Tonight 6:30PM ET on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv) we discuss Earth Geocaches plus So Much More

Tonight 6:30PM ET on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv) we discuss Earth Geocaches plus International Geocaching Day, Dave (DeBaer) DeBaeremaeker, and Courtney's current geocaching finds?!?

AND a brand new contest to win a limited edition, numbered, trackable book from Geocoin Designer Chris Mackey! Come join us to get all the geocaching greatness.

Meet up in our Ustream chatroom http://www.ustream.tv/channel/rvnn-live or Circle me +Andrew Smith and join us in our G+ hangout! See you tonight!

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GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
and watch me on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv)
Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
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Google+
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Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

Random geocaching tidbit for the day: How To Convert Mapping Coordinates

Random geocaching tidbit for the day: How To Convert Mapping Coordinates to GPS Coordinates

There are now many different apps out there that do map conversions. You know the geocaching situations where you have to either put data into your GPSr but the coords are in decimal or vice versa. Mystery and puzzle caches are notorious for conversions. Having an app like GCC (The Geocache Calculator -http://gcc.eisbehr.de/) is great but what happens in those situations when you don't? There are ways my geocaching friends and today's tidbit goes over a multitude of mapping conversions that you can do quickly.

Below is a link to the complete post I did recently on the subject. I find it very useful at times. Especially if I do not have my geocaching applications with me. Be sure to bookmark after you visit.. Enjoy.
Check out the post in it's entirety here ->
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-to-convert-coordinates-to-gps.html

Each day we will pull an interesting geocaching tidbit from HeadHardHat's Blog - Geocache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right? With over five years of information you can search your geocaching questions as well.

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GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
and watch me on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv)
Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/HeadHardHat/

Google+
http://gplus.to/headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

Random geocaching tidbit for the day: Poke It With A Stick

Random geocaching tidbit for the day: Poke It With A Stick

This is HeadHardHat's number one rule so you would be wise to listen. Geocachers can be seriously hurt if they are not careful . Be safe out there!

Check out the post in it's entirety here ->
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/2011/04/hhhs-gotd-geocaching-rule-1-poke-it.html


Each day we will pull an interesting geocaching tidbit from HeadHardHat's Blog - Geocache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right? With over five years of information you can search your geocaching questions as well.


-------------------------------------------------------
GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
and watch me on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv)
Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/HeadHardHat/

Google+
http://gplus.to/headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

Planning a Geocaching Camping Trip

It's summertime in the US of A and that means it is time for heading out on the road and enjoying all the wonders this land has to offer. Now that I think of it I shouldn't be so localized in my thinking. We have readers all around the world so let's change it for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere - better? No matter where you are on this planet there will be a time you are going to want to go camping and I have a few thoughts that might be helpful for you as you plan your geocaching adventure.


First off it is very important to know all the destinations you are going to want to visit on your trip. Places like historical, scenic, hiking, biking, boating, etc. There will also be the actual camping areas and also all the side trips as well. Make a list of where they are and how far around those areas you are going to want to venture. Then check out your favorite geocaching listing site and generate the needed .gpx files for each of those areas. For those who don't know a .gpx file is a collection of GPS data that can be incorporated into different devices like GPSr units, computers and smartphones showing where individual geocaches are hidden. Here are a few listing sites you might want to check out.

Geocaching Listing Sites:
     - Geocaching.com - Pocket Queries
     - Opencaching.com - .gpx files
     - Opencaching.us - gpx files - multiple formats

Now that you have your geocache ducks in a row for areas you are going to visit during your trip you might also want to figure out where some geocaching finds are while on the road getting to your camping destination. To do that you need to plan some routes.

How this works is pretty simple. You have the route, which is the road you are travelling on. You can set the route to find geocaches that are close to the road, say half a mile for example. A .gpx file is created with all those geocaches that then can also be loaded into GPSr units, computers and smart-phones as well. That way while you are going from point A to point B you can pick up geocaches along the way. Below are some ways you can plan geocaching routes.


