Crazy Dave and Little Dave Geocaching

What do you get out of geocaching?

Do you really want to know what I get out of geocaching?

I know geocaching is not for everyone, but why do I always get strange looks from my muggle(a non-geocacher) friends and associates when they find out I am geocaching?  I mean, you’d think I was doing drugs or joining a cult with the looks and questions I get sometimes.  For some reason, folks sometimes become very concerned about my mental state.

Don’t worry, my muggle friends.  I will be okay.  I am not doing anything illegal, immoral, or dangerous (well maybe a little dangerous, at times).  So you want to know why I am geocaching and what I get out of it.  Well, because a picture is worth a thousand words, let me show you.

What we get of Geocaching

We went to a “First Light of 2016” to watch the first sunrise of the year.  I managed to get my family out of the house in the wee hours of the morning to go out in the cold and watch nature wake up.

First Light 2016

And there was a fair-sized group who joined us that morning.  Therefore, time with my family, friends and nature are just a few of the things we get out of geocaching.

First Light 2016 Event Group Photo

We Exercise

We have had trouble over the years getting the kids away from the computers and the video games, but they get lots of exercise now!

Laura and Yahaira Leap Year Hike 2016

We went on about a three-hour hike on February 29, 2016 in celebration for “Leap Day” and Laura got to spend quality time with one of her friends, Yahaira, that she met at the first light event.

Steep climbs on Pot Point Nature Trail

We took a four-hour, fairly strenuous hike on the Pot Point Nature Trail earlier this year, before it got too hot and humid to enjoy.

Hiking at Enterprise South

And we hiked some of the paths at Enterprise South Nature park.  These are just a few of the times that we managed to get the kids away from technology for just a little while.

We see things

We see things and visit places that we would likely never have without geocaching.

Dave at the “Hippy Tree”

Have you ever seen a tree with larger hips than Momma from the “Carol Barnett Show”?  We have!

The Bat Cave

How many of you have stood outside a bat nursery cave and watched the bats take to the skies in the thousands?  We have because of geocaching!  We didn’t even know that this place existed within a two-hour drive of our home. (Oh, if you do decided to check out the bat cave, we recommend a good, thick poncho or an umbrella. You’ll see why!)

Davidson Center for Space Exploration

Although, we probably would have explored the Huntsville Space Center anyway, geocaching added another layer of fun and activities.  There are several geocaches around the Space Center Campus, including a history lesson on some of the first space travelers (Mr. and Mrs. Baker) to figure out the coordinates of the cache.

Nature Art

Sometimes we even get to see the artwork of nature.

Stonebridge park

We find lots of small quite parks tucked away in places you wouldn’t normally look.  Sometimes we stop and enjoy them for a while and sometimes we move on.  But most of them would have gone unnoticed if we hadn’t been geocaching.

Ten Wheeler in Cookeville

We have found several old train cars and engines along the way.  Few are as well-kept as the one in Cookeville, Tennessee.  You might be surprised to know there is a geocache hidden in this picture, just out of sight.

Superman Statue in Metropolis

Have you visited Superman’s home, Metropolis?  We have!  Yes, we went to find a geocache on Superman square and got a few photos while we were there.

We Make Friends

But most of all, I think the friendships we have made along the way is the best thing we get out of geocaching.

Group First to Find

There was a new geocache listed that required work by several geocachers to determine the location.  The ones who finally figured out where to look, decided to have an unlisted event of sorts.  So we got together near ground zero and talked, laughed, and reminisced while we waited on everyone to arrive (Christa!)  Then we all went up the hill to make a group first to find(FTF).

Leap Day Hike

Sometimes, we get together a small group to hike into the wood to do a little geocaching and most of the time dogs are welcome too!

Event and coffee

For those who are a little less outdoorsy, we have a lot of get togethers indoors at coffee shops, cafes and restaurants.

All ages enjoy geocaching

Geocaching is enjoyed by all ages from 3 to 93 and then some!

So, now you know what I get out of geocaching…well there is the satisfaction of finding the geocache too.

I hope now you understand, we may be a little crazy, but we are not insane or doing anything illegal (although we do often end up talking to police officers).  We just like going places, doing things, meeting people and having fun.  Sometimes, we try new things because we like the challenge and the satisfaction of completing a goal.

Now that I think about it, we are just like everyone else!