Empty Nest Moms
Empty Nest "Our Everyday Lives" => Some "Fun" things to do.... => Topic started by: EdieB on February 01, 2016, 03:18:10 AM
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Hi, all! I'm still trying to get used to the idea that Kiddo has flown the coop. Some days are better than others.
One hobby I've recently restarted (as time and weather allow) is geocaching. It's like a worldwide treasure hunt where you use a GPS device or a smartphone with an app to seek out little hidden containers, aka "caches," hidden in unexpected places. Or as a friend describes it, "I use multimillion-dollar satellites to find Tupperware in the woods." :) It gets me out of the house, (usually) into nature, and it encourages me to get a little exercise in.
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I've never heard of this EdieB. Please describe how it works. In my younger days we used to go on scavenger hunts in our small town. A bunch of us would get together and set out to find whatever was on the list. We had lots of fun. I'd love to hear how Geocaching works.
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(Sorry about the wait, Kidless. I've been fighting off a bug this weekend.)
Well, to get started with geocaching, you first go to the website geocaching.com and create an account. (Basic accounts are free.) If you have a smartphone, you then download an app that allows you to find nearby geocaches; if you have a GPS, you can pull down a list of geocaching waypoints from the site. Then, get dressed for the weather and go out to search for a cache!
Here's an example of a fun cache I found during the annual Geocaching Block Party: the Chairy Tree (https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC2AD97_hqgt-chairy-tree). I won't explain too much about how it's hidden, just in case you live near Seattle and want to go find it, but whoever came up with the idea is pretty clever.
So, once you've found a cache, you need to sign the logbook you find inside it with your account name and the date. Then go to the app and mark the cache as found. If you have looked super thoroughly and you don't find the cache, it might have been muggled ("stolen" to non-geocaching types), so you need to indicate on the app that you didn't find it. That way the cache owner can go take a look and make sure the cache is still there and in good condition.
The thing I like the most about geocaching, aside from the sense of discovery as I find a cleverly hidden container, is all the great places it takes me. There are little nooks and crannies of wild space even in the largest towns, and local cachers help me find some of the most beautiful places that I never knew were there.
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Oh, Geocaching is a great bit of fun! We started doing it with the kids, but now that they are in college, my husband and I go by ourselves. It's great exercise and a great way to spend time together doing something interesting!
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I like the way my sister describes it: "If I'm just going to go for a walk, that's boring. But if I'm going for a walk and there's going to be a treasure box to find at the end... exciting!"
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A friend of mine was telling me about this a couple years ago. It sounds really fun and would be a great way to spend time with my daughter. Are there groups in every town that do this? I am going to go to the website and find out more info about this. Thanks for sharing!