anybody here into geocaching? ive just started and almost addicted to it!!!! we have quite a few hidden around this area!
My mom started doing this in NY a couple months ago. She got the special GPS for it and everything. I think she's addicted as well! Some days she'll call me and say she's tried 3 different places and couldn't find any, other days she calls and is so excited cause she found all she tried for. The other day she was the "first" to find one, and she said that's the ultimate goal for a geocacher (or whatever it's called). She actually started doing it just to get out of the house and get some excercise, but it's turned into something she really enjoys. We're going up in July and she can't wait to take my son with the eagle eyes with her! He doesn't have much of an attention span though, but maybe if he's looking for something...he's very much into nature and it's surroundings so I think he'll love it.
My family is also addicted. My sons call it treasure hunting. We incorporate it into anywhere we go!! Hubby travels for work and downloads them into his GPS for where ever he is traveling!!! We love the ones that have goodies for the kids... and get frustrated at the ones we cant find. LOL There is one at Lake Benson Park we have looked for several times and cannot find, if anyone finds it, give us a hint!!!
This looks like a lot of fun, but I always assumed you needed special equipment. Can you do this with your regular GPS? Like the Garmin Nuvi I have?
I'm always amazed at the things I learn from the folks on this site. My family has never done any geocaching ... but this looks like something we will have to try this summer I'm sure my son will think this is fun. As always ... thanks for the great ideas & info :hurray:
If you want to take the fun of Geocaching to the next level create a cache of your own. However, do it in your neighbor's backyard (you know the one you don't like). Then sit back and watch the strangers come out and dig up their yard.
Harvey - that is WRONG!!! and funny........ anyway, I don't think you need the geocaching gps to do it, but not sure a regular one will work, you have to put in coordinates. I'm sure my mom wouldn't have bought one if she could have used hers, because she doesn't have a lot of money to spend on extra things, but this is the one and only thing she does for enjoyment in her whole life...You go on the website and get clues to the "treasure", so if you're good at figuring out clues, or want to turn it into a game that way, you can do it without the gps. I think it's just easier with the gps, although sometimes she still doesn't find them, even with it. But I'm not sure she's using it right, I told her we'd try to look at it when we're up there, my hubby's good at things like that.
Most recreational grade GPS units are only going to be accurate to about 10 meters, which means she can be 30 feet away from the exact location (in any direction). I have had this happen to me while geocaching before. Scan the want ads or pawn shops for a used metal detector. Then she can have some real fun and have a better success rate.
There's an app for that... If you have an iPhone you can download the geocaching app. Makes it very easy to search spur of the moment:lol:
Jennifer - I've used my Nuvi before, for geocaching. Was fairly accurate to within a few yards .. then it's up to you to do the treasure hunting. *grin*
