Help, my wife isn't as obsessed as me!

October 29, 2001

I REALLY want my wife to dig Geocaching as much as me. What can I do?

I tried chloroform and a rag.

------------------

JeepCache

N 40° 06.910 W 076° 02.414

October 29, 2001

quote:
I tried chloroform and a rag.

Is that how she got to me your wife as well?

Here's an idea... make a present into a cache. Buy her something nice and hide it someplace nearby, give her the co-ordinates, and tell her if she can find it, then it's hers. Of course, you have to weigh this against leaving something nice out in the middle of nowhere for a day until she finds it.

That said, some people just don't have the disposition. I did my first hunt with a friend and his wife. She vaugely liked the idea, but didnt' like the actual hunt. She compared it to "being lost for a hobby." I guess she's right, but it's one of the things I like about it.

-- Mitch

October 29, 2001

If she says she likes it, but hardly ever wants to go, this may help: Get a second unit for her to use on the hunt. I recently replaced my 315 and was planning on selling it. When my wife and I went on a hunt two days later I gave her the 315 to use; she found three and her interest went way up. She then told me I could not sell the 315, oh darn. I really makes the other person more of a participant.

October 29, 2001

Okay, that is a GREAT idea! Thank you SO much, Mitch. It is alot more creative AND more effective than the chloroform thing. I'm serious - I am going to do what you suggest.

Poor girl. She can't stand surprises. Hopefully, that will drive her to seek out whatever it is I stash. ...probably cuss up a storm though. - hehe

------------------

JeepCache

N 40° 06.910 W 076° 02.414

October 29, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by JeepCache:
I REALLY want my wife to dig Geocaching as much as me. What can I do?

Make your wife a Virtual Cache and give the co-ordinates to her ex-boyfriends!

October 29, 2001

Yep, thats pretty much it - "says she likes it, but hardly ever wants to go."

I will consider a second GPSr, but I need to get a feel for her enthusiasm a bit more. I've found 6 ... and only 1 was found with her. The rest have been solo.

I'd love to be able to share this activity with her more than anything. Whenever I solo, I always wish she was with me.

It doesn't matter. Thanks to Mitch, I now have a plan! ...a plan that cannot fail.

------------------

JeepCache

N 40° 06.910 W 076° 02.414

October 29, 2001

The female 1/2 of Glynn family here.... also, if your wife could select some of the things to leave in the cache.... I put a couple of "chick" type things in caches (bath salts, foot soak, etc.) and was gratified to see that the next people who found the cache took the "chick" stuff!

October 29, 2001

Some people will "get into" an activity like geocaching, and some will never see the point. My wife is in the second group, but she still goes with me on *certain selected* caches. She enjoys the walk and being outdoors with me and our dog, but usually does not really get into the cache hunt and could care less about the workings of a GPSR. So I take her on the ones that have a long walk in a pretty area followed by a short cache hunt. If I can work a picnic into the picture, so much the better.

FWIW,

CharlieP

October 29, 2001

My wife is so obsessed with this sport/hobby that when she broke her arm from falling while tangled in vines (yes on a cache hunt)

she was setting in front of the computer saying "I can do this one with one arm". One good thing about this is all levels of interest can enjoy something about it.

October 29, 2001

JeepCache,

Sorry to hear this! I'm the 'female' half of our team - and LOVE this sport! Of course I thought, new 'guy' thing - geek alert hobby - big mistake! All it took was a quick lesson in entering coords as we drove to cache locations and allowing me to hold the GPS at times - I'm hooked and the proud owner of a new Etrex Legend - and it's all MINE! Try letting your wife prepare a cache to hide, let her name it and fill it with goodies and find the perfect hiding spot! Good luck and happy caching! Ciao!

October 29, 2001

My wife isn't too into Caching ... yet. She's been with me on 2 different hunts so far. Her first time out she walked right over to the cache (while I was wandering around 50 feet away with the GPS in my hand)! Last weekend we went out on a hunt and had a great time ... made a complete day of it. Try to incorporate lunch and a longer scenic hike.

