Are you a bee liner or a trail walker?

August 8, 2003

Me, I'm a bee liner. Sometimes I try to be patient and wait for the trail to turn. Most of the time I think I'm a flyin' crow.

One thing's for sure, you definitely get a better work out going for the bee line. So, what's your approach?

-Vb

38.2k · August 8, 2003

I stick to the trail, unless I determine that it's not going in the right direction. And usually, after bushwacking through dense growth and scrambling over rocks, I find the trail again.

Most of the time I wind up kicking myself in my ample butt, because I could have saved a lot of time had I stuck with the trail.

"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day" - Dave Barry

9.5k · August 8, 2003

By nature, I'm a lazy man. I stay on the trail until it becomes obvious that I have to leave it. It's faster, less invasive and ultimately less work.

Cheers!

TL

3k · August 8, 2003

I would never beeline in a sensitive area. I would in a field or open woods. I try not to step on the vegetation much. And I definitely jump outta the way for critters, especially snakes. I don't panic as much when I see a snake now. I'm beginning to recognize the sound of there slither in the leaves when I approach. They hear me before I hear them. Ticks also keep me on the trail most often, just the thought of them. So, to make a long story short, I voted stay on the trail until it's obvious. For reasons stated.

Cache you later,

Planet

So many caches, so little time.

[This message was edited by Planet on August 08, 2003 at 09:54 PM.]

August 8, 2003

At first I would beeline to all of the caches. I eventually learned the error of my ways when I realized that most of them were near a trail or some sort of easier direction to access them.

That Quack Cacher:

Lone Duck

When you don't know where you're going, every road will take you there.

4.8k · August 8, 2003

I am a reformed beeliner. After awhile it struck me that the cache placer likely took the easy route and didn't bushwack. Plus, you don't want to trample things when there is a trail. So now I try to think like the placer on trails, even if it means I'm getting farther away at times on the GPS.

But recently that didn't work on this cache. We had to bushwack up a mountain (very steep at times and with lots of obstacles) and we kept thinking we would see the easy way that we missed on our way out. We found one sort of, but not really. It was only slightly easier for a short while. I seriously think that the placer did a very serious bushwack himself! Anyway, it also became my favorite cache ever! One hell of an adventure!

I also thought that I just might place a cache by taking a serious bushwack to place it (not through sensitive areas of course) so finders of that cache would have a real challenge!

August 8, 2003

It took me a couple of long bushwhacking hikes before I decided sticking to the trail was the only way to go.

_________________________________________________________

If trees could scream, would we still cut them down?

Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason.

Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest)

August 8, 2003

First off, I'm surprised that the first two replies indicate that the trail is faster. Sometimes yes, but usually (in my admittedly limited experience) a bee line is faster (though usually more difficult).

Also, anyone been burned by sticking to the trail when your instincts tell you to leave it?

-Vb

August 8, 2003

Trail, what trail? You mean the one I make through the chapparal with my 21" machete?

_______________________________

Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul -- chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!

http://www.geocities.com/cacheinon

3.8k · August 8, 2003

.

==============="If it feels good...do it"================

**(the other 9 out of 10 voices in my head say: "Don't do it.")**

.

5.9k · August 8, 2003

I’m a rehabilitated bee-liner. I used to just walk straight to the cache. I did one like this at night in some thick forest. Like most, if the trail seems like it’s going the wrong way, I’ll try to go straight through a bit early. I’m getting better at resisting the urge...well that urge anyway.

http://fp1.centurytel.net/Criminal_Page/

1k · August 8, 2003

Part Time Beeliner...

I learned early on to stick to the trail as much as possible. I found myself bushwacking my way only to come upon the same trail I just left, so until I am 100% sure its time to leave the trail I stay right on it.

I use a Garmin V to route and cache with and it doesn't always lead me to a trail head or parking lot, it usually brings me as close to the cache as the road gets, so sometimes bushwacking can cut off alot of the intended hike.

Kar

9.5k · August 8, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Verboten:
First off, I'm surprised that the first two replies indicate that the trail is faster. Sometimes yes, but usually (in my admittedly limited experience) a bee line is faster (though usually more difficult).

Also, anyone been burned by sticking to the trail when your instincts tell you to leave it?

-Vb

Y'all ain't from around these here parts are ya?

Seriously though... I've learned a long time ago that if I have to bushwhack to get to my target, I probably could have made better time with less effort by taking the trail. Part of urge to bushwhack follows the belief the trail is heading in the wrong direction. One cache in particular did that. The trail definitely took a bend for 200 feet in the opposite direction and the urge to bushwhack up the hillside was quite strong. Being muddy and slick, bushwhacking was definitely a hazardous way to go, would have taken three times as long and needlessly damaged the overall beauty of the park. Having the patience to follow the trail proves fruitful both in time saved and less effort expended.

