I have been searching through the posts here and I don't think that
this has been discussed, or at least my take, but if I am merely
echoing what previous posters have said, I appologize in advance.
I actually do both. My kids like to geocache better than letterbox,
but I love to box more than cache. For me it is about getting
outside and both activites offer a twist to the hike. And I have
found that both hobbies will sometimes take you to some new
discoveries.
I find so far, that the quality of locations with geocaching is
lacking. Many are just dropped into a so so area, that isn't really
special. Someone just wanted to hide a GC somewhere. I find that
Letterboxers tend to be more selective in the placement and I have
not yet found a bad placement. I think that if one is going to take
time to hand carve a stamp, they have invested more into the box,
than someone who fills a plastic cantainer with household leftovers
and sticks it in the woods. There of more of these kind of geocaches
out there, However, there are some really nice ones too. Some take
the time and put nice objects in them, which when your exchange
encourages your to recipicate in kind. Some of the more experienced
hiders, really do a good job, by making puzzles and
other "waypoints" that you have to in order to find the main cache.
So it to is fun.
Here though is the main difference for me. When you go to an area to
find a letterbox more often than not you are led down trails, by
landmarks and can experience the area, making the search and finding
the Lb almost secondary to the experience of the walk. Conversly,
with the use of coordinates, you can make a bee line for the cache
and the whole flavor of the experience becomes the treasure hunt,
and after you forund your booty, you then look up and realize that
you are in a beautful spot.
Lastly, even though, both have log books, the whole procedure of
exchanging stamps make the Lb experience more personal. You stop and
say, "Hello, thank you for taking me to this wonderful spot and
allowing me to stamp this beautiful stamp that you spent your time
carving, and in return here is mine, I hope that you like it."
Well, that is my take.
Baker
http://bakersletterboxing.blogspot.com/
Differences between Geocaching and Letterboxing
4 messages in this thread |
Started on 2006-06-28
Differences between Geocaching and Letterboxing
From: knightbaker63 (knightbaker63@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2006-06-28 14:30:04 UTC
Re: [LbNA] Differences between Geocaching and Letterboxing
From: Barefoot Lucy (barefootlucy@gmail.com) |
Date: 2006-06-28 10:11:25 UTC-05:00
I do both also, although I have to say I don't seem to be as good at GC'ing
as I am at LB'ing.
I much prefer LB'ing for the same reasons you say, but when I need a hunting
fix and there aren't any boxes close enough to me to be able to find them in
the time I have available, I fall back on GC'ing. I do enjoy it, although
it frustrates me greatly because I don't seem to be able to home in as
quickly as you describe and I have to do a lot of guesswork. I have found I
like caches that give me coords but also visual clues, so that even if my
GPS is off from the placer's, I can still get where I'm going.
I agree about the places caches are hidden vs where boxes are hidden. Boxes
have much more appealing spots on a general basis; however, caches have much
more creative placements in their spots (hanging in trees, that sort of
thing).
One thing I distinctly like about GC's is that they have to be approved and
they can't be closer than xxx feet from one another. This is the same thing
I dislike about it. I really don't advocate requiring approval for boxes,
but I do wish sometimes that boxers wouldn't pile up a bunch of boxes in one
small area.
Another thing that's kind of cool about GC'ers is that they hand out their
cell phone numbers like it's nothing - they call them lifelines. I was
amazed to pick up three cell phone numbers in the first month or so and it
was nice to be able to use them when I got out there and got stuck on a
cache. LB'ers do the same, but they aren't nearly as quick about handing
them out, but I think it's more because they don't think about it than that
they are less friendly.
GC'ers are more competitive, I've found. And they seem to like to hunt in
groups.
--
Barefoot Lucy
"It's not about footwear, it's about philosophy"
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
as I am at LB'ing.
I much prefer LB'ing for the same reasons you say, but when I need a hunting
fix and there aren't any boxes close enough to me to be able to find them in
the time I have available, I fall back on GC'ing. I do enjoy it, although
it frustrates me greatly because I don't seem to be able to home in as
quickly as you describe and I have to do a lot of guesswork. I have found I
like caches that give me coords but also visual clues, so that even if my
GPS is off from the placer's, I can still get where I'm going.
I agree about the places caches are hidden vs where boxes are hidden. Boxes
have much more appealing spots on a general basis; however, caches have much
more creative placements in their spots (hanging in trees, that sort of
thing).
