Why do you cache? Philosophical discussion

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Ha ha.

A couple things got me in a reflective mood this morning. First off, at the snowshoeing event yesterday, Mr. Greenthumb, Sunshine and I were talking about all the *other* things we find when we go out for a cache, things that have absolutely nothing to do with the cache or the find. We all agreed that those things are a big part of what keeps us caching.

This morning, Trekkin’ went out hiking about five miles in search of some new ones (I’d have been with him had we know the terrain would have been manageable for my one armed hiking self) and he got into a pensive mood about how wonderful it was to be out there waking up with the world and just the birds. Again…..why we cache and what kind of experience we seek most.

I took a look at the cache listing for the very first cache we ever placed, not far from where he was this morning. It was placed almost 6 years ago. When I read my listing, I was struck that although the shift in the caching world had barely begun, I hit on the very thing I’m saying here. Take a look and feel free to discuss. I don’t want this to be another “there’s only one way to cache” kind of discussion. I completely understand that there are many ways to approach it. I’m just curious to hear from others and to hear about the other things you’ve experienced as a result of your searches.

http://coord.info/GC126RC

[Mister Greenthumb]

First off Gwyn, thanks for starting this. Maybe the four of us are just oddballs. I will say that talking with you and Dick was just as much fun as the snowshoeing and cache finding. We talked about this subject as we drove home today, not the 50+ caches that we found this weekend. I’ll share the story we told you yesterday to get this started.

We were biking and caching on the Eisenbahn Trail a couple of years ago. As we passed a park in Kewauskum along the Milwaukee River there was a festival going on. We chained our bikes to a tree and began to mingle with the crowd. We had some brats and checked out the farm displays. We even went on a hay ride. It shortened the amount of caches that we found that day, but obviously it added to the enjoyment of this day as we are still telling the story.

We often check the events calendar on “Travel Wisconsin” and planning caching trips to communities that have something interesting going on.

It’s not all about the numbers – it’s all about the fun.

[JimandLinda]

Linda and I look at “Travel Wisconsin”, too. We find an Event a few times a year and take off! We may do 3-10 caches there and back…or none!
Perhaps as “some of us” get older ( 😯 ), we need more diversified stimulus to keep us going! My gosh! Gwyn broke her arm! That must have stimulated SOMETHING! 😉

[neonride93]

I do it for the discovery – I have lived in my city all my life and still find dead ends, parks, historical markers or other oddities that I would go another 40 years and never see. The revolutionary war veteran outside of Waupon on the hill, or the Waterfall SE of Green Bay. Sure those happen every 100 Lamp Posts, and Stop Spots, but when I find something like that it keeps me going for the next 100 P&Gs.

Thats why I cache –

[Northwoods Tom]

The desire to know. What’s down the trail, where does this path go, what’s there, where did it go, the list goes on.

A good example was back in 2009. I was on a quest to explore uws22’s caches near the Berkshire Mine. As I explored the area I came across fresh wolf tracks following very large deer tracks and my direction changed from the cache route to the track route in hopes of seeing something spectacular. Another area I had explored last year ended up being a cache placement location for me. I was in the national forest trying to find what was an old dwelling location that showed up on a topographic map but I knew no longer existed. Many people have done the Door County Challenge, and discovered the abandoned cottage. Many, probably were geocachers.

The trip from my home to the cottage can be done in a little over five hours but usually takes over seven. I want to see what’s over there.

[neonride93]

I am surprise this hasn’t gotten more responses – or is it just we have answered this question 100 times to others ( and to our selves banging our head at a Ranger Boy Puzzle, or a Merc Hide 🙂 )

[Todd300]

@neonride93 wrote:

I am surprise this hasn’t gotten more responses – or is it just we have answered this question 100 times to others )

This.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

i know a lot of us have discussed this, but two things…

there are new people joining the forums and…

one’s own reasons might well change over time.

if you feel that i’m beating a dead horse, you can avoid the dead horse and let it stay dead. others may be interested, or the topic can die.

[neonride93]

@Trekkin and Birdin wrote:

if you feel that i’m beating a dead horse, you can avoid the dead horse and let it stay dead. others may be interested, or the topic can die.

