+busterbabes Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Not sure where to post this thread.. Wondering if anyone has ever couch surfed while on a geocaching trip. I am looking into couch surfing next year on my big trip to GW8. (Not that I cannot afford hotels, but thought it might be interesting to surf fellow geocachers couches!) Any comments, feedback from surfers, etc would be appreciated! www.couchsurfing.com Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Not sure where to post this thread.. Wondering if anyone has ever couch surfed while on a geocaching trip. I am looking into couch surfing next year on my big trip to GW8. (Not that I cannot afford hotels, but thought it might be interesting to surf fellow geocachers couches!) Any comments, feedback from surfers, etc would be appreciated! www.couchsurfing.com Nope. Why? Or more appropriately, why would I? I miss the point, I guess. Quote Link to comment
+busterbabes Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Not sure where to post this thread.. Wondering if anyone has ever couch surfed while on a geocaching trip. I am looking into couch surfing next year on my big trip to GW8. (Not that I cannot afford hotels, but thought it might be interesting to surf fellow geocachers couches!) Any comments, feedback from surfers, etc would be appreciated! www.couchsurfing.com Nope. Why? Or more appropriately, why would I? I miss the point, I guess. The point being that I could make friends with fellow geocachers on my way to GW8. I would much rather spend time with geocachers, than the hotel concierge...check out the website and some of the great surfer memories. Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Meeting someone at and event and caching with them for the day is one thing, but inviting strangers into my house is something different. Quote Link to comment
+busterbabes Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I opened thread to anyone that maybe has ever participated in couchsurfing, and to share thier experiences. Some ppl are very hospitable and decent ppl, I am just looking for that postitive attitude on this. Maybe someone would consider couch surfing based on this thread.... Couch surfing may not be for everyone... I am exploring my maximum GW8 options here. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I opened thread to anyone that maybe has ever participated in couchsurfing, and to share thier experiences. Some ppl are very hospitable and decent ppl, I am just looking for that postitive attitude on this. Maybe someone would consider couch surfing based on this thread.... Couch surfing may not be for everyone... I am exploring my maximum GW8 options here. What is a "ppl"? I think I had a bunch of them as an adolescent, but I eventually grew out of the ppl phase. Or am I missing something? Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 There are quite a lot more members there than I would have expected. Interesting. Quote Link to comment
+busterbabes Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 (edited) Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I opened thread to anyone that maybe has ever participated in couchsurfing, and to share thier experiences. Some ppl are very hospitable and decent ppl, I am just looking for that postitive attitude on this. Maybe someone would consider couch surfing based on this thread.... Couch surfing may not be for everyone... I am exploring my maximum GW8 options here. What is a "ppl"? I think I had a bunch of them as an adolescent, but I eventually grew out of the ppl phase. Or am I missing something? Ok...sorry my inquiry has caused disturbance. PPL obvioulsy does not to apply to forum lurkers. WTF? Go figure that one out! Thread admin, please delete this topic, it has not been taken as I intended it to be. Edited June 12, 2009 by busterbabes Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I've known geocachers who have done couch surfing on other geocachers couches. I've offered my couch to geocachers who were passing through my area, but for one reason or another it never happened. Quote Link to comment
+hydnsek Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 (edited) Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I opened thread to anyone that maybe has ever participated in couchsurfing, and to share thier experiences. Some ppl are very hospitable and decent ppl, I am just looking for that postitive attitude on this. Maybe someone would consider couch surfing based on this thread.... Couch surfing may not be for everyone... I am exploring my maximum GW8 options here. What is a "ppl"? I think I had a bunch of them as an adolescent, but I eventually grew out of the ppl phase. Or am I missing something? Ok...sorry my inquiry has caused disturbance. PPL obvioulsy does not to apply to forum lurkers. WTF? Go figure that one out! Thread admin, please delete this topic, it has not been taken as I intended it to be. Don't let these guys get to ya. They're mostly harmless. But they do sometimes forget what it's like to be a newbie poster, and they like to tease folks who use texting-speak in the forums. (ppl = people for you pseudo-ignoranti) I hadn't heard of couch-surfing, so thanks for the info. Interesting. Sounds similar to what some orienteers do when traveling to major meets. Oh, btw, I live in GW8 land, and have a guest room/bath (not just a couch); maybe I should start taking bids. Edited June 12, 2009 by hydnsek Quote Link to comment
