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Geocaching GPS: Great Personal Stories of Romance, Adventure, & Connection
Welcome to
Geocaching GPS:
Great Personal Stories of Romance, Adventure, & Connection. This book is the first-ever anthology of heart-warming stories dedicated to geocaching. Inside, you’re invited to enjoy 43 geocaching stories from 4 different continents and experience:
Stories of Romance…
You’ll discover six stories that show just how creative geocachers can be when it comes to meeting the love of their life, proposing to that person, and honoring the love over the years.
Stories of Adventure…
From the dangers of searching for geocaches near cliffs or lakes, to hunting for a cache in prison, these 28 stories are sure to have you feeling the adrenaline right along with the cacher.
Stories of Connection…
Geocaching is so much more than just finding the cache – it’s also about forging life-long friendships, bonding over a shared love of the outdoors, and meeting new people. Here are 16 stories that do just that!
Foreword written by Bryan Roth, co-founder of geocaching.com
- GenresNonfiction
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2015
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 6, 2018
Alright for the Genre
My wife and I, who are new to geocaching, decided to read this book together. It's a fun hobby and we were looking forward to reading stories from other geocachers about their adventures. On this the author delivered.
This book is a compilation of short stories written by geocachers from a diverse range persons. Young and old, liberal and conservative, man and woman, rich and poor: This is a hobby that is embraced by all sorts of people. As such, it's fertile ground for engaging stories and Cynthia and I really enjoyed reading them. So, kudos to the compiler for taking on this project.
There were, however, some glaring editorial problems with this book. The compiler's main job was editing and she didn't seem to take that job seriously. Many of the contributors were obviously not skilled writers, some of them had less than highschool level skills, and yet the compiler didn't take the time to fix the basic errors in spelling, grammar, and syntax. Many of the grammatical errors were so bad and so frequent that it made some of the stories almost unreadable.
So, my conclusion is, if you're a geocacher, you might enjoy this book. If not, I wouldn't bother. There are other, better things to read.
My wife and I, who are new to geocaching, decided to read this book together. It's a fun hobby and we were looking forward to reading stories from other geocachers about their adventures. On this the author delivered.
This book is a compilation of short stories written by geocachers from a diverse range persons. Young and old, liberal and conservative, man and woman, rich and poor: This is a hobby that is embraced by all sorts of people. As such, it's fertile ground for engaging stories and Cynthia and I really enjoyed reading them. So, kudos to the compiler for taking on this project.
There were, however, some glaring editorial problems with this book. The compiler's main job was editing and she didn't seem to take that job seriously. Many of the contributors were obviously not skilled writers, some of them had less than highschool level skills, and yet the compiler didn't take the time to fix the basic errors in spelling, grammar, and syntax. Many of the grammatical errors were so bad and so frequent that it made some of the stories almost unreadable.
So, my conclusion is, if you're a geocacher, you might enjoy this book. If not, I wouldn't bother. There are other, better things to read.
June 23, 2015
Geocaching has been my family's passion for the past twelve years, so when I discovered the writing contest that could possibly lead to publication in this geo-anthology, I was excited . And of course I was thrilled when I was informed that my poem - Ode to Swamp Rats - was to be published. Now that I have a copy of the book in hand, that thrill turns to a feeling of being honored to have my work side-by-side with many amazing tales of romance, adventure and connection written by fellow geocachers worldwide.
The editor does an excellent job creating a well rounded collection which includes the writings of those of all ages, motivations, and abilities . There are beautiful stories about how geocaching heals broken hearts and leads to marital bliss, eases grief after the loss of a loved one, creates a world where conditions such as Agoraphobia and Asperger Syndrome can be overcome...and of course where people learn that adventure , whether extreme or just plain fun, is right outside your door. This will be a fun one to revisit often.
The editor does an excellent job creating a well rounded collection which includes the writings of those of all ages, motivations, and abilities . There are beautiful stories about how geocaching heals broken hearts and leads to marital bliss, eases grief after the loss of a loved one, creates a world where conditions such as Agoraphobia and Asperger Syndrome can be overcome...and of course where people learn that adventure , whether extreme or just plain fun, is right outside your door. This will be a fun one to revisit often.
