Meet Bloodhounded

You might recognize this contributor's name as one of the operators of CacheCrazy.  Kevin has returned the favor of posting on my blog and I am glad he did!  Kevin is the first out-of-state geocacher to be interviewed on here.  I enjoy following his blog and have kept in contact with Kevin via email.  I hope you enjoy reading his answers as much as I did!

Statistics

How long you’ve been caching: Since February of 2009

Location: Northeast PA, The Pocono's

Number of caches found: 182

Number of caches hidden: 27

Q: Have you ever looked for a cache after dark? Describe your experience.

A: Yes, and not intentionally. We started a 4.5/4.5 at 4:30 PM in the afternoon and by the time we finally made it back to the car it was 10:30 PM. We found the final in the dark with only one flashlight between us I have to say it added a fair amount of difficulty to the find for sure. Then we got turned around (yes, even with the GPSr we went about two mile out of our way thinking we were on the right path, wrong.) In the end it was a blast.

Q: What’s the best part of geocaching? Are there any drawbacks?

A: For me personally, it's all about sharing your adventures with others and just plain old having fun. I am a hider who likes to seek too but that's just me.

The only drawback is that there is just not enough time to go as often as I like and the obsession  continues.

Q: Do you ever worry about anything when you are alone looking for a cache? (i.e. other people, getting hurt, animals)

A: I like to cache with groups but often go alone. Some times I will say that coming across a stranger out in the middle of nowhere is a little freaky. I don't trust people. I never worry about wildlife and always have some form of communication so just short of death by injury, I'm covered.

Q: What is the best way/strategy to get kids involved?

A: Great question! Children are the future of our sport. I have never had a problem taking a bunch of kids caching, I encourage it. All you have to say is, "who wants to go on a treasure hunt?" and you have a car full of kids excited to go! Reach out to scout troops, church youth groups, CYC or YMCA and The Big Brother Big Sister program will hook you up with a group as an event and who knows, maybe a little bro or sis on the go forward.

Q: What’s your favorite grab so far? Why?

A: Hands down, A Walk Into Darkness is my favorite because we were caching with a bunch of fun folks and the challenge was intense but fun and it took hours to complete. I loved it!

Q: What has been your most difficult or challenging find? Describe your experience.

A: To date it is North vs. South it's a black magnetic nano on a cannon in a small memorial of the Civil War. This cache drove me nuts! I was there three times and finally brought the whole family and we went over it inch by inch and my wife Dawn actually made the find. No matter, I was so happy to get this one off the list:)

Q: Do you have a least favorite cache? Why is it your least favorite?

A:  I never met a cache I didn't like! I do not have many finds because I really don't do geojunk. I see caches come up and read the logs that they were in ziplock bags, high traffic areas and such. I don't waste my time on stuff like that. There have been a few that I thought was going to be great and it turned out to be a "deflating" at best.

Q: What is the most interesting thing you’ve found or taken from a cache?

A: I once found a real Swiss Franc in a cache, I still have it and traded a golden US dollar coin for it. I wish more folks would use foreign money in caches. It's cool and interesting to find not to mention what better to find in a treasure hunt than money, right? 

Q: What is the strangest or most unique place you’ve ever found a cache? Describe it.

A: Near my home is a VFW club that has a real US Vietnam helicopter that you can actually climb on board, strap yourself in and work all the controls. It's a great toy to play with and preserved fairly well. The cache was tough but I found it after about two hours of playing and seeking. Then I saw one day that the cache was archived! Say it ain't so! I got in touch with the CO and adopted that baby so kids of all ages can continue to live out the same experience that I had. Today it's called War Dogs and is a dedication to K9  units and the important role they play in today's military.

Q: Have you ever arrived at a cache and discovered someone was looking for it as well?

A: Yes, we were hell bent on getting a FTF on our friends geocache that he recently hid. When we got there the place was empty but within minutes a car pulls up and out pops a husband and wife team with the husband toting a GPSr. I knew right away that we were going to have company. We chatted and they turned out to be fun loving folks who were after the same goal. They ended up getting the FTF because we underestimated the time to do all of the stages and had to leave to take my son to a commitment. We did return the next day and made the find.

Q: Do you know of any altercations between cachers looking for the same cache at once?

A: I haven't heard of any negative altercations but have heard many stories of folks meeting folks and making friends.

Q: Have you ever been approached by the police or other muggles when looking for a cache, particularly after dark?

A: Once I was looking for a cache that was hid in a public park with a neat little walking trail and stages all along it. One particular stage was near the parking area and while looking a guy pulled up and asked "what are you looking for?" I told him I was looking for a geocache and before I could explain he asked "did you lose it right around there?" I just looked at him and shook my head "yes". He said "good luck with that" and drove off. 

                                

                                

Meet masterson of the universe

Here's another character I was lucky enough to meet through social media.  I contacted him while doing my first multi cache and he was helpful and patient with all of my questions.  Not only that, but he helped me find my first trackable.  We've been on a few outings together but, since he's found most of the caches in the area, most of the time he was just keeping me and the others company while we searched.  If you've found a cache in the area, check the log and you'll probably find his name. 

