Metal Detecting and Geocaching

[ivanq]

A few days ago I bought a Megellian eXplorist 210 handhelp GPS so we could try geocaching. Got home and logged onto geocaching.com to get a list of local caches and was surprised that there were so many hidden 'treasures' in our small community. It turned out to be a lot of fun and we've aded geocaching to our list of hobbies.

Where MD'ing comes into this is the little hidden, small places these hunts took us. Places I had no clue even existed here. Small pocket parks, out of the way trails, old deseted commercial buildings, historical markers. All of these places are now on my list for future MD hunting sites. The bonus is these places probably have not been hunted all that much (I hope!).

At the 2nd cache site we noticed a guy walking around looking a little lost. Turns out he was looking for the cache too. Naturally we started talking and I found out he had a MD and had never found anything with it as he couldn't figure out gound balance, sensitivity, etc and put the machine in the closet and gave up on MD'ing. I offered to help him as best I could and told him he WOULD find some items. Looks like I now have someone to hunt with (hadn't before) as he works odd days as a BLM firefighter and I work from home as I wish. Nice guy too.

Funny how one hobby feeds the other.

Cliff - -

 

[mitzs]

I think that very kewl of you to help him understand how to use his MD. Glad you found a new bud to hunt with. I'm gonna check that geochaching out that a good tip. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[BOB VALDEZ]

GEOCACHING ? I have been "making" 199 caches in Belgium. It can be great fun. I'd rather MAKE caches then seek them. It is a matter of choice, of course.

Geocaching can be GREAT FUN with (youger) kids and groups. You have a reason to go out and when & if you find the cache, you have a lot of satisfaction.

Go for the SIMPLE ONES, at first. Later you can try the multi-caches and even the MYSTERIE-caches.

Greetings !

BOB VALDEZ, Belgium (199 caches, made 8) !)

 

[Schrecky]

I started geocaching a little over a year ago and md'ing last September. The only trouble with geocaching is that find all the caches in your area you have to keep driving further and further to get more. I've got 674 on my list and now I have to drive 30 miles to start getting more. With MD'ing I think there will be enough sites around to keep me busy a long time.

 

[hoser]

I have never done this hobby. A friend of mine I work with does it a lot, and has a ball. I was amazed at just how many in our area do the geocaching thing. But I'm like Schrecky, I have so many places right around home to hunt that I can't tear myself away from that right now.

 

[BOB VALDEZ]

I started geocaching a little over a year ago and md'ing last September. The only trouble with geocaching is that find all the caches in your area you have to keep driving further and further to get more. I've got 674 on my list and now I have to drive 30 miles to start getting more. With MD'ing I think there will be enough sites around to keep me busy a long time.

You could make a few geocaches with "a new angle" in your area, Schrecky ! How about some mystery-ones ? It is very demanding to make a good one, takes a lot of creativity.

Besides, do not compare it to metal detecting, it is just a different hobby. I live in Belgium. Our little country is SO full of history I could make a new cache EVERY WEEK (did that for over a year, sometimes 3 a week, total = 199. Only trouble : it takes a lot of work to MAINTAIN them, spent yesterday 5 hours on maintaining just 2 caches). And I am sure you could find things in your neighbourhood almost nobody knows....

Well, metal detecting doesn't make impossible to do some other things as well, does it ?

Geocaching is great when you do it with some people, a family, some friends, etc...

BOB VALDEZ, Belgium