August 4, 2016
Geocaching GPS
Great Personal Stories of Romance, Adventure and Connection
Have you ever cached? No? Nor have I. In fact, before a friend told me about the sport of geocaching, his newest hobby, I’d never ever heard of it. I call it a sport because it involves many things that an actual sport does: agility, tenacity, a keen eye, an intellectual curiosity (required), and more. Who knew there were thousands and thousands of people across the globe participating in this “catchy” ad hoc adventure and even stores that sell geocaching supplies and “swag”? If you’ve got no idea what all the hubbub is about then read Geocaching GPS: Great Personal Stories of Romance, Adventure and Connection, compiled by Kimberly Eldredge, the first of its kind geocaching anthology.
I only heard of this book because my blogging friend, Karen Allendoerfer, has one of her stories, Bobbing for Bob, included within. Bobbing for Bob is about the longterm commitment to marriage and goals — in this instance, the goal being a particularly difficult cache — and is one of the best stories in the book both for the writing and the lesson. In marriage and in life, the goal, and the tenacity you apply to it, defines the outcome. And sometimes sharing credit for something may just be enough.
All the stories showcase one of the book’s three main themes: romance, adventure or connection, and while not all of the contributors are “writers,” they are all adventurers committed to the cache and enamored of what geocaching offers them: time out in nature, time with family, time to dust off the frontal lobe and learn a new skill, to get out of the house and away from the TV, to move around and reconnect with yourself, your friends, your life, and forge some friendships in the larger geocaching community. When a cache is discovered, notes are made in the logbook such as FTF, failed to find, and there’s generally some swag — little trinkets, varied in nature — available for exchange. It’s an ongoing and exciting game of hide and seek with prizes available at the end. What could be better?
What I found most intriguing — in addition to the inspiring and characteristic geocaching names used to log in to a find — was how story after story talked about introducing the sport to others, generally family members who either never heard of it or had poo-poo’d it and then were hooked.
Here is a sampling of what’s inside: “Concert on a Waterfall,” about a 22-pound pyramid, a didgeridoo, a harp, and spirits who enter the earth through the waterfall’s veil. “Along for the Hike” about a father and daughter who bond over geocaching even as the daughter is dying of cancer. “A Quick Stop Along the Way,” about a daughter who instills the love of geocaching in her father who had grown tired of waiting for her to arrive because she was stopping at geocaches all along the way. He ended up hiding 67 of his own caches within a 30-mile radius of his home in Arkansas where previously there were none to assure he could spend more time with his daughter. “Beauty in Abandonment,” about a woman who lost the friend who introduced her to geocaching, yet found her own spirit again at the first geocache she ever searched for with the friend who was no longer with her.
There’s so many more and they are as varied as the caches themselves. If you are interested in geocaching, are just curious to see what these crazy geocachers are doing with their spare time, or if you’ve been looking to get started, but need a boost, consider “Geocaching GPS” your primer.
Great Personal Stories of Romance, Adventure and Connection
Have you ever cached? No? Nor have I. In fact, before a friend told me about the sport of geocaching, his newest hobby, I’d never ever heard of it. I call it a sport because it involves many things that an actual sport does: agility, tenacity, a keen eye, an intellectual curiosity (required), and more. Who knew there were thousands and thousands of people across the globe participating in this “catchy” ad hoc adventure and even stores that sell geocaching supplies and “swag”? If you’ve got no idea what all the hubbub is about then read Geocaching GPS: Great Personal Stories of Romance, Adventure and Connection, compiled by Kimberly Eldredge, the first of its kind geocaching anthology.
I only heard of this book because my blogging friend, Karen Allendoerfer, has one of her stories, Bobbing for Bob, included within. Bobbing for Bob is about the longterm commitment to marriage and goals — in this instance, the goal being a particularly difficult cache — and is one of the best stories in the book both for the writing and the lesson. In marriage and in life, the goal, and the tenacity you apply to it, defines the outcome. And sometimes sharing credit for something may just be enough.