Plan Routes
     - Geocaching.com
     - GSAK  (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) -  http://www.gsak.net/   
     - GPS Mapping Software

Plus don't forget that with many of the modern, fancy-dancy technology out there you can do real-time geocaching. Simply by using your smart phones and tablets with cellular capabilities you can be anywhere that has a signal and go geocaching.

Some favorite spots during a trip could include:

Geocaching on the Spot (Unplanned Geocaching)
     - Rest Areas
     - Places of Interest
     - Getting supplies in a nearby town

So no matter if your travels takes you to private campgrounds, RV parks, State Parks of just out on the open road. Geocaches are bound to be close by for your geocaching pleasure.

Be safe out there and see you out on the trails.

-HHH



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GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
and watch me on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv)
Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/HeadHardHat/

Google+
http://gplus.to/headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

Geocaching In Hot Weather - Hydrate

Hiking Water Pack

When it comes to the game, sport and obsession of Geocaching there is one precaution that every geocacher must adhere to and that is to stay hydrated. In the Northern Hemisphere we are heading straight into Summer which means hot, sunshine filled Geocaching adventures. Be sure to save yourself a lot of unneeded grief and make sure you have plenty of water with you while you are out in the wilds and in your cache mobile.

Aww HeadHardHat, isn't that a lot of extra weight we have to lug around? Well let me ask you this. Would you rather carry around a extra few water bottles in your back pack or spend a day or three in the hospital? In some cases of heat exhaustion you can even die from it so my answer fellow hunters of plastic - YES it is worth the little extra weight. 

Besides there are a lot of ways to distribute the rations. For example make sure you have enough water for everyone going out Geocaching. Don't forget to include enough for your pets too! If you find yourself on a fairly substantial hike spread the beverages between several people in the group. Don't forget that your pooch if large enough can wear a dogie pack as well. 

Another great option are water packs or water bladders which usually are placed in backpacks with a flexible straw that you can partake while you are walking. They usually only weigh a pound or two and you really can appreciate having them when needed.

The important thing to remember is to not overheat yourself and keep drinking water. Some libations can actually be a dehydrate so make sure what you are drinking something that hydrates instead on taking water from your system.

Just as a final note also remember that even though you may go Geocaching during the winter months you are just as susceptible to dehydration as in the hot months. So keep those liquids with you any time of the year and be safe out there.

- Andy HeadHardHat Smith

Puzzle and Mystery Geocaches... Do You Do?

It has always been interesting to me how there is such a difference between the United States and say for example Europe when it comes to Mystery and Puzzle Geocaches.  

In many other countries besides the US a good ole' Mystery cache is craved to be discovered and yet in the USA I have seen the exact opposite. Now I am not talking in absolutes here. There are plenty of geocachers in the US that love to pursue Puzzle Geocaches but as a norm, not so much. We tend to like the traditionals while the rest of the geocache types are found with much less frequency.

I am curious as to why. Do we as geocachers prefer the quick and easy instead of actually having to use our brains? Is it intimidating to have to solve a logic problem or heaven forbid a mathematic formula? As a joke I have stated in many a conversation, "How do you stop 30 geocachers in their tracks..? Give them a math problem :)". It would be sad but I have actually been there during an event and never saw so many blank faces pop up during a puzzle cache we were all trying to resolve. So is that it, we give up or don't try because we are intimidated? I will be straight out and say there are Geocaches in the Raleigh, NC area that I just stand their and shake my head. We have six or seven major colleges here and a lot of the professors are geocachers. I don't stand a chance but I do try. At least if I can't do some of the more complicated mathematical ones I do love the other problem solving ones. 

How do you feel about Mystery and Puzzle Geocaches in your area? Are you a save them for a rainy or snowy day kind of geocacher or do you even try at all? Are you a mystery guru and eat them up? What are your favorite types? I would really like to know what you think.

