Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Upcoming Souvenirs for 2020


In our last blog (click here), we told you about
the upcoming souvenirs between now and the
end of the year (2019).

In this blog we will list all the currently scheduled
souvenirs you can earn for 2020!!!

Hello 2020: January 1, 2020You can earn this by attending an Event or finding a geocache on January 1. 
Leap Day: February 29, 2020The last Leap Day was four years ago in 2016,now is your chance to fill in your calendar! 
Cache In Trash Out®, Season 1: March 1 through May 31You’ll be able to earn one CITO 2020 Season 1 souvenir by attending or hosting a CITO event during that time period
Blue Switch Day: May 2, 2020Celebration of 20 years of geocaching with a Big Blue Switch souvenir!Find a geocache or attend an event and you’ll earn a new digital souvenir! 
Community Celebration Events: May 2 through December 31, 2020Now that 20 years of geocaching have past, HQ wants to celebrate what’s most important: The community creating the game!
These events will enable cachers around the world to commemorate the 20th anniversary of geocaching with a new icon and souvenir.
International Geocaching Day: Saturday, August 15, 2020Celebrate geocaching by logging any geocache or attending an event on
Saturday, August 15, 2020, and earn the International Geocaching Day souvenir.
Cache In Trash Out®, Season 2: September 1 through November 30, 2020Cache In Trash Out®, the Sequel. Just like CITO 2020 Season 1, you’ll earn a separate CITO 2020 Season 2 souvenir by attending or hosting any CITO during September, October, or November 2020.
International EarthCache Day: October 10 through October 11, 2020This entire weekend - Find and log any EarthCache to earn the International EarthCache Day souvenir.
Farewell 2020 / Welcome 2021: December 31, 2020 and January 1, 2021These two have now become a standard - 2 more souvenirs to end one year and start another!!!
-------------------------------

A peek into things ahead.

You only have a few days left...

Nana & I will be archiving some of the SNAP!!! caches in and
around Suffolk to make room for some new caches.

Here is a list of the geocaches that will be archived.
IF you still need to find these - get to them soon as they
will be disappearing before the end of the year!!!

GC2XJ24 - Another P&G
GC6BBVV - Nana thinks Papa Has SNAPPED!!!
GC3XA5J - Lone Star Archery
GC3XA3T - Can you see the "Waterfall"
GC3WVMY - Another Lone Star Cache
GC3WVM2 - Lakeview
GC3WVJF - The Hobbit Cache
GC3WVR1 - Lonestar Fir
GC3WVHX - Beauregard's Booty


-----
That is all for now
Till next time...

Don't forget to visit our favorite Geocaching Store

Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!


Suffolk Nana & Papa
 - - - or just plain ol' - - -


SNAP!!! 

#geocaching

#gogeocaching


#SNAPgeocaching


#geocache

On Twitter at: @SNAPgeocaching

On Instagram at: snap_geocaching

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Three New Upcoming Souvenirs


Once again the folk at Geocaching
have decided to offer all us geocachers
with some new souvenirs to close out the year!!!

  • Earn the Goodbye 2019 souvenir by finding any geocache or attending an event on December 31, 2019.
  • Earn the Hello 2020 souvenir by finding another geocache or attending a different event on January 1, 2020.

most of us are very familiar with this type of souvenir as we have earned them
several times over the last few years.

But this year there is another....

Introducing 3, 2, 1 Go!

Starting December 11, get ready for a three week
challenge to earn one special souvenir!
It’s the final countdown to 2020 so finish the year strong!
The sooner you start, the more likely you’ll be to succeed.
Are you ready?

Log a geocache, an Adventure lab, or attend an Event Cache
on at least six separate days from December 11 through January 1. 

That's all there is to it - and you earn a new souvenir!!!!

---------------------------------

New SNAP!!! Geocaches!!!


Suffolk is Famous For This - Virtual Reward 2.0 - GC88ZPT 

Just Another Park n Grab - GC8FCJW 

-------------------------------

A peek into things ahead.

You only have a few days left...

