How did you know Geocaching?

[+sadukie]

One of our college friends has been into geocaching and had been bugging us to try it. Well, we went on vacation with him and his girlfriend a few weeks ago and got hooked then. Since coming back, we've found more caches on our own

[+CJOttawa]

I'd heard the term "geocaching" over the last few years but knew little about it. I thought it was sort of like orienteering with GPSr's.

 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I met an online friend of mine for a late night milkshake. She asks me if I know what geocaching is (no) and proceeds to "be my GPS"...taking me to the coordinates of a cache she found earlier that day. (her GPS was at home)

 

"Beep beep beep! Accuracy estimate at 15 feet... you have to look for it yourself now" she says.

 

I find it, a micro, hidden inside a guard rail at a bus station, and I'm hooked.

 

I bought a GPS the next week.

[+SmartSapper]

In the summer of 2002, I had to go to Fort Hood for annual training with my National Guard unit. I'm in a mechanized infantry unit, meaning, we are still infantry soldiers, but we have tracked vehicles... more specifically, the Bradley tank (M2 IFV/CFV). Well, there are Bradley crews, and there are dismount soldiers. The crew consists of a driver, a gunner, and a "BC" or Bradley Commander. The dismounts are the infantry soldiers who ride in the Bradley until enemy troops are encountered, then the dismounts get off and go fight.<BR><BR>I was a dismount soldier. I think the Bradley is a piece of crap, and I'd never want to be "stuck" on one in combat. The thing is, our unit was going to be mobilized. We didn't know what kind of mission we were getting, so the main focus of the battalion was to get all of the Bradley crews qualified. This meant catering to their every needs regarding going to the range.<BR><BR>The dismounts were dumped off in the woods, and pretty much left to fend for themselves. I was in that group. About 300 meters from where we were camped was the battalion area. We'd go there sometimes for supplies and see the battalion staff sipping on gatorades and eating chips while all we got was water and MREs. There was plenty in the battalion area, but those guys wouldn't share at all.<BR><BR>Anyone who has spent any time at Ft. Hood in the summer will tell you it's miserably hot. We didn't even have tents to sleep in.<BR><BR>A few days in to AT (annual training), we were doing a land navigation training. One of the corporals in my unit had recently come off active duty, and was telling us about the "pluggers" that the regular Army uses. <BR><BR>The next day, we got a ride to South Fort Hood where the active duty section is to make a PX run. The PX is like a military Wal-Mart where soldiers can buy stuff at Wal-Mart prices, but don't have to pay sales tax. I was browsing in the electronics section, and saw the Garmin eTrex normal retail for $119, but was on sale for $99. I snatched it. When the duece and a half (big army truck) dropped us off back at the Battalion area, I marked another company's supply tent as a waypoint. We walked back to our camping area, and I got a couple of lower enlisted guys together and we formulated a plan. <BR><BR>Because of the ethics of "reappropriating" property, we couldn't let our platoon sgt in on our scheme. That night, we (me and the two privates) slept in shifts until 3am. We followed the GPS back to the battalion area with night vision goggles and no flashlights to avoid detection. We commandeered two coolers full of gatorade, a tarp that is used to cover a Bradley, some 550 cord (parachute cord commonly used as rope by military personnel), and some other goodies. We followed the tracks back to our campsite, and when everyone woke up at 5am, all that stuff was magically there. The platoon sgt was smart enough to only ask what all was there instead of where it came from.<BR><BR>Later that day, we made a large tent with the tarp, and we had gatorade, chips, cookies, and other "pogie bait". We would make a run every four days or so to restock, and found that they had posted a guard. Fortunately, the noise from the generators drowned out any noise we made, and the guard not having night vision couldn't see us. Going there, we were within 15 feet of the guard, and he never knew we walked by him.<BR><BR>Please allow me to explain something. Battalion funds were used to buy all of that stuff. The Battalion leaders wanted to "make sure there was plenty for the Bradley crews", and that's why they didn't give us dismounts any. There's a difference between theft and reappropriation.<BR><BR>Before I knew about geocaching, I found one of the biggest caches there have ever been. <BR><BR>Took: a bunch of stuff to make our training more tolerable<BR>Left: nothing except humiliated guards<BR><BR>I found out about geocaching on <A HREF="http://www.radi0chik.com" TARGET=_blank>Radi0chik's website</A> who I met when I became a ham radio operator.<BR><BR>-=Jerry A. Goodson=- W5BFF aka hydrashok407 <!--graemlin:--> KoolAid Drinker <!--graemlin:--><BR><A HREF="http://www.texasgeocaching.com" TARGET=_blank><IMG SRC="http://www.texasgeocaching.com/images/texasgeocaching_sm.gif"> </A><BR>"Real peace is not just the absence of conflict, it's the presence of justice" - <A HREF="http://www.hydrashok.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.hydrashok.com</A>

