Geocaching?

[Chillers]

Just wondering if any of you Geocache? Me and the gf like to go out for walk and it certainly makes our walks more interesting.

 

[creeperTNTman198]

I sometimes do

 

[TheForgottenUser]

I do! Me and some friends even set up a course at a nearby park. Do you guys just do rough geocaching?

 

[Srentiln]

I've been considering it, but I never thought I knew anyone I could ask for more practical information:

1. what all is involved?
2. is there any way to tell if one is active or found?
3. do you need any tools?
4. will it put me at risk of getting arrested at any point?

 

[TheForgottenUser]

@Srentiln

1. There are lots of little things that differ depending who you talk to and what course you're doing, but this will explain it in general. Sometimes people use map/compass instead of GPS, some people think of Rough Geocaching vs Fine Geocaching, etc., but that should cover the basic idea.
2. Not necessarily, but you can usually tell. Sometimes people put things in them or write their name on them and stuff.
3. You'll need: a GPS(Phone might work) or Map and Compass, and a functioning body (brain and legs especially important). You can bring some small knickknack with you too.
4. The only possible way I can think of is if you accidentally trespass onto someone's private property. Other than that just use common sense. And if I'm forgetting something please don't sue me. ;p

brb gonna go grab a proxy, don't want Sren's wrath upon me when he gets arrested.

 

[Chillers]

I've been considering it, but I never thought I knew anyone I could ask for more practical information:

1. what all is involved?
2. is there any way to tell if one is active or found?
3. do you need any tools?
4. will it put me at risk of getting arrested at any point?

1. Download the app on your smart phone and look them up, there is no prize for finding them but it is quite cool knowing that these things are around. You can take an item but the rule is you must leave an item if you do take an item. Inside them you will usually find a logbook with previous finders.

2. You can find out if it's active by looking at logs of finds, if the last find was recent (usually within a couple of days) then it's likely to be there. If it's found, people don't take it, they just fill out the logbook, it's left there for people to find.

3. You just need your smart phone GPS and the geocache app. More serious Geocachers use specific GPS devices for accurate coodinates. Most geocaches have a clue, if you struggle to find them, you can also read previous log comments to help determine if your in the right spot. The last resort for us is looking at the photos people posted to determine what it looks like.

4. You can look suspicious, which only adds more tactic to finding it and makes it more adventurous. The term "muggles" is used to explain non geocachers. Geocache rules state that if the geocache is place on private property then the person who placed it must have permission by the owner. Most Geocaches are on public property, you are not breaking any laws, although you may look suspicious. If you do get questioned by a person or police, just explain that you are geocaching.

Seriously just look up your location at geocaching.com and see where they are around you. Our first find was litterally outside our apartment. We've now found over 30. It makes walks interesting.

 

[MeisterXehanort]

>I go into this thread
>"What the fuck is Geocaching?"
>Google
>Turns out a geocahing point is about 20 meters down the street I'm living in. And I've run past it like at least 500 times. (It was hidden inside a little "house" of sorts that someone placed on a tree stump.)

 

[Srentiln]

Okay, went to the website, registered, downloaded the free version app (I'm guessing the paid version has more tools?) and found 6 caches close to me. Went to the closest one (all are walking distance, so I was running Ingress at the same time, lol), and when I got there...I realized I forgot to bring a pen for the physical log book, lol.

 

[Jkjkelly1]

some of them have log books, some have little trinkets that people encourage you take if your going on a vacation/far distances. You take pictures online then upload them to a website so people can see where the trinket has been.

 

[MeisterXehanort]

I don't have a smartphone that's why I casually scanned the included QR code with my 3DS.

Damn yeah

 

[Chillers]

Okay, went to the website, registered, downloaded the free version app (I'm guessing the paid version has more tools?) and found 6 caches close to me. Went to the closest one (all are walking distance, so I was running Ingress at the same time, lol), and when I got there...I realized I forgot to bring a pen for the physical log book, lol.

Did you find it? Many geocaches already have a pen/pencil inside. Another cool feature with geocaching is trackables (i don't know a great deal about this). Trackable are items (such as bottlecaps or anything) people can register with a code then placed in a geocache. Another Geocacher then takes the trackable then places it into another geocache and logs the location where it has been move too. Apparently many trackables have travelled round the world many times geocache to geocache and eventually came back to their original area years later.

 

[Chillers]

>I go into this thread
>"What the fuck is Geocaching?"
>Google
>Turns out a geocahing point is about 20 meters down the street I'm living in. And I've run past it like at least 500 times. (It was hidden inside a little "house" of sorts that someone placed on a tree stump.)

Did you enjoy it?

Reddit Geocaching

 

[MeisterXehanort]

Dunno what you call enjoy. I didn't really have to search for it because I could look out of the window to see what they mean.

 

[Chillers]

Dunno what you call enjoy. I didn't really have to search for it because I could look out of the window to see what they mean.

Sounds like you had a ghost geocache which is basically just find a location. Try search for the green geocaches.

 

[Crafter]

I had a couple of cousins that told me about this a few years back. Never really bothered with it but thought I would give it a try. I was surprised that there was one nestled in a group of trees in my OWN backyard in the house we had just moved into the last couple of weeks. What's the procedure for this one exactly? Seeing as how it's not legal being on private property.

 

[Srentiln]

no chill, I was unable to find it. I looked at the hint (think magnetically) and that's when I realized I forgot the pen.

In that location, there are five objects that "Think magnetically" could refer to, but I'm hoping it's not in one of the, as a manhole cover in the middle of the street with a blind corner is rather dangerous.

 

[Chillers]

I had a couple of cousins that told me about this a few years back. Never really bothered with it but thought I would give it a try. I was surprised that there was one nestled in a group of trees in my OWN backyard in the house we had just moved into the last couple of weeks. What's the procedure for this one exactly? Seeing as how it's not legal being on private property.

Is it actually on your property? Or on the border of your property. You can actually contact the person who placed it there and explain that it is on private property, if it's an issue to you. If they don't remove it report it to geocache and remove it yourself.

 

[Chillers]

no chill, I was unable to find it. I looked at the hint (think magnetically) and that's when I realized I forgot the pen.

In that location, there are five objects that "Think magnetically" could refer to, but I'm hoping it's not in one of the, as a manhole cover in the middle of the street with a blind corner is rather dangerous.

I doubt it's in a manhole cover, as it's generally a child friendly game, I can guarantee that it's probably in a safe place, there is a rating of terrain and difficulty with 5 being the highest. Just bare in mind that some of these are very well hidden people go to great lengths to hide geocaches, I have found them in fake rocks and even in real rocks with holes drilled in them. Some magnetic Geocaches even have been known to be in fake bolts: