Jump to content

Who Got You Started?


Thrak

Recommended Posts

About 2 months ago, I read an article in a motorcycle mag...Rider... wherein the editor mentioned his older model GPSr lying in the closet, used so occasionally that he had to get out the manual every time to figure out how to work the thing......then he discovered the geocache website and got hooked. This was me to a "T" old GPSr and all...checked out the site and got hookd too. I also wanted a more sophisticated unit for ATV 'n in the woods and this was a good excuse to buy one!

Link to comment

Our children (alces_alces) showed us while a vacancy, explained how easy it would be, and we were infected! After vacancy we bought our own garmin (first geko 101 but changed after a few days to GPS60). Found our first cache alone and are now looking for caches in the county around!

Happy caching!

Ute und Hans from Cologne, Germany

Edited by UteHans
Link to comment

i am a ham radio operator, i was looking up information on gos' because i wanted to setup an APRS station, when on one of the pages i saw a link to geocaching.com. i checked it out and read a little bit. then i said to myself hey ill put in my zipcode and see if there are any of these things around me. and sure enough there were lots!! so i plugged some coordinated into my gps which i hadnt even read the manual for yet (garmin etrex legend) and went looking, i found the cache and thought this is really cool!!

 

so, now i do it whenever i have some extra time on my hands, but i am not like a lot of cachers, ive seen some who get several hundred caches in a few months. i have around 150 and its been about 1.5 years...

Link to comment

I was looking for a way to get some practice using GPS and/or map and compass one Sunday afternoon. I had herd of Geocaching and thought I would look it up on the net and found this site. I decided to give it a try and I have been having fun ever since.

Link to comment

I have Australian Cattle Dogs and someone on the ACD internet list mentioned that they liked to bring their dog geocaching. I didn't know what it was so looked it up. I started searching for a GPS unit withing the hour! I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, but never go anywhere but work and home. Geocaching gets me out of the house and out in the woods exploring. The dog likes it too.

Link to comment

A co-worker bought a GPS for hiking and saw the geocaching.com link in the manual. He started caching and every monday coffeebreaks were filled with heroic cache-stories. Within a few months two other co-workers and myself got a GPSr too and are now all hooked.

I genuinely feel sorry for the rest of our co-workers somtimes, having to put up with all the geocaching talk

Link to comment

Well a very good friend of mine spoke about it - her and her husband go Geocaching very frequently......

 

We have had a GPS for quite some time as we use it for hunting and jeep'n.

 

We talked about it - but time went by. Then I was online playing about a week ago and went to the site to read up more about it. Saw the jeep game going on and showed it to the hubby so we had to try it - well the story ends there as after the first one we were HOOKED!!!! Haven't stopped since! :D

 

LAMSONK05

Link to comment

I'm addicted to reality tv so I go to a website dedicated to it. (I know its about as far removed from geocaching as it can be.) In the general discussion forum the admin mentioned geocaching. I was absolutly fasinated. But I'd never heard of it so didn't think it would be in my area. Decided to sign up and entered my zip code. I was suprised to see so many in my area. Some just down the road from my house. Told the kids about it and they got excited. So far we've only found 4. I finally got my father in law to lend me his GPSr but I don't know how to read it so it hasn't been very helpful. But I'm hooked and not quitting any time soon.

Link to comment

My Dad talked my Mom into letting him get a GPS for their 35th anniversary. He wanted it for fishing and hunting. When he read the owners manual, he found out about geocaching. We went to visit him over the kids summer break and found our first at a local cemetary. I've been hooked ever since. My Dad bought my son a Garmin Legend for his 13th birthday and we have been using his. I have talked my husband into letting me buy one of our own. We are all addicted and go just about every weekend, weather permitting. Our 2 kids aren't as addicted as my husband and I are, but we drag them along anyway.

