The End of Winter Hibernation!

Ready to get back out and hit the Geo-Trail!

Shook of the dead ticks from the cache bag, dusted off the GPSr, loaded it with fresh batteries and did a little global caching in Germany, then Gaston Lake, feels good to have Geocaching season back...

I'll write more about Germany and Gaston caching soon!

WW8Ball Cacher Profile! (Just for fun!)

I look forward to each month's installment of the cacher profile on NCGeocachers.org, it's a great way to learn more about the cachers in NC. I figured with so many, much more interesting, NC cachers than myself, and for fun, I'd post my own NCGO type profile interview here... Not like anyone besides me will ever see it....

What is your real name?
JD Batts

What do you do for a living?
Currently an Mortgage Protection Insurance Advisor (Subject to Change), and Part-time Farmer...

Care to share any information on your family?
I got married almost 4 years ago to my high school sweetheart, Hope, and in March we had a son, Jack, who cache handle is MiniJackCache....

Are any of your family members Geocachers?
My brother Scott, SSGeocache.... Haven't currpoted anyone else yet....

When did you start Geocaching?
2005, First cache I found was " Tar River Dam" since archived
Where did you first learn about Geocaching? If another geocacher, who?
I had a techy friend email me the GC.com site and thought we should try it. I had a GPS that I won in a sales contest, decided to try it, no waypoint entry just match the numbers, I found my first 10 that way....

What is the Origin of your caching name?
WW = World Wide, Added as part of my CB handle in high school, which was 8Ball, I had a CB with over 10k watts of power in a 2- door car, I was accused, jokingly of course, of talking to Europe with that much power, hence being heard World Wide...

8Ball= I played in pool tournaments for years in HS and at NCSU, just kinda stuck...

What has been your most memorable caching moment so far?
Several so far...
-GW4 run with Team U-Turn, a week long adventure in TX, 4 cachers in a rented mini-van w/ more cost in our electronics than the sell price of the van...
-Logging my 1000th at EWFW w/ SSGeocache

What kind of caches do you enjoy looking for?
Any cache really... harder the better....

What kind of events do you mostly enjoy attending?
Any event that has beer available, or close by, even better if it involves chicken wings..... MMMMMMMMMM Wings!
I love all events, especially ones where i get to meet new cachers and catch up with old friends......

Describe your ideal cache hunt.
Set out early in the morning 5:30am or so with one or two other cachers, have the cache car loaded with every special tool we may need, laptops, several different GPSs, hiking sticks, cache bags, power inverters, cooler and 3 IV bags... Just pick an area and cache it from one end to the other, turn the GSAK filter off and hit everything that comes our way..... Stop for dinner and a few cold beverages, and cache until 3 or so in the morning.......

What famous person, dead or alive, would you like to take caching?
Sir Richard Branson
A true adventurer with unlimited resources, imagine a 24 run, private jet, logging caches in 20 or 30 different countries, private sub for those scuba caches, think about it....

Any other interests outside of geocaching?
Kayaking, Caoneing, Hiking, Camping, Golf, Off-Roading, Fishing, Disc Golf, Biking, starting to get into wine and beer making....

Have you gotten other people interested in geocaching? If so, about how many people?
I have several, 5 maybe 6, but only 2 are still caching, SSGeocache and Nomad8 in Maryland

What type of GPS do you use?
I use a Garmin 60CS, Etrex Blue, Microsoft USB...

Do you use if for anything besides geocaching?
I do use it for navigating for work also, but I always load caches no matter where I'm going for work...

If you could hide a cache anywhere on the planet (forget the guidelines for this one), where would you put it and why?
Niagara Falls, just at the top on one of the islands a large, locked, truck box disguised as a big fake rock, that you would have to paddle to get to at, and then have to hunt for a micro in a small fake rock that held the key... Call it, " Screw this I QUIT!"

-I love paddling, and the opportunity to hide something that would make people want to find it is always my goal, difficult to get to and aggravating to open, that's just me and my Sick, Twisted, Evil humor.... I love PAFs from frustrated cachers, and the stories they tell me at events......

Can you think of a theme song that would best describe your caching experiences?
"Hey Ho Let's Go" and "Sedated" by the Ramones and The "A" Team theme.......

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Still working on that, have any suggestions?
So far I have become exactly what I've wanted to be when i grew up, a Dad....

If you were a cache, what kind would you be? What would your name be?
Nano hidden in a Micro hidden in a pill bottle hidden in an Ammo Can, at the bottom of the Tar River..... call it "Ignore this!"

You have so many hides, what for you is the most rewarding aspect of hiding caches?
Finding a new guardrail....LOL

With the "Tour de Nash" series I wanted to take out of town cachers to sections of the county they would never know existed, it was to give a scenic tour and connect caches in Nash county. Also, to nudge locals to explore new places to hide caches...

