Originally Posted by
MaineWannaBe
OK.....so, my kids can geocache....they know what they're doing. I have a general idea and even found a cool map of the Mt. Desert Island area with what I presume are caches shown. Here's my question: Don't I need some sort of coordinates for the gps thingy? I know how DUMB
I must sound, but I am sort of counting on my kids (who have done this at school in Enrichment classes) to know what to do if I can supply them with some coordinates. Also, I need to know what the "protocol" is about leaving something in the cache. I know that food stuff isn't good (duh, even I am not that dumb!) but what about things like quarters from the state we live in or pencils or other durable stuff with the kids' school name? Is that OK?
We are going to be camping on Mt. Desert Island for 2 weeks - this is our 3rd trip to Mt. Desert in 4 years and we've just about exhausted the "touristy" stuff, so we wanted to do something different. We're really looking forward to our 2 weeks in Maine.......we LOVE IT THERE!
Thanks for any help anyone can give me......
I can't really add much more to this than what has already been said. Have fun on the island . . . if you get a chance go off the island and explore some of the other areas. A lot of folks never do Schoodic Point which is part of the Park . . . and by doing so you can do a virtual cache located there. A short jaunt down to Deer Isle and Stonington and the stunning trails there is also worth the time.
Coordinates (aka coords) are from geocaching.com -- you don't have to buy a membership. Sign up for the free membership now and down the road if you get into geocaching you can step up to the premium membership -- this is particularly useful if you do what some folks do and start using a PDA.
You are correct -- food (and any other smelly objects such as candles, perfume, etc.) is a bad idea for a trade item. Pencils, school items, state quarters would be a great trade item.
Whenever I visit the island I always try to make two stops in town -- one at Bill and Ted's Chocolate Emporium (I know that's not the real name, but I grew up in the 80s with Bill and Ted and their Excellent Adventures) and Alexander's Clockshop -- it's like traveling back in time (asthmatics and those adverse to pipe smoke should probably stay clear of this place though.)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."
"Death is only one of many ways to die."