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What is Geocaching?

Submitted by King Boreas aka Ian on

Flash Intro-"Geocaching" 
6 minute Movie-"Searching for a cache" 
Basic Info

 

  • Buy or borrow a Global Positioning System receiver. A basic unit is the Garmin eTrex GPS or Magellan GPS 315. Both cost about $100 and can be found at stores such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy or online at http://www.amazon.com
  • Find a cache near you at <http://www.geocaching.com> Enter a ZIP code and the site will list nearby caches. Select a cache, such as "Geocache by Ray" or "Arboretum One" and click on its "details" button. Write down the cache's coordinates and print out the description. Use the online mapping site link at the bottom of the page to get driving directions to the location.
  • While still at home, enter into your GPS receiver the coordinates of the cache as they are listed on the Web site. Coordinates -- such as N 39 degrees 24.661; W degrees 094 14.86 -- describe the latitude and longitude of the site.
  • Follow the driving directions until you can drive no closer to the cache and park your car. Follow the arrow on your GPS receiver as it leads you to the cache. Be aware that heavy tree cover can block the GPS signal. Once you leave your car, it could take anywhere between 15 and 45 minutes to find the cache.
  • The GPS signal will fluctuate once you are within 100 feet of the cache, so from that point on, you're on your own. Check around stumps and under rock and leaf piles. Remember that almost all caches are placed above ground, so no digging!
  • Congratulations! You've found the cache. Take an item, leave an item and record your experience in the logbook. Reseal the cache and put it back exactly the way you found it.
  • When you get home, e-mail the person who hid the cache and let him know you found it. Also, post a description of your experience on the cache's online page at <http://www.geocaching.com
     Have Fun !

    GPS info ... Minnesota Geocaching Association ... Geocaching videos 

    Attachment:etrex.jpg

 

KITCH

RJ is out there...in the area..on his logs...but looks like a can't find to me....

Mon, 03/08/2004 - 1:43 PM Permalink
KITCH

S4xtonM (3:51:19 PM): Fsu noles out here
GarciaSN (3:51:22 PM): lol
GarciaSN (3:51:25 PM): everyone is fucking out there
S4xtonM (3:51:30 PM): And looks like more cachers coming our way
GarciaSN (3:51:46 PM): LOL
S4xtonM (3:51:54 PM): Chix

I know sxton is out with 3, I got a feeling RJ went today was in the area at other caches...and i'm thinking this place got slammed and will all nite....

Mon, 03/08/2004 - 1:59 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

  • starts chanting* "Mosh Pit, Mosh Pit, Mosh Pit!"
  • Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:04 PM Permalink
    KITCH

    FROZEN FOUND IT!!!

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:05 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    frozen?

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:06 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    Darn.... there better be a french token left there when I get to it.....

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:07 PM Permalink
    KITCH

    yep is part of the 3 I was talking about...i don't know who it is...
    s4xton is with them and IM with his sidekick to my buddy silent bob ..who is emailing me and i'm posting here ...so is about what..delay of 3mins or so you'd think...

    but they found it....

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:10 PM Permalink
    KITCH

    15:50. Frozen132 was the first finder. Ran into a ton of people out here. I came with Tixer and Frozen, and ran into FSU Noles and his friend. Later we met Goldie who was here previously as well. I was *inside* the clue for a bit... Frozen searching the outside of it... I left for a bit and Frozen rechecked the area I stepped around and sure enough... Yells out and holds the pouch over his head. Honestly I walked right past this yesterday too... And there were fresh footsteps here right around the clue area. We were only out here about 15 minutes searching. I will upload photos soon. TFTC.

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:11 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    haha, now the non-medallion hunting geocachers know how we are ;)

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:22 PM Permalink
    KITCH

    no kidding...

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:29 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    I wonder if I should go get it tonight anyways, beat the rush of people, maybe find some bit of something good in the cache...

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:37 PM Permalink
    KITCH

    4 people are there right now...doubt it...

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 2:54 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    doh... well at least it'd be a good one to log.... but today? nah.. guess I can wait for it now that the big prize is gone.

    I keep getting thwarted on FTFs and things like this because I actually have to go to work, can't just take off on a whim. The medallion hunt is a once a year thing though, this stuff comes up more often.

