new toy

It arrived, yesterday... the Garmin eTrex Legend H handheld GPS unit.  And, it coordinated with our first burst of pre-spring temperatures in Ohio.

I'm not really a tech-and-gadget-guy, but I have been debating this purchase for quite a while... a few years, to be exact.  I know it isn't a huge purchase, but I'm very frugal, and I have four kids... need I say more?  I have spent the past few months reading reviews, studying features, getting the opinions of a few friends, and scouring the Internet for the best possible price.  I narrowed it down to this model and the one above it (which has basically the same features, but the addition of a color display).  Oddly enough, I could have purchased the better model for a few dollars less, but I chose this one.  Why?  Two words:  battery life.  The model I chose has an estimated battery life of 18 hours, as opposed to 14 hours on the model with the color screen.  Yes, I might be strange, but I hate buying/changing batteries, and the 4 hours of additional fun per battery cycle made the decision for me!

Although I don't use it often, I already have a Garmin automotive navigation device, and I really like it.  So, why does a non-tech-and-gadget-guy need two GPS units?

Geocaching.  High-tech hide-and-seek.  "The Great American GPS Stash Hunt", as it was originally named on May 3, 2000, when Dave Ulmer, a GPS enthusiast, hid the first "stash" in Beavercreek, Oregon.  The idea was simple:  put some small items with a visitor log book in a watertight container, hide it, record the GPS coordinates of the location and publish the coordinates.  Others use their GPS units to find the container (stealthily, without the muggles knowing!), log their visit, trade a trinket (if they wish), and place the container as they found it.  Little did Dave Ulmer know that what started as one simple GPS "experiment" would rapidly blossom into the world-wide hobby phenomenon now known as Geocaching.  And, where I live (and probably where you live), there are numerous caches hidden within walking distance of my backyard.

I first learned about Geocaching a few years ago, and thought it sounded like good family fun.  I intended to by a handheld GPS unit (auto units are not very compatible with Geocaching), but I just never got around to it.  Lately, my friend Father of Five, a fellow-Geocacher, has been telling me that the boys and I would love it, and I need to try it.  So, FoF, here we go... officially joining the Geocaching craze!  With spring knocking on our door, the boys and I can't wait to fire up the Garmin and do some high-tech treasure hunting!