Link to comment

I heard to of my co-workers talking about it one day just over a month ago. Apparently, one of them has a cousin that was really into the game. I thought it sounded pretty cool, so I decided to check out the website. When I read about it, I was so excited - it sounded like one of the coolest things ever. I have a complete fascination with anything hidden, concealed or somehow consciously separated from the "public," so naturally Geocaching caught my eye. The same night that I found out about the game, I went to a local store and bought a GPSr. The next morning, I found my first cache and new that it was the start of something great. My number of finds hasn't grown as rapidly as some, but I get out whenever I can. My work hours are long and not at all flexible, but later in the year I'm going to get a month or two off, and you can believe I'll be going full force then. :lol:

 

As a psychological sidenote about my fascination with things hidden, concealed or separated: I think the conscious decision to do something like this is very revealing about people in general. For example, I think gates are amazing, particularly gates at homes, because they are specifially designed to keep "commoners" well away from the people and things behind the gate. The reasons for this separation are what I find most fascinating to ponder. As my fascination relates to geocaching, the idea that these caches are hidden so close to people, some in areas people pass frequently, and yet we aren't aware of them just makes my mind race. I mean, how many months did I walk right past some of these cache sites before I even knew about the game? :lol:

Link to comment

i was active on wheresgeorge, and one day a bill of mine got "found" and placed in a geocahce (and found again) and i got curious so i came over here and that was that.. i tried a few times and had no luck, but the i was over in brasil for a while with no cahces near me, and when i came back to the states i started up again.. i need a hobby to keep me busy on my weekends

Link to comment

I was on Mackinac Island with some friends last Saturday and my friend Terry had his GPS unit with him and I had no idea what we were doing until we headed into the woods and we found a cache. I was hooked. On Sunday, I had to buy a GPS and yesterday I found my first two caches. I am such a newbie, that I still don't know all the terminology and everything else, but I will learn.

A previous post mentioned Where's George. I have a few bills and I get hits once in awhile, but with geocaching, I will have a lot more fun.

Link to comment

I love Jeep Willys/Wrangler since I was a kid, my really first met with geocaching was while searching jeeps pictures trought Google images search engine. I saw that "Yellow jeep fever" Lc page and got some pictures.

 

I didn't understand the real concept of Geocaching, and I thought was silly that people were chasing Yellow jeeps with a GPSr in their hands. cars are not static! I didn't pay atention to the site.

 

The following year I bought a Sportrack just for my hikes and learn how a GPSr works, and thanks to the Magellan site I rediscovered Geocaching, then I understood that geocaching was about finding hidden boxes and i delighted with it. Since 2003, GC.com is the page that i most visit.

Link to comment

I've benn a GPS nut for about two years. I have two units and used them both a lot before cacheing. Now they don't get to rest. I was on a Kayaking site looking at a product review someone wrote for a GPS, and seen that they used it for Geocaching. I wanted to know what that word meant, since I had seen it in my Garmins icon list. Google led me here to Geocaching.com, and now I'm hooked on it.

Edited by Airmapper
Link to comment

My sister (Chelemybell) lives in Alabama and is an avid cacher. She told me about it, and as a Scout Leader, and someone who loves the outdoors, it sounded great. Couldn't afford a GPS, so Sis came for a visit and took me caching. That of course only made things worse, because now I REALLY wanted to do it. I normally get very strange and useless things for my birthday, but this year, thanks to my wonderful sister, I got a GPS! My eight year old son and I have already been out caching and now can't wait to do our first Hide. I plan on taking my entire Scout group and their parents caching too, so I can spread the sickness on. LOL

Edited by Malanean
Link to comment

We started talking about using GPSrs with our search and rescue team 2 or 3 years ago, but never really got much further with the idea. After I attended a K9 training seminar about a year ago, one of my instructors showed me how to use a unit. I was surfing one day, looking to find a more up-to-date unit for the SAR team when I discovered the Geocaching web site. I just browsed for the first year, then I got my Magellan Explorist 500 and figured out how to upload coordinates by computer. I tried a cache out at one of our K9 training areas and immediately got hooked. My initial idea was that I could use geocaching as a way to become more proficient with the units in a search and rescue situation, but now it's a personal obsession. I love the thrill of the hunt.

 

I'm actually going to use geocaching as a way to introduce new team members to the use of GPS in the field. If you can find a micro hidden in the woods, a victim's coordinates ought to be a piece of cake (after the handler finds them... I haven't found a way to get the bloodhounds to use them yet...)