Statistics

How long you’ve been caching: I started caching on May 23, 2005

Location: Bangor, Maine

Number of caches found: 696

Number of caches hidden: I have hidden a total of 5 but only two remain active today.

Q: Have you ever looked for a cache after dark? Describe your experience.

A: Yes. When I first started getting into caching seriously, I didn't care what time of day it was as long as I was out signing logs. The first cache I went out for at night was GC15RCZ GeoZoo #7 in Orrington/ Brewer. I took my brother out with me who had only been out on a few day caches. We had no idea what to expect other than that the container would be some sort of animal to fit with the rest of the series. We parked at the road and walked in using our flashlights to try and find our way to where the fire tacks started to mark the tail. On the way in, it was a cool night but there was no fog covering the fields and you could see quite a distance. In the first field, we saw two deer which were easy to spot as their big eyes glowed very bright with the flashlight beam. We watched them for a couple of minutes before they snorted and ran off into the woods. Once we found the beginning of the fire tack trail, the walk in was great. You could see several of the tacks ahead as you walked in and the final cache fit the theme wonderfully. Technically, I was the first to find after the cache was actually published so this was my first first to find even though I don't really claim it in my totals. 

Q: What’s the best part of geocaching? Are there any drawbacks?

A: The adventurous places that that geocaching takes you is very hard to beat. Exploring places you would have never known were there is great. The more you cache, the more you tend to find those unnoticed parks.

Q: Do you ever worry about anything when you are alone looking for a cache? (i.e. other people, getting hurt, animals)

A: I still get paranoid sometimes when I'm all alone in the woods and I hear noises. All it takes sometimes is a bird flying through the trees to make you notice what you can hear and how alone you can be. It reminds you that it's always good to let someone know where you intend to be going, just in case something happens.

Q: What is the best way/strategy to get kids involved?

A: It's very easy to get kids involved if you use the word treasure instead of geocache. Kids who understand the concept of finding treasure can easily get into this if you print a small map of where you're going. It's as simple as drawing in some of your own items on the map to represent something they child might find and always include the X marking the spot. Hiding a cache with a child and checking it regularly can be fun as well. Cooper and I check on one of my caches that he hid with me and he always enjoys re-finding the cache to read the logs.

Q: What’s your favorite grab so far? Why?

A: It's very difficult to pick one cache and call it a favorite as the longer you stick with this hobby, the more people you meet and the more adventures you go on. I don't care who you are, cache #1 is unforgettable. How you do you beat that feeling of finding your first cache, the one that got you hooked? For me, the Cascade Cache will always be my favorite as it was my first find.

Q: What has been your most difficult or challenging find? Describe your experience.

A: It's the unique micro cache containers that I have the most difficulty finding. Caches that are magnetic but look like something different but still blend into their environment perfectly can make you wonder for some time. Without going into detail that might ruin it for people who haven't found it yet, Highs and Lows, GC2E01G, is such a cache. It took me a long time of trying to think like the hider to really come up with find.

Q: Do you have a least favorite cache? Why is it your least favorite?

A: Because this person is not involved in geocaching anymore, I feel there's no real harm in mentioning specifics on a question like this. Two summers ago, a campground owner going by the name of Hondohawk placed a few caches around the Bangor area without taking the time to learn what makes a good hide. Several caches where hidden on private property without permission, hints were used to throw you off of a cache location rather than finding the cache, and one was even buried in the ground. Caches were meant to be found, not frustrate people to the point where they ignore your hides. 

Q: What is the most interesting thing you’ve found or taken from a cache?

A: trackables would be a wooden item that someone carved. Its a ball in a cage carved out of a single piece of wood. The ball rattles around but cannot leave the the cage. I kept it for some time and ended up putting back into a cache for someone else to enjoy.

Q: What is the strangest or most unique place you’ve ever found a cache? Describe it.

A: GC22H1W will give anyone from Maine a good laugh but the description would ruin the fun of the cache. This is a multi cache where you rely more on the use of a compass than on your GPS itself. In just going back to look at the cache page itself, I see some local names having just done this cache within the last month or two. This is definitely worth taking the time to find and bring a camera for sure.

Q: Have you ever arrived at a cache and discovered someone was looking for it as well? 

A: Yes. While working on the list of caches from 2001, I was searching for the Ft. Mclarey cache and came across a man and his son who were trying to find the cache as well but were trying to be careful to not let me know they were searching for it. Knowing what I was doing there, I could kind of tell we were both there for the same reason. I introduced myself and we worked to find the cache together.

Q: Do you know of any altercations between cachers looking for the same cache at once?

A: I don't. I know there have been issues via email or in cache logs suggesting that someone may not have followed the time of day rules listed on a cache page but certainly no physical altercations. Its just a game after all.

Q: Have you ever been approached by the police or other muggles when looking for a cache, particularly after dark?

A: I have been approached by muggles while searching for urban caches but never law enforcement of any kind. In most cases, its not big deal to explain what it is you're doing so they just walk away. The worst thing that could happen is they might help you find the cache, just to see whats in it.