+Chris n Maria Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Just thought it might be interesting to find out how everyone got in to Geocaching. In our case I had a GPS and was reading a mountainbike magazine which said you could download routes in to a GPS. Went to the Garmin site looking for a handlebar mount and found a new sport as well. Off we cycled to Hagrids cache (a mile down the road) and were hooked! What about you? Chris "We're not lost - we just don't know where we are" Quote Link to comment
+The Northumbrian Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I saw an article in a computer mag, where Moss the boss had been interviewed about them, and we went out and bought one that same day, as we are always out and about in the country , we thought of trying this hobby as it would take us to places that we had never thought of going , When we first started there were only a handful of Cachers around and only 25 caches hidden in the U.K.. but we missed the one where Moss had hidden a one with part of a clue to win a G.p.s. unit, It was found by someone just using a map. and they got the prize, I dont even Know if they are active cachers or not, if you are out there reading this, tell us your story? Quote Link to comment
Moss Trooper Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Hi Peeps.. Atually they tried just using a map and failed.. Too many dry stone walls The bought a GPS from Maplin on Sunday.. found the cache.. and Persuader Maplin.. (how I aint figured) to take the gps back an got a refund.. Moss de Boss... Sorta PS I had a gps fer long time.. then read an article on BBC News web page and as they say.. rest is history Quote Link to comment
Moss Trooper Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Hi Peeps.. Atually they tried just using a map and failed.. Too many dry stone walls The bought a GPS from Maplin on Sunday.. found the cache.. and Persuader Maplin.. (how I aint figured) to take the gps back an got a refund.. Moss de Boss... Sorta PS I had a gps fer long time.. then read an article on BBC News web page and as they say.. rest is history Quote Link to comment
+The Northumbrian Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 were these the same two that were mentioned in the mag a month later? Quote Link to comment
Rob & Lisa Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I first read about it on Slashdot in this article back in Australia in September 2000. I'd had a gps (Garmin 12) for a while but there were no caches anywhere near me. It took until I came to the UK before we did our first (Coombe Hill - August 2001). Quote Link to comment
+Masher Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I bought a Garmin 12 about 18 months ago, mainly because I was in Tottenham Court Rd and I was bored! Tinkered with connecting it to my laptop and some AutoRoute type software, for a bit, then bunged it in a drawer for a couple of months, once the batteries had run out. Sometime around November last year, I read an article about Geocaching in The Sunday Times technology section, and the rest, as they say, is history. Hooked. ---------------------- I was technical once Quote Link to comment
+Tim & June Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Well, it's like this .. We took our daughter and her Fiance to Disney in Florida to get married in the Disney Wedding Pavillion. Been there and seen it so many times we couldn't wait to actually do it. It was fantastic, thoroughly reccomendable. But I digress ... We were getting dressed while the news was on the TV and heard the end of a news item about geocaching. I'm sure that they mentioned something about a big prize of thousands of dollars in a cache but as we did not hear all of the broadcast we might have been wrong. Anyway, having always been a fan of "treasure hunt" books like Masquerade, The Cadbury's Cream Egg Mystery, and more recently The Merlin Mystery, we could not wait to get home and find out more about it in the UK. Tim & June (Winchester) To cache, or not to cache. That is the question ! Oh to hell with the work. Quote Link to comment
+Tim & June Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Well, it's like this .. We took our daughter and her Fiance to Disney in Florida to get married in the Disney Wedding Pavillion. Been there and seen it so many times we couldn't wait to actually do it. It was fantastic, thoroughly reccomendable. But I digress ... We were getting dressed while the news was on the TV and heard the end of a news item about geocaching. I'm sure that they mentioned something about a big prize of thousands of dollars in a cache but as we did not hear all of the broadcast we might have been wrong. Anyway, having always been a fan of "treasure hunt" books like Masquerade, The Cadbury's Cream Egg Mystery, and more recently The Merlin Mystery, we could not wait to get home and find out more about it in the UK. Tim & June (Winchester) To cache, or not to cache. That is the question ! Oh to hell with the work. Quote Link to comment
