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We had a horrible time..will probably never do this again


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An earlier poster commented that geocaching let them act like a kid again. That is definitely one of the attractions for this 50+ mom. I get to slide down muddy or icy slopes giggling all the way and muck around in odd spots in the woods.

 

I'd say it's kinda like when you have a young kid and that gives you permission to run along the beach trying to get a kite in the air ... an opportunity to be young again.

 

So, bring on the mud, the thistles, the snowbanks, the thorns ... it's all part of a great experience which --often -- has tupperware or a lovely ammocan at the end of the journey.

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I've got a nickname AND a fan club. Wow. :D Color me amazed. *LOL*

 

About the pirate cache--I'd LOVE to find something like that around here. Our smallish town sits right on a lake and the next town over (with whom we share the shoreline) was the one having the pirate festival. And pirates with their muskets and cannonballs wouldn't scare me. I've got some..assets*LOL* that they would hate to see damaged.

 

What was it that made you think this was easy or that there wasn't challenge involved? I ask this because it was the one thing that probably jumped out at me over any aspect

I'm lazy and I like things that are easy. Bad I know but I have enough challenges in my daily life to keep me busy. That's why my hobbies (reading, watching Star Trek and listening to music/ podcasts) tend to be something that's easy and relaxing (for me anyway). I thought this was going to be supereasy too. Didn't realize that sometimes there is a bit of a challenge involved.

 

we all have the right to enjoy things that others many not, and vice versa

Yup. I don't like the things that tend to be 'normal' or 'popular' or 'trendy' or 'chic'. I tend to like things that are, for the most part, pretty geeky which is one thing that attracted me to geocaching. It's a geek sport.

 

Kuddos to your determination and spirit ... keep on trekking

Thank you. I can be pretty stubborn..er..I mean DETERMINED when I want to be. :)

 

you can find many great caches that don't involve mud, briars and sweat (well I can't promise the no sweat part in the summer in Texas).

 

I hope so..well..at least with everything but the sweat part. It gets SO danged hot here in the summer time. *L*

 

From what you're saying about the Pirate Festival, I have a guess that you are in the Portland, OR area?

I wish. I'm in North Texas and I would LOVE to one day drive up to OR to attend their Portland Pirate festival. I am an annual attender of Scarborough Faire (our local ren fest) and I loved the pirate festival, even though this was the first time we'd gone.

 

Babythree

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Shotgun shells, however, do scare me as I might possibly get shot and it alerts me it MIGHT not be such a safe area to be in. If I hear what sounds like a gunshot going off (whether it's from a shotgun or a handgun), I hit the floor immediately. I grew up in a rather rough neighborhood where getting shot was something that could happen to anyone on a daily basis.

Sounds like Brooklyn. And before I get flamed, I lived in 2 of the worst areas there!

Just so you get a further clue, and not think this game is so "horrible"--even in urban caches- you will get dirty, you will get stares from people, you may get questioned by security/police, you may/will get eaten alive by bugs, you may stick your hand in a wasps nest. etc.

If you are unclear of any other aspect of the game, troll the numerous forum postings.

 

I am glad you weren't a troll, but starting the thread the way you did, sent up my radar, and the title of the post actually ticked me off. As a jaded New Yorker we are always at the ready with a fight.

 

And....this is not a geek sport!

Edited by buttaskotch
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Wow!! JennM, I know it's nothing official, but I'm going to nominate this post as the most honest and uplifting post of the new year...possibly ever!!

 

A script writer in Hollywood could not have created a better response. You 've inspired ME...and I've been doing this for a little while!!

 

Congrats on everything you've accomplished due to your passion for cachin'!!

 

And again...congrats also to the newly crowned "AB3"!! See? 2 finds and you've already got a forum nickname!! You're gonna get hooked, I just know it!!

 

Just telling it like it is :bad: I talk caching to anyone who will listen. Usually other cachers. I've "sold" the sport to a few muggles too - and they aren't muggles anymore.

 

Like I said, there's something in this game for *everyone* regardless of age or ability, and I really like that. There's also plenty of opportunities to push your own envelope and try stuff you might not normally try.

 

I also like where I think Canada Kate said - you can be a kid again... so very true!

 

And AB3, I think I heard a lot of myself in your original post, which is why I replied in the first place. I'm lazy by nature too. And I like Star Trek! For me though, now, instead of looking forward to lounging around in pajamas on an off day, I am up early and eager to get out the door to go caching! Never would have predicted that from this couch potato!

 

I don't get to cache as much as I'd like to - I own my own business and this, I'm A.) Chained to it and B.) Broke. But that's OK - I cache when I can.

 

AB3 - hang in there - you'll get the hang of it and in no time you'll be just as obsessed and addicted as the rest of us are!!

 

BTW - Scrapes, briars and FOA (fall on @--) are badges of honor! I proudly display scars at event caches!!!

 

OH and Nuggs (my better half) hid a gift of jewelry in a micro cache in our Christmas tree last year. How sweet is that?

 

Cheers,

Jenn

Edited by JennM
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So, bring on the mud, the thistles, the snowbanks, the thorns ... it's all part of a great experience which --often -- has tupperware or a lovely ammocan at the end of the journey.

 

A woman that thinks of ammo cans as 'lovely'?

*sigh* ....I.....I............I think......

1161528850144.jpg

 

~*

 

Aww ... I'm blushing. :lol::bad:

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Hey there Andbabymakesthree, It is nice to see you gave geocaching another go round. Like alot of cachers have said. Not all caches are "out in the boon docks". There are alot of them in cities. Me personally I like the ones that are "Off the Beaten Path". Our family really likes geocaching on our road trips up north. We can stop and stretch our legs finding a cache. It seems no matter where you are planning on going there is always a cache not to far away. Keep it simple at first, go caching where you are familar with the area and then venture out. Just getting out and being more active is what it is about. As for it being a "geek sport", nah I do not think it is. I think it is for anyone who enjoys being outdoors. Unless you consider cachers who range from being Docters, Truck Drivers (thats me) to hamburger flippers geeks, well, you guessed it right. LOL!!!

Have fun with it!!

 

-Dardevle-

Edited by dardevle
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Anybody who wants to join my "fan club" feel free. :lol: I'd be honored.

 

Daredevle--I love your siggie..esp the part about the tattoo. I've wanted to get one for awhile, but my husband would shoot my butt if I did. I know exactly what I want to get and where, but he said no freaking way is MY wife going to have a tattoo. *L*

 

My 66 year old mother wanted to get another ear ring hole and my father told her 'that she was a grandmother and no way she could get it done. So she got her nose pierced instread - LMAO :bad:

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...

What was it that made you think this was easy or that there wasn't challenge involved? I ask this because it was the one thing that probably jumped out at me over any aspect

I'm lazy and I like things that are easy. Bad I know but I have enough challenges in my daily life to keep me busy. That's why my hobbies (reading, watching Star Trek and listening to music/ podcasts) tend to be something that's easy and relaxing (for me anyway). I thought this was going to be supereasy too. Didn't realize that sometimes there is a bit of a challenge involved....

 

If you call finding the cache a bonus, then caching is taking your time meandering to the location, getting distracted if you discover something worth taking a look at, talking with the people who came with you and other wise just making an afternoon of hanging out in new places. Then even if you don't find it that's relaxing. Think about a zoo. Did you have a bad day if you didnt't see every animal? When you watch star treck does it bother you that you don't notice every detail on the first go round? (How many episodes went by before the red shirt theory was developed?)

 

That's the long way to say relaxing is as relaxing does. Some folks could'nt relax even if they were dead. :bad:

Edited by Renegade Knight
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Well, I decided to try again. I don't usually give up so easily so I decided to look for stuff more local. Found my first one yesterday and another one this morning.

 

I used Google Maps to direct me to where the caches would be. The first time Google Maps was spot on. The second time it directed me through somebody's backyard. Oops. :lol: But I was able to find another way that did not involve trespassing and found the cache within about 10 minutes. I ended up hiking the rest of the trail, which was eh. Not great but ok. It's kind of a woody area, but not nearly as woody as the place we went on Sunday. At least here there was a marked trail. Ran into a jogger and some people walking their large, enthusiastic dogs. :bad: So it wasn't too bad.

