A Thought About Geocaching...

[+wray_clan]

I was reading this & I thought about an article in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated about bird-watching (A Fowl Obsession). On the top of the page, which I'm looking at now, it says: Bird-watching is a brutal sport. One of the quotes from the article was: The birds came at a high price: 16 miles of biking and 10 of hiking through snow, sleet, mud, and 40-knot winds,

 

So, is bird-watching a lot like geocaching? In both cases, you're hunting for something, some take drastic measures to find their desired bird/cache, and the game can be played at whatever pace & intensity the participant chooses. Now, I've never biked or hiked nearly that far to find a cache, but some of the marathon-enthusits days may be equivalent to this. So, if geocaching is somewhat like bird-watching, can geocaching be considered a sport? If not, then what can it be called?

[+Snideswipe]

Yes, geocaching is a sport that requires both physical and mental skills. Perhaps someday there will be Olympic geocaching?

[Colonel Mustard]

I wouldn't consider either one a sport. I consider it more of a hobby. But I've seen caching called a sport, a hobby and a game. I consider it a hobby, sometimes an obsession, almost always enjoyable. Sport to me conotes competition. The only person I compete with is myself, unless I consider perhaps the act of competing against the cache hider. I imagine it's all in the interpretation.

[+TeamK-9]

It depends on how you do it.

 

If you're out a couple times a month, than, it's more of a hobby, if you do it all the time and lots of caches on a single day, then it might be more of a sport...

[+cachew nut]

In the old days, not so long ago, it was the sport of kings. Now it has become a pastime. YMMV.

Edit:typo

Edited January 17, 2004 by cachew nut

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

Doesn't feel like a sport or a game to me. No winners here. It feels a lot like a hobby.

[+Renegade Knight]

RASH

 

Recreational Activity Sport Hobby.

[+geoguyver]

sport

(spôrt, sprt) noun.

 

1. a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

 

I guess it can go either way. It is a physical activity no matter what. If you engage in it to be competitive, then it is a sport. If you do not engage in it to be competitive, then it is a hobby.

 

It is a hobby for me. Unless there is money involoved...

[+Johnnie Stalkers]

For me I would say sport. However, this game can be played a number of ways. A less active person may choose drive by 1/1s. Someone with serious thrill issues may only go after 5/5s. How you do it and what you want it to be for you is what it is. Cache on.

[+Polgara]

Geocaching Sport? no. Hobby? no.

 

Diagnosis: Obsessive Compulsive Addiction

 

Treatment: Who the hell wants one.

Edited January 17, 2004 by Ce'Nedra

[+harleycache]

I wouldn't consider either one a sport. I consider it more of a hobby. But I've seen caching called a sport, a hobby and a game. I consider it a hobby, sometimes an obsession, almost always enjoyable. Sport to me conotes competition. The only person I compete with is myself, unless I consider perhaps the act of competing against the cache hider. I imagine it's all in the interpretation.

Sport or hobby, doesn't really matter to me. I get outdoors, I get excercise. I have fun, that's what's important.

 

But, if it's only sport if there's competition, then surfing, skiing, rafting, hunting, among many others, aren't sport.

[dsandbro]

Addiction? Compulsion?

 

 

How about an excuse to get out of the honey-do list ("Sorry Hon, I can't paint the fence today. There's a brand new multi and I need to be FTF." Yeah, right. Like that ever worked. )

[+leatherman]

But, if it's only sport if there's competition, then surfing, skiing, rafting, hunting, among many others, aren't sport.

There is competition surfing.

I don't see how you could miss the competition skiing in the winter Olympics.

[+bons]

Since I've never heard of "hiking" being referred to as a sport and since finding hidden objects isn't a sport (to the best of my knowledge) either, I tend to throw it in the category of "outdoor activity" along with hiking, recreational biking, outdoor photography, and playing on the swings.

 

But if calling it a sport makes you feel better, then by all means, do so. It doesn't matter to me.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

outdoor activity sounds better than any other description I've heard.

[+Johnnie Stalkers]

Anyone ever watch competitive hopscotch on ESPN? Woohoo those girls can hop!

[+Nebrcacher]

sport (spôrt, sp rt) n.

 

1.

a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

b. A particular form of this activity.

2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

3. An active pastime; recreation.

 

This definition comes from www.dictionary.com. By this definition, I call geocaching a sport. It is a physical and a mental activity. It is a skill governed by a set of rules and customs, and it is an active recreational pastime. I have heard the argument that since there is no score, that it is not a sport. But I would argue that our logs of caches are, in fact, a type of scoring.

