Interview Date : July 16th, 2011
Caching Name : Team-Newfie-Trio
Real Name : Ken Vokey & Wanda-Lee Ellis
1. How did you become involved in geocaching. When did you start?
My wife Wanda was the first to get me started, it was February of 2011 and we were both bored in the house and she found a blurb about Geocaching on NB Tourism website. Since I had a GPS for work she wanted to try it. Not being aware of the proper coordinate system our first trip out was not a great success =D
2. How did you choose your caching name?
When we first started myself and my wife had separate names but I wanted to combine them into one teams name. Since we usually take the dog when we go and we are both from Newfoundland.. Team-Newfie-Trio seemed the best choice. I do primary 95% of the caching tho, and the wife is constantly urging me to change it to my own name, but she does go with me on well-groomed trails when theres no bugs! =D
3. How many caches have you found so far?
1437 caches as of July 17th, 2011
4. What brand/type of GPS do you use?
Currently using a Garmin GPSMAP 62s
5. What programs/software or hardware (PDA/laptop/phone) do you use to make caching easier?
I don’t really use any programs nowadays, I used to use GSAK before I switched to a Macbook, and with my current GPS its paperless so I don’t really need any extra help.
6. What type of cache do you prefer seeking – traditional, multi, puzzle, virtual?
Traditional is what we have most of, Some of the puzzle ones really confuse me and I really have to sit down to figure them out.
7. Which caches were the most challenging – physically/mentally? Why?
I haven’t really come across a mentally challenging one because I don’t do puzzles very often, but as for Physically I like steep terrain hiking. GCGBHX (Sherpody Mountain) or GC1CMMG (Martin Head – Fundy Footpath) were both long hikes and a lot of fun.
8. Do you have a favorite or favorites among the Maritime caches that you’ve found?
Several, GCVDR8 (Spelunky) and GCRGRA (Slow N’ Steady) are some that just come to mind.
(Feel free to list a favorite for each type of cache) Do you have a favorite in a nearby Province?
9. What’s the most unusual thing that you’ve ever found in a cache?
A live snake. It seems there was a hole in the very bottom of the peanut butter container… So I have the GPS in one hand, the container held between body and forearm and I start to open the lid and as soon as I popped the lid there was a hissing and a very annoyed looking snake with a shaking tail looking at me. Rest of the story is Top Secret.. LOL
10. What are your current caching goals? Is there a certain cache that you can’t wait to do?
Im going to try and knock out 2000 caches by the end of the summer, Myself and my buddy Cachescammer will be hiking the entire Dobson trail in 3 days. Also I really would like to get GCBBA
11. How many caches have you placed? Do you have a current hiding goal?
I have currently 22 hidden. I don’t really have a hiding goal, I just place them as the urge suits me and when I have an awesome idea.
12. What advice would you give someone that wants to place a cache? What steps do YOU take when placing a cache?
Advice is an easy one. Maintenance, Don’t place a cache if you cannot maintain it. Some steps I take is to make sure its a good container, Something that will be waterproof is essential and then try to make it fun for cachers to find, whether is be adding a theme to the cache or making it unusual to make them think.
13. How often do you go caching?
Depends on work, but I usually go on a caching excursion on the weekends with friends.
14. What advice would you give a beginning geocacher?
Don’t get frustrated if you cannot find the caches, our first times out we could barely find any! It was only after we got our geosense that we started getting them with ease.
15. Do you collect geocoins? Of the ones that you’ve collected, which is your favourite?
I have only just recently started collecting coins. I currently have 2, The New Brunswick Winter Challenge coin and the Moncton Tourism Coin. No favourite, both are awesome coins!
16. What type of gear do you carry with you on your caching trips? What’s in your geopack?
Water, pens, extra batteries and bug dope. Season dependant tho!
17. What is your most memorable caching experience?
Geocaching in Gros Mourne National Park on my Honeymoon. Lots of great caches and beautiful scenery.
18. What is your best caching story?
New Brunswick Winter Challenge: I was rushing to get to a cache down by Martins Head. We got lost on all the roads and was running out of time because of the tide pattern. The car is pushing snow, and someone had plowed up a bit of snow at the road exit, I popped over it in the car and the car hung up and had the 2 front tires off the ground… front wheel drive with no front tires on the ground is usually bad! Had to jack up the car, take my trusty hatchet I always have in the car and chip away enough ice to lower the car so that the tires could touch.
19. What do you like about geocaching? What keeps you going?
It gets me out of the house. Sometimes I hate being cooped up with nothing to do and geocaching will take us to some places which we would have never known about if I didn’t geocache.
20. Besides geocaching, what other things do you like to do?
To be honest geocaching is basically my only hobby these days, Work is just too busy sometimes to try and juggle too many hobbies. But I do like playing sports, weightlifting and running.
21. What question did you expect us to ask but didn’t. What is the answer?
I expected to be asked about my walking stick. It was made by Cachescammer and its trackable with a deer antler attached to the top. Its a beautiful piece of work.
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