Cacher of the Month – Back Road Trackers
Geocaching Name: Back Road Trackers
Real Name : Jason Burke
Interview Date : July 26th, 2011
1. How did you become involved in geocaching? When did you start?
My sister ( starr_shine ) and a friend went Geocaching one day and were telling me about it. I had heard about it before that but never got involved ( as I didn’t have a GPSr to use ). It was in the fall around hunting season November 21, 2009, and I went out to grab one just 500 Meters from Home. Found and took a TB and came home to see what that was about. Then I had to go find another to drop this Travel Bug I got.
2. How did you choose your caching name?
I started with just my name, “jburkenrfb”. After almost two years and finding out that you can change your name I changed it to “Back Road Trackers” which is exactly what my family loves to do.
3. How many caches have you found so far?
581
4. What brand/type of GPS do you use?
I actually use two Different GPS units. I started with my old Faithful a Garmin Rino 530HCx, I love this unit but it not the beast for storing caches on it as it won’t save hints and descriptions and so on. I have more recently bought a Garmin Dakota 20. This holds all the info and then some that I need in the Bush.
5. What programs/software or hardware (PDA/laptop/phone) do you use to make caching easier?
I have Tried GSAK but mostly do it all the old fashion way of downloading one by one.
6. What type of cache do you prefer seeking – traditional, multi, puzzle, or virtual?
Traditional Caches
7. Do you have a favorite or favorites among the Maritime caches that you’ve found?
Ghost on the Wallace River: Travelling Riverside GCTT0H is the one that stands out the most. It is in the Wentworth Valley on an old abandoned road beside an old abandoned/falling down Steel Bridge.
8. What’s the most unusual thing that you’ve ever found in a cache?
What appears to be a Marijuana Joint in Canada’s First Cache?
9. What are your current caching goals? Is there a certain cache that you can’t wait to do?
I would like to make 750 caches buy the end of the year. It’s only better than 150 away but with my work I haven’t got a lot of time to go steady at it.
10. How many caches have you placed? Do you have a current hiding goal?
73, I have 64 caches and 9 events I’ve hosted.
11. What advice would you give someone that wants to place a cache? What steps do YOU take when placing a cache?
The thing I learnt quickly is to take several readings at the hiding location and when filling out the new cache form look on the map is provides and see if it looks to be in the correct spot.
12. How often do you go caching?
I have the GPS in my truck at all times and usually go caching at the spur of a minuet notice.
13. What advice would you give a beginning geocacher?
Don’t give up because you can’t find a cache. Learn to think like a cacher. Where would the dirtiest, nastiest place to hide be and look there.
14. Do you collect geocoins? Of the ones that you’ve collected, which is your favorite?
I have almost 100 coins and my favorites are my firefighter related coins. More so my fire Truck Coin.
15. What type of gear do you carry with you on your caching trips? What’s in your geopack?
My GPS, extra Bags, new log sheets, a pen, an old fashioned compass and my phone. In my truck is a First aid kit.
16. What is your most memorable caching experience?
I introduced a friend into caching this past spring. I went to a few caches with them to make sure they had an idea what to do. The next day I get a phone call. They were trying to find a cache I hid on Penny’s Mountain near Truro NS. They tried to bushwhack from the 311 Highway approx. 1200 meters uphill. (You could drive to within 50 meters of the cache). They called me, because they had used their car GPS and the Batteries went dead… and they were lost. I was working and had to call a friend of mine who works with Search and Rescue with me. He lives on the side of Penny’s Mountain so he hiked and found them and brought them back out of the woods.
17. What do you like about geocaching? What keeps you going?
I love the outdoors and exploring new areas. My wife (jlellis24) and 10 year old Daughter (Little Roaming Gnome) love geocaching and the outdoors
18. Besides geocaching, what other things do you like to do?
I have been a Volunteer Firefighter for the past 13 years and have been on the local Search and Rescue team for the past 14 years.
19. What question did you expect us to ask but didn’t. What is the answer?
What is a pet peeve about caching? Mine would be the people who will not log a DID NOT FIND for whatever reason, but is willing to message you saying they can’t find the cache is there any other hints.
