Worshipping The Geo Gods

March 12, 2006

It started out to be one of the first warm days here in Myrtle Beach, S.C. I had just pulled into the Myrtle Beach State park, and found a nice quiet place to park. With my Mc D lunch by my side I turned the radio to my favorite country station, leaned back and started to enjoy the day.

The next moment a car pulled up beside me and three people rushed out, excited, holding what I thought was their cellphone up in the air. The one holding this *phone* glanced up at the sky, then back at his *phone*. Hitting a few buttons he looked up once again and laughed.

"It's this way," he said, pulling out his sunglasses on while grinning like a cat that just swallowed a canary at his friends.

Off they went, following the guy with his *phone*, which I learned later was a GPS held up at eye level. Of course I was a bit taken back by them and decided to follow them down a long and winding trail. I wasn't sure what they were up too, or if I should call 911 and have them bring the padded truck and a few butterfly nets. These people were crazy!

One of them was carrying a gallon ziplock bag full of...goodies. I wished later that it was food, seeing how mine was left back at the car, with the windows rolled down.

After following them for a distance, losing them twice because I was trying not be be seen, I heard them stop. Suddenly they exploded in laughter as they pulled something out from the side of the trail. My first thoughts were, "Buried treasure? That was way tooo easy!"

But I quickly learned that the team was Geocashing, and the ziplock bag they were carrying was full of things they exchanged, or added to the cashe if they found one low. The bag was full of all types of things, coins, pins, magnets, pencils and small toys, just to name a few.

They explained what they were doing, wrote down the address for Geocaching.com for me and even asked if I would like to 'follow' them to their next big find. I of course had to say "YES!" though I'm sure my voice was that of a 10 yr old boy.

*I'm 52 btw*

After they filled and replaced the cache back where it belonged, with help I was given the GPS and off we went on the next big treasure. It took a while and we talked and chatted about the different things they found, and all the exercise they got doing it, but we soon found the next cashe. The group traded a few items, took a few and logged themselves into the book that was sealed in another ziplock bag.

And no, I didn't log in because...we'll I wasn't really a part of their team, and felt like I was traspassing. Oh! I learned what a Muggle was too. After a nice chat, and learning all I could about Geocashing, I waved good bye to the group and set back to find my car.

Note: Always carry a pencil or pen with you where ever you go. They gave me there names, but they were nicknames, one's I should have written down or tried to remember. But they know who they are, don't you? :rolleyes:

To say the least I left the park with a cold, half eaten lunch, a watered down Coke, and a new hobby. I'm so excited I can't wait to receive my GPS, which I'm bidding on in Ebay.

Once I get that puppy in my hands there will be no cache left unopened, no log book unsigned. I'm already checking the Dollar store and the flea markets for goodies to trade. And I have a number of things at home I can trade. The wife's a pack rat and the things she brings home...

*I may need a bigger belly pack...*

You can't miss me! :tired:

I'll be the guy worshiping the Geo Gods, with a tan baseball hat, to keep my balding head from being sunburned, dark sunglasses and a puzzled expression on my face, carrying what may look like a heavy backpack full of goodies.

*Hey! What the wife doesn't know...won't be missed. Right?*

Question: Can I add jewelry to the caches? She has all these rings and such she never wears, not to mention the thousands of pins...I'll need more room for my Geo coins you see.

March 12, 2006

Welcome to the addiction!

March 12, 2006

Great story, welcome to geocaching!

I really do think that you should log the geocaches that you visited with the group as finds (especially if you signed the log) or at least as notes. You were there, and the group will vouch for that, and you will want that history reflected in your pages somehow...

As for the jewelry...if you wife doesn't mind parting with it, jewelry makes great swag, but you really should send all the pins to me because it's my birthday today (29, with 18 years of experience at being that age). Is your wife planning to geocache with you? It is a great hobby for couples and families. Have fun!

Edited March 13, 2006 by Team Neos

11.3k · March 12, 2006

Wonderful story! I look forward to reading your logs. Interesting logs are so much better than TNLNSL.

Welcome to the addiction! :rolleyes:

March 12, 2006

Welcome to geocaching. I would like some pins to.

You will be out in all kinds of weather like the rest of us. I dont think caching is addictive :rolleyes: ... I have geo caches I dont need to go find and I can not surf on the site to not look for new caches I have not gotten or go out in the middle of the night (like last night) to try to get FTF and then not find the cache and have to go back to look again. I am not in 12 step program because if I dont go out at least once a week I get depressed. See I am not addicted to caching. May the geo gods smile one you

Have fun hunting.

PS do log your cache that you found with the group if you know the name of it. That will also tell you who they were

March 12, 2006

Great Story! Do log your cache. it doesnt matter if you signed the log or not. Log signing is optional as is leaving something. For example i have logged caches that were frozen in the ground and I could not open, but I saw the container. You were there, you saw it, so you log it.

