Went to a wedding in peoria.  Girlfriend gave me a window of opportunity on the day of the wedding and I F'd it up.  Lack of research on the caches I was going after screwed me up.  However, the paperless geocaching software for my iPhone worked like a dream.  Only came out with 3 finds in Peoria, and one on the way home

Well, most of my time will be devoted to getting awesome grades in order to get into Nursing school, and I am unsure how much of my time I will actually be able to Geocache, but I have a few trips PLANNNED, I just need the time to execute them.  One of them is Grant's Trail in St Louis, which is around 60 caches.  I may split this into two days, because after doing 19 on my birthday I was burned the F out.  I just didn't want to do it, and didn't end up logging my finds until like Sunday night.  I have to go up to the cahokia mounds and finish about 5-7 of them, and there is also the Jefferson barracks area.  So thats about 80 or so caches I want to get to this semester.  
 
That is not counting the finds I will get on the trips my girlfriend and I will be taking.   Wedding this weekend up to the bloomington area, and I think I can make some grabs while we are there.  

Two Three other noteworthy things left to mention:
Izce.nine's Skullduggery Coin:

The Icon for this looks like this:    I got this for myself for my birthday, and I think I am going to just keep it with me and dip it in caches in my travels.  

Izce.nine's HCTS coin:



The Icon for it looks like this:   I want this to travel, but I am not sure what I want its mission to be quite yet.  I'd be open to suggestion.  I am thinking a trip to the places I want to visit someday: North west, Alaska, other countries.




Last noteworthy item:
I am keeping a log of all my finds.  Sometimes for the life of me I can't remember finding some caches, and this will help me remember details about caches, no matter how short the cache run.  Water proof note book I bought in the military and never used.  When things slow down, and I get some time I will do a quick rundown of my gear.  Until then I will put it this way:  I am a "its better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it" kind of guy.





 

Posting about caches in Iraq.

  First let me post the Rules for LISTING a Geocache from the website:

Off-limit (Physical) Caches

By submitting a cache listing, you assure us that you have adequate permission to hide your cache in the selected location. However, if we see a cache description that mentions ignoring "No Trespassing" signs (or any other obvious issues), your listing may be immediately archived. We also assume that your cache placement complies with all applicable laws. If an obvious legal issue is present, or is brought to our attention, your listing may be immediately archived.

Caches may be quickly archived if we see the following (which is not inclusive):

• Caches on land managed by an agency that prohibits geocaches, such as the U.S. National Park Service or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (National Wildlife Refuges).
• Caches that are buried. If a shovel, trowel or other "pointy" object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate.
• Caches that deface public or private property, whether a natural or man-made object, in order to provide a hiding place, a clue or a logging method.
• Caches placed in areas which are highly sensitive to the extra traffic that would be caused by vehicles and humans (examples may include archaeological or historic sites).
• Caches hidden in close proximity to active railroad tracks. In general we use a distance of 150 ft (46 m) but your local area’s trespassing laws may be different. All local laws apply.
• Caches near or on military installations.
• Caches near, on or under public structures deemed potential or possible targets for terrorist attacks. These may include but are not limited to highway bridges, dams, government buildings, elementary and secondary schools, and airports.

There may be some exceptions. If your cache fits within one of the above areas, please explain this in a note to the reviewer. If you are given permission to place a cache on private property, indicate this on the cache page for the benefit of both the reviewer and people seeking out the cache.

In addition, there may be local regulations already in place for certain types of parks in your region (state parks, county preserves, etc.). There are many local caching organizations that would be able to help you out with those regulations. If your area does not have a local caching organization please contact your local reviewer for information on regulations. If you have complied with special regulations by obtaining a permit, please state this on your cache page or in a 'note to the reviewer'. A reviewer may request that you provide contact information for the person who gave you permission to hide your cache.

If the Geocaching.com web site is contacted and informed that your cache has been placed inappropriately, your cache may be archived or disabled and you may be contacted with any information provided by the individual or organization who contacted us

Having been to Iraq THREE times, I do not see the need for caches being placed on a miltary base in Iraq for a pass time.  Not only does it arouse suspicion, but it is a major OPSEC violation as well as something that could be used to hurt troops seeking these caches on posts.  As a commander I wouldn't allow this from my troops for the reasons above, and would punish them for this behavior.  I am going to write groundspeak an email asking why the rules are bent and broken for this, and explain to them the dangers of this in a war zone.  I just don't agree with this pracitce.  How much clearer can "its against the geocaching rules" can it be?

Thursdays will be stats days. Today was the best day of caching to date. 14 finds in a day. wootage? Its going to be hard to top that until I am able to go out and grab the grant's trail ones, but for your pleasure, here are some stats for the day. These can also be viewed on my profile page. Enjoy.

 3 More caches down!





St. Ellen's Mine

If you can't see it, its two 2x4's nailed together that I found.  Thank god because the bushes were out of control.  Glad I didnt run into any ticks here because this pissed me off as it was.  Had to crawl through the tree line to get at the cache.  Good lord.  Anyway, moving on.


The Departed
This was in a grave yard through the tree line.  It wasn't fun because of the mosquitos, one of which bit me on the top of the ear. 
The Kingdom
This was a new cache in the area that was DNF'd and FTF'd (first to find) yesterday.  I 2ndTF'd it. heh.  Not revealing anything about the find, it was tricky if you haven't seen a similar cache before, but fairly easy.  I farking bushwacked from the wrong side (+/- 100') and it was only about 6' in from the opposite side.  ugh.

I was going to get my oil changed, but it was taking too long.  I had made a trip into Michaels to get some varnish to put a label on my ammo can caches.  Also got some smallish skulls to create some signature items to leave in caches.  More to follow on that one

On Tuesday, I attempted a string of caches along Grant's Trail in Missouri, however after finding one cache, Did not find(ing) (DNF) 3 and finding one more, I called it off, at least until the green dies off in the winter.  I was getting poked, prodded, and bitten and trying to find something on the ground with ankle deep green ivy on the ground isn't fun.  Doesnt really help that the tree canopy was totally screwing with my satellite reception.  I would zero the coordinates out at the spot, look in my area, look back at the GPS and without Moving a muscle, somehow I had moved 40 feet?  heh.  It was a productive caching day however.  Found 7 others for a total of 9 for the day and DNF'd one that had been muggled.  

Another noteworthy item was that someone had a ready-made cache for someone to take and hide in one of the caches I found yesterday, so I took it.  I currently have some spakle drying on the outside with paint pending the drying to conceal it further as it is pretty obvious.  I also took a sander to the outside of the ammo cans I have and it took the ammunition data off very well.  I was impressed.  The only remaining question is: where to hide these mofos.  I owe one or two to Meece (Dethbylt).  

And I'm out
DE CACHE LIBER!

In an effort to hopefully spread the gosple of Geocaching I am blogging about my experiences good and bad with this beautimous sport.   This first post may be a bit dry, but I promise it will get a bit more exciting.  I started geocaching when I was visiting my friend from officer basic in the Army.  He started talking about it and basically I went out to buy my first GPS for this purpose the next day.  He showed me one at Bison Grill and we ate there.  Technically my first find was as a muggle (someone that is not a geocacher (possible hazard to Caches)), but I signed with a username that I thought might not be taken and I was off.  I have since cached in IL, MO, KY, TN, and CO.  I wont go over my finds one by one, but if I get some time between caches I will recount the exciting ones.  

Cache ya later!