MathSeeker
06-01-2015, 07:53 PM
The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought Jesse and Becky Crowley aka Buckshot/MamaLlama should be the next cachers to be in the spotlight.
What is your geocaching name?
Buckshot/MamaLlama or BsML for short.
How did you choose your handle?
That is a long story. Here is the short version. I, Jesse, am “Buckshot.” I received the nickname from a civil war re-enacting buddy after he found out that I have quadruplets. My wife, Becky, is “MamaLlama” and gets her nickname from me from a boyhood memory of a mother llama protecting the baby llama. We cache as a team, hence, Buckshot/MamaLlama. If you want the whole long story, feel free to ask.
How long have you been geocaching?
Started in the fall of 2007. We got our first Garmin in December of 2007 and found our first 12 caches. After that life and job and a whole mess of other things took over priorities. Then it wasn’t until the summer of 2010 when ML asked what I wanted to do for the summer that we got back into caching and have been trucking along ever since.
How did you find your first geocache, and which one was it?
As previously mentioned, I also am into civil war re-enacting and as part of a project for area teens put on by the local library, our group partnered up with local geocachers to come up with a scenario combining the two activities. I was elected to be the liaison to work with the geocacher. This is when I first met Mr. Cachecrazies and had my first experience with geocaching. Bob explained that the best way for me to understand was to take a GPSr and have a go at it for myself. So with him walking behind giving directions on how to read his Garmin, I started on my first ever geocache adventure to find “Twin Lakes Cache” - GC11P8F. Not long after that ML and I were taking a casual stroll in another of our parks when she says “I wonder what that is under those rocks by that tree?” We investigated and discovered that we had accidentally found “Amon’s Lake #2” - GCJ5PN. I quickly explained that this was the thing we were working on with the library and she was also hooked. We bought our first Garmin as a Christmas present that year.
Who usually goes with you when you go caching?
Most of the time it is a family affair. ML and several of our children are the usual posse. As they have gotten older and tastes have changed the number of kids has dwindled. Now it is mostly Pinky and Grape (Not their real names. ;) ) that go along for the adventure. I also travel a lot at certain times of the year and will cache with my cousin coon&bud (we tend to travel to the same places) and others when I can. We also love to get together in our area with our good friends backcountrytrack. Sometimes it is just little ole me.
How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?
It takes awhile before I will even start one and then I don’t know that I ever give up. I may chew my cud for a long time but either with a bit of guidance or just out and out help I will eventually finish one. As I mentioned in a forum post once, I have a tendency/problem with getting tunnel visioned to a particular way of thinking of things (can’t see the forest for all the cedars) and then it can take some time to get myself out of the rut.
What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?
I would have to say this would be anywhere there is a cache. My travels take me most often to the Russellville and Hot Springs areas and I always enjoy the sheer number of caches and cleverness of the caches in these areas. At other times I have been to the Fort Smith, Fayetteville and Little Rock areas and look forward to doing so again due to the numbers in these areas as well. ML’s most enjoyable places are anywhere there is a chance to take a walk in the woods so long as we can avoid poison ivy and the like.
Do you do paperless caching?
Yes and we have been doing so as soon as it became possible for us to do so. I very much dislike carrying a lot of papers around.
What kind of geocaching rig do you use?
We use a combination of dedicated GPSr devices and smart devices. The two GPSr devices are the older eTrex Venture HC and the newer eTrex 30. Smart devices are currently iPhones but we have also used Android and Windows devices in the past. The eTrex 30 is our GPS accuracy device and the iPhone is used for the paperless factor and for the active maps.
Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?
Many others have lauded all the benefits of geocaching as family time, exercise, and taking you to see places you might not have otherwise. For us it is all of those things. Along with all that, it simply invokes a sense of adventure ML and I had as kids when we would play spy or treasure hunter. So, I guess I would suggest that it helps you feel like a kid again, only smarter and with more technology.
Where are you originally from?
I am a native Arkansan born in Forrest City, and ML was born in Charleston, SC. We both moved around a lot while growing up.
In what states have you geocached?
Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee
What was your first event ever attended?
