Geocaching

7 Apr 2008

Up until this weekend I had never even heard of it :confused:
Now I can't wait to get started!!!!! :bounce:
In short, it's like little treasure hunts all over the world.......... think I'm a bit late on the uptake of this craze :undecided: cos already there are thousands and thousands of caches all over the country :shock: so heaven knows how many all over the world :shock:
For anyone even slower than I am, you go on a website and get a list of all the caches in your area. Then you get GPS directions and off you go in search of the cache!!! :bounce:
From what I can gather, some of the clues/directions take you directly to the cache/treasure, and some take you to more clues, more of a hunt in stages. When you find the cache, you sign the log book, and take a piece of the treasure. You gotta remember to replace the treasure you take tho, with something else, to keep the cache stored up.
My youngest is already an addict, she's done 4 walks in 2 days with my brother and his family (who only discovered geocaching on Friday!), looking for these caches - she absolutely loves it. So far has gathered a pencil, a little torch, a lightstick and an eraser :bounce: And my brother has found his first trackable treasure, which has already been as far as Australia and New Zealand :bounce: makes the old helium balloon with a message attached look quite tame confused

:? :?
So is anyone else into this, or heard of it?? If so, what's it really like?? As I said, I've only just found out about it and can't wait to get started (once we've bought a GPS :undecided: ). But before we invest, is it one of them things thats exciting for a couple of times, then boring - or is it addictive??
Blimey, the parks are so full of doggers and geocachers, there ain't gonna be a lot of room for people just out for a plain ol stroll :shock:
So how may geocachers are there on the forums, and how long have you been at it? Does it stay exciting or does it lose its novelty?

7 Apr 2008

Oh and another question....
Is it maybe a secret club and that's why I've never heard of it before?? confused

Have I just blabbed about something thats meant to be a secret club type thing??? :uhoh:
If it is, can you let either me or another mod/admin know, or post here, and the thread can be deleted back into secretdom :? :? :?

7 Apr 2008

I looked it up last year when one of the members here mentioned it in one of the threads...
Hopefully, they will come along and tell you more about it Missy.
Good luck hunting smile

7 Apr 2008

It's no secret Missy
I've heard of it, though never taken part.
You wont have menacing strangers knocking on your door under cover of darkness!!!
so... another question: does it 'have' to be GPS?
can an A-Z do the trick?
lp

7 Apr 2008

I think an A-Z would work for the easier hunts, but for some reason you need a GPS for the more obscure ones or maybe the ones in stages dunno

don't ask me, I just wanna get started and find treasure :bounce: if the site says I need a GPS, then I need a GPS!! :bounce:
Although my brother done his first two without a GPS, just multimap. But he's rather a lot cleverer than I am. I can get to the end of my road only on instinct, follow a map and I'm all over the place and in circles n stuff, with the end of my road nowhere in sight :confused:

7 Apr 2008

I want to play now.
Gizmos and countryside all rolled up together, can't be bad.
I just saw a tiny bluetooth GPs thingie... mobile Phone compatable... seeing as I have no vehicle, that may do the trick...
'citin'
lp

7 Apr 2008

Never heard of it confused

But what a fun way of getting some exercise in and getting the kids away from Wee's, computers n tellys lol

8 Apr 2008

My son and his family are mad kean on it. They use ordanance survey map references to find their caches as they can't afford a gps yet. I'm thinking of having a go myself.

8 Apr 2008

Hiya Missy,
It was us who posted last year. We have been caching a couple of years and have done nearly 200.
If you have any questions just fire away.
Love us xxx

8 Apr 2008

Why not expand on it
Geomunches, and geodogging smile

Instead of the old routine of sending out the muinch venue, have people geocaching, to find their way to pre-munch and munch :)

8 Apr 2008

I have heard of it but not done it, I think you are ment to leave something in place of the thing you find, so there is something for the next person to find.

8 Apr 2008

Quote by Sarah
I have heard of it but not done it, I think you are ment to leave something in place of the thing you find, so there is something for the next person to find.