October 29, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by CharlieP:
She enjoys the walk and being outdoors with me and our dog....So I take her on the ones that have a long walk in a pretty area followed by a short cache hunt.

My wife's in this category also. I read the hints and look at the topo maps. If the walk/hike is going to be the right length and the scenery interesting, I'll be able to talk her into jumping into the car with me and the dog.

Sometimes, the kids convince her to go. Depends on the weather a lot; the kids and I go regardless, but she prefers good weather.

YMMV

------------------

Rich in Western Pennsylvania

N 40 33.029

W 079 59.408

October 29, 2001

ummer for me. One of the big things I liked about the sport was that it was a fun thing to do with my son... so now I'm left all alone to it... find myself hiding, planning more and hiking less. Now is when it starts taking away from family.. so I try to plan my caches after work... days off when they're not around... still working on how to get out there more without taking away from homelife.

The guys like watching travelers or hearing about our caches having been hit but getting them out there is just not happening much anymore. They do throw in some good creative ideas for my planning end of things. I am grateful that they support me still even if they don't want to go for the hike.

October 29, 2001

Another excellent idea! Make my own cache hunting partner! I'm sure Jen (wife) would be interested in the idea.

How long do you suppose it'd take to create a child, and nurture it to the point where it is coherent, and capable of seeking out caches with his daddy?

6 months? ... 2 years? ... 5 years?

------------------

JeepCache

N 40° 06.910 W 076° 02.414

October 29, 2001

See this thread

Word of advice...choose carefully when selecting which caches to hunt with your spouse. My wife has accompanied me a handful of times, but it seems everytime, the hunt is more difficult than the rating has lead us to believe. The last time out, she was 6 months pregnant and we ended up doing a 1500' vertical hike up some switchbacks in the Columbia River Gorge (Oregon). I was also carrying my 15 mo old in a backpack. After that hunt we decided to skip another high climb and do one which the topo showed was on basically level ground. It was, however it was a 4 mile round trip hike through briars and brambles which ultimately caused some physical traume to my daughters forehead and mental trauma to my wife

Start her on some relatively easy hunts, guaranteed to be successful, gradually increasing to more difficult hunts.

October 29, 2001

I don't get it.....why don't these women want to spend time with their husbands doing something that is this much fun? Even if they don't enjoy the game they should just enjoy spending time with their mate. I'm a single female geocacher. I hunt with my sister(she's also single) and we love this game. Sometimes I hunt alone. I would love to meet a decent member of the opposite sex who would enjoy geocaching with me. Problem is, at my age a good available man is hard to find. The main point I would like to say is that these women are forgetting that a marriage is a partnership and they should support and spend time with their husbands doing the things he likes to do just as the husband should support and do things she likes to do. She goes geocaching with him on Saturday and he goes to the mall with her on Sunday. It just amazes me how easily people forget how precious and short our lives are and if your lucky enough to have a life partner while your here, you should make the most of it and never take it for granted.

I have rambled on too long, this is just my opinion.

Cache on fellow cachers!

October 29, 2001

I'm pretty sure that my wife will never be into this, and I'm ok with that. She enjoys the fact that I enjoy doing this, but she gets frustrated when it takes 30+ minutes to find a cache, or she's pulling spider webs out of her hair after a little bushwacking. She has been on a few hunts with me, and has enjoyed the time spent together, but hasn't really enjoyed the hunt.

Of course we could flip the coin too . . . . My wife loves to go garage selling. Her eyes light up when she finds some great buy at a garage sale, and she doesn't mind driving all over town following cardboard signs tacked to traffic lights. I on the other hand find the whole thing boring. In the end, we compromise. Sometimes we go geocaching, sometimes we visit garages. But often we do these things alone. I love it when my wife comes along, but I enjoy it alone too.

Finally, the link Makaio placed above to Jeremy's post on moderation is great. In the end this hobby goes out the door if it interferes with my marriage, or with my family.

October 29, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by Artful Dodger:
Make your wife a Virtual Cache and give the co-ordinates to her ex-boyfriends!

