Adventures In Geocaching

I Got A New GPS...But It's A TomTom One

2010-03-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

Since I began caching, I have been finding caches using a Magellan Explorist 100 as my GPSr. For those who don't know (and therefore are not already laughing hysterically at me), the Explorist 100 is the lowest of the low-end GPS receivers out there. I mean, we're talking NO ROADMAPS, NO COLOR, and absolutely NO COMPUTER CONNECTIVITY. Not so much as a USB slot on this thing. What this means:

1) All POIs must be entered manually. No exceptions.

2) Since there are no roadmaps, the only way to tell where you are is by where you've been.

3) Forget updating this thing. No computer connectivity means what you see is what you get. Forever.

So, you can imagine my excitement when my sister-in-law gave me her GPSr as a gift this past Christmas. I couldn't hold back a squeal of pure joy as I unwrapped my new gift. Dreams of geocaching filled my head. Unfortunately, my new GPSr is a TomTom One. This is a GPSr designed solely for road navigation. There is no "coordinate view" where you can see your location as a GPS coordinate updating in real time. This makes geocaching with this model difficult if not impossible.

Rats.

Nearing 200 Finds

2009-08-20T20:55:00.001-07:00

At the time of this entry, I have 197 finds on GC.com. It has taken me nearly 2 years to get this far. My first find was on 10/11/07.

There are some cachers who find 200 caches in a few months. Maybe even a few weeks. Then again, most of those folks are either retired and thus have way too much free time, or are just complete geocaching freaks. I am not retired nor am I a geocaching freak. You can feel free to debate the latter if you choose.

In any case, I am trying to decide what cache should be my #200. It has to match the awesomeness of the #200 distinction. It should be difficult. Well, more difficult than normal. A really hard puzzle cache? A long and drawn out multi-stage? Decisions, decisions.

Perhaps it should be a cache that carries its own distinctive qualities. The cache that immediately comes to mind is Beverly (GC28). Hidden on 5/13/00. That's right. It's almost 10 years old and it's still active. Many cachers will travel from afar to reach Beverly as if they were participating in some sort of religious pilgrimage. Should I make the journey?

I live right next to one of the oldest caches in the state, Burlington Creek (GC1B3). That was like the #3 cache that I found. I'm just not sure what to do.

Any suggestions?

The Spirit Of Caching

2009-06-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when I tell others about my awesome hobby of geocaching, I think they become confused (understandably). I can see the neurons firing as they think, "Why would you want to go look for tupperware containers hidden in the woods?"

It is a valid question, but it is the wrong question. What the non-cacher does not (cannot) realize is that geocaching, as a multi-sensory, spiritual experience, is a lot more than "looking for tupperware containers hidden in the woods". To be sure, there are cache hunts that are more mundane, statistics-driven, or even boring. Those are the caches that we geocachers are willing to tolerate while we wait for the next really special cache.

No, the spirit of geocaching is embodied by the much greather idea that one can find excitement in the banality of non-descript, soulless, and ordinary locales. The idea that you need not look any further than your own backyard for an adventure. This concept that we can somehow peel away the veil of our existence and find something that is hidden and wonderful.

I think I would have liked to go geocaching with H.P. Lovecraft who once wrote, "Pleasure to me is wonder--the unexplored, the unexpected, the thing that is hidden...."

I Pine For The Evergreen State

2009-03-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

I visited Seattle at the end of February for work-related stuff. I thought to myself, how could I pass up this excellent opportunity to go geocaching. Well, reality fell short of my dreams, as it often does . I was able to go geocaching, but not, say, on the top of a mountain like I was somehow hoping.

We arrived in the late afternoon and got checked in to our hotel by dinner time. Looming in the distance was Mount Rainier, snow-capped majesty. However, the mountain taunted me instead of inspiring me. It was seemingly close enough to climb, when in fact it was a two-hour drive to the base.

The realization that I would not have an opportunity to experience Rainier up-close was slowly setting in. Instead, I decided to find caches within walking distance of my hotel. Here are the ones that were closest.

