Are Geocachers like Star Trekkies?

January 14, 2010

I was talking to a friend of mine last night and I mentioned that I was waiting for warmer, drier weather so I could do a little more geocaching with my kids. This got into a long discussion of how he thought that geocachers were like Trekkies (Star Trek fans) and were geeks with a passion about that one thing but didn't do anything else - especially outdoors!

I tried to argue that geocaching was a great compliment to any outdoor activity and mentioned it worked great for me for camping, hiking and going to the lake. He didn't think that applied to the masses so I thought I would post and ask:

What other outdoor activities do you do besides geocache?

If so, which of these other activities do you do and geocache as part of it?

Inquiring minds want to know.

1.3k · January 14, 2010

Hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing, 4 wheeling. When I do these things, I like to pick up a few caches in the area or along the way

1.2k · January 14, 2010

Great for vacationing. Caching gets us to places in those locations that are not on the "tourist trap" listings.

18.9k · January 14, 2010

I am a trekkie.

I like to hike and travel and sightsee. Geocaching fits in nicely.

4.2k · January 14, 2010

Geocachers will seldom, if ever, attend events wearing frog ears.

We are not like Trekkies.

2.1k · January 14, 2010

That's Trekkers, not Trekkies. (When I typed that sentence, the spell checker underlined the latter term in red, but not the former. Kewl!)

I'm a Scoutmaster, so I do a lot of camping/hiking/canoeing apart from caching. But then, I did a lot of camping/hiking/canoeing even before I became a scoutmaster. I've also recently started Rock Climbing.

I'm not a hardcore Trekker, but I did get to have dinner with DeForest Kelley once.

38.2k · January 14, 2010

What other outdoor activities do you do besides geocache?

Fishing, hiking, photography, backpacking, canoeing, camping, bicycling, trail maintenance, skiing, snowshoeing and playing soccer and softball. I've combined geocaching will all of those with the exception of playing softball and soccer.

Most geocachers I know have a wide range of outdoors oriented hobbies. I think your friend is likely very mistaken.

2.3k · January 14, 2010

I have to agree with cestos73859's friend in my case.

Apart from geocaching I do absolutely nothing outside except to travel to work or friends or the shops.

And of course, Star Trek is far superior to Star Wars.

So I guess that makes me just a tiny bit of a T....ie/er.

3.4k · January 14, 2010

Cachers similar to Trekkies? Hmm. A couple similarities, but I'd say they are as much like Trekkies as they are like Stamp Collectors.

Now for today's Breaking News - Mr. Spock Plays for Albion

(This image on the BBC news site, was not Photoshopped as far as I can tell)

Edited January 15, 2010 by DragonsWest

January 15, 2010

Here's just a couple of my noncaching outdoor pursuits in which I use a GPS:

Recreational grave digging--gotta know where the bodies are buried.

Cat herding--Route planning is differcult, the GPS helps.

Free range Easter egg hunting--GPS gets me Home

These are just a few that come to mind.

19k · January 15, 2010

No. That is a common misconception by non-geocachers, who all think of us as high-tech geeks or nerds. As we here know, you don't need much tech-knowledge today to buy and use a GPS and this website. Mostly what hooks us to this activity is love of the outdoors.

14.3k · January 15, 2010

I was talking to a friend of mine last night and I mentioned that I was waiting for warmer, drier weather so I could do a little more geocaching with my kids. This got into a long discussion of how he thought that geocachers were like Trekkies (Star Trek fans) and were geeks with a passion about that one thing but didn't do anything else - especially outdoors!

I tried to argue that geocaching was a great compliment to any outdoor activity and mentioned it worked great for me for camping, hiking and going to the lake. He didn't think that applied to the masses so I thought I would post and ask:

What other outdoor activities do you do besides geocache?

If so, which of these other activities do you do and geocache as part of it?

Inquiring minds want to know.

"Are you out of your Vulcan mind?"

Edited January 15, 2010 by TrailGators

19k · January 15, 2010

I was talking to a friend of mine last night and I mentioned that I was waiting for warmer, drier weather so I could do a little more geocaching with my kids. This got into a long discussion of how he thought that geocachers were like Trekkies (Star Trek fans) and were geeks with a passion about that one thing but didn't do anything else - especially outdoors!

