Geocaching?

[bassman]

This topic has been mentioned (briefly) around here a couple times over the last couple of years. I am just curious if anyone else here is into Geocaching? (geocaching.com) I have been a member for a little over a year and find it to be a lot of fun. Plus it’s another reason to put on the hiking shoes and take the dogs for a walk :cool: My user name there is bassman69, if interested ;)

[kenner]

Geocaching is a great way to cut the ties to the pc and TV! I had two teen grandsons who had no great interest in exercise; bought each a gps unit plus snowshoes Since they are competitive, exercise problem or lack thereof was solved. And I don't have to walk the dogs!:)

[sassie05]

Hi Bassman'
We have been doing this for the last year and a half. Great fun! Although our number of finds are not up there, but, it's not about the numbers, right?
We are using a Magellan Sportrack Color with the Map Send Direct Route mapping software, which was expensive but I love it. User name is Triplezzz.
Cache-on!

[bassman]

Hey kenner. Snow shoes? I suppose that means you are not near me. I’m a bit curious kenner??? Your profile says you are 24. Scientifically, I think it is impossible for you to have grandchildren. Any comment?? :D

sassie05, seems like you are a bit closer. Do you ever get to the Santa Rosa area? Lots of caches here.

[kenner]

Thanks for the heads up. Better check the profile. I can read but typing isn't so great.

[kenner]

I don't imagine you do get much snow. We have had plenty this month. Snowshoes for winter, hiking boots for summer. I'd reccommend a lanyard on the GPS; one of the boys dropped his in the snow and spent hours trying to find it! The boys were a present from the daughter as it was her husband's second marriage. The difference in their ages suits them well

[sassie05]

Hi bassman,
We've been close to that area. Did some caching in Petaluma and other places on the way to Dillion beach. We are in the Sacto. area. I had struck up a Geo-relationship with a user of this forum. Name on this forum (PC Guide) was/is Beerbelly. We had each launched a Travel Bug in a cross country race. He is on the East Coast and , of course, we are here on the west coast. Our TB's have not moved too much as a matter of fact mine had been MIA right from the first placement in the largest cache I have ever seen. If you're ever up this way check it out. Cache name: 2-4-34 waypoint 3 GCKYBY. How about some unique caches in your area?:cool:

[bassman]

Hey sassie,
I am familiar with the name beer belly but did not know he was into Geocaching. Sorry to hear that your TB is MIA already. Just one of the pitfalls of this game I guess :rolleyes:
Took a look at the GIANT cache. WOW!!! :eek: I wonder if I could put a TB tag on me and get a free ride cross country :D :p I don’t know if we have anything that unique around here. Lots of “In the woods” type caches though.
We are getting ready to move up to Lake County this spring so I am scouting areas there to place some. I have one in Middle Town now and just adopted one in Clearlake. Search the 95422 zip code.
Might get to the Sac area this summer, so maybe we can get together and you can show us this “Storage unit” of a cache :D ;)

[sassie05]

what a surprise that would be, open a cache and out pops a human TB, "please drop me in the next cache" .

Drop me a PM when you plan on coming this way.

Guess I should have clarified that our TB was found inside that cache and was inside another toy, but, it was missing for a looooong time.
If you're interested in looking at the TB's page go to http://www.geocaching.com/track/
and enter this TB # TBYYHX

OK I got the itch and need to find a cache!

[beerbelly]

Hmmmm, Geocaching? never heard of it.
Just kidding Alan, I've been WAY out of touch, and working on catching up, you'll hear from me.
GEOCACHING ROCKS
Maybe a "geocaching nerds" thread, lol

[johnny_quest]

I've been wanting to try geocaching for a while, they had gps units for rental at Salt Fort state park/lodge in Cambridge Ohio, but they wanted a fortune, like 1/3 of the cost of buying one...

I just bid on a Garmin Etrex Legend on ebay, they can be had for about $100 shipped, seems like a nice unit, we'll see...

[beerbelly]

The Etrex is a nice unit to get your feet wet with. It is enough equipment for checking out the game/sport. You'll find out that any unit will more or less just get you to the area then you must rely on your eyes and common sence.
Well, with wind chills in the single digits here today, I wont be doing any caching.

[sassie05]

Hey beerbelly
We need to catch up but I got to get ready for work I'll write you later!!!!!!!!!!

