Any fellow geocachers out there??

Kandy4mel
Kandy4mel Posts: 95 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Lately I have been getting into this new hobby known as geocaching. For those of you who are asking what it is let me explain. You basically go on treasure hunts to find the tiniest of finds or to find pretty size ones and ones inbetween. I have noticed that it has been pretty good exercise and it keeps my mind off of boredom eating. Boredom eating is one of my main issues. For those of you who do/have geocache(d) do you do it for fun or incorporate a workout while doing it?

Replies

  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    edited January 2016
    I wear a Fitbit, so hunting for caches is still exercise! If you're into searching, also try http://www.munzee.com More of urban geocaching using your phone to scan QR codes on game pieces.
  • Kandy4mel
    Kandy4mel Posts: 95 Member
    Thanks, I will definitely check that out. :)
  • KennyMarie84
    KennyMarie84 Posts: 18 Member
    My husband and I love to geocache, but haven't been able to recently. I think it can be a great workout and it's fun!
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    great fun!!!
  • LindaBeez
    LindaBeez Posts: 10 Member
    We love it............gets you out exploring new places. Amazing what's in your own backyard. LOL
  • LynZze
    LynZze Posts: 9 Member
    I love Geocaching! My son and I used to go regularly. We live in a rural area in upstate NY so many caches were located in areas that required a hike which was always nice. So much fun!
  • littleb0peep
    littleb0peep Posts: 333 Member
    Me me me!
  • Moxie42
    Moxie42 Posts: 1,400 Member
    YES! My husband and I looove geocaching and it's my favorite way to get activity in on the weekends. We live in the suburbs but not far from several hiking areas, so we scout out hikes to take and map out the routes to the caches. Sometimes we'll even make it a point to pick caches with terrain levels 3-5 for the extra physical challenge. We've also discovered lots of new hikes and walking paths thanks to geocaching. AND it gives us a chance to have quality time together while doing something both healthy and fun. We do urban geocaching too. If we're waiting for something (an oil change, our dog at the vet, etc.) we will take those couple minutes to see if there are any caches in the area- it's not exactly a workout but I suppose it's better than sitting on our butts or getting a snack! :)
  • MarneyGibson
    MarneyGibson Posts: 5 Member
    I've done a few over the last 15 years. One on Kilimanjaro when climbing it, another in France by Pegasus bridge. I went to Spain a few weeks ago and didn't take my gps- then realised there were loads of caches nearby. It's great fun and it's been amazing watching it grow over the years.
  • lesaw01
    lesaw01 Posts: 207 Member
    My husband and I love geocaching too. He loves the hunt but I mainly just like getting outside and hiking the trails that some of them are on. That is actually what got me started trying to shed the pounds, I was getting out of breath climbing up some of the hills. Now he has to work to keep up with me.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    We do it as a family after we got my older parents into it specifically for the exercise. Also helps keep them mentally active.

    Love it.
  • jillebean86
    jillebean86 Posts: 79 Member
    My boyfriend and I love to geocache together - that's what we did on our first date! We've pretty much exhausted all caches near us (so now caching is only for when we travel), but we've started playing Portal - it's like geocaching and capture-the-flag combined. Portals are much closer together than caches, and you have to revisit them frequently to keep claiming them for your team, so we race each other from one to the next, all around town. Lots of fun and as much of a workout as you want it to be.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    I've never done it, but have come across several doing it while I'm biking. I found what I think was a create stash in the way of an ammo box suspended in a tree. I thought it was a game camera until I investigated. When I got close up, the cord was hidden well and the box was 15 or so feet up in the tree. Would have been hard to find for people that didn't look up.

    I'll have to look and see if people do much of it around here. It could lead to a great day of hiking and walking off the beaten path.
  • Kandy4mel
    Kandy4mel Posts: 95 Member
    robertw486 wrote: »
    I've never done it, but have come across several doing it while I'm biking. I found what I think was a create stash in the way of an ammo box suspended in a tree. I thought it was a game camera until I investigated. When I got close up, the cord was hidden well and the box was 15 or so feet up in the tree. Would have been hard to find for people that didn't look up.

    I'll have to look and see if people do much of it around here. It could lead to a great day of hiking and walking off the beaten path.
    You did find a cache. If you check it out again it should have some sort of log in it and you can sign it. some of the bigger caches like that you can trade items. like maybe a business card for a coin for example. If you decide to get into it you can create a free acct at www.geocaching.com to see more caches in your area.