Pain In The Nuts (GC1M195)
Tigger's Lair (GCH4TZ)
Fantastic 512 Fun!!! (GC1D8Z9)

I woke up early one morning and set out to find Pain In The Nuts. GZ was on the side of a highway entry ramp where there was a wooded area blocked by two perpendicular, large fences. My GPSr brought me right up to one of the fences. Ah, I thought, it's one of these caches. You know, the ones where you're not sure on which side the cache is located. However, to give up on this side of the fence would mean having to scale it. I wasn't prepared for that. I searched everywhere on my side of the fence and found nothing. As I stared at this impenetrable 10 ft. wall, it seemed that the infinitely larger Mt. Rainier mocked me even more. I had to walk away because it was almost work time. *Sigh*

The next day, I found time in the evening to try for the other caches. I jogged in the direction of Fantastic 512 Fun!!! (yes, it really does have "!!!" in the title). The cache is near the parking lot of the South Hill Mall. Lots of movie theater-goers were walking around, so I had to use some stealth. I located the cache beneath a tree about 25 ft. from the big South Hill Mall sign. Ammo can. Sweet! My first find in the state of Washington! I wasn't getting skunked on this trip!

My success prompted me to keep caching. By now, the skies had opened and the rain was drizzling. I didn't care. I began walking toward Tigger's Lair. It was a solid 0.6 mi. as-the-crow-flies from my current position. So I knew I was in for a good .75 mi. hike. The shortest walking route to the cache was kind of...precarious. I had to walk on the side of a highway exit ramp (walking against the flow of traffic) at the top of a very, very steep and rocky slope. Once I traversed that, I came to a large tree near a CostCo Wholesale. This, I assumed, was Tigger's Lair (because Tigger lives in a tree). The tree is HUGE. In one of the holes in the trunk, I found a plastic container. WAHOO! Cache #2! I was so excited.

So excited, in fact, that I returned to my hotel shortly thereafter, logged on to the hotel's computer, and logged my finds right then.

It was a good trip. :)

Hibernation

2009-02-14T22:33:00.000-08:00

I have gone into a state of caching hibernation. Cold temperatures have caused me to put down that GPSr and pick up a hot cup of cocoa and a good book. I didn't do any caching for the last half of December. And I didn't go caching AT ALL in January. If you're like me, snowfall is a significant deterrent to going bushwhacking in the woods. I was certainly more "gung ho" about winter caching last year, before the novelty of geocaching had even begun to wear off.

What I need right now is something to really look forward to. Something that would really get me excited about donning multiple layers of clothing, boots, and a pair of gloves, in order to seek out a plastic container buried in snow. And on Monday, I found that something. Next weekend, I am headed to Seattle, WA! That's right, my work is sending me to the West Coast. Time to blow the dust off that GPSr and open up that GSAK account. I've never been anywhere near Seattle before, so when my work asked me if I wanted to go, I didn't really think twice about it.

In any case, I'm looking forward to being able to add "Washington" to the list of "States I've Cached In" on my GC.com profile. I'll post some pics!

ABC's Lost

2009-01-21T05:42:00.000-08:00

"It wasn't a dream, it was a memory."

What does this mean? Can you tell that I am anxiously awaiting the Lost premiere tonight?

Cache For Christ?

2008-12-16T05:16:00.000-08:00

I traveled to DeKalb, IL this past weekend for work. Naturally, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to go geocaching in an unfamiliar place. Of course, if you're not familiar with DeKalb, you should know that the cache density (caches per square mile) in DeKalb is considerably lower than in the Chicago burbs. As a result, there was only one cache within a mile of where I would be working.

It was called Cache At The Cross (GC170K3). It was placed on the property of United Pentecostal Church of DeKalb, and the pastor is aware of its presence. I found the cache without issue, but finding it did cause me to think about geocaching.com's "no solicitation" rule for cache listings.

The rule states that "caches perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are not permitted". Now, I do not think that this cache was placed for the sole purpose of encouraging people to go to United Pentecostal Church. However, I did notice that the underside of the lid has a list of the church's service times. I don't really have a problem with this, but it just seems like this cache occupies a gray area with regard to the "no solicitation" rule.

Cold Caching

2008-12-11T22:12:00.000-08:00

Winter in Chicago is not always conducive to caching. There have been days when I have wanted to go out and grab a few hides...and then I look out the window. A thick blanket of snow not only indicates that it is ridiculously cold outside, but also that finding a cache may potentially require digging through the snow. Now, on these frosty, frigid days, I have on occasion decided to bundle up and brave the blizzard. However, I usually release a deep sigh, shut the blinds, flip on the TV, and turn the thermostat up a couple notches.