“East Coast Meets West Coast In July” Meet and Greet, which was a small get together hosted by a couple from North Carolina who wanted to meet local cachers. What we consider our first full scale event was the 2011 SWAGville events in Jessieville. I will also say here that we attended our first mega events (GeoWoodstock XII and MOGA 2015) but have not as yet attended an ArkGeo event. We do hope to do so as soon as we possibly can.
How many caches have you found?
To date we have found 1,509 caches. Now that summer is upon us we plan to add to that number.
Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?
ML and the kiddoes like a good treasure-holding, regular-sized ammo can or such cache. A cache that they can have fun exchanging items (ML squeals for joy at the sight of a pathtag). Me, the container I like is the one that I can lay my eyes and hands on.
What was the most famous cache that you have found?
Gorilla Stash - GC1B which fortunately for us is practically in our back yard.
Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries?
We use disposable in the Garmins.
Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby?
We really do enjoy both finding and hiding, but it really is the thrill of the hunt that keeps us going.
Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?
I would say that our personal goal is to try to give as much fun back to the community as we derive from the community.
What is you favorite type of cache hide?
The one that invokes the “I wish I had thought of that” or the “Man, I got to see if that will work in my area.”
Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?
Two that are still active, “Archimedes Flute” - GC358RJ which was a collaboration with backcountrytrack based on a cache I found in the Hot Springs area and “Solar Trekking” - GC3RVJ6 which is a multi-cache we helped set up for a project done by a local science teacher. Then there is one that is now archived “Hello, Is It Me You’re Looking For?” - GC2W87D which was a hollowed out rotary phone hidden near a telecommunications store.
What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?
This to me is a sticky subject and one that I feel is subjective. Yes, you should probably find a few before one embarks on a hiding spree. However, like with some other things in life there are people who just seem to have a particular knack for doing certain things. We followed the “find a hundred caches” guideline before we started and it worked for us. I would suggest that you find several of a particular type before attempting to hide that particular type.
How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?
As mentioned previously, we were demuggled on two separate occasions. Bob (Cachecrazies) sparked the interest in me which didn’t take too awful much as it hit on the kid-like adventure and technology for me. Then there was that walk in the park that led to the muggle discovery for my ML and further pushed me over the edge into the insanity of wandering in circles in the woods looking for ammo cans and tupperware.
What's your favorite geocache?
Oh, this is such a conundrum! We have lots of favorites especially the ones that we have found together as a family. To narrow down to one or two, I would have to say that “Buffalo City Cross Cache” - GCX1NF ranks up there pretty high. It was one that we had wanted to do for a very long time and had made a failed attempt before on a whim we just struck out on a 6 hour adventure to hike into it. Another would be “Hawksbill Crag” - GC3630 which was another location that ML and I have wanted to visit and had the added bonus of having a cache nearby. In addition to the cache we got lots of pictures of the area and made some wonderful memories while on the journey. Sometimes it is the fun of getting there as much as it is the discovery at the end of the trail.
If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching?
This one is a no-brainer for us. If money were no object, we would simply just start traveling and never stop, caching all the way. We both love to travel and look forward to doing so when we are both retired. We would basically globe-trot picking up caches everywhere we go. Europe and Australia would be definite stops along the way as well the rest of the Americas.
Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group?
I just love caching no matter whether I am with someone or on my lonesome. If I can cache, I am going to cache. I love it when ML and the kids are with me and when I am with other cachers but being alone isn’t going to stop me. A group is awesome for the extra sets of eyes and hands and being alone can be tranquil at times.
How many First to Finds do you have?
According to our GSAK records we have 60. There may be a few more that are not marked in that list.
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?
We have our settings set to 50 miles in order to get the notifications. We were major FTF hounds at first but have become a little more selective more recently due to various reasons. Watch out though, we are on summer break now!
Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching?
There are varied interests in our caching entity. I also enjoy civil war re-enacting and am part owner of a replica 3” Ordinance Rifle (cannon). ML enjoys photography and we very often combine this with the geocaching. She is also an avid pathtagger. Music is very much a part of our family, we love to go motorcycling and the females of the family love horses. The hard part sometimes is deciding which we are going to do and fitting as much as possible into the day.
