Lifehacker has put together a description of what they call the modern day pirate hunt. This is their way to honor the soon to be DVD, Pirates of the Caribbean movie coming to DVD. It describes the basics of Geocaching. This is probably a good article for friends you’d like to introduce to Geocaching.
On today’s PodCacher.com pod-cast I heard that Groundspeak launched the Unite For Diabetes Travel Bug Promotion to help raise awareness for diabetes worldwide. They have a limited number of travel bugs which they will ship anywhere in the world, for free! The goal for each Travel Bug is to reach its city and circulate throughout the city’s geocaches, spreading diabetes awareness as it goes.
There is a sign-up page there if you’d like to try get one of the specially designed travel bug tags with a blue diabetes ring. Visit the main site for more information.
geocaching.com uses LOC files for its caches. If you are a premium member, then you have access to the GPX files. MacCaching was made around the GPX files. You can load a single cache or you import a pocket query. Initially, MacCaching didn’t support LOC files, so I created this wrapper around gpsbabel.
It is now a standalone LOC to GPX Converter for OS X (2.7mb).
Simply drop your LOC file onto the program’s window and a GPX will be generated.
Officials for the Virgin Island National Parks (VINP) are concerned about the effect Geocaching has on their parks. The officials appear to want to make things right and find a way to regulate caching. For the time being though, caches aren’t allowed inside of VINP boundries. This article serves as an important reminder. You can not just assume you have permission to place a cache! Public lands like parks are often regulated to protect the land. Even though it is public, you can’t just place caches there.
Recently the Game and Fish panel decided not to allow Geocaching permits on agency lands. Doyle Shook, Chief of Wildlife Management, stated they simiply aren’t ready yet.
Makes me wonder if permits will be required for placing caches or finding them.
