Geocaching

[cooneyr]

Ever need an excuse to ride or stop somewhere different, want a reason to travel to areas you never been to before? Have a go at Geocashing - see this site for details. Basically people stash small contains with a logbook and maybe some small trinkets at a location then publish the coordinates and a hint on the site. All you have to do is upload the coords to a GPS unit then go hunting, write your details in the log book, and if you take something then put something back.

Did a search and there is 430 caches of them withing 100kms of home. Also check some of the adv ride routes like Lees Valley and Rainbow road and there are a few along these routes. I'm getting a GPS in a couple of months for using on the bike and this looks like another good use for it/reason to get one.

Cheers R

[deanohit]

Its a good idea, think it would be alot of fun.

Now wheres that old etrex of mine?

[Blackbird]

Did a search and there is 430 caches of them withing 100kms of home. Also check some of the adv ride routes like Lees Valley and Rainbow road and there are a few along these routes. I'm getting a GPS in a couple of months for using on the bike and this looks like another good use for it/reason to get one.

Cheers R

Thanks for thatI bought a Garmin 76 CX recently and I noticed that it has a Geocaching function but hadn't looked at it yet. Sounds like good fun and worth following up!

[Trudes]

Sounds awesome fun!! And a good excuse to get a GPS!!

[James Deuce]

Are you guys geeks or nerds? Remember geeks KNOW they are geeks, where nerds are without clue, so to speak.

[warewolf]

Yeah it's a good excuse to get out there. The new interface with Google maps(?) helps to find where there are caches along your route.

There are several on the Maungatapu, a couple on the Porika. changing_man took his SV650S most of the way in to the Sabine cache on the Porika, chickened out at the ford, so I doubled him on the Adventure for the last couple of km. On the way out we literally got run off the road (each and separately) by another 'cacher in a 4wd; it's by far the worst run-in with a 4wd I've had. We got our revenge; it had taken us something like 6 weeks to get the First-To-Find... mere minutes before he got there.

[upshift]

Ah yes, that is how it all starts, buying a GPSr for the bike. Exactly what I did, brought a GPSr for the bike, tried my hand at geo-caching and 6 months later totally hooked!

It is an excellent addition to biking whether on or off road and quite a few bikers doing this already, including a few of the KiwiBiker regulars.There are just over 3000 caches in NZ now and they are everywhere.
http://www.gps.org.nz/nzcachestk/index.html

[warewolf]

Are you guys geeks or nerds?

Geeks know what girls are (from actual experience); nerds live with their mother.

[James Deuce]

There are just over 3000 caches in NZ now and they are everywhere.
http://www.gps.org.nz/nzcachestk/index.html

As I suspected - littering with a fancy name and a map.

[cooneyr]

Are you guys geeks or nerds? Remember geeks KNOW they are geeks, where nerds are without clue, so to speak.

I'm a map geek and proud of it. I started tramping and orienteering with Christ Forne when we went flatting together at Uni (look him up on the web - NZ Rogaine and NZ orienteering champ - he is now involved with a American Adv Racing Team Nike - move over Gurney) and he got me totally hooked on maps and pretty fit (not fit anymore though).

Ah yes, that is how it all starts, buying a GPSr for the bike. Exactly what I did, brought a GPSr for the bike, tried my hand at geo-caching and 6 months later totally hooked!

It is an excellent addition to biking whether on or off road and quite a few bikers doing this already, including a few of the KiwiBiker regulars.There are just over 3000 caches in NZ now and they are everywhere.
http://www.gps.org.nz/nzcachestk/index.html

Umm I should stop now shouldn't I - problem is I think this would be so much fun cause I love getting out into the NZ country side by and for any means necessary.

If there are KB's doing it why has nobody else spoken up before - I did a search and it came up completely blank?!

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

The bugger with geocaching from a bike is you've usually got to walk a bit to get to the cache.
Leaving your bike all alone with the gear you don't want to be walking in for 5-10min.

When I started there were about 5 caches in Nelson.
Now there's 392 from my home coords.

[Kaituna]

Ill admit to it. Good way to see places you would normally never see. Went to Viet nam a couple of years back and toured around on a bike and also Geocached. Found thinks the locals didn't even know existed. Heaps of caches within falling off range so bike is still usually safe.

[warewolf]

I'm a map geek and proud of it. I started tramping and orienteering with Christ Forne when we went flatting together at Uni (look him up on the web - NZ Rogaine and NZ orienteering champ

Geez I resemble that remark! I competed on the national 'O' circuit in Aus through most of my school years or so; it's my Dad's only sport, he's still the club quartermaster after all these years with all the stuff kept at home, made a few maps himself - discovered a few marijuana plantations while doing the fieldwork, too!

This is one reason I'm not into GPS in a big way; I enjoy map & compass navigation, you have to look at your surroundings and 'map' the terrain you see to the map and vice-versa. With a (non-mapping) GPS you look at some digital data and the interpretation takes your point-of-view away from the field. It's kinda like a pin-prick of information on the GPS, but the map shows you the big picture. A hi-res mapping GPS would likely be quite good.

If there are KB's doing it why has nobody else spoken up before - I did a search and it came up completely blank?!

Search the geocache site for 'muggles.'

[upshift]

I'm a map geek and proud of it. I started tramping and orienteering with Christ Forne when we went flatting together at Uni (look him up on the web - NZ Rogaine and NZ orienteering champ - he is now involved with a American Adv Racing Team Nike - move over Gurney) and he got me totally hooked on maps and pretty fit (not fit anymore though).



Umm I should stop now shouldn't I - problem is I think this would be so much fun cause I love getting out into the NZ country side by and for any means necessary.

If there are KB's doing it why has nobody else spoken up before - I did a
Cheers R

Well, here's at least one reference (last post on page)
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=53177

Must admit part of the appeal is not just the bike part of it but it has also got me back to a long neglected interest of getting out in the hills etc. and basically a challenge of finding a route and making your way to a point by whatever means it takes. Something very much in common with motorcycling is that it is often more about the journey rather than the actual destination (though they are usually pretty interesting places)

As a geek with orienteering, tramping, and motorcycling interests you will love geocaching, no doubt about it!

[cooneyr]

Geez I resemble that remark! I competed on the national 'O' circuit in Aus through most of my school years or so; it's my Dad's only sport, he's still the club quartermaster after all these years with all the stuff kept at home, made a few maps himself - discovered a few marijuana plantations while doing the fieldwork, too!

I never got competitively into the 'O' circuit but used map reading skills for mountain climbing, tramping etc.

This is one reason I'm not into GPS in a big way; I enjoy map & compass navigation, you have to look at your surroundings and 'map' the terrain you see to the map and vice-versa. With a (non-mapping) GPS you look at some digital data and the interpretation takes your point-of-view away from the field. It's kinda like a pin-prick of information on the GPS, but the map shows you the big picture. A hi-res mapping GPS would likely be quite good.

I hear you - the reason that I've not bought a GPSr before is that they only tell you where you are - big deal - when Ive been around GPSr's I can usually locate myself on a topo better than they can given their errors. I want to know where I am relative to my surroundings and where I can or cant go. Goto topomap V2.0 on the PC - it is my "other other" friend.

I find it kinda hard reading a map when traveling at speed on a bike though so I'm going to bite the bullet and get a Garmin eTrex Legend HCx with either Freshmap or GTmaps topomaps in a couple of months

Search the geocache site for 'muggles.'

I've done it now then haven't I!

Cheers R