As mentioned in another thread on GPS units, I had a curious thought about using GPS units, or even older Letterboxing techniques to hide stashes of kick-downs, trades, and unneeded, or unwanted (BUT STILL USEFUL TO SOMEONE ELSE!) items. Basically, this is a STP version of Geocaching.
Private Dead Drops: Want to make a Dead Drop that only you and a couple friends know about? Well, we probably won't know you made one, and we can't stop you.
Public Dead Drops: Make one! Make Dozens!
Some rules to follow.
1: Use sturdy, watertight, critterproof storage boxes. Old ammocans work great.
2: If you can be arrested for having it, it's probably a bad idea to put it in a Dead Drop.
3: Always leave something for the person behind you. Don't leave a box empty. Not cool. If you want all the stuff in a box, or need it, leave something in return. Take one, leave one. Take two, leave two. So on.
4: Leave items that aren't easily damaged by being too hot, or frozen. Canned goods will split the can in the winter.
5: If it can be damaged by water, put it in a baggie. Hopefully the box is waterproof. Sometimes, they aren't. It's a bummer to trade for something that doesn't work.
6: The Logbook is there for you, write something in it for the next guy.
7: Use common sense. Don't blow up the Dead Drop.
8: In today's political climate, try not to make your box too suspicious. Cops don't like getting called to a suspicious item that's full of traveler's treasures.
Locating or Hiding A Dead Drop:
Use a GPS: Using the WGS84 Datum, post the Coordinates, Lat/Long, into the spreadsheet. Describe it, date it. Name it something memorable and unique. In the Warnings, post the hazards. "Snakes! Spiders! Cops!"
Use a Smartphone: Same deal as using the GPS.
Use an App called What Three Words: This is an interesting way to give a universally unique address that is actually memorable for humans. Much easier to remember "Travel.That.Signpost" than a series of numbers. Same deal as before.
Using the Spreadsheet:
Type: What am I looking for? An ammocan? A soupcan? A hollowed out rock(!)? A hollow bolt? A flashdrive glued into a wall?
Name: What this one is called, a unique item name so you can tell someone, "I left a pack of smokes for you in the Dead Drop named "SMOKSHAK" 8 alphanumeric characters, so it's easy to enter the name into a GPS unit.
Date: When you hid your box.
Latitude/ Longitude/ What Words Phrase/ Letterboxing Directions: Well, we need to know where you put it. Otherwise It's just another lost toy.
Hazards: Warnings for bad things. Is there a security cam watching? Is it in a populated area? Is it in an area with a lot of snakes/spiders/angry rodents?
Status: How the box is doing. Full of stuff? Empty? Missing? Leaky?
Rules for the spreadsheet:
Anyone can edit it. It's recommended that you save a copy, in case someone decides to erase the whole thing tomorrow. Or fill it with junk. Or whatever.
Please don't delete anything, just make a new line, and if something needs the eraser, PM me with why you want it gone, and I'll delete it.
The Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JId1RFhwLS5A84zjcUhu9CinSsXunQ4nMhhfNt8fq3k/edit?usp=sharing
Edit: Link is now live! Anything I forgot? Comments? Concerns? Ideas? Cool things to add? When I find time, I'll be making a few of these and hiding them for people.
Private Dead Drops: Want to make a Dead Drop that only you and a couple friends know about? Well, we probably won't know you made one, and we can't stop you.
Public Dead Drops: Make one! Make Dozens!
Some rules to follow.
1: Use sturdy, watertight, critterproof storage boxes. Old ammocans work great.
2: If you can be arrested for having it, it's probably a bad idea to put it in a Dead Drop.
3: Always leave something for the person behind you. Don't leave a box empty. Not cool. If you want all the stuff in a box, or need it, leave something in return. Take one, leave one. Take two, leave two. So on.
4: Leave items that aren't easily damaged by being too hot, or frozen. Canned goods will split the can in the winter.
5: If it can be damaged by water, put it in a baggie. Hopefully the box is waterproof. Sometimes, they aren't. It's a bummer to trade for something that doesn't work.
6: The Logbook is there for you, write something in it for the next guy.
7: Use common sense. Don't blow up the Dead Drop.
8: In today's political climate, try not to make your box too suspicious. Cops don't like getting called to a suspicious item that's full of traveler's treasures.
Locating or Hiding A Dead Drop:
Use a GPS: Using the WGS84 Datum, post the Coordinates, Lat/Long, into the spreadsheet. Describe it, date it. Name it something memorable and unique. In the Warnings, post the hazards. "Snakes! Spiders! Cops!"
Use a Smartphone: Same deal as using the GPS.
Use an App called What Three Words: This is an interesting way to give a universally unique address that is actually memorable for humans. Much easier to remember "Travel.That.Signpost" than a series of numbers. Same deal as before.
Using the Spreadsheet:
Type: What am I looking for? An ammocan? A soupcan? A hollowed out rock(!)? A hollow bolt? A flashdrive glued into a wall?
Name: What this one is called, a unique item name so you can tell someone, "I left a pack of smokes for you in the Dead Drop named "SMOKSHAK" 8 alphanumeric characters, so it's easy to enter the name into a GPS unit.
Date: When you hid your box.
Latitude/ Longitude/ What Words Phrase/ Letterboxing Directions: Well, we need to know where you put it. Otherwise It's just another lost toy.
Hazards: Warnings for bad things. Is there a security cam watching? Is it in a populated area? Is it in an area with a lot of snakes/spiders/angry rodents?
Status: How the box is doing. Full of stuff? Empty? Missing? Leaky?
Rules for the spreadsheet:
Anyone can edit it. It's recommended that you save a copy, in case someone decides to erase the whole thing tomorrow. Or fill it with junk. Or whatever.
Please don't delete anything, just make a new line, and if something needs the eraser, PM me with why you want it gone, and I'll delete it.
The Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JId1RFhwLS5A84zjcUhu9CinSsXunQ4nMhhfNt8fq3k/edit?usp=sharing
Edit: Link is now live! Anything I forgot? Comments? Concerns? Ideas? Cool things to add? When I find time, I'll be making a few of these and hiding them for people.
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