What is your geocaching name?
Buckshot/MamaLlama or BsML for short.
How did you choose your handle?
That is a long story. Here is the short version. I, Jesse, am “Buckshot.” I received the nickname from a civil war re-enacting buddy after he found out that I have quadruplets. My wife, Becky, is “MamaLlama” and gets her nickname from me from a boyhood memory of a mother llama protecting the baby llama. We cache as a team, hence, Buckshot/MamaLlama. If you want the whole long story, feel free to ask.
How long have you been geocaching?
Started in the fall of 2007. We got our first Garmin in December of 2007 and found our first 12 caches. After that life and job and a whole mess of other things took over priorities. Then it wasn’t until the summer of 2010 when ML asked what I wanted to do for the summer that we got back into caching and have been trucking along ever since.
How did you find your first geocache, and which one was it?
As previously mentioned, I also am into civil war re-enacting and as part of a project for area teens put on by the local library, our group partnered up with local geocachers to come up with a scenario combining the two activities. I was elected to be the liaison to work with the geocacher. This is when I first met Mr. Cachecrazies and had my first experience with geocaching. Bob explained that the best way for me to understand was to take a GPSr and have a go at it for myself. So with him walking behind giving directions on how to read his Garmin, I started on my first ever geocache adventure to find “Twin Lakes Cache” - GC11P8F. Not long after that ML and I were taking a casual stroll in another of our parks when she says “I wonder what that is under those rocks by that tree?” We investigated and discovered that we had accidentally found “Amon’s Lake #2” - GCJ5PN. I quickly explained that this was the thing we were working on with the library and she was also hooked. We bought our first Garmin as a Christmas present that year.
Who usually goes with you when you go caching?
Most of the time it is a family affair. ML and several of our children are the usual posse. As they have gotten older and tastes have changed the number of kids has dwindled. Now it is mostly Pinky and Grape (Not their real names. ;) ) that go along for the adventure. I also travel a lot at certain times of the year and will cache with my cousin coon&bud (we tend to travel to the same places) and others when I can. We also love to get together in our area with our good friends backcountrytrack. Sometimes it is just little ole me.
How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?
It takes awhile before I will even start one and then I don’t know that I ever give up. I may chew my cud for a long time but either with a bit of guidance or just out and out help I will eventually finish one. As I mentioned in a forum post once, I have a tendency/problem with getting tunnel visioned to a particular way of thinking of things (can’t see the forest for all the cedars) and then it can take some time to get myself out of the rut.
What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?
I would have to say this would be anywhere there is a cache. My travels take me most often to the Russellville and Hot Springs areas and I always enjoy the sheer number of caches and cleverness of the caches in these areas. At other times I have been to the Fort Smith, Fayetteville and Little Rock areas and look forward to doing so again due to the numbers in these areas as well. ML’s most enjoyable places are anywhere there is a chance to take a walk in the woods so long as we can avoid poison ivy and the like.
Do you do paperless caching?
Yes and we have been doing so as soon as it became possible for us to do so. I very much dislike carrying a lot of papers around.
What kind of geocaching rig do you use?
We use a combination of dedicated GPSr devices and smart devices. The two GPSr devices are the older eTrex Venture HC and the newer eTrex 30. Smart devices are currently iPhones but we have also used Android and Windows devices in the past. The eTrex 30 is our GPS accuracy device and the iPhone is used for the paperless factor and for the active maps.
Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?
Many others have lauded all the benefits of geocaching as family time, exercise, and taking you to see places you might not have otherwise. For us it is all of those things. Along with all that, it simply invokes a sense of adventure ML and I had as kids when we would play spy or treasure hunter. So, I guess I would suggest that it helps you feel like a kid again, only smarter and with more technology.
Where are you originally from?
I am a native Arkansan born in Forrest City, and ML was born in Charleston, SC. We both moved around a lot while growing up.
In what states have you geocached?
Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee
What was your first event ever attended?
