We all know what happens when a geocacher puts the logsheet in the base of a micro or nano container, right? They explode. Metaphorically of course. We try in vain to fish them out with small objects as they cram in further causing people to then smash them on hard surfaces. No one wants this in their lives. For the sake of geocachers everywhere, put those tiny logsheets where they belong: in the lid.
And for those moments when youneed to tightly roll the smallest nano or micro logsheets with ease, check out The Ultimate Log Roller in the Geocaching Shop.
CLEAN – Wash off any dirt on the surface of the ammo can so that the paint will hold.
PAINT GREEN –Cover any lettering or other coloring with green spray paint.
ARRANGE FOLIAGE –Apply looped scotch tape to back of foliage andarrange it facing the same direction on one side of the can for a natural effect.
PAINT ALTERNATE COLORS –Painting lightly,make three wide diagonal stripes with black spray paint, then apply two brown stripes in between. Quickly lift off the foliage and let it dry.
REPEAT STEPS 3 & 4 ON ALL SIDES –Since you are painting lightly, you should be able to paint in an order that allows sides to dry as you go.
Have you been to Seattle, home of Geocaching HQ, in the winter time? It rains here — a LOT and we just had our wettest winter on record. Many Seattleites try to visit sunnier climates during this season, and the employees at HQ are no different. So where to?
Factoring in our limited time (a weekend), our shared interest (geocaching), and our greatest desire (to see the sun), we decided to go to Las Vegas, Nevada!
Our first stop was Route 66, a historic highway that runs from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA. The highway fell out of use in the 80s when the Interstate Highway System was created, leaving behind ample, rarely-disturbed space for geocaches.
“Bruning” (made popular by one of our beloved Portuguese reviewers).
Our next stop was Hofbräuhaus Beer Hall for GC6BJG6, an Event Cache to meet up with local and visiting geocachers in Las Vegas.
Group shot! Not pictured: The 4 Musketeers (composed of Huntersam, Necrolink, Cedestelle, and Comètes) who came all the way from France.
Our last stop was the Valley of Fire, Nevada’s oldest and largest state park.
The park is home to petroglyphs, gorgeous red sandstone ranges, EarthCaches, and the final resting place of Captain Kirk from the movie Star Trek: Generations.
The peak seen in the movie is called Silica Dome, which also happens to host GC4Z3F6: an EarthCache by Landondena. There is an “easy” way to reach the dome and a “hard” way — we took the hard way.
Other notable EarthCaches (and a Virtual!) we found within the park: GC1PPNP, GC1PPNG, GCH723 (limited time meant leaving the park before we found all of the caches).
Moun10Bike
The next time you venture through Nevada, keep an eye out for the Lackeys on Tour stamp in the local logs.
HQ’ers were here.
Until next time…
Left to right: itschautime, Heather Feather, Love, oceansazul, catfax, Moun10Bike, and Sassy Bandit
Guest blog written by avid geocacher (and dedicated nurse) Kelley Piekarek*.
A Floridian geocacher was reaching for a cache when she felt something bite her arm. Thinking nothing of it, she signed the log, replaced the cache, and moved on. Shortly thereafter her arm became red, swollen, and felt hot to the touch. The area surrounding the bite began to form what appeared to be an infection; her arm became very painful and she was running a high fever.
She went to the emergency room where it was confirmed that she had been bitten by a brown recluse spider. The area was surgically cleaned, she was put on antibiotics, and is now on the road to a full recovery.
Most spiders are absolutely harmless to humans. Of the 4,000+ species of spiders found in North America, only two are dangerous to humans—the brown recluse and the black widow.
Geocachers are fortunate to enjoy the wonders of nature. But as we all know, nature can be a bit scary sometimes. If you are informed and aware of your environment, you can avoid spiders bites and know what action to take if you’re bitten.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse can be identified by the violin-shaped spot behind its eyes.
The brown recluse is ¼ to ½ inch long, and can be identified by the violin-shaped spot behind its eyes. They are native to North America and live predominantly in the Midwestern United States.
Black Widow
The black widow can be identified by a red, yellow, or white hourglass shape on their lower abdomen.
The black widow can be identified by a red, yellow, or white hourglass shape on their lower abdomen. There are many species of widow spiders found worldwide, but the North American variety is about ½ inch long.
Black Widow Distribution
Where do spiders like to hide?
Spiders like to hide in wood piles
Both spiders are found in similar locations. Inside, they prefer to hide in small, dark locations such as closets, cellars, garages, vents, stored boxes, and within the cracks and corners of walls. Outside they prefer to live like a geocache—underneath rocks, in wood piles, and inside hollow tree trunks.
What do spider bites look and feel like?
The bites from brown recluse (left) and black widow spiders (right)
The bite of the brown recluse is usually painless and goes unnoticed, but it may feel like a bee sting or there may be a burning sensation. Symptoms usually develop in 2-8 hours starting with a small white blister at the site of the bite.
Many bites will cause a small red mark that will heal without problems or scarring. However redness, blistering, an open sore, and a black area may develop and take months to fully heal. Other symptoms include severe pain at the site of the bite, severe itching, nausea, vomiting, fever, and/or muscle pain.
