Why do you like geocaching?

[rinkfam01]

Does anybody want to talk about why they like geocaching? I'm a reporter working on an article on geocaching. I'm finding there is not a whole lot of activity in my area. I took my family geocaching this past weekend and we really had fun! My husband wants to buy our own GPS so we can keep doing it. So, what is the appeal? Why do you guys do it?

[+emb021]

First off, there have been several articles written on geocaching. I believe from the main site you can get to an updated list of all of these.

 

As to your question.

 

For many people, its a combination of many reasons:

 

* its a treasure hunt

* its an activity they can do with their family, or friends, or even by themselves

* you get out of the house and do stuff, sometimes out in the wilds.

* you go to places you never had before, which can be very neat. This could be a great natural spot, a small park you never knew exists, or a back road with a lot of neat homes.

* it can be a challenge, what with multis, puzzles, etc.

* some like the sense of accomplishment (find more and more, TBs, geocoins, placing caches that others will find, etc)

[+disenchanted]

This should answer your question

[+briansnat]

For me its an opportunity to discover new and interesting places. Often they are practically in my backyard and I never knew about them until I started geocaching. It's simply a great way to explore the world around you.

[+Kacky]

As a news reporter myself, I find that readers (or listeners in my case) had rather hear it from their neighbors. So my advice to you would be to use our comments as starting points for what questions to ask the locals. Anyway, I do it because I am basically a nosey person. Now that I have learned that all these things are hidden all around me, I can't resist going out and seeing every single one of them! Along the way, I have learned other things about myself which will make it impossible to give up this obsession: 1. discovering hiking trails I didn't know about; 2. opportunity to help by cleaning up trails; 3. cameraderie; 4. I am an icon ho.

 

Now, if you wanted material for a sitcom, my boss at the radio station, bless his pointy little head, is not an overly intelligent man, and he is stubborn to boot. He has latched onto "geocash" and nothing I say or write will divorce him of the notion that it's all about money! When I did my feature for the radio station, he threw out the intro I had written for him, and instead said something about finding money! I've taken him to 2 caches to show him there's no money, but he read somewhere about a cache with money in it. He's just dyslexic enough that in his excitement, he can't see it's CACHE.

[+Derb522002]

I like caching for all the reasons others have said. I started caching in the winter. I was suffering from cabin fever. I have found that I enjoy the exercise and getting out. It is almost being a kid again with a goal. I cache all year round. I enjoy the beauty that is in my community and eles where.

 

I have enjoyed meeting other cachers either on the trail or at events and caching with them. And the other great thing about geocaching it is for all levels of activity. Going after caches, you can be challenged at all different levels. I find it very relaxing

 

when my husband and I take trips we find adding geocaching takes up places that while on vacation you not visit. We have seen some interesting sites that are off the beaten track. We have learned some history of the area at the same time. We also get excited about our TB's we have released and also helping TB's along thier way.

 

What more could you ask for in a fun activity and be an overgrown kid at the same time ?

[+nfa]

the outdoors

the challenge

the physical activity

going on someone else's idea of a nice walk/hike/paddle

having fun with my family and friends

torturing Theragleb

 

jamie - nfa

[+sbell111]

Does anybody want to talk about why they like geocaching? I'm a reporter working on an article on geocaching. I'm finding there is not a whole lot of activity in my area. I took my family geocaching this past weekend and we really had fun! My husband wants to buy our own GPS so we can keep doing it. So, what is the appeal? Why do you guys do it?

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Before I learned about the game, I would often whine that there is nothing to do locally. Frankly, geocaching gives me something to do. It doesn't always take me to a cool new place, but it let's me get out of the house, away from any drama that is in my life at that particular time, and gives me an excuse to get as much exercise as I want.

[+QuesterMark]

I think the main thing I like is the fact that these geocaches are hidden all over the place, and most people don't know it, but I do. I'm part of the inner cadre.

 

I like the mild challenge of finding them too.

 

I like the places that seeking geocaches takes me to. I really had no idea just how many city parks there are!

 

My wife likes to go with me when she has time (and then we cache as a team), and she really tries to spot them first!

 

I've only hidden a couple, both very easy. I can't explain why I think that's fun, but it is.