+DatCrazyMongoose Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Very interesting concept. I'll have to bookmark the site and check it out in more detail later. Thanks for the info and link! 'Goose Quote Link to comment
+doingitoldschool Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Geez guys, listen to what the OP said - he wanted to know if anyone knew more about couchsurfing as it may relate to a geocaching event. He wasn't telling you to do it nor was pushing it on anyone. Commenting on whether you would do it or not is one thing, but poking fun at his forum slang just to get your post count up is pretty asinine. No wonder some people post a few times and then leave these boards for good. Quote Link to comment
+Zolgar Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 No wonder some people post a few times and then leave these boards for good. Yeah, seriously. there's WAY too much internet shorthand going around here. I'm half tempted to leave again! >.> Sorry, had to. (though internet shorthand IS a pet peeve of mine) CouchSurfing is a rather awesome idea. It's not something I personally partake in (although for San Diego International Comic Con this year I'm crashing on a relative strangers couch). I would have a hard time offering up my home to complete strangers (if I didn't live with my parents), but this is because I am a naturally distrusting sort of person. If you can trust people, or you just don't have much worth stealing, and you either live alone, or with others who are equally open minded, then it's a great thing. It lets you meet new and interesting people, and maybe feel good about helping someone. If for whatever reason CouchSurfing isn't your thing, at least be respectful to the OP. Consider that plenty of people fail to see the point in GeoCaching. How would you feel if someone was like "Yeah, sure. Let's just go tromping in the middle of the frelling woods looking for an ammo can filled with happy meal toys! Probably get bitten by thousands of bugs, and maybe a snake or two. That sounds like a GRAND day!" Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I've heard of CouchSurfing before - I found it accidentally when looking for cheap accomodation sites for my daughter when she was travelling in Australia and New Zealand. I looked through the site and thought "Hmmm, yeah... OK... If I was 20 years younger..." We have an decent bed settee available for geocachers "surfing" south Wales, but only those who are known to us and have had all their necessary vaccinations. MrsB Quote Link to comment
+Allanon Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I opened thread to anyone that maybe has ever participated in couchsurfing, and to share thier experiences. Some ppl are very hospitable and decent ppl, I am just looking for that postitive attitude on this. Maybe someone would consider couch surfing based on this thread.... Couch surfing may not be for everyone... I am exploring my maximum GW8 options here. What is a "ppl"? I think I had a bunch of them as an adolescent, but I eventually grew out of the ppl phase. Or am I missing something? Ok...sorry my inquiry has caused disturbance. PPL obvioulsy does not to apply to forum lurkers. WTF? Go figure that one out! Thread admin, please delete this topic, it has not been taken as I intended it to be. Don't let these guys get to ya. They're mostly harmless. But they do sometimes forget what it's like to be a newbie poster, and they like to tease folks who use texting-speak in the forums. (ppl = people for you pseudo-ignoranti) I hadn't heard of couch-surfing, so thanks for the info. Interesting. Sounds similar to what some orienteers do when traveling to major meets. Oh, btw, I live in GW8 land, and have a guest room/bath (not just a couch); maybe I should start taking bids. You haven't started yet? I have... Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I opened thread to anyone that maybe has ever participated in couchsurfing, and to share thier experiences. Some ppl are very hospitable and decent ppl, I am just looking for that postitive attitude on this. Maybe someone would consider couch surfing based on this thread.... Couch surfing may not be for everyone... I am exploring my maximum GW8 options here. What is a "ppl"? I think I had a bunch of them as an adolescent, but I eventually grew out of the ppl phase. Or am I missing something? Ok...sorry my inquiry has caused disturbance. PPL obvioulsy does not to apply to forum lurkers. WTF? Go figure that one out! Thread admin, please delete this topic, it has not been taken as I intended it to be. Please accept my apology... there was no reason for my attitude. I was trying to be a smart*ss. Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I opened thread to anyone that maybe has ever participated in couchsurfing, and to share thier experiences. Some ppl are very hospitable and decent ppl, I am just looking for that postitive attitude on this. Maybe someone would consider couch surfing based on this thread.... Couch surfing may not be for everyone... I am exploring my maximum GW8 options here. What is a "ppl"? I think I had a bunch of them as an adolescent, but I eventually grew out of the ppl phase. Or am I missing something? Ok...sorry my inquiry has caused disturbance. PPL obvioulsy does not to apply to forum lurkers. WTF? Go figure that one out! Thread admin, please delete this topic, it has not been taken as I intended it to be. Don't let these guys get to ya. They're mostly harmless. But they do sometimes forget what it's like to be a newbie poster, and they like to tease folks who use texting-speak in the forums. (ppl = people for you pseudo-ignoranti) I hadn't heard of couch-surfing, so thanks for the info. Interesting. Sounds similar to what some orienteers do when traveling to major meets. Oh, btw, I live in GW8 land, and have a guest room/bath (not just a couch); maybe I should start taking bids. Get a Futon. They're like dirt cheap, and they're awesome. Ever since I inherited my daughter's old cell phone with a flip-out QWERTY keyboard, I'm like a texting maniac. I type out every word, no shorthand. Now back when I had to hit the 5 button 4 times to get an L, that was a different story. Couch surfing sounds interesting. You'll probably get better accomodations then blindly booking a cheap little motel (been there done that). Quote Link to comment
+Arrow42 Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Sounds like a good alternative to spend ridiculous amounts of money on hotels. Camping is another option. Once you pay for some basic equipment you can stay in an area for fairly cheep. Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 (edited) I'm sure that many geocachers have crashed on their friends couches while visiting an area (or passing through). However, I doubt that many would be willing to allow a stranger to 'surf' their couch. Edited June 12, 2009 by sbell111 Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Then you are not a couch surfer candidate... I would be more apt to stay with someone (at first) to try it out. I was curious so I signed up. If you verify yourself do you have to pay? Quote Link to comment
+hydnsek Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Oh, btw, I live in GW8 land, and have a guest room/bath (not just a couch); maybe I should start taking bids. You haven't started yet? I have... Actually, I also have a queen Aerobed, a regular air mattress, and a pull-out twin bed - and two couches - in addition to the queen bed in the guest room. Hmmm, if I'm still unemployed then, I guess I could go into the hotel bidness for a week. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Sounds good! It's certainly nothing new, my family and friends have done this all of my life! I have stayed with cachers I had previously only known online a number of times in several states. When I was headed for a caching event in Massachusetts Briansnat offered his couch as I passed through. I didn't have time but that's just an example of how friendly geocachers have been couch surfing for years, we just didn't call it that! If you are going to be in Birmingham come on by! http://www.couchsurfing.com/people/thealabamarambler/ Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 TAR, after seeing your profile, I decided to give it a shot and will add more personal info once I get home. I'm not sure if my wife would be open to the idea of "strangers" staying with us, though. I liked your description of the couch. Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 but poking fun at his forum slang just to get your post count up is pretty asinine. thinking that people would bother to type an answer just to raise their post count is pretty asinine, too. poking fun at internet slang is its own reward. Quote Link to comment
+DatCrazyMongoose Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 (edited) but poking fun at his forum slang just to get your post count up is pretty asinine. thinking that people would bother to type an answer just to raise their post count is pretty asinine, too. poking fun at internet slang is its own reward. ....and just when the thread was getting back on topic.... I wish I could do this for my sister's wedding, but she's making us all stay at some fancy beach chalet. What a pain in the arse (not to mention the pocketbook). Edited June 13, 2009 by DatCrazyMongoose Quote Link to comment
+buttaskotch Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 busterbabes, Sorry for the "old timers" giving you crap. You have a very valid question and a new concept that old ppl just don't get. Amtrekker, traveled throughout the country couchsurfing last year. He traveled with a purpose, not spending money while ticking off specific tasks he wanted to complete. Oh, and he geocached along the way. This was the first time I had heard of couch surfing. Podcacher did a show or two on him, really cool stuff. But, I digress, couch surfing is an interesting concept, but not for me. NYers are usually very leery of strangers, I, included If you can't find something nearby, have you thought about a hostel? Anyways, LMK if u test ride CS b4 GW10 Quote Link to comment
