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

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!