All the stories showcase one of the book’s three main themes: romance, adventure or connection, and while not all of the contributors are “writers,” they are all adventurers committed to the cache and enamored of what geocaching offers them: time out in nature, time with family, time to dust off the frontal lobe and learn a new skill, to get out of the house and away from the TV, to move around and reconnect with yourself, your friends, your life, and forge some friendships in the larger geocaching community. When a cache is discovered, notes are made in the logbook such as FTF, failed to find, and there’s generally some swag — little trinkets, varied in nature — available for exchange. It’s an ongoing and exciting game of hide and seek with prizes available at the end. What could be better?
What I found most intriguing — in addition to the inspiring and characteristic geocaching names used to log in to a find — was how story after story talked about introducing the sport to others, generally family members who either never heard of it or had poo-poo’d it and then were hooked.
Here is a sampling of what’s inside: “Concert on a Waterfall,” about a 22-pound pyramid, a didgeridoo, a harp, and spirits who enter the earth through the waterfall’s veil. “Along for the Hike” about a father and daughter who bond over geocaching even as the daughter is dying of cancer. “A Quick Stop Along the Way,” about a daughter who instills the love of geocaching in her father who had grown tired of waiting for her to arrive because she was stopping at geocaches all along the way. He ended up hiding 67 of his own caches within a 30-mile radius of his home in Arkansas where previously there were none to assure he could spend more time with his daughter. “Beauty in Abandonment,” about a woman who lost the friend who introduced her to geocaching, yet found her own spirit again at the first geocache she ever searched for with the friend who was no longer with her.
There’s so many more and they are as varied as the caches themselves. If you are interested in geocaching, are just curious to see what these crazy geocachers are doing with their spare time, or if you’ve been looking to get started, but need a boost, consider “Geocaching GPS” your primer.
Read
October 6, 2018Jonathan and I began "geocaching" this summer. It's like a treasure hunt, using GPS to find small objects or "caches." A world-wide community exists around this activity, and Kimberly Eldredge has compiled an anthology of geocachers' writings.
We got this book to read aloud together during bus and train rides en route to finding caches -- and, as can be expected from an anthology of writings, the pieces offer varying relatability.
I enjoyed first-person accounts of being "First To Find" new caches, even the accounts of "Did Not Find" made for compelling reading and I could commiserate with that writer. I also enjoyed the way that several couples explored geocaching together.
But the piece about pulling a child out of the water while the writer was smoking a cigarette seemed entirely self-serving. The whole story led up to the author making an excuse to justify her choice to smoke.
I disagree with Eldredge's choice to only "lightly" edit the submissions she received. Wrong words and miscapitalizations didn't read like "authentic" voice. Instead, it just looked like sloppy editing, and reflected badly on Eldredge.
Overall, I think this book will resonate most strongly with people who are interested in geocaching, rather than a general readership. The book offers a brief informational overview of what geocaching is, but I'd characterize storytelling as its principle aim.
We got this book to read aloud together during bus and train rides en route to finding caches -- and, as can be expected from an anthology of writings, the pieces offer varying relatability.
I enjoyed first-person accounts of being "First To Find" new caches, even the accounts of "Did Not Find" made for compelling reading and I could commiserate with that writer. I also enjoyed the way that several couples explored geocaching together.
But the piece about pulling a child out of the water while the writer was smoking a cigarette seemed entirely self-serving. The whole story led up to the author making an excuse to justify her choice to smoke.
I disagree with Eldredge's choice to only "lightly" edit the submissions she received. Wrong words and miscapitalizations didn't read like "authentic" voice. Instead, it just looked like sloppy editing, and reflected badly on Eldredge.
Overall, I think this book will resonate most strongly with people who are interested in geocaching, rather than a general readership. The book offers a brief informational overview of what geocaching is, but I'd characterize storytelling as its principle aim.
July 19, 2015
You don't have to be Indiana Jones to have real life adventures. They are being had by ordinary people all over the world through the adventure of geocaching. Whether an Earthcache takes you to a beautiful national park or a multicache leads you through undiscovered parts of your own neighborhood, there is a cache type out there for everyone. This book gives you a glimpse into 43 such adventures through story and poem.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews