Golden Age cachers

[+NevaP]

The age of cachers thread has bounced lately and while there are reasons to suspect the validity of the numbers in the higher age categories there really ARE senior citizens out there caching and we are not all just doing park and grabs.

 

I know because I am one of them, midway through the 71-80 age bracket. (Really, truly, I can provide references for you sceptics)

 

So I would like to hear from some of the older cachers. What sort of caching do you do? Do you go solo or only with other people? What difficulties do you have that - even though you hate to admit it - are age related.

 

From my viewpoint:

 

I frequently have difficulty, with my increasingly arthritic hands, opening a PVC pipe cache or a jar with a tight wide lid. If I give up I write or scratch my initials on the container and so note in my online log. Nobody has deleted a log of this type yet.

 

If I am caching solo I avoid higher difficulty terrains and I carry my cell phone in case I have to call for the paramedics. Currently I have a gimpy knee and I'm avoiding hikes of more than a half mile so I really appreciate an estimate of distance from parking in the cache descriptions. I have done a 5/5 cache, ( The Journal 11/12/2005 log) as part of a team approach, but I was younger then, only 71

 

Of course being vertically challenged I always have a problem with caches placed by a 6' 4'' person who was reaching up to hide it. But that's not age related.

[+StarBrand]

Not fair!! I have met you and read your logs on my caches. If there is a new species of bird to be viewed - you are going after the cache with your camera - now tell the truth - that is what really keeps you going!!

[+mtn-man]

I'm in the middle, but I now have to use reading glasses. I love my new Oregon, but I have something that I have to carry with me now to make sure I can read the darn GPS. At least I can see the compass arrow and numbers without them.

 

[+GIDEON-X]

Vintage 1936 ..... We Do It Slow and Easy, but we do, do it...........

[+Lacomo]

I'm only 65, is that too young for this thread? LOL.

The arthritis and gout is slowing me down some but if I can get within a couple miles and the terrain is not to rough I will still go after "em

[+hbo518]

At 66 most of my caching is done with my Son & Grandson. I do go alone but try to stick to fairly easy ones by myself. I always take my Cell phone with just in case. Its a lot of fun and by myself I can take more breaks and enjoy the scenery a little more than when I am trying to keep up with youngsters.

[+boda]

The age of cachers thread has bounced lately and while there are reasons to suspect the validity of the numbers in the higher age categories there really ARE senior citizens out there caching and we are not all just doing park and grabs.

Four of us usually cache together and we are all in the low to mid 60's. We do the PnGs, but particularly enjoy the mountain and desert caches—some requiring 4 wheeling, some not.

 

Cached last spring with a pick-up group organized by a friend. Of the eight or ten of us ,one was in the his 50's and another was in his 40's. Guess who the rest of us (62-69) waited for as we climbed the hills.

 

I have some back problems due to arthritis and disc problems, so it slows me somewhat, particularly on the hills. I do enjoy a good boulder scramble/rock climb, however. I'm having trouble maintaining some of my caches now. It is a 4.5 mile hike, all up with a 2000 foot altitude gain, to reach that series. I like the coming down part. Several of the (few) finders have been in their 60s.

 

Hope I'm doing as well as you in 10 years.

[+dew cache]

I am on the bottom end I am only 61 but I can tell I am slowing down and can not do what I used to do a few years ago although I am still in to the harder finds, if it is not at least 1.5/1.5 I will ignore it, I am not into P&G at all. But I am finding myself not able to go out all day and hike in the woods I start getting tired in about 4-6 hours and go home. I go about half the time with my wife and the rest by myself I tend to stay out longer by myself as my wife is ready to quit after a couple of hours she losses interest. I always carry a cell phone and a whistle hung on my front that will be easy to get to just in case I need to direct searchers to me.

[+pokerace]

Golden Age cachers

Speak up - tell us how you do it

 

SLOWLY VERY SLOOOOWLY

[+Wild Thing 73]

Well, I'm 78 and I have never thought about not being able to go after any cache that I load in my 60CSx...I don't do hiking caches, I have never done any hiking, It just does not interest me. I like the urban caches and the caches on country roads...I like Picas, Nano, small, medium, and large caches, if it has a log I will search for it. Oh, but I don't do Multi's. I Think they are a waste of fuel and time...2-3 containers and only one smiley...does not make sense to me. (just place 2-3 traditionals). I just placed 7 caches this morning on some beautiful canopied country roads and some roads by a small swift running creek. When I search for caches and log them...I will then place/hide caches as a "payback". What a great sport/game....You can search and you can hide...it doesn't get any better. Happy caching.

[AZcachemeister]

Just a young punk at 53.

I'll check back later.

[+BCandMsKitty]

62 and haven't noticed myself slowing down any, or having any trouble with the caches we have around here. I will admit we don't have any 5/5 caches that I am aware of. Fairly tame countryside here

I think it comes from hiking/backpacking and canoeing all my adult life that helps now .... and good genes. My father was active well into his 90s and died at 102! I'm hoping for many good years of caching ahead!

[+Moose Mob]

Although close, I'm not there yet. I can say from experience that NevaP can out hike me.

[vagabond]

When we started caching almost 8 years ago we went after any cache that popped up. Now days it's mainly urban caches or easy hikes of less then a mile. And the majority of the caches have been by my self. age 68

Edited October 24, 2008 by vagabond

[+carleenp]

FYI: The OP has been known to hike out of a forest in the mountains a couple of miles on a broken ankle. Not sure if she ever made the purple cast into a travel bug.

 

Personally, I would be wimpy and sit on my butt and wait for someone to come get me!

[+Harry Dolphin]

Yeah! Define "Golden Age"! Harrumph.

[GPS-Hermit]

I am 60 and spend the hardest part of my caching is on the computer weeding thru the meanless caches I don't want to go after. Once I find something, the worse is over and I am out in nature having a ball enjoying quality caches placed in a location I can enjoy. I love to be taken somewhere great I have never been.

[+W7WT]

I am 83 and my wife is 82. I have lost 3 tendons that were attached to my right rotocuff. But I can still drive, feed myself and geocache. We do what we can do. I am a charter member starting back in 2001. We have

2559 finds, have found caches in all 50 states, completed the WA County

Challenge, completed the WA Delorme Challenge. We love to travel in our little Roadtrek and geocache. Right now my biggest challenge is trying to understand and use my new HP laptop with Vista. Dick and Arlene Bremerton, WA

states, completed the WA County

Challenge, completed the WA Delorme Challenge

states, completed the WA County

Challenge, completed the WA Delorme Challenge

Edited October 26, 2008 by W7WT

[wizard604]

I'm a newbie, but I think I may be hooked. I'm 55 and just started GCing to learn how to use my gps properly. I use the gps primarily for my ventures in to the backcountry skiing. Not a lot of fun getting lost in the backcountry in the winter, so learning to be comfortable with the gps is a must.

 

I must admit, GCing is quite addictive. Though I did get pretty discouraged with my first few DNF's.

[+NevaP]

FYI: The OP has been known to hike out of a forest in the mountains a couple of miles on a broken ankle. Not sure if she ever made the purple cast into a travel bug.

 

Personally, I would be wimpy and sit on my butt and wait for someone to come get me!

 

It was only one mile. And only at about 9500' altitude. And I didn't know it was broken until we got it X-rayed a few hours later.

 

I decided the purple cast was too big to be a TB. I did manage to find a few caches while wearing it and keep alive my record of logging caches in every month since I started this. Caching with a purple cast

[+Harry Dolphin]

Okay. There are sixty seconds in a minute, and sixty minutes in an hour. So, I'm off the clock.

I've given up section hiking the AT after ten years and over 1000 miles. Several reasons. After the Presi Traverse, I decided I wasn't having fun anymore. Too far to drive to New Hampshire, or Rockfish Gap, Virginia for a week backpacking. And geocaching came along! As well as other things.

Arthritis is a problem, but Vitamin I works wonders.

With cataract surgery, my vision has improved from 20/1200 to 20/20. But I've lost my near vision, and cannot drive at night. That's okay. I'm used to bifocals. I've worn them for 50 years.

My caching partner spent three weeks in the hospital for heart surgeries for a pulse of 150. That's three surgeries, a week each. But he's getting a lot stronger.

Other than that, not much to complain about. We're enjoying geocaching immensely. We've been to many great places in 14 states, and one Canadian province. Done a few Five Star caches.

Choose what you can do. Ignore the ones that you can't. And have fun!

[+Stunod]

Although close, I'm not there yet. I can say from experience that NevaP can out hike me.

 

Yeah, she didn't have to be carried out when she broke her ankle

[7rxc]

 

It was only one mile. And only at about 9500' altitude. And I didn't know it was broken until we got it X-rayed a few hours later.