In essence, if the cache doesn't specifically state that bushwhacking may be required, there just may be a better way to get to it, and you, the seeker, have yet to find that way if you find yourself bushwhacking.

Now granted, my experience is still limited. I may be proven wrong soon enough.

Cheers!

TL

2.7k · August 9, 2003

Stay with the trail and use your map for terrain feautures. Here in CO when in the mountains anything else than the trail can be unhealthy. I have several caches that the trail will get you close, but after that its some minor bushwhacking.

Tahosa - Dweller of Mountain Tops.

August 9, 2003

I take the old homelite chainsaw so's I can go straight to it. It makes some pretty interesting mazes in the forest when tree cover messes with my reception, so that is a plus too.

Bender

Searching, for the lost Xanadu

1.4k · August 9, 2003

There are very rare times that I'll bushwhack most of the way. 95% of the time I stay on the trails. That's what they're for.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nobody can be so amusingly arrogant as a young man who has just discovered an old idea and thinks it is his own.

Sydney J. Harris

The fool who knows he is a fool is for that reason very wise. The fool who thinks himself wise is the greatest fool of all.

Shakyamuni

3.1k · August 9, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Verboten:
Also, anyone been burned by sticking to the trail when your instincts tell you to leave it?

Yes, once. The GPS was indicating a long bushwack, but I knew the trail swung back around on the other side. It turned out the bushwack was equally long from that side.

I just did a cache where the trail swung in the opposite direction of the cache, then came back afer a good detour. But it was a far more pleasant walk that a swampy bushwack would have been.

Well the mountain was so beautiful that this guy built a mall and a pizza shack

Yeah he built an ugly city because he wanted the mountain to love him back -- Dar Williams

August 9, 2003

I'm a trail blazer. I usually take a small chain saw, a weed whacker and a machete with me. Anything I can do to make it easier for those who follow me to find the cache without having to walk any further than neccesary.

(I'm joking of course)

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

"Never declare war on a man who buys his ink by the gallon."

August 9, 2003

I enjoy placing caches to frustrate beeliners. Caches in Laurel thickets are always good for an interesting log. I've also placed them close to a road at the top of a killer slope, or on the edge of a cliff or body of water. Many of my caches are more than a mile in, and beeline hunting just doesn't work so well in the rough terrain I prefer. I always suggest a trail approach and have a jolly good chuckle reading the logs of the mindless arrow followers. There are certainly times, when after consulting all my maps, I decide to bushwack, but bozos who get out of their car without a map or any idea what they are getting into deserve what they get, my only pity is for the vegetation they destroy.

2.3k · August 9, 2003

AS THE CROW FLIES

This is how I usually approach those pesky caches!

Free your mind and the rest will follow

August 9, 2003

Looks like many have evolved as I have. I used to bee line. Once I proudly announced that I found a cache in ten minutes where others taking the trail had a 45 minute hike. I learned my lesson on one hunt when I took the short way in rather than the trail. It was mostly brambles all the way and I pretty much ruined a good leather motorcycle jacket. Got to the cache and heard voices. It was people walking the trail that was only a few feet from the cache!!

Steve Bukosky N9BGH

Waukesha Wisconsin

1.5k · August 9, 2003

For the most part, I'm a trailwalker, but as previously mentioned, if the trail is taking me *too* far off course, I may carefully navigate around the brush...finding the trail again soon after going right where it needs to.

A few times, I've been out late in the day, in an area I wouldn't want to hike in the dark, when the sunset came on much sooner than I thought, and I hardcore bushwhacked to turn a 45-min hike into a 10 minute run. It's not terribly often, but becomes frequent if there isn't a defined trail to the cache itself.

Brian

Team A.I.

4.8k · August 9, 2003

Another story. We once bushwacked from one cache to another nearby one (it was fairly close on the GPS and we were already off trail). We went through tick infested grass, jumped logs, and got generally beat up. When we found the cache, we looked abut 20 feet to the right and saw a paved bike trail (the same we were initially on when we found the first one). Anyway, it was a 20 min. bushwack and 4 minute walk out!

1.5k · August 9, 2003

I had a similar experience in Prescott a few weeks ago. There was a cache in my GPS (had no info on it), that looked to be at the top of the hill near the public works type buildings. I wanted to jaunt up and grab it, thinking the hill wasn't too steep (looked pretty easy from 5 miles out). It was easily a 35-degree+ grade and was about 300 feet up. As soon as I reached the top, I noticed the small PAVED parking area coming up from a nearby road on the OTHER side of the hill, which got you to within 10' of the 0 coordinate. I never ended up finding the cache, and had nothing to reference in looking up the info. THAT, was disappointing.