[Jon K.]

For me its an opportunity to discover new and interesting places. Often they are practically in my backyard and I never knew about them until I started geocaching. It's simply a great way to explore the world around you.

 

What he said!

[+Bad_CRC]

it's a challenge... can you find it?

 

it's a mystery... what will the cache be and what will be in it?

 

it's an excuse... why else would someone visit every park within 40 miles?

 

it's an activity... climbing hills, hiking, walking, even crawling to reach the goal.

 

it's technical... a little something for the gadget geek in all of us.

 

it's an escape... out in the woods, beautiful scenery, sights you've never seen.

 

it's unbeatable... only hobby I've tried that offered such a variety.

[+CCATBQFM]

I geocache as an escape from the reality of my everyday life. While I am out caching, I am not thinking about money issues, family issues, or job issues. Whether it's just me and CC or one hundred of our friends, geocaching gets me out and about and sometimes a day of geocaching makes me feel like I have taken a little vacation. I don't care if we are hunting dbmc's or traipsing through the wilderness as long as I am not trapped in the little box I live in or the little box I work in!

 

Stacy

TBQFM

[+robcaryh]

It gets me out of the house from in front of the computer,it gets me out with my wife and we spend time doing something fun together.Once you buy the gps,it's free to do. Just a change from everyday life,I am an RN and my job stresses me out.This is a relief from that.

[+Night Stalker]

I work on the road. Before I discovered geocaching I would sit in my motel room and watch TV after work. Now I have something I can do no matter where I am working. Right now I am working in Chicago and a fellow cacher form this area has offered to take me caching this next week. What could be better then finding out about new places and meeting new people.

[winston24]

The world is our front porch. So much too see too! The look on our kids faces.

[+Sunshine Toledo]

I geocache sometimes with my 71 year old fishing mate and he gets a thrill out of finding the cache; even before I find it. He found 2 yesterday as we went out together and of the total of 7 for the day he found 2. He said that it is the achievement of concluding something to your satisfaction; ie finding the cache.

Also of course there are the things that many others have mentioned like: getting outside in the sun and fresh air; getting the exercise of walking/hikeing etc to the cache site; the satisfaction of achieveing something successfully; being with friends; visiting some places that you would not visit otherwise and often there are magnificent views or lovely shady valleys etc. Great places to go.

[+Big Max]

Reading through these posts you'll notice that the best thing about geocaching is that you can tailor it to fit your personality. If you are big on numbers you can be a number ho. You like puzzles we have that. Like to be the first at everything, join the FTF club. You can do it in the country, you can do it in town, on top of mountains, under the ocean, in the desert. You can do it as a social event or you can do it when you need some solitude.

[+ThePropers]

I geocache for the wonderful trade items (it's a cheap way to do christmas shopping), as well as the wonderful parking lots it brings me to. You'd be amazed what you can find in the dumpsters behind stores if you take some time to look after doing the guardrail micro. And the caches out in the woods help me find good places to dump bodies

 

Uhm...I mean....errr....I do it to get outside. I've always liked hiking and biking in the outdoors, but always had a hard time getting motivated or finding new trails/places to go. Caching provides a "purpose" or "goal" to go along with the hike, plus the community has already done the work of finding a trail or place that I haven't been to.

 

Plus there's that whole exercise thing, but that's more of a side-effect/bonus (for me anyways).

Edited October 18, 2006 by ThePropers

[+Jhwk]

It gets me out of the house

I get to play with new technology

I get to go to new undiscovered treasures

I find interesting things in caches

I get to hike and paddle for exercise

It got me to become a certified diver (just in case)

I get to spend "quality time" with my spouse on multi-state cache runs

I get to explore some of the local communities

I get to meet new folks

I get to introduce others to this addiction

I get to challenge myself mentally and physically.

 

I'm sure there are others, but that's enough for now

[+simplyred]

I would say thaI have been goecaching all my life. I've been as long as I can remember. I been atv'ing, fourwheelin and hiking four over 30 years and have seen many places. I've always thought of how nice it would be to share these places with others. I'm forever looking for new places and things to see. Geocaching gives me an extra goal (excuse) to what i've always done. It's like an information station, I don't have to keep going back to the same spots that I already know, I get to go where others like me have already found.

