Caching and SC retreat

[rowanf]

This is another update... but I have been off on a retreat and that is a much better excuse than usual. *laugh* Thursday mr_kurt and I started north at about 8:30am to caching from San Rafael to Ukiah. We got 13 caches between about 9:30 and 4:30 (and DNF'd 2). Our favorite was Nimrod’s Nemesis by Bkip (GCXA0K) which is just north of Novato. It is fun caches like that which keep me coming back to this sport. Thirteen is the most I've gotten in a day, I think. So we were feeling quite triumphant when we arrived at the Sacred Connections retreat.

I can't talk alot about the retreat, but I will say that I had much less trouble with transitions going in (a bit of trouble on the leaving side). I am not sure why transitions make me so anxious! It was a great weekend with wonderful weather, lots of good friends and really excellent food. Saratoga Springs has put in wifi since the last time (a satellite dish) so I was able to log caches on site instead of having to find a place in Ukiah on the way in. And yes, that is a quality of life issue for me! *laugh*

Saturday Kurt & I skipped one of the optional sessions and went caching in Upper Lake to get the five caches he needed to get to his 200th find. We got the Fruit Exchange cache that I DNF'd last year. I can totally understand how I missed it in the pouring rain. I'm glad to have found it (and he liked having it for his 200th cache).

On Sunday, with the additional of Russell and his gear to the car it was pretty tight. We only stopped for a few caches (found 2, DNF'd 2) and mostly just stuck with the back Sunday afternoon on 101 traffic jam. *sigh* I did get over 50 miles to the gallon from being forced to go so slow. A least Prius drivers have that consolation.

Monday I was busy catching up at work from taking Thursday off and then at lunch we took Kurt's mother to lunch to give her a break as she waited at the VA hospital for her husband to get multiple stents. What a scary thing... and what amazing things medicine is doing these days.

We had a nice bellydance session with all four of us there for a change. I am not holding up as well as I'd like. My shoulders really didn't like sleeping on regular mattresses over the weekend and holding my arms up for dancing was more of a pain than usual. And we were doing some moves that reminded me of a few years ago when I had frozen shoulder. I am so glad that resolved!

The old South Park icon generator has been gone for awhile but there is one at http://www.southparkstudios.com/games/create/ -- I made myself a Goth South Park icon... be very afraid!

Comments

[mr-kurt.livejournal.com]

It was such a fun weekend, and I passed 200 caches! Wow.

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

WOW, love your icon. GREAT photo of you (that *is* you?)

[mr-kurt.livejournal.com]

Um, yes, that would be me. A bit younger and darker of hair than I am now, of course. It's about 5 years old now.

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

Ah. A good reason to make a visit to the Bay area, to see YOU. It's been several years, now, since I was in that part of the world...

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

I'll second that notion!!! I'll even offer a futon and hospitality. :-)

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

Might just take you up on that...depending on where in the world I get sent next. Maybe I'll come home from China the long way around, through SF..

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

I really like this more recent photo of him (and me) from Beltaine.

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful couple you make!!! I missed Beltane this year, was in Sri Lanka at the time, where they don't celebrate it. Had a very small ritual by myself at the seaside.

Caching

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking of starting to do caching - we learned to use the GPS finder in the Red Cross training sessions - and I know it is starting to catch on here in Finland. I'd like to buy a GPS (is that what you call it) handheld, while I'm in the States. I leave Thursday night. Could you recommend something for me? email me if you don't want to post it for everyone here. Not too expensive, good for a beginner!

Re: Caching

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

Amongst those who have the Garmin religion (vs Magellan - its kinda like Mac vs PC), the eTrex Legend <http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexlegend/> is considered to be the best basic GPSr for the sport. It has a decent display, takes 1,000 waypoints and can usually be found in the $125-35 range with sales at places like Costco sometimes as low as $100. It should talk to a PC (not to Macs) without difficulty so you can upload waypoints without having to hand enter lots of data. Wow... http://www.navsystems.fi/default.php?cPath=42_22_23 I can see why you'd want to buy it here rather than in Euros. Hopefully you'll be able to upload Finnish maps for your base map without difficulty though.

