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What is Geocaching?

Submitted by King Boreas aka Ian on
Forums
All About Geocaching

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

who's diggin4 ??

Mon, 04/26/2004 - 1:27 PM Permalink
THX 1138



diggin4_it_again I think is the username here at the cooler.

They medallion hunt as well.

Mon, 04/26/2004 - 2:47 PM Permalink
Frosti

diggin_4_it had the finding nemo avatar. i think it was a mother/daughter team, and the daughter was pregnant.

Mon, 04/26/2004 - 3:49 PM Permalink
THX 1138



Well, the boys found the Sculptures & Vultures cache!

It as fun. They were all excited when they found it.

They had wished we could find more.

I'll log it when I get a chance.

Mon, 04/26/2004 - 5:45 PM Permalink
KITCH

OK..sorry gang...I didn't go with the RINO130...I just bought an 60C instead...

Thu, 04/29/2004 - 4:19 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

Bummer, I don't know another rino 130 user. Oh well.

Hey Ian, Doink is now in the Project APE cache! I got pics, but can't post them till I get back on Monday.

I managed to drop off all my travel bugs out here, sadly got none for the return trip (even made a special stop to get one that someone put in a cache for me, they had left a note to tell other visitors to leave it there, but when I got to the cache, all I found was half of the note).

Only got about half the caches I wanted to get, tough to do geocaching with a group of people uninterested in the sport though.

Did get in some amazing hikes and views though, the caches out here are amazing! A few months here and I'd be in great physical shape.

See ya in a few.

Fri, 04/30/2004 - 5:05 PM Permalink
KITCH

ya but now I gotta play the waiting game now on the 60c...the place i ordered it from is on backorder...

damn it

Sat, 05/01/2004 - 1:23 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

been there done that on the waiting game. Sucks..

Mon, 05/03/2004 - 9:00 PM Permalink
KITCH

at least i have a gps...to use that i'm not selling until i get the 60c

Tue, 05/04/2004 - 9:40 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

Found a new software tool while I was out in washington. A guy out there showed it to me, and it fit one need I really wanted, satellite photos from terraserver, and as you scroll aross them with your mouse, it gives you the decimal GPS coordinates your mouse pointer is on.

http://jdmcox.com/

it's called USA photo maps

Wed, 05/05/2004 - 8:26 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

Didn't get much geocaching in today, car needs brake work done, so I didn't want to drive around. Did make it to Battle Creek however.

As you can see, I've been playing with that program I posted a link for, you can upload your gpsr's tracks and overlay them on a satellite photo. Think I just found a nice new way to map park trails. Good info for the Medallion Hunt next year?

Attachment
battlecreekwalk.jpg
Sat, 05/08/2004 - 9:48 PM Permalink
Frosti

Could show how lost a person really was!

Sat, 05/08/2004 - 10:06 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

Perry Park

want a hint ?

Sun, 05/09/2004 - 3:24 PM Permalink
Frosti

No problem! Happy first mother's day!

Sun, 05/09/2004 - 4:33 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

lol it's alright diggin4it. I just happen to have a small digital camera (about the size of a thick pen cut in half) that's easy to tote around everywhere. I read your log before I wnet, but forgot it, then got scared there half a second, before remembering your log. Had a good laugh by that point. Did you see that picture I posted of my tracks? You can basically see the path I took around Battle Creek on Saturday.

Mon, 05/10/2004 - 7:11 AM Permalink
KITCH

The 60C is shipped I'll have it MONDAY!! ...Anybody want to buy a used SporTrak MAP??? Let me know...its good enough to help me find over 170 caches....

Tue, 05/11/2004 - 10:20 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

Can't say as I need one myself, but how much are you askin? in case I want to do an impulse sorta buy or something.

Tue, 05/11/2004 - 12:50 PM Permalink
KITCH

80 bucks...with the pc cable and book.
I paid 200 for it.

Tue, 05/11/2004 - 1:41 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

Hmmm... Actually wondering about getting it for my mom, her birthday is coming up, and she seemed interested in geocaching. Price is doable anyways. Not to mention I could borrow it if I ever needed a backup....

I'm assuming you're not looking at handing it over until you get yours on Monday?

Tue, 05/11/2004 - 1:57 PM Permalink
KITCH

I would...
But it would be could be tricky to hook up with me....

I won't be able to cache this weekend and I have a GARMIN III+ that I'm using on the side.(giving to my dad this weekend) His b-day present and he's 80!

Tue, 05/11/2004 - 3:30 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

Well as long as it's still up for grabs, I'll buy it. The more I think of it, the better gift it seems to be (as I can't think of anything else to get her anyways). Lotta people gettin GPSrs for Bdaygifts it seems.

When's a good time to meet up?

Tue, 05/11/2004 - 9:28 PM Permalink
KITCH

egramming ya

Tue, 05/11/2004 - 9:42 PM Permalink
KITCH

If you need any help with the sportrak ...let me know....

I might be able to help....

also rino130 no software updates on it..

Thu, 05/13/2004 - 1:03 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

thanks for checkin that out for me. So far so good on the sporttrak, definately a bit different of an interface than a garmin, but I'll have it figured out by the time I hand it over to my mom.

Thu, 05/13/2004 - 1:54 PM Permalink
KITCH

I know what you mean...its kinda like going from a MAC to Windows...

Alot alike but just not the same.