Nana & I will be archiving some of the SNAP!!! caches in and
around Suffolk to make room for some new caches.

Here is a list of the geocaches that will be archived.
IF you still need to find these - get to them soon as they
will be disappearing before the end of the year!!!

GC2XJ24 - Another P&G
GC6BBVV - Nana thinks Papa Has SNAPPED!!!
GC3XA5J - Lone Star Archery
GC3XA3T - Can you see the "Waterfall"
GC3WVMY - Another Lone Star Cache
GC3WVM2 - Lakeview
GC3WVJF - The Hobbit Cache
GC3WVR1 - Lonestar Fir
GC3WVHX - Beauregard's Booty


-----
That is all for now
Till next time...

Don't forget to visit our favorite Geocaching Store

Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!


Suffolk Nana & Papa
 - - - or just plain ol' - - -


SNAP!!! 

#geocaching

#gogeocaching


#SNAPgeocaching


#geocache

On Twitter at: @SNAPgeocaching

On Instagram at: snap_geocaching

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Monthly Review - September & October 2019


We didn't get much caching done in September
but we traveled a bit in October!


A quick look at the numbers for both
September & October 2019:


Total Caches found: 53
Traditionals: 44
Virtual: 4
Letterbox: 1 
Events: 4


That brings our total number of finds to: 10255
--------------------------------
Caching Days in September & October: 11
--------------------------------
Places We Geocached In During September:
Virginia -  34 finds
Rhode Island - 9 finds
New York - 3 finds
Massachusetts - 2 finds
Delaware - 3 finds
Connecticut - 2 finds
-----------------------------------------
Virginia Finds
Finds in other states
-----------------------------------------
Caches which received
Favorite Points from us
in September & October: 
  1. GC5K64A - Another Doggone Cache - Co is Parrot Cacher Mafia - Located in Colonial Heights Virginia
  2. GC4WKCT - End of the Line - CO is cheemonkey - Located in Prince George County Virginia
  3. GC82M75 - The Camino de Santiago (Frances) - CO is Episcodad - located in Chespeake Virginia
  4. GC7EPAZ - Welcome to Maryland - CO is Run&Hike - located in Worcester County Maryland
  5. GC6VF48 - Pony Express Letterbox - CO is ukipiper - located in Richmond County New York
  6. GC2TQ8C - The Quiet Side II - CO is gsridge - located in Washington County Rhode Island
  7. GC1AQ8Y - R I Blue Beach - CO is geoexpress - located in Washington County Rhode Island
  8. GC76JXY - This Cache is Grandma Approved #33 - CO is 4Swans - located in Newport County Rhode Island
  9. GC88YV1 - Virtual Reward 2.0: Bacon's Castle - CO is PALadi - located in Surry County Virginia

---------------------------------------------------------
    September & Octiber Caches Awarded the
    "COVETED" SNAP!!! Cache
    of the Day Award:
    1. GC5K64A - Another Doggone Cache - Co is Parrot Cacher Mafia - Located in Colonial Heights Virginia
    2. GC82M75 - The Camino de Santiago (Frances) - CO is Episcodad - located in Chespeake Virginia
    3. GC6VF48 - Pony Express Letterbox - CO is ukipiper - located in Richmond County New York 
     -------------------------------------------------------

    -----------------------------------
    A peek into things ahead.

    You only have a few days left...

    Nana & I will be archiving some of the SNAP!!! caches in and
    around Suffolk to make room for some new caches.

    Here is a list of the geocaches that will be archived.
    IF you still need to find these - get to them soon as they
    will be disappearing before the end of the year!!!

    GC2XJ24 - Another P&G
    GC6BBVV - Nana thinks Papa Has SNAPPED!!!
    GC3XA5J - Lone Star Archery
    GC3XA3T - Can you see the "Waterfall"
    GC3WVMY - Another Lone Star Cache
    GC3WVM2 - Lakeview
    GC3WVJF - The Hobbit Cache
    GC3WVR1 - Lonestar Fir
    GC3WVHX - Beauregard's Booty


    -----
    That is all for now
    Till next time...