Link to comment

I was reading either my Four Wheeler or 4Wheel & Offroad magazine, can't remember which one and they had an ad in it for the Jeep Geocaching Challenge. I thought to myself, "What the heck is geocaching." The next day I looked it up online and after reading about it I knew I'd love it. I thought right away that these things are like the hidden packages in the Grand Theft Auto series. Anybody that plays those videogames knows what I'm talking about. For some reason I just got addicted to that part of the game. Driving around and looking for these hidden packages. Anyway I went right out and bought myself a GPSr and got addicted to it on the first day I went out. I told my girlfriend (QT) about it and she said she'd try it with me. She also likes it a lot so it's something we like to do together to get out of the house.

 

Krazymtbr

Link to comment

Cold wintery day in Jan 2002, was updating my Garmin software on thier web site and read about Geocaching. Thought no one would do that. Read more. Thought there wouldn't be one within a 1000 mile radius. One listed was 1.5 miles away (only one with 90 miles at the time). Sounded crazy. About an hour later was digging through leaves and light snow for a rusty coffee can. 2 Days later hid my first one.

Link to comment

I think I first heard of geocaching in Newsweek a couple years ago. Last year, after getting bored with spending my time looking for full-time work after graduating from college, I decided I needed a hobby. I remembered this GPS thing I read about in Newsweek, but couldn't remember what it was called! After some Googling, I figured out it was geocaching. And guess what y'all? Today is my 1 year geocaching anniversary! I will be going out to cache at lunch (have a full-time job now) to mark the occasion. My first find was Sept 29 2004.

Link to comment

I first read about it in Country Discoveries travel magazine, as a fun thing to do while traveling through an area. I thought it sounded like fun, but didn't check into it any more. A few months later I was reading an RV forum, and the topic was "What do you like to do when camping?" Several people wrote how much they liked geocaching new areas where they're camping. emembering the earlier article I decided to check out the website, ordered a gps right away, and was hooked after my first find.

Link to comment

My brother was owner of a GPS for a very long long time,

because as Hot-Air-Balloon-Pilot such a unit is important equipment.

I'm not sure if he also heard about it thru TV or if a fellow balloonist,

crew-member or passenger told him about it, but he did mention it to

me... I looked it up and was hooked... bought a cheap GPSr and told

my brother about my new adventures... now he is hooked, too.

Link to comment

Just last Tuesday I was doing some online research re: medium-to-longer hikes on the PCT (Pacific Coast Trail) and the AT (Appalachian Trail). Geocaching was mentioned several times. I immediately looked it up having never heard of this thing before, and bought an etrex Legend the next day. It was delivered Thursday, and I went out Friday and found my two first caches... ok, one was a virtual and one was a webcam, but I actually DID it!

 

I have MS, and am subject to periodic blindness in both eyes, among other nasty symptoms. But latest research indicates that one of the best things one can do for MS is to KEEP MOVING, and I figure geocaching is going to be a perfect way to do that while giving my eyes a good workout at the same time.

 

Already totally hooked! My Dad arrived in town for a weekend visit Friday night, and I'm taking him out to find at least one cache Saturday morning. He doesn't know what geocaching is yet... I only told him I have a surprise planned. Hope I hook him, too...

 

Thanks, y'all!

:P

Link to comment

I was thinking of getting a GPSr because I want to kayak the Suwannee River and there are a lot of good free campsites on the river and they can be found by GPS coordinates. That way, you'd know if the camp was 2 miles down the river or six :P

 

I was an avid reader of the Paddling.net forums and someone posted about geocaching. Before it turned into a big fuss about how some people didn't get it, I posted asking for info. Briansnat answered a couple of question for me in n email and here I am.

Link to comment

Somewhere along the line I read an article about geocaching but didn't own a GSPr. Last spring, the guy who services my swamp cooler was talking about how he uses his unit to find clients' homes in the boonies. He said he'd cached a few times with his kids and since I hike a lot, he thought I would enjoy it. Finally broke down and spent the $$ for a nice unit and a PDA so I could go paperless. Started in August and have 88 finds so far. Haven't been inspired (or creative!) to hide one yet, but I'm working on it.

