Discussion: Geocaching
in: Orienteering; General
Dec 17, 2015 11:59 PM
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How many times have I explained orienteering to the curious passerby only to get the response: “Oh. . .it’s like geocaching.” I do my best to hide my consternation, and I have a ready reply; but I’m not sure that it’s effective. How would you reply?
Dec 18, 2015 12:20 AM
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I have given up and respond: "yep". In fact I just tell them I'm going geocaching when I'm really going orienteering.
Dec 18, 2015 1:28 AM
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How's this...
"Yes, similar in that we both navigate. But we can't use GPS -- map and compass only. And it is a race not a treasure hunt."
Three short sentences.
"Yes, similar in that we both navigate. But we can't use GPS -- map and compass only. And it is a race not a treasure hunt."
Three short sentences.
Dec 18, 2015 2:17 AM
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You have time to stop and talk to people during an event? You're not racing hard enough.
Just say it's like rogaining but without the floppy hat.
Just say it's like rogaining but without the floppy hat.
Dec 18, 2015 3:41 AM
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I sometimes wear my floppy hat orienteering. And I describe rogaining as being "like orienteering but longer and more painful" :)
Dec 18, 2015 4:16 AM
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How many times have I explained orienteering to the curious passerby
Do curious passersby really ask you about orienteering? Its never happened to me. Maybe I'm walking down the wrong streets or something. (Oh, and BTW, 'passerby' is such a cool word as its the only word in the English language (at least that I can think of), that is infix inflected to get the plural rather than suffix inflected. Think about it. That is your word puzzle for the day :)
I will say that one thing I've learned over the years is that people who talk about geocaching don't actually know what it is, or why it is cool. It really is like rogaining, without the unmarketable name.
And why orienteers, who passersby tell me are "the worlds smartest athletes" stick with that abjectly stupid name ("rogaining") is the real word puzzle.
Do curious passersby really ask you about orienteering? Its never happened to me. Maybe I'm walking down the wrong streets or something. (Oh, and BTW, 'passerby' is such a cool word as its the only word in the English language (at least that I can think of), that is infix inflected to get the plural rather than suffix inflected. Think about it. That is your word puzzle for the day :)
I will say that one thing I've learned over the years is that people who talk about geocaching don't actually know what it is, or why it is cool. It really is like rogaining, without the unmarketable name.
And why orienteers, who passersby tell me are "the worlds smartest athletes" stick with that abjectly stupid name ("rogaining") is the real word puzzle.
Dec 18, 2015 4:36 AM
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Some dictionaries will let you get away with "spoonsful", but it's rather out of fashion.
Dec 18, 2015 5:05 AM
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If RIchard and his friend did this activity, it would be geoscaching.
Dec 18, 2015 9:11 AM
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There are quite a few countries in the world, but only one has a problem with the word "rogaining". I think in the marketing world this problem is simply met by using a different brand. What would you call it?
Dec 18, 2015 2:01 PM
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Orienteering? It is like geo-caching except you do the navigating, not the box.
Dec 18, 2015 2:21 PM
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Do curious passersby really ask you about orienteering?
Yes. Most common scenario: I'm scouting for an event, and pop out of the woods from some odd direction about the same time they are on the trail. I am studying some sort of map they don't have. Occasionally they show up at meets later.
Yes. Most common scenario: I'm scouting for an event, and pop out of the woods from some odd direction about the same time they are on the trail. I am studying some sort of map they don't have. Occasionally they show up at meets later.
Dec 19, 2015 3:40 AM
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Do curious passersby really ask you about orienteering?
Yes, on many occasions. Mapping, course designing, during a race. If it's during a race, I'll usually blurt out something friendly-like and keep going.
Geocaching... How would you reply?
"Orienteering is hipster geocaching."
Think about it. Compared to geocaching, orienteering is old-school, gadget-free, artisan (detailed handcrafted maps), elitist, non-mainstream, has ridiculous fashion (irony may or may not be included), and nobody has heard of it.
There are quite a few countries in the world, but only one has a problem with the word "rogaining". I think in the marketing world this problem is simply met by using a different brand. What would you call it?
Mergeo, based in Seattle, went through this exercise several years ago, and called one of their brands Mergeo Nav Racing.
Calling it "rogaining" in the US is not helping grow the sport. It's confusing and doesn't have a positive connotation. Branding 101 can tell you that. Yes, I know the sport is called rogaining and the rest of the world doesn't have an issue with that. But why can't the those in charge in the US call it something different?
I mean, look at soccer. An overwhelming majority of the world calls it football. But in places like the US, Canada, and Australia, they already have a sport called football, so they call it soccer. And the rest of the world is like, "Yeah, I get it. It's football, but they already have football, so they call it soccer. We're good."
But we keep calling it rogaining, because we're hipsters.
Yes, on many occasions. Mapping, course designing, during a race. If it's during a race, I'll usually blurt out something friendly-like and keep going.
Geocaching... How would you reply?
"Orienteering is hipster geocaching."
Think about it. Compared to geocaching, orienteering is old-school, gadget-free, artisan (detailed handcrafted maps), elitist, non-mainstream, has ridiculous fashion (irony may or may not be included), and nobody has heard of it.
There are quite a few countries in the world, but only one has a problem with the word "rogaining". I think in the marketing world this problem is simply met by using a different brand. What would you call it?
Mergeo, based in Seattle, went through this exercise several years ago, and called one of their brands Mergeo Nav Racing.
Calling it "rogaining" in the US is not helping grow the sport. It's confusing and doesn't have a positive connotation. Branding 101 can tell you that. Yes, I know the sport is called rogaining and the rest of the world doesn't have an issue with that. But why can't the those in charge in the US call it something different?
I mean, look at soccer. An overwhelming majority of the world calls it football. But in places like the US, Canada, and Australia, they already have a sport called football, so they call it soccer. And the rest of the world is like, "Yeah, I get it. It's football, but they already have football, so they call it soccer. We're good."
But we keep calling it rogaining, because we're hipsters.
Dec 19, 2015 4:20 AM
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Bash:
There are quite a few countries in the world, but only one has a problem with the word "rogaining".
I'd say at least *two* countries.
I'd say at least *two* countries.
Dec 19, 2015 4:39 AM
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@Pink Socks - *especially* when mapping. There's nothing like wandering around with a board and a few pencils to make people stop and wonder if you're a terrorist.
Dec 19, 2015 5:06 AM
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@ juffy depends on the country. We are usually thought of as being from the local council.
Dec 19, 2015 5:29 AM
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Yeah I've had people ask for assistance when I've been out mapping. They thought I was a park ranger.
Dec 19, 2015 10:50 AM
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My floppy hat got destroyed at the last XPD so it shouldn't be an issue anymore. I map in a cap these days.
This discussion thread is closed.