Replicated from the GGA EZBoard:

lmoseley
BigDoggie
(8/20/01 8:15:30 am)
South of I-20...
Did you know...

The entire counties of Douglas, Clayton and Henry are cache-free!

Fayette and Newton have only one each.

Come on, south-siders!


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tjbowers
Registered User
(8/20/01 8:31:07 pm)
Re: South of I-20...

At the last GGA meeting Larry Blankenship mentioned that State Parks south of I-20 might be most receptive to geocaching since they receive relatively few visitors. With that thought in mind, I'd like to recommend a couple of areas south of I-20 that I think would make great cache spots.

I believe there's a State Park near Warm Springs. Roosevelt's Little White House is there and it would make a neat location for a history themed multi-cache.

Not too far away is Pine Mountain. I think the State has a park there, though it may be the feds. Either way, it too would make a great location for a history themed multi-cache. There's some great examples of Civilian Conservation Corps building projects in the area.

Finally, there's a State Park in an area billed as "Georgia's Little Grand Canyon". I don't recall the park's name but it's an INCREDIBLE area! In fact, just before the State Parks cache ban went into effect someone placed a cache there.

NOTE: I'm suggesting the above locations as future cache locations. In case the reader is not aware, the Georgia Parks and Recreation Department recently banned geocaching in state parks. The GGA is working to reopen access to geocaching in Georgia's parks. The above locations are possible areas where a test program might be possible. If you'd like to help reopen access to geocaching in GA Parks then join us at our September meeting. Details can be found at www.geocaching.com Just look for our meeting in the "event cache" listings.

Jess
"It's got to be the going, not the getting there, that's good"
--Harry Chapin


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mtn man
Registered User
(8/21/01 6:44:48 am)
Re: South of I-20...

Providence Canyon, near the Columbus area.
Really a cool area. Watch for yellow jackets! Good Ideas, Jess.
mtn-man


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erik88l r
Registered User
(8/21/01 7:31:53 am)
Re: South of I-20...

Maybe it's laziness, maybe it's wanting to put caches in areas I know, maybe it's wanting the cache close enough to be able to check on it occasionally. Whatever the reason south of I-20 doesn't appeal to me as a cache hider. Now I would go there to look for a cache, however!
A month or so ago I journeed to the Macon area to find several caches there, and had lunch at the Okmulgee Indian Mounds place just outside town. That would be a neat place for a cache if the authorities had a section of the park that they would let us use that has no Indian mounds. I also remember hiking with the Boy Scouts on a mountain near Callaway Gardens that rivaled North Georgia mountains. That would also be a cool place.
I guess what we need are more geocachers in that area to place caches, but that brings up the chicken or the egg question. You've got to have caches before you can have geocachers interested enough to hide caches. So.... maybe I should get off my lazy butt and plant a cache down there....


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ErnieB
Unregistered User
(8/21/01 11:27:55 am)
South of I-20...

Hopefully, we will have one at the Museum of Aviation in the future. I just got this email message from the associate director a few minutes ago.

Ernie,

Looks like a GREAT IDEA !! I have forwarded the info to our marketing dept. In a few weeks maybe we can set up a meeting and discuss further. Thanks for thinking of us !! Tell your family Karen & I said hi!!

D*****


Its south of I-20 and one of the best free places to go in the entire state. It's also the second largest aviation museum in the Air Force. Fourth largest aviation museum in the country. I'll keep you posted.


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tjbowers
Registered User
(8/21/01 6:40:43 pm)
Re: South of I-20...

Ernie-
Are you referring to the Mighty Eigth Air Force Museum just outside Savannah? If so, they now charge a nominal 7/8 dollar entrance fee, but, for WWII buffs it's well worth the price! I visited the Eigth a couple of weeks ago and could have spent hours reading the posted materials and viewing the memorabilia.

There's also a museum in Brunswick dedicated to Liberty ships. I didn't get to visit it on this last trip but plan to do so in the future. The above two would make another great history themed pair of caches.

Jess
"It's got to be the going, not the getting there, that's good"
--Harry Chapin


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ErnieB
Registered User
(8/22/01 6:57:07 am)
Re: South of I-20...