Edited by sassydil
Link to comment

A professor asked us if we had heard of it. One of his friends I think mentioned it to him. Anyway, I finally remembered to look it up, thought it sounded great and immediately started trying to figure out how I was going to get a GPS. I couldn't wait until Christmas so I ran out and bought one. I was hooked on my first find. I don't always do the happy dance when I find one now, though.

Link to comment

I was online researching a GPSr to buy for backpacking and day hiking. One of the sites that had GPSr reviews mentioned geocaching. I ended up at the geocaching website, and was instantly hooked. Ended up buying a GPSr the next day at 6pm, made my first find an hour later...

Link to comment

Hi everyone! This discussion was quite interesting, I truly enjoyed reading how everyone got started geocaching. I am a member of a Search and Rescue team and heard about geocaching from other members from a team close to us. It sounded pretty interesting so I checked out the geocaching website, joined, but didnt follow through on anything. Then my hubby bought me a Garmin Rino 130 for my birthday this year and when these other SAR friends heard about it they set up a date and off we went. The trouble with my first *find* was not by using the GPS though. These fellow SAR workers decided it would be a good opportunity in learning some more skills at map and compass! :D Yes, my first geocache was found by using map and compass alone! What a trip that was! Hey it was so rewarding finding it though. The next two caches I found I used the GPS......SO MUCH EASIER! :blink: I am now hooked, BUT!-- I now cant get anyone to go with me!! :rolleyes: OH well.......I am not going to stop doing it though. :blink:

Link to comment

I went camping in Tennesseee with my sister and her husband. They GeoCache (ChicagoBama) and we went out and found 3 that weekend.

I love camping and hiking, this is interesting and will give me more

reason to go outdoors. I have not started yet, going to get me a Garmin

soon and get started. Cannot wait!!

Edited by SSinBama
Link to comment

Had a contractor out from Chicago doing some work at my company. He asked me if I knew anything about GPSs. I told him I had been using them for years in the military, why? So he pulled up geocaching.com on the computer and showed me some of the local caches. I didn't really get it at the time, thought it was interesting, but didn't pursue it then. A few months later Uncle Sam send me orders telling me I have been mobilized and headed over to the big sandbox. So I make a wish list of stuff I need before I go, GPSr being one of them, and prepare to head overseas. Well after 5 months in lovely FT Drum NY, I never wind up going and get stationed stateside on a Homeland Security type mission. So now that I had a GPSr I checked into the website that contractor pointed out so long ago and found my first cache in 2 feet of snow. Now that I am an addict I have converted 3 more Muggles to the dark side!

Link to comment

My brother-in-law, Renegade Knight, is one of the early cachers. He more or less forced me to come along on a couple of his adventures. After thinking to myself that this was a pretty dumb way to spend my time, my wife bought me my own GPS. That was the end of that. I spent a good deal of my time caching after that, and my current count of finds is now 1051, so guess you might say I got hooked.

 

<_<

Link to comment

I went to a "GPS" workshop while at a Girl Scout Camporee in Oregon, thinking,"I train outdoor skills, I ought to know about this"; they spent about 5 minutes on GPS, then the class went geocaching!

When I mentioned that there were no geocaches in New Mexico, they laughed hysterically and pulled up my zip code on their laptop. I live in a very rural area in NM, and there were 16 caches within 10 miles of my place! Bought the cheapest GPSr I could find, and off I went!

Now I am the one teaching "GPS" classes (read: "geocaching")!

Link to comment

About five months ago my mom told my teacher(male) (jerr17) that I like maps.(I was collecting them at the time)he went crazy and told me of his adventures up in Canada. Then he told me of a little side hobbie he had. Right after went straight to best buy bought a garmin.that weekend went to find jerr17's cache, cache cache 2. he is currently retired in Germany. :lol:

Link to comment

A friend got me interested in GeoCaching about 2 weeks ago, 4 of us plus our children where up relaxing in the Rice Like area. As we were discussing what to do she pulled out some sheets she had printed off from the GeoCache site. Sounded interested, and seeing that I like technology I thought what the heck - will get us outside and have a little treasure hunt. The kids enjoyed them selfs as did I. When I got home, I registed myself on the GeoCache site and started looking for caches around my area - now all I need is my GPS and we'll be out again!

 

Happy Caching!

 

Rabid Piglet

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...