How long have you been geocaching?
I found my first geocache in February 2005. I didn't know what a geocache was until then.

How did you choose your handle?
Besides the connection to trail markers and hiking, I remembered my mother often using this phrase when referring to me and my mischief.

How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it?
My first find was 210 Park Cache (GCMKMG) near to home in Lake Charles. As I remember, it took some time to find. The park had lots of underbrush and tree cover. However, as a newbie, I was most impressed early on with Lonely Little Park (GCMM49) in Baton Rouge. This cache opened my eyes to creative hiding techniques.

Who usually goes with you when you go caching?
Over the years, by necessity, most of my finds have been solo shots. However, I have found a number of caches with Survivor Florida (now poosu), Junique and, more recently, with cajunspongebob. I don't really enjoy hunting alone.

How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?
There are very few puzzle caches around Lake Charles, but I will work on those until solved. However, when planning a road trip, I usually ignore puzzle caches and multi-caches completely.

What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?
I really enjoy seeing a state from end to end, and corner to corner, while doing a DeLorme challenge. You experience the cities, the farms, forests, waterways and everything else in between.

Do you do paperless caching?
I'm about 99% paperless. My Nuvi holds all of the cache info (descriptions, logs, etc.). However, I do create a summary sheet with a one-liner for every cache in my pocket query. I also create and carry a big-picture Google cache map.

What kind of geocaching rig do you use?
This may be a bit unusual, but for the past few years, I have been using my Nuvi 650 for everything. It's my automotive GPS, my handheld GPS, and finally it doubles as my PDA device. Early on, I was able to write software to load complete cache data into the Nuvi as POI (points of interest) data.

Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?
Geocaching is a great way to combine exercise, the outdoors, travel and sight-seeing into one activity.

Where are you originally from?
I guess I was a lifelong, Yankee boy from Pennsylvania, but I retired early and now enjoy living in Louisiana. And don't let anyone tell you differently, but the hot, humid, summertime, brier thicket, mosquito and cottonmouth infested caching adventures down here are as tough as it gets anywhere.

States you have geocached?
I have been reported wandering around in 38 states. I have covered north, south and east pretty well, but I still need most of the western states. I believe my prettiest caching state was Connecticut, and Oklahoma was the most unique looking for a northern guy like me.

What was your first event ever attended?
I live in an isolated geocaching area. We have very few, enduring geocachers or events in southwest Louisiana. So my first event was with the SETX gang in Beaumont, Texas. I have now found over 2,000 caches across that border, so east Texas has been a home away from home.

How many caches have you found?
As of February 2010, I have found 6,128.

Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?
I prefer the containers of unusual, creative or so-called evil hides.

What was the most famous cache that you have found?
I have probably overlooked the obvious answer to this question, but I now get a kick out of finding the oldest cache in any state I visit. So I would have to say it’s any one of the oldies. On the other hand, for famous and not found, I hunted and failed to find the popular APE cache in Maryland just one day after this huge container reportedly washed away forever in a huge rain storm.

Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries?
Unfortunately, Margaret (my Nuvi 650) is an older model and doesn't have a removable battery, so I have to keep her charged up in the SUV. Then she has the stamina for all but the longest hikes. But she has gone lights out on me a few times.

Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby?
My favorite activity is finding challenge caches. I enjoy the planning stage as much as the finding stage. And, at the end, it's fun to mimic Hannibal Smith and say, "I love it when a plan comes together!" However, I also enjoy working with folks behind the scenes, whether making bamboo walking sticks; or creating the DeLorme/County/Fizzy challenge reports; or making graphics for cachers like the state awards and other things found on my profile page; or just helping out by writing useful computer programs.

Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?
I try to create a challenge for the finder. Hopefully, I can be successful more often than not.

What is your favorite type of cache hide?
As stated above, I prefer unusual, creative or so-called evil hides regardless of container. I also like clever caches hidden in plain sight, as well as caches that others have given up on, or otherwise haven't found in a long time.

Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?
I would have to say the Louisiana Lagniappe series in Pennsylvania, or Little Miss Pipe Dream also there, or the Interstate Highway Challenge series throughout the USA, or the new Louisiana Parish Challenge. And I wish to thank all of the local cachers that maintain some of these for me.

What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?
I once met a geocacher who spoke about those on "geocaching welfare". He meant those with hundreds to thousands of finds, but with no or very few hides of their own to keep the sport viable. Other than encouraging these folks to hide caches, I don't have a ratio in mind that would work for all circumstances.

How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?
Soon after I moved to Louisiana, my geocaching relatives in Florida recommended that I get into it as a way to relax and to get familiar with my new surroundings.

Do you have any future personal goals?
Yes, actually I have two crazy, future goals (with an extra helping of crazy).

1. I would like to do the Texas County Challenge (GCRX6F), all 254 counties and one final cache of it, during ONE non-stop visit to Texas.

2. I would also like to find one geocache in each of the 50 states plus DC in ONE whirlwind national tour. I have already done research and planning for this one. I'm thinking of taking days, and not weeks or months to complete this goal. My dilemma for both of these goals is to locate and team up with the right, experienced, equally crazy and motivated cachers with the free time to join in. If you are just as nuts, I would be happy to hear from you.

Blue Blazes' Personal Note.
Thanks to everyone and to Richie for the honor of being the featured cacher for February 2010. As others have said previously, the fun comes from meeting in person and interacting with like-minded folks. I’m also enjoying the interesting Internet contacts that I have made.

Hoping you receive your special Valentine,
Sterling (or Blue)