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I think I have a geocaching problem. The wife and I have been doing this for a month. She likes to find any cache nearby and wants to find all near our house, alot of these I don't have a interest in, but will still do it because it is still fun. Thats not my problem, my problem is that I want to go out and buy 100's-1000's of dollars in backpacking/camping gear, a 4x4 vehicle, 2 ATV's, some type of watercraft, become a expert mountian climber, and become certified SCUBA diver, THOSE are the caches I want to find!!!!

 

This is not financially possible or responsible for me, but I am constantly pricing boats,jeeps, and 4-wheelers AT WORK! Do I have a problem? will my obsession subside?

 

Please note: Although what I said above is true, I do have willpower and probably will never do all the above, but I just wanted to share my feelings with you all, and see some of your replies. and I do have very limited experiance from my teenage/early 20's of everything above except SCUBA diving, I'm 35 now and do not own anything above LOL...thought i would add some background info there.

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I think I have a geocaching problem. The wife and I have been doing this for a month. She likes to find any cache nearby and wants to find all near our house, alot of these I don't have a interest in, but will still do it because it is still fun. Thats not my problem, my problem is that I want to go out and buy 100's-1000's of dollars in backpacking/camping gear, a 4x4 vehicle, 2 ATV's, some type of watercraft, become a expert mountian climber, and become certified SCUBA diver, THOSE are the caches I want to find!!!!

 

This is not financially possible or responsible for me, but I am constantly pricing boats,jeeps, and 4-wheelers AT WORK! Do I have a problem? will my obsession subside?

 

Please note: Although what I said above is true, I do have willpower and probably will never do all the above, but I just wanted to share my feelings with you all, and see some of your replies. and I do have very limited experiance from my teenage/early 20's of everything above except SCUBA diving, I'm 35 now and do not own anything above LOL...thought i would add some background info there.

Sorry, I will not attempt to talk you out of these things. As far as any of us know, we only get to act in this play once, so make the most of it! You are at your physical peak right now... go take advantage of it!!
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After nearly 9 years of doing this - I am still waiting for my wife to approve the purchase of a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. (Strictly for Geocaches on back roads - of course).

 

I'm sure glad I am not the only one.

 

I am actually considering trading in my dream car i bought last year (2010 Camaro SS) I could afford a boat payment and a jeep payment and probably 2 ATV payments for the car payment. Although I would be upside down in any trade, and my wife thinks I am crazy and would hate myself for doing it, I am seriously considering it

Edited by TheLoneGrangers
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So, I'll be the first to take your comment very seriously...

 

I would recommend that you wait. Take some time and find some caches that involve other, less expensive forms of outdoor adventures--perhaps long hikes in the mountains, or other caches that are particularly difficult. Then, if after a year or two, you feel that the benefit of buying these items actually outweighs the cost, then go for it.

 

That is my uneducated, unprofessional opinion.

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So, I'll be the first to take your comment very seriously...

 

I would recommend that you wait. Take some time and find some caches that involve other, less expensive forms of outdoor adventures--perhaps long hikes in the mountains, or other caches that are particularly difficult. Then, if after a year or two, you feel that the benefit of buying these items actually outweighs the cost, then go for it.

 

That is my uneducated, unprofessional opinion.

 

thats what the responsible adult in me says, but I want to do it NOW!! LOL, if 5-6 mile hikes in the local state forests/parks are long, then we have already done those! lol

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I think I have a geocaching problem. The wife and I have been doing this for a month. She likes to find any cache nearby and wants to find all near our house, alot of these I don't have a interest in, but will still do it because it is still fun. Thats not my problem, my problem is that I want to go out and buy 100's-1000's of dollars in backpacking/camping gear, a 4x4 vehicle, 2 ATV's, some type of watercraft, become a expert mountian climber, and become certified SCUBA diver, THOSE are the caches I want to find!!!!

 

This is not financially possible or responsible for me, but I am constantly pricing boats,jeeps, and 4-wheelers AT WORK! Do I have a problem? will my obsession subside?

 

Please note: Although what I said above is true, I do have willpower and probably will never do all the above, but I just wanted to share my feelings with you all, and see some of your replies. and I do have very limited experiance from my teenage/early 20's of everything above except SCUBA diving, I'm 35 now and do not own anything above LOL...thought i would add some background info there.

 

There is no hope for you or any of us. I can see three 5* caches from the bridge I cross in the morning. They are all less than a mile from my house. I never found anyone I could beg borrow or steal a boat from this summer to go out and get them. I stood on the banks of the river and wondered how far upstream I would have to go in order to jump in with an inner tube and drift down to get them and then if I would be able to drift back to the shore. No I am hoping the river freezes over this winter.

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So, I'll be the first to take your comment very seriously...

 

 

I'll and a serious answer myself. In the case of the "some sort of watercraft" to get to some of 5* terrain caches that require a boat, kayak/canoe rentals are often available and reasonably inexpensive if you live near the ocean or large body of water. Be warned though, paddling can be as addicting as geocaching and my boat ownership and geocaching linkages went the other direction. I owned 3 kayaks and a canoe before I started geocaching.

