alsaas Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Im a newbie to geocaching and i still have a blast everytime i go out caching. but for some of you veterans who have found 400+ does the fun in caching ever run dry? i cant see how it would cus its really fun but im not sure if ill ever find more than 1000 caches. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Not for me. I know it has for some people. Some start out gung ho and find hundreds and even thousands of caches in a short time, then burn out. Then there are some who have found thousands and are still going strong. Quote Link to comment
alsaas Posted August 10, 2010 Author Share Posted August 10, 2010 i cant see how anyone would lose interest. even on dnfs... i get eaten alive by mosquitoes but i still get to see many different landmarks i would never see if i hadnt started geocaching. just the enjoyment of fresh air, nature, and secludedness does wonders for me. Quote Link to comment
+jbar Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Been caching since 2002 and interest has veried but the last several years I've been really into it. It seems to get more addicting as time goes by. Quote Link to comment
+t4e Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 i guess it all depends what your reasons for getting into it are, and your expectations we do it because we get to see places that we wouldn't have known about, learn a bit of history, to wind down after a day at work or to plan a day trip or even vacation i don't think we'll tire of it i can see if someone gets in and turns it into a competition or a numbers game that it could loose its appeal over time, but judging from the number of members that are still around since the beginning of geocaching, i am inclined to say that not many loose interest Quote Link to comment
+geodarts Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 (edited) Sometimes caching seem like it's going to be just another film can in a lamp post. But then I am taken to a trail I have never hiked or a place to explore in a new light; I find a tide pool I never would have discovered or hear coyotes howling around me; something turns into an adventure, even if it means pulling off 20 ticks; it gives a reason to spend a pleasant time with a friend of take a bike ride with my daughter; I look out at a beautiful site and learn something at an earthcache or discover something at a virtual; I follow a fun set of clues to a letterbox cache or a story in a Wherigo. Yes, sometimes the fun runs dry, sometimes I am reminded about why I enjoy the game. Edited August 10, 2010 by mulvaney Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 My advice is - Everything in moderation. Hardcore-Everything-Caching is only for those Hardcore-Everything-People. This is not a competition. Step back from time to time and make plans go caching when you are ready. Quote Link to comment
+CanDMan47 Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 I am taking a break from the hunt for a while. Here's why: On March 21 of this year, I decided to start a streak of finding at least one cache a day for as many consecutive days as possible. Actually my goal was to find at least one a day until the first day of winter, Dec 21, and then go from there. Around day 100, I started to realize that most of the days, it was more of a chore than a fun experience to have to find one to keep my streak going. If it got late, and I hadn't found one for the day yet, I had to look up the closest LPC or guard rail cache, and drive to it. Those caches are not the type I prefer to find. But in order to keep my streak going at 7:30 or 8 pm, that is what I'd have to do. On day 117, I got to leave the country for a wedding, and I knew finding a cache every day while there was not going to be easy, so I decided when the day came that I didn't find one, I was going to let it happen naturally, not force the issue. Then I was going to take a break from the hunt. I am not quitting, in fact, I have already started to get the bug to get back out there. I still receive the notifications, and in the last 3 weeks, several new ones have popped up in my area. When I feel the time is right, I will have several new local caches to start with. I think I may spend part of my vacation renewing my love of geocaching, that starts in 2 weeks. I still visit the forums regularly so I won't miss out on any of the controversies. So to answer your question, yes, the fun can run dry, if you find yourself geocaching because you have to, and not because you want to. Quote Link to comment
alsaas Posted August 10, 2010 Author Share Posted August 10, 2010 Thanks guys, youve given me a lot of advice. moderation is all a part of it. i have some buzzkill friends that wont go with me. and i have to literally pry them to go to a png cache. i dont much care for those but i live in a very suburban area so their mostly micros. often times i have the most time doing it by myself... i guess that shows me that im very much an independant loner type person. on another note. i found 9 today!!! made me feel great. hah but like i said. i had to literally drag my friends with me to get the other three. i cant see how some people think this is lame. its the most funnest thing ive discovered in a long long time Quote Link to comment
+Panther&Pine Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 If you get bored start looking at puzzle caches and challenge caches in your area. Those can be great fun. Many a work day has been made more enjoyable by working on a puzzle cache. Or plan big trips using caches to plot your path. Or look up TB and GCs. Quote Link to comment