On the other hand, I do believe that winter caching can be sometimes be one of the most rewarding caching experiences. This is especially true in forest preserves after a heavy snowfall. When you find yourself in this situation, be sure to have your $2000 camera (which I don't have) in hand. It's beautiful. And it's an experience you won't find in, say, Arizona (as unique and cool as that was).

Any seasoned cacher will tell you that finding a cache is only 50% of the fun (some will say even less). They will tell you that the journey is sometimes the best part. I agree that the journey is sometimes the best part. After all, you may arrive at the cache location and be unable to find it. You may search for an hour (if you're extremely patient) and come away empty-handed. However, no one and nothing can take away the adventure upon which you embarked when you set out to find the cache. In that respect, you always win (unless, of course, the "adventure" upon which you embarked was almost unbearably dull, boring, and pointless).

Caching In Arizona

2008-12-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

At the end of November, I traveled to Phoenix, AZ for work. Of course, I had to grab a cache or two. So, I woke up early on Day 1 and went to find Fast Food Frenzy #7 (GC16508) and Fast Food Frenzy #8 (GC168VZ). Unfortunately, I couldn't find either of them! My Arizona geocaching experience, I decided, wasn't off to a very good start.

I decided to jog south to Got Balls? (GC1CY4Z) in order to redeem myself. I couldn't find that one either! Now I was just frustrated. I began to think I would not find a single cache during my entire stay in Arizona! I ran out of time to search for the day, but I vowed not to leave the state without grabbing a find.

Two days later, I found a chance to go caching again. I jogged a couple miles from my hotel to South Mountain in an attempt to find Desert Classic MTB at South Mountain (GCMM3X). What an incredible search! The desert was beautiful and extremely hot! I found the cache about 15ft off the nearby mountain biking trail. Here are pics.

It was so much fun. But the fun didn't stop there. I also got the chance to take a couple of my co-workers on a cache hunt. One of them had never been geocaching before! We were going for Lost Childhood (GCE9C4). We found it! We had to climb a small mountain to get to it, but we found it! Here are pics.

My Geocaching Experience (Thus Far)

2008-12-03T21:57:00.000-08:00

I first learned of geocaching in March 2006 when a few of my college friends told me about their latest finds. Immediately, I was intrigued by the idea of a global "treasure hunt", and wanted to learn more. Being a college student, I lacked a lot of disposable income, so I couldn't afford (or so I thought) a GPS receiver. Eventually, I forgot about geocaching. It wasn't until I was approached again by my geocaching friends in the summer of 2007 that I started really thinking about becoming a geocacher.

Conveniently, I had by this time developed an acute interest in buying and selling on eBay. So I decided to place some bids on some really low-end GPS receivers. I won a bid for a Magellan Explorist 100 for $70 (I would later learn that I could've gotten it for $50). When it arrived several days later, I loaded it with two AA batteries and immediately set out to find my first geocache! I had located the nearest listing prior to receiving my GPSr, so I knew exactly where I was going--about .25 mi. from my house! I strolled down to the park near my house around 10:00pm, GPSr in hand. I also brought a headlamp. Upon reaching GZ, I saw a nice little picnic table overlooking a very serene, manmade pond. It was very peaceful. Appropriately, the name of the cache was "Peace And Quiet".

When I first laid eyes on the cache, I was so incredibly excited. I was so giddy that I began to laugh aloud (by myself in the dark), and it was that excitement that lead to my decision to make geocaching my newest hobby.

Fast forward to today. I have now been geocaching for nearly 14 months. As of today, I have found a total of 178 geocaches. I have found all kinds of geocaches. Big, small (some no bigger than a thumbnail), some were obvious, others were incredibly well-camouflaged. It has been so much fun. I live in Illinois, and most of my finds have been in my home state. However, I have found geocaches in Michigan and Arizona as well.

Geocaching in unfamiliar areas can often be the most rewarding experiences. They are rewarding because they bring you to locations that are not only unique to you, but are often also unique in their own right. Imagine how thrilled I was (being from boring, flat Illinois) to go geocaching in the Arizona desert! It was beautiful!

Now you know a little bit about how I started geocaching and my experiences thus far. I will be posting pictures of my latest geo-adventures as well as entries that describe what I've been up to. Feel free to post comments!

A Blog About Geocaching

2008-11-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start blogging about my geocaching adventures. I've become a pretty avid geocacher, and thought it would be fun to start writing about and sharing my experiences. Here we go.