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So, I'll be the first to take your comment very seriously...

 

 

I'll and a serious answer myself. In the case of the "some sort of watercraft" to get to some of 5* terrain caches that require a boat, kayak/canoe rentals are often available and reasonably inexpensive if you live near the ocean or large body of water. Be warned though, paddling can be as addicting as geocaching and my boat ownership and geocaching linkages went the other direction. I owned 3 kayaks and a canoe before I started geocaching.

 

I can understand, I've always loved the outdoors, and to explore and see things in person, but I've never had the drive to go camping just to camp, or go hiking out in the wilderness just to hike, or get a boat, just to boat. This gives me a reason or a purpose to go out in the woods to hike or boat or even 4 wheel on approved trails, doing it just for the fun in doing those things was never enough for me, now I have a reason. Is that weird, or is that the case for alot of cachers?

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So, why haven't you learned how to SCUBA dive yet? Or rock climb for that matter? Or kayak?

 

You only get one shot at life... why not learn how to do something new? Rather than pricing out toys on the internet at work, try pricing out hands-on classes (like ropes classes led at REI or a PADI dive course). See if it's something you like, and then develop a new hobby.

 

You'd be surprised, you're wife might wantt o join in too, and then you both can go after tougher caches.

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Other than gas for your car, you really don't have to spend a thing. I have found many extreme and even remote caches, including a 30km round trip hike to the top of a mountain and back which included 10km of bushwacking and 2.5hrs of logging road one way. I took a car, a tent (set up beside the car) and then all I went with to the mountain was a backpack on my back and a bunch of caching friends.

 

With careful planning you should be able to accomplish your goal caches with minimal cost. Sometimes its best to do these difficult caches as a group effort pooling you experience and resources.

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I'm still waiting on my wife to approve of geocaching...

+1
+2
single!!! :D

 

Why doesn't that surprise me? :D:D

 

A few years back during my annual physical the doctor said I needed more exercise in my routine (another big surprise there eh?) He asked what I normally did, and I explained geocaching to him. He said I should try to get out and do it 2-3x/week instead of only once. I got him to write an official note to bring to my wife so she would understand that I was only doing it on doctor's orders. :)

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Commenting on several previous posts:

 

1) My wife loves geocaching. Ain't I lucky?

 

2) A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money. That's mostly true for power and sail boats. It really doesn't apply at all to modern canoes and kayaks. You can buy a good used canoe for less than a new GPSr costs, and it costs nearly nothing to maintain a plastic canoe.

 

3) I can only imagine the new places I'll be able to go caching after I get my pilot's license!

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I already had a SUV, a sea kayak and tons of camping/hike gear before I started caching so that was never an issue. Despite living in an area with world-class diving locations, I've never had the urge or desire to take it up. I'm simply too old and out of shape to even consider rock climbing although I do enjoy a good day hike in the local mountains.

 

Kayak caching is another story! I love going after caches that are only accessible by paddlecraft and have several of my own. Secondhand plastic sea kayaks can be had quite cheaply and this is the best time of the year to acquire one as many of the dealers and rental outlets are liquidating their rental fleets. I'm actually in the process of setting up my workshop and milling the wood to build an 18' cedar-strip sea kayak.

 

As for SWMBO, she is the driving force behind our geocaching now. When I first took it up in 2003 she was tolerant and laughed at me and Jomarac5 when we used to leave the house at 10pm and sneak into the public parks to go night-caching. (We did 80% of our caching after dark) She even tolerated doing the occasional cache when we were on road trips. However, when she was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer a few years ago, and given 18 months to live, I gave up caching (amongst other things) completely. Fast forward to the present and, despite the dire predictions of the doctors and being given up on by the BC Cancer Agency, she is still alive and kicking thanks to alternative treatments in Germany and Mexico. This past summer she was feeling well enough for us spend 10 days exploring the Kootenays by logging road so I bought a new GPS preloaded with the BC Backroads topo maps. For fun, I loaded it with a bunch of caches and we stopped to find a few. Then early last month, out of the blue, she asked if we could go geocaching. Now she is the one who wants to go caching every weekend and plant a bunch of new caches!

 

Anyway, my point is, life is short and full of unexpected ups and downs. If you can afford the toys you want without impacting your savings and monthly expenses, go for it! As someone else mentioned, you only get one go round so make the best of it and do what makes you happy. Even if you eventually lose interest in geocaching, exploring the waterways and back country is rewarding in it's own right and I guarantee that it will generate more enjoyment and lasting memories than vegging in front of the tv or pushing your lawn mower around.

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I already had a SUV, a sea kayak and tons of camping/hike gear before I started caching so that was never an issue. Despite living in an area with world-class diving locations, I've never had the urge or desire to take it up. I'm simply too old and out of shape to even consider rock climbing although I do enjoy a good day hike in the local mountains.

 

Kayak caching is another story! I love going after caches that are only accessible by paddlecraft and have several of my own. Secondhand plastic sea kayaks can be had quite cheaply and this is the best time of the year to acquire one as many of the dealers and rental outlets are liquidating their rental fleets. I'm actually in the process of setting up my workshop and milling the wood to build an 18' cedar-strip sea kayak.