Dodger, I tried this and my best friend found her and ran away with her and I really, really miss him!!!

------------------

43° 40.504 N 108° 12.367"

4,336 feet

"Semper Gumby!"

October 29, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by murrcat:
I'm a single female geocacher. I hunt with my sister(she's also single) and we love this game. Sometimes I hunt alone. I would love to meet a decent member of the opposite sex who would enjoy geocaching with me. Problem is, at my age a good available man is hard to find.

Hmmm, gotta keep that in mind if me and my present GF keep arguing all the time.

October 29, 2001

turday morning with a bunch of garage sale addresses programmed in and let her loose. Maybe she will see things in a different light.

October 29, 2001

My lovely bride actually likes the hunts - as long as they are not too stenuous. While she is OK with the outdoors, a rockclimbing, tree climbing adventure is not her bag. She has been more of a trooper than I imagined on some where we met fierce swarms of skeeters and on our second find I had to laugh as we were crossing a field with waist hig grasses, she was holding the legs of her short tight so no creepy things would get up where they don't belong. She has done 18 of the 21 I have found. It's like a big kids easter egg hunt for her and she is in charge of all goodie swaps - I could really care less about the treasures, it's the hunt for me, but she really gets bummed when there is nothing but happy meal sutff in the cache. She has actually gotten her office staff out on a hunt. She has gotten pi$$ed w/ me for leaving her at home on one so I don't dare tell her I did one w/out her last sunday morning! shhhh yall! :^) I like the suggestions above and may add that you find a caching adventure that ties to her interests...make a virtual cache at the local mall if that's her bag, or tie in history, crafting, whatever turns her crank. Make it fun for her and play to her strengths and interests and you should be home free.

Good luck.

October 29, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by Ttepee:
I am the female member of this tribe and am doing more and more solo caches these days... so I try to plan my caches after work... days off when they're not around... still working on how to get out there more without taking away from homelife.

I am grateful that they support me still even if they don't want to go for the hike.

Howdy from Long Island!

Sorry to hear about the lack of interest. It just doesn't stick for some folks, I guess. Have you tried hooking up with other cachers in your area and making a "Cache Club"?

That way, much like a Bridge Club or Running Club, you could budget your time and officially make it a hobby and it wouldn't cut into family time since you would have specific days set aside for this.

Hope this helps.

Always good for moral support...

E2

October 29, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by murrcat:
I don't get it.....why don't these women want to spend time with their husbands doing something that is this much fun? Even if they don't enjoy the game they should just enjoy spending time with their mate. I'm a single female geocacher. I hunt with my sister(she's also single) and we love this game. Sometimes I hunt alone. I would love to meet a decent member of the opposite sex who would enjoy geocaching with me. Problem is, at my age a good available man is hard to find. The main point I would like to say is that these women are forgetting that a marriage is a partnership and they should support and spend time with their husbands doing the things he likes to do just as the husband should support and do things she likes to do. She goes geocaching with him on Saturday and he goes to the mall with her on Sunday. It just amazes me how easily people forget how precious and short our lives are and if your lucky enough to have a life partner while your here, you should make the most of it and never take it for granted.

I have rambled on too long, this is just my opinion.

Cache on fellow cachers!

Amen, Murrcat! But how about caching on Saturday AND Sunday and we just shower the women with jewelry?

E2

October 29, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by echo2000:
Howdy from Long Island!

Sorry to hear about the lack of interest. It just doesn't stick for some folks, I guess. ....................

Hope this helps.

Always good for moral support...

E2

Hey E2 thanks for the moral support. I'm ok ....trying not to let it ruin things for me. Still planning like crazy and that's a big part of the fun for it for me too I have talked to some cachers and have been to one small get together but not exactly what you'd call local. There's talk of another one to the west (first time to the east, CT).