Cary in South Dakota

22k · March 12, 2006

That was written better than most news articles about geocaching.

Edited March 12, 2006 by BlueDeuce

March 12, 2006

Welcome to geocaching. I would like some pins to.

You will be out in all kinds of weather like the rest of us. I dont think caching is addictive ... I have geo caches I dont need to go find and I can not surf on the site to not look for new caches I have not gotten or go out in the middle of the night (like last night) to try to get FTF and then not find the cache and have to go back to look again. I am not in 12 step program because if I dont go out at least once a week I get depressed. See I am not addicted to caching. May the geo gods smile one you

Have fun hunting.

PS do log your cache that you found with the group if you know the name of it. That will also tell you who they were

That's the only problem, I was more a 'guest' that an actual geo hunter. I think I might have scared them when I first came up upon them and asked what they found. *Deliverance sound track if you please.*

I think we talked about everthing there was to talk about, except for the name of the caches we found. I do know they were in Myrtle Beach State park. And this was back in late Febuary. And from what I've read, there are well over 4 caches in MBSP.

We only hit two.

But I am hooked, and just waiting for Ebay to say I've won the bid on my Garmin MapGPS 60Cx I'm bidding on. I've went so far as to check out a few places for setting up my own cache, not to mention the ammo cases I've bought. I've already ordered the geo stickers, bought the camo tape and have checked the seals on all three cases.

Yes, with a heavy sigh, the wife things I've gone over the deep end, but she's been the one telling me I need to get out of the house more. Being a fantasy writer has its disadvantages at time. But this may give me some inspiration for my next book.

*Thank the writing gods for Words!*

As for the pins, just look around Myrtle Beach in the near future. You'll find them in any cache I log. And most of the rings are from garage sales and avon, though I almost gave a 1crt diamond ring away to a friend, thinking it was cut glass. Good thing I asked first.

You'll have to have the rings sized yourself.

The pins are anything from angels, to hearts, a few dragonflies and the like. Anything that glitters catches her eye. And she can spot them going 45 down the highway. I've gotten whiplash by her screaming, "Turn here! There's a garage sale! And they have pins!" I swear she can sniff one out from two miles away. Or she uses radar...

They're clean pins, with good backings and clasps, and I'm going to place them in small, but heavy bags, with a logo.

Note to self: Get logo! Hide comic book collection and Dragon figurines.

Keep caching :rolleyes:

2.6k · March 12, 2006

That's the only problem, I was more a 'guest' that an actual geo hunter. I think I might have scared them when I first came up upon them and asked what they found. *Deliverance sound track if you please.*

I think we talked about everthing there was to talk about, except for the name of the caches we found. I do know they were in Myrtle Beach State park. And this was back in late Febuary. And from what I've read, there are well over 4 caches in MBSP.

It counts, it counts. Though you'll probably want to go back and do those again by yourself for sentimental reasons and sign the book good and proper.

Go to the top page of geocaching.com and punch in your zip code -- or the zipcode of Myrtle Beach State Park. Then click the Map It! icon in the top right corner. This will show you the location of caches in the park, from which you should be able to identify the ones you hit.

Better yet, while you're waiting for your GPS, download Google Earth (which you get, not surprisingly, from Google). If you're in an area that Google Earth covers well, it shows aerial photos so excellent, we were able to identify a neighbor's car. You can get cache icons overlaid on these maps and the quality is so eerily good, some cachers think it takes all the fun out of it. Me, I like being able to see if I'm going someplace nice and foresty.

Warning: this is so cool, you may not be able to stand it.

March 12, 2006

Drgnsrealm,

As I was looking at 'New Posts', I have to write and tell you that I almost skipped over this post . . . No, I did skip over this post the first time I saw it. It's a newbie writing about a first cache, I thought to myself (I'm SO experienced and jaded, now that I've been caching since Christmas). I'm looking for great ideas and trying to learn as much as I can from this new hobby!

Now, I'm glad I stopped and read your well written post. I really enjoyed it and was encouraged to make a point of sharing this sport with others I see, instead of 'avoiding muggles'. I DID learn something from your post. Welcome and keep on writing.

Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the roses . . .

JohnTee

March 12, 2006

Drgnsrealm,

As I was looking at 'New Posts', I have to write and tell you that I almost skipped over this post . . . No, I did skip over this post the first time I saw it. It's a newbie writing about a first cache, I thought to myself (I'm SO experienced and jaded, now that I've been caching since Christmas). I'm looking for great ideas and trying to learn as much as I can from this new hobby!

Now, I'm glad I stopped and read your well written post. I really enjoyed it and was encouraged to make a point of sharing this sport with others I see, instead of 'avoiding muggles'. I DID learn something from your post. Welcome and keep on writing.

Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the roses . . .

JohnTee

Well JT, there are more than a few muggles' out there you should avoid by all means, and I think everyone here know who they are and what they look, and smell like. I for one was not one of those, and I was being...curious.

