Now I Get It June 11, 2009
Posted by kinzuakid in Geocaching, Geocaching.com, In the News/Blogosphere, Mobile Caching, Software.Tags: HQC, iPhone
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I’ve asked in various places and posts why the quality of Geocaching hides and seekers seems to be going down. Then I read this gem.
So if people are only just now finding out about Geocaching because there’s an iPhone app, what’s going to happen when they start buying the newly discounted $99 iPhones?
We’re screwed.
Valley of the Fountains June 5, 2009
Posted by kinzuakid in Events, Geocaching, Mobile Caching, Strategy and Tactics.Tags: 100 Cache Dash, Calipers, Crush Event, Dougandsuzy, Geocaching Route, Peterkraatz, Phoon, Spoiler, Valley of the Fountains
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Fountain Valley Cache and Dash, Dawn To Dusk on May 30, 2009.
Check this out (Click to embiggen):
Valley of the Fountains Caches Logged (124)
Dougandsuzy and Calipers hung around after a meet and greet for one more round a few months back and suggested we should throw down another little crush event with the three of us. Doug suggested Fountain Valley, Calipers thought he meant Death Valley and asked if this was “Survivor: Geocache”. Needless to say we almost left him at home.
After prepping in the usual way (see my extensive instruction manual on this topic) we ended up bagging 124 during daylight hours. Not too shabby. I figured I would throw in some of the highlights of the day and share some things we learned about one another on the road. No, we didn’t have a Brokeback Caching moment or anything, but I did almost break Dougandsuzy’s back. Oh, and my apologies for the crappy logs I left most of the owners. Let’s be honest; after 45 LPCs what more do you need to write than “TFTC”?
After meeting at 5am, we packed the supplies and TOTTs in the trunk:
- Implements, magnets, rubber gloves and handi wipes (uh, remember what I said about that brokeback thing?)
- A case of Dr. Pepper
Who needs more? You do. And it’s all below the fold…
How’d You Do That: Printed Routes Episode March 6, 2009
Posted by kinzuakid in Education, For the Newbies, Geocaching, Mobile Caching, Software, Strategy and Tactics, Uncategorized.Tags: Education, Getting Started, GPS, GPX, Learning, Mobile, planning, pocket query, PQ, Routes, Software
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Palm Springs Route, Leg 1, From Mapsource: Click to Embiggen
Now I did provide it on regular paper and it was nicely carved up into “phases” for the day, but you get the idea. If anyone got lost they could catch up real quick. How 6 people with multiple GPSr units PER PERSON could possibly get lost is beyond me, and beside the point (but it is why we left Calipers at home).
Want to create something like this for your next hunt? All that, and more, below the fold.
Sharing the Love With GSAK January 14, 2009
Posted by kinzuakid in Education, Geocaching, Mobile Caching, Software.Tags: Geocaching, GPS, GSAK, pocket query, Software, Watcher
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I’m not a big GSAK user (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife). That probably makes me a GSAK bigot, but I am here to change all that.
Many people who use GSAK are familiar with its ability to rapidly review cache lists, assign nicknames to cache entries and it is not a bad filtering tool, either. In another post I mentioned a key feature of “Watcher”, its ability to rapidly and automatically filter out undesirable (or desirable) cache entries from your GPX Pocket Query. Now it’s time to take a look at one feature from GSAK that makes it second to none among utilities: its file export capabilities.
GSAK offers excellent file sharing tools for the Geocacher. In the latest version of GSAK (7.2.3.35), the number of file formats supported is staggering. What possible use could this be? If you and your cache mates don’t use the same GPS or have differing preferences/needs for map view or printouts, the best way to make sure you are operating from the same cache list is to start from the same GPX and use a software tool like GSAK to “translate” for you.
Geocoding Your Pics with GPICSYNC January 6, 2009
Posted by kinzuakid in Geocaching, Mobile Caching, Recreation, Software.Tags: Geocaching, geocoding, Google, GPICSYNC, pictures, track
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As if your mind numbing slide shows just aren’t enough, GPICSYNC can plot them on a map for you…
I get questions. When I brought up Geocoding recently, eyes glazed over and the most interested anyone could get was “what was that again?” I’m apparently too much geek playing the geekiest game in the world.
Geocoding is the addition of location data to your photos so they can be used with any ‘geocode aware’ application like Picasa/Google Earth, Flickr, loc.alize.us, and others. These tools plot where pictures were taken on a map, providing a rich set of information for your snapshots and avoiding the dreaded “what is this again?!?” when you forget to religiously catalog every image you’ve ever taken.
TUAW Reviews the iPhone Geocaching App January 6, 2009
Posted by kinzuakid in Mobile Caching.Tags: Geocaching, iPhone, Mobile, Software
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Over at The Unoffical Apple Weblog (TUAW), Steven Sande has posted a review of the iPhone Geocaching Application. It’s a good intro to the application and, not being an iPhone junkie myself, it looks honest and reasonably well written. If you’re an experienced cacher you’ll get just enough information to make up your mind or target your research. I’m a Windows Mobile user myself and will have more on those tools in other posts.
Telephone Poles on the Moon 