No, thats only if you want to play that part of the game. because we have no young kids (who like that sort of thing) we dont do swaps, we just find the caches for the fun of it.

8 Apr 2008

Quote by Missy
Oh and another question....
Is it maybe a secret club and that's why I've never heard of it before??
Have I just blabbed about something thats meant to be a secret club type thing??? :uhoh:
If it is, can you let either me or another mod/admin know, or post here, and the thread can be deleted back into secretdom :? :? :?

No secret club stuff, the more the merrier.

8 Apr 2008

I will asnwer some of your questions Missy and apologies to everone else for rambling on a bit.
Dont know about the world but there are over 20,000 in the UK and 500 within a 10 mile radius of us in Bradford. So you are never far from a cache.
"From what I can gather, some of the clues/directions take you directly to the cache/treasure, and some take you to more clues, more of a hunt in stages. When you find the cache, you sign the log book, and take a piece of the treasure. You gotta remember to replace the treasure you take tho, with something else, to keep the cache stored up."
Thats exactly right, although you dont have to do the swap thing, indeed some caches are too small for swaps.
"My youngest is already an addict, she's done 4 walks in 2 days with my brother and his family (who only discovered geocaching on Friday!), looking for these caches - she absolutely loves it. So far has gathered a pencil, a little torch, a lightstick and an eraser :bounce: And my brother has found his first trackable treasure, which has already been as far as Australia and New Zealand :bounce: makes the old helium balloon with a message attached look quite tame confused

:? :?"
The trackable treasure is called a travel bug which is normally attached to a keyring or similar and move from cache to cache. They can indeed travel around the world. If anyone is registered on the geocaching website then drop me a PM here and I will give you the code to a very unique travel bug. (Ok ok, its me, I have the bug and code tattooed on my arm).
"So is anyone else into this, or heard of it?? If so, what's it really like?? As I said, I've only just found out about it and can't wait to get started (once we've bought a GPS :undecided: ). But before we invest, is it one of them things thats exciting for a couple of times, then boring - or is it addictive??"
Its a great hobby. Men love it for the gadgetry, kids love the treasure hunting, women love the fact the whole family can do it. Its a great way to get out from the house. I can give you advice on buying a GPS if you PM me, you dont need anything expensive but a tomtom really isnt up to the job. It is totally addictive because every cache/location is different so you never know whats around the corner.
If anyone wants to start geocaching in the West Yorkshire/Lancashire area or tag along with us to see if they like it just drop us a line. But please guys this is not an invitation for sex or to start swinging with us - might be for ladies and couples though *wink n giggles*

8 Apr 2008

Quote by essex34m
Why not expand on it
Geomunches, and geodogging
Instead of the old routine of sending out the muinch venue, have people geocaching, to find their way to pre-munch and munch :)

You've obviously never seen my munch directions redface

8 Apr 2008

Doesnt this sound like a modern form of the "gold rush"????
i think herein lies the problem for me, insofar as I can see many ways that unscrupulous people could take advantage of not saying the whole thing is completely "bent", but i wager that the outlay (over time.... and including time)outweighs the income generated.
I can see that you have some reservations simply by your post... go with your instincts I say..... or maybe trust the thoughts of others who have the ability to look at it from both sides.

8 Apr 2008

all part of our weekends away
beware the muggles

8 Apr 2008

Quote by DeeCee
Doesnt this sound like a modern form of the "gold rush"????
i think herein lies the problem for me, insofar as I can see many ways that unscrupulous people could take advantage of not saying the whole thing is completely "bent", but i wager that the outlay (over time.... and including time)outweighs the income generated.
I can see that you have some reservations simply by your post... go with your instincts I say..... or maybe trust the thoughts of others who have the ability to look at it from both sides.

The only cost involved is the initial outlay of a GPS, the site is free. There is no real treasure, the fun comes from finding the box (normally a tuppaware box). The kids enjoy finding and exchanging treasure as they call it which normally involves things like toy cars, McDonalds toys, plastic bracelets etc.
It does involve time, but if it gets eveyone out walking in the woods, fresh air, exercising the body and brain then surley that is a good thing. Some people spend their spare time in the pub (driving their partners to distraction wishing they could do someting as a family), others spend it in the great outdoors - I just do both.