-HHH

Oh That Is Just Not Fair - Message From Geocoin Designer Chris Mackey

Geocoin Design Guru Chris Mackey and HHH

Man I love the world of Geocaching. I mean really how else can a person talk and get to know so many cool people around the world. There really is no limit to the amount of acquaintances and down right friendships someone can develop just being a part of the geocaching community.

Well I just received a message from a good friend and in my humble opinion THE leading expert in geocoin design Chris Mackey and it just has me all giddy like a you would not believe. Yes a big guy like me can get giddy like it was Christmas morning when the conditions are right... but I digress.

Anywho my buddy Chris sent me a cryptic message that he is sending me something in the mail that he wants me to see...  That's it... I know it must be geocoin related or at the very least is something on the scale of 15 from a max of 10 in coolness and now I have to wait... Arghhhhhhhh! Torture I tell you - pure torture...

Ah well, will let you all know what I get... If I am allowed to tell anyways and then I will just tease all of you like you know I can, muhahahahaha. Yep, loosing it...

If you would like to check out Chris's work be sure to go here:

Facebook Page

Aura Design Group

Gxproxy.com

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GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
and watch me on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv)
Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/HeadHardHat/

Google+
http://gplus.to/headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

Where Have All The Geocaching FTF (First To Find) Hounds Gone?

HeadHardHat Back in 2008

I have been recently going through my blog's (GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?) archives and found myself all the way back to 2008 where I found a post of my first FTF or in geocaching terminology a First To Find.

How exciting it was learning of the new posting and actually getting to the geocache before anyone else. I remember opening the geocache with my heart pounding in my chest. Nervously examining the log book and realizing that there were no other signatures - CLEAN SHEETS - oh joy, rapture! Then to discover the coolest of the cool, a FTF Prize, which consisted of a bunch of military navy memorabilia that I still hold dear as a collectible.  How cool is that?!?  As my obsession grew with FTFs I had incorporated alerts which immediately went to my email if a new geocache was published in my area. Then an assessment had to be made of me actually getting there first and what the consequences would be if I left at that moment to obtain it. For example, how mad my wife would be because it was 1:30am or my boss because it was during a work day; decisions, decisions. I can't tell you how many times I have bumped into law enforcement officers in the wee hours of the night with flashlight in hand and looking in small crevices via strange locations. All part of the the FTF fun.

 Then there were the FTF hounds. Those are the dozen or so geocachers in a local area that all love getting the FTF before anyone else. Which then makes it a race and potential bragging rights for the winner and sad disappointment for the rest - nanners. Of course that just added a whole new level of excitement for FTFs.

Those were the days.

Now in 2012 I really don't hear so much anymore about FTFs, at least not with the same fervor I used to. In my career I have over 100 under my belt but I have to admit they have lost the sparkle they once had for me and I am curious if that is the same for the geocaching community or is it just my perspective?

In years past FTFs for many it was a competition for bragging rights in the geocaching community but if it has lost it's zing then why? I don't hear about FTF prizes anymore either. For many of the geocaches that I have placed I would always have some sort of FTF prize waiting. Even purchased FTF geocoins to go to the winner. As stated, don't hear about them as much anymore - pity.

So the big question is how do we get people motivated again for FTFs? Why are FTFs loosing their appeal and how can we correct it? What are your views? Let me know so I can spread the word. Would love to hear from you.

-HHH



-------------------------------------------------------
GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
and watch me on Geocaching World (RVNN.tv)
Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/HeadHardHat/

Google+
http://gplus.to/headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

Did You Look Before You Leap Day Geocached?

Hey, just in case you didn't know it's leap day!

If you are a geocacher and more importantly a geocacher that is trying to fill up their geocaching calendar (basically taking credit for finding at least one geocache for every calendar day of the year). Then this is a chance that only happens once every four years.

So if you have not found a geocache on February 29th yet you better hurry. Cuz your next chance won't be until 2016.

Don't forget!

P.S. found mine during my lunch hour at work. -HHH

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
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Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/HeadHardHat/

Google+
http://gplus.to/headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com