Thu, 05/13/2004 - 7:07 PM Permalink
Frosti

That's kinda creepy!

Mon, 05/17/2004 - 9:51 AM Permalink
KITCH

got my 60c today..

I'm sure I'll get in a car accident going back to work...

:)

Mon, 05/17/2004 - 10:04 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

I'm sure I'll get in a car accident going back to work...

Make sure you get the waypoint at the scene.

Or you could just get a speeding ticket and get that locationless cache that way....

Mon, 05/17/2004 - 10:14 AM Permalink
KITCH

But I still can't figure out how to delete a "goto" waypoint...I was wondering why it was telling me to go East to SuperAmerica.

Mon, 05/17/2004 - 10:43 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

on my Rino 130 the navigation screen options has one for stop navigation, that stops the goto for mine.

Mon, 05/17/2004 - 9:18 PM Permalink
KITCH

wow...i'm almost got everything I think I need...

I got the 60C, ExpertGps, headlamp, sony clie (paperless).

now I need the maps for the 60c and a HIPTOP.

But I'll never be able to talk the wife into the hiptop.

I honestly think this 60c is the last GPS I'll need for years

Tue, 05/18/2004 - 7:35 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

I still gotta get a headlamp. What kind do you have/reccomend?

Had my eye on one of the LED style ones, someone mentioned the Aurora model from some company.

I've got a palm pilot, guess I could go paperless, just haven't tinkered with doing that yet. Still like a map for an area I'm not familiar with, but I do have a hudson street map I should be using.

Tue, 05/18/2004 - 8:37 AM Permalink
KITCH

I still gotta get a headlamp. What kind do you have/reccomend?

thats easy!!! nothing better then this..for the price, light quality, and time before the battery changes.

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Lighting/Headlamps%20-%20LED/Energizer%20%20Essentials%20Headlamp/Owner%20Review%20by%20jim%20Sabiston/

http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledess.htm

You can buy it at Menards for like $13 bucks..or maybe 14...

I haven't changed the batteries on it since I bought it During the Winter Carnival.

Granted is not a Large output of light...but is enough to see with.

BUT when looking for a little blue puck...I'm buying a keroseen(sp) camping light.

Tue, 05/18/2004 - 8:49 AM Permalink
KITCH

IAN--

I'm going to try to come out for a visit on FRI nite!!!

Can you tell me where I can find you guys?? If I had to guess I think I know which site.

ALSO... can I buy just a one day parking pass? How much is that?

Mon, 05/24/2004 - 8:44 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

I thought I might try to visit too. But can't till Sunday afternoon (or Monday if plans come up)

Mon, 05/24/2004 - 10:32 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

Well what a sucky weekend for geocaching. Only ended up getting two! not for lack of trying, seemed the rain was against me most of the time. Guess I'll have to pick up the slack on the weeknights this week.

BTW Ian, how close are you to your 500th hide?

Mon, 05/31/2004 - 4:33 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

22 more

Mon, 05/31/2004 - 4:46 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

I knew ya had to be getting close. Are you putting out more Exonumia sereis ones?

Mon, 05/31/2004 - 6:14 PM Permalink
King Boreas aka Ian

Are you putting out more Exonumia sereis ones?

probanly. They're so freakin' easy to do. But I'm a little concerned about the one stolen before it was found (Harvest Moon)

The clue was a bit too descriptive. I hope that's why.

Hmmm. Could I get a whole series in Como?

Mon, 05/31/2004 - 9:01 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

Multis usually have stages, where the first few are just mini caches with the coordinates to the next stage, and so on up to the last stage, which is usually a regular cache.

Speaking of multis, I was at 15Tango's Deadlock victim today, ended up aborting the second stage due to people fishing at the location, then I tried for Neither Here Nor there (the new hide) at phalen, only to run into more people fishing. Total cache finds for the day, zero. Dang.

Tue, 06/01/2004 - 8:43 PM Permalink
KITCH

thats funny....

inside joke

Wed, 06/02/2004 - 7:22 AM Permalink
KITCH

Today got 3 new things approved...

I adopted 2 locationless caches....

I also set up an niteowl event ...GET SAUCED III

Thu, 06/03/2004 - 7:57 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

wow, way to go Kitch!

How'd you manage to adopt the locationless ones, and which ones did you get?

I'd gladly adopt one myself if I knew any were up (probably gotta check the gc.com forums I'm guessin)

Thu, 06/03/2004 - 10:18 PM Permalink
KITCH

Don't look in the threads...or ask in the threads!!! They will just archive them....

To be honest...
it was extremely hard!
I have spent over 15 emails to MTN-MAN and other Groundspeak Top Geeks...(turns out mtn-man couldn't even do this one)...searched every locationless cache page to find an owner that hasn't been online in months.....found the two...(was same owner).

This all took me 2 months!!!!! B.S. If you ask me....

They bitched and wanted to archive them...I was lucky the top guy was drunk when I got them...(they are having a jeeptagging party).

Fri, 06/04/2004 - 4:31 AM Permalink
KC0GRN

wow! Didn't figure it'd be that hard to have one. I suppose with all the logs those caches get, they hate having them, but figure people would complain if they totally wiped them out, taking their cache find numbers with them.

Oh well, it'd be cool to have one, but probably not worth the time invested in the long run (at least to me)

Fri, 06/04/2004 - 8:24 AM Permalink