Groundspeak Portal

I've always had the idea that waymarkers are just a subset of geocachers.  But that's probably not true.  Out of curiosity, who here did not migrate to waymarking after first being a geocacher?

*crickets*

 

I believe that barbybig is a 'waymarker' first.  I couldn't figure out how to link to her profile or I would have.

I have never geocached.  I am aware of there being some in my vicinity, but never took the time to go look for one.

My parents have geocached and waymarked, but only because I have taken them along with me.  They don't have their own gps.  But they are far more interested in waymarking, as they travel a lot and like history/local info, etc.  They have actually taken pics of themselves and things while on vacation, hoping that they may be a waymark that they could log a visit to.  They're not quite sure how to use the site yet, so have have only logged a couple geocaches with my help, but no waymarks yet.  My brother, sister, and I are getting my parents their own gps so that they can start waymarking on their own.

So, they "technically" have geocached first, but never "owned" it, but did it with us as a family.  They are already doing waymarking (sorta) without a gps, and are quite interested. 

How many have given up geocaching for waymarking?  Or, at least for whom has waymarking become their first love in the GPS games?

silverquill:

How many have given up geocaching for waymarking?  Or, at least for whom has waymarking become their first love in the GPS games?

The family and I started out Geocaching in 2005 and since discovering Waymarking have done very little Geocaching.  In 2008 we only logged two visits and posted one note for a cache that had been dozed over. We like Geocaching, it is fun, but for some reason we always end up going Waymarking instead and I can't give a real reason as to why that is. A lot of new caches are in the area now and I need to update our GSAK area listing and visit some of these. We still carry a box of trade goodies in the car.

silverquill:

How many have given up geocaching for waymarking?  Or, at least for whom has waymarking become their first love in the GPS games?

That's pretty much me.  I'm not very good at finding those tiny boxes, and that always made me frustrated, and I hated the creepy feeling of sneaking around for all the urban micros around here.  Now a monument, historical marker, mural, courthouse, church, those things I can find.   So I think Waymarking is more fun.  I often learn something from Waymarking, from Geocaching I've only learned that you can lift a lamp-post skirt and that some people spend a TON of time coming up with very camo'd containers.

I've heard a lot of people in the Caching world say they want to place caches in interesting locations to bring people there.  I "own" just 4 caches, one is placed in a town park that's so tiny you'd otherwise miss it.  But the type of logs I get are things like "this was number 3000 of our million cache day and the lady next door kept staring at us", so I don't really think they're appreciating the placement much.

silverquill:

How many have given up geocaching for waymarking?  Or, at least for whom has waymarking become their first love in the GPS games?

This is where I'm at...I only grab a cache or two a month and they are typically out of town trips and they are close to a place that I can waymark.  Rarely can you learn much about a place from a geocache...now grab a pic or two a few coordinates a little internet search and you can spend a couple of hours on a decent waymark of a historic site.

KE

Well, the topic has changed, but this is interesting, too.

I probably waymark more than I geocache now, but that's primarily because of my limited time for either.  I don't care much for urban caching.  Waymarking is a much better activity when walking or driving around populated areas.  If I have several hours available, I prefer to geocache, because I'd rather spend that chunk of time in the woods, though I'll certainly also waymark anything I can along the way.

Back to those who didn't come from geocaching: how did you find out about waymarking then?

I really didn't come from geocaching as I had stopped geocaching before I started waymarking.   I used to do a bit of geocaching and now I do a bit of waymarking.

The first 9 months I was geocaching I was averaging 6 geocaches a week or so.  Once I started waymarking, that frequency dropped considerably.  I still enjoy geocaching , but I haven't gone out only to geocache in a very long time.  Usuaully what I do is when I am planning on going somewhere to do waymarking, I look to see what geocaches are in the area and try to grab many of those.  I usually avoid any that are going to take more than an hour since I would be rather be waymarking.

Last fall, I took a trip through SW Wisconsin waymarking and geocaching.  My two primary goals were to find as many Wisconsin Historical Markers as possible that I had not already visited (some were already waymarked and others not) and to find geocaches in counties and DeLorme pages in that area that I had not completed, yet.  I think I ended up with something like 4 new counties and 6 new DeLorme pages (that may not seem like many, but I had already been into SW Wisconsin several times before and was basically filling the remaining gaps.  I also drove over into Iowa and Minnesota to get Historical markers and caches in those states as well.  (Of course I found and waymarked as many National Register of Historic Places and American Guide places as I could find as well.)

