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Why Do You Geocache?


frenchth

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Hi everyone!

 

I am interested in why you started geocaching. I find the whole concept extremely interesting but whenever I tell others about it, they always ask, "Why would anyone want to geocache?" What would you say to this geocaching skeptics?

Don't say anything further to someone that is a skeptic. Their mind is made up and only they can change it.

 

Either there is a fundamental appeal for the concept of geocaching or there isn't. It's infrequent that there is an exception from my experiences.

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I'm a corporate pilot. I work 7/7...seven days on and seven days off. That means I spend six months a year living out of a hotel room. Geocaching gets me OUT of my hotel room and I get to see parts of America that I would otherwise never see. This is a wonderful Country with tons of beautiful places and geocaches gets me off the television and out into the real world to see the true sights, I truly enjoy the hikes and adventures. Worth 100 fold the premium fee if you ask me..,

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My reasons are similar to the last poster. I travel, or at least I did, a lot. My travels would have me living for days at a time out of a hotle in areas where I had nothing to do expcept sit in my hotle room or get out and see thing. Geocaching gave me something to do. Due to my compulsive nature I quickly got hooked. Now I cache everywhere I go and it is somehting I think about every day. Hardly a day goes by where I don't at least THINK about geocaching....

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Hi everyone!

 

I am interested in why you started geocaching. I find the whole concept extremely interesting but whenever I tell others about it, they always ask, "Why would anyone want to geocache?" What would you say to this geocaching skeptics?

Don't say anything further to someone that is a skeptic. Their mind is made up and only they can change it.

 

Either there is a fundamental appeal for the concept of geocaching or there isn't. It's infrequent that there is an exception from my experiences.

 

I have to agree. It's like any hobby, either the person gets it or they don't. The same question can be asked about tabletop RPG's, collecting stamps, building models, etc...

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I just like to go into the woods, get dirty, muddy, bloody while bushwhacking.

 

Geocaching gives me an excuse for that.

 

I also have a little button in my brain that makes me instantly feel happy when I make a number higher. The ability to lift a lamp post or put myhand in a guard rail and instantly feel joy is great.

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I think the one thing that everyone here has neglected to mention is the adventure of going treasure hunting. In my opinion, Geocaching stirs up those feelings we had as kids. Myself, along with what I mentioned above, I'm a couch potato that needs exercise. Geocaching gets me up off the sofa and out into the fresh air. Not to mention that in just the short time I've been doing this I've seen places that I have passed by for 20 years without giving a second look to. I'm with whoever it was that said that I don't go a day without at least thinking about Geocaching. I'm totally hooked.

MULLY

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I cache because I love looking for tupperware, it takes me to places that I haven't discovered yet and the feeling of finding is immense. The kids enjoy the hunt too and swopping their toys. My husband isn't so keen but he likes solving any puzzles caches and he likes the harder terrain caches.

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Had a riend visit while i was living in FLorida who travels and was into Caching. I asked many questions and he took me on a hunt. Loved it the moment i did it. It got me outside and moving, Allowed me to see places that i may pass by on a daily basis but never put a second thought to it, triggers the little kid adventure vibe in me, and is just plain fun. Now I am back in Ohio and have a small core of friends that enjoy it also as i did the same thing to them, took them out to find one and they loved it. I cache because i enjoy it :)

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The simplest reason of all: Because it's fun.

I mean, really, what else do you need? :)

 

Though the "I didn't know this was here!" factor is cool, and I think is one reason that a person I go Geocaching with (who would do the driving while I do the navigating and Geocaching) doesn't mind going with me, even though he doesn't usually get out of the car. (He does like checking out old cemeteries though, and we've found a bunch of those we never knew about while Geocaching.)

 

I also find it amazing that there turned out to be caches in places I went to quite often that I never knew existed. From the store where I went to buy groceries to a cemetery way out in the country where some of my extended family members are buried, there are caches all over. (For me this also applies somewhat to benchmarks.) :)

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I asked the same thing myself last Friday when a friend and I were wading through brush, under bushes, climbing over downed trees, and hoping that there might be a deer trail ahead, but finding only a sheer wall at the base of a crevice, leading down to steep sides of a lake shore covered with more downed trees, with the nearest trail a thousand feet above us.

Edited by geodarts
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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...

