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Are We Lunatics


klassenl

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When I browse the forums or read cache logs I can't help but think that the people here (including me) are lunatics. Who would drive 1000 miles in a weekend to go find a log book that someone you don't know has placed in some of the toughest terrain in North America. Or when the guy that fished his receiver out of a porta potty said that he currently owned six (all Magellans of course) GPS (or GPSr's).

 

But then I have to check myself. I own a $200+ GPS 315. And, as all of you that have already looked at my stats know, it doesn't see much use accept in the truck. And I, who am not budget challenged but I do try to spend my money wisely, am considering buying a GPS V (it's that other brand, I know) because it's coming down in price.

 

And then I think of how excited I got when I went to retrieve my OWN cache..................Sheeeeeeesh. What's wrong with us.

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This is no more insane than the money I have spent on model railroading gear. These days, a good model railroad locomotive can cost $100-200.

 

Tracy, Solana and I have two Garmins (Etrex and Legend), Palm, and a couple of digital cameras- still cheaper the the custom-painted brass RSD-15 loco I have packed away in storage....somewhere.

 

BTW, the Blue One hit it right on the head- we see the world that most people don't THINK to see.

Edited by Team Tecmage
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I don't know. There are people that hike 20 miles. Scale up 6000 feet. Then spend a couple of minutes looking at the horizon. Just to leave.

 

At least we have an objective. Hikers tried a similar concept with summit boxes. However they don't have a world wide, free, venue like this one.

 

As for all the techno toys. I would have them with or without Geocaching. I have three computers, three PDAs, four GPSr's. A ton of expensive out door gear. Geocaching simply gave me a single activity to use them all.

 

How is that crazy? :rolleyes:

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Who would drive 1000 miles in a weekend to go find a log book that someone you don't know has placed in some of the toughest terrain in North America.

 

I would! Absolutely! Count me in next time you go! :rolleyes:

 

I own a $200+ GPS 315.

 

I don't mean to brag, but at one time I worked 50+ hours a week and bought a professional GPS for my car that set me back a cool $3,000. Yes, 3K! What was I thinking? :ph34r:

 

What's wrong with us.

 

I ask myself that question every day. So far, I can come up with no answers to this question. Aww... Who cares, anyway? :ph34r:

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I guess one of the things that really makes it something worthwhile is that there is a goal to strive towards. After all there are probably hikers out there with just as much money invested, and what do they do, they just walk around. At least when cachers go out they go to a certain point with a purpose.

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There's nothing wrong with us. It's just another hobby. And hobbies cost money. I have more than I would care to admit tied up in HAM radio gear. And more than that tied up in electric trains. They are both things that give me a lot of enjoyment. Geocaching gives me a lot of enjoyment too. I try to spread my spare time out between all three (although I do get to combine the HAM radio and geocaching when I go to Hamfests), keeping a balance with other things that are important to my life. I would venture to say that most of us are normal people who try to do that with their hobbies and interests.....at least the cachers I have met are that way.

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I guess one of the things that really makes it something worthwhile is that there is a goal to strive towards. After all there are probably hikers out there with just as much money invested, and what do they do, they just walk around.  At least when cachers go out they go to a certain point with a purpose.

I would imagine many hikers would disagree with you. I know, BG (Before Geocaching) I hiked a lot; even when I was just walking around, perhaps with no destination, I still had purpose(s).

 

Don't get me wrong. As a geocacher, I now recognize that there his a higher purpose, a good reason to hike in the woods. :rolleyes::ph34r::ph34r:

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This is no more insane than the money I have spent on model railroading gear. These days, a good model railroad locomotive can cost $100-200.

 

Tracy, Solana and I have two Garmins (Etrex and Legend), Palm, and a couple of digital cameras- still cheaper the the custom-painted brass RSD-15 loco I have packed away in storage....somewhere.

 

BTW, the Blue One hit it right on the head- we see the world that most people don't THINK to see.

But with model rail roads, you can stay in your warm house, only a few feet from your beverage of choice.

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There's nothing wrong with us.  It's just another hobby.  And hobbies cost money.  I have more than I would care to admit tied up in HAM radio gear.  And more than that tied up in electric trains. 

Try paying for golf clubs, Balls (and a lot get lost) Green fees and the drinks at the 19Th hole. Now thats gets expensive. And you have to be crazy to play golf. what other sport do you pay for aggravation. :rolleyes: . In comparison Geocaching is a little less expensive and the whole family can play.

