Our First Time Geocaching

[Oldragbaggers]

We went geocaching for the first time today. I can't believe we picked a cold snowy day for our first time - seeing as I hate the cold and snow. But we had a great time anyway and I can see this as another activity that's just a natural fit with teardropping. I had no idea that so many of the trails that we like to hike and ride have cache's hidden on them.

If you haven't tried it, and you enjoy hiking and/or biking and exploring in general, I highly recommend it. We even picked up a "trackable", which is a device with a tracking number that has been planted in a geocache by someone with the objective of it being moved around by people who find it until it reaches a destination that the original owner has set for it.

The objective for ours (a little G.I. Joe type doll with a tracking dog tag attached) is to visit as many military installations, museums (military) or war memorials as possible. Eventually he is supposed to travel back home to Michigan where he was originally planted by a retired military police sargeant. We're taking him for a visit (and pictures) at the Naval Academy before we drop him in another cache. When you find one and move it you post the information, and pictures if you want, on the geocaching website so that the owner of the trackable can follow it as it travels around.

I'm planning on planting my own trackable and see if it can travel from Maryland to California to where my grandkids live so they can go out and find it.

Visit http://www.geocaching.com to get the full low-down on it.


Lance, GPS in hand, leading us down the trail.


Found it!!

Anything that can get me outdoors in this kind of weather has GOT TO BE FUN!!

[hotrod]

need to do this.. all I ever use my 2 gps units for is fishing, at the waypoints I have there are usually walleyes but the scenery never changes much....

[Oldragbaggers]

Our old Garmin 72 that we've had for years got us within 6 feet of the hide.

[eaglesdare]

this is a fun hobby. i know on some finds that 6 feet could be a killer. there are micro caches out there and i want to get a bit closer than 6 feet.
i can't remember the exact unit i have, we get pretty close, like it says here, here...so then we start looking.

there is one out on the island that we have been to twice now and still can't find it. not sure its even there.

another one is at a business that we couldn't find, kept leading us to the gas pumps. a clue told us to talk to the guys in the shop, but everytime we go the place is closed.

there are even caches at rest stops. fun thing to do while traveling to get out of the car and take a walk. but just remember to be stealth.

[mary and bob]

We have done geocaching a few times with the grandkids. They liked finding what trinkets were inside. There can be hazards though. On one cache Mary got fire ants biting her and I got a couple ticks on me. Before I retired I worked with a guy who was really into geocaching, he would go out in the middle of the night to find a cache that had just been posted. One day at work two State Cops showed up and took him away and confiscated his computer. Some of his geocaching friends are now in jail!! Bob

[bravebluemice]

Just read this thread, and went for a walk around my neighborhood and got a couple caches. Gee golly this is fun!

Good idea. I'll definitely be doing more of this.

[BILLYL]

My wife is into this big time. And it is a ideal hobby for Teardroppers. Get you to places that you would normally not go to.

I remember the first time we took the scouts out. Not only the skills they learned but they got a treat for their work.

Alot of fun and a real good way to get the kids into the woods.

Bill

[LDK]

That sounds like fun. I may have to try this.

[Oldragbaggers]

We enjoyed it so much on Saturday we went back out on Sunday and deposited the trackable device we had picked up on Saturday into a new cache. Thanks to geocaching we discovered 2 beautiful parks not too far from home with very nice hiking trails that we had no idea existed.

[Redgloves]

Geocaching is a great activity. Has brought me to many unknown parks near and wide. Pieces of unique history, interesting sites, and wonderful geological features.

Caching friends range from factory workers who look like bad boy bikers, teachers, public servants, retired, military members, computer nerds, and all walks of life.

Each time we gather at an event, I am amazed the common bonds formed, conversations on how to solve puzzles, creative hides, and general BS.

Great activity that can involve biking, snow shoes, off road vehicles, and hiking. Not to mention visits to health care providers for care involving broken bones (friend), eye abrasions (me), and a prolific case of poison ivy.

All in all, teardrops and caching fit well together. Bring on snow, rain, heat, cold, been there done that.

Ready to go every day.

Caching name is Accordiongal

[emiller]

just bought a GizzMoVest for my Garmin, sure is made well and I like there warrenty, it reads like this
You dont like the way it fuctions ? return it
You don't like the way it looks? return it.
You don't like the way it looks at you? return it.
Your buddy knocked it into the camp fire last night? return whats left for a full purchase price refund

[southpennrailroad]

I think how great this would work with my railroad hobby. Putting caches at some of the South Penn sites to make it a two fer. Get the cache and then
explore the railroad sites next to the cache.

[southpennrailroad]

Maybe put my DVD's in as prizes and a little explanation as the historic value to the structure nearby.

[Redgloves]

Geocaches are typically placed on public lands. Each state has restrictions on some catagories of public lands. Caches may be placed on private land with owners permission.

Cache page listings would be the most appropriate place to contain information on the railroad sites. The physical containers have limitations.

I have found various electronic formats in caches. Most cachers are suspicious of the content and worried about viruses affecting computers.

My opinion: overall do not place electronic formats in caches. Unecssary expense on your end and most likely will be recycled via the trash can.
Cache containers are not permanent, water proof containers. Cache go missing either from floods, crafty animals, or stolen. Expect the cache contents to be wet at some time, unless expensive water proof containers are used. Very few containers are actually water proof mostly due to cacher not replacing the lid properly.

Jean

[Oldragbaggers]

This has turned into an interesting thread with a lot of good information. Thank you all for contributing.