One thing I distinctly like about GC's is that they have to be approved and
they can't be closer than xxx feet from one another. This is the same thing
I dislike about it. I really don't advocate requiring approval for boxes,
but I do wish sometimes that boxers wouldn't pile up a bunch of boxes in one
small area.
Another thing that's kind of cool about GC'ers is that they hand out their
cell phone numbers like it's nothing - they call them lifelines. I was
amazed to pick up three cell phone numbers in the first month or so and it
was nice to be able to use them when I got out there and got stuck on a
cache. LB'ers do the same, but they aren't nearly as quick about handing
them out, but I think it's more because they don't think about it than that
they are less friendly.
GC'ers are more competitive, I've found. And they seem to like to hunt in
groups.
--
Barefoot Lucy
"It's not about footwear, it's about philosophy"
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [LbNA] Differences between Geocaching and Letterboxing
From: tbc_lb_id (teambearcat@gmail.com) |
Date: 2006-06-28 18:29:28 UTC
We have been geocaching about 3 years and letterboxing for 1 1/2 years. The perceived
'either-or' attitude, and some animosity between LB'rs and geocachers is unfortunate and
counter-productive. Both are fun and have their pros and cons. The main commonality
is the 'treasure hunt' aspect.
Many good points already made; we will try to add rather than repeat...
It is an over-generalization, but we have observed that while letterboxers are more
creative, both with the personal stamps and the clues, geocachers tend to be more
devious and varied in the choice of containers and style of hides (urban lamppost hides
excluded!) Lots of people in both get competitive, but most in both are also very sociable
and helpful.
The quality versus quantity issue is clear. Right now, there are tons of way too easy,
urban, drive-by geocaches. Now, there certainly should be some, for handicapped people,
and little kids and so forth, but the pendulum seems to be far to the quantity side.
Whatever we are hunting, with or without a GPS or other high-tech equipment, we like to
get to off-the-beaten-path places, or an interesting location we would not have found
otherwise. One excellent example of that is 'FFFF', just outside the city limits of
Chattanooga, but I doubt we would have found it without a letterbox there.
http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/clue.html?gBoxId=13651.
Also, there are other sites that post coordinates for hunting with a GPS. The main one
besides Groundspeak.com/Geocaching.com is Terracaching.com, which encourages much
more difficult hides and hunts.
The geocaching community seems to be more organized, which is of course a two-edged
sword. If you want to know the current rules, guidelines, etc for use of a park or any
public area, the geocaching sites are a good source of information.
Hiding any kind of container in a National Park is generally forbidden by the NPS without
specific permission from a park superintendent, and the GC community has set some
useful precedents for this. Likewise in some state parks.
That's our 4 cents worth (there are two people in Team Bear-Cat!) anyway; happy
hiding,hunting and hiking!
TBC
'either-or' attitude, and some animosity between LB'rs and geocachers is unfortunate and
counter-productive. Both are fun and have their pros and cons. The main commonality
is the 'treasure hunt' aspect.
Many good points already made; we will try to add rather than repeat...
It is an over-generalization, but we have observed that while letterboxers are more
creative, both with the personal stamps and the clues, geocachers tend to be more
devious and varied in the choice of containers and style of hides (urban lamppost hides
excluded!) Lots of people in both get competitive, but most in both are also very sociable
and helpful.
The quality versus quantity issue is clear. Right now, there are tons of way too easy,
urban, drive-by geocaches. Now, there certainly should be some, for handicapped people,
and little kids and so forth, but the pendulum seems to be far to the quantity side.
Whatever we are hunting, with or without a GPS or other high-tech equipment, we like to
get to off-the-beaten-path places, or an interesting location we would not have found
otherwise. One excellent example of that is 'FFFF', just outside the city limits of
Chattanooga, but I doubt we would have found it without a letterbox there.
http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/clue.html?gBoxId=13651.
Also, there are other sites that post coordinates for hunting with a GPS. The main one
besides Groundspeak.com/Geocaching.com is Terracaching.com, which encourages much
more difficult hides and hunts.
The geocaching community seems to be more organized, which is of course a two-edged
sword. If you want to know the current rules, guidelines, etc for use of a park or any
public area, the geocaching sites are a good source of information.