Have been working on permissions from parks too, that's opening up tons of great areas so I'm not loosing the momentum of the game... just shifting it ... big thing is the need to get more people into the game. There's so much untapped land around here... I've got to start planting to get people hunting in the area. The Volunteer Care Takers Association for one park I have permission for has asked to participate so I'm hoping I can create a few new enthusiasts there

All kinds of possibilities.... I've got the geocaching bug bad... can't see myself getting bored anytime soon I think maybe I need to get a new dog (the 15 yr german shorthair pointer aint what she used to be)... hey I'll create my hiking buddy yet.

October 29, 2001

OK I don't get it. My husband started us out on this sport........Now I'm the one who just wants to do 1 more or maybe 5, caches. I admit to enjoying new places and pushing myself (climbed up and down mountains this past weekend and learned how to sledd on leaves with my hiking boots on was a definate thrill...and no I didn't fall!) more than finding the cache.

But to be honest won't leave the site till the cache is found....nearly burned up a ham one night due to this

I'de been dieting prior to caching but combined with the exercise I've gone down 2 dress sizes. Just another benifit.

Way better then watching tv as a family!!

DxChallenged

October 29, 2001

ult. Probably on a daily basis I find myself explaining Geocaching to someone new. Some think it sounds fun, others think I'm out of my tree. My wife is one of the latter, but I have concluded that if she lets me go caching without complaining that I would rather cache than spend time with her, I am doing as well as I should hope for. It has been a touchy subject, and I have had to cut back dramatically. In another thread I mentioned it took me 2.5 months to reach 100, but after that I slowed down a lot and the 2nd 100 took 4 months. Most of that was after work "on the way" home and on an occasional weekend "mega-hunt." The next 100 will probably take much longer, since I am not as excited to bag the urban caches as I once was, and hope to get after some really great level 4+ caches in my area. Since most of those are over 10,000 feet, that will most likely have to wait until spring. There is snow up there right now, and I can't seem to get anyone to join me.

Anyway, I am rambling as usual. My point is not new - some "get it" others never will. It all depends on what is your idea of "fun."

October 30, 2001

My wife loves this sport (which surprised me). I think what she likes about it is that I do all of the cache work (maps, buying trinkets, programming coordinates, etc.) and she gets me out for a picnic. She always gets to pick which item we take from a cache so it's like shopping for her. Also, the caches we've found have been in some VERY beautiful locations. So, pack a picnic, pick a nice location, and BOTH go for an enjoyable walk.

October 30, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by PneumaticDeath:
Is that how she got to me your wife as well?

Here's an idea... make a present into a cache. Buy her something nice and hide it someplace nearby, give her the co-ordinates, and tell her if she can find it, then it's hers. Of course, you have to weigh this against leaving something nice out in the middle of nowhere for a day until she finds it.

That said, some people just don't have the disposition. I did my first hunt with a friend and his wife. She vaugely liked the idea, but didnt' like the actual hunt. She compared it to "being lost for a hobby." I guess she's right, but it's one of the things I like about it.

-- Mitch

hmmm... sounds like an excellent way to give my girlfreind her engagement ring when the time comes... Copy a cache page to my hard drive, do some creative editing, print it out, and then take her on a "routine" cache hunt... she would get a big kick out of this... THANKS FOR THE IDEA!!!

-BBB

October 30, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by JeepCache:
I REALLY want my wife to dig Geocaching as much as me. What can I do?

Here's a perspective - I used to date this guy that rode a motorcycle, now I had nothing against motorcycles but I could not stand to go riding with him. Why? Because I was always the passenger and never got to drive....

Another story, I took my parents out geocaching - Mom had the GPS, Dad and I with compasses. I spent the entire time asking "what direction now??" and Mom was out running ahead (with a GPS with NO internal compass - go figure) - Dad couldn't care less and was annoyed at th entire event. Geocaching by committee is NOT fun.

BUT, when we all worked together, each had a role - then it became fun again - needless to say it will be some time before I head off in the woods with the parents to go geocaching.

So, my suggestion - is that each of you have a GPS and/or compass. Each have an important role in the game. If not then it won't be any fun for the person just following and helping with the search....

But then again - the journey is the fun bit for me - the find is the dessert.

