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I think quite a few of us have suffered or been excited by geocache addiction.
The preparation for a big day of caching or the excitement of doing a new cache has made many of us spend some restless hours prior to the hunt.I know of many people who geocache who have had families and spouses say “Enough!”.
This never happened to me but I can understand how it happens to others.
I used to hunt geocaches 3 to 4 times a week and had many months with incredible numbers of finds.In September and October of last year I only recorded caches that were done on vacation and numbered less then 15. Next in November and December I did 3 and 2 respectfully.
Finally in January I did no caches at all. This is a first since 2003 for me.
Does this mean I have beaten the addiction or just changed my geocaching activities?
My plans for 2006 include mostly vacation caches.
Anyone else care to share on their own “addiction” flucuations ?
I am not saying it is bad or good just the patterns of this leisure activity I have experienced.
How do you know if you are an addict?
Have you had a fight with your spouse that was related to GEOCACHING?
Have you found your production at work change due to GEOCACHING?
Have you changed or loss a job due to GEOCACHING (perhaps becuase you have cleaned out the area)?
Have you found yourself pulling over on the side of the road because you thought a GEOCACHE would look good in that spot?
Have you had to slam on your brakes because you didn’t follow the directions of the GPS and you DID operate the GPS while driving in search of a GEOCACHE?
I’m not guilty of any of those (ehem) but then again, I’m probably an addict and in denial!
I use to find an average of 200 a month. I have slowed down but that is becuase life’s choices have caused me to. I will, however, cache until my heart is content (or I run out of batteries) when I have a chance!
The addiction is not over…just shifted over a bit is all. For me…it has more to do with the distances of caches now. I have to get a game plan together then go out for the day. When I go… I GO!! Try to get 20-30 in.
I am sure my hubby is thinking… “will it ever stop” LOL Nope!! He doesn’t go with, except if on a trip and we do stuff along the way..AND if they are easy or a virtual.
so.. I would say it’s not the addiction has ceased but more that the newness has worn off a bit.
quote:
Originally posted by Bushwhacking Queen:
I use to find an average of 200 a month. I have slowed down but that is becuase life’s choices have caused me to. I will, however, cache until my heart is content (or I run out of batteries) when I have a chance!
200 a month??? OMG I can’t even imagine. You guys are gonna KILL me in Texas for sure. I better go into training!! 6 days of caches with Wisconsins top women cachers, addiction x 4… yup…I’m gonna die!!
I think of myself of a habitual user of geocaching. I like the way it makes me feel, and want that same experience the next time I geocache. If I go too long without a geocache I get anxious and moody. I look forward to my next geocache, and sometimes other things in my life get left behind.
Last summer I went through a period where I just wasn’t geocaching that much. It was mostly the heat, but my leg injury didn’t help either. You could say I went cold turkey. It was tough at first, but I realized that there were things to do that didn’t involve geocaching. A geocache now and then was okay…
But before I knew it, I was geocaching again — stronger than ever. I know I was causing problems for others. My need to geocache was out of control and I was not fun to be around anymore.
Right now I’ve got in under control again. I can stop anytime I want to (right?)
Bec
Bec,
Thanks for your sense of humor… You’ve got me smiling Much appreciated..
P.S. Hope you get better!!! Not!
Cache On!!!
~Bill
Two reasons for the slow down on my part: The price of deisel fuel and the journey wasn’t worth the effort.
For a time, I was just out for the numbers. Yeah, I admit it. I needed to get to 1000. Which almost matched my fuel bill for the truck.
I had placed numbers ahead of the real reasons for my gecaching: New vistas and exercise. I found that I can exercise by walking around town and visiting with friends. I am only a few steps away from Pike Lake State Park. This park provides vistas.
I also took up bicycling to geocaches. This, alone cuts down on the distances one travels. When I look at the geocache pages I look for places with vistas. I also try and find places that leave one with a sense of wonder which a geocacher qishes to share.
A highly topical subject here in the Bunny Hutch. My fiance, my family, my friends and co-workers all think I’m obsessed. I’ve followed this pattern in other pasttimes before, and someday, although I can’t foresee it now, geocaching too will fade. It’s in my nature.
But for right now, the combination of mental stimulation, physical demand and the ability to quantify it all is nectar & ambrosia.
When I climbed, popular cliffs had a guidebook and you could tick off routes as you did them. I carried the Climber’s Guide to Devil’s Lake around like a bible. Everywhere I climbed I usually picked up a guidebook and now they still hold a place of pride on my bookshelf.
That too was a tight social circle where the same people met in the same places every weekend and the positive energy of all sharing goals really helped you push.
These boards are a real parallel to that scene. There’s always someone to share experiences with in what is still a fringe activity. So thanks for being my enablers everyone. Perhaps next I can get addicted to self-help books on addiction .
quote:
Originally posted by greyhounder:
I can stop anytime I want to (right?)
It’s easy, I stopped caching 8 times last month alone.
But I’m not married , have no kids and I have a flexible job so nobody but the cat cared if I went caching.
But then my cat died last year So now nobody cares.
But you know, my main reason to go caching is “to be alone”. Go figure.
We had been finding about 400 a year the last 2 years. We found our 1000 cache at the last campout in May. Our total now is 1099.We have not found a cache since early November. Much of this has to do with cache quality in our area. Most of our caching time is now taken up by my constant home remodeling. Maybe someday our house will be finished and we will hit the trails hard again.
Awwwwwww……Jeff….WE care!
We NEED you, we cannot figure out The Matrix!quote:
Originally posted by jthorson:
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But then my cat died last year So now nobody cares.[/B]
Awww Jeff! Mrs. Traker now works for the Wisconsin Humane Society and could certainly hook you up with a new feline friend, or maybe a canine caching companion!
Mr. Traker would love to cache every waking moment. Mrs. Traker is swayed by weather easily and is still in school (so weekends are homework times). Mr. Traker loves puzzles, hikes, all-day multi’s. To get all this variety, planning is key and usually involves a driving trip to another county (as we’ve done most in our immediate area). Once summer comes, the addiction will be fueled more as time and weather will be more favorable.
quote:
Originally posted by greyhounder:
Right now I’ve got in under control again. I can stop anytime I want to (right?)Bec
But what happens when your old geocaching buddies call you up and want to geocache with you? It’s hard to say no to us, I mean them, isn’t it.
My name is Jennifer and I’m an enabler.
Team LightningBugs
* * * * * * * * * *[This message has been edited by LightningBugs Mum (edited 02-02-2006).]
quote:
Originally posted by LightningBugs Mum:
But what happens when your old geocaching buddies call you up and want to geocache with you? It’s hard to say no to us, I mean them, isn’t it.My name is Jennifer and I’m an enabler.
I think I’m supposed to avoid those type of people….
(by the way — we need to plan our next caching adventure…)
Bec
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