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Geocaching, Anyone?
Lisa

Posted on 06/19/2016 7:52:22 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan

Hi FRiends. I started Geocaching this week; downloaded the app and bought a 3 month membership.

Looked for 6 hides in the last few days and DNF any but I'm rather hooked! LOL.

Anybody else got the bug? I thought this might be fun to do with grandbabies but ohmylanta! are the ones around here tricky!

In Roanoke VA for another few weeks visiting, then back up to Yankee country.

So looking forward to finding something and hoping I don't screw up the hide! :)

I'd really like to hear any other experiences anyone has had. I don't know anyone else who has done this.

Happy Fathers Day, too!


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Hobbies; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: geocaching; gps
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To: CaptainPhilFan

My wife is traveling back from TN with a friend who is into geo-caching. They teamed up yesterday to find one in Paducah KY and my wife was the one to actually spot the hide. She called me to tell me about it and sounded really excited about it. I think there’s about to be a new chapter in my life.


21 posted on 06/19/2016 8:29:16 AM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: CaptainPhilFan

I got into geocaching several years ago and am still doing it. I mainly use my smart phone but have a Garmin for the tough ones. I like it because it takes me to interesting and beautiful places, gets me outdoors and feeds my collector tendencies without accumulating junk. Yesterday I toured the Battle of Bennington, Vermont as a geocache. It was cool.

I recommend it.


22 posted on 06/19/2016 8:29:23 AM PDT by Lajmaiz
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To: neal1960

I think it’s great that you’ve done this as a team. The app is so easy to use and let’s you know when you’re close, and there are SOOOOOOOOO many hides all over the place, it might make it too easy now :)


23 posted on 06/19/2016 8:32:43 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: Lurker

Wow, I admire you guys very much for being a team. I’m going to try a Travel Bug and a TB Hotel this week, but I don’t think I’ll attempt to move them, because if I even find them I’m not convinced I’d ever find another! I do not want to screw up anything!


24 posted on 06/19/2016 8:38:42 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: CaptainPhilFan
When we travel on vacation we always go hunting geocaches. Our favorite so far is in NOLA. The cache is huge (A military footlocker) but now it is hard to get at because you need to basically get an appointment from what I've read. It is called View Carre' And the view is worth it and usually the people who take you to the cache will also give you some great info on Katrina and show you where all the water piled up.

We have found some really great places because we hunted geocaches while vacationing and learned some interesting history from the caches.

25 posted on 06/19/2016 8:38:50 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: BlueLancer

26 posted on 06/19/2016 8:41:36 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: Gaffer

You have an EXCELLENT point! I will start work on that today. Thanks!


27 posted on 06/19/2016 8:42:19 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: T-Bird45

I hope you enjoy the new chapter! It seems like there is a lot more to enjoy in this hobby than just finding Tupperware :)


28 posted on 06/19/2016 8:46:34 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: Lajmaiz

Thanks for the info. My home base is not far from Bennington. I’ll put it on my list for our next leaf peeping trip. But I sure hope my geosense improves. I REALLY stink at this so far!


29 posted on 06/19/2016 8:49:48 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: Lajmaiz

PS ... Interesting info about the Garmin. It really helps more? Maybe I should make a list of geotools :)


30 posted on 06/19/2016 8:51:39 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: Mad Dawgg

The kids used to have t-shirts with that on them.


31 posted on 06/19/2016 8:52:27 AM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: Mad Dawgg

Awesome! Sounds like you are living my expectations for this new hobby. I guess not finding the caches hurts less if you discover something else along the way.


32 posted on 06/19/2016 8:54:21 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: Mad Dawgg

LOL!!! That’s great.


33 posted on 06/19/2016 8:55:52 AM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (I now believe every muslim has Satan in their heart.)
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To: CaptainPhilFan
Do some 1/1s to get your feet wet. Then move up. My favorite types to do is multicaches where you need to follow clues and figure out puzzles to get to the final destination.

