We were lucky enough to get an interview with this month's featured geocacher Gaddiel. Gaddiel is currently serving as the Past President of the Arkansas Geocachers Association. Geocaching since 2002, Gaddiel can be seen on the trail with is wife "Orange Danish" and their daughter "Lil' One." Gaddiel has been instrumental in helping organize ArkGeo and has volunteered a great deal of his time to promoting geocaching in the natural state.We appreciate Gaddiel taking the time to allow us to interview him and for everyone who leaves comments on our posts. We hope everyone has a wonderful new year!
How did you hear about geocaching and what was your first hunt like?
I believe I first found geocaching.com on another web site I was using to trade paperback books. We didn't have a GPS at the time, of course, but I was able to borrow one from a co-worker. On February 23, 2003, we went on our first hunt. Well, actually, there wasn't much of a "hunt" to it. It was a virtual cache and we already knew where it was! The cache was Old Ferry Cache, hidden by cachecrazies. That day, in the cold and the rain, we discovered something that would give us years of enjoyment and cheap entertainment!
It may seem odd now, but we actually started geocaching several months before our first find! How? Well, although it goes against the generally accepted procedure these days, the first thing we did when we got our hands on a GPSr was to go and hide a cache! (We didn't know any better at the time. Please don't take our GPSr away...) We hid a cache at Woolly Hollow State Park in June of 2002 and called it Wild & Woolly. Even though we had permission from the local ranger, at that time, the state park system didn't even know what geocaching was. Little did we know that about three months later, the state parks system would issue a blanket ban on geocaching in all Arkansas state parks. This action, as you probably know, played a big part in the creation of Arkansas Geocachers Association and eventually to the Arkansas State Park system's current policy to allow (and even promote) geocaching in almost every state park in Arkansas. But I digress...
How did you choose your nickname?
I wanted to have nickname that had some biblical significance, so I chose "Gaddiel", one of the scouts that first went in to the land that God had promised to Israel back in the book of Exodus. Gaddiel was an an explorer-type of guy, so I thought it would be appropriate. My wife chose OrangeDanish because she loves those Pillsbury orange danish rolls. (Plus, I probably remind her of that chubby little Poppin' Fresh guy on the commercial... Hmm... on second thought, I'm not that ticklish...)
Geocaching with a family offers its own rewards and challenges. What advice would you give for a family just starting out in the game?
We always cache together as a family. One thing we've learned is to let the kids set the pace for the day. When we start to push too hard, it stops being fun for them and the day usually turns sour. Just relax and enjoy each hunt and let the little ones explore at their own pace. For us, the time we spend geocaching together as a family is way more important than racking up the numbers. Smiles on a face are always more valuable than smileys in a logbook.
What type of GPS do you use and what other gear do you use to help you find a cache?
We have two GPSrs, both old. Since our Garmin eTrex Legend has started having issues, we usually use a Magellan SporTrak Pro. Recently we also have been using a TomTom Navigator ONE to help us with the in-car navigation, which has been working out great! Occasionally, when we have time to plan, we will use Microsoft Streets & Trips on the laptop to plan the most efficient route, but most times we don't go to that much trouble.
What is your favorite type of cache? (puzzle, multi, etc.)
I love creative, urban micros. My wife loves caches hidden on long hikes to remote locations. Our daughter loves huge containers, no matter the location. We all like to work on puzzle caches together... so... Hmmm.. I guess we love them ALL!
What's the funniest thing to happen to you at a cache and which one was it?
I'll never forget what happened at "Abby's Cache". As we got within about 50 feet of the cache site, a bug flew in my ear. This thing started burrowing and would not come out! I spent several minutes shaking my head and doing some kind of crazy dance trying to get it out, but it just kept going deeper. Apparently, it went all the way to my eardrum, because every time the thing would move, it sounded like a thunderous waterfall inside my head. I remember thinking about that scene from one of the Star Trek movies (Wrath of Khan, maybe?) where they put that worm in that guy's ear and it burrowed into his brain... AAARRRRGGGHHH!!!! This went on for a good 15-20 minutes. I just kept banging my head against my hand and the little devil finally came out. It's truly a wonder I didn't give myself a concussion... Well, anyways, the cache was an excellent hide and after a lengthy search, we stumbled upon it and came away with a cacher's delight: another smiley.
What is one of your all time favorite caches and why?
"How Do You Measure Up As A Cacher?" Some caches are just plain fun! It's obvious that lots of planning went into this one. Ingenious design and flawless operation.
Do you have a certain cache on your "wishlist" and why?
"Land of the Lost". This one tops our list because of its scenic location and unique geological formation. It also looks like it's not too difficult.
What other hobbies do you have?
Reading, golf, watching movies with the family, and computer games.
Where do you see geocaching in the future?
I suppose the game of hide-and-seek and the intrigue of getting clues to go and discover a hidden treasure are almost as old as humanity itself. We just started calling it "geocaching" in the last decade or so. Geocaching, in some form, will probably continue to exist for many years. However, we may find ourselves having to change the way we play the game. Since its inception, we have seen increasing restrictions on geocaching as time has passed. I would say it's pretty likely that we will see that trend continue, at least until geocaching evolves in some way to compensate.
Oh, all right. I'll be more specific. In 10 years, we'll be using three-dimensional coordinates to search for non-physical caches that contain "virtual" trade items, which can be exchanged online. To unlock and "log" the cache on site, one will simply verify one's identity using either fingerprint or DNA analysis... There. Is that "Star Trek" enough for ya'? :-)