 

Edited to correct error

Edited January 17, 2004 by Nebrcacher

[+harleycache]

But, if it's only sport if there's competition, then surfing, skiing, rafting, hunting, among many others, aren't sport.

There is competition surfing.

I don't see how you could miss the competition skiing in the winter Olympics.

OK, there are competitions in surfing and skiing, but, you don't have to compete. When I surfed then, was it sport when I competed, and hobby when I didn't? If I hit the slopes (don't, live in Florida and hate snow) would it be sport only if it was Olympic?

 

Both can be done for the thrill and pleasure, or for competition.

 

My point was, whether caching is sport or hobby doesn't really matter. What does is to get out and enjoy.

 

[+JMBella]

Geocaching Sport? no. Hobby? no.

 

Diagnosis: Obsessive Compulsive Addiction

 

Treatment: Who the hell wants one.

I can't say it better so I'm not going to try.

[dsandbro]

I have been pondering this for the last few hours and I think I will paraphrase George Carlin on this one.

 

A sport must be played with a ball.

 

There must at least be a chance participants can be injured.

 

Spectators must be able to drink beer while watching.

 

and you must be able to bet on the outcome.

 

Although numbers 2 and 3 are possible (likely?) numbers 1 and 4 are less likely, so I must conclude geocaching is not a sport.

 

If every cache contained a ball and my bookie would give caching odds I may reconsider.

[+crzycrzy]

Decide you must how to serve them best.

If you leave now, help them you could but;

You would destroy all, for which they have fought...

and suffered...

[+briansnat]

A sport must be played with a ball.

No , but hockey fans may quarrel with that assertion.

There must at least be a chance participants can be injured.

Check

Spectators must be able to drink beer while watching.

check

and you must be able to bet on the outcome.

check (well maybe not with a bookie)

 

Sounds like a sport to me!

 

Sport to me conotes competition.

 

Not always. Skiing is a sport, but who am I competing against...unless I'm racing?

Besides if you look it up in the dictionary, you get this:

 

Main Entry: sport

Pronunciation: 'spOrt, 'sport

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, to divert, disport, short for disporten

Date: 15th century

intransitive senses

1 a : a source of diversion : RECREATION (1) : physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2) : a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in.

 

So a sport it is!

Edited January 17, 2004 by briansnat

[+Divine]

We discussed in the Nordic Countries forum about the Finnish equivalents of the words recreational activity, sport, hobby and game, and considering the dictionary definitions of those words in Finnish, geokätköily (geocaching) can't be anything else than harrastus (hobby). Recreational activity is way too official and bureaucratic sounding, sport sounds too competitive. Game is quite close to it, but the definition of hobby fits the nature of geocaching the best.

 

Edit: bloody grammar.

Edited January 17, 2004 by Divine

[+Renegade Knight]

The only reason geocaching isn't a sport is because it's open and doesn't take place in the controlled situations that other 'sports' take place in.

 

There is a way to keep score (accuracy etc. is a different topic) but no referee and judge to say if logging the event cache 3 times is valid.

[+Polgara]

OK, there are competitions in surfing and skiing, but, you don't have to compete. When I surfed then, was it sport when I competed, and hobby when I didn't? If I hit the slopes (don't, live in Florida and hate snow) would it be sport only if it was Olympic?

 

Both can be done for the thrill and pleasure, or for competition.

 

My point was, whether caching is sport or hobby doesn't really matter. What does is to get out and enjoy.

 

No you don't have to compete. But as for the skiing surfing thing...my brother is a competitive downhill racer, and my cousin is a competitive surfer...i wouldn't want to be going up against either one in competition, BUT i could kick BOTH their butts in geocaching!!!

 

Sport ...you get up the next day and your muscles are telling you a story about yesterday.

 

Hobby ....you get up the next day and your project is telling you a story about yesterday.

[+sept1c_tank]

Does anybody really know what time it is?

...Does anybody really care?

[+astheravenflies]

I would agree with others in this thread who say that geocaching and birding fall into the broad category of "outdoor activity." They are similar in that some folks who are into birding keep track of the number of species they have encountered and they call it a "life list." This is similar to tracking the number of cache finds. You can slice it down any way you want; for example: into the number of bird species or number of caches per day. Therefore, there is a competitive aspect to both. I always have my binoculars with me wherever I go, including while I cache, to view birds and other wildlife. That's the great thing about caching, you can combine it with other outdoor activities like birding. And remember, its "birding" not "bird watching."

