For Christmas, my wife, who believes I already have too many gadgets (and she might be right), took one for the team and generously got me a handheld GPS receiver. That means that I can now go geocaching. I know, it makes me a geek that I want to do something like that, but we all know it’s true:
I’m a geek. One who likes being outside. Geocaching seems like a neat twist on hiking.
I’ve already programmed a bunch of area caches into my receiver. I’m planning to go out as soon as the snow melts a bit more. Those of you that already geocache: what do I need to know or watch out for? What’s the one thing you wish you knew before you started?
I feel like Ralphie Parker with my BB rifle. Let’s hope I don’t shoot my eye out. #
You’ll love caching!
Here are my stats:
http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=03dc4fbc-7db8-4a4f-8ecd-0082f76a8b2b
opps…I didn’t answer the question…One thing to know or watch out for…The GPS accuracy gets you to the general area within 20 – 50 feet…Think like this…where would I hid something in this area? What looks out of place?
Always walk forward and don’t spin in circles the GPS is not a compass, it’s collecting satellite data and the satellites don’t know when you turn without moving your location.
Don’t take the direct route…there is always a nice path to the best caches. I learned that the hard way.
Use this with kids! I organized the Geocaching event at NECC in San Diego and lots of teachers are doing cool things with these and kids!
Find at least 20 before you place one… and only place one if you want to take care of it for life…like a kid.
Try a Caching Event to meet other cachers…we are really fun people!
Advice?
1. Take a buddy with you.
2. Hopefully you’ll have a few caches to search for with the possibilities of not finding them all.
3. Use Google Earth or Maps to avoid driving around aimlessly in areas that aren’t very familiar.
4. Pay attention to the type of cache. Micro caches are tough for newbies.
5. Take your camera. You can post them when you log them and it’s guaranteed you’ll find some interesting places along the way.
http://flickr.com/photos/shareski/tags/geocaching/
Have a blast!
I have a friend whose family is totally into it. It’s a family thing for them to do together, and they love it. It has taken them to many places they would not have gone on their own, and it has brought them together in a purposeful way. Also, it has forced them to truly appreciate and get in tune with nature. I’ll be anxiously awaiting your opinion of geocaching. Can’t get my couch potato family interested, so I’ll have to live vicariously through my friends who do this.
I agree, you’ll love it. Geeky? Maybe, but I liken it to hiking since it can be a workout if long enough.
I have used geocaching as a recreational activity with my daughter who is 3 now. I would take her on cache searches when she was 2 in a backpack, now we plan it out the night before by packing her own backpack complete with trail mix and a nalgene water bottle.
The other way I have used caching is to train teachers on using GPS to create an outdoor classroom. Geocaching allows teachers to build teamwork and get to know each other well (something teachers sometimes need to do a better job with, especially with students). I have used geocaching to teach ecology in a local park. These caches contain activities to the ecology of the cache location. Use of geocaching is also growing, albeit slowly, in physical education classes.
Many of these people (students mostly) have gone out to set their own caches that I can find with my daughter!
Advice?
1. While I agree that micro caches are tough, there are other cache types available. Learn more about these cache types and mix up your searches.
2. Pay attention to the cache attributes (located on the right side of a cache page on geocaching.com) they will help you prepare what to wear, bring and expect as you make your way.
3. Once you have set up your profile, check out the Search Options to find caches closest to your own home.
4. Not sure what you are using to upload waypoints, but I like EasyGPS (http://www.easygps.com). When you click on a .loc file on a cache page EasyGPS will execute and be ready to create files containing multiple caches ready for upload.
Hope you find what you’re looking for!
Congratulations fellow TL Bud!
I gave my husband a GPS for his birthday in August and we have over 200 finds to date. We are team DB2. You have gotten lots of good advice so far. I have some bits of advice to add:
1. Attend a geocaching event as soon possible and don’t forget to log attending the event as a find.
2. Listen to the podcacher podcast (podcacher.com)while you are waiting for the snow to melt.
3. When you find a trackable item (travel bug, geocoin and the like) you can “discover” it without having to take possession and move it to another cache. We carry our digital camera to take pictures at the cache site.
PS If you figure a great way to add geocaching to your SI, share your ideas. I have been thinking about that recently.
Bud I am so jealous. I have wanted to do that for years, but have held back because I didn’t know anyone else to go with. Have a great time. It sounds like such fun!
Julie