“East Coast Meets West Coast In July” Meet and Greet, which was a small get together hosted by a couple from North Carolina who wanted to meet local cachers. What we consider our first full scale event was the 2011 SWAGville events in Jessieville. I will also say here that we attended our first mega events (GeoWoodstock XII and MOGA 2015) but have not as yet attended an ArkGeo event. We do hope to do so as soon as we possibly can.
How many caches have you found?
To date we have found 1,509 caches. Now that summer is upon us we plan to add to that number.
Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?
ML and the kiddoes like a good treasure-holding, regular-sized ammo can or such cache. A cache that they can have fun exchanging items (ML squeals for joy at the sight of a pathtag). Me, the container I like is the one that I can lay my eyes and hands on.
What was the most famous cache that you have found?
Gorilla Stash - GC1B which fortunately for us is practically in our back yard.
Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries?
We use disposable in the Garmins.
Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby?
We really do enjoy both finding and hiding, but it really is the thrill of the hunt that keeps us going.
Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?
I would say that our personal goal is to try to give as much fun back to the community as we derive from the community.
What is you favorite type of cache hide?
The one that invokes the “I wish I had thought of that” or the “Man, I got to see if that will work in my area.”
Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?
Two that are still active, “Archimedes Flute” - GC358RJ which was a collaboration with backcountrytrack based on a cache I found in the Hot Springs area and “Solar Trekking” - GC3RVJ6 which is a multi-cache we helped set up for a project done by a local science teacher. Then there is one that is now archived “Hello, Is It Me You’re Looking For?” - GC2W87D which was a hollowed out rotary phone hidden near a telecommunications store.
What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?
This to me is a sticky subject and one that I feel is subjective. Yes, you should probably find a few before one embarks on a hiding spree. However, like with some other things in life there are people who just seem to have a particular knack for doing certain things. We followed the “find a hundred caches” guideline before we started and it worked for us. I would suggest that you find several of a particular type before attempting to hide that particular type.
How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?
As mentioned previously, we were demuggled on two separate occasions. Bob (Cachecrazies) sparked the interest in me which didn’t take too awful much as it hit on the kid-like adventure and technology for me. Then there was that walk in the park that led to the muggle discovery for my ML and further pushed me over the edge into the insanity of wandering in circles in the woods looking for ammo cans and tupperware.
What's your favorite geocache?
Oh, this is such a conundrum! We have lots of favorites especially the ones that we have found together as a family. To narrow down to one or two, I would have to say that “Buffalo City Cross Cache” - GCX1NF ranks up there pretty high. It was one that we had wanted to do for a very long time and had made a failed attempt before on a whim we just struck out on a 6 hour adventure to hike into it. Another would be “Hawksbill Crag” - GC3630 which was another location that ML and I have wanted to visit and had the added bonus of having a cache nearby. In addition to the cache we got lots of pictures of the area and made some wonderful memories while on the journey. Sometimes it is the fun of getting there as much as it is the discovery at the end of the trail.
If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching?
This one is a no-brainer for us. If money were no object, we would simply just start traveling and never stop, caching all the way. We both love to travel and look forward to doing so when we are both retired. We would basically globe-trot picking up caches everywhere we go. Europe and Australia would be definite stops along the way as well the rest of the Americas.
Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group?
I just love caching no matter whether I am with someone or on my lonesome. If I can cache, I am going to cache. I love it when ML and the kids are with me and when I am with other cachers but being alone isn’t going to stop me. A group is awesome for the extra sets of eyes and hands and being alone can be tranquil at times.
How many First to Finds do you have?
According to our GSAK records we have 60. There may be a few more that are not marked in that list.
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?
We have our settings set to 50 miles in order to get the notifications. We were major FTF hounds at first but have become a little more selective more recently due to various reasons. Watch out though, we are on summer break now!
Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching?
There are varied interests in our caching entity. I also enjoy civil war re-enacting and am part owner of a replica 3” Ordinance Rifle (cannon). ML enjoys photography and we very often combine this with the geocaching. She is also an avid pathtagger. Music is very much a part of our family, we love to go motorcycling and the females of the family love horses. The hard part sometimes is deciding which we are going to do and fitting as much as possible into the day.