Does anybody out there GeoCache?

[mikeschn]

After a couple finds I got bored, so then I went looking for geo-bugs. After finding a couple of those I got bored. I guess I am a designer, not an explorer!

Mike...

MK,

Go to geocaching.com and find out all about it.

It's really more about finding interesting places than finding the actual cache. Normally you take something from the cache and put something else in it's place.

Q

What the heck are y'all talking about?

I take it somebody hides something and gives the coordinates on some web site and other folks go find it and put it back?? Or do you replace it with something else??

Mk

[Arne]

Mike, there are some that like to stay at home and do things. There are others for whom home is just a base of operations to do other things..

I fall into the latter category and am always looking for new places to go, and good old ones to revisit... If I don't get away once a day, I get cabin fever, like I haven't accomplished anything. Even if it is just to the YMCA to take a shower, visit with friends or go for a swim.

Some days, when I get that feeling, I pull out the gps and palm (I cache 'paperless')... and see what's around and go find one or two.

[BrwBier]

If you enjoy hiking or visiting places with some great scenery then you would enjoy Geo Caching.
Their are a few ways I can think of to make a teardrop theme geocache. One way would be to set up temporary caches at a teardrop gathering. Another way would be to set up caches at favorite camping spots. As always, make sure it is allowed by who ever is in control of the property you place the cache on, be it privet or public.
Brwbier

[Q]

Arne,

Can you give us the details of how you cache paperless? I have an old Palm. Would be nice not to hassle with printing.

Q

Some days, when I get that feeling, I pull out the gps and palm (I cache 'paperless')... and see what's around and go find one or two.

[Turtle49]

I was searching for geocaches in my area and I found this:


I think I may have to get a boat to look for the ...... buoy?
Somebody is getting creative!

[Turtle49]

Arne,

Can you give us the details of how you cache paperless? I have an old Palm. Would be nice not to hassle with printing.

Q

Some days, when I get that feeling, I pull out the gps and palm (I cache 'paperless')... and see what's around and go find one or two.

I found this on the geocache site.

Paperless Caching
Printer ink is more expensive than Chanel No. 5. If you have a Palm or Pocket PC handheld device you will never have to print another cache page again! You can download the cache coordinates, full description, hint, and the last 5 logs posted to the cache page using one of the many available free applications and your handheld device. Also known as “paperless geocaching”, this Premium Member feature saves you time, money, and effort in your caching preparations. With your GPS, handheld device, and the latest Pocket Query you’ll be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

You have to pay to be a premium member.

[JunkMan]

While I don't go paperless, I do condense the information, and put several caches on one page. I usually just put the cache name, waypoint, coordinates, important parts of the description, and clue. It takes about 3-4 lines depending on the cache, and when traveling, I can print a dozen or so on each side of the paper.


If I am just going after one or two easy caches, I just load the coordinates in the GPS, and try to remember the details of the cache.

[BrwBier]

Junkman, any cache recommendations in your area. We plan on being out that way just after labor day.
Brwbier

[mincey]

A similar activity is Letterboxing - http://www.letterboxing.org/ You search for letterboxes just the same as geocaching, but instead of taking and placing trinkets in the caches, you log your finds using rubberstamps. Sounds very creative as well as geocaching.

Cheryl

[JunkMan]

Junkman, any cache recommendations in your area. We plan on being out that way just after labor day.
Brwbier

Sure, I can reccommend several. What kind are you looking for: hikes, short walks, grab & go's, something that takes you to a nice view, ones that you really have to work for? What part of the hills will you be staying in (we have hundreds of caches in the area)?

If you are coming out on I-90, there are several "quickies" along the way, many are in rest areas, and some right off of the highway.

When it gets closer, let me know when you will be here, maybe we can get together for a beer or to do a cache (or both). I'm possibly going to be heading out of town the second week of Sept, but not sure yet.

[Arne]

Sorry, I have not been back recently.... at least to this topic.

I use CACHEMATE and GSAK

I am a premium member which means I can set up pocket queries.

So, every Weds, automatically, a pocket query is sent in, and I get an email of all caches within 40 miles of my zip code. I can set terrain/difficulty limits. I can also tell it to exclude all caches I've already found.

The file comes by email as an attchment. I put the attached file into a folder I have named geocaching.

I go to GSAK and tell it to grab the file I just downloaded. I have created an empty data base, say, named July10,2007...

Not only does it download all the information, like coords, but it also creates a .pdb file (palm data base file).

I hook up my gps to the computer, and tell it to download the waypoints.

I hook up my palm and it does a syncsort download to the palm.

All of the above takes about 15 minutes. I have the gps all set to go, and the palm has all the same stuff you print off on paper, including descritions, clues, etc.

I'm thinking of getting a fishing vest to hold these different items.. right now, I put the gps in a belly pack and the palm in a pocket.... but a lightweight fishing vest would make everything very handy.

Oh, so GSAK is on your computer, and CACHEMATE is on your palm.

go here and do a search on 'paperless' and you should get tons of information... many are going that way..

http://forums.groundspeak.com/gc/

[Arne]

Do a google search on "Florida paperless caching"....

Look for a hit that contains 65.34.18

It is on the florida caching forum and is the best article I've found on going paperless. Written my Clan_Barron, Tueday, June 8, 2004..