    Don't forget to visit our favorite Geocaching Store

    Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!


    Suffolk Nana & Papa
     - - - or just plain ol' - - -


    SNAP!!! 

    #geocaching

    #gogeocaching


    #SNAPgeocaching


    #geocache

    On Twitter at: @SNAPgeocaching

    On Instagram at: snap_geocaching

    Thursday, September 26, 2019

    Woodbooger 2019 Review - Did you enjoy your visit to Norton?

    A few weeks ago the Woodbooger Crew put together a
    FANTASTIC weekend of Events and Geocaches!!!

    Nana & I could not make the trip this year but
    everything I have heard about the entire weekend
    makes us heartsick that we missed everything!!!

    ESPECIALLY...

    The Woodbooger!!!


    Reading through all the messages, emails and online
    posts I have seen, it seems that everyone was, once again,
    extremely impressed by everything they attended,
    saw, found, bought, won as a door prize, or participated in.

    The 2019 Woodbooger coin (front)
    The 2019 Woodbooger coin (back)
    -----
    Friday morning, the 2019 version of the Woodbooger Geoart
    was published to start off the weekend!!!


    The art is made up of 52 really easy multiple choice puzzle
    caches that just about anyone would be able to answer without
    asking alexa, google, or anyone else.  See GC8AAAH.

    In less that 30 days this art has already received
    more than 120 favorite points!
     
    ---------
    As the sun set on geocachers finishing up the geoart,
    The Woodbooger Crew hosted the Woodbooger Cookout!

    According to everything I heard, more than 150 geocachers
    feasted on the meal provided by the local Norton geocachers.

    From what I heard, everyone had a great deal of fun exchanging,
    their favorite geocaching stories as well as a few tales
    of Woodbooger sightings!!!

    The MAIN EVENT came then very next morning.....
    Woodbooger Geo-Trail Kickoff 2019

    At approximately10AM - The brand new Woodbooger Trail
    was published and the race was on!!!

    According to sewwatt (one of the WoodBooger Crew)
    They had about 225 geocachers ready to find the 27 new geocaches!!!
    Some mighty fine craftsmanship went into creating the new geocaches
    just for the event and they did not fail to please the finders.
    Folks came from 13 states including Michigan, Delaware and Florida.!

    Space Coast Geo-Store made a special stop in Virginia
    just for the event.

    To give you some idea of how good these geocaches are:
    in less than 30 days, there are over 900 favorite points awarded
    to the 27 geocaches that make up this trail!!!

    If you like Gadget caches - this is the place to come!!!

    Here is an area map of the 27 geocaches:


    After a full day of geocaching it came time for all the door
    and raffle prizes to be awarded.  From what I understand,
    the entire community of businesses came together
    and about 98% of the geocachers in attendance
    walked away with a gift.

    There was another event at the nearby Woodbooger grill
    and the place was filled to the max!!!

    The weekend wrapped up with a CITO event at Flag Rock
    what a great way to give back to the City of Norton!!!

    Nana & I will do our best to make sure we are there in 2020!
    I am sure the Woodbooger Crew will outdo themselves again!!!

    -----------------------------

    Hope to see y'all in Norton September 2020!!!

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    That is all for now
    Till next time...

    Don't forget to visit our favorite Geocaching Store

    Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!


    Suffolk Nana & Papa
     - - - or just plain ol' - - -

    SNAP!!! 

    #geocaching

    #gogeocaching

    #SNAPgeocaching

    #geocache

    On Twitter at: @SNAPgeocaching

    On Instagram at: snap_geocaching

    Sunday, September 15, 2019

    Offset Geocaches and how to do them

    This week we are discussing Offset Geocaches


    An "OFFSET" or Projection Geocache is where you:
    1) go to the posted coordinates on the cache page,
    2) get some information either from something at the coordinates
    or from information on the cache page,
    3) do some MATH {OH NO!, not THAT!!!} and then,
    4) determine your next place to search.