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I think the best thing to do with a skeptic is invite them along. Take them to some particularly good caches, see if they "get it".

 

I learned a valuable lesson when I tried that on my wife for what is arguably one of THE BEST CACHES OF ALL TIME..... Necropolis of Britannia Manor III.

My wife bailed before it was fairly begun. I reeeeally expected her to enjoy it. We're talking about a cache that easily cost the owner $30K+ (don't scoff unless you've logged it)and more like $100K when you consider what the CO's personal time is worth. Heck, the FTF's (beta test) are the FOUNDERS OF GEOCACHING.COM, Jeremy, Brian, & Elias. B)B)B) How could she NOT love it and become an instant cacher riiiight??? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

It was 110 in the shade as we closed in on the third stage. I hardly noticed the heat I was sooooo freakin' stoked, but my wife's lack of enthusiasm was harshing my geocaching buzz.... As we left the graveyard headed to stage 4, my wife pushed the eject button on "our" euphoric quest. This led to a teensy disagreement.... To make a long story short my wife brought home her dislike of geocaching as a worthwhile activity (for her) with these words, "Would you eat brocoli if it was purple?!!!" (Blank stare from me.) "NO! Because it's STILL BROCOLLI!!!" Message received loud and clear. Get this woman into air conditioning and feed her an expensive meal and never EVER ask her to go caching again. Up until that point I really thought she'd come around and start caching since she enjoys the events and many of our friends are fellow cachers.

 

My log for the cache:

Fellow denizens of the quest,

 

This cache is made not of props, wood, and metal. This cache is made of AWESOME!!!

 

'Twas on the most unluckiest of days (Friday the 13th) that I set out on my quest for the sacred cache of the Necropolis.

 

ILL omens forbade as I loaded my Temptress and my little Homunculus into our carriage before setting out from the Land of Sugar.

 

The Homunculus was showing signs of testiness as is common of 2.5yo Homunculi. My Temptress foretold of tantrums aplenty in the coming hours. Foul Temptress! Her foretelling was realized mere hours later on the hallowed grounds of the burial place of the previous Guardian.

 

I was glad we were there just past mid day as the Homunculi’s screams would surely wake the dead at a later hour and my Temptress was becoming fouler by the moment.

 

I whisked my party of wanderers to the inn above the cave of bats while I set out on the rest of my quest which I knocked down like ninepins.

 

I returned to the inn above the cave to freshen up at dusk and collected my Temptress and my Homunculus to treat them to a fine meal at The Tuscan Eatery.

 

The meal was divine as I chose the most excellent chop of veal and the service was excellent. My Temptress rolled her eyes in ecstasy with her fare as well. You know how it is with Temptresses. When the Temptress is happy the Lord of the manor can relax. Keeping the Homunculus happy and occupied worked until my meal was thankfully finished. I used the diversion of a crying Homunculus to exit the villa to obtain the last clues.

 

Thy voucher was of great import when the bill came. I was expecting a bill comparable to Ruth's Chris or Perry's, but the discount brought it down to Olive Garden territory. I was amazed. The additional savings went into the pockets of our server.

 

Alas, the cave of the bats awaited and no night quest was undertaken to reach the final goal.

 

The next morning I set out from the inn even before the sun arose in the east leaving my Temptress and the little Homunculus to their slumber.

 

I made my way quickly and was on the trail of the snake as first light crept up into the sky.

 

I thoroughly documented my final journey in the arcane digital mediums and made my way slowly to enjoy the full effect.

 

Upon the final goal, I signed the log being properly awestruck by the 3 founders sigs, I dropped off many travelers, and traded many, many of my own smashed coins, as well as leaving an offering of skulls and bones and a secret offering to the Lord of the Manor. I took only 2 different mission patches and some travelers.

 

I rolled several coins in different metals the best being the quarter sized 2 metal Brazilian which looks awesome and I left 15 sheckles for other weary finders who might have forgotten their own sheckles or wanted more.

 

Notice to other coin smashers: If you try a coin other than a quarter make sure it fits the slotted tray and is no thicker than a quarter. I did brass tokens, pesos, and other like foreign coins.

 

Lastly, I just lingered a bit. I climbed the tower and spied a Moai in the distance. I would have liked to see that up close, but alas, it was forbidden and my Temptress called on the far speaker to give joyous news that the Homunculus was having a good beginning to the day which foretold of better travels to see the Toilet Seat Wizard in San Antonio.