Re: Caching

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I'll print this out and take it with me.
LOL! Yep. I looked into prices here and realised I was leaving for the States soon and thought, hmmm.. Aren't they supposed to be *global* position finders? ;)

Re: Caching

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

Garmin's site can't find 'etrexlegend'... but it's a great site, thanx!

Re: Caching

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

Boy, that is annoying. I went to http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexVenture/ and then clicked on the "legend" link on the right side. I wonder if they've discontinued that model. It might be available really cheap! Check ebay. *grin* The essential things are at least 1,000 waypoints and a PC connection.

Retreats, photos, transitions, connection

[naomifine.livejournal.com]

Hi! I'm glad you had a good time at the retreat; I was at a different workshop and missed you all! "I am not sure why transitions make me so anxious!" Thank you for saying this--I thought I was the only one! Thanks for posting the beautiful photo. I am so glad/happy/warm/fuzzy to be connected--in the same communities--with you; to me it all counts! Hugs.

Re: Retreats, photos, transitions, connection

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

We missed you, but I'm sure your 7th level stuff was amazing.

Oh yeah. Transitions! Last SC retreat I really realized that I am *always* freaked out for about half a day every time I arrive at a festival or gathering. I need to be really careful not to be a total bitch to people during that period. I'm afraid Russell suffered a bit from my bad transition in leaving this retreat. *sigh* Meaning to not let things that get to you spill over is a great plan but not always one that survives reality.

(no particular reason to use the SP Goth icon on this... I just had mentioned it and realized I hadn't used it yet)

The one we used in the RC training

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

If you click on the link below, you'll see my hand holding the GPS we used in the RC training. I think I can actually identify it from your Finnish supplier's link! At least I know what I'm supposed to be looking for now. Thanks again for the recommendation.

See: http://www.kolumbus.fi/~w443408/redcross_it_telecom_training_2006/index2.html

Re: The one we used in the RC training

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

That looks like a basic eTrex. It works just fine... but if you really get into caching you'll go nuts having to hand enter coords and only have 500 waypoints. Just saying. And it isn't all *that* much cheaper. The difference in list price is about $60 but street price often maybe $30 difference... and over time what is $30, or even $60 when measured against aggravation. Look for the Legend rather than the basic.

Re: The one we used in the RC training

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll keep that all in mind. I'm very very new to this, and not at all sure I'll get into it in any big way. I don't have a car. 30 USD is really not very much...
They taught us how to hand enter the coordinates, and I'm not at all sure I'll even get up to 500 waypoints!! If my daughter gets interested, we'll see.

Re: The one we used in the RC training

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

The advantage of having lots of waypoints entered is that you can look at the map and go "Oh, look! There's one over there!" when you are in some random place. With over 7,000 caches in the Bay Area I can only have a small fraction entered at a time. Kurt has a blue tooth GPS that works with his Treo phone and he doesn't have a limit (other than disk space) on how many waypoints he can store. Someday I may go that way too.

Re: The one we used in the RC training

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Ol' King Harald Bluetooth really gets around!! I'm thinking of getting a dedicated bluetooth GPS for online stuff. It's an idea. OK, 1000 waypoints seems like very few if there are 7000 in the Bay ARea!! This hobby has really caught on in a BIG way, evidently!! Thanks for all the tips!

[rubibees.livejournal.com]

I love the new icon! Off to make one meself!

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

I like my collection of South Park icons and was really sorry when the old icon generator went away. I'm glad a version of it is back. :-)

[spikeiowa.livejournal.com]

ooh. Please give my good wishes to Kurt's mom and Erbe, sending best possible vibes from pretty far away. Hope it's all gone well.

[mr-kurt.livejournal.com]

Oh, it seems to have done. Irby's at home, and resting, and is much ruddier than when he went in. Yay!

[galileopan.livejournal.com]

I don't have nearly as much trouble with the in / out transitions as the transitions between different kinds of energy when I'm there -- it can be pretty intense.

I didn't get out at any of the caches on the way back -- I kept thinking "I'll get out of the car at the next one". And then we'd stop for the next one and I would think "I'll just sit here for another minute..." The "retreats" are pretty physically exhausting, more like a charge than a retreat for me.

An even more amazing way to think about your mileage is that it was equivalent to driving alone in a car that gets 150 mpg.

[mr-kurt.livejournal.com]

*grin* I was wondering about why you weren;t out toddling about with us!