    Ideally, this "next place to search" would mean going to the new
    coordinates and looking for the cache container but...
    it could be a multi-staged geocache meaning, you  you start over at step 2 above
    and continue until you reach the place where the container is!

    Is an offset cache a multi or a puzzle????
    There is quite a lot of discussion on this topic.
    Here are some exerts from the Geocaching Forums

    Offset caches are a variation on multi-caches. They are listed as a multi-cache
    when selecting a cache type. They are not found by simply going to some
    coordinates and finding a cache there. With the offset cache the published
    coordinates could be of an existing historical monument, plaque, or even a
    benchmark that you would like to have your cache hunter visit. At this spot,
    the hunter looks for numbers or information already appearing on the marker
    or on some part of the marker or site (geocachers NEVER deface public or
    private property). The geocacher is then able to manipulate these numbers
    using instructions posted on the cache page to continue the hunt.

    For instance, the official designation of "multi" is actually "multi-cache." In
    an offset, there is only one cache with multiple stages. Virt cache stages aside,
    if there are multiple stops it's considered a multi. Where's the caches?
    Further, if you have an offset where your don't have to visit the anchor coords
    it is a puzzle, if you do it's a multi. What if visiting the anchor is optional,
    say to get a hint is you're having problems solving the puzzle?


    In my humble opinion, if there is such a thing...

    If you have to visit the coordinates on the cache page, find some
    information there, then do some MATH (Oh No Again!), then go
    find the container - it is a Multi - even if there is more than one place to
    get information.

    Am I correct - I think so!

    Now the MATH portion of the geocache!!!

    To do an Offset or projection, you need 3 things

    1) your starting point - lucky for us - it is usually right where you are!  I have seen
    and actually own a couple of geocaches where you go to the coordinates on the page
    and then search for something (in my cases, usually a particular sign) and then that
    point is your actual starting point.


    2) A direction - this is sometimes called a bearing.  Bearings are usually expressed
    in degrees but I have seen more than one cache that listed the bearing in an odd
    unit of measurement which we then had to convert to degrees.  Just like a circle,
    a compass has 360 degrees with 0 degrees being North, 90 degrees East, 180 degrees
    South and 270 degrees is West.

    3) The last item you need is a distance - or how far you are to travel
    in the particular direction you were given in #2 above.  Now some cache
    owners make it easy on you and simple tell you to go XX number of feet East.  Then again
    you could be told to go YYYYYYYY number of inches West.  Make sure you convert
    those inches, feet, centimeters, etc to the correct type before doing your calculations!
    No! - you do not need the paper and pencil - APPs are our friend!!!

    There are numerous ways of calculating the bearing and distance but
    here are 2 easy ways that I know of.  I repeat - there ARE other ways of doing this!

    using the c:geo app
    from the main menu, look for "Go To"

    At the top is Coordinates.  You can either enter your own coords OR
    press "My Coordinates" and your current coords will be entered

    Below that is "From the position"

    Enter the Bearing in DEGREES
    Enter the Distance
    you have several choices for distance (meters, kilometers, feet, yards, or miles)

    Then press the Compass symbol (4th from right at top)

    follow the compass all the way to GZ!!!


    using my Garmin eTrex Touch
    from the main menu, look for and press "Sight 'N Go"

    A compass pops up.  Rotate until the correct bearing
    is obtained and press LOCK DIRECTION.

    Press Project Waypoint.  Select your distance units (Miles, Yards,
    Feet, Kilometers, Meters or Nautical Miles) then enter the amount.
    Click on the checkmark - press save and your compass will come up!!!

    follow the compass all the way to GZ!!!

    As I said above - there are numerous tools and
    apps out there to do your projection.

    You can try the steps above or find another app you like
    and search for how to do a projection!!!

    -----
    That is all for now
    Till next time...

    Don't forget to visit our favorite Geocaching Store

    Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!


    Suffolk Nana & Papa
     - - - or just plain ol' - - -


    SNAP!!! 

    #geocaching

    #gogeocaching


    #SNAPgeocaching


    #geocache

    On Twitter at: @SNAPgeocaching

    On Instagram at: snap_geocaching