Spider Mountain and Geoaching Update

I could not figure out what to write about today.  I was really stumped.  I have been thinking for a few days of things that I should write about, but a trip Saturday fixed one thing that I had to write about.  Spider Mountain.

Actually Spider mountain in known locally as West Mountain, but after my trip this last weekend I decided that I had to change the name.

I had driven up there earlier this year. to grab a muli and I placed one high on the hills.  The road is rough, actually a few of my friends told me it was really really rough.  So I now throw out this disclaimer.  If you are from southern Utah and/or have done any amount of 4x4ing it is not really rough, however if you drive your high clearance vehicle around town all the time, then you are pretty much screwed and in for a rough ride.

We headed up and get some of the 8-10 new caches that were placed.  I should have known that there was trouble ahead when I saw the following cache titles.

Road to Spiderland

Turn Back, Spiders Ahead

Lions, Tigers and Spiders

Spiderbush!

Spiderrocks

A Spiderfull view of South Utah Valley

Arachnophobia

I really should have looked forward to more.  It was pretty creepy.  I was thinking a few spiders on a bush here and there but this was something different.  As you went higher in altitude there were more and more. 

Every tuft of grass and every sagebrush had spiders.  The pictures that I took had a ton of spiders. Actually I counted 109 originally, since then I have located another half dozen in the pictures.

It was pretty nasty.  The weather turned bad and I had to turn around and head back home.  It was pretty nasty.  It is not often that you get to see spiders in biblical plague numbers. The entire trip was something that gave me shivers.  They became so thick that I had to use a pair of sticks that I had in the back of my truck.  With one I had to clear the webs in front of me.  When I found the cache I used the pair of sticks to poke it out.

It was odd that the hardest one to get was the one the easiest to see.  I pulled up to a stop and could see it up a hill about 100' away. It was hanging on a pipe/fence.  The issue was that the cache was through a hill of spiders.  It was difficult to see how I could make it there.  There were spiders scattered everywhere. I used one stick to knock the 4' tall grass.  Unfortunately the spiders held on tight enough that I could not get them off.  I would have to hit it like a baseball and send it flying.

When I got there the spider was hanging on the bottom of it.  Seeing as how these containers are large in diameter.  uggg.   I was not able to grab them all, a storm was rolling in.  So I will have to go back and see spiders.

Geocaching Update

Tuesday was the update to geocaching.com.  There were a number of changes to the system.

First and formost was the annoucement of the first software that is running the public API.  Cachesense for the Blackberry is the first program that is complete and ready for the public use.  About 35 others are out there being worked on.

What other things came out today?

• Added some new attributes. Seasonal Access, Teamwork Required, Tourist Friendly, Tree Climbing and Front Yard (private residence).
• Increased total number of assignable cache attributes from 10 to 15
• Added an option in search results to highlight "beginner caches" (low difficulty/traditional type/recently found etc.)
• Added Twitter and Facebook sharing options to cache log pages, visit your profile or geocaching.com/my/sharing.aspx to connect your accounts
• Added special Block Party icon for annual Groundspeak headquarters event

So there is a lot ongoing, and more to come.

Update on 2011-08-04 06:00 by firennice

International Geocaching Day

August 20th 2011

The magic day.  On that day will be the International Geocaching Day.  In the future the plan is that we hold it every 3rd Saturday of August.

Groundspeak has said they are making a special souvenir for everyone that caches or attends an event that day.

Contrary to some rumors there is no special Icon for events held that day.  There will be one event in Seattle that appears to have a special icon, but it will not be available for other events.   It is a one shot deal, go there and get it or miss it.

Remember to take the time to go find a cache that day, and celebrate.

Update on 2011-07-29 22:57 by firennice

Return of the Virtual

There has been a lot of speculation about the return of virtuals, for those interested I quote Jeremy:

In the UserVoice updates I never said that virtuals were coming back in their previous form, but instead something would be available that should capture the interest in virtuals without the baggage (such as the subjective review process).

To me, this is the most exciting project that we've worked on in years, but it will take some time to iterate through the idea and I know we'll get some things wrong, but the framework is solid. We'll be investing a substantial amount of effort with this project moving forward.

Some points:

• It will be on Geocaching.com, not a new web site. It will be a separate section in the beta, but I expect it to be integrated into a joined search at some point.