    My boyfriend and I got into this hobby together. I didn't really start to get into it until this last month or so. He has exhausted almost all of them in our area and surrounding areas. I have to catch up. lol. I will have to check into the portals thing. I have not heard of that. Thanks for all the input. I will definitely be checking out the other suggestions as well. Happy caching to you all.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    Kandy4mel wrote: »
    robertw486 wrote: »
    I've never done it, but have come across several doing it while I'm biking. I found what I think was a create stash in the way of an ammo box suspended in a tree. I thought it was a game camera until I investigated. When I got close up, the cord was hidden well and the box was 15 or so feet up in the tree. Would have been hard to find for people that didn't look up.

    I'll have to look and see if people do much of it around here. It could lead to a great day of hiking and walking off the beaten path.
    You did find a cache. If you check it out again it should have some sort of log in it and you can sign it. some of the bigger caches like that you can trade items. like maybe a business card for a coin for example. If you decide to get into it you can create a free acct at www.geocaching.com to see more caches in your area.

    My boyfriend and I got into this hobby together. I didn't really start to get into it until this last month or so. He has exhausted almost all of them in our area and surrounding areas. I have to catch up. lol. I will have to check into the portals thing. I have not heard of that. Thanks for all the input. I will definitely be checking out the other suggestions as well. Happy caching to you all.

    I was fairly sure it was a cache, but didn't bother to lower it since I just happened across it. But if I logged into the site and found the area, I'd find it pretty quick!
  • Kandy4mel
    Kandy4mel Posts: 95 Member
    Thats pretty cool though.
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    I haven't geocached in a couple of years. My dad recently started doing it again because a whole bunch of new ones popped up around my neighborhood. I play Ingress, an augmented reality game you play on your phone that's kind of a combination of urban geocaching and capture the flag. It's easier that geocaching to do on the fly when you're out doing other things.
  • Kandy4mel
    Kandy4mel Posts: 95 Member
    edited January 2016
    interesting. There have been a lot of great suggestions so far.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Waiting for RL Pokemon to hit.. Not sure if that counts as geocaching.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    @Kandy4mel I checked out that site you mentioned and found the location of the cache I stumbled onto. And around here there are freaking loads of them. Everywhere. I had no idea there were so many in the average place. Might make for some fun distraction when I get out biking this summer!
  • Kandy4mel
    Kandy4mel Posts: 95 Member
    edited January 2016
    @robertw486 Yes it can. Might become a new hobby. I had heard other people going geocaching but never quite knew what it was until I looked into it. It can be addicting. I say that because I have gone out almost everyday since right after christmas. However, with this current freezing below zero weather coming I won't go out for awhile, but it definitely can keep you busy. Some caches are winter friendly as well.
  • EternalTruth
    EternalTruth Posts: 491 Member
    I love geocaching and have gotten back into it now that the winter weather is done in my area. I haven't been to one of the group events yet but will be going to one in June.
  • kevin3676
    kevin3676 Posts: 40 Member
    Hi I just started about a month ago!
  • Kandy4mel
    Kandy4mel Posts: 95 Member
    edited June 2016
    Hi guys! Events are fun. @kevin3676 what do you think of geocaching so far? Once you get into it, it gets to be addicting.
  • kevin3676
    kevin3676 Posts: 40 Member
    I love it. I find myself hitting the app wherever I go. I also travel for work and will search then too
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
    So yeah - I think I need to rant just a little:

    The geocachers are all over on the cycling and hiking trails in and near my community - especially when all the colleges and universities are in session. I have talked with a few of them and they explained the object of geocaching to me - sounds like fun. All that I have talked with have been super nice.

    But sometimes (begin rant) I encounter some geocachers that are oblivious of what is going on around them because of their laser focus on finding the next "item." I have seen them jump out of the brush and onto the trail with reckless abandon. When I am going 15+ mph on a fine-gravel trail specifically made for hiking/cycling - we will meet, most definitely, in an unpleasant and surprising fashion. It really *kittens* for both of us.

    Please keep right on public trails
    Stay off of private property unless you have permission first - this is a huge problem!
    Be aware of your surroundings
    Have fun

    I now drive to a much more remote location to cycle the trails and avoid the geocacher crowds - problem solved.

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