I tried to argue that geocaching was a great compliment to any outdoor activity and mentioned it worked great for me for camping, hiking and going to the lake. He didn't think that applied to the masses so I thought I would post and ask:

What other outdoor activities do you do besides geocache?

If so, which of these other activities do you do and geocache as part of it?

Inquiring minds want to know.

"Are you out of your Vulcan mind?"

Now, why didn't I think of that? Guess I'm just not a Trekkie.

1.7k · January 15, 2010

Fishing, hiking, photography, canoeing, camping, bicycling, beach walking-Which on many occassions is a social activity, several of us have gone bicycling caching in NYC and have played the part of bicycle tourist, a lot of fun- and many many times I have gone out at lunch time and just go for a walk, which is a solitary pursuit just to get out of my office. I wouldn't know the first thing about star trek as I try not to watch television at all.

Edited January 15, 2010 by Packanack

January 15, 2010

That's Trekkers, not Trekkies.

You need to go get this cache: GC122T8

7.7k · January 15, 2010

If so, which of these other activities do you do and geocache as part of it?

I'm always searching for things I misplaced, so thought I might as well do it for fun.

1.6k · January 15, 2010

I was talking to a friend of mine last night and I mentioned that I was waiting for warmer, drier weather so I could do a little more geocaching with my kids. This got into a long discussion of how he thought that geocachers were like Trekkies (Star Trek fans) and were geeks with a passion about that one thing but didn't do anything else - especially outdoors!

I tried to argue that geocaching was a great compliment to any outdoor activity and mentioned it worked great for me for camping, hiking and going to the lake. He didn't think that applied to the masses so I thought I would post and ask:

What other outdoor activities do you do besides geocache?

If so, which of these other activities do you do and geocache as part of it?

Inquiring minds want to know.

I agree with most other responders in that I combing geocaching with hiking, biking, camping, exploring, etc.

But maybe your friend knows a power cacher or two... you know the type. Laptop in a stand on the passenger seat with an air card, GPS receiver in a windshield mount and plugged up to the laptop, never get farther than 100-200 feet from the vehicle when searching, etc.

Also, while I've never seen a cacher wearing frog ears (frogs don't have external ears... do they?), I have been to an event where one cacher was wearing a beanie with a propeller. Another cacher had a travel bug dog tag tattoed on his back, with a valid tracking number. That's all off the top of my head, but I could go back through my pictures if you want more examples.

7.4k · January 15, 2010

I combine geocaching with hiking, snowshoeing, camping, and just going for a drive. I also have many other interests that have nothing to do with geocaching. Most of the serious cachers I know are interesting people with a wide variety of pursuits.

Then again, so are the Star Trek fans I know.

January 15, 2010

I do a lot of hiking and biking and cemetery reading and orchard walking and bird watching. My favorite hiking area is a large Wildlife Management Area with no geocaches whatsoever.

I'm also very involved in composing and recording progressive rock music, doing genealogy research, reading fantasy literature, and watching silent films.

I have a lot of audio equipment laying around, and 3 computers, but I'm not a tech geek at all. I know which buttons to press when I want my machines to do something, but I don't know how any of this stuff (including my GPS) really works.

I suspect I'm like most geocachers: just a regular chap with a variety of interests and activities. It keeps me out of the saloons.

January 15, 2010

Along with camping, hiking, walking the dog, and vacationing, I cache while I'm at work. Yes while at work. I'm a security guard and it provides the perfect cover for looking for LPCs!

January 17, 2010

I cache while I'm at work. Yes while at work. I'm a security guard and it provides the perfect cover for looking for LPCs!

LOL! I am guessing most of us can't geocache during work unless you are a park ranger or something! I have noticed more caches around lakes, docks, and marina's lately which meant to me that people had to be combining geocaching with boating or fishing.

January 17, 2010

I loved Star Trek as a teenager and loved the recent movie, so I guess I'm a Trekkie/er. But, I started geocaching because I wanted to do something with my 10 year old son that got us outdoors. It's also a great activity when he has friends over. We bike ride and go to the beach, attend a few boy scout camp outs each year, but that's about it. We are thinking about building a garden train in the back yard this spring (bet your friend rolls his eyes at that one!).

I am looking forward to combining geocaching with weekend trips. Caching in Gulf Breeze Florida.

3k · January 17, 2010

Kayaking, fishing, ice fishing, hiking, camping, snowshoeing, canoeing, art, cooking, photography, driving, travel, anything but Star Trek.