+jeremyp Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I bought the GPS first and then my brother said "have you heard about that thing on the web where people hide caches and post the coordinates." So I typed GPS and cache into google and found this site. I went out with a friend of mine - Luke - and we did Queens Oak and Cluedo 4 and then I was hooked. ------- jeremyp We're going to need a bigger boat! Quote Link to comment
+Lost in Space Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 The Father-in-Law lives in Sacramento and is a keen geocacher, (Old Putt). On my last visit, Oct 2001, he got me hooked....... Quote Link to comment
+Richard & Beth Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 The initial spark of interest was the BBC Online article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/in_depth/sci_tech/2000/dot_life/newsid_1194000/1194431.stm which describes someone finding the Coombe Hill cache. From there it took some persuasion on Beth that a GPS was a worthwhile investment! I initially got the yellow eTrex, however after having done Coombe Hill and Pit Near Penn we had to get a second GPS to end the 'I'm sure you're going in the wrong direction' arguments! After that we tried a couple of caches in Alberta and were well and truly hooked. Richard Quote Link to comment
+Richard & Beth Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 The initial spark of interest was the BBC Online article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/in_depth/sci_tech/2000/dot_life/newsid_1194000/1194431.stm which describes someone finding the Coombe Hill cache. From there it took some persuasion on Beth that a GPS was a worthwhile investment! I initially got the yellow eTrex, however after having done Coombe Hill and Pit Near Penn we had to get a second GPS to end the 'I'm sure you're going in the wrong direction' arguments! After that we tried a couple of caches in Alberta and were well and truly hooked. Richard Quote Link to comment
+Postie Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I have had a gps 12 for some years as a back up for my walking trips but didn't use it much. I recently bought a PDA and whilst trawling for progs. to load I found the 'hint decoder',(http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?sid=59112920010329201212&prodID=29696) hint for what? I thought and followed the thread from the site. I've been hooked since. Quote Link to comment
+naffita Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I saw the same article as Northumbrian in a computer mag. It looked like a good idea, we have been doing treasure hunts and pub quizzes for years, and we also spend a lot of time walking in the Peak District. After many hints and sugggestions I managed to get a GPS for my birthday. naffita [This message was edited by naffita on March 15, 2002 at 12:08 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+naffita Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I saw the same article as Northumbrian in a computer mag. It looked like a good idea, we have been doing treasure hunts and pub quizzes for years, and we also spend a lot of time walking in the Peak District. After many hints and sugggestions I managed to get a GPS for my birthday. naffita [This message was edited by naffita on March 15, 2002 at 12:08 PM.] Quote Link to comment
ighorsey Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I bought my GPS unit at the start of last summer, and one day at work I was surfing around on the internet, and found a link to geocaching.com on somebody's website (might have been Robin Lovelock's actually!). Anyway, went to the site and was incredibly suprised to find 4 sites within 20 miles of my house. Took a half day, went out and found my first one. And now, I live on an island which doesn't have any caches on it... It will have soon, as I'm planning a multi-cache for the island. I'm just hoping someone will come over and search for it...... Quote Link to comment
ighorsey Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I bought my GPS unit at the start of last summer, and one day at work I was surfing around on the internet, and found a link to geocaching.com on somebody's website (might have been Robin Lovelock's actually!). Anyway, went to the site and was incredibly suprised to find 4 sites within 20 miles of my house. Took a half day, went out and found my first one. And now, I live on an island which doesn't have any caches on it... It will have soon, as I'm planning a multi-cache for the island. I'm just hoping someone will come over and search for it...... Quote Link to comment
