Female Cachers

[+KaiserKlan]

Why did I start ?

 

Because I may encounter strange men lurking in the forest, of course !

 

That would have been me a couple of years ago, however, I now cache with my husband. We have been married just a year, and are in one of those long distance marriages (flying is free so we are together every weekend) and it is one thing we love to do together.

 

We have flown as far as London to do geocaching.

 

I have always loved the woods and hiking and he enjoys the hunt, so we love doing it for different reasons. I get joy out of never knowing where it will take you.

 

He is more into the stats and has made a goal for us to have a find in every state.

I love the TB concept and have started 2 of my own. However, one of them got lost in London. Bo Peep's sheep will probably never find his way home now.

 

Thanks for starting this thread. It is very interesting to read about other women in caching.

[+fireflyfan]

Last Labour Day weekend I was visiting friends in New Hampshire. They had old discover magazines around and one had an article about geocaching. I showed it to everyone there saying this sound like fun. This was the beginning of the strange looks I get from people when I tell them about geocaching.

 

I got my first GPSr a couple of weeks later. I knew I was hooked when I got the family and another friend out looking in the woods for 5 hours (with only 1 bottle of water each), we only found 1 of the 3 caches and decided to come back the next day.

 

You've got to understand that I am not an outdoorsy type. I don't like the heat, the rain, the bugs, the cold or the dirt and I hate camping. I am not very athletic (to put it kindly) but for some unknown reason I like trekking through the woods looking for mctoys. You should have heard me before we started - I'm not doing night raids; I'm not going out in the rain; too bad winter is soon - the weather will be too bad. Now - I've done night raids in the rain ... hey it was for a first to find. Winter - we've gone out in -35 celcius (with wind chill) - and that wasn't even for a first to find. I say now the bugs will be too bad in the spring but we shall see if that tune changes also.

 

I was the instigator for this hobby - however, my husband likes it now just as much. He is the athletic outdoorsy type. My kids come out also - usually complaining about child abuse but when I say - I'm going, you wanna come? They come! I think teenagers just need to complain. ... they can't be seen enjoying something with their parents. At least it's in the woods away from their friends - they won't be seen!

 

This hobby has got me cross country skis, snowshoes and more importantly out in the woods using them. This spring it's going to get me a new mountain bike - but I insist on a basket. The husband is shaking his head in disgust. Hey, I'm old - I don't care what I look like and it is convienent to throw stuff in.

 

The reason it took 5 hours to find 1 cache - it turns out my GPSr was consistently out 20 on the west coordinate. It took a month to figure it out but those nice people at Radio Shack replaced it no questions asked! At Christmas I got upgraded to a Mapping GPS - yeah!

 

This weekend will be our first event. It looks like 70 cachers will be hunting approx. 20 caches saturday and then decending on a pizza place to talk the night away. It will be a hoot and I will finally reach 100. We are at 97 now.

 

I think my favourite part of caching is writing and reading the logs.

[+Lolita]

...and you never know when me and my pup will run into you and your pup, on a dark misty trail where no one can hear you scream.....

 

Now THAT is a good reason to take up ( or return to ) Geocaching !

[+beckerbuns]

So, "ladies," what kind of cacher are you?

I am a family cacher and part of a caching couple. I rarely cache alone. Last year I did spend my birthday caching by myself, which was a nice change, but I actually missed my kids.

 

Lots of the locals here cache in groups but they have never invited me. Maybe it's because of the kids. I have cached with one or two other cachers a couple of times but it's rare.

 

Why did you start caching?:

Well... I think it's most of the things you listed, really. I needed a good activity to do with the kids that got us outdoors and away from the TV. A male friend of mine and his wife had recently started caching and we picked it up from them, and took off with it! (They don't even cache anymore!)

 

Are you as into the "numbers" as some of the guys?

Gotta admit that I'm pretty into the numbers, though not fanatically. My finds are in the 270s, nothing astounding, but I definitely do keep track of my numbers. My fiance, Nurse Dave, just got to #500 today. I know I am never going to catch up with him! But I can't help trying.

Edited February 27, 2004 by beckerbuns

[+Cool Librarian]

Criminal scares me a little bit

 

Actually, I did meet up with a slightly scary guy on an actually misty trail once. It was at a cache location that has since been deemed "questionable" in terms of safety for female cachers - several after me were "followed" by creepy guys into the cache site. Luckily, nothing bad has happened, and I think people are more aware of the problem now.

 

I haven't been on too many solo hunts this winter as caching in my neighborhood as slowed dramatically due to the weather. So, I have been enjoying the company of my caching friends and have gone on some group hunts and longer hikes. There is a pic of a bunch of us here at the bottom of the thread. What a motley looking assortment!

 

But, I expect as the weather warms, I will continue my solo activities as well. Going alone and going with others offers different things - alone, I find that I am more contemplative, and I find the caches faster. With a group I have more "fun," but I am rarely focused enough to spot the cache first. Alone, long walks seem long, with a group, long walks go by quickly. I like it all.

 

I am enjoying all of your responses (except that one calling the woman hunter frightening.... what's frightening? The hunting (which I can understand if you don't hunt), or the fact that a woman can tote a buck out of the woods alone? (You go, girl!).

