Heather and I started a new hobby: geocaching. I’ve been interested in trying this for some time, but until now, the only GPS we’ve owned is in the car (which would get the job done, albeit clunky). But in July I got my first Android phone. After a bit of Googling, we decided that geocaching.com has the most extensive list of caches. I downloaded an app and with phone in hand, last weekend, we hit our first two geocaches (GCH103 and GC22ZE1), both very close to home. Since then we stopped by another before grocery shopping Thursday and we plan to find another tomorrow.
At a fork in the trail on one of our first geocaching expeditions, I check the GPS to make sure we are headed the right way.
We’re looking forward to spending our free time geocaching. Instead of looking at each other like idiots when we’re bored, we have a list of places to explore. Some are longer hikes, but many are short walks. Plus I get to play with a piece of technology and Heather will be able to see new places to photograph.
Our first geocache was in an ammo can. It was filled with various toys.
I'm entering the log at one of our first geocache finds.
But…if you are hiking in the boonies- Entiat for instance- your phone won’t work. How does it work in the NY forests?
This app will allow me to download the geocache info to my phone. Then my phone doesn’t need data. It can use just satellites when I’m out of the coverage area. There aren’t many places in NY that don’t have cell service (except maybe parts of the Adirondacks) — something about population density. The locals call western NY “rural” but they are wrong.