Yes, I was a muggle, for no better word for it. :rolleyes:

But we were all Muggles' at one point in time, right?

But thanks to the open minds of a few 'treasure hunters' I learned something new and exciting. I'll tell you, the moment we found the second cache, my heart was beating so hard I could not even speak. And once we opened it, I for one was surprised by the things inside. I now see why some of them disappear so quickly. They're chocked full of goodies. Now if I can just find some with old comic books, and dragon figurines I'll be in seventh heaven.

Then there are those geo coins I've been eyeing...But I'm glad you stopped by to share your thoughts with the rest of us here. You can never tell what may be hidden in a silly title.

Even a diamond started out to be just a lump of coal.

Keep on caching

4.8k · March 12, 2006

Great story! Welcome to caching! :rolleyes:

1.4k · March 12, 2006

I would log your visit from the other day. Our first go at it was with my brother-in-law and we logged the 2 caches we did with him.

Enjoy! :rolleyes:

March 12, 2006

Drgnsrealm,

As I was looking at 'New Posts', I have to write and tell you that I almost skipped over this post . . . No, I did skip over this post the first time I saw it. It's a newbie writing about a first cache, I thought to myself (I'm SO experienced and jaded, now that I've been caching since Christmas). I'm looking for great ideas and trying to learn as much as I can from this new hobby!

Now, I'm glad I stopped and read your well written post. I really enjoyed it and was encouraged to make a point of sharing this sport with others I see, instead of 'avoiding muggles'. I DID learn something from your post. Welcome and keep on writing.

Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the roses . . .

JohnTee

Awesome that you joined on Christmas!

I got my GPSr on Christmas morning and I was a member of geocaching.com an hour later!

March 13, 2006

Welcome to geocaching. I would like some pins to.

Hey Derb522002, wanna meet me to go geocaching in Myrtle Beach soon? We can probably get Drgnsrealm's wife to go to some yard sales with us while we are there. He won't be home, he'll be busy putting all her jewelry into geocaches!

March 13, 2006

Welcome to geocaching. I would like some pins to.

Hey Derb522002, wanna meet me to go geocaching in Myrtle Beach soon? We can probably get Drgnsrealm's wife to go to some yard sales with us while we are there. He won't be home, he'll be busy putting all her jewelry into geocaches!

If you all decide to go, and I have my GPS by then I'll be more than happy to join you both for coffee and donuts. One can't go geocaching without a fresh cup a Joe and a hot, sugar coated Crispy Creame donut, now can we?

And yes, I'll bring a few goodies to trade.

Just email me a day or two in advance. Set a time and date and I'll see what I can do.

March 16, 2006

Awesome that you joined on Christmas!

I got my GPSr on Christmas morning and I was a member of geocaching.com an hour later!

Guess it was more like the day after . . . But close enough!

Sad thing is, I 'helped' my wife Christmas shop for this for me. It sat in her closet since sometime in October!

JohnTee

Sicks munths agoe, I cudn't spell 'geeocatcher', now I are won!

March 16, 2006

Drgnsrealm:

First of all welcome and thanks for the story. You said you didn't want to log your first two finds but, what you could do when you get you GPSr is to go back and find them again using it. That way you can log them and get some practice learning how to use the unit. As you'll soon find out a Gps will rarely take you to the exact location of a cache and knowing where it actually is and where the GPSr thinks it is can be great practice.

March 16, 2006

Odd...none of the Myrtle Beach State Park caches logs mention an encounter like yours. Usually when people are "caught" looking for a cache they will mention it in their log, especially if they took you along and got you hooked.

Maybe they haven't logged them yet, or maybe they belong to the group of cachers who don't log their finds online.

Anyway, welcome to the hobby! Glad you found it.

1.6k · March 17, 2006

Ahh, caching freshness. You have inspired me with your giddy report, CACHE ON! and welcome

March 17, 2006

Odd...none of the Myrtle Beach State Park caches logs mention an encounter like yours. Usually when people are "caught" looking for a cache they will mention it in their log, especially if they took you along and got you hooked.

Maybe they haven't logged them yet, or maybe they belong to the group of cachers who don't log their finds online.

Anyway, welcome to the hobby! Glad you found it.

I do know that they were out of state, Snowbirds we call them, and they were making their way to Florida, caching along the way. So it may be they didn't have time or the means to log on just yet. What upsets me more is the fact they told me their handles, but I never wrote them down.

*old age and excitement plays heck on the mind*

And yes, I'll be going back to 'log' my visits again, and maybe learn who those people were.

Do any of you date your logs, or just sign your names, and run?

And I've been invited on a hunt near the end of the month. We'll post our finds as we find them!

Cache on!

March 17, 2006

I love this time of year. The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and the new geocachers are in bloom!

Great story! This is the second good accidental intro to caching story I've seen this week. Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the cult!

Worshipping The Geo Gods

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