Count me in the Interested! No one likes dead horses! I have been in and out of the forums for the past few years but trying to be more active so Count me as a newbie ( with 3300 finds 🙂 )

[BeccaDay]

When we first moved to Waukesha I was still pretty young and had very young children. I grew up in Colorado and knew how to active there but the woods around here are pretty different. I didn’t really know where to go, just that I wanted to get outside. For years it was mostly city playgrounds that I took the children too (I was also doing home daycare for years) but I wanted more nature and less man-made recreation. One day something so strange happened, all 3 of my daycare families ended up not needing me. It was a sunny day and I had only my own kids to worry about. This was the day that I opened up a map and looked for the biggest patch of green I could find within a reasonable distance, which brought me to the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest. I informed the children that we were going to have an adventure and to get in the car. We went to the forest HQ, where I have since created an Earthcache GC2E5BZ, and I talked to the Ranger about some hiking, biking and canoeing opportunities in the area. She suggested we go to the nearby Paradise Springs, where I have also since created a multi-cache GC352XR, as well as a few other spots. My kids and I had such a blast that day exploring the natural world and it really stands out in my mind because that was the day that I began to fall in love with the Wisconsin forests. While I miss the mountains and red rocks of Colorado desperately, I also really love the trees and greenery in WI.

I share this story even though it has little to do with geocaching, we didn’t discover geocaching for several more years after this day, because I just remember being so happy. But I just remember feeling such joy and tranquility that day out in the natural world, that’s where I am meant to be. This is why I geocache, I feel at home in the natural world. Sure, I’ll grab PNG’s, I just grabbed one less than an hour ago, but it was after hiking around with my dog picking up some caches.

Not all who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien

[Northwoods Tom]

Always interested. Have met most of the people who have posted in this thread so far but not everyone. I find each time you read a new post, even in the Thread Stealers category (yes I’m one of the lurkers…) you learn some more information about the others and often find interests that may be similar to your own.

Cache time is valuable for me so I look for the ones that seem to hold more personal interest and fun. Plus you learn interesting tidbits like just how many “dutch oven” gourmets there are in the WGA and where a great little cafe may be located in Anytown Wisconsin.

Interesting; two food related items 🙄

[kungfuhippie]

@Mister Greenthumb wrote:

Maybe the four of us are just oddballs.
It’s not all about the numbers – it’s all about the fun.

I’ll say I agree with both these statements! 8) I cache because there’s nothing better than when we are hiking through the forest or along the trail and I ask the boys if they’re having fun and just get big smiles back. Getting out caching lets me keep balance in my life and have an excuse to get away from everything for a bit.

[neonride93]

@kungfuhippie wrote:

@Mister Greenthumb wrote:

Maybe the four of us are just oddballs.
It’s not all about the numbers – it’s all about the fun.

I am a numbers guy – but that’s what is fun about it 🙂 I do enjoy my harder ones, but my idea of fun is a 2 mile hike in the snow up a hill to find an ammo can…not to find a nano at the end of a branch But to each his own – I have to admit I have found some nanos at the end of a branch, after 5 visits and that feeling is a little better then the Stop Spots – but on the other side 50 bucks in gas and 12 hours invested to get 8 caches is not my idea of fun…

[huffinpuffin2]

@neonride93 wrote:

@kungfuhippie wrote:

@Mister Greenthumb wrote:

Maybe the four of us are just oddballs.
It’s not all about the numbers – it’s all about the fun.

I am a numbers guy – but that’s what is fun about it 🙂 I do enjoy my harder ones, but my idea of fun is a 2 mile hike in the snow up a hill to find an ammo can…not to find a nano at the end of a branch But to each his own – I have to admit I have found some nanos at the end of a branch, after 5 visits and that feeling is a little better then the Stop Spots – but on the other side 50 bucks in gas and 12 hours invested to get 8 caches is not my idea of fun…

If you live in the Fox Valley, a 2 mile hike in the snow up a hill to find an ammo can = 50 bucks in gas and 12 hours invested to get that one cache. 🙂 🙂

[Todd300]

I liked the long 4 hour hike for two caches rather than the 30 P & G’s in 3 hours.

I’m speaking of this – GC1TDN7

My favorite among all the caches I’ve found.

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