WOT: Anyone here into Geocaching? Options

[HeloMech]

Just ordered a new GPS and can't wait to start some geocaching.

Anyone here into it? Was into it? Wanna get into it?

[sgomes]

Fun for the whole family. Haven't done it in a while (since the birth of my second kid a month ago.) The best were the ones we did in foreign countries!

[turboman808]

I did it a couple of times by bicycle when I was just looking for a place to go on a ride. Never really got into it honestly.

[Gary]

Fun stuff. Did it a bunch with the kids when we were up at Ft. Irwin - not much else to do. Not as much here in the PNW - too busy. Need to get back into it - great excuse for some day hikes.

[HeloMech]

Yeah, I'm hoping to get the girfy into it with me as well. looking online, there are several cache's around my place and my dad's place. I like to think that she'll like it enough that we can take the motorhome up north a bit to where we can do some camping (28'motorhome with full kitchen and bathroom, bed, etc. / her idea of camping) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) and basic searches.

[Rand]

I do quite a bit of it. I've discovered some really cool places that way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[sjhowitson]

My brother is into it. They do it a bunch up in the Lake Tahoe area. Kids love it and bro gets to play with his GPS toys. He takes lots of great pictures from all the places the end up. Fun for the whole family...

[jfort]

I really enjoy it. Wife and kids do, too. Gets us out to woods, parks, cemeteries that we would never see otherwise. I enjoy the gadget/technology part of it, too.

[HeloMech]

Very cool, thanks for the replies. I'm still waiting for the GPS to show up. I think I've read most of geocaching.com and I'm ready to go FIND stuff. I have the Palm Pilot, Digicam and will have the Garmin 60CSx mapping gps.

it had BETTER get here before I leave for 6 weeks in ALABAMA... grrrrr.

[VaccaRabite]

My wife and I cache during the "off" months for an excuse to get off our butts and go for a hike. Once about mid spring hits we are usually too busy, but we will head out several times during the winter.

She is usually the one that finds the cache. I am usually too tied to the GPS. Last time that we went out, we ended up spending all day and walking several miles around a state park near us that we did not even know existed.

Just remember, when ever you go to an unfamiliar place to do some caching, as soon as you get out of your car, set it as a way point. That way, no matter how lost you might be wherever you are, or how dark it gets, you will be able to find your way back to the car. This came in handy last year, as we realized it was starting to get dark, and we were 2 miles from the car.

Also, remember that aside form the GPS, you need to get the expanded maps. The basemap of a gps does not have enough detail, and is not nearly as accurate as the expanded maps that you get. The difference is night and day.

Also, keep in mind what is going on around you. If you are going into the woods during any hunting season, wear BRITE colors (or better, some hunter orange).

Good luck, and happy hunting.

Zach

[Mueller]

I had to "google" it to figure out what the heck it was.....

now I know what it is....currently I am trying to figure out why?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I guess I'm lazy and would rather sit in front of the TV and eat bon-bons (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[VaccaRabite]

I had to "google" it to figure out what the heck it was.....
now I know what it is....currently I am trying to figure out why?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
I guess I'm lazy and would rather sit in front of the TV and eat bon-bons (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

The "why" is easy. Its fun for us that do it. Its a chance to get out and explore a little. See things that we may not have seen before, even if we had been in that area many times. It can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be, with geocaches in urban areas, wooded areas, hell even underwater. It can be frusterating at times (there is a cache hidden behind the movie theater right near our house that we CAN NOT FREAKEN FIND) but most hobbies are. Not to mention, it is exercise without really thinking about exercise.

Besides, if you have a handheld GPS allready, its a cheap-like-free way to spend the day.

Zach

[HeloMech]

Nice post Zach. Still waiting for the little garmin to show up at my door. I've bookmarked several caches in my area. I'm heading to alabama and will be there for 6 weeks so I'll check that area out as well. I'll already have the street level maps by the time the gps shows up. I don't think I'll get the topo maps at this point. I read where someone had a 2GB card and had the whole US street level saved on there.

I had read about the setting your car as a waypoint when you leave it, what I hadn't thought about was hunting season and brite colors. I live in the city and that never crossed my mind. Think I'll take the gf out in her new moose costume and see if we find anything. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[VaccaRabite]

I had read about the setting your car as a waypoint when you leave it, what I hadn't thought about was hunting season and brite colors. I live in the city and that never crossed my mind.

So long as you are aware fo your surroundings, it should not be a problem. Also, many state parks are "no hunting" areas. Still, be cautious. Hunters get lost and wander into areas they they should not be in. Also, when wearing brite colors, stay clear of white, especially during deer season. Find colors that are not found in nature.

I have an orange ball cap that I wear whenever I go into the woods, even for well marked trails like the AT. Here in PA, seeing as we cache in the colder months, we will often come across cleaned deer carcass in the woods.


My first "cache" in 2003 - just a historical marker above harpers ferry, where the US put a battery above the town on after the confederates captured it. Note the orange cap. It is not hunting season, and we are on a federal park (no hunting) but it is aways smart to take precautions.

Okay, so I am wordy and maybe overly precautious. Have fun!

Zach

[914helo]

Lots of people up here in the high desert do it. My friend takes his two kids in the jeep and calls it 'treasure hunting.' His excuse to go 4-wheeling. When we are flying we also take note of where some spots are. It's a fun way to spend an afternoon with the family. Enjoy!

[grantsfo]

Sounds like something metrosexuals would enjoy.

[Mueller]

Sounds like something metrosexuals would enjoy.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chairfall.gif)

that is one of those lines that makes you laugh or crack a stupid looking smile in the middle of a boring meeting and it's too difficult to share it with your fellow co-workers.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[sww914]

I was very skeptical, I asked my wife what kind of stupid shit are you getting me into this time?
She said, just try it.
I did, and it's really good fun for me, my wife, my son and his friends. Scrambling around outside somewhere you would never ever have been otherwise is a lot more fun than watching TV. If you look at how you normally spend your time and where you usually go, it's probably the same thing over and over. This will get you to new places in your neighborhood you never new existed and when you travel it will get you to visit places you could never see otherwise.
Think about restaurants, you probably only eat at the same 6-8 places over and over again even though there may be 200 restaurants within 15 miles of you.
If you go Geocaching in West Yellowstone, wear insect repellant!
The mosquitos were so thick I killed 5 with 1 swat on my calf! No Shit.