JasonW Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I'd seen a guy in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland with a GPS and at the time SA was still very much on - so his GPS was showing altitudes of -100ft while on a ferry between Ardnamurchan & Tobermory (Summer Only) - so at that stage I wasn't overly impressed by it..... Then about 9 months later I saw an article on the BBC News website (link above) and had a bit more dig into the subject, discovered that the deliberate error (aka Selective Availability) had been reduced to zero and that spurred me into buying a(nother) piece of electronic gadgetry, to go with the metal detector, the PDA, laptop, etc. Within 24 hours of getting home with the GPS, I was off to Edinburgh to leg it up Arthur's Seat to Capital View (sadly it was retired before Moss Trooper could get there ) - the initial success definitely made a difference - not sure I'd have been as hooked if it had been a failure! It's taken me places I didn't know there were places and back to places I'd not been to for years - but most of all it gets me out of the house with a purpose, rather than aimless wandering around. Quote Link to comment
JasonW Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I'd seen a guy in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland with a GPS and at the time SA was still very much on - so his GPS was showing altitudes of -100ft while on a ferry between Ardnamurchan & Tobermory (Summer Only) - so at that stage I wasn't overly impressed by it..... Then about 9 months later I saw an article on the BBC News website (link above) and had a bit more dig into the subject, discovered that the deliberate error (aka Selective Availability) had been reduced to zero and that spurred me into buying a(nother) piece of electronic gadgetry, to go with the metal detector, the PDA, laptop, etc. Within 24 hours of getting home with the GPS, I was off to Edinburgh to leg it up Arthur's Seat to Capital View (sadly it was retired before Moss Trooper could get there ) - the initial success definitely made a difference - not sure I'd have been as hooked if it had been a failure! It's taken me places I didn't know there were places and back to places I'd not been to for years - but most of all it gets me out of the house with a purpose, rather than aimless wandering around. Quote Link to comment
el10t Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I found the geocaching.com site quite by accident about a year ago and thought it looked interesting, though the price of a GPS unit was a bit prohibitive. I forgot about it for a while, then went hunting with jeremyp only about a month ago and found a couple of caches. I bought a Vista the following day and continued from there. El10t [This message was edited by el10t on March 15, 2002 at 02:40 PM.] Quote Link to comment
JasonW Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Oh yeah, and when I went looking for my first cache there were 10 in the UK as a whole - those were the days when the closest one was a 90 mile drive away Quote Link to comment
JasonW Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Oh yeah, and when I went looking for my first cache there were 10 in the UK as a whole - those were the days when the closest one was a 90 mile drive away Quote Link to comment
+The Wombles Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 My Dad and some Technodweebs in the office bought a GPS in 1998 and I thought it was a complete waste of time. They went down the Motorway comparing speed readings . . . I bought a Psion in 2000 and saw the route planning s/w; I decided to add the GPS as a navigation aid. I tried it a few times but gave up! I then saw an article about Geocaching in a magazine; that was early 2001 our nearest cache was 50 miles and closed by Foot & Mouth restrictions. We finally gave it a try in September (Queen's Oak) and were hooked. Quote Link to comment
Runemaster Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 quote:Originally posted by JasonW: Oh yeah, and when I went looking for my first cache there were 10 in the UK as a whole - those were the days when the closest one was a 90 mile drive away Aye lad... I remember those days too only 90 miles for you then... I remember coming up to do your woodhorn woods on the bike... now that was a real cache, I came out of those woods looking like I had been through a threshing machine, and that was the first of the 18 caches in the UK at that time, things have certainly moved on since then. Quote Link to comment
Runemaster Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 quote:Originally posted by JasonW: Oh yeah, and when I went looking for my first cache there were 10 in the UK as a whole - those were the days when the closest one was a 90 mile drive away Aye lad... I remember those days too only 90 miles for you then... I remember coming up to do your woodhorn woods on the bike... now that was a real cache, I came out of those woods looking like I had been through a threshing machine, and that was the first of the 18 caches in the UK at that time, things have certainly moved on since then. Quote Link to comment
+kennamatic Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I too saw the article last year in the computer mag. I'd wanted an excuse to own a gps, not that I had any real need for one, but you know what boys and their toys are like, so it gave me a chance to get one and legitamise the craving. I'd be out finding more caches if I didn't have to work so often at the moment. Finding your caches - Losing my marbles. Quote Link to comment