[+rover-r-us]

O yes its a sport.

[+robert]

It's what you make of it, IMNSHO. If you want to call it a hobby, that's fine. Sport? Fine, too. The important part is that you enjoy yourself and have a good time.

 

I was out for a few hours yesterday, nabbing 11 caches out of 12 searched. During those hours I never once thought about whether I was participating in a sport or a hobby, I just enjoyed every moment! I forgot about things that was going on in my life that I needed a break from and that's exactly what I got.

 

Just enjoy it for what it's worth to you!

[+briansnat]

The only reason geocaching isn't a sport is because it's open and doesn't take place in the controlled situations that other 'sports' take place in.

 

There is a way to keep score (accuracy etc. is a different topic) but no referee and judge to say if logging the event cache 3 times is valid.

 

Fishing and hunting are considered sports, but there is no controlled situation there.

 

 

Sport ...you get up the next day and your muscles are telling you a story about yesterday.

 

Well that settles it then. I placed a cache yesterday that involved a 5 mile hike in the snow, with a few nice climbs. My muscles told me as much a story this morning as they ever did after a softball game, or soccer match.

[+bigredmed]

For my 5 cents worth, nothing is a sport that doesn't involve competition and a score determined by the team (not the judges) and one player or team wins by scoring more points than the other, or finishing first in the race. By that geocaching is a hobby. It may be a vigorous hobby, but a hobby none the less.

 

Brian: Hunting is a sport in the sense that game can be counted and scored (See Pope and White scoring for deer). If we wanted, we could keep track of geocaches found at given competitions (like memorial day weekend) Turn in your caches found and get a score of how many, and the combined difficulty score, the winner gets a golden McToy..

Edited January 19, 2004 by bigredmed

[+Team GPSaxophone]

For my 5 cents worth, nothing is a sport that doesn't involve competition and a score determined by the team (not the judges) and one player or team wins by scoring more points than the other, or finishing first in the race. By that geocaching is a hobby. It may be a vigorous hobby, but a hobby none the less.

 

Brian: Hunting is a sport in the sense that game can be counted and scored (See Pope and White scoring for deer). If we wanted, we could keep track of geocaches found at given competitions (like memorial day weekend) Turn in your caches found and get a score of how many, and the combined difficulty score, the winner gets a golden McToy..

You mean we can't win the Geocaching championship?

[+The Navigatorz]

I'd call geocaching a sport. Just like I call hiking a sport. Hiking isn't competitive, and I wouldn't call it a hobby. And geocaching is very similar to hunting. Both require getting outdoors, hiking to the hunting stand or cache site, searching for the prize, and bragging about the results (the big buck or the logsheet). And both have the agony of defeat (the buck that got away, or the cache you didn't find). I'd call flying model airplanes or making clocks a hobby, but to me geocaching is a sport.

[+sea_dragon]

I have been pondering this for the last few hours and I think I will paraphrase George Carlin on this one.

 

A sport must be played with a ball.

 

<snip>

I'd say that even one dirty golf ball makes this a 'check'.

I say sport, due to the fact that caching can be very challenging, both physicaly and mentaly. There is the potential for injury, or maybe on the off chance, being in front of a jury. Beer(or other libation of your choice) can be consumed while watching, or even participating. There is a score of sorts, the find stats, but no one needs to pay attention to competing against anyone else. I just figure that hunting, fishing and even things like curling are sports, then geocaching is too. Now, when are the 'Caching Olympics?

[+Brian - Team A.I.]

Like the fusing of spoon/fork (spork or foon, depending on which circle you're in), Geocaching should be considered a........

 

sport+hobby+game=sphame, gort....gah, it's too late to think clearly.

[Ted's Trekkers]

my vote is for outdoor activity.With my kids involved, we try to take the competitive part OUT of it. They get enough of that with their "real" sports-soccer, bowling, volleyball. There is a definite place for children learning how to be competitive, good sports, gracious losing, etc. But there is also a place for pure enjoyment of the activity with no winner or loser.

[+Halden]

I am not sure that Geocaching is a sport. You can Geocache will doing sports (ie Hiking, Biking, Snowshoeing...) But it is definitely a great Activity/hobby. That's just my opinion.