Backpacker Takes A Swing At Geocaching

[+Fathergoose]

Backpacker magazine, which just recently discovered the benefits of using a GPS, took a small jab at geocaching in their April edition on page 52.

[+TeamK-9]

I was just at the store yesterday, and I didn't see a new issue, (I'm not a subscriber yet)

 

I'll keep on the look out for it. Would you care to quote what it says?

[magellan315]

I'd also like to see the post. Especially considering that around Christmas time Backpacker magazine posted notes to the regional forums asks Geocachers to help create trail guides utilizing GPSes and there are some Geocachers helping. I'd hate to find out they they might be biting the hand that feeds them, so to speak.

[+Fathergoose]

Here it is......

 

Buried Alive

Q: What's the deal with geocachlng¬ yea or nay?

 

A: I'm man enough to own up to a frolic¬some day of high-tech hide-and-seek with an old climbing pal (Of course, an HTML class could get me fibrillating if it involved the winsome Vilhelmina, but that's another story.) I learned a ton about using a GPS during that seductive treasure hunt, and got in a good tromp, too. Yet geocaching is a bit like paintball, or Rocky Horror: some¬thing that's seriously fun to try but a serious red flag if it becomes a defining habit. My advice to all frolicsome woodsmen: Use your GPS for adult high jinks-maybe to snoop-dog a perfect limestone boulder, or, more likely, to find your car at the trailhead.

Edited March 8, 2005 by Fathergoose

[+TeamK-9]

Awww, that's not too bad. Not enough to warrant hundreds of letters to the editor, but maybe a few...

[magellan315]

Who is the quote atributed to? Is this the author of the article or some reader comment?

[+Renegade Knight]

Here it is......

 

Buried Alive

Q: What's the deal with geocachlng¬ yea or nay?

 

A: I'm man enough to own up to a frolic¬some day of high-tech hide-and-seek with an old climbing pal (Of course, an HTML class could get me fibrillating if it involved the winsome Vilhelmina, but that's another story.) I learned a ton about using a GPS during that seductive treasure hunt, and got in a good tromp, too. Yet geocaching is a bit like paintball, or Rocky Horror: some¬thing that's seriously fun to try but a serious red flag if it becomes a defining habit. My advice to all frolicsome woodsmen: Use your GPS for adult high jinks-maybe to snoop-dog a perfect limestone boulder, or, more likely, to find your car at the trailhead.

Interesting read. Take one idea "If you live for a single vice you have a problem" dump a dictionary into a popcorn popper use the first 20 words that come out in a paragraph that is 20 times longer than it needs to be because you had to fit the words in so they make sence somehow.

[magellan315]

Renegade, thanks for the translation. I thought thats what they were saying.

[+Robespierre]

Interesting read. Take one idea "If you live for a single vice you have a problem" dump a dictionary into a popcorn popper use the first 20 words that come out in a paragraph that is 20 times longer than it needs to be because you had to fit the words in so they make sence somehow.

Creative way to describe a disastrous attempt to communicate. I'm still not sure what he said...guess ya gotta know "hiker lingo."

[magellan315]

A: I'm man enough to own up to a frolic¬some day of high-tech hide-and-seek with an old climbing pal (Of course, an HTML class could get me fibrillating if it involved the winsome Vilhelmina, but that's another story.) I learned a ton about using a GPS during that seductive treasure hunt, and got in a good tromp, too. Yet geocaching is a bit like paintball, or Rocky Horror: some¬thing that's seriously fun to try but a serious red flag if it becomes a defining habit. My advice to all frolicsome woodsmen: Use your GPS for adult high jinks-maybe to snoop-dog a perfect limestone boulder, or, more likely, to find your car at the trailhead.

To me this translates as, altough the author enjoyed Geocaching as one time thing and he learned alot about using a GPS. Anyone who continues playing is a geek. But if you are hiker you should use a GPS for marking trailheads, your car, or a great view.

Edited March 8, 2005 by magellan315

[+Renegade Knight]

magellan315, yup, that's his tag line since he pretty mush said geocachers use a GPS and have mental health problems, he needed to tweak things to say "oh but we studly trompers can mark our cars and find trail heads and that's ok".

[Captain Chaoss]

Fork-sooth, me think-est yon wood dude hath, um, uh,......WHat the heck is a Vilhelmina ?

 

And any guy who uses the term "frolicsome woodsmen" has bigger worries than how many times he plays paintball, geo-caches, or sees...... No, wait, " Rocky Horror Picture Show " viewing is grounds for being committed.

 

Anyways, try again next time Mr. Frolicing Woodsman. Your editorial on "geocaching" sucked.

 

Or, was that a little too snide ?

Edited March 8, 2005 by Captain Chaoss

[+hamgran]

I've noticed that Backpacker Magazine, though an invaluable source of outdoor-related information, has in the past been quite opinionated about other issues as well, without seemingly doing much homework. Gotta take it all with a grain of salt, I guess.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Is it my imagination, or is this guy trying waaaaaaayyyyyy too hard to be cool? "Use your GPS for adult high jinks-maybe to snoop-dog a perfect limestone boulder" indeed!