 

Thus ends my story of the Necropolis, but I'll be back some day to take up the quest at night.

 

Thank you Lord British. You and your minions did a great service to this community by providing such an awesome quest.

 

Regards,

 

Sn[:P][:P]gans, The Sn[:X][:X]gstress,

& The Sn[:I][:I]glet + Cuj[}:)]

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Hi everyone!

 

I am interested in why you started geocaching. I find the whole concept extremely interesting but whenever I tell others about it, they always ask, "Why would anyone want to geocache?" What would you say to this geocaching skeptics?

 

I've only run across one person who was that close-minded about geocaching that he actually said that it sounded like a complete waste of time. Of course my retort to him was that I thought his countless hours spent playing games like WoW was a complete waste of time as there isn't any PHYSICAL reward for all that "labor" and my relationship with my family is stronger for it, but I've come to realize that people set in their ways can't be swayed.

 

As for why I geocache...it's simple. I love the outdoors. I love camping and hiking. And I love a good adventure. So, to me, to have a game that takes those interests and melds it with my love for technology, why would I NOT play? The thrill of the hunt, the agony of the DNF, and the elation of the find, all mix together to give me a "high" that is even better than watching my favorite team when the Super Bowl or seeing my favorite band in concert. You can set out to find as little or as much as possible. Unlike other games, you're not confined to a time restriction or designated area. You control your part of the game. Want to find all easy caches? So be it. Want to go on a 10-mile hike through some treacherous terrain to sign a piece of paper in a tupperware container? Enjoy yourself. You don't have to be athletic, or tall, or even young to play. It's that kind of freedom that keeps bringing me back. Sure, my numbers are pretty dismal relative to the veterans....but that's not what it's about. Again, because I am not restricted to a time frame, I can go out and hunt WHENEVER and WHEREVER I want. How many other games out there can you say the same thing about?

 

-Josh

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Get this woman into air conditioning and feed her an expensive meal and never EVER ask her to go caching again.

Heh heh. I could have written those words myself. I've tried taking my ex caching too.

 

I honestly think it's easier to trade in than to convince.

My wife is cool with geocaching. She gets that it is part of the package. She just doesn't want to partake other than to attend the odd event.

 

It's probably best that she doesn't cache for balance around the house. :anibad:

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A better question might be, why do you continue geocaching.

We started out of curiosity, having a good paperless GPSr but not using it. Mr C was asked to come up with a suggestion of something fun to do. He offered geocaching.

 

We liked it right off, being really entertained by the hidden film canisters that seem to fill up our small town, excited by guardrail caches and LPCs, too.

After a year, I can say we have enjoyed the whole ride, from easy throw-down caches to multi-caches and even a puzzle here and there (ones for puzzle-handicapped people like us.) We have seen so many cool spots nearby home that we would never, ever have found. Not breath-takingly beautiful spots but just interesting, scenic spots all around our area. We are both retired and have lots of time now, and this is an inexpensive (gas!) fun activity. Now after a year under our belts, we are looking for the more creative, interesting caches. No shortage of them around, even though we have to venture out a bit to surrounding areas.

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Ask me how many hours I was sitting in a chair watching TV before and after Geocaching.

Ask me my cholesterol lever before and after.

Ask me my weight before and after.

Ask me how many friends I've met before and after.

Ask me how many social events I went to before and after.

Ask me how many new places, fantastic vistas, and eco-friendly challenges

I have enjoyed every week before and after.

Ask me the last time I felt like a kid again!

:laughing:

 

Me completing the Gold Dredge Planking challenge.

GoldDredge.jpg

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I enjoyed hiking, biking, kayaking, and camping before I started geocaching. This just adds to the fun.

 

It's a tour guide. Where should I go? Where the caches are I haven't found tells me roughly where I haven't been.

 

It takes me neat places to see neat things I probably would have never otherwise seen.

 

It has some challenge and makes me think.

 

Maps, navigation, and travel are involved.

 

The creative aspect - seeing clever hides, creative containers, sharing neat stuff via cache pages, learning neat stuff via Earthcaches and cache descriptions.

 

Most of the geocachers I've met are pretty nice folks. It's a nice step up from many of my other hobbies (past and present) that tended toward a younger and less mature crowd.