The bite of the black widow is similar to the brown recluse, and initially may look like two tiny Dracula fang marks. It feels like a pinprick, but also may not be felt at all. There may be slight swelling, redness and a spot that forms a target shape. Fifteen to sixty minutes later a dull muscle pain will spread from the bite area to the entire body. If the bite is on the upper body, the pain will be in the chest. If the bite is in the lower body, the pain will be in the abdomen.
What to do if you’ve been bit
Seek medical help if you think you’ve been bit by a brown recluse or black widow spider
Most spiders bites are non-venomous and require no specific treatment, but if you suspect you have been bitten by a brown recluse or black widow:
Seek medical attention right away
Remain calm to keep your circulation relaxed
Apply a cold pack to the area to relieve swelling and discomfort
Do not apply a tourniquet
If possible, bring the spider with you to the doctor’s office or ER for identification
How to avoid spiders
You’ve probably heard that spiders are more afraid of you than you are of them and that’s true. They’d prefer to avoid contact with humans all together, but they will defend their space. If you live in an area where co-existing with brown recluse and black widow spiders are part of the landscape, take some precautions:
Outdoors
Watch for spider webs, which are the most obvious signs a spider is nearby
Wear gloves and long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and sturdy shoes
Move rocks and debris with a stick when looking for your cache to protect your hands
At Home:
Keep your home clean and clutter free
Bits of food can attract bugs which will in turn attract spiders, so vacuum and wipe down surfaces often
Store your things in sealed plastic storage boxes or plastic bags with the edges taped shut
When unpacking stored items, shake items out thoroughly before use
Keep the sides of your home free of plants and debris
Keep your house clean and clutter free to avoid spiders
Stay safe out there, my friends. Be prepared and know what to do should a spider bite you, and keep on cachin’!
How do you stay safe while enjoying your favorite hobby?
*If the name Kelley Piekarek sounds familiar, it may be from this story that made national geocaching news in February 2015.
My name is Mark Webb. I’m fourteen years old, live in West Virginia, USA, geocache as Troopbiz, and have over 1,800 finds. I love geocaching because I get to explore new places around my hometown that I’ve never been to and it allows me to get outside and explore nature.
Getting Into Geocaching
The early days of geocaching
I first started geocaching on July 1, 2009 at the age of 8. My Mom came across a link to Geocaching.com while looking at the local parks and recreation site, and it snowballed from there. I found my first geocache, Black and Gold (GCRET0) two days later. I was hooked. What started out as a family activity to get outside and explore new areas, turned into a new loved obsession. Within that first year, I found over 100 and was eager to find 100 more. Three years later, I found my 1,000th geocache, Gadgets at Deckers Creek. (GC1M90Y).
1000
Shortly thereafter, I joined the Boy Scouts and quickly earned the Geocaching merit badge. I have educated many Boy Scout troops as well as a 4-H club in my community about geocaching by going caching with them around a local park.
Quality Over Quantity
Geocachers find Troopbiz’s cache, Brick By Brick (GC5JB1H), built completely out of LEGOs!
Although it can be fun to get wrapped up in the numbers, what really matters in the find behind the numbers. What makes geocaching fun is when someone puts a lot of thought and planning into a geocache.
Therefore, I like to do the same with my hides. My first geocache, Up, Down, & Up Again! (GC29NWE) currently has 242 finds and 51 favorite points. I hid a cache called Brick By Brick (GC5JB1H) made completely out of LEGOs. I also have a Puzzle Cache called Cars Cache (GC5AK6Y) based off the movie Cars. I enjoy Puzzle Caches the most because they offer an initial thrill of solving the puzzle, then another after you find the cache. I have also made friends with several other creative geocache hiders in my area such as arealwhit and killlerbee, and we go caching together on a regular basis.
It’s Not Always Easy Being Young
Being a young geocacher does have its advantages, like thinking differently when looking for a cache or climbing a hill with ease. But there are several disadvantages. The hardest thing about being a young geocacher is not having my driver’s license yet. My family and friends assist me on most of my caching adventures. It takes a lot of planning (and convincing), but they usually let me grab “just one more” cache.
Hosting CITOs, earning T5s, cachin’, and getting the FTF – all in a day’s work for Mark
It is also very difficult to complete challenges like the Fizzy Grid or the 365/Every Day Challenge with family members who don’t have the same drive as me. Another disadvantage of being a young geocacher is not understanding older references. Many Puzzle Caches in my area revolve around older movies, tv shows, and songs. Although I don’t always understand what references a geocache is making, Google usually does!
The Future of Geocaching
What adventures await us in 2016?
I’m excited to see what the future of geocaching has in store for 2016. One huge accomplishment I would like to achieve is making my 2,000th find. I would also like to continue working on my Fizzy and Every Day grids. Although I don’t think I will complete them any time soon, every block filled is another step closer.
I’m also looking forward to events in 2016, such as attending my 5th Midwest Geobash. In general, I would like to see more teens get into geocaching as it is a good way to get away from reality and explore new areas in your hometown. I can’t wait to see what the new year holds and what geocaching adventures await!
We love meeting members of the geocaching community that inspire us. Have you ever geocached with someone from a different generation, and learned a thing or two? If you’re a younger geocacher, what tricks of the trade have you learned from more “mature” geocachers? Tell us in the comments below!
