How long is a peace of string? Navigators, Victoria, Australia
By flyjabiru1 on 07-Feb-08. Waypoint GC196MM

String went missing

Great Concept, but seems to be missing some beads!!

Didn't find in the company of RogWat, coley_babee and walenators on a numbers run into Ballarat.
This seemed like a cool idea for a cache.
We found the string ok, and started unwinding and travelling in the desired direction.
Yay a bead!
Direction change, unwinding, a knot?..... at the end of the string now, must be at the knot??
Another change of direction and ended in an area... searching... searching..
No cigar on this cache after expanding out search zone, still didn't come up with the goods, but had to keep going - for the spirit of the numbers!
Would be good if the string could be checked to make sure it still works.
Thanks anyways flyjabiru1.

Loved the concept of this one.

As others we had a little trouble navigation and ended up using my smart phone aswell. Was worried when we came across a small section (1m?) of string on the ground that seems to have been cut and removed from the spool. The last bead is also missing so we had to employ some guess work and picked the not most likely to be its intended location.

Ended up about 5 meters past the cache, so I'm not quite sure what happened there. But we found it in the end.
Took Kiwi path tag.

TFTC!

A nice little walk through the bush & in true geocaching fashion found the right track on the way out.
Got a bit worried when unwinding the string as we came across a good metre of it lying on the ground and no second bead (a knot where the string was joined may once have been the spot of #2?) so we did not end up with the cache "at our feet". Gave us a bit of cofindance that we were heading in the right direction, but in fact the string took us 4m or so past GZ. A bit of scouting around (lol well we were near Pax Hill!) and NAHLCAL had the cache in hand. Downloaded GPS Status App for my Galaxy on the way out as its pretty cool & better than the boring ols compass App.
TFTC!

Found this cache today at 845 am before the 4x4 base we were doing started up again, we were staying at Pax hill scout camp which is near by, found this one with polecat, really enjoyed this cache it was different one was a bit of a challenge as we did not have a compass but we worked the degrees out with the GPSr and got the string to about 5m from the cache so we were happy with that TFTC TNLN SL thanks flyjabiru1

Found this one with Daryllm123 and Rob while attending the Victorian Gathering Venturer Camp at Pax Hill. We are all Scout leaders and presumably pretty good at navigation. However, trying to follow a compass bearing using a low-end GPS challenged our navigational skills: at first we were unknowingly following the back-bearing to GZ but we got there in the end.
Great idea for a multi. Thanks, flygjbiru1, for another fun cache.

This is one of our all time favs. A brilliant concept, excellentlly executed and for us without maps or area knowledge, a real adventure. Finally found the limits of our hire geo-car. We left the hotel after putting the co-ords into the Tom Tom. IT seemed happy enough with the roads but after surfing through one large lake that covered the road we turned around and luckily surfed back out and started following the Oregon on foot. Found a place with open mine pits where the roads were paved in gold-bearing quartz with orchids parrots and a smiley at the end! Even got to use a function on our GPS for the first time. PINO TFTC

Find # 1584 @ 13:30 with jaffnut
Another great cache. We enjoyed doing this one and managed it without resorting to the clue. The missing bead was conspicuous in its absence but with accurate projections, we were soon at gz. TNLNSL Thanks flyjabiru1.

Found with 3up. Our second multi for the day and another enjoyable find. Although the second bead was missing there was an indication of where it would be, so we managed to find the cache without resorting to the clue. The place was abuzz with Rosellas and ravenous mozzies. Thanks once again for another satisfying cache flyjabiur1

Hahaha, After looking through the ballarat listings of caches, i stumbled upon, this one, look like a fantastic cache, well thought out.
And like myself not reading all the detail decided it was a great idea to drive the VU holden ute 2WD hahaha, not a great idea.... Once we had driven to about 400metres from the cache, we decided it was way too muddy and would get bogged. So pulled off the road for other vehicles, if there were to be any. As myself and geosam, walked up the hill with geosams, blood blister on the foot throbbing =( we found the first clue, once we had started we were off on our way, and pease use the hints, they do help, alot. Noticed there was a bead missing, but worked out where we were heading, and noticed the string was a little shorter then expected, but stumbled upon our little friend. Plus decided we should move the camo bug to a new fress location, not that anything was bad with the last one.
Thanks for a great day.

What a novel idea for finding GZ, really enjoyed a simplistic idea that works well. We did have a bit of trouble locating the cache as the string looked to be about 10m short, but it could have also been we missed the first stopping point by a degree or 2 as well. Struggled with the 2nd bead as it wasn't there but eventually found the cache in the end.

TNLN cheers.

A fantastic cache, and really enjoyable to do something a bit different to the norm. We struggled a bit with the missing bead, but eventually found the clue, and after a bit of exploring, had the cache in hand. Well done on creating something novel, we had great fun doing this one. Left AmmoCan TB.