+Colonial Cats Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 This is all good advice. One thing I would add to keep it interesting is to attend some events. We've made some good friends this way. The comradery will definitely recharge your batteries (not literally; just figuratively). Quote Link to comment
alsaas Posted August 10, 2010 Author Share Posted August 10, 2010 i need to join an event your right. i rly think that if i were to get some other friends to come along with me i wouldnt be forcing other people to come with me. and i spose it would be fun to go with other fans of caching Quote Link to comment
+roziecakes Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 For me it's gotten more and more fun over time. I didn't get to do a lot in the beginning because of my bad back and my bad work schedule, but I have more and more fun each time I go out. My husband though, gets bored after a couple of hours of caching... but he does still love it, just doesn't have the drive for it that I do. Quote Link to comment
+Chuy! Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 i need to join an event your right. i rly think that if i were to get some other friends to come along with me i wouldnt be forcing other people to come with me. and i spose it would be fun to go with other fans of caching Geocaching is like any other hobby. It's not for everyone and if you try to force people to like it, they will resent it, and maybe, resent you as well. So, don't try and force people to go caching with you. It's something for you to enjoy. As has been mentioned, go to events; you are likely to develop new friends. Quote Link to comment
+Chokecherry Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 I enjoy caching alone and with others depends on what my goals are for the day. I'm using geocaching as my tour guide on a trip I'm taking as well. Anyhow, we don't have a high saturation of caches here. I could run out and do all of them potentially but I typically pick the ones at this point I know I'll enjoy. There's a ton along a local trail system and I don't do many of them because I don't particularly like that trail system for example. If I find the ones I'll enjoy I tend to have more fun over all doing it. No, I'm not going to get high numbers but I'm ok with that. Quote Link to comment
+simplyred Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Love exploring new places and there's a whole world out there, so It's never gonna get boring for me. But having to go farther and farther away gets more expensive. Maybe I'll have to move to another city in the years to come. Quote Link to comment
+Printess Caroline Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 The fun hasn't run dry for me, but I find that I am more choosey about the caches I hunt these days. Park and grabs don't generally thrill me like they used to... unless there is something really wonderful to be seen there. I read cache descriptions and logs even more closely than I did at the beginning. Those generally guide me to the caches that keep me a happy cacher. Quote Link to comment
alsaas Posted August 10, 2010 Author Share Posted August 10, 2010 yeah. i went today with my gf. we went to a highly mosquito populated area, and that made her rly mad. was only able to find 2 out of the 6 i was trying for. but we saw some deer like 3 feet away. tottally blew her mind. thats why i like to cache. yeah its a lot hotter in the summer but you need to learn how to deal with it Quote Link to comment
+LaxRef93 Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Although I enjoy geocaching with my family, I've recently started going out with a friend and fellow geocacher, and that has been a lot of fun too. You don't want to force someone to come along who isn't into it that much. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Does the fun ever run dry? (Never heard it put that way...) Everything loses its novelty after a while. Six years later, it's not as much fun as it once was. But those were the good old ways, before LPC and PNG. (Not that I don't search for those, but they aren't as much fun...) My first find was a BrianSnat cache. About a mile hike in. 300-400' of climb. Spectacular spot! I was psyched!!!! And, it's all gone downhill from there. What can compare to a BrianSnat cache?!? Oh, wait, I did one of his on Friday. Five caches on a five mile hike, with 300' of climb. Great area!! I enjoy hiking and being outdoors. (I start turning moldy if I stay home.) Geocaching has shown me a lot of really great places (and hopefully, I've shown other geocachers a lot of great places.) I've met bears, herons, turkey, egrets, and a possible mountain lion. But you do run out of new places to visit after a while. But fun is what you make fun! I'm a bit more jaded, but still having fun. Quote Link to comment
