Geocaching, et al.

GardenerOfStars · Post by **GardenerOfStars** » July 8th, 2013, 11:48 am

ashleighjane, I was thinking the same thing...

Guess it's time to check out geocaching apps

Any recommendations from the experienced cachers?

Thank you,

Rebecca

Post by **TriciaG** » July 8th, 2013, 11:50 am

I'm not really an expert, but...

We use c:geo. It isn't "legal" because it doesn't use the official Geocaching API, but it can't - it's open source, and as such, its code must be freely available. If it used the official Geocaching API, that information would be freely available and open to everyone... so it's pretty much stuck being "illegal."

It's free; the official geocaching.com smartphone app is something like $10.

Post by **TriciaG** » July 8th, 2013, 11:57 am

Some tips for newbies (aka, how to avoid faux pas that experienced Geocachers hate):

- Be sure to sign the paper log. It's your official proof that you found the cache.
- If you take a "trackable" item, be sure to correctly log it! When in doubt, don't take anything that has a tracking code on it until you know what you're doing.

- Log your "DNFs" (your "did not finds") - even if you feel stupid about it. You can put in the log that you're new and probably are just blind. But if you don't log the DNF, and NO one logs their DNF, it could prevent a flag that something IS wrong with the cache.

Some cardinal sins of Geocaching:
- Logging a find that you didn't actually find. (Trying hard does not = "I deserve to say I found it")
- Assuming the cache isn't there if you cannot find it, and "replacing" it with one of your own. Always assume it's there and that you're just not seeing it.

Hazel Pethig · Post by **Hazel Pethig** » July 19th, 2013, 8:38 am

I got my hands on a car for a week and have spent part of the time searching for caches. Last night I got to do one of my favourite things, cycling on the Trans Canada Trail to find caches. I drove to a section of trail I hadn't done before and spend 2 1/2 hours there. In all that time I saw only one other family. But I did see two cats, three bunnies, three deer, and a bear. More my kind of traffic anyway. I found 14 yesterday and tomorrow my daughter and I are going to a car free island to pick up all the ones there.
-Hazel

Post by **TriciaG** » July 19th, 2013, 8:40 am

You're a caching machine!

We haven't been out at all this week. It's been too hot and humid; it's just not enjoyable out there.

There are a lot of caches that are hidden in a lot of undergrowth (grasses, etc.) that we'll probably put off until at least first frost, when the plants die back and the bugs go into hibernation. I've had more mosquito bites in the past month than... okay, than since the last time we went camping.

praChirp · Post by **praChirp** » November 2nd, 2013, 12:29 am

I am as infrequent a cacher as I am a librivoxer. But looking back I am proud of both my logs and recordings. Thanks for the idea to leave librivox CDs!
-Prachi

J_N · Post by **J_N** » November 2nd, 2013, 11:06 am

I don't geocache but I occasionally go out to look for munzees or just log them en route

Hazel Pethig · Post by **Hazel Pethig** » November 2nd, 2013, 11:44 am

I've looked at the munzee thing but I'm not too happy with the commercialism of it. I prefer the ad free variety of caching. Two weekends ago I went camping off a logging road and started on a power trail. I ended up with 75 total before an injury sidelined me. I had a great time though, camping all alone out in the middle of nowhere was fantastic! It's not too often I get that much time all to myself.

Post by **TriciaG** » November 2nd, 2013, 11:56 am

Looks like there's one Munzee in my town.

I've never done a power trail . . . yet. I'd like to try one in my lifetime!

So far I've placed two caches and found 129. I've got one more placement in the works: this one a puzzle of sorts. Cachers need to walk through town, find the signs I have pictured in the listing, and put them in order to get the final coords. It should be easy enough for kids to help their parents with, yet challenging enough for adults to enjoy, too.

Post by **MaryAnnSpiegel** » September 8th, 2020, 8:37 am

[Bump]

After hearing Tricia talk about geocaching for years, I finally signed up and found my first cache last night. It was simple and fun! And I can't wait to finish finding the rest that are close by!

MaryAnn

Bookworm360 · Post by **Bookworm360** » September 8th, 2020, 11:42 am

I did it when I was younger, but it doesn’t exist where I am in Middle-Earth.

Sounds fun though, and next time I visit earth and know how, I will.

Post by **TriciaG** » September 8th, 2020, 12:03 pm

We did 1 cache Sunday after church, 11 caches yesterday. I've got a bunch of ant bites/stings on my right shoulder/chest area from one particularly active ant on Sunday.

Other than that and going past my physical and emotional limit slogging to the last cache yesterday (I let loose my tongue and said what I thought of bushwhacking, waist-high plants, and soft, muddy ground), it was an enjoyable geocaching weekend. LOL! Amazingly, the mosquitoes were not at all bothersome yesterday. They would have added to my misery at that last cache stop.

Two of them were gadget caches, where you have to figure out how to get to the log to sign it. One of them was quite a puzzler - couldn't get the little log tube out of its bed for anything - until I realized it was a dummy, and I was holding the log in my hand almost the whole time!

Post by **MaryAnnSpiegel** » September 8th, 2020, 5:00 pm

Oh my Tricia, all that sounds above my level at this point. I'm looking for the easy ones to start with ...

Post by **TriciaG** » September 8th, 2020, 5:03 pm

Ha! Sorry for scaring ya.

For the record, I use c:geo (android app). It doesn't have the same limitations as the "official" app for basic members. (The "official" app doesn't show you geocaches with terrain or difficulty higher than 2, and I think you only see "traditional" caches and not multi-stage caches or other varieties.) If you do get addicted, I'd recommend trying c:geo.