 

RIGHT ON! I am a combat engineer, and was at Hood (91st Eng Bn, 1st Cav) when we fielded the first Engineer Bradleys. I was a Dismount Squad Leader, and we got treated like crap, too! Must be something about riding in that turret makes you look down on everybody else.

 

Here's my story: I am in the Army and have been using GPS (mil and civ) for years. Summer '05, I am stationed in Germany, and my unit is getting ready to go to Iraq. I read about geo-caching and think, boy, that sounds right up my alley. I forgot about it, and didn't make time to give it a try until October when we took two weeks of leave prior to deploying. I wanted to do an overnight camping trip and work in an attempt at caching, but for many reasons there wasn't time. My wife knew that I really wanted to go hiking, so she graciously 'gave me a day off' and dropped me off in Pottenstein with the understanding that I would call when I reached Heiligenstadt, about 18 mountainous miles away to be retrieved. I did my homework and plotted a cache at either end of the hike. DNF'ed the first one, did the hike, and was wandering around the vicinity of the second one, up on a cliff/rock pile. I had thought I saw someone moving around above me as I was hiking in, and as I came across a talus field and around an outcrop, I see this German guy with his arm in a crack and a priceless expression on his face. I said simply,"Geocacher?" and that was all it took. Of course he was just putting the cache back, so I signed the log and we sat there for about 20 minutes talking about Caching, the Army, Iraq, what I thought about Germany, etc. I called my wife, and he gave me a ride into town to meet her. His geocaching name is LORbit, he is a hot-air Balloon Pilot and we still email back and forth. I didn't get my account until I got downrange, so all my finds are in Iraq. I can't wait to go log some Civilian Caches when I go on leave (soon!)

 

LORbit, if you are reading this, Viel Gluck vom ihr Freund!

[+kyoteh]

In my case i know geocaching while i was navigating in the <A HREF="http://www.magellangps.com" TARGET=_blank>Magellan's home Page</A> and i saw that they were promoting a treasure hunt using the GPS units, immediately I love the idea but I was disappointed when I saw that only took place in USA <!--graemlin:-->. So when i read that this activity is also called Geocaching I write this <A HREF="http://www.google.com/search?q=geocaching&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=es&btnG=B%C3%BAsqueda+en+Google&lr=" TARGET=_blank>keyword in Google</A> and i saw this Geocaching worldwide web. In less than 24 h a friend and me we hunt our first cache.<BR><BR>Here everybody hasn't heard nothing about geocaching but when i talk about it to my friends they love it.<BR><BR>I know that a lot of cachers bought the GPS unit after discover geocaching, and others reading about this activity in the news.<BR><BR>How was your experience?

 

I like to be outdoors and camping and figured a GPS would be a good thing to have. Then I heard some friends mention this geocache thing. Then as I started to research GPS units I came across geocaching again and decided to check it out while I was checking out the units for my camping/outdoor adventure stuff. It all came together and when the GPS arrived I figured geocaching would be an ideal way to learn how to use it so that when I got in the middle of the mountains I'd have a clue! Now I'm just plain addicted. lol!

