New use for old memento...

[+FA1SGL]

I have found that although I discovered this sport late in life (61), it is something I will do until I simply can't do it anymore. As I have kept myself reasonably healthy over the years I anticipate being on the hunt for quite sometime to come.

 

For a number of years I have kept the map case that I carried in Vietnam as a Field Artillery Forward Observer. It has been packed away in one box or another for many many moves over the past 38 years. I never found a use for it, but I could not stand to part with it.

 

Enter geocaching stage right.

 

This map case is the perfect size for carrying that which I need while hunting the elusive cache. I carry swag I have found, swag I shall place, a notebook for field notes, pens, pencils, tweezers and an energy bar or two.

 

My Blackberry is both GPS and camera. One outstanding feature of the BB Storm's camera is that it geotags pictures that I take with it. Those of course I shall not post as it gives too much information for other hunters but for my own memories down the way, it will be outstanding.

 

I use both Geocache Navigator and Blackstar Navigator when using my BB and I shall see which is the more useful and accurate. If I can convince my beloved I shall possibly get a standalone GPS but that is sometime off in the future.

 

I am finding that keeping muggles unaware of what I am doing can be somewhat difficult but if one uses a bit of deviousness one can search and/or place a cache with them none the wiser. I have received some "strange" looks while searching. I imagine they think the elderly gentleman is losing it as I wander about in circles searching for a micro....the looks are nearly the same as when Bluetooth headsets first came on the market and we were thought to be talking to ourselves...

[+bouffantloup]

Atta boy!

[mud4x4]

Welcome to the world of geocaching. I am fairly new myself and have found it is very fun.

I bought a backpack earlier this year (before I started geocaching) while out hitting some yard sales. At the time I had no idea what I was going to use this backpack for...I just thought, "that's a nice looking backpack, shoot for a $1 why not". Well about 6 months later after starting geocaching, I realized this back pack would make a great 'swag bag' and hold other extra's (such as: camera, batteries, drinks, granola bars, etc.). Who knew!

 

Seems just like your map case, you never know!

I am glad you found a use for it...even if it is 38 years later.

Edited December 10, 2009 by mud4x4

[+Zork V]

I checked out what a Forward Observer does @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artillery_observer

 

Looks like the sort of thing that will do you well in Geocaching. Welcome.