Archive for the ‘Find Your Geocache’ Category

Trivia Tuesday

Geocaching got its start on May 2, 200 when satellite accuracy instantly improved with the pressing of the “Great Blue Switch”. Dave Ulmer placed the first use-the-Internet-to-find-it container on May 3, 2000 and the game of geocaching was birthed.
Read more about geocaching at FindYourGeocache.com

I have had interest from geocachers who wanted to purchase the last of my Arizona Centennial Trackable Geocoins. These were made specifically for the Centennial and only 48 trackable coins were minted.

(Okay, FIFTY were minted but two are going onto a plaque as part of the project. Someday.)

Of the 48, I have eight SIX left.

I’m selling them at $25.00 each which includes priority mail shipping anywhere in the USA. (Out of country folks, sorry, I just can’t handle it!)

I made a button at PayPal that “should” keep track of the inventory. Each PayPal account can buy one coin. When the six are sold, they’re sold! And I’m only taking PayPal to make my life easier.

Now, all this being said, if the inventory button doesn’t work, then the first six buyers get the coin. Anybody else will get a refund.

 

 

 

The PayPal account will like to TheOutdoorPrincess.com. Make sure I get your correct shipping address and email address!

Product Review: ExOfficio Give-N-Go Underwear

I really love it when a product lives up to its reputation 110%. Not every product that I test does, unfortunately.

When I was at the Overland Expo in May, I was given a pair of Women’s Give-N-Go Bikini Briefs to test and review. I know what you’re thinking:

“Kim, seriously, you’re going to review UNDERWEAR on your blog?!” Yeah, I was thinking that too.

But then a lady came up to the booth and was exclaiming that she wears nothing but the ExOfficio undies and they’re great and she wears them every day and they last and on and on and ON she went. So I figured I’d swallow my, ahem, trepidation about reviewing panties and give it a go.

Now Give-No-Go Briefs are explained as:

17 countries. 6 weeks. One pair of award-winning underwear. (Ok, maybe two.)

Join the thousands of people who have discovered the ExOfficio travel underwear revolution. Just toss your Give-N-Go’s in the laundry or wash them in a sink. Within hours you will have a fresh, dry pair of underwear. Breathable, lightweight, and long-wearing, you will toss them into your carry-on for every trip. Soon they will replace every other pair in your underwear drawer.

Which all sounds wonderful, right? But I was interested in how well they held up on the trail. And how well they preformed at different times of the month. Because, let’s face it ladies, it’s just a different story when “it’s that time of the month”.

Test One:

• Short hike (1.5 miles)
• Hot, humid weather
• “That time of the month”

I was pleased that they didn’t bunch, ride up or give me a wedgie. It was hot, humid, and just way to muggy to enjoy being on the trail. But I was pleased that the panties seemed to wick moisture away from my skin. As for the additional discomfort of also wearing a sanitary napkin, well, I’m not sure that anything really makes that more comfortable.

Test Two:

• Short hike (1.5 miles)
• Even hotter, more humid weather

It was actually the same hike. Just a week and a half later in the summer. Which meant that it was hotter, more humid, and I was hitting the trail about an hour later in the day. Again, there was nary a sign of a wedgie: the panties stayed exactly where I wanted them to be with no chafing or discomfort at all. In the additional humidity, they didn’t seem to wick moisture away from my skin quite as well as I would have liked but I did notice that while the rest of me was a bit, um, ripe, the odor resistant properties were in full effect.

Test Three:

• Long hike (6 miles)
• Hot, dry weather
• Carrying a huge backpack

And it was on the weekend’s backpacking trip that I decided that these panties are worth their weight in gold! It’s one thing to say they dry out quickly it’s completely different to experience it first hand. While there was no sink for wash, rinse and wring, even wearing them as soon as I stopped sweating, they dried quickly and completely. Odor resistant was working perfectly and I felt my skin was breathing.

The real kicker though was that I never felt as if I was wearing too many clothes. You know that feeling when you’re hot, sweaty, and covered in trail dust and suddenly your trail clothes aren’t cutting it? They’re sticking to you, making you even hotter, and you just feel gross?

Well, the ExOfficio Give-N-Go briefs just don’t do that. The next day when I switched back to my regular cotton briefs for the short hike out proved that the Give-N-Go’s were living up to everything that was promised. The cotton briefs, while comfy, didn’t stay put, felt much hotter and just were not as all-around comfortable.

So, go figure! I fully intended to try the panties but not actually publish a review about them. It’s just a little out there for me. But after experiencing them in action, I felt I really needed to share.

The only thing I’m not sold on is that they only come in black, white, nude, and brown. The lacy bikini comes in pretty colors but I’m not really a lace type of girl.