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Ahem... I have "known" geocaching in the Biblical sense of the word, but various prominent theologians and world-renowned authorities on geocaching at the Sorbonne in Paris have asked me not to reveal anything more in these forums at this time.

[findandhide]

my teacher had a club at school and it sounded interesting since i like the outdoors. so i joined it then by the 3rd time we went i had my own GPS.

Edited June 13, 2006 by findandhide

[+okpondlady/N5PNE]

I play spades on www.zone.com and I am a member of the Tiger Spading Family. I was reading on the posting board one spring evening about what everyone was doing. One of the members nick is Tiger_Hiker, and he said he would be spending very little time online and be geocaching much of the summer since it was nice weather. Geocaching???? so I had to Google it. Took me all of a week go get a GPS and we cached all summer long and a few winter caches too. Then I had to have surgery last June and since then I have had 5. I am finally getting better and wanting to cache.

Can't wait.

 

Karen

[+maritimedriver]

I found about about geocaching while letterboxing. Both are great family fun!

[+Mosaic55]

I read about it on this ehow page, which was featured on Google's homepage about a month ago.

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Go-Geocaching

[+disenchanted]

I am an avid RVer. I was a full timer for awhile. I found out about geocaching here.

[+charliewhiskey]

Several years ago I did a Google search for a particular collectible key chain I was looking for, and the third listing was a link to a geocache - the cache hider had listed one as a cache prize. I looked into it, hoping I could still get the key chain, but was disappointed to find out that the cache was across the continent, and a finder had already traded out the key chain. End of that story.

 

Then last year our library set up a display of geocaching books. I checked out "Geocaching for Dummies", thought it sounded like fun, and gave it a try. I found my first 12 caches without a GPSr, just using Google Maps and hints. My husband, needing a birthday present idea, decided to get me a GPSr. The rest, as so many others have said, is history.

 

But now if he complains when I go out at 10:30 at night to try for a FTF, I can say it's his fault!

[+eagletrek]

Heard a fellow employee mention the word "geocaching" to another guy during the course of their conversation. Thought it sounded interesting so I "Googled" it. Joined that day and had my GPSr within two weeks. I've been hooked ever since.

[+Cache Heads]

Learned about Geocaching right here in the Groundspeak forums

 

I was going to buy a handheld GPSr for hiking and needed some advice on which one to get (that's right, it all started with the age old noob question "Which GPS do I buy!" ) I searched Yahoo! for "handheld GPS", ended up here and the rest is history!

 

And to think I was going to buy a GPSr just to use for hiking....

[+Pegasi]

Last year I was on Garmin's site looking for updated firmware for my 12XL (purchased in 1999) and saw some info. Went out to find my first cache which was supposedly about a 1/4 mile from home - posted my first DNF. Went out the next weekend with my daughter and found about six caches. We've been hooked ever since.

[Culprit99]

www.tailofthedragon.com

 

They mentioned that there were a couple of geocaches in the area. I had no clue what they were talking about, but Google fixed that!

[+chancerider]

Bought my GPSr to keep me from getting lost when riding my horses out on the trails. I googled GPS and stumbled upon GC.com, thinking I'd hunt a few caches to learn how to use the unit. Little did I know! My husband now describes my caching habit as rabid.

[+knabino]

I found out about Geocaching from a co-worker. He was telling me about what a great time he and his daughter have doing it, so I thought it would be a good activity for my family. I convinced my better half that we really needed to get a hand held GPS unit (that the nav in the car just would not cut it) and a week later, the 3 of us were off on our first hunt. My son loves it, my better half thought it was great, and I had a blast. Weather permitting, we are off again this weekend

[+Silny Jako Bek]

I was out hiking with some friends from Tennessee who were visiting me and they said they had to stop at a geocache. They explained it to me, but it didn't make much sense until we got there and I experienced a find myself. It still seemed kind of weird, but the more I thought about it the more intrigued I became. Two days later, I bought a GPSr...