 

I decided the purple cast was too big to be a TB. I did manage to find a few caches while wearing it and keep alive my record of logging caches in every month since I started this.

 

Keep it up! Me, I'm just approaching 60 next Spring... Just started cacheing this summer, but I've been around the BUSH bush for quite a while... This gives me something to do between Searches and Rescues..

 

By the Way... does locating a lost Geocacher count as a loggable "FIND" ??? or do they have to be wearing a TB Dog Tag for that???

 

Doug VE7RXC.

[+OldA'sFan]

The age of cachers thread has bounced lately and while there are reasons to suspect the validity of the numbers in the higher age categories there really ARE senior citizens out there caching and we are not all just doing park and grabs.

 

I know because I am one of them, midway through the 71-80 age bracket. (Really, truly, I can provide references for you sceptics)

 

So I would like to hear from some of the older cachers. What sort of caching do you do? Do you go solo or only with other people? What difficulties do you have that - even though you hate to admit it - are age related.

 

From my viewpoint:

 

I frequently have difficulty, with my increasingly arthritic hands, opening a PVC pipe cache or a jar with a tight wide lid. If I give up I write or scratch my initials on the container and so note in my online log. Nobody has deleted a log of this type yet.

 

If I am caching solo I avoid higher difficulty terrains and I carry my cell phone in case I have to call for the paramedics. Currently I have a gimpy knee and I'm avoiding hikes of more than a half mile so I really appreciate an estimate of distance from parking in the cache descriptions. I have done a 5/5 cache, ( The Journal 11/12/2005 log) as part of a team approach, but I was younger then, only 71

 

Of course being vertically challenged I always have a problem with caches placed by a 6' 4'' person who was reaching up to hide it. But that's not age related.

I just started geocaching this past July. However, for many years I have been doing backpacking and day hiking. I prefer the caches that are rated 2.5 and above for terrian, since, to me, the hiking is as much fun as the finding. By the way, I'm 70, and hike mainly with my 2 dogs Zito ( a large German Shepherd) and Mollie ( a sweet Queensland Heeler).

 

A few years ago I started using trecking poles. I find they help me with balance (which is deteriorating as I get older), and when used properly they help going up or down steep grades. I would never go on a hike without mine. By the way, REI has a great video on the proper use of poles. I highly recommend the use of trecking poles. A good pair will cost $100 or less, and they are well worth it.

 

I also always carry my cell phone (with an extra battery), flashlight, light rain coat, compass, extra batteries for my GPS, a good knife, and matches in a waterproof container. I always ( and I mean always) leave a map with my with wife showing where I'm going and tell her when she should expect me back. Oops, almost forgot. I also carry a can of pepper spray. We have lots of feral pigs and mountain lions in the areas that I hike and cache. Not sure the pepper spray will do any good, but it makes me feel better. The German Shepherd would do his best to protect us, but he wouldn't be able to handle a mountain lion. So the pepper spray is our "safety net".

 

For me hiking and caching go together like a "horse and carrage". I love to hike and cache, and being able to combine the two is just great. Just recently my 11 year old grandson has joined me in caching. His log on is 1USAFLittleBro. He chose that name because his sister is in the U.S. Air Force, and he is very proud of her. We have recently done several 6 - 8 mile hikes/caching trips, and so far he is loving it. He has placed 3 hides (all urban), and is planning on placing several terrian 2.5's - 3's in the near future.

[+homeseller]

I'm only 55, but have rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. I also have only 10% use of my right hand and arm. Certain days I can go on a 2 mile hike with no problems, and the next day I wouldn't even be able to get out of the car for a skirt lifter. I tend to do the caches that I feel capable of doing, thus I like the micros as well as the ammo cans in the woods. Variety, in my opinion, is a good thing. My joints can predict the weather pretty well, though. Maybe I could get a job as a TV meteorologist!

[+caver53]

We're both in our mid-50's and both prefer caches where we have to get out into the country and do some travelling. With limited vacation time due to jobs, we enjoy occasionally hopping on a plane and heading somewhere new for a few days of non-stop caching. Hubby, with two hip replacements, prefers caches that are a scenic country drive, but that you can drive up relatively close to. I enjoy a nice hike in the woods, and love playing the kid...climbing trees, sliding down hills, jumping creeks. I just seem to enjoy myself most when I come home tired, bruised, scratched and punctured. Right now, nearly a week after our most recent caching trip, I'm sporting a bruise the size of a baseball, several smaller bruises and scrapes, and have limited use of my right shoulder. Good times, good times!