    Oh well, I try for what I can, I was never one for bragging rights anyways.

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 3:02 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    hey I was thinking... Easter is coming up in a month or so, anyone heard any mention of having an easter egg hunt themed event cache? MMM's post on the mock hunt just made me think of it.

    Mon, 03/08/2004 - 3:26 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN
    King Boreas aka Ian

    That's cool as hell. Are there limits? I bookmarked it before, but never got to play with it.

    Wed, 03/10/2004 - 4:38 PM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    do you have to convert the coordinates ?

    Wed, 03/10/2004 - 4:53 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    I haven't run into a limit yet, but I'm sure it's possible to do, probably limited by the website address size. Even if you could only post 6 to a dozen spots on it, seems like useful info to me.

    Yeah you have to convert the coordinates, but I've gotten used to having to do that anyways (the etrex I borrowed from work is set up to use the decimal coordinates, I didn't want to monkey around changing things on it, in case I lose some important info)

    Wed, 03/10/2004 - 9:31 PM Permalink
    Clue Master

    Cool link KC. To save space you can simply use
    < a href="link"> (loose the space before 'a')

    Wed, 03/10/2004 - 11:24 PM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    Hey gang,

    My father has just joyfully informed me that he has bought a brand new GPSMap 60CS and is looking to dump his Garmin GPS III+ for $90 to $100 which is apparently what it is going for on Ebay. It will include all the cables, manual, original box, etc.

    Info on the GPS III+ is here:

    http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsIIIp/

    This particular GPS is in 100% working order (verified as of 2/22/2004 by ME (Silent Bob).

    If you are interested send me a private message
    Let Ian knowThanks guys.

    Silent Bob

    Thu, 03/11/2004 - 11:56 AM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    Woohoo! Thar be some real treasure maytes.

    The loot

    Attachment
    Thu, 03/11/2004 - 10:51 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    and a closeup of the loot

    Found tre-sure2 at about 7:15 pm Thursday evening. Only wish I had brought better stuff to trade, I might have to go back and drop off something just to keep this cache in good standing, but I don't think that was ringbone's intention...

    Thu, 03/11/2004 - 10:51 PM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    I didn't even know about it.

    I missed out on the geo-coin too. Had two chances:

    4:30 am today

    11:30 am today

    didn't stop either time.

    Tue, 03/16/2004 - 4:27 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    d'oh!

    I don't suppose there's an easy way to run a search on what caches have geocoins in them?

    I guess I can't be too upset, I had 3 days before hand had I checked that cache to go get it, though murphy's law woulda gotten me then.

    BTW I stopped and got Boreas Rex V on my way home, though I'll probably revisit in the day time to get a better photo (need to remember to bring my camera with the flash for night hunts). Guess I just had the geocaching bug in me today after finding tre-sure 3 this morning.

    Tue, 03/16/2004 - 6:43 PM Permalink
    KITCH

    I got a FTF here in 'BAMA....I'm still pumped about that...1045 miles from home and got a FTF....

    Tue, 03/16/2004 - 7:03 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    Wow, that's cool Kitch! One of these days I'll manage to get one, maybe when I'm out in washington on vacation.

    Tue, 03/16/2004 - 7:11 PM Permalink
    mrmnmikey

    sorry, I'm ignorant

    Thu, 03/18/2004 - 6:25 AM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    FTF is First To Find, basically when a new cache is hid, you're the first person to find it.

    Thu, 03/18/2004 - 7:16 AM Permalink
    mrmnmikey

    k, thanks KC

    Thu, 03/18/2004 - 7:56 AM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    this one a joke Ian?

    Formula 409

    says it was approved by the cleaner. Maybe just mtn-man?

    Thu, 03/18/2004 - 12:23 PM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    It's a puzzle one that I couldn't work out. It's for real. I put the approval line on there. There's a park in Maplewood that is .409 and .409

    That area is right off the Gateway Trail and too exposed so I gave up on it. Since I had the graphics and everything I just went ahead with it.

    Thu, 03/18/2004 - 3:11 PM Permalink
    Clue Master

    Wow! That cache hasn't been there for awhile now. Man I wish I had the time to hit those off-the-beatin-path type caches again. Maybe try a few quickies this weekend to get back into it.