[+Sparrowhawk]

Hmmm...

 

Hunting for tupperware in the woods with your family, quietly enjoying the great outdoors, etc...

 

OR...

 

Going with a group of crazily costumed folks at midnight to celebrate a bacchanal musical film about "swinging both ways" in an old mansion with a whole group of very strange folks and the creation of a sort of Mr. Universe version of the frankenstein monster complete with gold-fabric shorts to be the main character's boy toy, etc...

 

Hmmm... yup, I see the resemblance all right.

Edited March 8, 2005 by Sparrowhawk

[dave5339]

If that is their reply I can see why I'm not a subscriber to Backpacker and won't be till they start using correct english.

 

Semper Fi

[+The Puzzler]

I gotta give the geocaching forum crowd kudos for nailing this one pretty well on the head.

 

This was clearly an inexperienced (or at least poor) writer trying to sound witty with lots of unclear words and language usage. I'll even go an arogant step further and suggest that any information source that publishes material that is this poorly written is hurting for quality content and probably not worth reading.

 

Thanks to the topic (obviously not the content) of this thread I thought, hey, "I haven't looked at a "Backpacker" magazine in years, maybe it would be interesting to check out. Nope. Still the same old rag that is probably somewhat useful to someone that hasn't done much backpacking, but wants to get a feel or some basics. But primarily, it is (its web page anyway) an overly gear obsessed periodical with irresponsibly product oriented views and solutions to a sport that benifits more from simplicity than all the latest gear fads.

 

I used to like "Outdoor Magazine" years ago, may I should check it out and see if it is worth reading instead.

[dsandbro]

Just revalidates what I already knew. I stopped subscribing years ago and no longer visit their web site because, well.., they stopped having information of any value. They instead morphed into a left-leaning political rag.

 

Why do all outdoor related magazines and web sites eventually turn political???

[mufasa1023]

he speaks of being 'man enough' and speaks of "adult high jinks' as the only acceptable type of jinks to do in the woods but then apparently 'snoop-dogs' limestone boulders?!?! Snoop-dogs? was whatever that is named by a hyperactive 12 year old?

[+sbell111]

In his mind, he is both too mature and too cool for the game. Whatever.

[tyerod]

Is it my imagination, or is this guy trying waaaaaaayyyyyy too hard to be cool? "Use your GPS for adult high jinks-maybe to snoop-dog a perfect limestone boulder" indeed!

This hit the nail on the head. The Backpacker content is from a column called "Social Climer" The person who writes the article is more intrested in looking cool on the trail in substandard gear than being comfortable in gear that works. Probably more correct, he is intrested in looking cool at the mall trying to look like someone who actually goes outdoors. The most he gets out is walking from Starbucks to his SUV with his double grande mochafrapchino with a double shot of whatever. I read it just to get a chuckle at his stupidity for the month. If you have read this column before there is no way you would take him seriously.

[+clearpath]

How dare this guy slander a classic movie like "Rocky Horror Picture Show". And what the hell is a 'frolicsome woodsman'? Waaait a minute ... I think it has something to do with a cross dressing Frankinstein transvestite. Let's do the time warp again ... Wooo Hooo.

[+Alan2]

I used to like "Outdoor Magazine" years ago, may I should check it out and see if it is worth reading instead.

Gee I wonder what the politcal content of "Outdoor Geocacher" would sound like??

[+Bluespreacher]

Backpacker magazine, which just recently discovered the benefits of using a GPS, took a small jab at geocaching in their April edition on page 52.

The thing is, this is under the heading "Social Climber". It's a small tounge-in-cheek advice column that runs each month. It's intended to be humorous for those who have to ask 'what's cool'. It covers such important subjects as, 'Do I have to say Hi to everyone I meet on the trail?'. And 'When is it proper to wear gaiters?'

 

Let's not give it more weight than it desrves. I don't think it should be construed as the Official Backpacker Word on Geocaching. Think about it, there is a bunch of overlap with these two activities. Some Cachers have even been known to put on a pack and stay out over night.

 

Keep on Caching,

 

Bluespreacher

[+Renegade Knight]

...he thing is, this is under the heading "Social Climber". It's a small tounge-in-cheek advice column that runs each month. It's intended to be humorous for those who have to ask 'what's cool'. It covers such important subjects as, 'Do I have to say Hi to everyone I meet on the trail?'. And 'When is it proper to wear gaiters?' ...

Thanks, it's good to keep perspective.

[+fly46]

Waaait a minute ... I think it has something to do with a cross dressing Frankinstein transvestite. Let's do the time warp again ... Wooo Hooo.

ROTFLMAO!

 

Yeah.. I read the quote and don't understand a frigging thing that he said.

Okay, well, after I read it about three times, I could translate.

 

Know what I'm doing tomorrow? Dusting off the ole metroparks cache hiding permit and hiding a cache or two.

[+GSVNoFixedAbode]

all frolicsome woodsmen

Ooo Ooo - I know, he's one of a group that always wanted to be

... a Lumberjack

Leaping from tree to tree, as they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia. The Giant Redwood. The Larch. The Fir! The mighty Scots Pine! The lofty flowering Cherry! The plucky little Apsen! The limping Roo tree of Nigeria. The towering Wattle of Aldershot! The Maidenhead Weeping Water Plant! The naughty Leicestershire Flashing Oak! The flatulent Elm of West Ruislip! The Quercus Maximus Bamber Gascoigni! The Epigillus! The Barter Hughius Greenus!

 

With my best buddy by my side, we'd sing! Sing! Sing!

 

[singing]

I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.

I sleep all night and I work all day.

[+wimseyguy]

GSVNFA beat me to it. That's exactly the thought I had after reading the phrase 'frolicsome woodsmen.' Here is a link to the entire lyrics in case anyone has forgotten them.

Edited March 9, 2005 by wimseyguy

[+justybug]

all frolicsome woodsmen

Ooo Ooo - I know, he's one of a group that always wanted to be

... a Lumberjack

Leaping from tree to tree, as they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia. The Giant Redwood. The Larch. The Fir! The mighty Scots Pine! The lofty flowering Cherry! The plucky little Apsen! The limping Roo tree of Nigeria. The towering Wattle of Aldershot! The Maidenhead Weeping Water Plant! The naughty Leicestershire Flashing Oak! The flatulent Elm of West Ruislip! The Quercus Maximus Bamber Gascoigni! The Epigillus! The Barter Hughius Greenus!

 

With my best buddy by my side, we'd sing! Sing! Sing!

 

[singing]

I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.

I sleep all night and I work all day.

just a step to the left... and a jump to the right!!!

what a weird remix the two songs would make.....

 

i just read through an issue of backpacker, their 2005 gear guide. they had 2 pages of gps reviews, and didn't seem to be bagging on the varied uses for them. they even (gasp!) admitted their mappers used them!!

so, i'm guessing someone is just trying to poke fun....

now about the winsome Vilhelmina, and where are THOSE pics???

[+Savoy 6]

Ah yes, opinions and military medals are like Hemorrhoids, sooner or later every -------

gets one. Sorry if off color, but I've noticed a big change in backpacking and other "outdoor" magazines in the last, oh, 28 years. I bought the first issue of OUTSIDE many years ago. Great reading, now it's like GQ.

 

Ok, so some cachers are geeks. SO WHAT! If I'm a geek, huzza! I'd rather see it as a diverse group than a bunch of elitist prats!I haven't read the news today to see which monarch died and made them king, or queen.

[magellan315]

I finally saw the issue in question. Still not to thrilled with the whole red falg if you do this on a regular basis. But if you read the entire column this person has in the magazine its very tounge in cheek.

[Colonel Mustard]

I think that perfect limestone boulder ought to have a cache under it.

[+Greymane]

I only had to see the "old climbing pal" reference to see the problem. Anyone who has spent a lot of time around hard-core climbers would know that they have no concept of reality and CERTAINLY no basis for judging the mental state of other people. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great people in the climbing world, but I met some freaks as well. Anything that requires significant interaction with something other than rocks and trees is beyond them.

[+The Jester]

I only had to see the "old climbing pal" reference to see the problem. Anyone who has spent a lot of time around hard-core climbers would know that they have no concept of reality and CERTAINLY no basis for judging the mental state of other people. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great people in the climbing world, but I met some freaks as well. Anything that requires significant interaction with something other than rocks and trees is beyond them.

A nice objective opinon. And your 'basis for judging the mental state' of climbers comes from your 'significant interaction' with a computer screen & keyboard, a GPSr, and tupperware? Talk about 'no concept of reality'. It seems geocaching has it's freaks too.

 

The Jester

A climber since 1973, climbing instructor since 1995

A backpacker since a decade or so earlier

A cacher since 2001

[+clearpath]

It seems geocaching has it's freaks too.

 

Oh Yea, there's plenty of them ... and they are all transvestite Frankinstein cross dressers and they love to do the Time Warp (again).

[Old Millironsides]

Backpacker Magazine is very little more than an outdoor fashion rag w/ little information of any value to the backpacking community. Of course, if looking fabulous on the trail is of some importance to you then I would suggest this is the mag for you. As a FORMER subscriber I will continue to get my backpacking information from my own deep woods experience and chatting w/ those of us who love the sport and leave the the coffee table wisdom and GQ tips to the fine folks at Backpacker. By the way, is there anyone who works there that has EVER been to Pennsylvania or the east coast for that matter??? Perhaps they should send some writers to geocache along the Laurel Highland, West Rim, Loyalsock, etc. trails.