This blog has moved --> GeocacheFanatic.com

After attending entrepreneurial events over the past year, keep hearing the message that you need to "own" your own domain for any published materials that you want to share with others.
This gives you flexibility for changes that you might have in the future...

So I've got a new site, a new domain, and using Wordpress for the blog

Check it out www.GeocacheFanatic.com

Puzzled by Puzzle Caches?

I found some great links and resources along the way to solving Puzzle Caches...sharing them here:

Solving Puzzle Caches: Codes

Good overview, examples, and links for resources and help (including code breakers). Examples include Morse Code, Roman Numerals, Binary, Octal...

Picture from Wikipedia: Morse Code

Solving Puzzle Caches: Ciphers
Good overview, examples, and links for resources and help (including code breakers). Examples include Caesar Cipher, Monoalphabetic, Keyword, PigPen...

Picture from Cipher link above

Geocache Puzzle Solving 101 This link gets you to the Blog story and Geocache Links to a Geocache series with 10 steps - going through the various types of puzzles - strategy, tactics, trivia, wordplay, mathematics, logic, cryptography, steganography and lateral thinking.
The caches are in Florida - but there is a Virtual TB link to take the test and get a certificate! Cool!

Can't avoid the Puzzle Geocaches anymore...

I admit it. I have tended to avoid Puzzle geocaches. Why?

• They take more time to prepare...you can't just dash and cache
• You have to solve a puzzle...and there are some really hard ones out there

Now that I've found nearly 300 caches though, it's time to start getting some variety. So loaded up the geocaches in my area and focused on the puzzle caches. Went out and found 15 today - so really chuffed with myself now!

Here is an example of a Alpha - Numeric style puzzle:

Description - "Ask Your Parents" Geocache (2.5 difficulty rating out of 5)

The puzzle is a standard cryptarithm following the standard conventions of the puzzle: Each letter stands for exactly one digit. Each digit is represented by exactly one letter. (That is, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the letters and digits.) Please don't try to make up awkward conditions, because there aren't any.
The two equations are sums. They are taken together. That is the letters in the first stand for the same digits in the second. You will need to solve both sums simultaneously. The solution is unique.

The alpha chartacters are then substituted in a GPS coordinates function (not included here)
The answer will be posted in the comments section...

3 Earthcaches = Certificate...or does it?

I recently found my 3rd Earthcache. These cache types are significant geological sites - so not a physical cache - but a place to learn about some exciting geological thing...

I've found 3 Earthcaches

1. Vulcan's Mecca in Lassen Volcanic Park, CA

2. The Devil's Breath also in Lassen Volcanic Park, CA

3. You don't have to tremor in San Francisco

The site I just went to is at the San Andreas Fault where the 1906 San Francisco earthquake occurred and it was cool to stand at the spot where the fault moved 9 whole feet! Woah!

I also found out that when you find 3 earthcache you can get a Bronze EarthCache Master certificate...but then after the excitement found they had to be in 2 different states. Darn! So will have to target another one...

My Geocaching Stats

I found this cool little FREE feature that lets you display stats about your geocache finds.

http://www.itsnotaboutthenumbers.com/

It shows where have you cached, what difficulty level etc...And you can tailor it to what you want to show (obviously the stuff that makes you look great!)

So here's my stats:

My First WebCam Geocache

My geocache handle is 'Lucy&Nigel' so feel free to look us up on http://www.geocaching.com/

We've found over 200 geocaches and have been caching for nearly 1 year now, so we are now starting to branch out and find different types of caches. Quality and not quantity!
So there is a webcam cache near me that I have seen listed - but you need to have a friend:

• You go to geocache location
• Call friend when you get there
• Friend looks online at WebCam site
• Waits until you appear (there was an agoinizing 4 min delay!)
• Saves piccie and you can leave!

And here is the amazing webcam photo...clear as mud, right? Could be anyone, but it really is me and a friend that I took after lunch today.

Our 1st Geocaching Adventure Video

It's easy to embed a video, learn how here