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It gives purpose to a walk in the woods or park. It gets me to places I've never seen. It makes me use my brain and legs. It's fun trying to beat my caching partner to the find. I've got dirty, wet, fallen over and laughed about it. I've walked 7km doing a series - and didn't complain about it.

It is one of my hobbies and I love it. What does the skeptic do?

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BECAUSE I CAN'T STOP!!!!!!!

 

 

But really, it's for the adventures:

 

great adventure 3/5 cache

 

another great day caching at a mine

 

I just completed a 23 island challenge cache, where you've got to find caches on each of 23 islands in Washington State. That took me to some of the most amazing places I've ever been!!! Incredible beauty I didn't even know existed, and great adventures!!!

 

Let's see, and there was the one day I did a hike with two people from Texas to get the State's oldest cache, and we found a cache inside of the Snoqualmie Tunnel, which is two miles long (old railroad tunnel), and then we went and got a cache on an island in a lake.

 

Then there was the day I went out with some 20 or more other cachers and we brought or rented boats or canoes and found over 10 caches out around Lake Washington on a few different islands and around the arboretum.

 

Then there was the day I hiked 5 miles to an old ghost town; used to be a gold mining town. Some of the buildings are still standing from over 100 years ago. The town of Monte Cristo.

 

And then there was the day....

Edited by Sol seaker
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Mostly for me, it's to get out and walk the parks, yet give myself a little extra incentive. I enjoy the park caches much more than the city caches. I enjoy the caches that take me to interesting spots I wouldn't have found otherwise. I do enjoy the creative caches in the cities, as long as they are not at muggle-central. I appreciate when the hider takes the time to do something a little different, yet keep it a nice quality cache in an appropriate location.

 

OH! And I love the events, love meeting other cachers and sharing stories.

Edited by FloridaFour
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One major factor I forgot to mention.

 

I love it as a way to say, "I've been here". Like today, I went to Pennsbury Manor, watched as Witch Trial, saw Apple Cider made fresh from apples (And drank it, best apple cider ever), learned so much of history, walked around a museum, saw the oldest cemetery I've ever seen. It was a day of fun.

 

However, without geocaching I wouldn't have done it. Without geocaching I couldn't prove I was there.

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I've been a lifelong gamer and finding hidden treasures and power-ups is a common feature in many games. So, the idea and challenge of finding caches hidden throughout the world appealed to that side of me. I've always been somewhat achievement/goal oriented and so having a geocache as my objective gives me a reason to go outside and explore places I never would've bothered to visit otherwise. I also get a thrill out of being aware of this 'secret' aspect of the world and going out to locate these hidden containers in places everyone else walks past without a second thought.

 

When I first started I was kind of careful and shy about looking for them if other people were nearby. Though, I find that as time goes on, my geocaching 'persona' has matured and so in a way, when I'm out there geocaching, I'm Starkes the geocacher, and my only concern is finding that cache (within reasonable bounds of course, I don't go so far as to break the law or ruin the environment). I don't worry so much about what other people think of that, or even worry about the other concerns in my life (I don't set out geocaching if I'm on a schedule or have other immediate obligations of any kind). It's a very present oriented activity for me, where I can take in the environment and see the world for what it is without my mood or preconceptions influencing my perceptions. So, in a way I find it has helped develop another dimension to my personality (but I don't obsess over caching with other people and only bring it up when people ask about what I've been doing). Usually people are interested to hear about it but more in a 'oh that sounds fun, but not really worth my time' sort of way. The only person I've gone caching with is my brother. I haven't invited anyone else to join me mostly because I'm distrustful of other people and feel like if I made an imposition, they'd come along more because they're trying to be 'nice' and 'friendly' rather than having a genuine interest in the activity.

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Ask me how many hours I was sitting in a chair watching TV before and after Geocaching.

Ask me my cholesterol lever before and after.

Ask me my weight before and after.

Ask me how many friends I've met before and after.

Ask me how many social events I went to before and after.

Ask me how many new places, fantastic vistas, and eco-friendly challenges

I have enjoyed every week before and after.

Ask me the last time I felt like a kid again!

:laughing:

 

Me completing the Gold Dredge Planking challenge.

GoldDredge.jpg

 

+1 Great pic!

