Benefits of being a Cacher?

[+johnnyyork]

my post posted with no text too

[+froldt]

We've found some wonderful places that we would have never found without geocaching. Also, we've met some wonderful people and made new friends who we would have never met otherwise.

[+StarBrand]

Discovered wonderdul little corners of our nearby world that we would never have explored otherwise.

 

Allowed are family to get out and do something together.

 

Broke up long driving trips in a fun and unique way.

 

Allowed me to get more excersise and lose some weight.

 

Let me meet other techno-geeks in the area.

[+wandererrob]

I think finding places I'd never have fond otherwise is the big one for me. Geocaching has thus become an integral part of my travels as a fun way to see things in the area.

 

Example: We found this gorgeous overlook above the Wailua River on Kauai because of a cache there. This somewhat disused spot had the best view on the road, yet there people were whizzing by us on the road below.

[+VerySmartGirl]

Here's a pretty lame anecdote, but apparently in the spirit of the OP...

 

We once went looking for an urban micro behind an outdoor gear store - and discovered the last day of a going out of business sale. We picked up a new coat to replace one that had been eaten by sticker-thorns while caching for 90% off the retail price. We'd never have been there if not for geocaching.

 

We've found boat ramps and parks in our relatives backyards that they weren't aware of.

 

I once found a dollar bill floating in a stream.

 

We met some great folks who live 2 blocks away from us.

 

We started geocaching after moving from one big city to another 2 years ago, and we now know the back roads and short cuts better than some born & bred locals.

 

We've gotten lots of exercise, made our dog very happy, and seen tons of cool places.

[+briansnat]

Not my story, but here is a very good thing that happened because someone was geocaching.

Edited July 27, 2007 by briansnat

[+PJPeters]

Not my story, but here is a very good thing that happened because someone was geocaching.

Wow. That's some story! Wonder how the dog is doing?

I've lost some weight and sanity (durn micros in the woods! ), met lots of people, discovered many things about the area that I probably wouldn't have known otherwise, watched someone hunting with hawks,and helped clean up one of the county's open space parks.

All in all, it's been worth it.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I have one for you: While hunting a geocache in a rural area in Western Maryland in early 2006, I was abducted by tall insect-like space aliens (as I recall, they kinda looked like bipedal crickets, over seven feet tall, with large almond-shaped eyes. They kept me on board their ship for about 48 hours while they studied me and performed some experiments upon me, and then they released me about a mile from where I had been abducted. That experience was not a major inconvenience, and the only significant aftermath of the abduction experience was that I discovered in short order that, as a result of the experiments which they had performed on me, I had developed the ability to travel "out of the body" while physically sitting in an armchair at home, find geocaches hundreds or even thousands of miles away with ease and almost instantaneously, open the container, sign the logbook, and then seal the container and return it to its hiding spot. Having this ability to remotely find and log geocaches has allowed me to drastically boost my find count; it is now over 130,000 finds and climbing! The only limitation is that I cannot carry trade items or TBs weighing more than about four ounces back with me during these out-of-the-body experiences. Overall, a very beneficial experience.

 

 

 

 

[+elephantmama]

Note to self: cancel planned Western Maryland caching trip

 

 

Seriously and said with some extra sappiness. . .the biggest benefit for me has been the time with my kids. I'm finding that I'm learning so much about them during our adventures. I've learned that they are more brave, quick witted, and strong than I give them credit for. My 4 year old just did a 3 mile hike without complaining once! I really have developed more respect for these little people that I'm blessed enough to parent.

[+Knight2000]

my post posted with no text too

Don't leave us in suspense. What did it say?

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

My wife Sue just reminded me of yet another great thing that happened for me because of being a geocacher. In late 2006, I had traveled to the Andes in Peru to hunt several extreme terrain geocaches. While looking for a place to set up camp on the first night, and before I had even found the first of the five mountain caches which I had planned to find, I bumped into Lara Croft, the real Lara Croft, the one who is the person upon whom the Lara Croft adventure books, video games and movies were based. She had been in the Andes hunting for a long-lost ancient abandoned monastery (The Monastery of the Eighteen Rays) and unfortunately, the three other members of her team had succumbed the day before to cholera and had been airlifted by helicopter to an urban hospital for treatment. So, she asked me to join her to help her in her hunt, and I agreed to do so, and we spent the next twelve days in the high Andes seeking the ancient abandoned Monastery of the Eighteen Rays.

 

The only slight downside of the whole adventure was that on our third day, a fierce mountain snow-and-ice storm moved in and trashed the area with high-velocity winds, severe cold, ice and snow for three days, and thus, Lara and I were forced to spend three days and three nights huddled together in a sleeping bag inside a foil-lined arctic tent to weather out the storm and to keep ourselves warm. Other than that minor inconvenience, the trip was a great adventure. I never did find any geocaches, but we did manage to find the Monastery of the Eighteen Rays (not far from lake Titicaca), and our discovery was announced in several major archeological journals three months later.

[TopangaHiker]

Because of geocaching I got some kids all excited about hiking and going on a treasure hunt.

Top that. They are the future.

[+Tsmola]

The week of the 4th I took a trip up to Michigan's Upper Penninsula, while I was there I found the cache: Lost Town of Fiborn

 

This cache was located out in the middle of nowhere down an unmarked dirt road in a ghost town in an abandoned quarry. I would have NEVER known about or seen this place if not for caching. An awesome place to visit and I have caching to thank for showing me it.