alsaas Posted August 10, 2010 Author Share Posted August 10, 2010 Does the fun ever run dry? (Never heard it put that way...) Everything loses its novelty after a while. Six years later, it's not as much fun as it once was. But those were the good old ways, before LPC and PNG. (Not that I don't search for those, but they aren't as much fun...) My first find was a BrianSnat cache. About a mile hike in. 300-400' of climb. Spectacular spot! I was psyched!!!! And, it's all gone downhill from there. What can compare to a BrianSnat cache?!? Oh, wait, I did one of his on Friday. Five caches on a five mile hike, with 300' of climb. Great area!! I enjoy hiking and being outdoors. (I start turning moldy if I stay home.) Geocaching has shown me a lot of really great places (and hopefully, I've shown other geocachers a lot of great places.) I've met bears, herons, turkey, egrets, and a possible mountain lion. But you do run out of new places to visit after a while. But fun is what you make fun! I'm a bit more jaded, but still having fun. See now thats the sort of thing i want to do! i live in a highly suburban area where all i ever cache is micros and pngs. just makes me kinda wana run into a woods hearing where some of these caches are Quote Link to comment
+Team MacKenzie Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 I'm having more fun the more I cache. Although I have to admit if I lived in an area where all there was is micros, PNG and LPC's I'd probably not think the same way. I live where I can put a 80 miles on the van, never be more than 20 miles from home and not see a city street all day. I started out as part of a couple team and it was fun...although my partner kept wanting to quit for the day before I was ready to quit so I was usually begging for 'just one more cache'. Then I cached strictly solo for a while (the dog is not really all that much help) [] No one to tell me when to stop for the day... I started caching with a couple of other cachers who are so much the same as me it's kinda scary....start early, stay late, and just hafta find 'just one more cache'!! Somedays I go out on my own, other times the three of us go out for the day. Either way I have a blast. I'm due to retire in a few years and have always wanted to travel....now I have an excellent excuse...I've run out of caches in one spot, time to move on.. At the rate that caches are being put out, I should have enough in North America to do me until I can't cache any more. In the meantime, the exercise keeps my body fit, the mental challenges keep my brain fit too. Has the fun run dry...nope...do I ever expect it to....not a chance in hades!! Quote Link to comment
+roziecakes Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 yeah. i went today with my gf. we went to a highly mosquito populated area, and that made her rly mad. was only able to find 2 out of the 6 i was trying for. but we saw some deer like 3 feet away. tottally blew her mind. thats why i like to cache. yeah its a lot hotter in the summer but you need to learn how to deal with it Caching in mosquitoes is definitely challenging! My favorite time to cache is in the fall and spring, but I do cache all year. Quote Link to comment
+humboldt flier Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 yeah. i went today with my gf. we went to a highly mosquito populated area, and that made her rly mad. was only able to find 2 out of the 6 i was trying for. but we saw some deer like 3 feet away. tottally blew her mind. thats why i like to cache. yeah its a lot hotter in the summer but you need to learn how to deal with it Caching in mosquitoes is definitely challenging! My favorite time to cache is in the fall and spring, but I do cache all year. Caching in the desert at 116* with the truck heater ON to keep the engine temps. down was less than pleasant. However, with the passage of time even that has become humorous. And fun as well. We have choices to be miserable or to have fun regardless of what is thrown our way. Quote Link to comment
alsaas Posted August 12, 2010 Author Share Posted August 12, 2010 yeah. i went today with my gf. we went to a highly mosquito populated area, and that made her rly mad. was only able to find 2 out of the 6 i was trying for. but we saw some deer like 3 feet away. tottally blew her mind. thats why i like to cache. yeah its a lot hotter in the summer but you need to learn how to deal with it Caching in mosquitoes is definitely challenging! My favorite time to cache is in the fall and spring, but I do cache all year. Caching in the desert at 116* with the truck heater ON to keep the engine temps. down was less than pleasant. However, with the passage of time even that has become humorous. And fun as well. We have choices to be miserable or to have fun regardless of what is thrown our way. lucky!!! i want to be able to go far away from my place of roots. my hometown just doesnt interest me like it used to. i want to actually be out and about and far from home. Quote Link to comment
+humboldt flier Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 yeah. i went today with my gf. we went to a highly mosquito populated area, and that made her rly mad. was only able to find 2 out of the 6 i was trying for. but we saw some deer like 3 feet away. tottally blew her mind. thats why i like to cache. yeah its a lot hotter in the summer but you need to learn how to deal with it Caching in mosquitoes is definitely challenging! My favorite time to cache is in the fall and spring, but I do cache all year. Caching in the desert at 116* with the truck heater ON to keep the engine temps. down was less than pleasant. However, with the passage of time even that has become humorous. And fun as well. We have choices to be miserable or to have fun regardless of what is thrown our way. lucky!!! i want to be able to go far away from my place of roots. my hometown just doesnt interest me like it used to. i want to actually be out and about and far from home. Sooooooo, Does Rachel, Nevada interest you around Oct. 13th.? Quote Link to comment
