tjtm

I don't know if I am a lurker. I don't know why I'm even up this late when I have to get up early and rush out the door with 4 kids for swim practice! I'm new. We haven't even started geocaching. I just found out about it at Blackwater Falls, WV. They had a brochure at the Nature Center and the guy who camped next to us (avid cacher) gave us a few more details about what it was. Pretty cool I thought. My kids would love it and I love navigating! I am a bit old fashioned however. I don't own a GPS and don't intend to use one for now. We will be doing it the old way with a map and a compass. I want the kids to learn how to read a map and compass . Great Geography lessons.. (I also homeschool) Having kids ages 3 - 10 limits us anyway to the more easy coordinates. I can't wait to start! As for the uglies..I don't have the time to read what is not pertinant to my learning what this whole "thing" is about. We just want to have fun and give hiking a little more incentive than naming the trees, wildflowers and seeing squirrels. Oh, forgot to introduce myself, my name is Helena, I'm a single mom (and very happy this way ) and live in No. Virginia.

Thank you. You answered my question. Now I really need to o to bed it is 1:30am!!!!

So what did people do to navigate on land before the GPS? I'm new and it doesn't seem much of a challenge if I can see a map where a cache is. Also, what happens if you run out of batteries or you can't get a sat reading? I sailed on a tall ship about 17 years ago for 9 mos. We used to take sextant readings for navigating. What was used for land and is it possible to do geocaching w/out a GPS device? THanks, Helena