Geocaching (1 Viewer)

[sartre]

I was out for a bike ride with my daughter the other day, and when we stopped for a break, she inadvertently spotted a cache. I heard about geocaching, so I realized what the thing was. Needless to say she thought it was really cool, like she had discovered a hidden treasure.

I figure it could be a good way to spend time with her outdoors. Anyone here do this? I did find an old archived thread but not sure if the advice therein is outdated. Do our cell phones nowadays have adequate GPS? Or do I need to buy a more precise instrument?

 

[Ned]

There are a lot of apps out there; like everything else, there are some people that are nuts about it. My wife will take the kids out on geocache hunts every once in a while. They get a kick out of it.

 

[Bucky86]

I use the official geocache app. It's like $10, but works well with phones. You can even download them ahead of time if you're traveling out of country and still use the gps.

 

[ChiefD]

In for more info. My son loves to hike and I would love to hear more about this.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

.

 

[rick6668]

I use the official geocache app. It's like $10, but works well with phones. You can even download them ahead of time if you're traveling out of country and still use the gps.

Go to geocaching.com, create free account and take a look at what's around you.

The app is worth it, my boys love to do this whenever we happen to be in a new place.

App is easy to use. Geocaches are not just for hikes in the woods but in urban areas too.

 

[Quez]

I always throw a crisp hundo in whenever I find one, and leave it for the next geocasher.

 

[shuke]

Someone explain this to me. Is there any actual skill required, or do you have to figure out some type of riddle to find the treasure? Or is there just an app that says "go here"?

 

[gmbacm]

Someone explain this to me. Is there any actual skill required, or do you have to figure out some type of riddle to find the treasure? Or is there just an app that says "go here"?

Basically this, but a bit more involved. Can be off the road, can be a bit of a hike. App will get you close, depending on the accuracy of the coordinates. Once you get close can be a bit of a hunt, kids are into that. Can be a riddle or a clue to go further - hole in a tree, crevice in some rocks etc. Often have little "treasures" inside, which you are supposed to take something and leave something. little toys, keychains, other throwaways.

 

[ydoc]

used to do this a ton....new life and not so much...but it really is a lot of fun...

 

[Otis]

Seems cool. Would try.

 

[togo]

It is fun. Like treasure hunting stuff. When I first found out about it I was like wait there are thousands of these things hidden all over the world, hidden up the street, in the center of town, in the woods right under my nose. It was like someone is playing a trick on me! Had to find them and my kids love it.

The GPS will get you within about 30 feet and then you got to search. Some are easy and some will drive you crazy. You sign and date a log when you find it. The web site keeps Stats of how many you have found and where. Its only been around for about 15 years.

Careful it can be addicting, but it brings you to some neat areas, family activity, silly fun.

 

[avoiding injuries]

How much travel are we talking? Can I do one or two in a day? How long until the ones around me are used up?

 

[rick6668]

How much travel are we talking? Can I do one or two in a day? How long until the ones around me are used up?

Depends on the area. You can go to geocaching.com (it's free to create an account) and look at a map and it will show you all the ones around you.

There are more then you would ever believe. No real travel required.

 

[Guest]

Had a lot of fun doing this with the kids. Visited a lot of out of the the way parks and scenic areas we never would have visited before. 9-10 years later my kids still talk about it.

Did the local ones first just to get an idea of how it worked, then started driving 30-75 miles to make a day trip of hitting the caches in that area. If we visited family farther away, we would hit the caches in that area.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

If I was a serial killer, this is how I'd have the bodies discovered.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

If I was a serial killer, this is how I'd have the bodies discovered.

Would've assumed you'd have used it to attract victims.

 

[shuke]

How much travel are we talking? Can I do one or two in a day? How long until the ones around me are used up?

Depends on the area. You can go to geocaching.com (it's free to create an account) and look at a map and it will show you all the ones around you.

There are more then you would ever believe. No real travel required.

Signed up and there is one in the woods behind our house. So what are we supposed to take to put in there?

 

[leftcoastguy7]

It can be irritating when some #### totally removes the cache.

You spend half an hour looking for something that isn't there anymore.

 

[rick6668]

How much travel are we talking? Can I do one or two in a day? How long until the ones around me are used up?

Depends on the area. You can go to geocaching.com (it's free to create an account) and look at a map and it will show you all the ones around you.

There are more then you would ever believe. No real travel required.

Signed up and there is one in the woods behind our house. So what are we supposed to take to put in there?

Anything really. Small trinket. You don't have to leave anything if you don't take anything. It's mostly for kids to see what's inside and trade. It always a good idea to see when the last time i was found on the app before looking. It could be missing as someone took it.