This one took a year and 2 months to return and do, was very interested to see how this one worked out, sadly i forgot my compass, but the GPS got us there in the end.
Glad to have gotten the chance to do this one! Was good fin 4WD'ing in!
TFTC

Well it has been a year and 2 months since we last came up to Ballarat to attempt this cache, back when we didn't have a 4x4 and boy did we need it. Loved the idea of the cache.

TFTC

Made it out here this afternoon. The place looked like it would be popular with trail bike riders, but there were none here this afternoon. I didn't read Cat74's log about car damage until I got home. If I had I might have parked elsewhere, but fortunately no bikes showed up and I had no issues.

The second plastic bead has gone missing, but previous cachers have left clues as to where to turn, so it didn't really slow me down. Though I was a little surprised at how far away the cache was from the starting point.

Thanks for something different.

Whilst out searching for this cache which once we had read the hint was a whole lot easier our car was severely vandalised by a passing motor cyclist perhaps it is best to execise caution when parking you vehicle in this area. TNLNSL.

Indeed it was a very peaceful day today - just right for caching. Fortunately everything worked ot ok for me on this one with certain markers keeping everything on track. No trail bikers today, thanks flyjabiru

Found @ 12:19:29 PM (Cachemate time)

Well, now we know how long the string is!! This would have to be the best cache we have done all day. Once we reached GZ we heard lots of bikes, so hurried to roll the cord back up. (Another hint: don't roll it up too quickly, It twists and tangles.)

T: N
L: Screwdriver
SL
TFTC
21/09/08

My second closest cache off the list as well today. My log is similar to JADE's as our first visit was stopped by the dirt bikes close by GZ and our GPS was sending me off in the opposite of the correct direction.
This visit was quieter and with GPS now happy to supply correct bearings, about 10 mins, 3 turns and a bit of searching later the cache was in hand, I was about 6 M off. Funny how on the way back I saw all the clues that would have set me on the correct path.
#311
Live and learn.

TFTC.

Found it upon a return visit. Being the long weekend there were several groups out trail bike riding, with a 6 year old coming off her trail bike in front of us, but with a few scrapes and tears managed to get back on again. Our GPS had us searching in almost the opposite direction to where GZ was, but Geodaughter went back for another reading and very quickly had cache in hand. Glad to get this one done. TNLNSL TFTC

Found by Mary & David at 1250. Great fun. We'd done the similar muzza cache at Lysterfield Park a few years ago, but the novelty value was still there. Another lovely area of bush to enjoy as well. Didn't feel knotted, stretched or strung out at all. Took a little care sighting our bearings at each turn and finished up no more than 3m from the cache, so it all worked very well. Much quicker unrolling the string than rolling it back up again. TNLN. Our thanks to flyjabiru1. How long? As long as it takes!

Found today at 1310.
The 4th of 15 for the day.

Really good cache.. very well done.

After driving all over the country side.. (personally I think that 1SR just wanted to test ACE *his car* on the rough terrain) we eventually found the starting point.

We are quite strung out at the end of this cache .. but we soon had it in hand and the log was signed.

Thanks again for a great fun cache.

Took - NIL
Left - NIL

VKC1SR

Found at 10.05am GAFF1. A great idea that we came across in our early days of caching in Lysterfield Park. This is so much fun having to do the work and follow instructions - p-pprass got his hands quite dirty due to the blackened trees! We decided to project the last bit as we just knew what we were going to get into with the rewind part! Thanks flyjabiru1
ps - the bearings were fine for us!

I think I must have had a little luck on my side with this one (plus I was aided by some choice advice from previous finders!). I really enjoyed the concept and was glad for the more accurate directions, although I still had some trouble at a couple of points. This area of bush was one I haven't explored much on my previous trips to Ballarat so I was happy for that opportunity too.

Thanks,

R - B

After reading the logs I have been meaning to go back and check the directions.
I've been back to the GZ today to re-check the directions and I have altered them slightly
I hope this will make it easier.
Cheers
FJ1

We found our 4th FlyJabiru1 cache at 7:45pm as the 27th of 29 on our Ballaratatattat Tour III. Another cache which took an hour to solve. We laid out the string as per hour interpretation of the clues. After going back and forth a few times and rechecking headings, we could not make the find. We also tried to use the hint but it made no sense. After a good while of checking and rechecking, I contacted Feathertop, who told us that he gone way too far to the left on the first run and also what the clue meant. Armed with this info, I started to circulate to the right of our fisrt point and was amazed at how far to the right, point 1 was. Once there the clue was also obvious. Having an explicit knowledge of how long that piece of string now was, there was no need to re-lay it out and I was able to acurately pace straight to point 2 and the cache. A nice cache none-the less and an almost exact replica of Muzza's MMM cache which was only our 7th find. I am wondering if the 230'- 250' on the first leg is entirely accurate though. Thanks for the cache from D,H & A B-A.

