Are the majority of caches a bit tame for you? Then check out this site, Extreme Caching.com
On the site you will find reviews, recommendations and experiences by other thrill seeking cachers. The photo gallery is excellent too, showing off some of the challenges that await.
The site is pretty new so the caches are limited and mostly in the US, but I’m sure over time new and challenging caches will be added. Congrats to the extreme caching.com team for putting this together.
GPSies is a very cool website set up by Klaus Bechtold that shares your GPS tracks, allowing everyone to upload and download tracks very easily and view in Google maps.
Tracks are available to download in a range of file types from KXML to GPX , there is also a quick and easy option to export tracks to your Garmin GPS too.
But with so many tracks available it’s good to see that an excellent search facility is provided. Search results can also be filtered by the following catagories: By Foot, By Wheel, By Motor, On Water, At Winter and Others.
Once you’ve found an interesting track, detailed information can be viewed for it including an altitude profile, and users can provide feedback via ratings, so you’ll know if the track is going to be good or not!
But it’s not just us Joe Public using the site as I was delighted to see that MBR Magazine uploads their routes to the site, currently they have 52 tracks uploaded, see below,
If you have a Garmin Edge 705 and Memory-Map then I’m sure you’re probably having a few issues getting your routes downloaded to your Garmin device. I believe this is fixed with the latest version of Memory-Map but here is a way to get round the problem if you don’t have the latest version or just don’t want to run the update.
Before you get started you’ll need a small utility (GPX2CRS) to convert a GPX file to a *.crs file. The generated *.crs file can then be imported into Garmins Training Center application and then finally exported to your Garmin Edge. You can download GPX2CRS for free here.
The GPX2CRS utility also has some extra features like speed simulation, speed adjustment, track reversing and automatic creation of course points. And it also allows you to add track points to avoid the ‘Off course’/'Course found’ problem.
OK, to get your route over from Memory-Map to your Garmin just follow the steps below,
And that’s it, you should now have your course loaded onto your Garmin and be ready to hit the trails. It certainly works for me and I can convert my files pretty quickly now just following the simple steps above.
Need a break from the never ending flow of emails we all seem to get and want to head out in the countryside then look no further. A number of BlackBerry phones incorporate GPS functionality and therefore are all set to make excellent Geocaching devices, negating the need to purchase a separate dedicated GPS device.
CacheBerry is a neat application that enables you to use your BlackBerry to carry and view your geocaching.comPocket Queries and GPX files. As to be expected the CacheBerry application lets you find and view cache details, logs, hints and inventories whilst out and about when you’re caching. CacheBerry is packed full of great features which you can see below,
CacheBerry
You can find out more about CacheBerry here and also download a 30 day free trial to test it out. Versions are available for the Bold, Pearl, Storm and Curve.
If you are looking for an alternative to CacheBerry then Trimble also have a version of their excellent Geocache Navigator for BlackBerry GPS enabled devices, check out here for more details, GeoCache Navigator.
So you want to start Geocaching but you’re worried that you’ll need to dig deep into your pocket and purchase a dedicated GPS unit, well think again. You’re probably already carrying around a GPS enabled mobile phone that’s just ripe for Geocaching. All you need to get started is a GPS enabled mobile phone, a Geocaching application for your phone and an account on www.geocaching.com. Applications are available for all of the top mobile phone platforms, Windows Mobile, Nokia and iPhone. I’ve listed an example for each platform below,
Windows Mobile – With BeeLineGPS for Pocket PC you can import GPX files and manage thousands of waypoints with its advanced Waypoint Manger. The BeeLineGPS application also includes active waypoint technology where a waypoint can trigger a warning window for speed traps, safety cameras or play a sound byte while on a guided tour. Other features include waypoint averaging, altitude profiling and a comprehensive trip computer.
Nokia – Geocache Navigator from Trimble was developed in partnership with Geocaching.com and is available for a variety of phones. You can even get a free version of Geocache Navigator for your Nokia N95, Nokia N82 and Nokia 6110 Navigator phones here
iPhone – The iPhone application from Groundspeak is a lovely looking application, making full use of the iPhones large screen. Here is a list of the key features:
• Direct access to Geocaching.com’s database of worldwide geocaches
• Search by current location, address or lookup code
• Access geocache details, including description, hint and recent logs
• Save geocache listing for quick retrieval
• Log geocache finds and post notes in the field
• Filter your hides and finds from the Geocaching.com search results
• Navigate to geocaches with a simulated compass arrow
• Look up trackable item detail, including item goals, while on the trail
The Geocaching iPhone Application can be purchased from iTunes Store and is available in Dutch, French and German language versions.
Bike Radar
|