 

As for SWMBO, she is the driving force behind our geocaching now. When I first took it up in 2003 she was tolerant and laughed at me and Jomarac5 when we used to leave the house at 10pm and sneak into the public parks to go night-caching. (We did 80% of our caching after dark) She even tolerated doing the occasional cache when we were on road trips. However, when she was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer a few years ago, and given 18 months to live, I gave up caching (amongst other things) completely. Fast forward to the present and, despite the dire predictions of the doctors and being given up on by the BC Cancer Agency, she is still alive and kicking thanks to alternative treatments in Germany and Mexico. This past summer she was feeling well enough for us spend 10 days exploring the Kootenays by logging road so I bought a new GPS preloaded with the BC Backroads topo maps. For fun, I loaded it with a bunch of caches and we stopped to find a few. Then early last month, out of the blue, she asked if we could go geocaching. Now she is the one who wants to go caching every weekend and plant a bunch of new caches!

 

Anyway, my point is, life is short and full of unexpected ups and downs. If you can afford the toys you want without impacting your savings and monthly expenses, go for it! As someone else mentioned, you only get one go round so make the best of it and do what makes you happy. Even if you eventually lose interest in geocaching, exploring the waterways and back country is rewarding in it's own right and I guarantee that it will generate more enjoyment and lasting memories than vegging in front of the tv or pushing your lawn mower around.

 

If there was any post here that would push me in the direction to jump on a Jeep is this one right here. I'm glad your wife is doing well and you get to spend time with her geocaching.

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I want to go out and buy 100's-1000's of dollars in backpacking/camping gear, a 4x4 vehicle, 2 ATV's, some type of watercraft, become a expert mountian climber, and become certified SCUBA diver

Echoing the sentiments of others: Go! Don't walk, run! We don't get our regrets by growing old. We grow old by not addressing our regrets. You can pick up a beater Wrangler for a couple grand. A couple low end kayaks plus gear will run you less than a grand. Scuba lessons are cheap, though the gear can get quite pricey depending on how deep you want to go. Most submerged caches are shallow enough to reach with a deep breath. Backpacking gear can set you back a bunch, so spread out your purchases. ATVs are are the only thing on your list that could cost you big bucks. A street legal dirtbike, such as a Kawasaki KLR-650 might be a better choice, as you would not need a trailer to tote them where you want to cache.

 

The only thing I would stress is, don't let your budget and your impatience dictate what level of quality gear to buy for long range, outdoor excursions. Your life may very well depend on how good your gear is, when you are 20 miles from civilization.

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After nearly 9 years of doing this - I am still waiting for my wife to approve the purchase of a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. (Strictly for Geocaches on back roads - of course).

Oh! Yeah! That's the one I want too! Ever since the jeep TB promos.

I did buy a Nissan Frontier 4x4 pickup and caching pushed me over the edge since I don't really need 4WD for anything else. I don't have a problem. :)

I did buy a kayak, but hey, I might have used it for non-caching related activities. I don't have a problem. :D

 

And then there was the time I took a temporary, 4 month job in AZ (I live in NY) just so I could drive through Mingo, KS, and pick up the oldest active geocache. :D

Well, I might have a problem...

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I'll agree with the suggestions to look into a canoe or kayak. We bought a basic Old Towne canoe 14 years ago when we lived in Alaska. It's spent more time hanging upside-down than actually floating in water since we moved away from there, but it hasn't cost us anything to keep it, so we just keep haulin' it along with us wherever we go. And it's still in great condition. Not sure how well one would ride on top of a Camaro, though! :)

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I can understand, I've always loved the outdoors, and to explore and see things in person, but I've never had the drive to go camping just to camp, or go hiking out in the wilderness just to hike, or get a boat, just to boat. This gives me a reason or a purpose to go out in the woods to hike or boat or even 4 wheel on approved trails, doing it just for the fun in doing those things was never enough for me, now I have a reason. Is that weird, or is that the case for alot of cachers?

That's exactly how I feel :blink:

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OP-"Please note: Although what I said above is true, I do have willpower and probably will never do all the above, but I just wanted to share my feelings with you all, and see some of your replies. and I do have very limited experiance from my teenage/early 20's of everything above except SCUBA diving, I'm 35 now and do not own anything above LOL...thought i would add some background info there."

 

I did a lot of camping and hiking when I was younger and I think geocaching helped to reawaken some of the joyful times I used to have doing those things but had gotten away from. I have to modify these activities because I'm not as young as I used to be or have the same goals, but I still love exploring the great outdoors and this country.

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Gorak is right! Life is far too short to limit yourself.

 

Regardless of your financial situation, you can find decent deals on camping and hiking gear on the internet... you just have to know where to stalk. Or where to look, if you just aren't patient enough to wait for the right deal.

 

Happy hunting :blink:

 

Oh and PS... there are always good reasons to learn how to SCUBA dive in North Carolina!

Edited by lil_cav_wings
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