Teardropping & Geocaching

[asianflava]

It's basically and easter egg hunt. The difference is they give you the coordinates and you have to find it with a GPS unit.

[Ira]

What do you find?

[mikeschn]

cheap plastic kiddie toys in an ammo box...

Mike...

[Ma3tt]

Not all of the stuff is cheap toys
http://jeep.geocaching.com/

[Guest]

Mike,
I thought you were all jazzed up about that geo thing...
I'm pretty sure you inquired about having little teardrop medallions cast a while back...

My kid is really into that and has offered to set up a course at Pamplin Grove, if anyone is interested.

[mikeschn]

Well after finding a couple of these cheap geocaches, I lost interest. Then I'd rather go panning for gold.

Mike...

[PaulC]

Ira, Having "Bud" involved would probably make it more interesting
Cheers
Paul

[Finntec]

I do a geocaching activity with my 8th grade students. They love it. It is a great family activity. Many kids stay indoors so much, they never see the true outdoors. This might get them out a bit. Its a computer generation thing. Look at us on this site. It is easy to get caught up looking at things on the computer and never get out there and experience the real world. Good fun stuff like YMBBATD if...
Many good caches are not about the find, but about the location. I'm sure we could make some cool caches up for TD gatherings. I'll even coordinte it if there is an interest. I can even bring 5 gps units for others to try. OK, time to get off the soap box and work on my TD presentation for tomorrow. I am off to convert more Technology Education teachers to the TD world.

[PresTx82]

Children should get out more. If geocaching gets them out, then I support it. We're a family who hikes a lot and I'm always looking for new places. I also try to fit in some metal detecting or a camp out as well to inviolve the kids as mich as I can.

I do think that computers and computer games are eroding the children of today of their social skills.

When I was a kid, we went on "adventures". We were always involved in something. Today's youth really doesn't get involved in what we did back when we were young. I blame myself as a parent as well for not pushing more outdoor activities, but this is a totally new age where the computer is "King".

[JunkMan]

I agree that we need to get the kids out more. Luckily my daughter doesn't have a computer, so my grandaughter only gets to use one when she is at our house. Since she is usually busy doing other things when she is here, so doesn't spend much time on the computer.

My granddaughter loves to go geocaching. She was excited earlier this week because I took her to do 3 local caches after school. She wanted to do a 4th, but we didn't have time before dinner.

She also hikes with us quite often, but looses interest easily if we aren't in a real scenic area.

[gratis]

I have been doing this for a few years. I have been to places and down roads I would have never visited otherwise. Ghost towns in North Michigan, Scenic overlooks at the end of a mile long hike, Waterfalls not found on a park service brochure and beaches on the Great Lakes only really know by the locals.

I can honestly say if you are into active camping and family activity this is a great way to go.

If you only like to camp to sit around a fire all day or visit amusement parks and shopping malls this is probably not for you.

It takes patience, practice and a lot of knowledge of use of a GPS and maps. It also takes a enthusiastic group. If one person is not interested it becomes a lost cause.

The trinkets are only there to provide you with a trophy for the find, not a valuable item that leads to fantastic riches and fame.

[MyTear]

The kids and I went out geocaching today.
We were five for five and had such a great day together.
The trinkets add to the excitement but the fun is always in the hunt.

[Lazybones]

After reading this post I went online and found that there are hundreds of Caches in my area of Mendocino Co. I asked a friend to use her gps and off I went. I have found 15 so far. The trinkets have nothing to do with it. As mentioned above it gets you out and hiking.
Geocaching is a fun way to find new places or revisit old ones.
I went looking and have a few marked out to find on the way to the Dam Gathering.
I have even gone so far as to place a cache yesterday. I plan on placing a few more.
Lee

[Arne]

Lee, a bored friend of mine has taken up 'caching..... and I agree, it gets people outside, stimulates the brain, gets you to new places... I don't see a downside to it.....

I also see it as a great family event..... fun (and exercise) for all....

And, I've gone with him a couple of times, and found the garmin gps I have, though kind of bulky, can be used... so, in my spare time, I'm going to get out and do some... clears the mind.

[Q]

There are some interesting and beautiful places here in Central Oregon that I never would have discovered if it weren't for geocaching. When my daughter and I need something to do for a few hours and want to get some exercise we occationally log on to geocaching.com and pick a cache to find. Most of the time we use the motorcycle as transport to the caches.

We've also placed a cache, a fly-in cache. One day we were flying around in the Oregon desert and spotted a small dry lake in a very remote location. We landed and placed a cache under some sage brush. It was eventually deactived because only 2 people ever visited it. One somehow got there on an ATV and another took a long hike from the nearest road.

Q