January 17, 2010

Trekkie, Who-vian, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Computer gaming, Sci-fi/Anime Watching fool here lol.

and "anything but star trek" Blasphemy :shocked:

7.9k · January 17, 2010

NO, we are not like TREKKERS.

Live long, and prosper!

5.8k · January 17, 2010

Although I have not done all of these lately...Hiking, Biking, Kayaking, Photography, Golf, RockHounding, Camping, general Exploring...

Of all the large events I've been to, I'd say Geocachers seem to represent something more like the variety of folks you'd see at the County Fair, rather than a Star Trek Convention.

January 18, 2010

hmmmm....IF I was a "trekkie" do you think Scotty could "beam" me in close to some of those far away caches that I want to get..?? Airfare is so expensive.

hiking, biking, camping, kayaking, rock climbing, scuba diving, fishing, snowshoeing, golf, caching, etc...I guess the common thread between them all is that they are all done outdoors (not on the USS Enterprise..but maybe just maybe on some other far away planet..?)

Edited January 18, 2010 by dexter-cacher

January 19, 2010

Having run a level 5 diagnostic on myself I can say with 100% certainty that cachers are in no way similar to trekkies. We have no interest in first contact and we wouldn't be seen dead consulting our tricorders in the hope of receiving transmissions from orbiting spacecraft. Caching, a game without frontiers, it's continuing mission to seek out new containers, and strange new hiding places, to boldly go where quite a lot of people have gone before.

4.2k · January 19, 2010

Ahem.

Some Star Trek enthusiasts prefer the term "Trekkie", while some others self-identify as "Trekker". Self-identification as a "Trekkie" became even less popular after a famous national television parody in 1986 (see In Popular Culture below); several self-described "Trekkers" were quoted as saying they "had a life" (contrasting themselves from "Trekkies").

In the 1991 TV show Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special, Leonard Nimoy attempted to settle the issue by stating that the term 'Trekker' is the correct one.

In the documentary Trekkies, Kate Mulgrew stated that Trekkers are the ones "walking with us" while the Trekkies are the ones content to simply sit and watch Star Trek.

The issue is also shown in the film Trekkies 2, in which a Star Trek fan recounts a supposed incident during a Star Trek convention where Gene Roddenberry used the term "trekkies" to describe fans of the show, only to be corrected by a fan that stood up and yelled "Trekkers!" Gene Roddenberry allegedly responded with "No, it's 'Trekkies.' I should know — I invented the thing." Roddenberry has also allegedly used the term "Trekker" in interviews and personal appearances, arguably proving that he did in actual fact not consider either term to be the correct one. Generally, fans of film and television franchises make up their own nicknames, as with the "Browncoats" who are fans of the Firefly television series.

1.2k · January 19, 2010

No, absolutely not. But I still ain't going out with the group, me being the only one wearing a red shirt! :huh:

2.3k · January 19, 2010

No, absolutely not. But I still ain't going out with the group, me being the only one wearing a red shirt!

:huh: Ah, yes, the ever-popular expendable ensign.

--Larry

4.2k · January 19, 2010

No, absolutely not. But I still ain't going out with the group, me being the only one wearing a red shirt!

Ah, yes, the ever-popular expendable ensign.

--Larry

Yeoman.

2.2k · January 19, 2010

This got into a long discussion of how he thought that geocachers were like Trekkies (Star Trek fans) and were geeks with a passion about that one thing but didn't do anything else - especially outdoors!

Upon arriving at GeoWoodstock last year and seeing how "into it" some people had gotten Mrs. DanOCan blurted out: "I feel like I walked into a Star Trek convention or something." Your friend may be on to something.

2.3k · January 19, 2010

No, absolutely not. But I still ain't going out with the group, me being the only one wearing a red shirt!

Ah, yes, the ever-popular expendable ensign.

--Larry

Yeoman.

I stand corrected.

Taking off my pointy ears and skulking away in shame.... :anicute:

--Larry

January 20, 2010

The male/female ratio alone disqualifies geocaching as being anything like the trekkies.

I would love to post something else about how trekkies and cachers are alike, but I've already disturbed the board enough.

Edited January 20, 2010 by TheWeatherWarrior

4.8k · January 20, 2010

The male/female ratio alone disqualifies geocaching as being anything like the trekkies.