[bassman]

johnny_quest, be sure to check out the geocaching.com forums. They have a "Garage Sale" section and usually have some nice stuff for a nice price. Stay away from the rest of the main forums though. Just a bunch of opinionated jerks that turn almost every topic into a debate. Find your local forum through there. They tend to stay on topic and a bit more helpful.
I have the Etrex Vista Cx. I love this unit. Only a couple of improvements over the Legend but well worth the extra buck IMHO ;) Another recommendation is to get a unit that has the cable included to connect to comp. Preferably USB

[sassie05]

From the front page of our local newspaper 03-11-2007
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/135965.html

[bassman]

I would really like to read that article but:
Why does this site require registration?

It lets us share general information about our reading audience with advertisers. No individual is identified, just characteristics of the overall audience.

Registration solely for the purpose of advertising data accumulation goes against some of my ideas about internet use. I would rather pay directly for the product then add to a database for ad generation.

[bassman]

I know this is an old thread but I had to bring it up again. I was looking here to get the coords for the giant cache in Sacramento and was able to read the old news article linked by Sassie05. The news article from 3/11 says there were 364,700 caches hidden then.
There are 489935 active caches worldwide.
In the last 7 days, there have been 283070 new logs written by 40148 account holders.
Over 125,000 new caches in 8 months??? :eek: Just curious if we have any new geocachers here now?
Sassie05, we were in Woodland a few weeks ago and the boys and I were planning to go find that monster, but alas, we did not have the time :( Hopefully soon. Lots more caches in Santa Rosa and all over Lake county as well.

[beerbelly]

I don't know about new cachers, but some old ones are still here.

[sassie05]

Hi Beerbelly!
Yup OLD!:eek:

Hey Bassman,
I'll go and look for the coords.

[sassie05]

The big one 2-4-34 (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=2c95daf8-542d-4127-821a-72b7ca4afd06)

Don't forget about GeoWoodstock VI (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=2e7edc5f-1447-4eb0-959d-6c1b15b2d119) :D

We have not been out caching since July.:o
We need to get out more often.

[PtBetsie]

The number of gps units on sale, especially around the holidays, does amaze me. I wonder if people forget how to get to their corner market! GPS units do come in handy though. Our daughter took her older unit to Palestine and used it to mark coordinates when out on her own. She always made it back to camp.

[bassman]

sassie05, thanks. I never seem to remember to book mark that one and need to come back to this thread to find it :rolleyes: As for GoeWoodstock, I am afraid I will be missing that. it is the day before my wifes B-day and the last thing she is going to want to do is go to Sac for geocaching. Sadly, she is not into it at all :(
You have not been out since July???? Oh my, get out there and grab something :D In case you are interested, about an hour and a half from you, in Lake Country, there is a national forest (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=e974249d-765c-4a53-ba14-9d5d6deea259) with quite a few quality caches. This link is to #10, a multi that begins at the park entrance. I have known about these for a while but just got the opportunity (actually took it) to find them. Beautiful place to spend the day caching, hiking, picnicking, and just plain getting out in the woods. There are also quite a few other caches around the lake. Search 95422 zip code.

PtBetsie, I'm with you. I see all the ads for commuter type cars with navigation systems and wonder why? If you can't remember how to get to work, maybe you don't deserve to make enough money to be able to buy a new car :eek: The one that really kills me is the woman driving around her own town doing the holiday shopping and needs to refer to her GPSr to find her beauty salon. ???WTH. "Lady, you should wear that CroMagnon unibrow with pride. It suits you!"
As for hand helds, there are so many uses now, as you pointed out, not getting lost in an unfamiliar place is good ;)

[sassie05]

A vehicle with good ground clearance is recommended.
I think we may need to pass on that cache.
I believe during this coming summer vaca. We will be going to Yosemite and hit up a bunch of caches in, around, to and from. All the years I've lived here and never been to Yosemite.
Been to Clear Lake by accident a long time ago, long story. The '70's were good to me. Must be time to go back and do some caching there.

Yet again another beautiful place I didn't know about until Geocaching brought me here. This to me is what Geocaching is all about.
We have mentioned the same thing on many occasions.
Many interesting places as well.

[bassman]

The vehicle with ground clearance is only necessary to drive to each and every one. Many can be reached with any vehicle on level, smooth dirt roads, then there would be a bit of hiking for a few.

Yosemite sounds fun
the 70's were good to me LMAO :D