[+Bad_CRC]

I enjoy parking lots, and I'm fascinated by film canisters.

 

[+cave-rat]

Ohhhh thousands of reason...just to get out of the house, learn more about my state of Michigan, meet new people (I'm normally shy) and my favorite is...I hate exercise and even hate the word "exercise" so geocaching my form of exercise with a bonus on the end...if you can find it of course...oh yeah I exercise by going caving and sailing.

 

I have heard from some people that geocaching actually saved their marriage because the couples found a hobby that they BOTH loved doing together so they now take walks together (caching or not) and they work together without having to fight.

[+StarBrand]

I am basically a technology geek and love all things high-tech. I also love the outdoors and getting away and discovering new places and new things. My family always likes to do things together.

 

Geocaching allows me to combine all of the above.

[+Corp Of Discovery]

I work on the road. Before I discovered geocaching I would sit in my motel room and watch TV after work. Now I have something I can do no matter where I am working. Right now I am working in Chicago and a fellow cacher form this area has offered to take me caching this next week. What could be better then finding out about new places and meeting new people.

 

 

For me: it satisfies my sense of adventure. Just going out and seeing where the day takes you. New and different places and experiences. That kind of stuff.

[+Kacky]

I enjoy parking lots, and I'm fascinated by film canisters.

 

 

Hey what the heck, if you're going to be playing with lamppost skirts anyway, might as well give ya a reason!

[+Colorado Cacher]

Mentally & Physically it is the best exercise I have ever found to be.

[tracama]

Does anybody want to talk about why they like geocaching? I'm a reporter working on an article on geocaching. I'm finding there is not a whole lot of activity in my area. I took my family geocaching this past weekend and we really had fun! My husband wants to buy our own GPS so we can keep doing it. So, what is the appeal? Why do you guys do it?

 

I like it because it's a real family oriented activity. My brother and I weren't speaking. He bought me a GPS and we've gone geocaching together. It's great exercise. I take the dogs, so it's good exercise for them too. It is a very healthy hobby. I would recommend it for anyone who suffers from depression. It is a great way to get to know the area one lives in and the prizes are fun too. One almost feels like they have a whole group of friends out there that they've never met. And when we do run into each other there is instant comraderie. It's addictive in a good way, although if your spouse isn't as interested, it may cause some conflict.

[+shayse]

I like the premise of secret stuff plus, the fact it gets me off the recliner,and there is a sense of adventure in it

[+Cedar Grove Seekers]

Here are our reasons:

 

1) Excercise - gets us out hiking/walking

 

2) Social - we meet fellow cachers at events or while looking for caches, or develop friendships via e-mail

 

3) New Places - searching for caches takes us to places we probably would never see otherwise

 

4) Competition - this may not apply to many cachers, but for some there is a bit of competition involved (i.e. racing for a First-to-Find, comparing cache finds #s or found geocoin icons)

[theWeddingCachers]

Me and my fiance got into it as she needed some sort of relief from wedding planning hell. Just going out/out of town doesn't suffice, as she will inevitably find a way to start thinking about the wedding and thusly stress herself out. I enjoy milsim activities, but her not so much. She's got a degree in history, and this has proven to spark her interest. PLUS when were looking for a cache she's not thinking or stressing I should say about the wedding. She's more gung ho about it than I am, for now .

 

I have found that although were pretty "outdoorsy" people, this has been the first activity to truly take our minds off the stresses of life for an hour or two.

[Bay Area refugee]

I am new to the game, but I like it for the challenge and finding new places I didn't know about in my area, but mostly, I sometimes need an excuse/reason to get out and go for a hike. Just going out on a 2 mile hike isn't always attractive, but if I have a goal of something more than reaching the destination, like finding a cache, I'm more likely to get up and go!!

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

We are still pretty new to geocaching but its simply a getaway!

 

Away from the everyday crap, into a world of hidden treasures!!!

 

Ive taken my 85 and 82yo Geograndparents caching and they loved it!!! They only wished that it was around when they could get about freely and that they were able to still do so!

 

My Grandmother was like a little kid, searching, walking around, looking, asking if we were there yet, wanting me to place caches in their area so that she can do the maintenance for us (we live 1600Km away)......