I would love to post something else about how trekkies and cachers are alike, but I've already disturbed the board enough.

Hey now!!

What makes you think there aren't a lot of girl trekkies?!

8.4k · January 20, 2010

This got into a long discussion of how he thought that geocachers were like Trekkies (Star Trek fans) and were geeks with a passion about that one thing but didn't do anything else - especially outdoors!

Upon arriving at GeoWoodstock last year and seeing how "into it" some people had gotten Mrs. DanOCan blurted out: "I feel like I walked into a Star Trek convention or something." Your friend may be on to something.

Yeah, the creepiest by farrr are the Jeremynians. Those are the folks that get plastic surgery to look just like Jeremy and go around signing "lesbian" in American Sign Language.

It's uncanny how close plastic surgery can come to making an exact duplicate.

Here are a couple of Jeremynians at a past GW....Creepy:

Edited January 20, 2010 by Snoogans

14.3k · January 20, 2010

January 20, 2010

What other outdoor activities do you do besides geocache?

If so, which of these other activities do you do and geocache as part of it?

Inquiring minds want to know.

I play lacrosse, scuba dive, alpine and cross country ski, snow shoe and walk/hike.

Just as hunting for lobsters while I dive locally gives me a "mission" and adds interest to some otherwise dreary, cold, dark dives, geocaching gives me a mission and reason to go walking.

I can't wait to find some underwater caches or to x/c ski/snowshoe to some.

I don't think I'll find any playing lacrosse, but its always fun to see if there are any on the way to away games!

19k · January 20, 2010

Not to mention the plastic surgery of the Signalinians!

January 20, 2010

I combine geocaching with everything

Where ever I go I download a few local caches

I may only pick up one or two, but I will pick up more the next time I am in that area

A few months ago I went to the gun show on the other side of town,

picked up a bunch in the area going back to that area this weekend for another event and will pick up some more and hopefully one I dnf

January 20, 2010

14.3k · January 21, 2010

This thread is pretty funny!

January 26, 2010

This thread is pretty funny!

That is funny. Was that image actually out on the web somewhere or did you create it just for the thread?

By the way, saw a rerun of Galaxy Quest this past week. I had forgotten how great a spoof it was of Star Trek. There was a part where the Doctor Lazarus guy was using the tricorder or something like that and had it turned around backwords. Reminded me of the first time I picked up a Garmin 76 GPS and held it backwords. Pretty funny!

5.7k · January 26, 2010

Fishing, tennis, golf, cycling, skiing, hiking.

Other than the hiking, these are all things that I did before I ever heard of geocaching. In my practice of these activities, except for hiking, there is no tie-in with geocaching.

I find Trekkies, as a group, to be silly.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Team Cotati

3.4k · January 26, 2010

I hiked before caching, but no where near as much. So my trekking quotient has accelerated.

Set a course for Bark Like a Martian, Mr. Chekov, ahead warp factor 4.

January 26, 2010

That is funny. Was that image actually out on the web somewhere or did you create it just for the thread?

By the way, saw a rerun of Galaxy Quest this past week. I had forgotten how great a spoof it was of Star Trek. There was a part where the Doctor Lazarus guy was using the tricorder or something like that and had it turned around backwords. Reminded me of the first time I picked up a Garmin 76 GPS and held it backwords. Pretty funny!

I just Photo-shopped the text onto the bottom of the image just to be a clown here

The original is a still from an old Star Trek episode.

24.7k · January 26, 2010

...This got into a long discussion of how he thought that geocachers were like Trekkies (Star Trek fans) and were geeks with a passion about that one thing but didn't do anything else - especially outdoors!...

Your friend spends entirly too much time worrying about being a geek, dork & neo maxi zoom dweebie.

Does he get outdoors enough? Maybe he should take up caching to get him out of his rut.

3.3k · January 26, 2010

Alpine Skiing, Mountain Climbint (scrambling), Camping, Jetskiing, Astronomy... All tied into Geocaching.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Andronicus

2k · January 27, 2010

Caching, a game without frontiers, it's continuing mission to seek out new containers, and strange new hiding places, to boldly go where quite a lot of people have gone before.

HAHAHA! We'd never put something like that in our signature...

Besides, Kryten, we like your show better!

Are Geocachers like Star Trekkies?

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