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There's nothing wrong with us.  It's just another hobby.  And hobbies cost money.  I have more than I would care to admit tied up in HAM radio gear.  And more than that tied up in electric trains.  They are both things that give me a lot of enjoyment.  Geocaching gives me a lot of enjoyment too.  I try to spread my spare time out between all three (although I do get to combine the HAM radio and geocaching when I go to Hamfests),  keeping a balance with other things that are important to my life.  I would venture to say that most of us are normal people who try to do that with their hobbies and interests.....at least the cachers I have met are that way.

The only POSSIBLE qualification to the statement that HAM is more expensive than Geocaching is that you can do HAM as a homebrewer. I have yet to find a good kit for a homebrewed GPSr (though I keep looking....)

 

Although, I agree that there is a lot of ways to blow a lot of money in HAM radio. Its the same kind of thing as a casino. When you get your first DX (mine was at Field Day last year), you get the same kind of hooked that the old ladies who play the slots get.

 

Talk about an expensive hobby....

Edited by bigredmed
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hmmmm...let us see...a lunatic is an individual who doubles his efforts while at the same time loosing sight of his goal....sounds like a serious DNF obsession. or perhaps its a fruedian kinda self torture thing.....yep, i now know im not quite right in the head. im still obsessing over the patch reef beach cache as well. just on that alone makes me insane...i really need help! :rolleyes:

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We each received Garman Foerunners for Christmas, that brings our GPS total to 5. We have a pair of radios and we each have a Palm. We are not obsessed! This is how our log from yesterday begins;

"We muttered mightily when this one popped up in our PQ this morning. We had been down caching Cadillac yesterday. Oh well we had to go out to Sam's Club and this is practically on the way. (Just an 80 mile side trip."

We were FTF by 15 minutes.

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When I browse the forums or read cache logs I can't help but think that the people here (including me) are lunatics. ... Sheeeeeeesh. What's wrong with us.

No, "lunatic" is not a word to describe the typical geocacher. But clearly, a tendency towards obsessive/compulsive behavior does seem to be a characteristic shared by many geocachers.

 

In order to enjoy the game, no one needs to drive 1000 miles in order to pick up 300 caches in a weekend. No one needs to clear every single cache within 5 (10, 50, 100, etc.) miles of their home. But a lot of people have set "goals" such as those. So be it.

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And then I think of how excited I got when I went to retrieve my OWN cache..................Sheeeeeeesh. What's wrong with us.

 

I dont think that is crazy.....It happens to me all the time.....What is crazy is that you are from Canada and dont Cheer on Jacques Villeneuve. :rolleyes:

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When I browse the forums or read cache logs I can't help but think that the people here (including me) are lunatics.  Who would drive 1000 miles in a weekend to go find a log book that someone you don't know has placed in some of the toughest terrain in North America.  Or when the guy that fished his receiver out of a porta potty said that he currently owned six (all Magellans of course) GPS (or GPSr's).

 

Or take days to hike 30-100 miles (I will do the CDT, AT and that Pacific one one day) when you can get there in an hour or so in a car. Own three backpack and more backpacking gear than 3 people need. Or own 1500 SF/F books and spend hundreds to fly somewhere to share a room with 4 other guys so as to listen to a bunch of authors speak for three days. Or have a room full of motherboards, hard drives, etc, that will never see a volt again and yet have more on order as we speak and spend hours playing with them. And a shop full of tools and a 3/4 finished kayak and storage to build and another project for which I get to buy another power tool. Or.....but enough about me.

 

Of course we are all lunatics. Being serious about any hobby requires a certain degree of craziness.

 

Some of us are just multi-dimensional loons.

 

I also bought a Pocket PC for geocaching, a Lap top computer for geocaching while on the road and a digital computer.

 

I've got to get one of those. This analog computer is just too darn heavy and it's as big as a pickup.

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computer for geocaching while on the road and a digital computer.

Is there any other type of computer then a DIGITAL one??????????

Yes. The abacus and slide rule are considered analog computers. For a discourse on modern electronic analog computers vrs digital ones, see:

 

Analog vrs Digital

 

Although in my previous message I was making reference to Babage's difference engine. (Although "size of a pickup truck" was a bit of an exaggeration.)

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Crazy? Let's see:

Present hobby---geocaching. costs so far (after 2 and 1/2 years)...

2 different GPSr's = approx $500

various trade items = $50

hiking boots = $20

fanny pack w/water bottles = $20

Gatorade & snacks = $30

Total = (around) $620

 

Past hobby --- cars & trucks. Cost PER VEHICLE (several vehicles over past 15 yrs)...

new wheels & tires = $1000 (on at least 3 of those vehicles)

engine modifications = $3000 (on 2 of the vehicles)

body work = $1000 (on several of the vehicles)

new stereo = $500 (in a few of the vehicles)

tools to do the work = $1000

misc that I didn't tell my wife = $1000 (or more)

Total = (more than) $12,500.00

 

Suddenly I don't see geocaching as QUITE so insane!!!