 

I think for now, since I don't have a GPS and have no plans in the immediate future to buy one, I'm going to stick to urban caches that are are a 1 or 2 difficulty.

 

Babytroll

 

Yahoo way to go - you did it! I'm proud of you for NOT giving up.

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You must be looking at the wrong forums. Here the overwhelming majority of the time when a novice with an earnest question posts, people are tripping over themselves to help. Once in a while you get a smart-alek, but most people try to be helpful.

 

This thread alone belies your 9 out of 10 nonsense. Most posts are encouraging, sympathetic or helpful, There were 45 posts before the first one that could be considered a flame. 45 positive to one flame. That's a ratio you won't see in many forums.

 

Reverse psychology works almost everytime :lol: . I am glad that I was helpful in getting this thread back on track regardless of how it started out. On the other hand, and if you're (the collective you) not in denial, it would take me no time to find a thread where my original experiment could be true.. :bad:

Edited by bflentje
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Anybody who wants to join my "fan club" feel free. ;) I'd be honored.

 

Daredevle--I love your siggie..esp the part about the tattoo. I've wanted to get one for awhile, but my husband would shoot my butt if I did. I know exactly what I want to get and where, but he said no freaking way is MY wife going to have a tattoo. *L*

 

My 66 year old mother wanted to get another ear ring hole and my father told her 'that she was a grandmother and no way she could get it done. So she got her nose pierced instread - LMAO :D

 

LMAO2!! One 'Waytago' for Granny!!

 

And....I can't hear/see the word tattoo without recalling - 'Things you don't wanta hear from your tattoo artist':

"Uhhhhhh.....there's 2 O's in Bob, right?"

 

~*

Edited by Star*Hopper
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My wife and I are newbees. We started with my nextel i580 with yhe built in gps. I did not understand the cord formats, (still don't). We quickly moved to a nuvi 200w. that was better, now we have a legend hx that works really well.

But what I like best is the Trimble® Geocache Navigator™ for my phone. You can buy by the month or year. I can read the cache description, hints and logs while in the feild. I can find caches sites near to me with a "computer". It take my nextel really close to the site. Consider the Trimble® Geocache Navigator™ before giving up. I'm in central west Fl and we are covered with caches here. It does require web access on your phone but its worth it.

Happy caching

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My 66 year old mother wanted to get another ear ring hole and my father told her 'that she was a grandmother and no way she could get it done. So she got her nose pierced instread - LMAO

ROTFLMAO

Way to go granny. My MIL complained to me one day that her earring holes had closed up. She asked me if I thought going to Claire's was a good idea to get them re-done. I told her if she wanted them re-done and re-done PROPERLY she needed to go to a honest to goodness professional piercing parlor. Her face turned so white, it was almost funny. Then I told her "Do you REALLY want somebody who makes minimum wage, who probably has no training whatsoever, putting holes in your head?"

 

When you watch star treck does it bother you that you don't notice every detail on the first go round? (How many episodes went by before the red shirt theory was developed?)

That made me laugh so hard it brought on a coughing fit (I've been sick since Tues afternoon). I DO notice those little details that nobody notices, or at least I do when it comes to Star Trek. I once got into a lengthy and somewhat heated discussion over Data's pet cat Spot.

 

I'm staying inside, trying to get well. But hopefully I'll be able to go out again soon.

 

Have fun. Stay safe.

 

Babythree

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IIRC, it was over the fact that Spot changes gender as well as breed. The first time he is ever mentioned/seen, Spot is male and a shorthaired Abyssian-type. But later on in the series, Spot becomes female and has kittens. In yet another episode (I can't remember if it's befeore the kittens or after, but I"m thinking after) he changes back to a male. At various points, Spot is an Abyssian type, a short haired tabby and a longhaired tabby.

