GeoCaching: Hike and Seek With Your GPS (Technology in Action Series) [Paperback]

Erik Sherman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Technology in Action Series | Publication Date: April 7, 2004

GeoCaching: Hike and Seek With Your GPS is a guide to the relatively new, and exponentially growing, activity of geocaching. It is a treasure hunting game using handheld GPS (global positioning system) receivers that is now played world-wide. Although invented in May of 2000, there are already hundreds of thousands of people who participate, and that number continues to rapidly grow. GeoCaching: Hike and Seek With Your GPS covers not only the fundamental principles and points of geocaching, but also covers such related topics as wilderness navigation, hiking, and outdoor safety. The reason to buy this book is that it combines "how to" information - the necessary technical background in GPS, navigation, and hiking, along with some history of the geocaching activity as well as some narrative spots that give readers a sense of why they should get involved. The person who expressed interest in being the technical editor is well regarded in geocaching circles and highly knowledgeable and will ensure that the information is as directed to practical use as possible. This book is a comprehensive guide to geocaching, a leisure activity using GPS technology for a high tech treasure hunt game. It is the only book out on something that has been growing at exponential rates since its introduction in 2000 and that has received wide coverage on television, on radio, and in newspapers and magazines. It is particularly popular with extreme sports and high tech aficionados.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the most unusual, fun books to come out in a long time...!" -- TravelWorld Magazine, Irene Nantz, July 2004

Everyone who has been touched by the magic of geocaching should...reserve a prominent place for it on their bookshelf. -- Richard Niles, Today's Cacher, September, 2004

About the Author

Erik Sherman is a widely published journalist and author whose work has appeared in Newsweek, Continental, Technology Review, US News, Men’s Journal, CIO Insight, Computerworld, the New York Times Syndicate, and others. He is a published author with Sybex. Before taking up writing as a career, Sherman was a business and marketing consultant to companies ranging in size from start-up to Fortune 500. Sherman has also been the head of product marketing at a direct marketer of hardware and software for technical professionals, and an entrepreneur in other businesses.

Sherman is an avid outdoor enthusiast, a certified scuba diver, and counts himself lucky to live near woods and a conservation area.

Product Details

• Paperback: 205 pages
• Publisher: Apress; 1 edition (April 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590591224
• ISBN-13: 978-1590591222
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,078,615 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Geocaching By the Book, May 2, 2004

By 

Bret C. Hammond "cybret" (www.geocacher-u.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: GeoCaching: Hike and Seek With Your GPS (Technology in Action Series) (Paperback)

The majority of geocachers have learned the ropes of this sport by the old Nike motto: they just did it. They may have gone out on hunts with a few more experienced cachers and picked up some pointers from them. They might have sat around campfires at event caches and traded tips. They also might have spent hours perusing the forums and weighing the advice given there against several large grains of salt, but the journey of a thousand caches always begins with the step of simply finding that first cache. No one has ever picked up a manual and read their way into geocaching. It just isn't done.

However, all of us would have to admit there are aspects of this pastime that baffle us. We may come prepared with an extensive knowledge of the outdoors but lack the technical savvy to know exactly how to finesse a GPS. We might come to the game as a gadget geek but admit to getting lost in our own backyards. It would take a lot of searching through web pages and libraries of outdoor guides-not to mention trial and error-to assemble information on the various aspects of this game. Thankfully, there's a much better source.

Eric Sherman's Geocaching: Hike and Seek with Your GPS is a book that brings the fun of geocaching and the thrill of the hunt together with much needed information about how to stay alive in the woods. Sherman has wisely approached this topic with the realization that geocaching itself isn't all that complicated. Instead he has provided us with a guide to all the little incidentals that can make "finding a box in the woods" complicated.

Most of the time I didn't feel like I was so much reading a book about geocaching, as I was reading a book about the outdoors from a geocacher's perspective. From map reading to shooting a baring with a compass to picking out the perfect hiking boots, Geocaching: Hike and Seek with Your GPS fills us in on all the other stuff that wouldn't have been in our GPS manuals, even if we had bothered to read them.

When it does come to information directly related to placing and finding caches, Sherman writes with the savvy of someone who's been there. Many of his points are punctuated with personal stories that almost any cacher can relate to and laugh about. Photos from the wild and websites are plentiful and give even the newest of newbies enough background to understand exactly what this game is all about.

Aside from being an active geocacher himself, Sherman could not have chosen a better technical editor than Kelly Markwell, a man who's name is synonymous with knowledge about geocaching. This is truly a book about geocaching by geocachers.

Geocaching: Hike and Seek with Your GPS will make a welcome addition to your collection of field guides and outdoor literature. Finally having all this information in one resource makes it well worth its very affordable price.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Introduction to Geocaching, August 9, 2004

By 

RoyaltonFrog (New London, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GeoCaching: Hike and Seek With Your GPS (Technology in Action Series) (Paperback)

As someone just starting geocaching, I found Erik Sherman's book to be a fair introduction. The meat of the book is found in chapters 6 and 7, "On the Hunt" and "In Hiding". The tips and tricks discussed show the thoughts of an experienced geocacher. The specifics in earlier chapters such as how to fold a map are simple and very useful. The instructions on how to use a compass were limited and could use some specific examples. Chapter 5, "A Good Walk", could be useful for someone with no experience with the outdoors, but are of limited value for someone with experience. The photos that are included may date the book quickly.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Geocaching explained well!, June 7, 2004

By 

"[e-mail]" (Wappingers Falls, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GeoCaching: Hike and Seek With Your GPS (Technology in Action Series) (Paperback)

I've been intrigued by geocaching since I got my new GPS with
geocaching features and being an avid hiker; I've always been looking for ways to enhance my hiking experience. Enter Erik Sherman's "Geocaching: Hide and Seek with your GPS" book. Sherman goes into the basics of geocaching including the types of events you may be likely to participate in, but goes into some good technical detail of GPS and compass theory. Although I'm quite up on my outdoor equipment, he goes into good explanation of the types of equipment and how to use it. Next there is explanation of various techniques and tips for geocaching. I'm impressed with his constant consideration of the environment and how the sport (or hobby) should be environmentally friendly. Throughout the book there are countless references to internet and resources in print. Reading this book I now have enough foundation and curiosity to go out and try my first geocaching event this spring. This book would be a welcome edition to anyone's hiking/outdoor library.