My other favorites to do is caches in places that are heavy tourist areas or high foot traffic areas. Because not only do you need to hunt for the cache BUT you also must do so while trying to not attract attention so the muggles won't be alerted.

Its like being a secret agent. You need to learn all the moves like the "shoe tie" move for low caches and the "stretch" for high caches and the "misdirection" when neither of those work. (usually requires at least one partner even better with two)

34 posted on 06/19/2016 9:08:13 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: CaptainPhilFan

Used to do it all the time but physically can’t these days. Find count was up in the thousands and was ranked 100 something in the state. Our first find was before we had a GPS, it was that easy. Was able to find 99% of all that were still in place. Some can be real bugger boos.

Since you’re new at it, the best advice is to never take anything at face value when it comes to camouflaging containers. A nut and a bolt are never just a nut and a bolt. A metal sign is never just a metal sign. A stick is never just a stick. A buoy in the water is never just a buoy in the water. A wasp nest is never just a wa... ok, sometimes it is but sometimes it isn’t.

We had our middle school nephews one summer and spent 2 days getting together caches for them. They were too afraid of weeds to get outside even in a mowed area to do any caching. Whaaa, archery is outside! RC cars on the driveway are outside! Hiking and biking and swimming and fishing and boating and playing catch and roasting marshmallows and feeding the deer and playing with the new kittens in the garage, etc. is in the big terrible outside!!!! They spent their time with their noses in their cell phones. After 3 days of not wanting to come out of their room or huddling in the corner of the couch texting, we packed them off to their aunt’s. Told their dad a couple days ago to get them into summer camp but he can’t be bothered so they’re vegging inside all summer because mama is too afraid to let them venture into their own yard without her being there. Good grief, one is in HS now. But they’re still happy with their noses in their phones. Anyone who can get kids out of the house and into nature... well, bowing down to them.


35 posted on 06/19/2016 9:12:35 AM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: CaptainPhilFan

I had the bug, my son-in-law was really into it, but his untimely death kinda spoiled it for us. Have to admit though, it was fun finding the the cache. I even created a cache out of an old ammo can, but it was stolen, which soured me completely.


36 posted on 06/19/2016 9:12:40 AM PDT by FLCowboy, ( When does Bill Clinton go away?)
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To: CaptainPhilFan

The Bennington cache was a Whereigo. I googled it to learn how to do it. It took me on a tour that included Robert Frost’s grave, the site of the Catamount tavern and the monument to get numbers to find the final cache.

I have not figured out how to enter coordinates in my phone so I carry a Garmin for this. I find lots of caches without the Garmin so it is not needed unless geocaching becomes a hobby.

Geosense improves over time. I still get stumped on occasion.


37 posted on 06/19/2016 9:13:42 AM PDT by Lajmaiz
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To: CaptainPhilFan

I have enjoyed this for some time.

I got the app C:geo for android phone. The app will sign in to your geocache account. The app will display nearby caches. I have found the gps on the phone to be better than my old hand held which has WAAS.

We have been on hikes or walks and used the app to see if there were caches nearby. Have been to a number of interesting places that I would not have known about otherwise.

Looking forward to doing this with granddaughter in about a year.


38 posted on 06/19/2016 9:28:23 AM PDT by PhilSC
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To: CaptainPhilFan

We have done Letterboxing which is the same only without GPS, just clues. Fun even for very little kids. We love it.

http://www.letterboxing.org


39 posted on 06/19/2016 9:31:37 AM PDT by Yaelle (Make America Safe Again)
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To: CaptainPhilFan

My Wife is into it big time. I sometimes tag along and sometimes help with creating the more challenging caches. As others have noted, geocaching is free unless you want some extras. The premium isn’t necessary and you can research your area for caches to find that are kid friendly. The wife likes to take the grand kids to find those and she takes along little toys to use to replace the toys that the grand kids “find”. She has also placed track-ables in some geocaches that have traveled around the world.


40 posted on 06/19/2016 9:31:48 AM PDT by Kalam (<: The answer is 42 :>)
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