12 Steps Of Northeast Caching

8.1k · May 13, 2004

Just some mutterings:

Step 1: Someone tries to explain geocaching to you, you don't understand, but they sound so excited so you let me take you into the woods. You hear the word 'cash' and figure it can't be all that bad if you are getting paid. What? I have to leave something?

Step 2: You find your first cache and immediately take the WG$ and the coins (even if they are foreign)... you are happy and excited and must by a GPS.

Step 2a: Depending on your income level this intermediate step involves begging your friend who has a GPS to go caching... or even borrowing it for a while. (ranges from 1 day to 1 year)

Step 3: Armed with your own GPS you now discover the nearest 1/1 suburban park cache all by yourself. You write 4 pages in the log book (which gets wet a day later because you didn't seal the cache lid properly) and gets stolen a week later. This is also the time discover: Travel Bugs.

Immediately forking out $42.50 for six bugs! Still haven't figured out what GZ or TNLN SL means.

Step 4: Now at your most experimental time of your caching life, you decide to go benchmarking and manage to find 4-12 before you realize that there is no log to sign and no one else on the site pays too much attention to them. Back to caching... You tell everyone you know about this new sport...

Step 5: First to Find Challenge! You have now bagged 10-25 caches in the area (50% are virtuals the others are suburban 1/1s). You are determined to get an FTF and can't figure out why StayFloopy or BassoonPilot keep beating you to the caches... conspiracy theories form: Maybe they tip off NJ AdMin, maybe they have a PDA in the field and are constantly driving around waiting. Hmmm! Many possibilities...

Step 6: Placing your first cache. You decide you have the perfect spot. You fill out the online form in 30 minutes (the wording, grammar and spelling have to be perfect!), submit the cache and the computer has timed out! DOH!!! You quickly reenter eveything and NJ Admin lets you know the 46 geocaching guidelines you broke... it's on private property, in the middle of a freeway, no you can't place it 364 feet from another cache... the cache has no logbook... etc. You argue and lose.

Step 7: Your first DNF. Not sure whether to log it as a DNF or just a note, or not at all, skip that you were ever there searching fruitlessly for an hour (you tell people two hours of course) ... the decision that you make now shapes the rest of your geocaching career.

Puts a crimp in your: #10 of 11 caches today log.

Step 8: You have read other cacher logs and you now decide to go for a ***/**** madness cache... in your log you write the equivalent to a set of encyclopedia pitting yourself verses the beast of a cache... A true Herculean effort... etc.

Step 9: You now think you are ready to help others with their caches and offer suggestions anytime you finish a cache. You carry your GPS everywhere you go, vacations etc. to bag caches in other states and countries. You also discover locationless caches and binge on those for a month... anything to boost your numbers! You stop trying to convince your friends that geocaching is trendy and all the cool people are doing (even though they are)

Step 10: You discover a whole new world when you log onto the forums for the first time and find 20 people you have never met congratulating you on your 100th find!?! You now check the forums daily for new news and developments in the NorthEast Daytime TV Caching Soap Opera. You also painfully realize that you are never going to place more cool caches than BrianSnat, find more caches than StayFloopy, find more caches first than BassoonPilot, place cool puzzle caches as Kber, place plain hard caches as HartClimbs, write witty comments like JMBella and write cool logs like Planet. :unsure: Your forum post number comes dangerously close to your total cache finds. But you love it anyways! You scan all areas looking the best way to snag more than one cache in a general area... Numbers obsese you, (but of course it's not about the numbers).

Step 11: You attend a geocaching event and finally meet the people and faces behind the many e-mail exchanges, logs and forum posts. You share stories and bond until the wee hours of the morning. Other cachers notice quirks about you... funny you look fatter than your pictures, you have an accent? How come you don't type with an accent? Your find list moves above 200 and you are now clear on caches you prefer (I hate micros!). Your immediate area is clear of all easy caches and now, one by one you have to wade thru the tougher ones... you prefer to hunt in packs rather then in solitary. (preferably when the moon is full )

Step 12: You are now firmly engrained in the culture of geocaching. Whether you like it or not. You mention great caches you did to others and people look at you weird ?!? They say, that cache has been archived for 6 months! You archive your first cache since you do realize it was in a stupid location, and work on placing caches in really cool spots more than grabbing new 1/1s unless you can bag 6 on a hill. You pick and choose and don't feel the GOTTA GET IT NOW! Addiction you had before...