The S.T.E. Series is a result of my sick mind when i can't sleep......

Which of your own caches do you like the best and why?
"My Little Monkey" is dedicated to my son, plus it's aggravating as hell to open, i spent many hours building it....

Of the areas of the country and state that you have geocached in, what is your favorite and why?
My favorite area is around Shelly Lake, its as close to Geocache Boot-Camp as you can get. I love the different containers and difficulties...

What would you like to see more or less of at NCGO?
More encouragement for involvement in local areas....

Anything else you would care to share?- the soapbox is yours!
Just a few quick notes:

READ THE DAMN CACHE PAGE!!!!! What good is paperless caching if you don't use it....

Just because you can't find it, doesn't mean it's not there....

Not every cache can be a P and G some take a little time....

I miss visiting a cache 5 or 6 time to find it....... Newbie cacher envy.....

NCGeocachers.org NW Region Boundaries

Here is a republished is my letter to NCGeocachers.org Board members about redrawing the NW Region Boundaries...

Please feel free to let me know what you think....


To: NC Geocachers Organization Board Members

From: JD Batts -aka- WW8Ball

Subject: Proposal to Redraw Northeast Region Boundaries

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to address this matter to you all. I have discussed this issue with several members and I felt that I needed to bring it to your attention formally.

As you all are well aware of, the Northeast Region Boundaries encompass a very large area that includes Central, Coastal and Piedmont sections of our state, large cities with many caches and cachers as well as smaller towns with lesser populations of caches and cachers. I feel that this large area would benefit greatly if the lines were redrawn to better represent the cachers that live work and cache in these areas. I think having more localized representation for our area, East of I-95, would encourage more communication between cachers in the areas involved. This area is made up of smaller towns and communities that are much different than the large urban cities of the Western part of this region, both geographically and politically. Parks and Rec departments and local government interaction could be best approached in a more favorable light by more local representation. I have begun to speak with other cachers about a North Eastern NC Geocache Group for the area, that we could organize to encourage communication in this area and begin to grow the caching base to support Geocaching and NCGO and organize local and CITO Events.

I look forward to your comments and questions. Please feel free to contact me at TeamWW8Ball@aol.com


JD Batts

Which way do we go?

Smithfield or Garner?

SSGeocache and myself are picking a cache spot for Sunday, so give me your opinion, Garner or Smithfield?

July 4th Weekend Caching?

Anyone have any good runs planned?

I'm trying to figure out where to cache this weekend, email if you have any suggestions.....

Roanoake Rapids RUN

Leaving Rocky Mount around 6:30am Saturday, making a run to the border then RR, we'll clean it out and come home, somewhere around 12:30... email if you want to join....

BEER and WINGS Event TONIGHT in RM!!!

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=25b1596b-8849-4cc2-8dfe-98618a44c735

After dinner?

Anyone who would like to find, "A Penny for your thoughts". "A Walk in the Woods", or "O'l Red Fire Plug", let me know and we will get a scouting party together to go after them....

WW8Ball

Or, "My Little Monkey"

MY 1K DAY!

SSGeocache and TBAdder arrived at my place and away we went. Grabbed a few here and there on the way to Tarboro. Hit the Indian lake area for a little hiking, had a blast bushwhacking and ditch jumping.... i had found most Tarboros caches before, disappointed to find some of my fav to be MIA........ Next Bethel, which we cleaned out with in an hour, great little town for afternoon caching...... Stopped in Pinetops for lunch and somehow ended up in Saratoga of all places caching, got muggled by the cops at an old gas station but they well aware of geocaching and just laughed and drove away...... running on fumes we tried to get gas up the road 3 times but the small town station had lines on both sides of the pumps, finally worn out we headed home, grabbing one more outside of Wilson and driving the wrong direction on 264 despite have 3 GPSs in the car..... Took a quick break and shower and headed for the 1K event.... Had a great time, had a great number of beers.... Finally got my golden ammo can.............. What a day..........

15 Mile Radius of Rocky Mount, NC

391, That's the number of caches in a 15 mile radius around Rocky Mount as of June 2008...

SEE THEM HERE <---- Click Me

When I started Caching in March of 2005 there around 50. I Remember June of 2005, I commented at the first Rocky Mount GeoEvent that we would try to have 100 caches by the end of that year in and around RM... I think we've done pretty good...

This month, The 8BallBrothers hid 24 traditional caches, 1 Multi, and posted a new event, plus I hid 2 new ones myself and SSGcocahe hid 5....

