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October 2015 Member Spotlight: fuzzydave

Highlighting Maryland's finest cachers!
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ksullivan
Former MGS Officer
Posts: 325
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:15 pm
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October 2015 Member Spotlight: fuzzydave

Post by ksullivan »

Last month we introduced one of the two geocachers who tied for the MGS 2015 Geocacher Rookie of the Year, so this month I am pleased to introduce the other winner! It is my pleasure to introduce to you fuzzydave!

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Interview date September 1, 2015
Caching name: fuzzydave
Real name: David Greene



1. How did you become involved in geocaching. When did you start?
Last summer we were camping at New Germany State Park for our annual trip to western Maryland to complete the Park Quests out there. We kept seeing signs where they offered to let you rent a gpsr unit for the day to try caching. My wife suggested we try it. We tried to find two or three but couldn't come up with anything. Once we got back home to Bowie,(and cell reception ) I investigated it more. We made our first find a few days later, an LPC. After that, I just kept looking for and finding caches.

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Our First Cache

2.How did you choose your caching name?
I was given the nickname fuzzydave when I was at UMD because I had long hair and a beard. Since then, I've used it for all kinds of user IDs .

3. How many caches have you found so far?
873

4. What brand/type of GPS do you use?
I have a garmin Oregon 600 that I got last year when someone in the forums mentioned a good sale at REI. Thank you, whoever you are.

5. What programs/software or hardware (PDA/laptop/phone) do you use to make caching easier?
I love cgeo on my android phone. I try to use gsak, too, but I'm sure I'm barely using any of its capabilities. I have a few other sites and apps for helping to solve puzzles and way points and coordinate plotting and all that.

6. What type of cache do you prefer seeking – traditional, multi, puzzle, virtual?
I really like challenges and series, like the OYR series. I also enjoy geotrails because of the coin I earn and they're usually very clever and fun. I don't have a real preference for the type of cache I look for. I like to think that once I solve a puzzle, it's just like a traditional cache. I just found my first letterbox hybrid. I think I'd like to find more of those but the ambiguity of where it's actually located doesn't really mesh well with my geo-companion's patience, Fuzzy Jr.

7. Which caches were the most challenging – physically/mentally? Why?
Usually my biggest challenge to finding a cache is my family's patience. They're not too keen on waiting for me to crawl through a culvert or take a challenging hike. The tree climbs make me nervous but they're usually a great way to fill in my fizzy grid.

8. Do you have a favorite or favorites among the Maryland caches that you’ve found? Do you have a favorite in a nearby state?
I enjoyed finding the Evil Imp (GC3YJEG), New Germany purple trail (GC66CA) and A Boy's Bridge Cache. Outside of md, I like the Hidden Mural series in DC, Busman's Holiday in NYC(GC832C), and CSS Virginia (GC4D1T7) to name a few.

9. What’s the most unusual thing that you’ve ever found in a cache?
I haven't found anything too outlandish, outside of a pair of clean socks during the MGS summer picnic.

10. What are your current caching goals? Is there a certain cache that you can’t wait to do?
I'm almost done with my N39 degree challenge. I need 3 or 4 more to find all of the OYR series in Maryland. The latest iteration of the Spring Grove Geotrail, the Zoomelli series, Maryland's top 10 favorites challenge, Prince Georges ADC challenge, MD all counties challenge, and filling in my fizzy and jasmer grids. I just started the dinosaur series in Montgomery county, and to a lesser extent, the Wizard trail, Delaware geotrail, night caches, kayak caches, and many others. I have over 700 caches saved on my phone that I plan on getting to some day.

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Mason Dixon Line Marker

11. How many caches have you placed? Do you have a current hiding goal?
I've only hidden one cache and adopted another. I should hide more, to give back to geocaching, but I've found it takes away from my cache finding time. Hopefully this fall I'll have more time to find some great locations.

12. What advice would you give someone that wants to place a cache? What steps do YOU take when placing a cache?
In my limited experience, it seems like taking the time to do it right makes the experience better for everyone.

13. How often do you go caching?
I recently ended a streak of 260 - something days. Since then, I've been out several days a week. I love getting outside and getting some exercise. I've found that wandering in circles is a great way to get steps on my fitbit.