My name is Avroair and I am a geocacher...

Edited May 14, 2004 by avroair

22.1k · May 13, 2004

Step 13: They make you a cache reviewer and forum moderator so you'll shut up and not post so much because of the extra workload.

Step 14: You decide that you'll just spend twice as much time in the forums.

8.1k · May 14, 2004

Glad I still have more cache finds than forums posts... barely!!! :unsure:

Edited May 14, 2004 by avroair

May 16, 2004

This is one of the funniest posts I have read.

38.2k · May 16, 2004

That's hilarious Avro! You should submit it to the humor section of Todays Cacher.

May 17, 2004

15. Tick Bite.

8.1k · May 17, 2004

15. Tick Bite.

I would like to add to the step:

And you hear yourself telling someone at work "mosquitoes and ticks aren't all that bad" (I work in NYC!)

May 17, 2004

You stop trying to convince your friends that geocaching is trendy and all the cool people are doing (even though they are) Yes we ARE!!

16. You stop carrying that oversized backpack with enough supplies and junk that you'll never use to last you 3 days in the wild because you read that's what you need and then you find out those cachers are from out west. Now you carry what my brother-in-law calls my "Purse" with only the essientals.......

Howie

3.9k · May 17, 2004

First: I'm witty? Cool!

Second: I'm definitely on step 12 except I still get that "GOTTA GET IT NOW! feeling" every time I see a new cache come up.

Step #16? 17? whatever: Not only do you not go anywhere without your GPS, but you don't go anywhere with out a fully stocked cache just in case you find a great spot and you just gotta hide a cache there. You also have more Lock and Lock and/or Rubbermaid containers in your trunk/back seat than you do in your kitchen.

May 17, 2004

I know the feeling, I have one traditional cache and two micros(I know, I know most don't like these) in my truck for that very reason. I just have to remember to keep my gpsr in there too.........

8.1k · May 17, 2004

Hmmm.... :lol: Can't say I have a geocaching 'purse' where can I pick one up? Do they sell them on Groundspeak? I know they have an acessories page... :huh:

Step 18: You go out and buy some ammo cans at the nearest Army/Navy story and get totally ripped off paying $12.00 when other places sell them 6 for $12.00 Grrrr...

(then of course the bomb squad conficates the first one you place... something about gas pipelines, powerlines and top secret government buildings...

3.9k · May 17, 2004

I think what I have might be what your talking about. I got it at old navy. It's a small pack with one strap that goes over your shoulder? Yep, I got a geo-purse. Dammit. Whatever it works great for those marathon cache days. You don't have to take it off when you're driving so you can just just out an go.

What step is it when you admit you have a problem? I'm not there yet, just wondering.

8.1k · May 17, 2004

I'm not there yet, just wondering.

Of course not, none of us are there yet... But I do love your purse. :lol:

May 17, 2004

2b. You decide on either a Magellan or Garmin GPS. This also shapes you for the rest of your life.

Or perhaps you spend $100 for a basic GPS, as it is all you really need for the hobby. Then you buy another with the cool mapping feature (so you won't get lost) for $150-$200. Then you...

Also add: You buy your first ammo cans from cheaperthandirt.com. Thereafter you end up on the mailing list of every militant group known to man. The people at the post office are scared of you.

Edited May 17, 2004 by mikedx

May 18, 2004

someone please tell me how to add a image to a reply? I want to add a picture of my "purse" but not hip on how to add it here. yes, I did do a search and it turned up nothing.

thanks

38.2k · May 18, 2004

Your image has to have a URL associated with it...either from this website, or another. If its on another website all you have to do is cut the URL and go to step 2 here.

If its not on another website, you can upload it here, either to your profile, or to a cache page, or TB page. I have a missing TB and use the page for that purpose. Others use an archived cache page of theirs. I prefer using pages rather than my profile because the website automatically resizes the photos. You have to re-size it to get it below 100 meg if you want to load it to your profile.

Once you have the image uploaded here, click on it and cut the URL.