+chuckwagon101 Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 If I get "into" this couch surfing thing...is it ok if I bring my Arm Chair caching supplies along? Ya see, I got this Lazy Boy 2000 with Rapid Shift handle thwarts and velcro stickies for upgrade notes. I really love it. On a more serious note, I hadduhh couch surfer person in my domicile once......showed up wearing a sock on their ear! Didn't bother me too much but got to haranging me for steel cut oatmeal! WTF!???? I told him I didn't take him to raise and he still got all "huffy". Oh well. Couch Surfing.......Hmmmmmmmmmmm...Kinda reminds me of the hippie communes back in the 60s. Excuse me, I feel my arteries beginning to harden up again.....and it's time for my morning nap! Quote Link to comment
+Unkle Fester Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 I tried couch surfing about a year ago. The wife got mad because I brought the couch back all wet. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 (edited) TAR, after seeing your profile, I decided to give it a shot and will add more personal info once I get home. I'm not sure if my wife would be open to the idea of "strangers" staying with us, though. I liked your description of the couch. If you don't have total buy-in from your wife and kids you can expect rather unfunny results. Trust me, unfunny results are not worth it! You can safely couch surf while traveling since you are in control and can leave if you don't like the host. As I said the phrase 'couch surfing' may be new but the practice isn't. This is a common practice amongst my family and friends, but hosting is something that involves your entire family... if they aren't the type to readily accept and entertain strangers (and the emphasis may be on 'strange') then hosting probably isn't for you! If you say "I'd like to host this couch surfer from EastWherever for a few days while he's in town" and your family says anything besides "Great! We'd like to meet him, he probably has some great stories to tell! We can show him around our town" then you probably should not do it. If you get to know folks on the various local geocaching forums a bit you will get invites to stay with cachers when traveling all over the place. I can think of ten cachers off the top of my head that regularly host other cachers, and I have stayed with several of them, but couch surfers are a different story... all you know about them is their profile and references, and no telling who the references are. GeoRose, myself and our college-age kids have no problem with it, we like people in general. We have 2 to 8 college-age kids overnight in our house almost every week... my son had two buddies and three girls stay over last night, kids on couches and beds and air mats on the floor, our house has always been the hang-out. Two of them were strangers to me, and so were essentially couch surfers. I give them a few simple rules, just as I would couch surfers... no drugs, period, full stop. If you drink you don't leave, and no sex with anyone underage. Violate any one of those or act snarky or unpleasant and I will show you the door. It keeps things simple, everyone knows what is acceptable. If any of my family were ever uncomfortable with a visitor I would be quick to give that visitor the boot, and "I don't have anywhere else to go" would not impress me. If you don't have total buy-in from your wife, if you work and the visitor would be in your home while you are gone, or if you would have a hard time giving a visitor the boot if it is not a comfortable 'fit' then hosting is probably not such a good idea. Or consider tent surfing, the same concept but you are offering a place for them to camp in your yard, so except for bathroom privileges you needn't have them in the house. Frankly if I didn't like them well enough to offer my couch I probably wouldn't want them in my yard either, but everyone's different! Edit to add: If you don't know how or don't want to regularly preventativly treat for bedbugs, don't host guests (or stay in hotels!)! The popular misconception is that bed bugs travel with 'dirty' people, but that's not correct - they travel with all travelers, mostly in their gear. Nothing 'icky', just a fact of life every traveler should be aware of and prepared to deal with. Edited June 14, 2009 by TheAlabamaRambler Quote Link to comment
+TeamPatchwork Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I actually dig the concept of couch surfing, but, then, I'm a musician who's done it quite a bit, so it's nothing new to me. There's another site that is the same concept, www.globalfreeloaders.com. In September, we're doing a start of finish drive of Route 66 and will be doing a bit of couch surfing! Quote Link to comment
+Flo. Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I have a friend in Montana that I met thru another friend via IM services. I have never met her in person but would let her spend as many nights on my couch as she wanted. Quote Link to comment
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