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A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

gps

Changing GPS … why do it if you don’t need to?

April 5, 2016

Geocaching to me started in 2008. Of course that’s several years after the actual start of the game, but for me it was in February 2008.

That’s when a friend first told me about it.

We went out to find our first few geocaches on March 1, 2008 on a snow-covered day. We ended up with five finds that day, and I remember grabbing my first geocoin to move.

For the first few weeks, I used one of said friend’s GPS units to cache some. I knew, though, I needed to buy my own.

Remember, too, that this was before the boom of smart phones. This was a time when paperless geocaching was just starting (I used a Dell Axim for paperless caching – anybody remember those? Google it if not!), and some people printed out all the caches they were searching for etc. I did that for a while. I think a lot of paper was wasted.

I still remember when you would decode the hint in the field.

I still love my original GPS... still going after all these years!

I still love my original GPS… still going after all these years!

Now, life is easier. Smart phone apps make Geocaching an easily accessed game. So much so that people don’t even need to go back and log online anymore – they can do it from their phones. (For the record: I still log each find of mine via my computer, not my phone).

Recently, I saw in a geocaching group on Facebook about a GPS somebody was selling – the Garmin 60 CSX. The reason wasn’t that it was broke or anything, rather they were looking to get a new GPS with all the bells and whistles.

If you talk to some geocachers, the 60CSX is the best GPS ever made for caching. Its reception in the woods is excellent. It’s durable and can withstand a beating. I know all of this because I own the 60CSX and I dread the day it stops working as they don’t make it anymore.

It’s the first and only GPS that I’ve owned in eight years of playing the game.

I don’t need all the bells and whistles. I don’t have all these different maps on there, either. I use it to point the way. It’s not a GPS I use for navigation, and that’s why I love it so much.

Now, I do have another Garmin that can do things like Whereigos etc. It was a gift to me and, one day, it might be needed to be my main one. But for now, the 60CSX is still the boss.

I read through comments on this thread and there were people who fully agreed on how good this GPS is and questioned as to why somebody wanted to sell it. By the photos, it was in mint shape.

Sometimes, the upgrades aren’t always better.

As it is with many things in life, the “next best thing” is always coming out. But is it worth the money? The 60CSX, when I bought it, was a $300+ GPS. I’ve looked out of curiousness, and some of these new ones are anywhere from $400-$600! Some are higher, some lower. But if you are upgrading from the one that is like the granddaddy of them all to something else – you aren’t finding it cheaper, that’s for sure.

Smart phones can do a lot of the things that the newer GPS units do. That allows you to keep a great old GPS for use when geocaching – at least that’s the way I look at it.

This is just me rambling, of course. It’s not money being spent. But if you have something that works well, then stick with it. The grass isn’t always greener, so utilize what you know and what has been faithful to you!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Filed Under: Geocaching, My world, outdoors Tagged With: finding geocaches, garmin, garmin csx, garmincsx, geocache, geocaching, gps, gps receiver, gpsr

2 Comments

Finding fun in caching again

March 12, 2012

Found it!

It turns out geocaching ain’t so bad after all.

The past few months, geocaching — outside of a few small outings — has been a bit of a drag. I don’t know why, either. It just hasn’t been all that fun.

Maybe it was the cold weather. Maybe it’s the lack of some newer caches in the area. Maybe it’s because of the new ones in the area, many of the people I cache with at times have said caches, so that means going solo.

And, to be honest, going solo isn’t all that fun.

So a week or so ago, I met up with one of the people I used to cache with when I first started caching. We chatted a bit about geocaching, how we hadn’t been in a while and how we missed some of the times we had when we first started.

Tom and Beth sign in at a cache.

For those who cache, I’m sure you’ll be able to agree — though the game remains interesting and such, the feelings you had when you started just can’t be matched as you play the game longer and longer.

At that point, I texted another of the “old guard” and we decided to go on a caching outing this weekend.

I even did what I haven’t done in a long time — planned a route we could do. To be fair, it wasn’t nearly as in depth as I have done in the past, but I did at least put us on a path to be able to get a bunch of caches and have some “old-school” fun.

Now, this isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy caching with the people I’ve met since starting the game. That’s far from the truth.

But I had been in a bit of a  downward spiral with this game recently and it’s nobody’s fault but my own. I wasn’t having fun. I just needed that old-school kick to go back to how we once cached.

It didn’t hurt that it was a sunny day, too.

I found 25 caches (the other two got a few more as we nabbed a couple I already had) and we probably walked in excess of 5 miles or so (one of the trails we did was 4 miles round trip, so that was nice). We had the chance to catch up with one another and not worry about anything else that day. It was smiles and finds. Of those finds, we found several different sizes, found some clever ways to hide caches and overall had a “re-education” of the game.

Oh and we had spiedies for lunch, which always makes life grand.

I hope this is a positive to my geocaching world as I enjoy the community of cachers in this area and it’s fun to be around them. I have just been away from it for a while because the game hasn’t been as fun to me. I needed a kick in the pants and I think I got it this weekend.

And with the weather changing, it’s time to get things back in action. Maybe I’ll even start planning an event. That could be some fun and a way to get outside, socialize with area cachers again and have some fun.

I also found another key — photos. I had such a blast taking photos. I’m actually going to do a post about geocaching photography on Foto Friday this week.

The best part, too?

I think I have a few thoughts and ideas for some hides. Though ones hidden in my area don’t get found too often, I think I can have some fun with a few of them. If you hide it, they will come.

Right?

We’ll shall see!

Fundraiser: I am, again, trying to raise money for the Relay For Life. If you donate to me — even a small amount — you will be entered to win a super-sweet quilted scarf. Click here for all the information!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! 

 

Filed Under: Geocaching, My world Tagged With: cachers, caches, caching, finding fun, fun, geocaching, geocaching day, geocaching fun, gps

4 Comments

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hoohaa29

Writer who loves images just as much as words! In search of perfectly poured pints of Guinness and great hot dogs. Find me on twitter @softball29.

Couldn’t resist stopping on the way to work too Couldn’t resist stopping on the way to work too quickly snap some photos of this scene. Hamden Covered Bridge. #bridge #coveredbridge #hamden #snow #winter #instagood #photooftheday #happy #picoftheday #fun #igers #bestoftheday #life #photo #iphonesia #igdaily #iphoneonly #love #beautiful #photography
A nice day to get out for a hike, grab a #geocache A nice day to get out for a hike, grab a #geocache and place a few. Felt good abs here’s hoping for a much better year!
Thought this wax seal came out pretty well! #waxse Thought this wax seal came out pretty well! #waxsealstamp #waxseal #waxseals #card #mail #snailmail
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