Step 2: Then, when you are posting, look above the text box. You'll see some buttons (HTTP://, @, IMG, QUOTE, CODE, LIST) Click on the IMG button and paste the URL for your photo there, click OK and you're done.

Edited May 18, 2004 by briansnat

May 18, 2004

What step is it when you admit you have a problem? I'm not there yet, just wondering.

I don't know what step it is, but if you're still reading this thread, you should be ready to admit you have a problem. :rolleyes:

Edited May 18, 2004 by fosterbass

8.1k · May 18, 2004

but if you're still reading this thread

Welcome aboard FosterBass! Guess you are still reading it too! :rolleyes:

May 19, 2004

Step 7a: You DNF a cache on Sunday, then have to go try again at 6:30 Monday morning on the way to work [although of course it's not at all on the way to work].

May 24, 2004

That post was hysterical. While Avroair hit many important stages of this unique obsession, he missed two important ones.

15.Your friends, who are also avid cachers, tell you that you are obsessed. You tell them that they just need to try ONE MORE cache to understand.

16. Having become addicted, you begin to think of any thing to send out as a travel bug. Life changes immediately when your wife wakes upand finds you standing over her with dog tags. She asks you what you are doing, and you reply, "you know how you said you wanted to visit someplace exotic...". She misunderstands your affection for an effort to remove obstacles between you and geocaching.

May 24, 2004

LOL, now why does it feel like you are describing us???

May 24, 2004

Becaue he met you and he IS describing the you!

8.1k · May 25, 2004

FOR THE RECORD!!!

This is a self-analysis. <_<

Any references, suggestions, statements and characterizations are based solely on myself and are not intended to reflect any other geocacher within the tri-state area. If you feel that you fit any or all of these categories than the rite of passage into the geocaching world is complete.

Happy trails and I will definately see you at the next event

May 25, 2004

Blah Blah Blah, TBB. LOL, I see you in the descriptions too!

May 26, 2004

The purse.........

anyone else want to show their cache bags? :tongue:

thanks Brian...it worked :blink:

Edited May 26, 2004 by Howie57

8.1k · May 26, 2004

Step 18: You host your first event cache. Then as soon as it's approved you post a note in the forums so people can see the event. You spend the next 20 minutes at your computer refreshing the forum webpage to see how many people 'look' at your post. Sad, I know, but also very exciting... looks like I'll be having beer and wings alone.

May 26, 2004

[ looks like I'll be having beer and wings alone. ]

No way , I'll be there to get my free drink and then I'm outta there.

Edited May 26, 2004 by SERG312

8.1k · May 26, 2004

[ looks like I'll be having beer and wings alone. ]

No way , I'll be there to get my free drink and then I'm outta there.

No ticks allowed at this Night Sweats event!

May 28, 2004

It's scary how acurate the list is. I checked, our first ftf was cache 27. Lately been trying to do all the on top mountains lucent, johnboy and teepee caches to fill up my nearest cache pages. So this is the first post. Still don't know what gz stands for?

upgrading the gps sounds good I'm so sick being on the wrong side of rivers.

38.2k · May 28, 2004

Still don't know what gz stands for?

Could that be an abbreviation of ground zero, which is what a lot of us call the area that our GPS tells us the cache should be.

Step 18: You host your first event cache. Then as soon as it's approved you post a note in the forums so people can see the event. You spend the next 20 minutes at your computer refreshing the forum webpage to see how many people 'look' at your post. Sad, I know, but also very exciting... looks like I'll be having beer and wings alone.

Come on every one, view Avro's post and make him feel better. You don't even have to go to the event.

Edited May 28, 2004 by briansnat

8.1k · May 28, 2004

You don't even have to go to the event.

Did I mention I was buying the first round?

38.2k · May 28, 2004

Did I mention I was buying the first round?

Awesome! I usually start my evenings off with a glass of Hennessey Cognac Timeless.

Edited May 28, 2004 by briansnat

May 28, 2004

"Excuse me bartenter, I'll have whatever he's drinking please. Oh by the way, the man crying in the corner with the accent is paying. "

May 28, 2004

Step 19: You refer to geocaching as something you "used to do" and look forward to opportunities to see the friend's you've made.

I think the "going out and finding caches in the woods" thing is getting missed somewhat.

