tell Me for Monday’s commute and Podcacher for Tuesday. (I won’t bore you with the rest of the rotation, but now I have to insert The Moth somewhere.  Have you heard of it? I’m thinking Wednesdays).

So, curious at Firesafe’s enigmatic message, I loaded Podcacher episode 502 and started to skip through the episode.  Have you used the handy 15-second fast forward button on your player?  It’s a great way to bypass overly long segments on any podcast (sorry, like the News from the Northwest.  It feels like one long infomercial).  I must admit on some podcasts I listen to it at 1.5x speed for the same reason.

Big moment at minute 50:30

Ok, where am I going with this (in case this post’s title didn’t clue you in). 

I’M A WINNER!

I need a profile picture.  I look like a
deranged bowling ball!

Several week’s ago I entered the 2014 Compass Rose Geocoin contest and was one of 5 lucky winners!  I was too late to claim the limited edition Cosmos coin, but I did win my second choice: The Immortality Coin.  I’m so grateful for Firesafe reaching out to me when he did!  Isn’t it beautiful? 

It’ll pair beautifully with the Compass Rose Protection Geocoin I won earlier this year on the GeoGearheads show!  

How To Puzzle Cache - a New Geo-Wonder Book

I’m SO geeked!  I ordered myself a geocaching Christmas gift today!

This week’s Podcacher featured an interview with Cully Long, the author of the newest geocaching wonder book “How To Puzzle Cache”.

I LOVE puzzle caches (just shy of finding my 1000^th puzzle-cache smiley) – we have some phenomenal puzzle craftsmen here in Southeastern Michigan.  I’m continually surprised each time a new one publishes – there’s just so many ways to create and solve puzzles.  And then you have that moment when you solve it…. nothing sweeter! I thought the book might help with those stubborn blue ?’s on my map and maybe even inspire more puzzle hides on my part.

Several of the biggest selling points stemming from the interview:

• It’s in a textbook format so you learn and then try with each chapter.
• I ordered the spiralbound version so it will lay flat and not fall apart.
• One of the reviewers is Jennifer (of Teamajk), who has the fabulous puzzle-a-day blog.  She also did a great interview on puzzles for the GeoGearheads Cache-a-maniac podcast recently.
• Cully has promised that once the book is out there he will continue to update his website with book excerpts, additional tips, etc

If you get a chance, visit the Podcacher link and enter for your chance to win a free copy (no affiliation with Podcacher or the book).

5/5 LPC's and Winter-Friendly Attributes

I listen to many geocaching podcast shows include Podcacher.  As much as I learn and enjoy that podcast, I do get a little touchy with Sonny's issue about LPCs.  I've seen some remarkable ones (PaRaDiZ has a nice Christmas vignette in one).  I've also hugged a few during my 2-year Cache-a-day streak.  This winter has been particularly brutal!  Wind chills of -26 degrees F!  Even the lamp post caches have been rather challenging!

Wixom

Here are a few LPCs plus some other challenging finds from just the last couple of weeks!  And it's been a LONG Winter!  All of these were deemed "park and grabs!

Berkley

Westland

Hamtramck

Farmington

Rochester

Redford

Livonia

Sterling Heights

Luckily, TaGeez is always a good sport!

Just a side note about Attributes.  I admit that I generally don't look at them except when I'm "streaking in Winter".  All the above caches had "Available During Winter" attributes listed on them.  I think, during snowy Winters like this one that cache owners need to really re-evaluate this attribute on a cache-by-cache basis.  Change them if it no longer applies. And, in many cases, just use them!  We've added a lot of unnecessary miles to the cachemobile when there were no attributes on a cache only to discover it was definitely NOT Winter friendly.

T'was The Cache Before Christmas

There was a great Christmas show on Podcacher this week – I particularly enjoyed the geocaching poems and Christmas carols.  My favorite was Washknight’s T’was The Cache Before Christmas…. poem found on his blog, Geocaching Blind. It’s a keeper!

Merry Christmas, my friends!  I already have my cache planned for tomorrow – keeping the streak alive just a little longer!