Anyone go Geocaching?

[SirPeale]

We started Geocaching back around last June, IIRC.  Anyone else?

http://www.pealefamily.net/gallery/geocache

[SirPoonga]

Yep.  I haven't gone in awhile though.  I have a jeep travel bug I still have to place sometime. 

Damn, how old is that handspring?

[ha-Y-n]

what's geocaching?

[cdbrown]

http://www.geocaching.com/faq/

[TOK]

http://www.geocaching.com/faq/

Sounds like trashpicking for metrosexuals.

If there isn't already someone out there stashing dildos, dirty magazines, and bottles of that fart smell juice, I might have just found a new hobby. 

[SirPoonga]

Best way to sum up geocaching, it's a large game of hide and seek.

You hide something, post the coordinates, people try to find it.  It's not as easy as it sounds.  GPS can only get you within 30 feet of the location.  If you are trying to find a film canister that's not an easy thing to do

[2600]

Looks like fun, but I think my son needs to be a little older.  I'll have to remember to try this.

[BobbyG66]

We have been Geocaching for four years and one month!
The kids love it, we have been able to see alot of great places.

And you don't need as GPS to do it.
A local guy has found 2,800 in four years by using a compass and topo maps.

[ha-Y-n]

interesting

[CCM]

And you don't need as GPS to do it.
A local guy has found 2,800 in four years by using a compass and topo maps.

WOW!  Now that's someone with too much time on their hands!

[SirPoonga]

And you don't need as GPS to do it.
A local guy has found 2,800 in four years by using a compass and topo maps.

WOW!  Now that's someone with too much time on their hands!

Not really.  It isn't that hard.  I have maps of WI with detailed coordinates on them. 

[CCM]

And you don't need as GPS to do it.
A local guy has found 2,800 in four years by using a compass and topo maps.

WOW!  Now that's someone with too much time on their hands!

Not really.  It isn't that hard.  I have maps of WI with detailed coordinates on them. 

I was more astounded by 2800 in 4 years... that's alomost a 2 per day average!!

[SirPoonga]

I was more astounded by 2800 in 4 years... that's alomost a 2 per day average!!

Well, alot of them are pretty easy if you are in a city.  Many are hidden in obvious spots.
When I went geocaching on a more regular basis I went with a friend on weekends.  We would find 5-10 in an afternoon.

[SirPeale]

Looks like fun, but I think my son needs to be a little older.  I'll have to remember to try this.

I've done it since the baby was tiny.  Not all caches are a huge hike.

[SirPeale]

Damn, how old is that handspring?

I forget exactly when I got it...wait, I actually have the receipt scanned, let's see...

Got it in late 2001.  Got the GPS for it off eBay in 2004, but didn't actually use it until last year.

[SirPoonga]

What Peale said, not all caches are long hikes.  Each cache has a rating for difficulty and terrain.  Keep yourself within 1 to 1.5 stars for terrain and you should be fine with kids.

Peale, nice.  I had a Handspring in 2000 I think.  Until it started eating batteries and handspring wouldn't do anything about it.  I drop my gps all the time so I don;t think I could use a handspring   I currently have a Garmin eTrex.  Simple but works.  I use to have a Garmin GPS III+ until the antenna broke.   I need to get one with mapping again.  My original use for the GPS is to guide myself back home after a motorcycle ride.  Maps come in handy for that.  Might look into get the GPS V then as I still have my motorcycle mount and power cable from the GPS III.

[ha-Y-n]

what kinds of things do you find?

[SirPeale]

what kinds of things do you find?

Knicknacks.  Nothing earth-shattering, usually.  The fun is in finding them.

I've got a few hidden.

Sometimes people WILL put something of value the first time a cache is hidden, a prize for the 'first to find.'

[2600]

I've done it since the baby was tiny.  Not all caches are a huge hike.

Oh, I could probably go now.  But looking at your pics, your boys look like they are having a lot of fun.  I just want to make sure to go when my son is a bit older so he can enjoy himself like that.

[SirPeale]

I've done it since the baby was tiny.  Not all caches are a huge hike.

Oh, I could probably go now.  But looking at your pics, your boys look like they are having a lot of fun.  I just want to make sure to go when my son is a bit older so he can enjoy himself like that.

Just a hint - you don't ever have to stop going Geocaching. 

[SirPoonga]

I've got a few hidden.

Me too

[SirPoonga]

oh yeah, another thing that is fun.  One aspect to this game is Travelbugs.  It's a thing that is tagged, you can track where it has been.
http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?guid=89699ec8-5fed-4f6f-9d14-ee1a3e0ca276

That's a travelbug in one of my caches right now.  You can track where it has been (click view map).  If you click old map you can see the entire US where it has been.

[BobbyG66]

Here are the ones I have hidden:
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?u=Garbers*5

One of my favorites is "The Depot"
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=8934c1ce-2df5-48ac-966f-66b45c13f7c8
This guy built a train set out in the woods!
It really works too, powered by batteries.
He also has little houses and scenes in the area.

Check out the 'seek a cache" section.
Enter in your zip code and you most likely find a cache within a few miles.
A basic membership is free, and they keep track of all your finds and logs.

Check it out...

[SirPeale]

Here are the ones I have hidden:
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?u=Garbers*5

Looks like you're not too far from me.  Perhaps one day I *will* check out your caches.

[jbox]

Looks like you're not too far from me.  Perhaps one day I *will* check out your caches.

Kno' wat ey' mean eh? eh? eh?     

[BobbyG66]

Looks like you're not too far from me.  Perhaps one day I *will* check out your caches.

I will have to check out your's when in your area again.

I just checked out your finds and found we have one cache in common!
It is called MA from VT by Waldenrun (The guy who found 2,800).

It was a roadside cache we stopped by on our way back from Ben and Jerry's yummy ice cream.!
It was just getting dark and it was a pretty cool road coming down out of the mountains.

Happy caching!
BobbyG66

[ChadTower]

I bought a GPS a couple years ago and intended to pick the sport up... we found one cache and never had time to go back.  Maybe I'll do it this summer.

[clanggedin]

Every summer my brother and I do a little geocaching. I want to Moab, UT a few weeks ago and we hit a couple of the caches while jeepin'.

On one cache my brother left a piece of candy that has the scorpion inside it and it was featured in an article in the local paper about geocaching.

I always leave good stuff like free passes to lasertag or gift certificates. I just hate people who leave dirty golf balls or used McDonalds toys.

When "Planet of the Apes" was coming out to the theaters (the one with Walberg in it). They placed caches all over the nation props from the movie in them.

[SirPoonga]

I always leave good stuff like free passes to lasertag or gift certificates. I just hate people who leave dirty golf balls or used McDonalds toys.

I have left drink tickets for local bars (alcohol and non-alcoholic) in caches.

[ChadTower]

I leave copies of 2600 Combat or Pac Man.