8 Apr 2008

you can geocache with a half decent mobile phone these days, if you have one thats got gps...we use excatly that, freeware available to download to your phone is available , we have evn used our mobile sat nav software one night just to see if it works, it does , erm yeah we geocache at night too, lol more fun in the dark , lots harder too..
there arent any catchess and we havent had one wasted trip, its turned an every day nice walk into something a bit more fun , moreso if you have your kids with you,
one of the nicest aspects of caching is when someone place3s a chache they tend to place it somewhere thats a bit special , maybe a fab view an area of outstanding beauty, vey often an off the beaten track spot they know...we have come across some great places we wouldnt of found otherwise.... the hex tree near alton towers to name just one

8 Apr 2008

ohhh that sounds great fun Missy.....I got a fab picnic hamper for my birthday so I'm going to see if there are any near me where I can go for a walk to and have a picnic on the way :bounce:

8 Apr 2008

Quote by Naughty Wigan Couple
Why not expand on it
Geomunches, and geodogging
Instead of the old routine of sending out the muinch venue, have people geocaching, to find their way to pre-munch and munch :)

You've obviously never seen my munch directions redface

Been to two of yours, I'm gutted I'm not that memorable

8 Apr 2008

WOW just had to google this rolleyes

Looks really good fun and in my line of work (youth worker for my sins), it sounds like a great opportunity to get kids out and about and actually using their heads instead of their eyes at the tv. Will let you all know how it goes lol

9 Apr 2008

Ooooooooh that sounds like fun biggrin

Can I come Missy? Can I? Can I? lol

9 Apr 2008

I have done quite a few of these now and yep, it's great fun.
All that said that I really enjoy it, I actually only started doing it because of the kids and the fact that I had a dog with bundles of energy.
In this day and age of kids sitting in front of the television all day either watching or playing games, any opportunity that parents can give to get the kids out of the house, get a bit of exercise, must surely be good.
So many parents nowadays complain that doing anything with the kids will cost money. This doesn't. All it takes is for parents to get off there ass, show an interest in what the kids do, and get out into the fresh air.

10 Apr 2008

Missy, where do you think we have been for the last couple of years. I have been following the clues and collecting all sorts of trophies redface

along the way. I have a little treasure chest full of things like condoms, thongs, vibrating eggs, rolleyes

a quill which I believe belonged to the bard himself, a rose from sappho, squirty cream, pegs, cock shots which I am sure Jags planted :bounce: not to mention a vast array of munch name badges innocent

And the last clue led me right back here to you, now I know I hit the jackpot!
Love
Wilma
x x x x

11 Apr 2008

Quote by WilmaFlintstone
Missy, where do you think we have been for the last couple of years. I have been following the clues and collecting all sorts of trophies along the way. I have a little treasure chest full of things like condoms, thongs, vibrating eggs, a quill which I believe belonged to the bard himself, a rose from sappho, squirty cream, pegs, cock shots which I am sure Jags planted :bounce: not to mention a vast array of munch name badges
And the last clue led me right back here to you, now I know I hit the jackpot!
Love
Wilma
x x x x

Jeez, does this caching send you on a long tour or summat? Nice to see you back though. Hope you brought Fred back with you.
I once came back with a bottle of McWilliams,a Kitkat and a fireman's lift.
This sounds fun. I have a feeling I know what Angelica and I will be doing this weekend.
.

