Geocaching - Montana Owners Club

Alwims · 10-01-2010, 05:26 AM

I read that some of you do this. I've read all I can find on the subject, but would like to hear from you folks about what you think about it. We are in Uvalde, Texas for 3 months and I'm looking for a new hobby and this sounds like something I might like to look at. Carol, my wife, is a travel nurse and we move every 3 month to different parts of the country. I'm retired/disabled and I'm tired of setting in front on my computer getting fat. I love to fish, but can't do that all the time.

I already do the housework and all the general slave duties

, but semi full timing in a 5th wheel doesn't lend itself to being real hard to keep clean so I have lots of time on my hands while she is working. When she is not working, we go sightseeing, enjoying the local cuisines, etc.

lasater · 10-01-2010, 05:53 AM

Geocaching is one of the most inexpensive hobbies you come up with...except for the cost of the GPS, fuel for your vehicle, 4WD vehicle to get to the off-road locations, etc.

We have found caches in Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, Maryland, Massachusetts, and California. The tokens and trinkets that you leave are strictly nickle and dime and can be picked up in Hobby Lobby, Toys R Us, yard sales, etc. I usually get a good feeling of accomplishment when I am able to locate a cache that has been hidden really well. Some of our most challenging hunts were on Historic US 66.

If you are able to walk reasonably well, I think you will enjoy this hobby. Each cache has a log book for its discoverers to sign. Seeing where all the discoverers are from is quite interesting.

Good luck in your hunts.

footloose · 10-01-2010, 06:07 AM

Please explain a little bit more for those of us who are unenlightened. Can we use the GPS we carry in the truck? Or, do we need a hand-held GPS. Where do you get info about where to look?
Dick and Sharon

8.1al · 10-01-2010, 06:27 AM

If your truck gps has a battery you can use it, just input the coordinates. We did this with our Garmin Nuvi for a while. We now use a Garmin Oregon 300 and like it because it stores all the information about the cache and can record whether or not we found the cache. For some good info go to
www.geocaching.com and look around

Art-n-Marge · 10-01-2010, 08:30 AM

Geochacing is a fast growing sport where you use a GPS for coordinating a search for "treasure" (cache) placed somewhere on Earth (geo) for others to find. The cache can be a small can, item, or bag keeping this "treasure" (trinkets). When geocachers find the cache there is typically a logbook to enter what you left or took. Then you go online to where you got the cache location and post your story for others.

Many caches are away from the road. If you use your vehicle GPS, then your options will be limited to items close to the road unless you are feeling real lucky. It's important you learn to use the LAT/LON function for the hunt since this is the primary method for its location.

I have a handheld Garmin GPSmap 60cx. This thing is amazingly accurate and other than taking several minutes to identify as many satellites as it can (8-10) when it boots, then it works great! I use it for backpacking and it has saved my rump a couple of times (my companions always want to argue with it, but it has won both arguments so far). Since it can zoom in so tightly I anticipate and have been told it is very good at helping find any cache near roads or off roads. I have also played some of the GPS games in the thing but I haven't used it for geocaching yet. It has lots of features to support geocaching and it's time I learned them.

I now have an account with geocaching.com and have downloaded several cache locations in my zipcode in my GPS. Now I just have to get out there as soon as the temperature drops a few degrees - it's been as high as 112 lately.

Being retired I need to find additional hobby and some way to exercise for fun (walking is good and it doesn't have to be flat) and this seems like nice option. It also doesn't seem expensive since I plan to buy a few trinkets to leave or will swap with trinkets already there and I purchased GPS units for other reasons.

Warning - there are two difficulties which have arisen because of this growing popularity. First, it seems environmentalists are becoming concerned because the natural environments are being overrun by geocachers traipsing all over sensitive areas when hiding or looking for caches - trees being gouged out, meadows being flattened, holes being dug, etc. The other problem is that some geocachers are trespassing into private properties. Just a couple of things to consider if you go into this sport.

Play safe and considerate and no one gets hurt, capiche?

Alwims · 10-01-2010, 10:24 AM

Thanks for the replies so far. I only wish I hadn't left my good Lowrance GPS back home in Missouri. I guess my $99 e-trex will have to do for a while, if I can find it amongst this mess. We never realized how big a mess it was going to be, moving to a 5th wheel from a motorhome with the MH having so much basement storage and the Monty not so much. We found out we had way too much stuff in the basements of the MH, but trying to figure out what to leave behind was a nightmare and now we are finding out, (900 miles from home I might add), we left the wrong things home and brought some wrong things. I guess that's the RV life. http://www.geocaching.com/ is where I found a lot of info, also Garmin.com has a few good links.

wingerphil · 10-01-2010, 11:51 AM

your e-trex will do fine. That's all I have ever used for geocaching and love it.

footloose · 10-01-2010, 03:01 PM

Now I understand. Thanks all for the enlightenment. Good luck with your new hobby Alan.
Sharon

Jdrobone · 10-08-2010, 06:10 PM

Tim and Susan turned us on to geocaching while at the Texas rally. Now we've released several "bugs" out into the wild and follow their travels on Geocaching.com
Jerry

PapaBeav · 10-08-2010, 06:38 PM

We too have done a few. Very fascinating sport.

db_engineer · 10-09-2010, 04:15 PM

If you have an Android based phone "there's an app for that" called c-geo. It's free, links to geocaching.com, stores info on the caches, and acts as a hand-held GPS to guide you there.

Haven't searched for any caches yet, but hope to soon.

Fire5er · 10-10-2010, 04:51 AM

We also love geocaching when we are our RVing. We also have made a cache (hide) and love getting emails from those that have found the hide. It is a great hobby for old and young alike as you can select the caches within your ability levels by checking the "ability" and "terrain" levels on the cache page. We have found caches ranging from sidewalk hides to hides that required an hour of hiking and some rock scrambling up a rock slide chute to access the cache. Good luck and have fun geocaching.

timandsusan · 10-17-2010, 08:28 AM

Yes, Geocaching can get you out and about. I have enjoyed sharing our geocaching experience with many MOCers at our Rallys. Hope everyone does it safely and has a blast. We have tried to find at least 1 cache in every state we visit--sounds easy until you try to keep it going! This also includes Canada, England, and Italy. Have Fun.

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