This puzzle cache is all about those little 
"Notes" that get posted to a brand new cache listing within minutes of the reviewer hitting the big red publish button.
In many of those notes, Fox Valley cachers (and those from outside the Fox Valley as well) mention a mythical "Dave" character. Comments such as "Where's Dave?" and "Go Get it Dave" are common on many new posted caches.
"Who the heck is this dave?" Is he a real person? A travel bug? Is he like "Waldo"? A myth or Legend like Sasquatch and Bigfoot? Do I want to meet this Dave? Has anyone captured "Dave" on camera? Inquiring minds want to know!
No, this is not really a tribute cache. It's more of a fun way to highlight all of those immediately posted notes and fun bantering that goes on when new cache's are published. Call it a tribute to all you FTF chasers and new cache watchers out there in the Fox Valley who have caught a glimpse of Dave or seen his alias ahead of yours on a brand new cache published 20 minutes ago and you thought for sure you had it.
To solve this puzzle and find Dave, you will need to locate the cache listings containing "Dave Sightings". This will take quite a bit of digging! You will then need to research numbers from those cache listings and then put them together and do a bit of math in the usual puzzle geocache fashion. For referenced Puzzle/Unkown caches you are looking for the published coordinates not the solution to the puzzle. Usage of X & Y are place holders and reused. They do not signify repeated same characters.
Perhaps if you are quick enough or go geocaching when it's dark out or when it's 25 degree's below zero you might just catch a glimpse of the real "Dave" in the wild. If you do, take his picture so that other's know what this mythical person looks like. If you submit a new previously un-published photo of your "Dave sighting" with your cache log you can log your find twice.
No Dave's were injured in the making of this cache.
FTF prize is a set of unactivated travel bug tags with protecors so you can make your own Travel Bug.
Puzzle Coordinates:
N 44 AB.CDE
W 088 FG.HIJ
Written record of the Dave Sightings began on or slightly before June 14th 2007 and have been found as recent as within the last few days of this posting. Most are in the Fox Valley area with a few reaching out further into the Wisconsin woods.
"Dave" Sightings from our geocaching field reporters include:
June 14th, 2007
One of the First known logs referring to Dave. As you can See, this cacher was curious about Dave.
Wiskey33 - "Dave Who? I didn't see Dave either but Jefferson was there and I took him home with me."
Cache ID(Waypoint): XXYXXX6 (A = Y)
June 15th, 2007
A day later, Dave is mentioned again. It seems Dave's reputation had built before logs showed evidence...
Cache Search Integrated - "Wish I knew this was going to be published. I was just out there today! Oh well, Dave's probably on it right now!"
KL = Sum ALL the Coordinate Digits following N44 (Including the WEST coordinates)
June 18th, 2007
Over the next several days this cacher refers to Dave on 3 related new geocache postings.
Team Hemisphere Dancer - "Have at it Dave..........Where are you?"
Followed by another first hand eyewitness account by another field reporter
Sagasu - "Someone saw Dave out there. It was an early morning jogger who just smiled and said something in a foreign language when he was asked if he found it."
BC = KL - (Difficulty + Terrain)
June 19th, 2007
Team Hemisphere Dancer - "Ok Dave, Make another trip out there......."
June 21st, 2007
Team Hemisphere Dancer - "Whats this still no Dave? Holy Crap."
June 25th, 2007
Four days later, this reporter may have had a close encounter with Dave who appears to be sleeping. I wonder how this cacher got so close to see him?
Sagasu - "Dave is sleeping. How did you post a note before the reviewer published the cache?"
UTM: 16T E 38_394 N 4909032
D = Missing Digit
June 29th, 2007
This response referred to the speed in which rsplash40 a former local area cacher got an FTF.
Team Hemisphere Dancer - "Geez, No time even for the Where's Dave note."
W 088 42.4_1
E = Missing Digit
July 16th, 2007
After a 2 week lull in Dave sightings we find this co-ftf log from a new field reporter.
Team Wheezer - "Thanks for a puzzle I could finally figure out and actually beat Dave to!"
July 17th, 2007
The next day this lucky cacher has yet another first-hand encounter with Dave:
Sagasu - "Dave was here, along with seldom|seen, who had other things besides a find on his mind"
Last 3 Digits of West Coordinates = M12 (10/29/07 Update: This was CORRECTED from the original Puzzle which Read: Last 3 Digits of North Coordinates = MNO)
F = M - (1st Digit in Owners Alias)
August 3rd, 2007
A new field reporter comments on not seeing the ellusive Dave:
sloughfoot - "Didn't see Dave, because he had already come and gone. "
G = Difficulty - Day of the Month Hidden
August 5th, 2007
This cacher must really want to find Dave...
labrat_wr - "Dave..... DAVE!!! where are you????"
N = # of characters in Owners alias
August 8th, 2007
Yet another new field reporter wonders where Dave is.
marc_54140 - "Hey, Dave, you have not done this one yet?!!!"
P = 5th digit in North Coordinates
H = (# Holes - N) - P
August 11th, 2007
Here we see that perhaps someone knew where Dave was on August 11th. I beleive this is purely speculation.
rsplash40 - "Just so everyone knows...dave is on vacation :>"
September 9th, 2007
Then I made a personal Dave sighting:
-cheeto- "I see you knocking off those easy Greenbay puzzles dave :)"
September 14th, 2007
Another new field reporter (though he has been mentioned in a prior sighting) refers to Dave. It seems we know during this time he is not chasing new geocaches.
seldom|seen - "Dave's voluntary 48 moratorium on hunting FTF's runs out in about 6 hours, or 9PM CST! That's a 6 hour window!!!!"
On the same day there was a VERY similar post (a copy n' paste log?) by seldom|seen on a different cache followed by this alarming thought...
GizFinder - "Is Dave in the hospital having surgery or something??? Or did someone kill him???? Hmmmmm"
Q = Last Digit in West Coordinates of the one missing a GizFinder followup.
September 28th, 2007
2 Weeks later...
seldom|seen - "Go get it Dave, I'm home alone with sleeping kids..."
Cache ID(Waypoint): XXXYX4X
R = Y
I = (Q + R) - Difficulty
October 22nd, 2007
Then it seems all is quiet but I report from the field
-cheeto- "I think I saw Dave.. He got lost and ended up on Buoy #100 :)"
Later that day we got a followup report adding to the legend of Dave.
Team Hemisphere Dancer - "Was the hover craft out here yet as I believe Dave was trying to walkon water?"
S = Terrain
October 23rd, 2007
The most recent log is again by our most active reporter:
Team Hemisphere Dancer - "Dave, Look to the north it just waiting for you."
T = Night #
U = Difficulty
J = S - (T + U)
Where's Dave???
Winter Friendliness Rating: zoesbro says finding dave is not winter friendly.
Congratulations Sagasu on the FTF! Did you see Dave while you were there?