Geocaching High Tech Style
My Blackberry has now replaced my GPSr, my digital camera, and my PDA. It’s geocaching high tech style now.
We took to the trail last weekend, going to a park that isn’t on our usual rotation. The weather was chilly, but that is our favorite when we’re hitting the trails. While we had a plan in mind, we let my Blackberry and the Trimble GeoNavigator program lead the way.
These were some fun geocaches in the traditional sense. The first find was close to the parking area. Though there were visitors at the park, we encountered no one on the trail. My favorite kind of geocaching.
Using the Blackberry, I became the navigator and tonka_boy, the finder. A reversal in our roles. I love the techie end of things, so there you are.
Tonka_boy quickly located the first cache. This one was huge, but very well camouflaged and hidden. I mean look at the size of the log book. It’s a regular-sized notebook.
Nice thing about it was too that had we encountered anyone while while we were logging the cache, I’d look like a surveyor or something. LOL!
From there, we relied on the Blackberry to lead us to the next cache. Using the Quick Cache feature, it would locate the nearest caches from where we were.
Naturally, you had to know where you were headed, but that wasn’t an issue with the built-in compass. Lots easier to use than what we’ve done in the past.
Of course, there were fun caches like our third one. Cute! The caches were definitely proving to be a good hunt for families. We did have an opportunity to drop a geocoin and do a travel bug exchange, always an enjoyable part of any geocaching adventure.
Unforunately, it was starting to get dark. Winter in Minnesota, dark at 5:00 p.m.
The last cache of the day, as the name indicated, was evil. Okay, so we looked at the hint. Tonka_boy at least knew ahead of time it was a micro.
Reading the description, which you can do in the field with the GeoNavigator program, I learned that too–and some tidbits from previous logs.
After that successful find, we decided to call it a day. The Blackberry performed admirably. It pointed us directly to where we needed to be.
So, as the sun started ducking behind the trees, I though, gee, my geobag just got a whole lot lighter.
Really great post. Is this “Blackberry” your phone or a separate device? Gotta link for the devices? Also I linked your blog on mine I would love if you returned the link.
Thanks Holly & Arial!
November 12th, 2008 at 12:37 pmThanks, Holly & April! Yes, the Blackberry is my phone. For more info and links, I built this Squidoo lens. http://www.squidoo.com/geocachingBB
I’ll get a link up shortly.
November 12th, 2008 at 2:37 pmGood post. Much better than that Tonka_chump character could do! Ha! The crackberry seems to be working well for you.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:13 pmtonka_chump, eh? Who’s your father anyway? He never teach you any manners? Why I aughta . . .
November 13th, 2008 at 10:36 pm