Jess- I know the one you are referring to, (BTW, I am one of the 8th AF alumni) but this is the Museum of Aviation located at the south end of Robins AFB, in Warner Robins. The base is 17 miles south of Macon on GA 247. It is a jewel in Georgia's crown and very few know about it. It is 43 acres of aircraft and displays. The exhibits cover everything from the space program, to an anthropological look at the early inhabitants of the middle Georgia area. They also have an SR-71 Blackbird on display.The cost is totally free, but they take donations, so if you visit, please help them out by putting some money in the box. The museum also has an IMAX theater showing 2 different movies. It also has a great gift shop, where I get my booty to swap at other cache sites. And best of all, IMHO, is mostly unreported, but retired General Robert Scott, who is famous for writing the book "God Is My Co-pilot" spends a great amount of time at the museum just hanging out. He usually roams the halls of the main building, and will strike up a conversation with the patrons. He's a fascinating person to meet.

Here's a link to the website, so you can find out more information.
http://www.museumofaviation.org/

A friend of mine is the associate director. He thinks geocaching is a great idea so I hope we can get something started. I don't want to reveal my plans for the cache right now, but I am hoping it will be exciting for us and mutually beneficial for the museum. I was wondering, though, if this is what Jeremy considers a "commercial cache". Being a non-profit agency that is focused on historical preservation, I would hope not, but I'll work that issue as it comes up.

For now, stay tuned to this great (thanks, BigDoggie!!) site for further updates!

ErnieB


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tjbowers
Administrator
(8/22/01 6:54:28 pm)
Re: South of I-20...

Place the cache and we will come! The IMAX theater alone is sufficient reason for me to make a trip into the gnat belt.

Jess
"It's got to be the going, not the getting there, that's good"
--Harry Chapin


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ErnieB
Registered Geocacher
(8/22/01 7:24:22 pm)
You asked - I deliver

I just got in from placing my first cache. It's not at the museum (I'm going to do my best to make it the most enjoyable geocache experience in the state, so I'm taking it slow), but rather in a "wilderness area" near my home. Here's the link I posted to the new sites thread on this board. http://pub78.ezboard.com/fgageocachingfrm3.showMessage?topicID=5.topic

I'm giving the GGA'ers a weeks notice before I send it to Jeremy.

Have fun with it.


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Avatar
Registered Geocacher
(9/24/01 10:48:19 am)
Re: South of I-20...

I'm currently looking to place 3-4 between in the Newton / Jasper County area.


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GeoMechEric
Registered Geocacher
(9/25/01 7:27:37 am)
Re: South of I-20...

Okay, Okay, I will get off my keester and get some caches that I have ready placed in Clayton and Henry counties.

Someone mentioned that Little Grand Canyon State Park. I believe that someone placed a cache there a number of months ago and it was immediately removed, (the same day if I remember correctly). There was a huge stink about the sensitive eco-system there and placing caches. Not sure if there have been any changes in the vain. If nothing else it IS worth the time to visit. I have been there twice and have found it fascinating. What's so strange is that is was created by farming.

Edited by: GeoMechEric at: 9/25/01 7:29:10 am


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lmoseley
BigDog
(9/25/01 10:45:59 am)
Re: South of I-20...

To GeoMechEric:

As of now, geocaches are NOT allowed in Georgia State Parks. We are trying to change this, and we are asking everyone to REFRAIN from placing caches in the Georgia State Parks while our negotiations are underway.

That said, it is a bit funny that a geological formation that was CREATED by land abuse is itself now considered SO important that you can't walk on it!

Weather forecast for Kabul, Afghanistan: Tomorrow, expect hot, windy and dry, with temperatures near 3000 degrees F, winds of 750-800 MPH, with some problems with melting glass and collapsing buildings.


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Gossamyrrh
Registered Geocacher
(9/26/01 8:54:08 am)
Re: South of I-20...

Close to the Little Grand Canyon is a primitive park called Rood Creek that is screaming for a geocache. The only thing I'd ask is to stay out of the adjacent indian mounds, 1) It's just plain rude to disturb them, and 2) the last time I went trespassing in there, my buddy and I encountered a bunch of baby alligators...and where babies are, Momma is usually nearby.