11 Apr 2008

I would like to say a big thankyou to Missy for this post worship

, I had a great day yesterday with my kids roaming the Kent country side we found 3 caches the hardest being a micro cache in whitstable.
GREAT FUN.
Reacher

11 Apr 2008

Quote by WilmaFlintstone
Missy, where do you think we have been for the last couple of years. I have been following the clues and collecting all sorts of trophies along the way. I have a little treasure chest full of things like condoms, thongs, vibrating eggs, a quill which I believe belonged to the bard himself, a rose from sappho, squirty cream, pegs, cock shots which I am sure Jags planted :bounce: not to mention a vast array of munch name badges
And the last clue led me right back here to you, now I know I hit the jackpot!
Love
Wilma
x x x x

WILMA!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
You been away so long, what did you do, put yourself in the cache? :shock:
That gives me a great idea - wouldn't it be good to have a geo munch!!!! :bounce: Just give out the clues and the e=mc² GPS thingy and off we all go!! :bounce:
See how many actually make it there :lol2: actually you won't see if you can't get there yourself :undecided:
Thanks everyone for the cracking responses, I wanna do it even more now :bounce: By the way, has anyone seen LP since confused

Hope he hasn't got tangled up with geocaching enthusiasm, and can't find his way home again :shock:
Seems I am a bit late on the uptake as you lot have a head start on me ....... and of course LP who looks like he's been unable to wait and gone off on a premature geocache and got lost :?
MorkandMindy, thanks for the wonderful response and the effort you put into helping out a geocache virgin. What a great idea for a tattoo, let me know the ID, cos I wanna track it as well now!! :happy:
Davinaukcd, go for it :bounce: and let me know how you get on - do an easy one first by cutting out the middle bit and making your son take you straight to a cache :lol2:
WRATS - the muggles!! rotflmao

I love that part of it, makes it seem like a secret club, hence me asking at the beginning if it was ok to blab. Thought it was a funny word in Harry Potter, but put into a real situation, it's even funnier lol

my youngest loves it, the fact that shes now special and not a muggle cos she's done several caches - compared to her mother who is still in the excited never done it before phase :?
PK ooooh you gotta do it now!! :bounce: Just be careful if you find a cache and celebrate with your picnic nearby - cos other geocachers might come along and presume your picnic is the cache and whip it from under your nose, swapping it for a keyring or something :shock:
Mickandmich - oh wow, it sounds like a perfect thing to get involved with, something a bit different, and something where you can use teamwork - let me know if you go for it and also if it went down well with your team! :thumbup:
DH, oh yeh, me and you deffo go out geocaching :bounce: careful I don't try to pack you in the box tho, you little treasure you kiss

Hope all is getting better with you, would be good to see you again, and this looks like a great reason to meet up (makes a note to hide a cache in Rios )
Manolishi!! Ooooooh where's the caches, the easy ones but not too easy that you don't have to search just easy enough to be interesting for a first time ones?? :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
Reacher - you found a micro cache!!!! worship

Bluddy well done you!!! Have you been doing it long, or is this new to you as well?
The only thing I'm not sure about - are the caches on animals :? Not sure I agree, cos how the bluddy ell are you gonna pin a cat down long enough to get the cache off its neck, sign the log book and put the cache back without
a) traumatising the cat and
b) getting your eyeballs scratched out :? :? :?
And on dogs - noway am I gonna be chasing a rotweiller up the road trying to get to it's neck without
a) traumatising my family and
b) traumatising myself :shock:
No, I think I prefer the static caches. Don't know how many caches are attached to animals, but that part of it ain't really my thing.
Chooon - bring yer wife and yer nav thing, and lets go geocaching :twisted: :bounce: Sure we can find a pub to go via 8-)
Right, better get back on Ebay to try for another Garmin, cos I keep losing auctions cos too tight :lol2:
Bring it on :bounce: Once again, thanks for all the great responses - I'm soooooooooo excited about it now, I need to get a GPS cos chomping at the bit here to get started!! :bounce:
And if anyone sees LP out and about - turn him round so he's facing home again! :lol:

11 Apr 2008

What's that Skip?... You saw a man in a skirt leaning into a well trying to fish something out with a stick, then when you looked again he had gone?... over in the far pasture, near the mine workings?
oh well... finish your beer, I'm sure he's fine, the dag!

lp

11 Apr 2008

Missy, I am off to bag my first one this evening. Son is in Cyprus on hol so he's no help today lol.
The geocache web site shows lots near me.
Wilma..long time no see, welcome back. I remember a very drunken conversation yonks ago with you about setting up a Swinging Heaven branch of the W.I. lol.
Great to see you again. xx