[uperdooper]

Criminal scares me a little bit

 

Actually, I did meet up with a slightly scary guy on an actually misty trail once. It was at a cache location that has since been deemed "questionable" in terms of safety for female cachers - several after me were "followed" by creepy guys into the cache site. Luckily, nothing bad has happened, and I think people are more aware of the problem now.

 

I haven't been on too many solo hunts this winter as caching in my neighborhood as slowed dramatically due to the weather. So, I have been enjoying the company of my caching friends and have gone on some group hunts and longer hikes. There is a pic of a bunch of us here at the bottom of the thread. What a motley looking assortment!

 

But, I expect as the weather warms, I will continue my solo activities as well. Going alone and going with others offers different things - alone, I find that I am more contemplative, and I find the caches faster. With a group I have more "fun," but I am rarely focused enough to spot the cache first. Alone, long walks seem long, with a group, long walks go by quickly. I like it all.

 

I am enjoying all of your responses (except that one calling the woman hunter frightening.... what's frightening? The hunting (which I can understand if you don't hunt), or the fact that a woman can tote a buck out of the woods alone? (You go, girl!).

men generally fear women who are armed and ready to kill something. as well they should.

[+Criminal]

Boy, I hope these "women who are armed and ready to kill something" will at least wait until someone threatening comes along. Or do they just shoot at any man they encounter?

[uperdooper]

Boy, I hope these "women who are armed and ready to kill something" will at least wait until someone threatening comes along. Or do they just shoot at any man they encounter?

i didn't say shoot men. i said shoot "something." this all started because huntnlady shot a bull elk and that fact scared some guy. i would say if the man isn't threatening he won't have a problem.

[Pirates who don't do anything]

It's a good way to get dh and dd out of the house for some free fun. Got the GPS for him at his last birthday, but intended for some family adventures.

 

I've even slipped a paper into the cache container with a special note for him, with new coordinates for a personal gift (geo-shirt and pin for the daughter).

 

Thinking about taking my girl scout troop out in the future... they will do anything if I add a snack along the way!

[+GPSKitty]

I am a female and I cache solo. I'm surprised to see how many other women do likewise. I'm a newbie (2 weeks-8 finds) and for some reason I thought that most cachers had a cache-buddy.

I like going solo, but since I've never cached with a partner, I have nothing to compare it to. I think having someone to share the adventure with would be fun. And I'm beginning to wish I had a dog. I think it would come in handy as a diversion from muggles when rustling around in bushes.

I have restricted myself to urban caches. I would like to hit some of the hiking caches in the area but don't feel comfortable going alone. I mentioned geo-caching to a friend and she was interested so when her personal life settles down in about a month, we will hike-cache together.

I like caching because it combines the fun of a treasure hunt with the discovery of new and interesting places. I am a creature of habit and tend to stay on the beaten path. Geo-caching is already starting to change that.

Numbers? I am competetive only with myself. The fun of the game is more important than a score. It IS fun to see the numbers climb, but it's not a big thing for me. I've read of some questionable (to me anyway) practices. If you have to get on a cell phone to call another cacher to tell you where it is, did YOU really find it? I like to do it the old-fashioned way...I earn it.

 

GPSKitty

[+clearpath]

I like to do it the old-fashioned way...

Yeah, me too ...

[thcri]

My daugther Katie which is now known as KTJO has started caching with me a lot. I love the time I have with her as she is now 14 and I suppose off to school someplace in the near future. She only caches with me.

 

murph

[IronMaiden]

Well my hubby got me started in geocaching. At first when he told me about it, I kinda looked at him like he was out of his mind. Now we found a use for this GPS we found wounded on the road in California. When he took me along for the first time caching, I was hooked!

When Ironman and I do go out he makes sure I can do the cache. I have some health issues that concern him but I can surprise him sometimes, by making it to the cache.

Huntnlady, all I got to say is this. Finally another gal that likes to big game hunt! Yep I've done my share of deer hunting, and yes I have shot a couple too. The elk hunting I let the guys do that, if it wasn't for my asthma and a stupid ankle injury I'd be with them. I'm sorta semi-retired hunting now. Our 16 year old son has laid claim to my hunting rifle. But I still butcher the animal out for them when it needs to be done. Oh yeah by myself too, and it's a challenge doing a 400+ lbs. bull elk by yourself.

Edited March 1, 2004 by IronMaiden

[+Bad Influences]

Are you:

A solo cacher?

A family cacher?

Part of a "caching couple?"

A social/group cacher?

 

Why did you start caching?:

Boredom

Needed the exercise

Love the outdoors

Wanted to do something with my husband/boyfriend/partner/family

 

Are you as into the "numbers" as some of the guys?

 

I'm sort of a group cacher, although I tend to always end up with just Dean (my teammate) I try to get others going.

 

I started caching to cure bordom, and because I loved being outside and it gave me another good reason to go.

It gives me and the dogs excercise.

 

I am into the numbers. I work 2 full-time jobs and I'm partially disabled, so it really limits the time I can devote to caches, but I do what I can when I can.

 

I've done some tough caches. Sometimes a good climb just takes me longer. Not because I'm female, but because of a lower spine and right hip injury. I still get the job done.