alsaas Posted August 12, 2010 Author Share Posted August 12, 2010 (edited) unfortunately i cant in my position. i have school. i graduate in january of this year and then im going abroad for awhile. you know id want to though!!!! Edited August 12, 2010 by alsaas Quote Link to comment
+vw_k Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 I've been caching 3 or 4 years and have found over 700 caches and the fun hasn't run dry yet! The thing I like about caching is the variety, sometimes I want to be stealthy in an urban location, sometimes I feel like a long hike in the countryside. I might want to solve some challenging puzzles or spend a day doing loads of easier caches. I've even spent days visiting caches with TBs and geocoins to move them on and get different icons. Add to that the chance to go on some great walks, log waymarks and trigpoints (the UK equivalent of benchmarks) and meet some great people in the caching community Caching is also a great companion to other hobbies, wether you like visiting historic sites, mountain biking, kayaking, hiking or are even visiting cities on business, you can fit some caching into your travels Quote Link to comment
+DonB Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Maybe I'm not gung-ho enough but when we get our hot, muggy, and mosquitoes infested time of the year it takes some of the fun out of it. Quote Link to comment
+Lovey Pigs Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 600+ for us, we go in spurts...we have plenty of other items of our plate of life. Normally come winter time we back off, re-group some and look forward to Spring! we have been caching for 4 years, and it remains of of many great activities our family enjoys! Quote Link to comment
dwlover Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 i hope it doesnt run out. so far its been a blast. Quote Link to comment
+JasNBex Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 What initially got us into this hobby was a program that the local park system was running. You would go on hunts thru the different parks within the system and find stickers to complete your game board. There are 12 parks all together. Started yesterday and visited 2 parks we didn't even know existed! So I can imagine that this hobby will be with us for a long time to come. Just hit our mini milestone of 25 caches, so we are well on our way!! Quote Link to comment
+JasNBex Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 What initially got us into this hobby was a program that the local park system was running. You would go on hunts thru the different parks within the system and find stickers to complete your game board. There are 12 parks all together. Started yesterday and visited 2 parks we didn't even know existed! So I can imagine that this hobby will be with us for a long time to come. Just hit our mini milestone of 25 caches, so we are well on our way!! Quote Link to comment
+jaydeadheader Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 i dont have time or gas to travel, so i may have to slow down after i find the ones around me, but when i run i pocket query it comes up with 1000 caches within 20.3 miles so that should keep me going as for the fun going away.... not for me, its just such a rush and obsession Quote Link to comment
+Maerthen Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I found 129 caches so far. My first one I think in decmebr last year. Sometimes I search for caches with my dad, sometimes with my wife. When going on holiday or just away for a weekend I always look on google maps if there are some caches in the neigberhood to be found. Just spend two weeks in Austria. Found some caches on some mountaintops. A unique experience, because I live in Holland and that's mostly flat. Lately I tend to combinate two hobby's: Caching and Mountainbiking. It's fun! Quote Link to comment
+knowltonGeo Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Noob here. My children and I are 1 find for 4 attempts, so far. Not a perfect record, but normal according to everyone I talk to. I just want to add my voice to the other posters. While I am not really close to burning-out, having just barely started, from all the posts I've read, it seems clear that a few truths come through: -It is supposed to be fun. If it becomes no fun, you can quit. Or, perhaps a better option is to just take a break for a few weeks, and then try it again. That is the excellent thing about this sport. The caches aren't going anywhere. ;P -The other side of this sport is making and hiding your OWN cache for someone else to find! Have you done much of that yet? I should mention that a few folks recommend you find a bunch before you hide one...so you have a better idea of the expectations, etc. -For a lot of people, FINDING the cache is quite irrelevant. I know, even from the few hunts that I've been on, that the joy for me is in watching my son hold the GPS and watch him walk in a crazy line or in circles while he attempts to narrow down the location to under 10 feet. When he found our very first cache...the joy on his face trumped the slip of paper we found in the micro cache. Watching him roll up the paper and stuff it inside the container and reseal the cap...then put it back....was just so fun to watch. He is hooked, and so am I. This seems like an activity that can be more fun to do with someone. For some folks the point is a bit of quiet and solitude. Both are okay. But if you've only done solitary hunts...maybe next time take a friend along. Quote Link to comment
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