+Nia Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 well i recently took up Hang-Gliding (Mid-life-crisis) and when i got my licence I planned to use a gps for cross country flights. Especially usefull to help people pick you up after you land. I went to www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk to get a gps. They had links to several good gps related sites including geocaching.com. I was hooked before the gps even arrived. I've now given up Hang-Gliding (dangerous and lonely) for geocaching (less dagerous and the whole family joins in). So I now have a Hang-Glider for sale. (its a Discovery if you are interested) Quote Link to comment
+Walker Dan Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 Had looked at GPS's for a while to help on walks but didn't think the cost was justifiable, especially a couple of years ago. We then read an article by Simon Willis in The Great Outdoors magazine before Christmas detailing geocaching in the UK. Christmas present from the Mrs was then sorted and there is now a different purpose to some of our walks and it gets us out of the house on days when we might not have bothered !!! Quote Link to comment
+GAZ Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 Hi, Geo-friends!!! I saw it in Computeractive as well.......the thought of searching for a box that someone had took the time to hide, so that I could find, using a gadget.....I couldn't wait!!! My first was Woodhorn Woods by JasonW....I will always look back on that day!!!!! Fantastic Happy 'caching folks, GAZ Quote Link to comment
+GAZ Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 Hi, Geo-friends!!! I saw it in Computeractive as well.......the thought of searching for a box that someone had took the time to hide, so that I could find, using a gadget.....I couldn't wait!!! My first was Woodhorn Woods by JasonW....I will always look back on that day!!!!! Fantastic Happy 'caching folks, GAZ Quote Link to comment
dawnrazor Posted March 17, 2002 Share Posted March 17, 2002 I saw an article in The Register about ways for computer nerds to get some exercise without turning their backs on their beloved gadgets and gizmos. For some reason back in Feb 2001 I happened to have a Magellan 3000XL (can't recall why I had one either). Seemed only right to get into this really There were only about 6 caches at this time so I hid Mott the Hoople after failing to find the nearest one in Lincolnshire. Good to see that there are inxs of 300 caches around nowadays. Eddie (dawnrazor) [This message was edited by dawnrazor on March 17, 2002 at 12:43 PM.] Quote Link to comment
dawnrazor Posted March 17, 2002 Share Posted March 17, 2002 I saw an article in The Register about ways for computer nerds to get some exercise without turning their backs on their beloved gadgets and gizmos. For some reason back in Feb 2001 I happened to have a Magellan 3000XL (can't recall why I had one either). Seemed only right to get into this really There were only about 6 caches at this time so I hid Mott the Hoople after failing to find the nearest one in Lincolnshire. Good to see that there are inxs of 300 caches around nowadays. Eddie (dawnrazor) [This message was edited by dawnrazor on March 17, 2002 at 12:43 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+Adey1966 Posted March 17, 2002 Share Posted March 17, 2002 Well, you see, we went to Florida and.... Stop me if you've heard this one.... Yep, Luggage and I (fiance) got wedded out there and Tim and June told us about this great new game. We went Caching with them to start with then we got cheeky and nicked their Etrex, so they bought us one for christmas. Thanks Tim & June Rincewind & Luggage Quote Link to comment
+Adey1966 Posted March 17, 2002 Share Posted March 17, 2002 Well, you see, we went to Florida and.... Stop me if you've heard this one.... Yep, Luggage and I (fiance) got wedded out there and Tim and June told us about this great new game. We went Caching with them to start with then we got cheeky and nicked their Etrex, so they bought us one for christmas. Thanks Tim & June Rincewind & Luggage Quote Link to comment
LazyLeopard Posted March 18, 2002 Share Posted March 18, 2002 I bought my eTrex Vista in July last year, and used it for a while to log just how dreadful the traffic jams on my route to work were. At some point I updated the firmware, and a couple of new icons appeared. That sent me investigating, and the Project APE cache Meridian Snake was the first cache I found... Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk Quote Link to comment
