Geocaching

[waferdog]

I don't believe this subject has been presented here at Techimo before, so I figure I would do the honors.

I disconvered a new activity this past summer that allows me to geek out with technology while still managing to get some good exercise. As you guessed, this is activity is geocaching. Essentially, in Geocaching you use a GPS of your choosing to hunt down hidden "caches". The coordinates for each cache are listed at the geocaching website (this is the biggest geocaching site, the others tend to be more regional in nature). You pop the coordinates in your GPS and go find the cache. The beauty of this is that there tens of thousands of these caches hidden around the country, all placed by fellow geocachers. When you find a cache, the idea is to take an item from it and then place an item. These items are no big deal usually, just dollar store items, although you sometimes find some more valuable items. You then sign the logbook and place the cahce back where you found it, to await the next geocacher.

The enjoyable part for me was the hunt, not the items. When a cache is well thought out, it can bring you to an area you did not know existed or hadn't been to in a while. Some are very difficult (there are one that require Scuba certification) and some are ridiculously easy, but most are at least a minor challenge.

Unfortunately for me, right when I was really starting to get into this activity, I went a blew out my ACL (blew it out playing basketball, should have been geocaching), so I am out of commission until next summer. I am hoping that I can live vicariously through others. Please let me know if you give this a try and let me know how the experience was for you. If you have any questions, I'll answer them.

Finally, this is an activity that relies on the goodwill of people. Please do not go find coordinates for a cache and then go destroy the cache (it happens). I do believe that the people of Techimo will enjoy this activity.

Waferdog

(excuse the length of thread, I have a lot of spare time)

[vass0922]

aren't handheld GPS units still a bit pricey?!
Sounds like fun, but I'm guessing that would little 'lack of money' thing will slow me down

[waferdog]

You can get a basic Garmin unit for around $100. I am not sure if that is pricey for you or not (it was for me a couple of years ago). If you do some searching, you could probably find used units for under that price. Personally, I use a Magellan GPS 315 that I bought a few years ago for $130. These are actually around $150 now, but they have improved and refined the product.

Waferdog

[Blood_Luster]

Originally posted by vass0922
aren't handheld GPS units still a bit pricey?!
Sounds like fun, but I'm guessing that would little 'lack of money' thing will slow me down

*Aheem* Vass... and the fact that you have to MOVE around, eh?
Thats the ONLY thing that is slowing me down

[vass0922]

Originally posted by Blood_Luster



*Aheem* Vass... and the fact that you have to MOVE around, eh?
Thats the ONLY thing that is slowing me down

bwahahaha... I gotta save up my money so I can pay somebody else to do it for me hahahah

waferdog that sounds like FUN!

woohoo! Fingers has a GPS! Wait till he finds out I have something else for us to do!
I have a feeling in a while we won't be here as much as in the past... and that's a good thing.

Life has been passing me by... I'm looking forward to living some more.

[Mntsnow]

I love the idea of this! I might have to do this when I go snowmobiling as I take my GPS unit along with me all the time I will just have to note Winter time for some of caches or people will have to climb trees or such to get to the caches as there might be 10 to 15 feet of snow at times

[waferdog]

Surreal,

That is what got me into Geocaching in the first place - I had a GPS that I bought because it was a neat toy, but found that I was not using it for anything (it was serving time as a hyperaccurate speedometer for my car). With Geocaching, I was able to lear how to use it correctly and also was able to learn something about orienteering and maps in general (I'm starting to sound like an infomercial).

One other thing that happened when I started this was that it got me out of the house. I use to come home from work and sit in front of the PC because I felt tired. Turns out I was just bored. Geocaching got me out and feeling active (now I'm sitting here again in front of the PC thanks to the poor design of the knee joint).

waferdog

Well Fingers bought his for hunting, but I think it needs more work! Yep on the bored thing, I know what you mean.
How can someone live in a town for a year and not meet anyone in that town?
Computers make it possible...

Man this really looks like fun..

Did you become a charter member? (I haven't read all the details)

[waferdog]

I have not done become a charter member, just a regular old registered member. I do plan on becoming a charter member just to help support the site (you do get access to special caches among other things).

One other thing you need to be prepared for if you get into it: your road trips tend to take much longer, as you will be stopping and going off course to grab new caches.

waferdog