+thehoomer Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 .............Geocaching. Thehoomer have slowed down a lot lately because like a few others we know, we have become a little discontent with quality, quantity etc. This is not a gripe, simply a choice and I guess it's a fact of Geo-life that the sport/hobby changes, it's just that we are struggling to change with it. A year or so ago, I couldn't have imagined a time when I wasn't up for trudging through a muddy field full of over-inquisitive bovines, in the quest for a 35mm film pot at the base of a tree. More and more though, we tend to head for Multi's these days. For us, they offer up the best chance of including something interesting, clever or attractive. One thing which has happened as a result of this, our house looks amazing and the snag list is almost at zero. We are planning to tackle the garden next and I am currently designing a gazebo which Dave is going to build....Shhhhh, don't tell him coz he doesn't know yet! Our holiday locations were previously governed by the amount of caches in the proposed area. Now, I don't even look before I book. We even manage to walk or drive past caches without twitching or jerking and moreover, we don't lament them either. Yes, there are 'aspects' of 'full on' caching which I miss but I must admit that on the whole, I'm happier now we have slowed down and are being more selective. I just thought I would throw this into the mix and see......... 'what would you be doing without......?' Quote Link to comment
+Pharisee Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I guess... all the things I did before I started geocaching, like fishing for pike on the big Scottish and Irish lochs / loughs. Walking up hills looking for trig-points. Folk music festivals. In fact, all the things I still do but not quite as often! Although as I've now retired, I hope to ramp them up a bit. Home chores like decorating and gardening never did and probably never will play a big part in my everyday life. Quote Link to comment
+*mouse* Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 The same stuff that we do now... kayaking, camping, hiking, exploring holes in the ground, playing with the vdub... One of the things that makes caching great is that it can be combined with so many of our other hobbies. I'm glad that I'm not one of those people who's only hobby is chasing tupperware - as fun as this game is, I just can't help but think it's healthier to have a range of interests! Quote Link to comment
+thehoomer Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 The same stuff that we do now... kayaking, camping, hiking, exploring holes in the ground, playing with the vdub... One of the things that makes caching great is that it can be combined with so many of our other hobbies. I'm glad that I'm not one of those people who's only hobby is chasing tupperware - as fun as this game is, I just can't help but think it's healthier to have a range of interests! You are absolutely right *mouse*. We were 'one of those people' and Geocaching became all consuming because we had little else. I think that at the time, we were crying out for 'something' and caching slotted right in. We didn't have any other hobbies as such but we did go to the cinema, theatre, for picnics and visits to historic houses etc. All these things have been reinstated into our lives since we discovered that they can be and it doesn't hurt! May be we just went at it to heavily and burnt ourselves out? Quote Link to comment
+HazelS Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Well, I guess I'd probably have finished the house renovations that I started 5 years ago, but instead I still have a hall stairs and landing that's half stripped and the almost untouched bedroom. Luckily I managed to do the extension, new kitchen, french doors and decorate the rest of the downstairs in between camping events and over the winter one year.... but hunting for tupperware IS a major distraction. Other than that, I may well have read some of the 20 or 30 books I have sat about unread, and my garden would MAYBE look a little tidier (well ok, a LOT tidier) Like Mouse, I HAVE carried on doing a lot of what I love to do as well as caching, but maybe (just maybe) I'd have got around to doing far more without caching in my life! Quote Link to comment
+Team Noodles Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 juggle all the things we like to do, and try and make time for all of them (but -1 in this case) nothing new really Quote Link to comment
+thehalibutkid Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Personally i've noticed that the amount of time I spend offline(ish I still have my smartphone) has ramped up considerably since I started caching. I go out for walks nearly every day instead of spending time either on the intertubes or xbox. Hunting bits of tupperware just gives me a reason to do it. That said it has been remarked that i've just exchanged one addictive behaviour for another. Quote Link to comment
+FantasticCat Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Also slowed down a lot. Spent some of extra time playing loads of games of chess on the internet where you have to make all of your moves in one minute. Also going on long walks with no caches on them (or ones I have already done). Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Much the same as before, although cycling routes would be based on circles rather than coloured boxes on a map. Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I lost interest in my Playstation and other consoles around the time I discovered 'caching, so I suspect I'd be killing more zombies if it wasn't for the Joy of Tupperware. That said, I do find time to cycle, photograph, mountain climb, eat pizza, trig-point-collect, visit the cinema, discover new places and make my own films, plus some 'good works for ch@*!ty', going to the gym and watching some TV once in a while. Without caching, I'd probably be doing those still, just not as often (some of them) or more often (others). The garden would still be a mess but perhaps my classic car collection would get more attention and my website would get more updates. I'd probably be more into Geograph and other location-based Internet games too, as well as social networking and (whisper it) dating nice ladies. The blondes I usually attract tend to be happier in heels than waist-deep in nettles, for some strange reason Quote Link to comment
+thehoomer Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 Going back to what *mouse* said, I suppose it depends on what one considers to be a 'hobby'. Caching must be different things to different people, it could be a hobby, a pastime, a sport, an irritating addiction ? Now Ive had a think about it, we always managed to fill our spare time with various things, none of which we would deem a hobby. We enjoy/ed local history, Town Trails, motorcycling, Marshalling the TT race course for 10 years running, camping, Gardening, walking, entertaining and DIY, to name but a few. Geocaching though, I think we could safely say that that was a hobby for us. It was something which we spent every weekend doing and when we weren't 'out there', we were planning what to do when we next were. Quote Link to comment
+Vodor and Scorsby Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 We go through spates where we might slow down for a couple of months then the bug bites all over again. Its strange but alot of my (Vodor) other hobbies are down while looking for caches too. Quote Link to comment
+Unobtainium Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 What would you be doing without........ All the things Mrs K thinks I should be doing Good job Mrs K doesn't read the forums Quote Link to comment
+goldpot Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Also slowed down a lot. Spent some of extra time playing loads of games of chess on the internet where you have to make all of your moves in one minute. Also going on long walks with no caches on them (or ones I have already done). ...given us north Londoners a chance for a FTF or two! Quote Link to comment
+Ant89 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 (edited) With geocaching, I wonder round the countryside looking for intresting spots. to place a hide Without geocaching I'd be doing the same appart from the hide aspect, just that I would not be bringing other people out to enjoy the loation too. Edited March 21, 2011 by Ant89 Quote Link to comment
+shadowmib Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 What would I be doing without GEOCACHING?? Quote Link to comment
+FantasyRaider Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Before Geocaching I would be down in the cellar on my scroll saw. Or making Doll houses and furniture ... as I used to. I found geocaching as a way to get fit again after triple valve replacement. But working with power tools now would be less enjoyable as i have to be aware that being on warferin, one cut could be a messy business. also, I know now what i would be missing: walking out in the fresh air every day! I have been through a slump in caching over the winter, but now the sun is shining, more trails have been published .... i'm back out there again. Quote Link to comment
+pendragon9321 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 without it I'd still be riding my pony and walking the pup - but probably more over the same old ground rather than exploring new places which have caches Stumbled across caching just before I got the pup, as a way to find new dog walks in the area - it definitely helps with ideas for new places, or stumbling across lovely new places to walk as I did at the weekend. Quote Link to comment
+agentmancuso Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 That's easy: I'd be finding more trigs and climbing more hills. Quote Link to comment
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