This checkin to GC2DJ9K The Wolf Cache reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
The geopup and I absolutely chose the right time to come up here on this wintery morning. The sun’s ascent over the valley whenever we escape the cover of the woods is absolutely spectacular.
Found without difficulty SL, TFTC!
This checkin to GC2EFAW The Cairn Cache reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
Happy New Year! The geopup and I, on holiday from West Oxfordshire and staying nearby, came out for a morning walk in the ice and snow today.
Our little Frenchie’s tiny legs made the work of climbing the stiles on this path a little challenging, but with persistence we were treated to a wonderful view of the sun broaching the horizon over the valley at the North end of School Wood.
Soon the cairn was in sight, and what a brilliant spot for a cache! Signed log, and dropped a travel bug that’s come all the way from Texas to continue its journey. FP awarded for bringing us out this way.
Over the Christmas break I dug out my old HTC Vive VR gear, which I got way back in the Spring of 2016. Graphics card technology having come a long way1, it was now relatively simple to set up a fully-working “holodeck” in our living room with only a slight risk to the baubles on the Christmas tree.
And you know what: this ten-year-old hardware of mine still holds up and is still awesome!2
The kids and I have spent a few days dipping in and out of classics like theBlu, Beat Saber, Job Simulator, Vacation Simulator, Raw Data, and (in my case3) Half-Life: Alyx.
I’m moderately excited by the upcoming Steam Frame with its skinny headset, balanced weight, high-bandwidth wireless connectivity, foveated streaming, and built-in PC for basic gaming… but what’s with those controllers? Using AA batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable one feels like a step backwards, and the lack of a thumb “trackpad” seems a little limiting too. I’ll be waiting to see the reviews, thanks.
When I looked back at my blog to double-check that my Vive really is a decade old, I was reminded that I got it in the same month at Three Rings‘ 2016 hackathon, then called “DevCamp”, near Tintern4. This amused me, because I’m returning to Tintern this year, too, although on family holiday rather than Three Rings business. Maybe I’ll visit on a third occasion in another decade’s time, following another round of VR gaming?
1 The then-high-end graphics card I used to use to drive this rig got replaced many years ago… and then that replacement card in turn got replaced recently, at which point it became a hand-me-down for our media centre PC in the living room.
2 I’ve had the Vive hooked-up in the office since our house move in 2020, but there’s rarely been space for roomscale play there: just an occasional bit of Elite: Dangerous at my desk… which is still a good application of VR, but not remotely the same thing as being able to stand up and move around!
3 I figure Alyx be a little scary/intense for the kids, but I could be wrong. I think the biggest demonstration of how immersive the game can be in VR is the moment when you see how somebody can watch it played on the big screen and be fine but as soon as they’re in the headset and a combine zombie has you pinned-down in a railway carriage and it’s suddenly way too much!
4 Where, while doing a little geocaching, I messed-up a bonus cache’s coordinate calculation, realised my mistake, brute-forced the possible answers, narrowed it down to two… and then picked the wrong one and fell off a cliff.
This checkin to GC3H1WG Good'fell'as reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
A quick and damp scramble from the footpath above brought my right to the cache. SL, TFTC. Container seal has perished and logbook pretty wet; signable, but only barely.
This checkin to GC2BJTQ Noah's Cache reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
Came out for a walk with my Ruth and the kids. While Ruth sat on a rock and the kids went with their uncle up to explore a small cave above, I broke from the path to find this cache. QEF in the second host I looked at.
Took travel bug to move along, signed log, then went to retrieve the kids. TFTC.
This checkin to GC88ZY9 The Devil's Quoits reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
A local landowner has (controversially) decided to start enforcing their ownership of the land surrounding the lake at Dix Pit, and has erected new fences and private property signs to deter trespassers. So this evening, the geopup and I took a walk to the GZ to check that it’s still an achievable find.
Good news! It’s certainly still possible (though sometimes boggy, in the winter!) to get to The Devil’s Quoits and log this virtual while using only the permitted footpaths, whether coming from either the North or the South.
You might find that your map hasn’t yet been updated to reflect the approved routes, but you shouldn’t struggle to get here. Just stick to the path and you’ll find the GZ. (And once I’ve seen how the local controversy resolves itself I’ll be sure to submit updates to OpenStreetMap to accurately reflect the eventual state of the paths around here!)
This checkin to GCAJJP3 Kohtauspaikat - Virtual Reward 4.0 reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
The younger child and I nipped across for a photo while we waited for our tram to come.
This checkin to GC1JAWP Sibelius Monument reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
QEF while my family examined the sculpture. What a great spot for a cache, and so well-maintained. FP awarded. TFTC!
This checkin to GC1JA6P Töölön kirjasto reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
Very easy find for the kids and I after a delightful visit to the Tram Museum. We went to the coordinates and instantly saw the cache! SL, TFTC, and greetings from Oxfordshire, UK.
This checkin to GC8925F SkyWheel Helsinki reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
A quick photo before the family and I took a ride on the wheel!
This checkin to GC76AG3 Hauta - Tomb reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
Found after an embarrassingly long hunt! After reading the hint I quickly spotted the correct hiding spot, but said to myself “no, it surely can’t be there” and moved on. Only on my third time walking past it did I think to actually try it, and sure enough, there it was! SL, TFTC, and greetings from Oxfordshire, UK!
This checkin to GC6TJ54 63# Levin kierros aka CITOn muistopurkki reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
Third of three finds on this, my final morning here before my flight to Helsinki. Taking a brisk walk/slow jog up to Hotel Levi Panorama, but first, a QEF. TFTC, and greetings from Oxfordshire, UK!
This checkin to GC6RW31 1# Levin kierros reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
The second of three caches hunted on this, the final morning of my brief stay in Lapland. Found on the second host I tried. Greetings from Oxfordshire, UK. TFTC!
This checkin to GCBBVQN Magic of Lapland reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
It’s the final morning of my short visit to Sirkka. Having 90 minutes until I need to set off for the airport, I decided to come out for a quick geocaching expedition first.
This was the first cache on my list, and I was so glad to choose it. A truly beautiful and well-maintained cache in a wonderful spot. FP awarded. TFTC!
[09:55 local time]
This checkin to GCAC54Z Aquarium reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.
QEF for the elder child and I while on holiday. TFTC, and greetings from Oxfordshire, UK!
[13:16 local time]