14. What advice would you give a beginning geocacher?
I'd tell a new cacher to not be afraid to ask questions. Most cache owners want you to find theirs. Also, study the gc website, there's plenty of good info on there.

15. Have you completed CAM in the past? What was your favorite aspect?
I completed this year's CAM and loved it. It brought me to some parks that I had been to before, and many that I hadn't. One thing I didn't like is that I visited most of the parks on weekdays so I missed out on a lot of the comaraderie by running into other cachers.

16. Do you collect geocoins? Of the ones that you’ve collected, which is your favorite?
I do collect geocoins. They're a nice small trophy to show that I've completed a challenge or a trail. My favorite might just be the Montgomery County storm water geotrail coin.

17. What type of gear do you carry with you on your caching trips? What’s in your geopack?
My geopack always has a few pens, bug spray, tweezers, uv light (haven't had a chance to use it yet), trackables, snacks, multitool, and a few other things I never use.

18. What is your most memorable caching experience?
I had fun with msmit02, laxcheezit, and a few others finding the Evil Imp. It was my first night cache and one of the rare times I got to go out with other cachers. I also had fun this summer using my kayak to find several caches near us, like the 4 shipwrecks south of Baltimore. There was also the day I thought it'd be a good idea to walk down a 200 foot pier that happened to be covered in ice. I think it was the MML cache in Cambridge. Luckily, no one fell in the water.

19. What is your best caching story?
I don't know if I have a particular story, but the two days I spent caching at the cam picnic and Geowoodstock were very fun for me. Fuzzy Jr says it was the day we were at Kilgore Falls for that cam cache. I tried to cross the water on the rocks nearest the falls and slipped and fell. He hit his head and I banged my knee. He was ok after several minutes but my knee hurt for a couple of months (it's fine now). We were still able to find the two that involved hiking up a big hill, then finding a dry log further downstream to cross back.
Oh, and I've enjoyed exploring southeast Prince Georges County for the ADC challenge. It's very rural and scenic and totally the opposite of what most people picture PG county being. And avoiding running over that family of skunks was very nice.

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At Shallow Marsh in PG County

20. What do you like about geocaching? What keeps you going?
I think I love everything about geocaching. I love exploring this great state of ours and meeting all kinds of people. I love working on challenges for the sense of accomplishment and because it helps me figure out which caches I should be looking for. I love the Facebook groups where I can talk about caching at home and learn about other fun caches around the world. I love learning about all the local history around here, the geography, the science, the chance that something fun can happen anywhere, and learning to look at the world in a whole new way. I'm sure no one here can look at a guard rail or light post, or even a Bob Evans the same way again.

21. Besides geocaching, what other things do you like to do?
I enjoy bike riding and kind of like running. I mostly like finding fun new experiences to do with my family.

22. What question did you expect us to ask but didn’t. What is the answer?
Hmm...Is there anything I would change about geocaching? The bugs. I would get rid of them. Chiggers, ticks, mosquitoes, spiders and their webs, bees, etc, etc. They're a big reason why I prefer caching in winter.

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Winter Caching
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OhMelli
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Re: October 2015 Member Spotlight: fuzzydave

Post by OhMelli »

:applause: GREAT interview Dave! Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a bit more about you! :D
Zepp914
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Re: October 2015 Member Spotlight: fuzzydave

Post by Zepp914 »

My geopack always has a few pens, bug spray, tweezers, uv light (haven't had a chance to use it yet), trackables, snacks, multitool, and a few other things I never use.
I'm not sure when this interview was done, but I can remember that UV light saving the day a month or so ago!
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Msmit002
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Re: October 2015 Member Spotlight: fuzzydave

Post by Msmit002 »

Dave is a fun guy to cache with, but the real mastermind behind the finds is Fuzzy Jr. :lol:
Glad to see someone I know, personally, show up here.
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coupleocachers
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Re: October 2015 Member Spotlight: fuzzydave

Post by coupleocachers »

Awesome write up. Glad we got to meet you awhile ago. Thanks for the info. See you on the trails.
We are now Mr. And Mrs. Coupleocachers and Proud parents of AmeliaGrace
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Calvertcachers
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Re: October 2015 Member Spotlight: fuzzydave

Post by Calvertcachers »

Excellent write-up! Thanks for sharing and we enjoyed learning more about you and your family!
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