What is Geo-caching all about?
Originally posted on 5/30/2006 by marc_54140
Every geo-cacher has his or her own ideas about …. caches, containers, size, travel bugs, logging, swag, location, etc.
But who is right?
No, this is not about walking around in circles looking for a container hidden somewhere. It’s about the people who cache, the variety of caches, the ideas that circulate around the caching community. It’s about the ultimate question of Life, the Universe, and Everything!
(If you do not want to read the whole article, the answer is 42).
People come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and ages. So do cache containers. And with a little imagination, so do ideas.
Who goes geo-caching? A single man, age 46. A retired couple, in their 60’s, with or without some grandchildren. A couple of geo-cache widows, who enjoy chumming together. A family with a couple of toddlers. A sister introducing a sister to geo-caching. A group of families, kids included. A single woman, age unspecified. The extended family, of parents, children, and grandchildren (and maybe great-grandchildren).
What makes geo-caching interesting is the variety of people you meet. Some are funny, others deadly serious about finding that cache! Little Devils, and Lil Otters. Teachers, stay at home moms, old farts. Workaholics, and cacheaholics. The occasional cacher; the every day cacher. The dedicated cacher, and someone along for the ride.
Do you hunt micros by preference? Or are you looking for the long walks in the woods, with an ammo can at the end of your rainbow? Is finding the cache more important than opening it up? Do you carry swag?
Wally world caches turn you on? Cemetery hides make you shudder? Wallow like a pig in his sty when you see a swamp? Love climbing trees? Are you puzzled over all the puzzles?
The caching community is well structured to allow you to indulge in your preference. Perhaps some more than others, but thatâs life. That tired old saying â different strokes for different folks â is quite applicable to geo-caching.
You are free to hunt â or not â any cache you like. If you do not like micros, there are others out there for you. If you feel there are not enough, encourage your fellow cachers with seed caches, or plant ideas, or whatever works. A friendly word can work wonders.
But puzzles!?? Well, perhaps they are the next generation of caches. With fancy navigation software, it is impossible to keep cachers from finding the general location of a cache. Then, how many ways of hiding a cache are there? (Oh! That’s a great idea! Now, do I tell anyone?) So, give the brain a workout before venturing outside.
Whatever your preferences, others have their reasons. Age, physical abilities, little children, phobias. Learn to recognize the differences, and practice a graceful tolerance.
Now that idea really…….. is something different!
What I perceive to be a good idea is not necessarily what you perceive. This is where our tolerance is tested to the utmost.
People love to talk, and some of the things you hear! Actually, the geo-caching community is like one large brain storming session. All sorts of ideas are thrown out, like seeding a newly plowed field, and we wait to see what grows. In some places weeds grow; in others a wonderful crop of food for thought.
The concept behind brainstorming is to throw out ideas left and right, without critiquing them. The geo-caching community is a spectacular convergence of many people with a wide range of life experiences. This means there has been, and will continue to be, a wide variety of ideas put forward regarding geo-caching.
My mother always told us that if we did not have anything nice to say, it was better not to say anything at all. (Oh, boy, did we get it when she asked if we liked her new dress! ) Anyways…
No, the answer is not really anything as simple as 42. Geo-caching, like life in general, is diverse and ever changing. We could be like ships passing in the night, each on our own path. Or we might dock, side by side, and share some enjoyable experiences.