Now all I have to do is post all these places I went....

Interesting topic and fun to read the replies.

Still a dyed in the wool Geocacher, but my focus has definitely shifted.  A full day available to play; no doubt Geocaching wins out.  Usually a long hike or bike ride, mixing finding tupperware in the woods with any potential Waymarks along the way.

A few hours or less: definitely Waymarking, particularly in urban settings.   Absolutely no interest in finding skirt lifters in Walmart parking lots.

Kind in interesting, but on a recent business trip I did some caching on the side, but the definite goal of the trip was to submit this Infamous Crime Scene:

Closed on Thanksgiving

The Caching part of the trip was definitely a blast, but I really enjoyed researching and writing up that one.

I'm also enjoying trying to figure out ways to combine the three Groundspeak activities (e.g. Waymarking/Geocaching/Wherigo), not always with the best results, but still fun to mess around with stuff.

touchstone:

I'm also enjoying trying to figure out ways to combine the three Groundspeak activities (e.g. Waymarking/Geocaching/Wherigo), not always with the best results, but still fun to mess around with stuff.

I enjoy both games. I suppose I like Waymarking a little more, but it's really close.

The posts in this topic amuse me when they talk about going geocaching VERSUS going waymarking.

I have my camera all the time. Obviously I have my GPS. I'm not a hardcore hiker, so it's unlikely I'll get out in the woods so far that there's little to waymark.

This January 1st was our (Usually go with the wife, but not always) second annual "Set The Tone For The Year" geocaching/waymarking trip.  This involves a PQ of cemetery caches.  There are a ton of categories now of waymarkable things that are in cemeteries.  I didn't look for any of those on this particular trip, but the third annual trip will entail a bit more examination of headstones (as will any cemetery visits in the meantime).

I don't have any hardware that will run Whereigo yet.

On the topic of Waymarking or Geocaching, I'd be a lot like Touchstone.

When I am driving around I am thinking of Waymarking, looking at things to Waymark and rarely anything about Geocaching. Geocaching is a day's outing with a friend.

Waymarking is to watching television as Geocaching is to going to the movies.

I found Waymarking when my friend Hard Oiler was told he needed to move his Locationless over.. and I wanted to see the new idea, and fell in love with the concept.

BQ

BruceS:

I really didn't come from geocaching as I had stopped geocaching before I started waymarking.   I used to do a bit of geocaching and now I do a bit of waymarking.

LOLROTF -  Bruce that has to be the joke of the year

dinoprophet:

I've always had the idea that waymarkers are just a subset of geocachers.  But that's probably not true.  Out of curiosity, who here did not migrate to waymarking after first being a geocacher?

I learned of waymarking through the geocaching website. That being said, I started waymarking before I started geocaching, and currently do both.

we are currently waymarking and geocaching each time we go out, we love to get in the woods and hunt caches, but we also have waymarking to be a very enjoyable hobby/sport. our son is adopted form guatemala and it is helping him to understand our history of the USA. he enjoys taking the pictures and reading the monuments that we find. both hobbies are good for our family time together. we are all active in scouting and it helping to fill in some activities that he needs for advancement. we really enjoy the history lessons that we have learned in the past month or so of waymarking. we are always looking for possible waymarks when we are out doing the both of them. we have tons of pictures and cords that we need to work on to get uploaded. we have several ideas of things to try to get in categories when we get the time to sit down and write them up. we are located in columbia, tn and not many waymarks in our county except the ones about PRESIDENT POLK  and few others here. most of our waymarking has been in williamson county so far, but we hope to waymark maury county for future cachers and waymarkers to visit our city. we cant waith to go back home to chattanooga and waymark that area, my mom lives right next the CHICKAMAUGA BATTLEFIIELD that backbrakebilly has waymarked. looking forward to doing that area in the near future. both hobbies there spot for everyone.

    Technically did not come from geocaching.  Started geocaching in summer of 2002 and loved it (still do ).  Knew nothing about waymarking.  I participated in an Urban Dare - a game that involves trivia, challenges or dares and a photo hunt- in 2007 as the team on the ground.  The Urban Dare involves teams on the ground and a team online getting the required info.  The next summer it was my turn to be the computer help.  In my searching a clue,  I came upon a link to a photo on waymarking.  I was able to give my team the coordinates and they quickly found the statue in question.  So that was my first visit to the waymarking site.  

So, I have been geocaching for a long time but it was a totally different game that lead me to waymarking.  If you are interested in a mini amazing race then check out urbandare.com