The Baron of Basingstoke Posted March 18, 2002 Share Posted March 18, 2002 I've always liked gadgets so getting a GPS (a Garmin GPS12) was inevitable someday. I thought I'd treat myself to one on my 40th birthday. As I've got a Psion 5, I decided to search the web for some GPS software for it. Stumbled across a reference to geocaching on Robin Lovelock's site. Thought it was an excellent idea - especially as I'm now putting on a bit of weight (can probably bend light in fact). And Robert was my mother's brother so to speak. Enjoying it a lot, as do my kids who often join me. Quote Link to comment
James&Julie (TSV) Posted March 19, 2002 Share Posted March 19, 2002 Hubby finally got a job after years of being a student and decided to spend some of his first pay on a gadget and he'd always fancied a GPS. While he was researching which one to buy he looked at the Garmin website and there was geocaching. He took me on a 'romantic' weekend in the dales and stopped the car on the side of the road to look for a tupperware box. I thought he was off his trolley. This one was Panoramic which like its name suggests has fantastic views. We've been hooked ever since. Julie Quote Link to comment
The Relic Hunters Posted March 19, 2002 Share Posted March 19, 2002 Gaz popped round one night and told us all about geocaching. Said he'd put some caches out, so thought right we'll have a go at this (even though we didn't have a GPS!!!) Couldn't find 'Caldbeck' but when we found 'Solway View' we were like loons jumping about with this tupperware box in our hands. WE WERE HOOKED. Wrote Santa a letter and got a GPS last Christmas. Quote Link to comment
The Relic Hunters Posted March 19, 2002 Share Posted March 19, 2002 Gaz popped round one night and told us all about geocaching. Said he'd put some caches out, so thought right we'll have a go at this (even though we didn't have a GPS!!!) Couldn't find 'Caldbeck' but when we found 'Solway View' we were like loons jumping about with this tupperware box in our hands. WE WERE HOOKED. Wrote Santa a letter and got a GPS last Christmas. Quote Link to comment
+Silver Horde Posted March 19, 2002 Share Posted March 19, 2002 quote:Originally posted by ighorsey: I And now, I live on an island which doesn't have any caches on it... It will have soon, as I'm planning a multi-cache for the island. I'm just hoping someone will come over and search for it...... We have family on the IOM! Will be coming for a visit in the summer so get the cache rolling and I'll try to log it! Especially if it's near that famous waterwheel. Pereginus Quote Link to comment
+Silver Horde Posted March 19, 2002 Share Posted March 19, 2002 quote:Originally posted by ighorsey: I And now, I live on an island which doesn't have any caches on it... It will have soon, as I'm planning a multi-cache for the island. I'm just hoping someone will come over and search for it...... We have family on the IOM! Will be coming for a visit in the summer so get the cache rolling and I'll try to log it! Especially if it's near that famous waterwheel. Pereginus Quote Link to comment
the tapir Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Well, I stumbled across the idea on the web ... oh, about 3 weeks ago, I guess. As soon as I read the article, I *knew* I'd be into it - it was obviously something I'd love. I just couldn't believe I hadn't found out about it sooner! I *think* that my wife might understand ... she's used to my strange doings, and she might even possibly enjoy it this summer (although she's most certainly not an 'outdoor person'). Other people I've talked to about this, though, seem to just nod, then back away a step or two, with a wary look in their eye.:confused: I wonder what experience the rest of y'all have had when explaining this passion to others? the tapir Quote Link to comment
the tapir Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Well, I stumbled across the idea on the web ... oh, about 3 weeks ago, I guess. As soon as I read the article, I *knew* I'd be into it - it was obviously something I'd love. I just couldn't believe I hadn't found out about it sooner! I *think* that my wife might understand ... she's used to my strange doings, and she might even possibly enjoy it this summer (although she's most certainly not an 'outdoor person'). Other people I've talked to about this, though, seem to just nod, then back away a step or two, with a wary look in their eye. I wonder what experience the rest of y'all have had when explaining this passion to others? the tapir Quote Link to comment
+Lassitude Posted March 27, 2002 Share Posted March 27, 2002 Wy wife and I are going on a driving tour of Europe this year and I thought it would be nice to take a GPS. So I started looking for a GPS that would do for walking and for driving and came up with the eMap. During my research on the Internet I stunmbled upon Groundspeaks website and I thought I would give it a go. Did my first Cache on the 26th (The Queens Oak and Queens Oak virtual cache) and to my surprise found another cache only half a mile from where I work in Binfield (Tweetie Pie). This one was really tricky but I did find it after 20 minites of looking. I think I am hooked now... Thanks Chris Quote Link to comment
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