So that’s my complaint: ExOfficio, please make your amazing, fantastic, Give-N-Go Bikini Briefs in pretty colors. Or polka dots!

The next test I want to try is kayaking in them. But based off the results from hiking, I’m sold! So use any of the above links (affiliate) and get a pair (or three!) of your own!

And, to sweeten the deal, ExOfficio offers Free Standard Shipping On All Orders Over $75

Now, I just wonder if the bras are amazing as the panties…
PS: No, that’s NOT me in the photo! I stole it from the ExOfficio website.

They called it a “zebra”.
More really cool geocaching stories, articles, and photos at FindYourGeocache.com

What is the oldest still-maintained geocache?

Answer: Mingo (GC30) placed 5/11/2000 in Kansas, USA.

 

Learn more about geocaching at FindYourGeocache.com

Arizona Centennial Trackable Geocoins

I have had interest from geocachers who wanted to purchase the last of my Arizona Centennial Trackable Geocoins. These were made specifically for the Centennial and only 48 trackable coins were minted.

(Okay, FIFTY were minted but two are going onto a plaque for the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors. Someday.)

Of the 48, I have eight left.

I’m selling them at $25.00 each which includes priority mail shipping anywhere in the USA. (Out of country folks, sorry, I just can’t handle it!)

I made a button at PayPal that “should” keep track of the inventory. Each PayPal account can buy one coin. When the 8 are sold, they’re sold! And I’m only taking PayPal to make my life easier.

Now, all this being said, if the inventory button doesn’t work, then the first 8 buyers get the coin. Anybody else will get a refund.

 

 

The PayPal account will like to TheOutdoorPrincess.com. Make sure I get your correct shipping address and email address!

Guest Author: Intro to GPS

This is a guest article about how a GPS works. It was written by RJ Stapell, of High Trail Expeditions, who I met at the Overland Expo 2012.

The GPS System

In General

The GPS navigation system currently maintained by the U.S. Department of Defense consists of:

• 24 satellites (together with spares)
• The satellites maintain six orbital planes approximately 12 miles above the earth
• Each satellite orbits the earth twice every 24 hours
• The system is designed so that at least 4 satellite are visible at any time of the day – anywhere in the world

The GPS system is based on line of site transmission from the satellite to the GPS receiver. A GPS handheld or vehicle-mounted receiver requires a strong signal from a minimum of 4 satellites in order to accurately report the receiver’s position, speed and direction of travel. The GPS signal from the satellite can be adversely affected by:

• Canyon walls, tall buildings or other large objects or structures
• Dense foliage or tree canopies
• Antenna blockage by metal from cars or trucks
• Low batteries

The exact position of each satellite is known at all times, which is continuously transmitted. Knowing the exact position of each satellite and the actual distance from the GPS receiver, the current position of the GPS receiver can be determined. The distance from the satellite to the GPS receiver is “measured” by determining the time it takes for the GPS signal to reach the GPS receiver from the satellite.

GPS Unit Operation

Most typical handheld GPS units operate in a similar manner. Each manufacturer has its own design regarding menus and button-functions. Reading and understanding the specific manual for your particular unit is very important to get the most from your handheld receiver.

Initial Setup:

The first step is the initial setup of your unit, which covers display options, units of measurement, map datum and time format. The following categories are critical in order to effectively use the GPS receiver in conjunction with a map and/or compass:

• Coordinate Display Format: latitude-longitude/UTM/MGRS (for military users)
• Map Datum: the GPS receiver must be set to map’s datum
  • NAD27/NAD27 CONUS for most USGS Topographical Maps
  • WGS84 for newer and non-governmental map sources
• Headings: true north or magnetic north
• Time Format: 12 hour or 24 hour format/local time, specific time zone or GMT (ZULU) time (especially important in aviation applications)
• Units of Measure: feet or meters/miles or kilometers/mph or kph

Displays:

Each GPS receiver will have a number of different types of displays to give your current position information. Most units will also allow you to customize the type of data displayed with the terrain map, 3-D map or digital compass. This allows the user to choose the type of information that will be most helpful based on the mode of travel and type of terrain.

An important display (that is often overlooked) is the Satellite Display Map. As noted above, it is critical for your GPS unit to receive a strong signal from 4 satellites in order to accurately report your position.

The Satellite Display map presents a map of the satellites that are “visible” to your GPS unit from your current position. In addition, most Satellite Display Maps also show the signal strength from these “visible” satellites and the location accuracy of the position fix. The accuracy of your position fix is also known as your “Estimated Position Error”. Most GPS units will give you this information on one of its displays. The EPE should be checked on a regular basis.

By using and understanding the information from the Satellite Display Map, you will be able to determine the accuracy of your unit in a given location and whether the unit can be used for navigation.