28 New Caches and the Summer is just starting!

NCGeocachers.org T-Shirt Contest

NCGO is hosting a t-shirt design contest to find a new design, here's my entry:

NCGeocachers.org Elections

Congratulations to all who won, but....

A BIG CONGRATULATIONs TO MY FELLOW TEAM U-TURN BROTHER

MEDIC208

Way to go Doug!

Visit the Team U-Turn profile here:
http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=999b9284-3438-4423-a3bf-6eadec87b0c0

NO FTFs?

UPDATE: CacheUMan is in Massachusetts, explains a lot...

I can't believe SSGeocache and myself have hidden almost 20 caches that have not been logged yet, is the price of gas really effecting caching that much, is CacheUMan out of the state on vacation? Whats the deal? Check back for updates....

BTW: We hid 9 more today, 1 event, and i hid one myself..... Hell we even found time to log one....

What's in the Cache Bag? ( A Post in Progress)

Listed below is my entire cache bag inventory:
-CamelBak (Daypack with hydration pack)
-Multi-tool
-tweezers
-Mini Mag light
-Compass -Headlamp
-Pen (and extra pens)
-First-Aid kit
-Calculator
-Mini roll of Charmin
-Emergency Poncho
-4 part painter’s pole (on occasion)
-Carver's Pick set
-Pocket pack of Duct tape
-Hook on a string (used several times for cache retrieval)
-Emergency Cell phone booster battery
-GPS batteries (at least 6)
-Swag Bag (Lots of different trade items for kids and adults)
-Extra caches (1 nano, 1 Micro, 1 small, all ready to hide)
-Water-proof disposable camera
-2-way radios

Copied from a post on http://www.ncgeocachers.org

I'll Update it soon......

WW8Ball Tackles his 1000th Cache Find....

#1000 WOOHOOOO

A big Thanx to SSGeocache for whom I would have NEVER completed this cache, I owe you a beer…

Arrived at stage one just as another tuck was leaving, we figured, no way was someone else here today hunting this cache….Stage one had SSGeocache and my self walking in opposite directions, some how we had different cords for the same cache, still trying to figure that out… Found Stage 1 and the adrenaline was coming on in anticipation of the next stages. Arrived at the parking spot for stage two and parked next to the same truck we saw leaving stage one, waited for 20 mins for them to return, got impatient and loaded up and hiked in. Sure enough as soon as we caught sight of one another, they yelled, “Y’all Caching too?” never would have believed we’d meet others doing EWFW…. Met 3 great newbies cachers and a 1 month old cacher at stage 2, seems they had no clue what they we’re really in for at EWFW, we all searched for 30 min or so before they gave up for other engagements, SSGeocache and I continued to hunt. That’s when the sky turned gray and the thunder began. We had 110’ line, 3 carabineers and A LOT of want to. I tied off the line to a good sized tree and put SSGeocache on the other end of it, for the first time that day… 45 min later we gave in to a PAF, and then another, about that time the bottom dropped out of the sky and poured until as we left. Luckily the last PAF was able to put us back on the right trail and we were off to stage 3. Arrived at stage 3, still raining, wet, but having a blast! Had a good idea where to locate the cords at stage 3 as soon as we arrived, luckily SSGeocache's smaller and lighter frame suited him best for this stage, he grabbed the cords as I documented his epic journey and we were off, in the rain, it was raining, did I mention that. Stage 4, we parked the truck and begin our scouting, as soon as we were sure of the general location doubled back and descended down the trail for another angle. Mr. No Shoulders (copperhead snake) stopped us dead in our tracks; we decided to go around it after a quick discussion. We brought hip wader, and chest waders, but we were to gung ho by this time to care and decided to wade in as is. Made up our minds how to tackle this stage and went back to the truck for our gear. On the way back to the truck the snake was gone, I hurried past the spot where we had seen it earlier, and turned a round quick enough to watch SSGeocache literally walk on water past the same spot. We picked our spot and I began to tie off and create the rig I thought would work best, I paused for second when SSGeocache asked me what I was thinking about, with out a second thought I said, “I’m just trying to figure out the safest way to throw you off this bridge..”
NCTreker, Thank you so much for this great adventure, I look forward to returning to this area and doing more of your great caches…..
We signed the log 3hrs and 43 mins and 32 seconds after begening our great adventure….
Thank you also to our PAFs, you know who you are…

My Log From Earth, Wind, Fire and Water....

Welcome to the Blogosphere Mr. 8Ball

OK, I bit the bullet and signed up...

Sorry HardHat this template fit too well to pass on it, take it as a complement....

Well, I hope to get up here and outline some cache hiding techniques, talk about some cache runs and vent if I have too...

Please feel free to email me any questions and or comments... Teamww8ball@aol.com


Sure I'll revise this later.... [8]