[+Geckolovers]

We have discovered so many places we would never have found otherwise, especially right around our home. But one instance sticks out. We were caching in CA (vacation). The hunt for a cache took us up this windy gravel road that ended at a metal pole gate that was closed---but there was no NO TRESPASSING sign so we stepped over the bar and found ourselves in this fabulous giant redwood forest. We'd been to John Muir, but you all know how crowded that can be. There was no one else here. It was like our own personal forest! We quickly found the cache and sl, then we laid down amongst the ferns and just stared upward for such a long time, soaking in the smells and sounds. It was tremendous. Sorta what I would expect an hour in one of those relaxation tanks would be. When we reluctantly knew we had to go, we felt very not-of-this world and it was so hard to step back over the gate and re-enter the Real World. A year later, we still talk about our afternoon among the redwoods and my son, who is thirteen and currently-too-cool-to-cache, says that was the very best part of our trip. It's special that caching gave him an experience with his parents that he will remember for a long, long time.

[+jwe4i]

the benefits to me are: being outside, feeling the sun, seeing nature, the health benefits, beautiful views, and seeing the intresting sights.

[+SWiggles]

It didn't happen to me, but it happened at one of my caches.

 

JohnnyVegas helped save a damsel in distress.

 

Rescue at Cliff Dwellers

[+simpjkee]

Not my story, but here is a very good thing that happened because someone was geocaching.

 

thats awesome

[+nekom]

Like probably everybody else, finding the most awesome of places I would have ever otherwise found is the big draw. A lot of caches are also in places that are of serious historical interest to me, I've picked up quite a bit of local history at cache sites I was not aware of. It's fun to visit something old and then go to the library, courthouse, or internet and read up on what it was. What could be better than finding a 50 foot smokestack and fire hydrants in the middle of the woods or a good old fashioned abandoned railroad tunnel! Also, having a GPS with me at almost all times comes in handy in other capacities.

[+Thrak]

I was addicted to an online game called Dark Age of Camelot. I played from 2 - 16 hours a day, every day. 2 hours was rare and so was 16 hours. I probably averaged 6-8 hours a day. I did this for 3.5 years.............

 

My neighbor Bob mentioned geocaching one day at a neighborhood get together and I went home and checked out the site and the forums. I never gamed again. Instead of vegetating inside on the computer and ignoring life and my family I started going outside. I lost weight, went on some great hikes with my wife, saw wild turkeys, discovered amazing places, and got to know my neighbor who is a great guy.

 

I could go on and on about how caching has benefited me but, basically, I'd say caching pretty gave me back my life.

[+ThirstyMick]

Benefit of caching:

 

Unlike a lot of people though, I've actually gained a few pounds since I started caching last year...Used to run a lot, now I'm too busy obsessing over caching. I'm not complaining though I'd gladly trade a treadmill for a mountaintop; if the mountain comes with views like this

 

 

edited to fix my messed up images

Edited July 31, 2007 by ThirstyMick

[+Lotho]

I got to trade some mctoys, how cool is that =D

[+Renegade Knight]

I now recognize several types of ticks and have practice removing them from my kids. The kids now listen when I say "better do a tick check". That one thing they listen about is cool.

[+bargle]

 

snip

 

I was abducted by tall insect-like space aliens

 

snip

 

as a result of the experiments which they had performed on me, I had developed the ability to travel "out of the body" while physically sitting in an armchair at home

 

snip

 

 

All I got from my abduction was a regular appointment with my proctologist

 

Seriously, though, caching saved the family vacation. I found a state park through caching with enough activities for everyone to enjoy themselves, rather than leaving a day early from boredom.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

Discovered wonderdul little corners of our nearby world that we would never have explored otherwise.

 

Allowed are family to get out and do something together.

 

Broke up long driving trips in a fun and unique way.

 

Allowed me to get more excersise and lose some weight.

 

Let me meet other techno-geeks in the area.

 

All but the last one for us, though planning to go to our first local event on 8/25 and have had contact (partially due to an event we sort of missed) with many cachers in an area near a family "2nd home".

Edited August 3, 2007 by HaLiJuSaPa

[+DocDiTTo]

Lots of benefits to being a cacher, but I think making friends is probably the best thing that's happened to me because if it. Most of my non-caching friends aren't into hiking or outdoorsy stuff, so it's great to have a number of folks I can call on when I want to go for a hike -- especially if that hike involves a log book to sign. Cachers are, overall, really great people who are usually willing to volunteer their time and effort for a worthy cause or to help another person out. From CITO events to just helping a fellow cacher who's been struck down by illness, I've seen cachers step up to the plate and really make a difference.

 

When I went to San Diego about a year ago, I met up with a number of cachers that I'd only interacted with previously through these forums. Never spoke to them in person until they picked me up at my hotel to go caching. I only had 3 days with them, but it was one of the best experiences of my life. The friends you make are definitely the #1 benefit of being a cacher.

Edited August 3, 2007 by DocDiTTo

[WashoeZephyr]

My number one benefit along with most others, is seeing things in my own backyard that I never knew were there! I've lived in the Reno-Tahoe area my entire life and I've seen more in this past year than I'd seen in the first 39! I've also met some awesome people! I've worked at the same place for 13 years and my little world didn't really expand outside of work until I started caching! It's been a huge eye opener to say the least! We also got to be on an episode of Xterra Planet, we are episode #4, they did about a 10 minute segment on geocaching that isn't too bad.

Here's a link for the show, look for Xterra planet episode #4:

http://www.xterraplanet.com/television/tv_schedule.cfm

 

Edited for my mad spelling skills

Edited August 3, 2007 by LostinReno