Newbie

[GeoTeam13646]

I am new to this. What is the goal of this? We had seen some people doing it in Chippewa Bay, NY. Do you get anything out of the caches?

[+briansnat]

The goal depends on the person doing it. Some see it as a competition and want to find as many caches as possible, some like the challenge of the hunt, some like the cool places they get to visit that they might never have known about, some do it for exercise and an excuse to get outdoors. Nobody I know of other than children do it for what they find in the cache. It's usually just inexpensive trinkets.

[+niraD]

What is the goal of this?

From the geocaching.com FAQ:

What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache’s existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS unit can then try to locate the geocache.

For me personally, sometimes it's an excuse for a trip, whether that trip is a detour of a few miles on my bike ride to/from work, a hike of several miles through the woods, or a drive to somewhere off the beaten path. Sometimes, it's about interesting places, whether those places are historic, scenic, or artistic. (I especially enjoy caches that draw attention to public art.) Sometimes, it's about the challenge, whether the challenge is solving a puzzle, finding a well-camouflaged cache, or retrieving a cleverly placed container. (I especially enjoy on-site puzzles and caches with 4-star camouflage.) And sometimes it's about companionship, although I don't make it to events, unevents, and group hikes very often.

 

Do you get anything out of the caches?

There are often trade items in caches (especially larger caches), and trading can be part of geocaching. Again, from the FAQ:

What are the rules in Geocaching?

1. If you take something from the cache, leave something of equal or greater value.

2. Write about your find in the cache logbook.

3. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com.

[GeoTeam13646]

Thanks for the info. Just after posting this I started to do more research. I have been discussing it with my wife and a friend. We are pretty excited about getting started.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Super!

Now after making the attempt (or two), you will probably have some specific questions.

 

Spin your wheels on a few tries (to figure out what questions you will have). Lots here are more than willing to help.

[+ihorn]

Welcome to the club. You will find that you Geocache for whatever reason you want to. Personally I enjoy it because it gets me out of the house, and doing something.

[ay1610]

I am new to this. What is the goal of this? We had seen some people doing it in Chippewa Bay, NY. Do you get anything out of the caches?

[ay1610]

I am new to this. What is the goal of this? We had seen some people doing it in Chippewa Bay, NY. Do you get anything out of the caches?

the goal i think can be the pleasure of the find, or it can be the determinaiton to finish, or the joy of succeeding, etc etc