Practical Considerations

Your GPS receiver is an electronic “gizmo”. No matter how hard it tries to stay on, it will eventually run out of juice and unless you are prepared, you will become “lost”.

Consequently, the following is highly recommended:

• Become skilled in using the “forgotten” map and compass as a primary navigation tool with your GPS as a secondary navigation device
• Bring lots of spare batteries
• Mark your GPS unit with bright tape (most units are black and are easily missed or left behind
• GPS units do not do well when they are cold, wet, run over, dropped and, of course, forgotten
• Before you really need your GPS unit to get you back home, read your manual, set your unit up so that it will give you the information you need, and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Suggested Route/Trip Planning Checklist:

Prior to Departure

Mark your trailhead and end of trail locations together with interim waypoints on the map. Mark landmarks and other easily identified features on the map even if not located on your trail or route.

Pull the waypoints from the map (latitude-longitude or UTM) and load the data into the GPS receiver.

CRITICAL—verify that your GPS receiver is loaded with same map datum as the map you are using and that your compass (by declination) and GP unit (at initial setup) are working on TRUE NORTH .

In The Field.

At trailhead obtain a position fix and verify coordinates to the stored trailhead waypoint.

Orient your map to the existing surroundings and compass.

CRITICAL—verify that your GPS receiver is operating in 3D Mode and NOT in 2D Mode.

Proceed on trail with either compass/map or with GPS using the “GOTO” feature to navigate to the next waypoint.

Do not use GPS receiver continuously, but only for occasional position fixes and to cross check on your map and compass work.

Use “Back Track” function on your GPS to return to your start for an “out and back” trip.

General Rule is to be aware of one’s approximate location relative to key reference points at all times.

Use a notebook to make notes starting from the trailhead, especially at trail junctions, landmarks and changes in direction.

Cool Stuff You See While Out Geocaching

 

Guest Author: The Top Geocaching Apps of 2012

Geocaching is a great way to discover hidden gems right in the wall of your city. It’s also a great excuse to get outside and explore the terrain. A Geocaching challenge is similar to a real-world treasure hunt, where teams or individuals use GPS tracking to locate “caches” or trinkets that contain lists of who has found them as well as details about the find—including notes about the terrain, hiding spot, and trinkets found within the cache. There are literally thousands of hidden caches all over the world, so you can geocache in any city you visit. Simply, access the official database of caches at geocaching.com, and use your iPhone or Android to locate caches in any area that offers T-Mobile wireless internet or Wi-Fi coverage.

There are thousands of geocaching applications to choose from. However, veteran geocachers will tell you that these apps offer the best quality for the price you pay…

1. Geocaching by Groundspeak Inc. ($9.99 – for Android & iPhone)

The official geocaching (GC) app from Groundspeak offers direct access to the official and ever-growing cache database that I listed above so it makes sense that this app would be first on the list! This app allows users to find nearby caches by address or by GC code, and you can choose specifically where you want your street, topographic, and/or satellite maps to come from. The friendly user interface offers four tabs for caches— search, saved, logs, and trackables—as well as an export button for instant login to geocaching.com so you can sync your saved caches to the master database.

2. OpenCaching By Garmin (Free – for Android & iPhone)

OpenCaching is a great app for geocaching newbies because it’s a free app that was created specifically for Garmin’s OpenCaching.com, a user-powered geocaching community. With this app you’ll get an introduction to geocaching, including an easy-to-use interface that will help you locate hide, log, and share your caches directly on your mobile device. You can also view nearby caches on the app’s map, by compass view, read text descriptions of each cache, or search for caches based on difficulty terrain, size, and type. This app even offers cache hints from fellow users to help you perfect your hunting skills. Once you find a cache, you can log your success right from your Droid and even brag about it on Facebook and Twitter.

3. Geocaching with Geosphere ($7.99 – for iPhone)

The Geocaching with Geosphere app offers a no-frills user interface with a built-in map to visually lead guide you on your journey and help you hunt down caches. The app offers users five tabs—including GPS (to direct you to the cache), Target (providing the details of each cache), Search (to view your downloaded caches), Data (to log new caches found directly from your smart phone), and More (for access maps, satellite, or hybrid modes).

4. Neongeo ($4.23 – for Android)

The Neongeo app also offers secure access directly to the official geocaching.com site. This app offers users both the online and offline geocaching experience so you can log your caches on the go or record your field notes to log at a later date. This app even offers pre-trip preparation—with thousands of geocache listings and maps to guide you on your real-life hunt.

Bio: Jane Johnson is a staff writer for GoingCellular, a popular site that provides cell phone news, commentary, reviews.

I had planned on having a “Ringing In Statehood” geocaching flashmob event, but tax season just beat me up.