AskErrol

Well, I have heard various discussions about GeoCaching and finally researched it.

GeoCaching is a game which involves using GPS (Global Positioning System) devices to locate a cache (a device used to store items). Visit GeoCaching.com to learn more about the game/sport.

After reading up on it over the weekend, I became very anxious to go out on my first find. Unfortunately, personal circumstances and the weather were not cooperating in favor of me running out to find a cache.

Though, later in the weekend things changed a bit — and I gave myself an hour, to try and go find a cache. It was appox. 2.1 miles from my home residence. So, I headed out and GPS in the truck on my first find.

The cache had been place in Hope Mills Park area. Unfortunately, I have never been to the Hope Mill’s Park. I had been to Hope Mills Lake, which currently is more like a “stream” due to the dam breaking a couple of years ago. So, I got to Hope Mills Lake and realized I did not pay attention to the description of “Hope Mills Park” — and my GPS indicated I wasn’t in the correct place.

I followed the GPS, and drove to a set of tennis courts — which obviously was part of the park, which I had never been to. The GPS read 0.16 mi when I parked. So I began from there and started my search.

I kinda went around and around in circles as I would get within 50 ft based on the GPS, and then pointer would direct me somewhere else, and I would be back up to 150ft away. My time was running out, when I decided to walk from the outside in the area I was searching. Then the GPS finally actually got to 0 ft! So I knew I had to be close now, I looked around and found the cache!

Due to the below frezzing temps, and winds I believe cache had been uncovered some.

The theme was “Kitchen Stuff”, of which I really didn’t have any so — I just signed the log, and looked at a few items. There was a utensil for serving slices of pies, that kinda popped out of the canister and gave me a fit to go back in

So, I had a great time but had to run back to the truck as I was running out of my alloted time. Made it back about 8 mins late, but didn’t get in trouble with the wife

I’m so happy, I have given this a try and hope to stick with it. Once I find a few more caches, I hope to setup a few myself for folks in the Fayetteville area.

My poor GPS had been collecting dust; now I will finally get to put it to use other than for road trips. Give it a try, if you GeoCache in the Fayetteville, NC area drop me an email. It seems like there are a lot of folks that do it; I would like to meet some folks that are more experience than I.

Well, I had to find some help refreshing my memory on paper airplanes.

My daughter brought one home from church, this past Sunday and we have been playing with it a lot.

I tried my hand at making one or two, and they would not fly worth anything.

So I searched on the internet and found Alex’s Paper Airplane site

My first attempt was the flying fish, I had to use some tape to avoid the flap from unfolding in the “pocket”; so I guess I just wasn’t meant to be a paper airplane engineer

Well, finally decided to try a live CD. I’m composing this from Mozilla Firebird, via FreeSBIE (FreeBSD Live CD).

Pretty neat, have a full working X11 Environment (XCFE) off a boot cd. There are other environment options (fluxbox), and I think a non-X11 option.

I’ve heard of KNOPPIX Linux Live CD but not had the opportunity to try it. There is a LiveCD with Knoppix and XCFE, I’m downloading that on another machine to try also.

A new year is here, and the big spring hamfest in Charlotte is scheduled for March 12th.

Charlotte Hamfest Website

Preregistration tickets are $6.00, and parking pass is $3.00 (if ordered by February 26, 2004)

Tickets will be $8.00 at the door on Saturday ($6.00 Sunday), and parking $6.00

They are giving away a laptop as the pre-registration price this year!