 

The producers must've thought nobody would notice. But I did! :(

 

Babythree

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Lol! I notice things like that too. I can remember spot being portrayed as both an orange tabby and a Somali. I could maybe overlook the different cat actors. Maybe the first cat wasn't available for later episodes. Kind of like the Darrens on Bewitched. But to change the gender? They should have at least built that into the storyline somehow. Maybe transgendered cats are common in the future. Who knows what veterinary technology has in store? Of course, that raises the whole question of feline self will and all that.... but I digress. :(

 

One of the little things that I've picked up on and bothers me no end, is on the TV show "Crusoe". They are supposed to be on a tropical island off the coast of South America. Why is it then, that in the background, one can hear Red-tailed hawks, Green frogs and Red-winged Blackbirds - all North American species? It isn't like there aren't sound recordings of South American rainforest species available. Hmmph!

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I couldn't help myself, I had to go look. OP now has two finds, one a multi at the local library.

 

To the OP, the Nuvi isn't the best unit for the game, but it can be done. Most units don't get closer than about 15-20 feet accuracy, you just don't notice that on the road. Still, finding two you have done well with it.

 

Where you live, there is bound to be someone near that can "adopt" you for a day, taking you to some local caches. The North Texas area has no shortage of quality finds. Keep in mind, if your taste is for urban hides, most of your finds will be small, many magnetic, and some hidden in the wilds of a parking lot. The best caches are the ones that get you away from the beaten path to see unique things. There are a couple of events coming up in the area, see here.

 

Even if the GPS got you right to the exact location, the cache will be hidden or camoflauged in some way. Finding it is part of the fun, matching wits with the hider. It is a puzzle, and a game, each and every cache. When you get close to the location, start thinking where you would hide something, and how you would conceal it. Even if you don't get the find, you got out of the house.

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One of the little things that I've picked up on and bothers me no end, is on the TV show "Crusoe". They are supposed to be on a tropical island off the coast of South America. Why is it then, that in the background, one can hear Red-tailed hawks, Green frogs and Red-winged Blackbirds - all North American species? It isn't like there aren't sound recordings of South American rainforest species available. Hmmph!

 

I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING FAMILIAR! :laughing:

I've only seen one or two eps of Crusoe but I do remember going, "God what is that SOUND? It sounds familiar but I can't place it."

We have red-tailed hawks that fly over here constantly and I've seen redwinged blackbirds (or at least I think that's what they were) around here as well.

 

Still, finding two you have done well with it.

Actually, aside from that first disasterous attempt I haven't been able to use it at all. It's been in DH's car unfortunately. I've been using Google Maps which is probably not the best either, but you gotta make do with what ya got. :ph34r:

 

Hopefully I'll be able to get out a nd do at least one more cache next week. I'm starting to get over being sick but my DS is sick now. :unsure: So no going out this weekend. Ah well..they'll still be there when I find the time.

 

Babythree

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For the last few days I've been reading this thread, and have been pleasantly happy that things have turned out good. Until...

 

I've been using Google Maps which is probably not the best either, but you gotta make do with what ya got. :)

That's cool to find caches with maps, but we really need to get you a GPS. And I just happen to have an old Geko 201 that's been sitting in a drawer collecting dust for over a year. It's not the greatest GPS, because it's so small, which is why I later bought my wife a VistaCx, but it's certainly better than nothing.

 

Andbabymakesthree, email or PM me with your mailing address (work address or whatever if you don't trust me) and I'll ship this little Geko to you so you can do some real geocaching.

Edited by Lil Devil
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For the last few days I've been reading this thread, and have been pleasantly happy that things have turned out good. Until...

 

I've been using Google Maps which is probably not the best either, but you gotta make do with what ya got. :)

That's cool to find caches with maps, but we really need to get you a GPS. And I just happen to have an old Geko 201 that's been sitting in a drawer collecting dust for over a year. It's not the greatest GPS for geocaching, which is why I later bought my wife a VistaCx, but it's certainly better than nothing.

 

Andbabymakesthree, email or PM me with your mailing address (work address or whatever if you don't trust me) and I'll ship this little Geko to you so you can do some real geocaching.

 

I've always said that geocachers were some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

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Thank you, Lil Devil. That is awfully kind of you. PM is on it's way. :D

 

DS is still sick. :lol: I hope he'll be better by Weds or Thurs. Don't want him to miss the class Valentine's party on Friday. And I want him to STAY well for at least a month..he's going to his first rock concert the first weekend in March and I do NOT want him to be sick for that. :D

 

Babythree

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