Brian

Team A.I.

24.7k · August 9, 2003

I try to read the terrain and generally have good success finding the trail.

As always though once you find the cache you always find the easy way out.

August 11, 2003

quote:
...my only pity is for the vegetation they destroy.

Oh, the poor ferns. I weep for the ferns. Someone please announce to the fauna to keep to the trails, lest they disturb the flora.

-Vb

August 11, 2003

Trails are for Snails!!

j/k

I guess I should specify that I usually only beeline for part of the way to the cache.

I usually decide on my path by reading the terrain. I will, however, bushwack most of the way, not necessarily in a direct line to the cache...I like finding and taking "alternate" routes...

I want to see sights no one else has, and I have found MANY great views and interesting places by bushwacking.

Of course, there is a price to pay if you want to play....Getting poison ivy, scratches, eaten by more bugs than sticking to the trail, getting more wore out than sticking to a trail, etc....

Art

www.yankeetoys.org

www.BudBuilt.com

www.pirate4x4.com

August 11, 2003

I learned not to bee-line after my first cache. Nothing worse than being a half mile away on a mountain. I found the cache about 2 hours into it, took me about 25 minutes to get back to my car.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=103

August 11, 2003

Like many previous responders I bush whacked in on several early caches. If that arrow pointed "that" way "that" is where I headed.

I felt bad about the snapping twigs and slightly trampled vegetaion but I had not mastered the nuainces of Geocaching.

Now I take a much more reasoned approach, studying the terrain and maps. The route I take might not be a striaght line but it is probably easier on my shins and less damaging to the environment.

It's easier on the kids, too, if I take them.

"Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing know happiness!"

August 11, 2003

My threshold is generally 1/10th of a mile. However, if I find the trail moving farther away, I'll return to the nearby spot and bushwack--that's faster than going away and returning!

However, that said, my two most memorable and adventurous 'hikes/climbs' were by choosing to bushwack! (One just last Saturday...)

500' in 2.5 hours

a mile vertically instead of horizontally (JonBoy didn't plan this one this way, and we used the topo map!)

The other problem is trails around here usually have other people who scare wildlife/birds away. I've seen more interesting nature off-trail rather than on...

But still, I don't like getting turned back, so stick to the trail until I'm within 500' or so.

Enjoy,

Randy

24.7k · August 11, 2003

If nobody stays on the trails then if the plants grew there instead of off trail, there wouldn't be a problem.

9.5k · August 11, 2003

Only that the D/T would significantly change.

Cheers!

TL

24.7k · August 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by TotemLake:
Only that the D/T would significantly change.

Cheers!

TL

I've met a lot of women fond of saying "If men had to go through what we go through they would never have babies". To which I say, "The only thing that would be different is that I'd be telling you that".

They either don't get it, or don't want to give me the satisfaction of winning the point.

August 11, 2003

It seems like most people beeline at first and then mellow and start to think about things a little more. I'm still new, and so I still bushwack more than I need to, but I'm just beginning to feel the satisfaction of thinking things out before I go barreling into the underbrush. I love finding a cache during lunch in my business office clothes. There's a sense of satisfaction to being able to pluck it out of the mire without getting dirty. And it's so absurd to see me in the woods in slacks and a golf shirt. LOL. I still enjoy bushwacking sometimes, but we have so many endangered or sensitive native plants in our woods, it's best to stay on the trail. If I want to get all dirty, I go caching in the woods in a good steady downpour.

August 11, 2003

I hope that someday we will be able to put away

our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.

August 11, 2003

Being a genuine antique person with short legs, I'm definitely a trail walker until I have to get off it. But then I bushwack with the best of them, only slower. I was with CarleenP on the memorable trek up the mountainside in Colorado recently and although I didn't keep up with her I was doing better than the 13 yr old in the group. I was glad we had walkie talkies with us. We all got there together.

NevaLP a.k.a. Carleen's mom

9.5k · August 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

quote:
Originally posted by TotemLake:
Only that the D/T would significantly change.

Cheers!

TL

I've met a lot of women fond of saying "If men had to go through what we go through they would never have babies". To which I say, "The only thing that would be different is that I'd be telling you that".

They either don't get it, or don't want to give me the satisfaction of winning the point.

Am I missing something here? I didn't argue your point so how did you lose the satisfaction of winning it? I just put in a tounge-in-cheek smartassed remark. My wife agrees I'm dense so maybe that's it.

Cheers!