• Currently they will not go towards your find count, but it might at some point. It won't at the beginning though.
• It will be a visible statistic, so you will see them on the profile, on the logs, etc.
• We'll be hopefully launching with mobile applications to compliment the activity. I expect that the majority of participants will be using smartphones, but we will have components (Pocket Queries, GPX file downloads, etc) for traditional GPS devices.

For the comments that we should involve the community more, we do. We don't have a public discussion about it, instead working with a smaller sampling of geocachers.

You may commence your celebration, complaints, and/or discussions now.

Update on 2011-07-25 22:29 by firennice

Geocaching accidental death and safety

Sometimes in the process of caching I find a story that saddens me.

This one came accross my computer today.

On Wednesday July 20th at around 2:20 pm the Creston RCMP, BCAS Services and Nelson Search and Rescue were dispatched to a roadside pull off area near Alkokli Creek Rd, where a 75 yr old man had fallen down a steep embankment after the group had stopped to locate a geocache site.

Despite the efforts of the man's family who were with him and another group of motorists who also assisted to provide first aid and CPR, the man died at the scene as a result of the injuries sustained in the fall.

It is sad to think what can happen.  I have ran into spiders that I were sure were going to kill me, and a few places that made me question my sanity.  My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family during this difficult time.

I teach the Boy Scout merit badge on geocaching.  One of the first sections is safety.  Often we toss that aside.  Some go crazy to grab a cache, but don't forget to look around.  Snakes, spiders, loose ground, cliffs, on a busy road, etc.  No cache is worth dying to try and get (except maybe the space station). 

People forget what is around them.  Take a moment when you look, and think before you go.  I know cachers that do slot canyons and cliffs.  They go prepared with helmets, ropes and safety gear.  Other friends that explore caves and old mines, they take helmets, ropes, multiple lights, and backup gear. 

Any cache is findable, but plan ahead and be safe.  I would be horror struck to find out that some cache of mine caused a death. I try and warn people beforehand.  Geocaching does not police the danger, that is up to the individuals.  The police in the article give some great advice.

We do caution people to consider the terrain at these sites, to ensure that it is safe to attempt to retrieve the item, if deemed that it's in rough terrain, simply skip it. -Cpl Dan Moskaluk

Update on 2011-07-25 20:16 by firennice

Time to geocache again

I have been busy this summer, camping with the family, sleeping, working, eating, sleeping, etc. 

There has been a lot going on so I thought that I would toss some stuff out that I noticed.

Tico Jeffrey

Latitude 47 the geocaching blog did an article on Tico Jeffrey.   I have been happy over the last few years to see a number of his caches listed.  So it was cool and a surprise to have him highlighted. Congrats for all your caching, and the article

Geocacher of the Month

Also on Latitude 47 is the geocacher of the month.  Geocaching.com is going to select outstanding cachers.

Groundspeak needs your help acknowledging a geocacher each month that stands out by inspiring other geocachers with their innovation, creative hides and/or logs, respect for the environment, and geocaching etiquette.

It goes with the focus this last year to improve he hides and highlight outstanding caches and now cachers.   There will be a special coin, hat, and certificate given out.

So if there is someone that inspires you.  They may be creative in hiding, or showing respect for others and the environment around us.  Email geocacherofthemonth @ groundspeak.com

Every nomination must meet the following requirements. Please include your name, the name of your nominee, their username, at least one picture of the nominee and description (in 500 or fewer words) explaining why he or she deserves to be the Geocacher of the Month. Please inform your nominee that you’ve submitted them for the award. Nominations for the first Geocacher of the Month must be received by August 4^th.

It is a great way to point out to others cachers that have contributed to the community we are a part of.  Perhaps they have found 200 but share experiences with others.  Perhaps they have placed a number of creative hides, make logs that are interesting.   Toss out their names.

Munzee

A munzee is a little barcode tag that you hide.  Similar to a geocache.  Someone hides it and then you go find it and scan it with your phone.

I thought the idea was cool, as I played with it for a while.  However it quickly lost its luster as I began to think why I would place one instead of a geocache.  It is just as much work, more difficult to create the tags, then activate them.  They are not as usefull in the mountians (looking for a little tag)

So thought they are interesting.  I would much rather place a micro cache then go out and place a munzee. No offense to the munzee folk, but it is the same reason I would rather deal with geocaching than opencaching.   There are more, they are reviewed so you dont place a cache in a sensitive spot, phone GPS are mediocre. (for placing and finding).  Plus there are not enough players and none around. Bleh... back to my wherigo I am working on... actuall one of my two wherigos, or is it three I am working on.

Update on 2011-07-22 05:19 by firennice