News & New Caches 71

One new cache and one new Adventure Lab has been published since our last post.

GCA45AB Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay by Glaslyn1 Traditional D2/T2

Adventure Lab
Dinas Mawddwy by Oldquincepie, 4 nonsequential stages
This Adventure Lab explores Dinas Mawddwy a village at the southern edge of the Eryri / Snowdonia National Park.

Event Reminder

GCA3QRN 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 53 by 9 usual Suspects
When: Wednesday 25th January, 2023
Where: Black Boys Inn, Stryd Pedwar a Chwech, Caernarfon LL55 1RW
Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves

Yes, this is tonight!

We have struggled to find a pub who can guarantee that their kitchens will be open on Wednesday evenings, hopefully this is only going to be a short term problem. We regret that dogs are not allowed in Black Boys building but are allowed at the tables out side.

Geocaching International Film Festival

It has been confirmed that GIFF is returning in 2023. Events will be held from November 9 – November 19, 2023. We are awaiting further announcements on what is going to be GIFF-erent this year!

News & New Caches 70

We have just one new cache on the edge of our area to report since our last post.

GCA3TCY It’s A Bugs Life by amymarie87 Traditional D2/T1.5

Ski Sunday

GCA31ZX 9 Usual Suspects Present Ski Sunday by 9 Usual Suspects Event

The rest of Europe may have limited snow but here in the Nantlle Valley the conditions were perfect for a fun afternoon of skiing. The Moseley’s training paid off with them topping the medal tables. We must thank everyone who braved the cold, wet weather, Andy for videoing, Pete for the 3D printed medals, Richard and Elaine for all their hard work in setting up.

Results

Downhill
1st Gwyn time 2:18.31
2nd Lon time: 2:21.85
3rd Andy time 2:30.82

Slalom
1st Gwyn 1:29.98
2nd Lon 1:30.53
3rd Steve 1:59.34

News & New Caches 69

We have three new caches and the first N&N of 2023 published since our last post.

GCA3BB5 Seibiant Y Cob (The Cob Rest) by Hitch-Hikers Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GCA3Q7F snail mail by amymarie87 Traditional D1.5/T1.5

Premium Member Only
GCA3QTQ #3A – Ramble – Stump by Bess’s Friends Traditional D1.5/T1.5
A new edition to Bess’s Friends Ramble series.

Event
GCA3QRN 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 53
When: Wednesday 25th January, 2023
Where: Black Boys Inn, Stryd Pedwar a Chwech, Caernarfon LL55 1RW
Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves

We have struggled to find a pub who can guarantee that their kitchens will be open on Wednesday 25th evening, hopefully this is only going to be a short term problem. We regret that dogs are not allowed in Black Boys building but are allowed at the tables out side.

Event Reminder

GCA31ZX 9 Usual Suspects Present Ski Sunday by 9 Usual Suspects Event
When: Sunday 15th January 2023
Where: Plas Gwernoer, Nantlle LL54 6BB (Pete & Ann’s)
Time: 2pm – 4.15pm

Ski Sunday is coming to the Nantlle Valley. We have 2 races planned, downhill and slalom with prizes for the top 3 on the leader boards. Wrap up warm, join us either as a competitor or spectator for a fun filled afternoon. The Cache Bar will be open, snacks, fondue and hot drinks will be available on a self service basis.

A ‘will attend’ log will help us plan the day and especially with catering!

Parking is at the house, please note our gateway is very narrow and the pillars are not forgiving!

News & New Caches 68

A quiet time of year for new caches, just a traditional and adventure Lab with bonus.

GCA33ME Dinas Dinlle Adventure Lab Bonus by Ann@Birdbrook Mystery D1.5/T2

Premium Member Only
GCA29EV Any SIGN of Daniel? by RichieBlod Traditional D2/T1.5

Adventure Labs

Dinas Dinlle created by Ann@Birdbrook Sequential
This Adventure Lab is best done on a nice day to appreciate the views and the beautiful coastline. The final stage is very close to the bonus cache which should be a nice easy find.

Event Reminder

GCA31ZX 9 Usual Suspects Present Ski Sunday by 9 Usual Suspects Event
When: Sunday 14th January 2023
Where: Plas Gwernoer, Nantlle LL54 6BB (Pete & Ann’s)
Time: 2pm – 4.15pm

Parking is at the house, please note our gateway is very narrow and the pillars are not forgiving!

Unlike the video below we can guarantee perfect snow conditions for our afternoons racing.