 

Geocaching is pure fun! I still remember that feeling, finding our 1st cache, in the dark, with a cellphone flashlight, with the car GPS and the thrill of finding something secret and hidden that was in our neighborhood for so long and we had no idea about. It was totally like being a kid again.

 

We've been geocaching less than a year and I am getting waaaaay more exercise than before. I rarely watch t.v. We go out geocaching as a family every 2nd Sunday and we are getting to know this city of ours like never before. My husband, who is a total indoorsy type, is going outdoors and getting fresh air and exercise.

 

I loooove watching our numbers go UP. It's a feeling of accomplishment. I also loooove reading other people's logs, it makes me feel more connected to our community.

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I'm not sure. Sometimes I wonder why I cache, but then when I don't for a few days, I feel the need to get out there. Have seen lots of interesting places, and I don't even mind if it's a LPC. Just something about it. Right now I have a few goals to meet, so that's good for quite some time. What I really need is a good road trip!

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BECAUSE I CAN'T STOP!!!!!!!

 

 

But really, it's for the adventures:

 

great adventure 3/5 cache

 

another great day caching at a mine

 

I just completed a 23 island challenge cache, where you've got to find caches on each of 23 islands in Washington State. That took me to some of the most amazing places I've ever been!!! Incredible beauty I didn't even know existed, and great adventures!!!

 

Let's see, and there was the one day I did a hike with two people from Texas to get the State's oldest cache, and we found a cache inside of the Snoqualmie Tunnel, which is two miles long (old railroad tunnel), and then we went and got a cache on an island in a lake.

 

Then there was the day I went out with some 20 or more other cachers and we brought or rented boats or canoes and found over 10 caches out around Lake Washington on a few different islands and around the arboretum.

 

Then there was the day I hiked 5 miles to an old ghost town; used to be a gold mining town. Some of the buildings are still standing from over 100 years ago. The town of Monte Cristo.

 

And then there was the day....

 

AWESOME!! Some examples of quality caching right there!

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Just started to work out how to use my GPS properly, am now so addicted have almost done 100 days in a row,only been caching for 126 days, wife has been with me and cant understand it, so I don't take her, travel all over Aus spend time in hotels, as mentioned before gets you out, the challenge, finding new places and of course makes some friends, although only ever seen one other cacher at a cache.

Edited by Morley196
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I think the one thing that everyone here has neglected to mention is the adventure of going treasure hunting. In my opinion, Geocaching stirs up those feelings we had as kids. Myself, along with what I mentioned above, I'm a couch potato that needs exercise. Geocaching gets me up off the sofa and out into the fresh air. Not to mention that in just the short time I've been doing this I've seen places that I have passed by for 20 years without giving a second look to. I'm with whoever it was that said that I don't go a day without at least thinking about Geocaching. I'm totally hooked.

MULLY

 

MULLY, points apply directly to me but I might add that I am a gamer. I grew up in the golden age of gaming. Started with a TI and Commodore to 360s and PS3. One of the attractions to me is that this whole thing is a like a real world videogame. But I have the added benefit of going outside, exercising, meeting people, go places I haven't been, and enjoying it with my family.

 

I only wish I had found it earlier.

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It's fun first and foremost, i love hiking into the remote areas and seeing places few dare to go. I love seeing unique and challenging hides and the care that most people take in preparing hides. I like the treasure hunting aspect of it to. It gets me off the couch, and its almost free.

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I like the places I get to see and the pictures I get to take. I particularly like historical caches and I've been to a couple where I overwhelmed when I got to where I was going. Just some really neat experiences. I also like to leave swag behind to brighten up other people's days possibly or bring a smile to people's faces.

 

It's been a nice way to get out and do something in the summer beside going to the same old haunts to take pictures.

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8b6c3de9-edae-4bbd-b5db-357ebc3c4326.jpg

 

Because there's a different aspect of this game for everyone's tastes. With more developing all the time.

 

You like trackables? Set 'em out. Move 'em.

You like LPCs? More power to ya.. there's plenty.

You like long hikes? We've got those too!

You like planning parties and all the social aspects of life? There's plenty of room for you as well.

You're a loner and don't want anyone to really know what's up? All the offline cachers should be indicative that you can be one, too!

Like the goofy side of things? Come caching with us! :laughing:

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