Hiding any kind of container in a National Park is generally forbidden by the NPS without
specific permission from a park superintendent, and the GC community has set some
useful precedents for this. Likewise in some state parks.
That's our 4 cents worth (there are two people in Team Bear-Cat!) anyway; happy
hiding,hunting and hiking!
TBC
Re: [LbNA] Differences between Geocaching and Letterboxing
From: serendipity (serendipityartist@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2006-06-28 11:49:38 UTC-07:00
This is a really good conversation...and I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in writing an article on the differences between geocaching and letterboxing for my zine. If so, please send me an email.
serendipityartist@yahoo.com
knightbaker63 wrote:
I have been searching through the posts here and I don't think that
this has been discussed, or at least my take, but if I am merely
echoing what previous posters have said, I appologize in advance.
I actually do both. My kids like to geocache better than letterbox,
but I love to box more than cache. For me it is about getting
outside and both activites offer a twist to the hike. And I have
found that both hobbies will sometimes take you to some new
discoveries.
I find so far, that the quality of locations with geocaching is
lacking. Many are just dropped into a so so area, that isn't really
special. Someone just wanted to hide a GC somewhere. I find that
Letterboxers tend to be more selective in the placement and I have
not yet found a bad placement. I think that if one is going to take
time to hand carve a stamp, they have invested more into the box,
than someone who fills a plastic cantainer with household leftovers
and sticks it in the woods. There of more of these kind of geocaches
out there, However, there are some really nice ones too. Some take
the time and put nice objects in them, which when your exchange
encourages your to recipicate in kind. Some of the more experienced
hiders, really do a good job, by making puzzles and
other "waypoints" that you have to in order to find the main cache.
So it to is fun.
Here though is the main difference for me. When you go to an area to
find a letterbox more often than not you are led down trails, by
landmarks and can experience the area, making the search and finding
the Lb almost secondary to the experience of the walk. Conversly,
with the use of coordinates, you can make a bee line for the cache
and the whole flavor of the experience becomes the treasure hunt,
and after you forund your booty, you then look up and realize that
you are in a beautful spot.
Lastly, even though, both have log books, the whole procedure of
exchanging stamps make the Lb experience more personal. You stop and
say, "Hello, thank you for taking me to this wonderful spot and
allowing me to stamp this beautiful stamp that you spent your time
carving, and in return here is mine, I hope that you like it."
Well, that is my take.
Baker
http://bakersletterboxing.blogspot.com/
__________________________________________________
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Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
serendipityartist@yahoo.com
knightbaker63
I have been searching through the posts here and I don't think that
this has been discussed, or at least my take, but if I am merely
echoing what previous posters have said, I appologize in advance.
I actually do both. My kids like to geocache better than letterbox,
but I love to box more than cache. For me it is about getting
outside and both activites offer a twist to the hike. And I have
found that both hobbies will sometimes take you to some new
discoveries.
I find so far, that the quality of locations with geocaching is
lacking. Many are just dropped into a so so area, that isn't really
special. Someone just wanted to hide a GC somewhere. I find that
Letterboxers tend to be more selective in the placement and I have
not yet found a bad placement. I think that if one is going to take
time to hand carve a stamp, they have invested more into the box,
than someone who fills a plastic cantainer with household leftovers
and sticks it in the woods. There of more of these kind of geocaches
out there, However, there are some really nice ones too. Some take
the time and put nice objects in them, which when your exchange
encourages your to recipicate in kind. Some of the more experienced
hiders, really do a good job, by making puzzles and
other "waypoints" that you have to in order to find the main cache.
So it to is fun.
Here though is the main difference for me. When you go to an area to
find a letterbox more often than not you are led down trails, by
landmarks and can experience the area, making the search and finding
the Lb almost secondary to the experience of the walk. Conversly,
with the use of coordinates, you can make a bee line for the cache
and the whole flavor of the experience becomes the treasure hunt,
and after you forund your booty, you then look up and realize that
you are in a beautful spot.
Lastly, even though, both have log books, the whole procedure of
exchanging stamps make the Lb experience more personal. You stop and
say, "Hello, thank you for taking me to this wonderful spot and
allowing me to stamp this beautiful stamp that you spent your time
carving, and in return here is mine, I hope that you like it."
Well, that is my take.
Baker
http://bakersletterboxing.blogspot.com/
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]