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Fox was picking up some building supplies one day and a townie asked him if he was one of the "MountainBoys". This guy was really excited that he'd figured it out it was him, but Fox didn't have clue what he was talking about. He asked me later (I had received a GPS as a gift a year earlier) and I said, "Oh, yeah, I remember something about that. I think I bookmarked it about a year ago". Sure enough, when I actually took a moment to read the FAQ, I was immediately hooked. Fox is a metal detecting nut and when I mentioned hunting and treasure in the same sentence, it was all over! We've been at ever since and even managed to convince our wives to go. Fox's wife still isn't convinced, but my wife (Moun10Girl) goes as often as she can. Now if I could only get her to log her finds online.

[+Bad_CRC]

I'm another one who read the story on fark about the bomb squad being called out to the cache, then signing the book and putting it back.

 

googled geocaching

 

asked around a bit to see if anyone had done it, a couple of people had.

 

asked my gf if it was something she would be willing to do with me, and she said it sounded like it could be fun (we already were avid hikers)

 

bought a GPS, and have been going since then.

 

I'm curious to see whether I keep going, or lose interest like so many seem to. I travel a lot for work, and I think it could be a fun thing to get out in so many new towns.

[+Night Stalker]

Renegade Knight introduced my to this hobby/sport. At the time I really wasn't very interested. My wife decided it might be fun and bought my my first GPS. That was 2 GPS's ago.

[+Loch Cache]

I was reading a note on www.wheresgeorge.com about how they hated "GEOTRASH" bills. They went on to explain TBs and how some people placed WheresGeorge marked dollars as TBs. Had to find out what it was all about. Followed the link they provided and found a good use for the GPSr I had owned for a year at that point.

 

I have never seen a WheresGeorge TB, but have left plenty of Georges in geocaches. WheresGeorge now will mark the bill's web page as a Geocaching bill if you include the word cache in the log. Here is one of my Geocaching Bills. And yet other bills that mention 4 different caches like this one, don't get tagged. Oh well.

 

I use to be an avid Georger, now it is an after thought. I am glad they were talking down about geocaching, I love the sport. I find it more exciting and more worth while.

 

Loch Cache

[+KG1960]

I really didn't know anything about geocaching until some one mentioned it on another forum that I participate in - a forum on polishing rocks (lapidary). He mentioned some of his caching activities and gave this web address, gc.com. I checked it out and it looked interesting. Also, luckily, we had a GPSr at work from way back (a real dinosuar) so I borrowed it and found my first cache. I had bought my own by my second cache.

[+Cache Sleuth]

I collect coins and was browsing in the coins area of eBay. I kept coming across items called "geocoins" and decided to investigate further to find out what those things were. One thing lead to another and I was soon on the geocaching.com web site. I bought an old Magellan Blazer 12 on eBay (final price: $19.40) so I could actually search for a cache and find out what it was all about. The GPSr was so old, I had to do my searches in with UTM coordinates to get any decent accuracy, but after my first 2 local finds I was hooked! I love it!!

 

Cache Sleuth (and Mrs Sleuth & Krissie, the Cache Dog).

[+simplyred]

used an older magellan for many years, this pass summer I bought a garmin 60CSX. It has geocache in the gps and decided to see what it was about. Before that never heard of it.

[+monkeynuts16]

I was online looking for parts for my Jeep. wouldn't you know it jeep was having a contest, Maybe you heard about it. I read thru it then hit a link to geocaching.com. That day Ilooked at all the caches in my area code and found one near by, bought a gpsr and loaded a few co-ords, and lo 500 some od feet from the back door of my office, right off the trail I ran 3 times a week was an ammo can. I was hooked, coincedtally, 6 months or so earlier a soldier of mine and I were running out by some old ranges, looking in old bunkers and the like when he came out with an ammo can labled as a cache I told him leave it be 'cuz only crazy people cach'e stuff like weapons and food . That's my story; Oh, yea my Jeep part.... Be right back.