8.1k · May 29, 2004

I still find things in the woods... yet Beer and Wings night counts as an event whereas searching a swamp in the dark for an ammo can for 45 minutes with 15 other cachers is NOT an event...

8.1k · May 29, 2004

Okay, that's about enough steps for one thread

Less posting, more caching... despite the snakes...

8.1k · June 16, 2004

Step 20: You travel further and further away to get to events. Now, driving to a cache or an event that is over 100 miles away is no big deal!

Edited June 16, 2004 by avroair

June 16, 2004

I think what I have might be what your talking about. I got it at old navy. It's a small pack with one strap that goes over your shoulder? Yep, I got a geo-purse. Dammit. Whatever it works great for those marathon cache days. You don't have to take it off when you're driving so you can just just out an go

Sounds like a european carry all not a purse

8.1k · June 17, 2004

Sounds like a european carry all not a purse

Sure, whatever... it's a purse. It's a purse here, and a purse in Europe. They just call it a carry all to sucker more people into buying it!

2.8k · June 17, 2004

Sounds like a european carry all not a purse

Sure, whatever... it's a purse. It's a purse here, and a purse in Europe. They just call it a carry all to sucker more people into buying it!

One of the guys at work bought a "Man Bag". We call it a purse.

June 17, 2004

#21: you bring a TB that you picked up enroute to a wedding you and make the bridge & groom pose with it. the groom is familiar with geocaching, but the bride has this "Why am I posing for a picture with a pumba head?" look on her face.

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=35513

3.9k · June 17, 2004

#21: you bring a TB that you picked up enroute to a wedding you and make the bridge & groom pose with it. the groom is familiar with geocaching, but the bride has this "Why am I posing for a picture with a pumba head?" look on her face.

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=35513

Dude that's not a step. That's a disorder! :blink: Just kidding.

3.9k · June 17, 2004

Sounds like a european carry all not a purse

Sure, whatever... it's a purse. It's a purse here, and a purse in Europe. They just call it a carry all to sucker more people into buying it!

Excuse me!!! It's a freakin MAN BAG not a purse! :blink:

3.9k · June 17, 2004

#21: you bring a TB that you picked up enroute to a wedding you and make the bridge & groom pose with it. the groom is familiar with geocaching, but the bride has this "Why am I posing for a picture with a pumba head?" look on her face.

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=35513

Dude that's not a step. That's a disorder! Just kidding.

I changed my mind. THIS is a disorder. Not sure there is a step for this one. It's kind of in a category all it's own. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

2.8k · June 17, 2004

I changed my mind. THIS is a disorder. Not sure there is a step for this one. It's kind of in a category all it's own. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

People from California are just extraordinarily weird (in a short yellow bus sort of way) and this just continues to prove that point. Reason number 2,356 on why I declined relocation to California!

Can you see the posts now...

Took bouquet, left rice, signed registry.

Took garter, left TB.

Weird I tell ya!

1.3k · June 18, 2004

Step 20: You travel further and further away to get to events. Now, driving to a cache or an event that is over 100 miles away is no big deal!

Driving 100 miles to a cache has never been a big deal for me. I call it weekend geocaching.

3.9k · June 18, 2004

Step 20: You travel further and further away to get to events. Now, driving to a cache or an event that is over 100 miles away is no big deal!

Driving 100 miles to a cache has never been a big deal for me. I call it weekend geocaching.

That's funny. I imagine when you started you didn't have much of a choice if you wanted to grab more than a couple of caches. The more things change the more they stay the same.

1.3k · June 18, 2004

That's funny. I imagine when you started you didn't have much of a choice if you wanted to grab more than a couple of caches. The more things change the more they stay the same.

That is true. In the early days, I had to go out to Dutchess and Putnam Counties to grab some Lucien caches.

2.8k · June 18, 2004

That is true. In the early days, I had to go out to Dutchess and Putnam Counties to grab some Lucien caches.

Lucien caches are the 4 remaining caches placed in the year 2000 I need to find in my current 30 mile radius.

1.3k · June 18, 2004

Lucien caches are the 4 remaining caches placed in the year 2000 I need to find in my current 30 mile radius.

You'll like them. Lucien's are all in good locations.

12 Steps Of Northeast Caching

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