Found with sandar10 oenze and feathertop, top work Flyjabiru1. With a little help from feathertops recent visit and dare I say it Oenzes Magelin we had the cache in hand quick.TNLN

Found with Highrod, Oenze and Feathertop at 12pm.
Thanks for the cache, another FJ1 thinking outside the box cache.

Found with Oenze highrod and sandar10. We teamed up to attempt this together and a combination of good teamwork, the abandonment of my manual compass which was my downfall last time, made this an enjoyable experience. Thanks to flyjabiru for his innovative ideas.

Find # 2221 and 9th of the day at 11:54am Accompanied by Feathertop, Sandar10 and Highrod on a treasure challenge in and around Ballarat. We had no trouble here, just followed the GPSr and had the cache in hand in no time, lotts of fun, took a while to roll the string up though. TNLN, Signed Log, Thanx FJ1....

Our first attempt was a bit off, but then using the clue we corrected the turns and it was at out feet. I see why builders bulldoze the block clear before they start, I think I got the string caught on every twig on the rewind.
Thanks, Robmc.

Found with robmc after rewinding and heading off in a different direction. With a compass and GPS to guide us I thought the first direction given was about 20 degrees off course. Still it was the most fun cache for the day.
TNLNSL Thanks.

3rd of 3 for the day, and the one which proved to be VERY time consuming!!
Arrived at about 4pm with great hopes, and left at about 5.30pm nearly worn out!!
Found initial wpt easily, and set of in the pre-described direction, looking for the items in the clues. Found the beads in due course, and changed direction and continued.
Reached the end of the string, searched and came up empty handed after about 15mins. Retracted line and tried again. Nothing. Searched manually (no string, but with compass) and found the clue item, but failed to recognise it!! Rang FJ1 to clarify, then retracted line. Retraced, nothing. Used half line half manual. Found second clue item manually. Tretracted line. Recalibrated compass to find it was off by 40 degrees!!
Set off again, and arrived at end of line. Searched. Nothing. Grabbed line and physically walked in a BIG arc to scout around, and searched. Nothing. Decided to just look wider without the line and BINGO, I found the cache.
The only consolation, was the walking through the bush in a lovely area.
Thanks for a really good concept though!! I wore off about 10000 calories walking up and down that hill!! Geocaching is a weight loss extravaganza!!
Find # 352. T: Monkeys game. L:2 x workers, domino, Fozzycard
A long log for an epic search!!
ALSO: Second to find!!!!!!!!!!

I think we rushed this one when more time may have borne fruit. I had with me my compass which I prefer for this type of task but it and I proved unable to match the clues sufficiently which left too big a search area. Maybe next time. Thanks

I have edited the hint to make it a bit easier.

Our last cache for the afternoon of 7. How do you come up with these ideas flyjabiru1? Well, I reckon we spent a good hour or more here. We made it to the end of the string, but no luck. Looked around for 20 minutes or so. Started rolling it up and found a two rock tree - very close to our string line. Took third co-ordinates again from here, but nothing at the end of the string. Probably spent another 20 minutes looking in the area, but to no avail. We probably walked over it several times. Will have to come back and try again.

Note for the Cache owner and to finders of this cache:

This cache qualifies for entry into "Ballarat's Best Cache".
All the rules are on the Geocaching Australia Forums. (You will need to register on the site to read them or I can email them to you if you like)

http://forum.geocaching.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=9807

We will be contacting all eligible cache owners at the end of the "Hiding" phase to see if they would like to enter and which cache they will be nominating for the competition.
Entry is free and prizes for the Winner, Runner Up and a Kids Prize.
Judging will be at a future Ballarat Event, (details to be confirmed).

Last of 4 FTFs this morning on my wee small hours caching run.
A very interesting idea on this one FJ1.
We never know what to expect from you, but you continue to create unique and novel ways of getting to GZ. We really appreciate the hard work that you are putting into your hides.
I had 3 attempts at this one before I got it right. Took me as long on this cache that the total time to get my other 3 this morning.
While rolling out the string and watching the GPS, I tripped over and accidentally broke the string . I did get it knotted back together with the smallest/strongest knot I could make, with a loss of only 1 inch of string (Where I cut the frayed ends off), so the outcome of GZ is not affected. Tested the strength of my knot on my last attempt. Sorry about the knot, I'll have to learn to multi-task a bit better.
A great area that 2Dudez Troy has been known to mountain bike around a bit.
Signed log, breathed in the fresh smell of the bush and headed back to the car, which in hindsight I could have parked a lot closer to WP1 than 150m away on the side of the road . Couldn't find a pen in the container, so left mine in there for future finders to use.
Thanks again FJ1

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