TL

August 11, 2003

A lot of women who have given birth before, after

completing a Marathon say it is much more arduous

to run the marathon.

Yet, some people (not me) run several marathons each year.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1891369113/002-4126089-3652053

I hope that someday we will be able to put away

our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.

24.7k · August 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by TotemLake:
Am I missing something here? I didn't argue your point so how did you lose the satisfaction of winning it? I just put in a tounge-in-cheek smartassed remark. My wife agrees I'm dense so maybe that's it.

Cheers!

TL

You didn't miss a thing. My comment had nothing whatsoever to do with anything other than the general reversal of things. Heck I'm still not sure what you said.

9.5k · August 11, 2003

Well no worries then... the good doctor is still working on me.

Cheers!

TL

August 12, 2003

TL, that's even creepier when full size.

Getting back on topic. I'm a little of both, my reasons for each have pretty much already been hashed out in this thread. I like going off trail from time to time to see things I might not get to see from the trail (wildlife, natural features, nudes, meth labs, etc) and sometimes it is faster. More often than not I stay on the trail though. Mainly because it's usually an easier walk and I figure that the person who placed the cache most likely took an easy way in.

Mr. 0

"Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend or your enemy - they are actually disinterested."

Department of the Army Field Manual FM 21-76 "Survival" Oct. 1970

August 12, 2003

Whether I stay on trail or go into the dense jungle/forest/bushes depends a lot on who is with me.

When I'm with my Wife & Kids, I try to stay on trail. If I do bushwhack with them around, I'll go fine the waypoint, and then follow the trail back out to them & lead them in on the trail.

Sometimes it's easiest to find the trail to the cache by bushwhacking straight to it and taking the trail out. But if I can stay on trail and still feel like I'm making progress, that's my first choice.

I do things very differently when I'm by myself... I can cover a lot of wrong trails by jogging, but when the family is along the pace is painfully slow.

I hope that someday we will be able to put away

our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.

2.6k · August 12, 2003

Sometimes a straightline isn't the quickest way,

besides at my age the trails are usually the easiest way to go

All who look are not lost

1.4k · August 12, 2003

I Usually try to begin at a trail. After a turn or 2 I bushwhack cross country until my socks have a sufficient number of stickers, cheatgrass and ants attached, then I strike back to the trail and follow it to the cache. After I find the cache, I return via the shortest route to my car and grab the trade items I forgot to take to the cache. After returning to the cache I check my track log on the GPSr and plot a reverse route that I have not yet taken. I can usually walk 4 different routes on each cache.

August 13, 2003

When I first started out Geocaching. I almost always took the most direct route to the cache not caring what was in the way as you can see here...

I kept on with this technique as it proved quite well. But as time went on and knowing the people in my area that place caches I know that most of them don't venture too far off the beaten path so there is usually a trail near by. so I've started looking for it. Now there are still certian cachers that venture way into the woods off the beating path that I still Bee-line to.

Most of my caches are deep in the woods where no right minded Geomuggle would even come close to stealing my cache. I learn my lesson after getting one stolen twice. NO MORE!

So in conclusion I voted for: "I like to bee line, but sometimes good judgement gets the better of me."

Been there... Done that...

August 13, 2003

Me and a team of friends used to do camping trips where we would put on some army fatigues, blowse the boots, button the jacket tightly, keep head down and stick in front and just jam ourselves off into the woods. The less trail the better. We would get as lost as possible and walk as far as possible and straight through anything in our way.

The funny thing is we never left enough damage to make a heard trail that would easily backtrack to our starting point, so we would orienteer our way back to the cars.

That was over 20 years ago. Now I actually like the challenge of sticking to a trail, trying to figure out the right one to take and getting as close as possible to the waypoint. It's slower and less dynamic but I'm a much more relaxed person these days and enjoy simply walking outdoors.

Team Kender - "The Sun is coming up!" "No, the horizon is going down."

August 13, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by carleenp:
Another story. We once bushwacked from one cache to another nearby one (it was fairly close on the GPS and we were already off trail). We went through tick infested grass, jumped logs, and got generally beat up. When we found the cache, we looked abut 20 feet to the right and saw a paved bike trail (the same we were initially on when we found the first one). Anyway, it was a 20 min. bushwack and 4 minute walk out!

The same exact thing happend to me too on this one.

Been there... Done that...

August 13, 2003

A lot of the newer caches are right next to the parking lot. Hiking is becoming less and less a part of geocaching.

9.2k · August 13, 2003

Colored pictures are becoming less and less a part of avatars. I, for one, regret this decline.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Next time, instead of getting married, I think I'll just find a woman I don't like and buy her a house.

Are you a bee liner or a trail walker?

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