[+Charles7640]

I am 58 and live in Orlando, FL. Someone mentioned Geocaching to me at a party while we were talking about hiking. Today 10/31/208 after reading about it at geocaching.com I decided to give it a try. I did a search of my zip code and surprise, there are two caches within blocks of my home. And several more within walking distance.

 

Anyway I know nothing about this but would love to meet others that are involved and learn more. I think this is going to be a fun pastime. I have a 22' travel trailer that I think will come in handy also with the GPS I am ordering.

 

Charles

[Tahosa and Sons]

Well Neva I don't know if I'm over the hill yet, but I still keep on going for the gusto. Now that I'm in AZ my plans are to drop a 5 x 4.5 cache in about a week. Have to do the 10 mile jaunt on Monday just to check out the cache.

If you're in AZ this Winter look me up and I do know of some easy ones for those that need an easy one.

[+edscott]

I walk most of the time and tend to avoid some of the steep rocky slopes. I often carry an adjustable walking stick.

Edited November 2, 2008 by edscott

[+Chief and Crew]

My spousal unit and I are both in our upper fifties, me = 58, spouse = 57. We got into this about three months ago to get out of the house and get some exercise. We cache with our daughter and 4 year old granddaughter.

 

So far we have limited our hiking to caches of 1/2 mile or less since the granddaughter gets tired on those over a mile long. She just loves to find treasure and it warms us to our innards when she does. Me with a bad ankle, knee and hip from "jumping outta airplanes" while in the 82d Airborne Division, and spousal unit with two bad knees, the hikes have been limited so far. As we get better at this, the hikes will increase in difficulty and length.

 

For those of you familiar with the summer temps in AZ, you can understand why we will do most of our hiking in the spring and fall seasons. Yea, I know, it's a dry heat.

 

We both carry collapseable walking sticks, not so much for the terrain, but to get a head start on the rattlesnakes we have here.

[+Catlon]

I am 62, way overweight, but love to get out on the trails. I don't like micros, but do them just to clear the slate. I love caches that take me on semi-rugged hikes with great scenery. By great scenery I mean trees, rocks, hills, overlooks, winding trails, lakes, wildlife, etc. My buddies might get there a little before me, but I'm not too far behind. I'm part of a crew that caches on Wednesdays of every week. I'm the oldest, the youngest is in early 50's.

 

I used to go out alone, but now prefer the company of others. I guess it's mostly because of a fall or injury... or heart attack (heaven forbid). Face it - it could easily happen. But at least I'm doing something I love. My wife turned ill with a brain tumor before I started caching, and recently passed away. She never knew geocaching, or my passion for the sport. Recently I developed a pinched nerve in my right side that causes tingling and numbness down my right leg. It requires me to sit or squat for a minute every few hundred feet.

 

I have a Street Pilot III, and a Nuvi 680 for the car. For back country I have an Oregon 400t, 2 Garmin 76CSx's, a Garmin 60C, an Explorer 500, and probably 1 or 2 more somewhere. I use my Nuvi, and a PDA for paperless caching, but will soon include the Oregon, as soon as I can figure it out (just bought it).

 

I hate humidity, and measure the success of my caching day with phrases such as, "It was a 4-shirt day today." My walking staff has saved me many a time, but I have still taken some rather spectacular face-plants. To this day I have never broken a bone or been under the knife. I guess my tough Norsk stock takes care of that.

 

I have 57 personal caches that I am maintaining, 13 of them for the county parks. If you're ever in the Cincinnati area, stop and say, "Hi!"

[+NevaP]

Although close, I'm not there yet. I can say from experience that NevaP can out hike me.

 

Yeah, she didn't have to be carried out when she broke her ankle

 

I think Moose Mob was just a few weeks out of his cast and I was a year and a half out of mine when we were out tramping in the Nevada desert so I don't really win. And we spent more time in the jeep, going places I never realized a jeep could go, than we did hiking.

[+Inmountains]

Although I am not there, my parents still geocache. Dad is 74 and mom is 71. Dad has advanced Alzheimer's so mom cannot get out as much as she would like, but before dad became ill, they would go out together a lot. Now mom goes when she can. They do have over 1,000 finds. They also have a couple of caches with over 200 finds.