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View Full Version : June 2014 Geocacher Profile



MathSeeker
06-01-2014, 09:17 PM
The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought Rich Swanson aka The_Griswolds (Clark Griswold) should be the next cacher to be in the spotlight.

What is your geocaching name? Clark Griswold, the family caches as The Griswolds

How did you choose your handle? We took great family vacations every summer when the kids were growing up and I have been compared to Clark Griswold when it comes to vacation planning. Since the family composition was the same it was a natural fit and let each of us have our own Griswold name.

How long have you been geocaching? A little over 11 years

How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it? Beaver’s Lair in Russellville. I had just bought a Magellan GPS for traveling when Carla (Ellen) saw an article in the paper about geocaching. We found it and were hooked. I believe it was the only cache in Pope County at the time.

Who usually goes with you when you go caching? We used to go a lot as a family when the kids were younger. Now I go solo or the kids join me. Rachel’s (Audrey’s) boyfriends is hooked now also.

How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up? Depends on how fun the puzzle is. Some are more work than fun. My favorite puzzles were the Aloha series in Hawaii

What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in? Clarksville in the old days. Russellville. Morrilton. Anywhere we travel - I love caching in places I’ve never been.

Do you do paperless caching? Yes

What kind of geocaching rig do you use? Garmin GPS map 62

Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching? It’s a great way to spend time with the family. I also find it relaxing when I cache by myself.

Where are you originally from? Born in Connecticut, grew up in Florida.

In what states have you geocached? All except North Dakota and Georgia, plus Washington DC and 11 countries. Going to get ND this summer. I need somebody to hide a cache in the Atlanta airport.

What was your first event ever attended? First Ever Ark. River Valley Geo Meet and Greet in Clarksville, 1/24/04

How many caches have you found? 4172

Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest? A well camo’d cache that the owner put some effort into.

What was the most famous cache that you have found? The Original Stash Tribute Plaque and Mingo

Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries? Rechargeable

Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby? Finding

Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide? I want to surprise the finder and put a smile on his/her face

What is your favorite type of cache hide? Anything different

Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in? Cousin Eddie, Rusty’s #2

What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh? Enough to give back to the game (if you have 4 digit finds you should have more than single digit hides), but not so many that you can’t maintain them.

How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby? We went on vacation shortly after finding our first cache. There weren’t any other nearby caches at the time, so I found a few to look for when we were on vacation. We found some great caches in great locations and were hooked.

What's your favorite geocache? There are so many I can’t narrow it down to one.

If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching? Europe, Australia, Asia, South America, Africa, etc.

Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group? Both I like to cache with the family but I also enjoy getting away by myself for a few hours.

How many First to Finds do you have? I don’t know. It’s not a big deal for me. I do have FTFs in Alaska and New York though.

Are you a First to Find person who is always set on go and if so, how many miles out do you have your settings on to get notifications? I don’t get notifications.

Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching? Traveling. I just started playing Pickleball (thanks NW and RBG).