 

She is computer illiterate but while I was staying, she was getting me to dowload the details of yet another cache......... THATS ADICTION!!!

 

It was awesome to see! Its unfortunate that we live so far away because I would love to take them every weekend!

[+jackrock]

I'm new to geocaching but so far I find a few things spark my interest.

• Gets me outside
  
• Finding caches in places that I've been to many times before, completely unaware of their existance
  
• Going to new and interesting places in the hunt
  
• The thrill of the hunt and satisfaction when I finally find an elusive one
  

[+hairball45]

Folks have asked Koilady what Geocaching is is about and she tells 'em it's a way to get geeks off the computer and out of the house. I hunt and do the computer stuff while she navigates.

[P3nGu1N]

I like it because it's one of the best uses for the internet as far as gaming goes. I was a computer science major in college, so the marriage of internet technology and a GPS device infatuated me to a certain point. Most of all it gets tech geeks like me out into the world instead of just sitting on the computer all day.

[+GeoGyrene]

There was an exercise that we used to do a lot in the Marine Corps dealing with Land Navigation. The methods are different but the challenges are similar to geocaching. In Land Nav, we would use a map (usually 50,000:1 scaled), a lensatic compass, a protractor, and a whole bunch of neat tricks such as 90 Degree offsets, G-M calculations, and Distance Estimations. Its one of the things that i was really good at and one of the things i miss most.

With Geocaching, it may be a little easier using the GPS, but there are other factors that make it entertaining and challenging. I get a kick out of the creativity of cache hiders in how and where they hide their caches. Some cache hiders throw in some encrypted hints. And, so far the most challenging, some have set up multiple stage caches.

I am still new to the game and have found that there are some downsides. Now and then there are people that try to ruin the fun by removing the cache. But with so many people playing the game, and responsible cache hiders checking on their cache and reading the postings, i am sure that a missing cache is the exception, not the norm.

From reading the forums, i see that the possibilities are endless to this game. I now have a reason to get out in my own hometown and see parks and trails that have been right under my nose all along. I am looking forward to seeing what a "Mega-Event" is like. And i would love to see how geocaching works in metropolitan areas. Maybe i'll even hide my own or get into Travel Bugs.

[+El Diablo]

Does anybody want to talk about why they like geocaching? I'm a reporter working on an article on geocaching. I'm finding there is not a whole lot of activity in my area. I took my family geocaching this past weekend and we really had fun! My husband wants to buy our own GPS so we can keep doing it. So, what is the appeal? Why do you guys do it?

 

I think if you find a few more caches, you will have the answer to your question. In one way or another we all cache for the same reasons.

 

It would be nice to see an article from a reporter that can speak first hand, rather than using quotes from others.

 

Another thing I noticed is that the OP has not been back here since she posted the question.

 

El Diablo

Edited October 23, 2006 by El Diablo

[+TruckerGeorge]

As a geocaching truck driver. ( Yes I am over the road, all 48 states and sometimes canada) geocaching allows me

 

 

1 to get out of the truck

 

2 see more than black ribbon and white lines

 

3 is more fun than reading billboards all day

 

4 is a good mental challenge to find those darn reststop micros

 

5 did I say it gets me out of the truck?

 

 

TG

[TeamLojack]

So far I have three reasons why I have gotten involved with this sport:

 

1) Treasure Hunting!!! Who could pass that up!

2) It was something interesting that I could share with my daughter and hopefully enjoy with her for years to come.

3) Exercise. I hate exercise , so I need something that isn't all about exercise and only that. The activity had to have more interest for me. This totally fits the bill.

[+PlantAKiss]

What do I like about geocaching? C'mon...its a GIANT TREASURE HUNT! lol Does it get any better than that?

 

I'm a noob with only 2 micros under my belt...but even so, I've hiked through a beautiful woods, found 2 new historical areas I didn't know about right in my own neighborhood and had to use my brain a little. Its a win-win situation because even if you don't find the cache, you still have a great time trying.

 

Hopefully there will be many more finds to come as I learn to use my GPS better. But its fun, it takes you to new places, its exercise, its challenging, its stress relief... and you can find STUFF! Hopefully I will meet other cachers in the future.