So why not join us, we are sure there will be plenty of banter and lots of laughter.

Souvenir Reminder

There is only a few days left to earn the Full Sail 2023 souvenir. It is only available until the 8th January, to earn find any geocache, attend an Event, or complete an Adventure Lab® Location.

Future Event

Does anyone want to join us to find the Adventure Lab, Whodunnit at the Bryntirion Inn? and the bonus cache GC9G549 Whodunnit at the Bryntirion Inn – Labcache Bonus, followed by a Sunday lunch event at the pub. Proposed date is Sunday 5th February. Interested? Please contact us through the comments or message 9 Usual Suspects geocaching account.

The cat who got the cream

Well done Glyn for snagging my first toil tag up above Nantlle back in November (I know, I’m sorry for the delay on the STT update guys…!). Everyone else- keep your eyes open, there’s only a week left for us hiders to get the remaining tags published!

There have been a few developments regarding up-and-coming STT games this year. Rather than rewriting what others have said, I’m copying the ‘important’ comments from Facebook below:

Morning all.

Just so we are all clear.

We have 2 upcoming games.

Both will have a presale. [i.e. You need to order your tag from Scott Kirby via Facebook / PayPal]

The first game is a 2nd round of UFO’s and this is on presale now.

The other mystery game is being revealed January and presales will go on sale mid February.

As usual i need a minimum of ten players to make the postage etc work.

The UFO’s hiders are $40 plus £10.00 for the bulk postage. [two tags to hide and a tag and coin to keep]

There are also supporters at $30 plus £10.00 for the bulk postage. [just a coin to keep and not part of the ‘game’]

The mystery game will be $39.00 plus £10.00 shipping

Supporters are TBC.

If you are interested in the UFO game please DM me

Scott Kirby – Facebook

I will not be hiding during the 2nd Watson / UFO game, but if anyone else is interested please send Scott a message on Facebook (alternatively contact me via geocaching and I can order for you.). He would like to know by this Friday (06/01/23) if you intend to hide in the 2nd UFO game.

In the meantime, I hear a cat is stuck up a tree somewhere nearby…

2023 Souvenirs in the UK

Here is a list of current and forth coming souvenirs available in the UK. We expect CITO season 1 & 2, International Geocaching Day and International Earthcache Day to be confirmed very soon.

Full Sail 2023 earn by finding any geocache, attending an Event, or completing an Adventure Lab® Location from January 1st–8th 2023.

2023 Hider Souvenir is available from 1st January to 31st December 2023, to qualify either place a cache or hosted an event that is published is 2023.

Signal’s Labyrinth The current Castle Maze challenge that started on 5th December 2022 runs to 6th February 2023. Like the other maze challenges there are 2 souvenirs available, you must collect 50 points to earn the first souvenir and 500 points to earn the second souvenir.

Each labyrinth in Signal’s Labyrinth challenge has different point values for finding geocaches, Adventures, and bonus items. In the Castle Maze attending an event is worth maximum 35 points, with lanterns being the bonus item earning an extra 50 points. Like previous mazes these are awarded randomly. The maximum number of points you can earn for any cache log is 85 points.

Found an Adventure Lab Cache (Adventure Location)	10
Attended an Event	35
Found a Mystery Cache	30
Found a Multi-Cache	30
Found a Letterbox Hybrid	25
Found a cache with 10+ Favorite points	20
Found a Signal’s Labyrinth item	50
Found it*	15

*Log a Found it on any other cache type

The final Labyrinth Challenge starts on 6th February 2023 and runs to 3rd April 2023. Details and point scoring yet to be announced.

Labyrinth Challenge Bonus Souvenir this will be awarded to anyone who has earned the 12 Labyrinth Souvenirs.

Mega Event Souvenirs in UK

GC9MAXX London Calling 2023 Mega Event 11am-4pm Saturday, April 29, 2023

GCA2BBR Piratemania 15 Pirates Royalists & Roundheads Mega Event 10am-10pm 29th July, 2023

GC9V5J3 Milton Keynes UK Mega 2023 Mega Event 10am-4pm Saturday 5th August. 2023

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda/Happy New Year

9 Usual Suspects would like to take this opportunity to say a very BIG THANK YOU to everyone for their support and making 2022 a very special geocaching year. We also wish everyone Blwyddyn Newydd Dda/Happy New Year and look forward to another year of fun and adventures………….

We have put together a video of our 2022 escapades………

Bet you can’t wait to see what we are planning for 2023!

News & New Caches 67

There has been no new caches or Adventure labs published in our area since our last post, we have just a couple of event reminders.

