Why do you cache? Philosophical discussion

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm

We've had our eye on that very cache. We did an earlier incarnation of it, all on xc kids. We're thinking it would be fun to try and do this one biking and hiking and walking by water. I *think* our longest hike for a single cache find was about 7 miles, on the Superior Hiking Trail.

Joined: 2009-06-05 Posts: 2123 Location: Menominee, MI

You won't be disappointed, T & B. That was an awesome cache. There are a few others at the reforestation camp that you can get between stages of the Tri-Cacheleon.

While I've been on long hikes for several caches on one trail (Ed's Lake and Yellow Brick Road series), I don't recall my longest hike for one single cache. I'll have to look at my records and get back to you.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:42 am

Why do I cache?

-The thrill of the hunt.

-To get out of the house to enjoy an activity with friends

-To see places I haven't seen

-To familiarize myself with my surroundings...I've always been a little bit of a navigational nut.

-It helps when planning inexpensive vacations

-Exercise

-Bonding with my wife

-Caches make for a great stop-and-rest destination while on the way to many of the great local wineries and breweries in this fine state. Cool

-To find new places to dispose of bodies Laughing

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:36 pm

So....will be meeting at that winery before or after your most recent body dump? Rolling Eyes

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:43 pm

Trekkin and Birdin wrote:

We've had our eye on that very cache.

I am not opposed to difficult caches - and it is not 50 dollars in gas and 12 hours away from me either Smile

Let me know when your doing it!

My longest would have to be the fireman series near kiel and that wasnt very long - maybe 3 miles round trip and I got 10 on that Smile

But I am very interested in the County Park in Door County that has one hard one - but only because I want to see the cottage.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:48 pm

Andy- check my gc.com profile and my gallery pictures from 7-8 yrs ago when my kids cached with me. Awesome time. Took us 4 hrs but that wasn't dedicated caching time, there were numerous potty breaks for the kids (and trying to coerce my daughter into using a pit toilet). Also, there are no short cuts back to the top, don't bother.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:31 pm

My longest hike for a single smiley was a 6-part multi GCXD5P Great cache!

WGA Member Joined: 2006-12-23 Posts: 5954

BigJim60 wrote:

My longest hike for a single smiley was a 6-part multi GCXD5P Great cache!

I ran out of time and only got to wp2 on that one, need to go back and finish it great walk as far as I got.

Mine was GCKBCX

I cache for lots of reasons, most mentioned already by others. At times to be with friends, looking for solitude in the pines, spend some time with splash4, others just to get out of the house and move.

I love the A-HA! When found, its like digging for gold but not having to spend so much to do it and come up empty handed. Saw some pretty neat places. Etc.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-02-03 Posts: 2182

Showshoed for 2 hours today and found 2 caches. The showshoeing was the focus and the caches just happened to be there adding to the adventure. We didn't want to miss out on possibly the last chance to snowshoe this winter.

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:39 am

It's not about the numbers, surely we could go more often to get more finds.
It's not about competition, surely others have more finds that us and we don't mind.
It's not about meeting people, surely we could meet more people doing other things, than we do hiking a lonely trail.
It's not about going to seen new places, surely we could find just as many new places, and in less time (and gasoline) if we didn't stop to find caches.

It is a unique blend of all of the above. Add to that the thrill of finding a hard hide, and add to that nerdiness of using satellite technology to pinpoint your location, add to that joy of being outside, add to that the things that you inadvertently learn along the way, add to that the different ways that you can go geocaching.

It seems that it is the diversity of the sport that draws in so many particpants. And everyone can tailor their caching experience to fit their wants and needs.

Why do we geocache? It is not about one thing, it is a mix of a little bit of everything mentioned above.

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:01 am

I keep thinking about this, and what I have come up with is why we started in the first place: Caching gives us destinations.

We had always dragged out our topo maps and taken Sunday drives, and we would often pick a part of the state to make an overnight visit to, but when I saw geocaching, I thought that this would give us a "list" of places to go, and it has.

But it's not about checking places off a list. It's about where do we want to go on a nice day to get outside, or what part of Wisconsin do we want to visit to get away for a day or two. Caching helps us decide those destinations.

WGA Member Joined: 2009-06-05 Posts: 473

We started geocaching to see more of the locations close to us that we didnt know about. As we kept expanding our knowledge of locations we have seen many different changes occur for various reasons. Living on the edge of Southern Kettle Moraine we have known about a few of the locations but geocaching introduced us to many more.

As the kids entered school and needed their after school naps park and grabs definately were the way to go as the kids napped our numbers grew. Now that the kids are at the stages where they have this energy to burn here we are enjoying longer trails and scenic locations. Earlier in their childhood wagons worked their way through different trails but now our walks are quiet and the kids enjoy the wildlife encounters. From bucks crossing our path just feet from us, to the pileated woodpeckers.

Keeping our kids enrolled in so many after school programs its relaxing to take a walk with them and enjoy what nature has to offer. Both our kids are in the "gifted and talented" programs and have been excelling in learning, I thank the opportunities geocaching helps teach them and ourselves. From earth caches to traditions, they give you a different perspective learning experience. Puzzle caches are the key to learning how to solve problems that go from a cipher to think what I am thinking.

The best part we will always enjoy are the scenic locations that provide us with pictures we can look back at to see their growth and enjoy the smiles that each location has provided for us.

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:04 pm

sandlanders wrote:

I keep thinking about this, and what I have come up with is why we started in the first place: Caching gives us destinations.

We had always dragged out our topo maps and taken Sunday drives, and we would often pick a part of the state to make an overnight visit to, but when I saw geocaching, I thought that this would give us a "list" of places to go, and it has.

But it's not about checking places off a list. It's about where do we want to go on a nice day to get outside, or what part of Wisconsin do we want to visit to get away for a day or two. Caching helps us decide those destinations.

We wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments. We have always been explorers and caching gives us the "destinations" as you say. I think you hit the nail on the head, at least you did for us. I didn't consider that in my earlier comments, but you are right.

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:11 am

Growing up, we often would "go for a walk" which meant heading out to the northwoods somewhere nearby (grew up in Crandon) and spending the rest of the day exploring.

Since my dad is the one who grew up wandering, hunting and fishing those areas he knew where to go. Now that I live in the Wausau area, I wanted a way to find those cool paths and interesting areas. I also wanted a reason to get out and get some exercise.

That's why I started. Now that we've been getting out, my reasons to continue are changing.

I enjoy finding caches hidden nearly in plain sight... this secret that most of the world doesn't know about even though they pass them daily.

I enjoy finding those gems like the small veterans memorial that I drove past for years and never knew existed.

I like trudging through the woods and then emerging at an amazing view that I would have never seen during my lifetime without geocaching.

I love all the free swag. (Yeah right... if you are in it for the swag, you're in the wrong hobby.)