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There's nothing wrong with us.  It's just another hobby.  And hobbies cost money.  I have more than I would care to admit tied up in HAM radio gear.  And more than that tied up in electric trains. 

Try paying for golf clubs, Balls (and a lot get lost) Green fees and the drinks at the 19Th hole. Now thats gets expensive. And you have to be crazy to play golf. what other sport do you pay for aggravation. :rolleyes: . In comparison Geocaching is a little less expensive and the whole family can play.

Of course, if you geocache as well as golf, you don't actually have to pay for golf balls. You'll probably find more than you lose. Where will you store all those golf balls if you don't lose some while golfing? One might conclude that geocachers MUST golf in order to get rid of the balls.

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computer for geocaching while on the road and a digital computer.

Is there any other type of computer then a DIGITAL one??????????

Yes. The abacus and slide rule are considered analog computers. For a discourse on modern electronic analog computers vrs digital ones, see:

 

Analog vrs Digital

 

Although in my previous message I was making reference to Babage's difference engine. (Although "size of a pickup truck" was a bit of an exaggeration.)

Just a typ0 i waz trying to type digital Camera

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There's nothing wrong with us. It's just another hobby. And hobbies cost money. I have more than I would care to admit tied up in HAM radio gear. And more than that tied up in electric trains. They are both things that give me a lot of enjoyment. Geocaching gives me a lot of enjoyment too. I try to spread my spare time out between all three (although I do get to combine the HAM radio and geocaching when I go to Hamfests), keeping a balance with other things that are important to my life. I would venture to say that most of us are normal people who try to do that with their hobbies and interests.....at least the cachers I have met are that way.

Until I read your post I forgot how much money I have tied up in ham radio :rolleyes:

In my truck alone a yaesu FT100D and an FT8800, That would equal a lot of GPSr

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Before caching, I spent hours tying flies and planning my next trip. Now I download impossible caches and go find them. The startup costs were worth the time. But I digress . . . But I digress. . . But I digress . . . .

 

(No, I do not have OCD) (No, I do not have OCD) (No, I do not have OCD)

(No, I . . . )

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Lunatic = "S" in the SouperTeam Kid cannot sleep right when there is a full moon.

 

The rest of us...totally sane. :rolleyes:

 

I have spent about $3000 on my sewing machines and various accessories to do the things I want. Spent about $400 on caching stuff. Much more fun to go caching and like someone else said, we can do it as a family, we can do it anywhere we go in the country and we get to find fun stuff and see very cool places. Not lunatics.

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QUOTE (Berjr1 @ Feb 3 2005, 09:58 AM)

dadgum !! I knew we were in Manhattan !!! 

 

You need to zoom in JUST a little closer.

 

 

Is that you on the roof top of Belleview MC ? I tried to post the picture but not sure quite how. :rolleyes:

Edited by Berjr1
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Who said anything about Jacques V? I do in fact cheer him on, and this year I think he will do really well. Sauber had a really good car last year and with all of the money they have spent in the last 12 months the new car will be even better.

 

Even more off topic, I hope the teams form their own league and leave "The Red Devils" and "Limp wristed Bernie" in the dust.

 

 

Now.........what were we talking about..........ah yes Geocaching.

 

Edit: The letters changed between the time I previewed and the time I posted.

Edited by tak1
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Maybe we are the normal ones and the rest of the world is the lunatics.

*THUMBS UP*

 

I have known I am crazy for years now...and have it in writing, too!

 

But I do believe in this day and age, the term "normal" is almost impossible to define. With so many ways that a person can be considered different, what does NORMAL really mean?

 

I would HATE to be called normal, that much I know. I LIKE being different! :anicute:

 

As for being a lunatic in regards to geocaching, I gladly accept the title, and will work to continue my part of the addiction going!

 

Now, where did I put the next coords? :rolleyes:

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No....we're not Lunatics.

 

We are getting our there. Seeing the country. Getting involved. Having fun. participating in an active and fun sport. Learning first hand about the wonders of the big wide world

 

The people who spend weekend after weekend mowing their tiny quater acre blocks. Or stay locked up in their boring flats, peering out of barred windows, never venturing outside of the city. Or those spending hours and hours in front of the giggle box......they are the lunies.

 

For them to be doing this, especially in a wonderful and wide open country like Australia, is really crazy. <_<

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