Event Reminders

GCA31Z2 9 Usual Suspects Say Goodbye to 2022 by 9 Usual Suspects
Where: Dinas Dinlle
When: Saturday 31st December, 2022
Time: 10.30-11.00am

We had hoped that one of the cafes would be open so that we would have somewhere to shelter if the weather is bad, but sadly they are all closed until after the New Year. So the plan is to bring our mobile tea wagon (campervan), so that we can supply hot drinks and bacon rolls, oh and cake! There is a rumour that a new set of Adventure Labs plus a bonus cache may appear during this event.

GCA3214 9 Usual Suspects Say Hello 2023 by 9 Usual Suspects
Where: Ty Coch Inn, Porthdinllaen, Morfa Nefyn, Gwynedd LL53 6DB
When: Sunday 1st January, 2023
Time: 12.30-1.30pm or when the last person leaves

According to the pubs website ‘The Ty Coch Inn is arguably the best pub in Wales and OFFICIALLY in the top ten beach bars in the world…’

We would like to wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy 2023 and Thank You for supporting 9US throughout 2022.

Let the adventures and fun continue………..

Xmas Greetings from the 9 Usual Suspects

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… for geocaching! And as we gather with our fellow geocachers to celebrate the holiday season, we can’t help but think about the “Usual Suspects” we might encounter on the trails.

First, there’s the “Grinch” cacher who hides caches they have found in more difficult, obscure locations, to give others a bit harder challenge. But don’t worry, a little determination (and possibly a GPS signal boost) will help you track them down.

Then there’s the “Elf” cacher who is always full of cheer and ready to lend a helping hand to others. It’s a good thing they’re around, because without them we might all turn into the “Scrooge” cachers, who always are grumbling about the cold, rain and the mud.

Of course, no geocaching adventure is complete without encountering a few “Reindeer” cachers – you know, the ones that are always on the move replacing damaged logs and containers. And let’s not forget the “Santa” cacher who generously shares their caching knowledge with the rest of the community and replenishes SWAG, bringing joy to junior cachers.

So as we set out on our holiday geocaching adventures, see how many of these Christmas cacher types you can spot.

Thank You from Gwynedd Council

A message from Norman Hughes, Clean & Tidy Officer, Gwynedd Council. On behalf of the council he would like to Thank all litter pickers for their fantastic work throughout the last year and to say they appreciate all that you do. He also would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone Nadolig Llawen, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

And finally…………..

A Christmas Cracker Joke to get you all in the mood:

What do they sing at a snowman’s birthday? – “Freeze a jolly good fellow…”

From all of us at Nine Usual Suspects, we wish you a very
Merry Christmas/Nadolig Llawen!

Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro Rugged Smartphone: The Ultimate Outdoor Companion

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you know the importance of having a reliable and rugged smartphone by your side. The Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro Rugged Smartphone is designed specifically with durability and versatility in mind, making it the perfect choice for anyone who loves to spend time in the great outdoors.

One of the standout features of the Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro is its ruggedness. It’s built to withstand even the toughest conditions, with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. This means that it can be submerged in water up to 1.5 meters deep for up to 30 minutes without any damage. It’s also shockproof, able to withstand drops from up to 1.5 meters without any damage.

In addition to its rugged design, the Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro is packed with features that make it perfect for outdoor activities. It has a large 5.5 inch HD display that’s perfect for viewing maps and other information, even in bright sunlight. It also has a powerful 8-core processor and 4GB of RAM, making it capable of handling even the most demanding apps and games.

But where the Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro really shines is in its GPS capabilities. It’s equipped with high-precision GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou navigation systems, allowing you to track your location and movements with incredible accuracy. This is especially useful for activities like geocaching, where it’s important to get a quick lock onto your exact location and give exact readings to that elusive cache.

The Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro also has a range of other features that make it perfect for outdoor adventures. It has a long-lasting 8150mAh battery, so you don’t have to worry about running out of power when you’re out in the wilderness, I got a day of heavy GPS usage without having to recharge the phone and never ran out of battery. It also has a 16MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera, allowing you to capture stunning photos and videos of your adventures.

Overall, the Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro is an excellent choice for anyone who loves spending time outdoors. Its rugged design, powerful specs, and advanced GPS capabilities make it a fantastic outdoor companion. Whether you’re hiking through the mountains or exploring the wilderness in search of that cache, the Ulefone Power Armor X11 Pro has you covered. The phone is priced at £155 but as can be found for less.