 

I also hope to place a cache soon that will be challenging and fun.

Edited October 23, 2006 by PlantAKiss

[+Horn229]

I enjoy geocaching because it gets me out of the house. When I first started caching there was some stuff going on in my personal life, and geocaching was a great way to get out, clear my head and forget about it all for a few hours.

 

Now I'm a college student. With all the stresses of bad teachers, assignments and college/work in general, geocaching is a great way to get out, destress and forget about it all for a while.

 

Since I'm a fulltime college student and work on the side, a gym membership is hard to fit into the daily schedule. To make up for that, random trips to caches like the "Thousand Steps Cache" are a great way to get into/stay in shape (that's an awesome cache, btw).

[+PoledraDog]

I like it because it's a good way to get out with the kids. I love to drive the 2 hour drive from my desert home to the forested high country of AZ. For me, I would be happy driving up there, looking around at the scenery, having a picnic, and driving home. The kids, however, would get bored. This gives them a goal so that instead of hearing "are we there yet?" and "can we go home now?", I hear "are we going to do another cache? Please, please, pleeeeeeaaasseee????".

 

i also like that caches give me new destinations. I had a few favorite places I used to go to for the weekend, which were very nice, but I rarely ventured elsewhere simply because I didn't know where to go. There were roads that I wondered about, but had no idea where they went, if anywhere, or if they would be passible with my vehicle once I got down them. Now I have "recommended" places to go. My very first caching experience was so very positive because it took me to an area I've wanted to go for years, but had no idea how to get there. In northern AZ there are forest roads that are not marked or at least not marked with anything other than a number. Some of them I had no idea were even on public lands. I found some wonderful camping areas that I would have never found otherwise thanks to geocaching.

[+The MadHatters]

I like the fact that people think I do it for the challenge or the exercise, when I really do it to find places to hide the bodies of people that really pee me off.

[+Chuy!]

Does anybody want to talk about why they like geocaching? I'm a reporter working on an article on geocaching. I'm finding there is not a whole lot of activity in my area. I took my family geocaching this past weekend and we really had fun! My husband wants to buy our own GPS so we can keep doing it. So, what is the appeal? Why do you guys do it?

You yourself have discovered two of the biggest reasons: it's fun and it's an activity all the family members can participate in.

Now, the big question is, will you be getting a "team" account, or individual accounts? And who will pick out the name? We'll stay out of this one .

 

And what GPS to buy? I will suggest you seriously consider one with auto-routing. You will find it very useful for travelling in general.

 

Welcome to a new but fun madness .

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

Daisy couldnt resist this reply:

 

 

Why are pirates pirates???

 

 

Because they ARRrrrrr!!

 

 

Wheres mi treasure mi heartys

Edited October 24, 2006 by Donald, Daisy + kids

[+rayrbrooks]

It gets me outside, doing something that I can take my 7 and 8 year old grandsons along, and we all have fun. I have to look for caches that have containers (Not Micros) so the boys can trade something. They love the hunt, and it makes me get out for excercise.

[+pandaphil]

* It's a fun way to get some much needed exercise.

 

* An old friend introduced me to it, so caching is a good excuse to spend time with her and get re-aquainted.

 

* The excitement of wonderign what'll be inside.

 

* And to me the most important, visiting little hidden parks and wonderful out of the way locations I otherwise never would have known existed.

[+bell8411]

Just started because it suits the interests of every family member (outdoors, adventure, internet, gadgets, toys, excersize, togetherness). With two little kids, who are amazed by the smallest toy, we don't ever have to take them to the toystore again (I guess until they reach the age that they understand a pencil topper is really not that cool).

[+biosearch]

I'm a botanist. I collect plant specimens for inclusion in a university herbarium. It started out as that, I had a gps to get location data for the collected plant specimens. Then I found out about geocaching (information came with the gps) and then I found that many geocaches are placed in some really neat places, places that have interesting, if not unique, native flora.

[+Team Merlin]

Before caching when me & the wife were bored, we would just drive somewhere. Get out look around, maybe grab something to eat & drive home. Now when we are bored, we drive somewhere. Get out look around, find a cache, drive to the next cache (repeat as necessary) maybe grab something to eat & drive home.