Laurie

October 30, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by murrcat:
I'm a single female geocacher. I would love to meet a decent member of the opposite sex who would enjoy geocaching with me. Problem is, at my age a good available man is hard to find.

I agree with Murrcat. I was the one to originally get my boyfriend into geocaching. It was such a terrific way to get us to spend time together outdoors. Now we're not seeing each other anymore and I need a new partner! Maybe Jeremy could start a geo-match.com website to hook up potential soulmates who have a geocaching obsession!

------------------

http://www.geocities.com/scubasue1

Into a melody of deep blue; shells drifting downward to sink and settle on the seafloor. An earth song of creation kneads them into stone, draws aside the waves and lifts them into mountains.

-Nancy Penrose

October 30, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by coralgeo:
Maybe Jeremy could start a geo-match.com website to hook up potential soulmates who have a geocaching obsession!

I can see it now. After exchanging a few log entries, one says to the other "How about we meet at N 37 48.236 W122 14.206?"

-- Mitch

October 31, 2001

SWM with a good sense of longitude, looking for a SWF with a happy lattitude.

October 31, 2001

I plan family picnics at or near the cache site and invite the whole family. Works great.

October 31, 2001

I wanted to do a cache that was about fifty miles away. We knew there were picnic facilities also in the state park so we did a family picnic. Everyone (2 adults and 2 small kids) started the hunt, but at some point they went back to the picnic area while I finished the hunt. Summary - I think the picnic idea is a good idea.

As a sidenote, here in Sacramento, we do have a cache located in a mall.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=9342

November 7, 2001

Hey baby, your coords or mine?

November 7, 2001

As a single dad here in Texas with two small children ( boy 7 and girl 10) I have found that if you indoctrinate them early they just love this sport... LOL. Of course, I let them find the cache (even if I spot it first, they'll never know it) and I let them pick out what we trade (within reason, anyway) so they get a full participatory experience. As they get older they are going to be the ones to use the GPS as well, fair is fair after all. As I look for a female partner in all this, one of my criteria will be an interest in our sport ( as opposed to just being tolerant of our sport), that way, we will all continue to enjoy this together for some time to come. http:users.ev1.net~breaktrack

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Single dad looking for, dang, what the heck was I looking for again??? Where's my GPS?

November 7, 2001

quote:
Originally posted by badbitbucket:
hmmm... sounds like an excellent way to give my girlfreind her engagement ring when the time comes... Copy a cache page to my hard drive, do some creative editing, print it out, and then take her on a "routine" cache hunt... she would get a big kick out of this... THANKS FOR THE IDEA!!!

-BBB

How would you copy the cache page, I can not seam to do that.. And make it look like the real thing..

November 7, 2001

Ok, heres an idea JeepCache bring your wife out here to Rocklin and do these:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=9979

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=9980

These are "His" (Dick's Garage) and "Hers" (Girls Just Want to Have Fun). They are two caches for a couple to hunt. They are close together and you can go find the guys cache and she can search for her own. We are planning on adding "Kids" (Rugrats) in the next few days so this can be a family hunt.

November 8, 2001

"Theirs" (Rugrats) has been added to the family cache!!!!

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=10008

Now you can take the whole fandamily!

November 12, 2001

This is Mrs. Echosgold aka Elaine. I think I am more obsessed than my husband. I enjoy the hike- it gets my butt out there and exercise as well as something fun to do. Anything woman related things to hide in a cache is great. I thought of an all recipe cache especially for the holidays. Not sure when I will hide it though. Just an idea.

------------------

Echosgold

www.Outdoor-Dog.com - Gear for Active Dogs!

November 13, 2001

Warning! Sexist remark ahead! Tell her the cache is "on sale" this week! Actually, I like the idea of the multi-step search for a gift, possibly make the waypoints friends houses.

November 13, 2001

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=10193" TARGET=_blank>http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=10193

November 13, 2001

quote:
Maybe Jeremy could start a geo-match.com website to hook up potential soulmates who have a geocaching obsession!

Hey wait a minute! I thought that's what the Geocache picnics were for!

Help, my wife isn't as obsessed as me!

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