    And then try a little geocaching as well. ::snicker snicker::

    Fri, 03/19/2004 - 12:47 AM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    Heh Heh Heh

    I'm going there this morning to put out a couple caches. I said I wasn't going to be driving all over, using up gas money, but I find other things to do at the same time, so it's justified.

    Fri, 03/19/2004 - 3:04 AM Permalink
    ThoseMedallingKids

    It's Justified...

    Fri, 03/19/2004 - 10:00 AM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    So with all the super geocachers out of town this weekend attending that midwest competition, I'm thinking it'll be a good weekend to get some goals done. One, get a FTF (would be easy to do this weekend) two, get my 50th find, I'm only 16 away as it stands... might be more of a stretch, but doable.

    Fri, 03/19/2004 - 1:12 PM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    2 Newport caches submitted, 1 Mounds cache submitted, 1 Lilydale cache submitted

    I had a fun morning

    Fri, 03/19/2004 - 7:57 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    Sounds like it Ian, I don't see any of them up yet, so I got good odds of getting at least one FTF tomorrow.

    How's this for bad luck at nabbing a geocoin? I saw this cache goign through looking for travelbugs, noticed a geocoin was in it, and it hadn't been visited since november. So I thought maybe I had a chance at one finally, even put the cache on my todo list for tomorrow. Then along comes S4xton outta nowhere and nabs it. And here I thought I was safe this weekend with the supercachers bein out of town.

    http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=ce4e9ef0-0fc5-42a1-b450-8a219f2263ac

    Fri, 03/19/2004 - 10:40 PM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    Oh man, what a pisser. I've seen some of the coins, and actually grabbed one once, but there aren't a lot of them "just sitting around"

    Sat, 03/20/2004 - 7:03 AM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    got a lead on one for today, but to get it, I gotta drive way across town, and hope it's there. I guess I can get some other caches in the same area, make the trip worthwhile.

    Sat, 03/20/2004 - 9:00 AM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    Hey Ian,

    I got the Dave Wakefield cache today, and it was completely soaked (the ziplock baggie was full of water, so was the tin). Hope ya don't mind, I took it home with me (didn't have time to sit and let the contents dry out). It's close by home for me, and I'll drop it back of tomorrow when dry, I posted my find on gc.com and let people know it's not there at the moment. When I get it back out, I'll post another note.

    8 caches today, and I got a geocoin. Hadta drive clear over to Maple Grove to get it though.

    Sat, 03/20/2004 - 10:12 PM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    Good job ... and THANKS for finding the Gervais Mill cache !

    The previous four people have found a total of 2250 caches, and they couldn't find it. Actually I'm pretty proud of that hide.

    I appreciate the help with the Dave Wakefield cache:

    http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=89088

    Sun, 03/21/2004 - 2:20 AM Permalink
    Clue Master

    Boy KC - When you get into something you really get into it. Good job finding them and happy hunting. I just wish I had the time.

    Sun, 03/21/2004 - 12:10 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    Boy KC - When you get into something you really get into it.

    Guess I'm bored some days. Now if only they'd ship my Rino 130 so I could stop having to borrow the work GPS. I got an email saying I should receive it by the end of the month, hoping I do, because I need it for my Washington trip.

    Sun, 03/21/2004 - 2:27 PM Permalink
    KC0GRN

    Okay Ian, I put the Dave Wakefield Park cache back secure and safe in it's location. Also included a CITO trash bag canister (interesting idea from another geocacher, use an old film canister, roll up a plastic grocery bag, stick it in the film can, and you got a nice portable way to bring a bag with you for any CITOing that needs doing) and a coupon for a free game of bowling (when you buy one) at maplewood lanes, which is very nearby. And a big bonus, I placed the geocoin I got this weekend in the cache. I haven't posted a note on the site yet, if you're interested in grabbing the geocoin.

    Sun, 03/21/2004 - 10:15 PM Permalink
    Clue Master

    Geo-

    Mon, 03/22/2004 - 1:30 AM Permalink
    Clue Master

    -Goe

    Mon, 03/22/2004 - 1:30 AM Permalink
    King Boreas aka Ian

    I can go get the coin on Wednesday.

    Mon, 03/22/2004 - 3:03 AM Permalink