Caching Name: Martin Mitchell
Real Name: Martin Mitchell
1. How did you become involved in geocaching? My sons are/were both Boy Scouts and were working on the Geocaching Merit Badge. I was doing it with them and having at least as much (if not more) fun with it than they were. Once the badge was done, so were they, but I was hooked. At first I didn’t have a way to do it, but a cell phone upgrade took care of that. Since then I’ve also purchased a Garmin handheld and I go whenever I can.
2. How did you choose your caching name? Because the Merit Badge Counselor needed to look up the boys’ finds, we made it easy on him and just used our real names.
I wish I had some kind of clever, catchy name that described me, but I didn’t know too much about it at the time, and now a few people know me by Martin Mitchell so I feel like I shouldn’t change it.
3. What type of cache do you prefer seeking – traditional, multi, and puzzle, virtual?
I like regular traditional(s) the best because you never know what you might find in one, plus I love seeing the names of geocachers who came before me on the log…”I met that person at an Event!”.
But I also absolutely love puzzles. My favorites were probably GC47TX8 The Dark Side, the few of the Hobbit ones I’ve solved, and GC4ZHRK A Song of Ice Cold Beer and Fire.
The challenges have been fun too, because you can work on them over a long period of time and watch them come to completion.
4. Which caches were the most challenging, either physically/mentally? Hmmm, The Dark Side and A Song of Ice Cold Beer and Fire were the most mentally challenging. But, I think GC4KVYG, Music through the Decades, took me the most “geochecker” entries!
Physically, I would have to give to GC5PA2H “My Kind of Paradise T.I.”. It was a long walk through marsh mud, high water, nonexistent trails, impenetrable reeds, and you had to plan against the tide chart, and also GC2MD1H, Cave, that I did when I was out at GeoWoodstock XIII.
5. What are your current geocaching goals? Short term, I am really enjoying the Geocaching Road Trip for 2015. I have each of the souvenirs so far.
I have a few challenges I am working on including, Cemetery Challenge, and The Loneliest Cache Challenge. I am excited at the prospect of completing them, but not rushing, because it’s fun to come upon the needed caches in my everyday caching and on outings with friends.
Other than that, I am looking far forward to 2000 caches (I just reached 1000 in July) and really long term, I’d like to cache in all 50 states.
6. Where have you always wanted to go caching but haven’t? I sort of lucked out that right after I started caching last October we had a family trip planned to Florida. I am a huge Disney fan and was able to get the WDW virtuals while I was there. Since there are also a handful of virtuals in Disneyland in California, I’d love to go there someday.
7. What is your most memorable caching experience? After a few months of caching mostly by myself, I stumbled upon Mike Ott’s “Northern De Monthly Mid-Week Dinner Event January”.
Honestly, if I hadn’t attended that event at Café Napoli I might only be a once in a while geocacher.
At the event, I met all of these great people. They were as enthusiastic about geocaching as I was! And they were friendly, helpful, really nice people. I happily attribute any success I have had early on to cachers like Shorttripp and Waypointed who took the time, and had the patience, to explain things to the “new guy”.
8. What do you like about geocaching? I like the thrill of the hunt. “I Found it!” might be my favorite catchphrase of all time.
Most of all though, I like going out with the friends I have made and having a day in the woods, hiking, and sharing the finds and adventures.
I also like helping people. I try to always carry a few extra logs, baggies, and small containers in my geo-pack. That way, if I come across a soggy log or damaged container, I can give something back for all the great caches that people have put out.
I loved helping out with the Delaware State Star!
9. Do you have some favorite caches in the area? In Delaware, White Clay, Iron Hill, and Mason Dixon caches that allow me to hike in the woods and along creeks.
GC3K2AZ Delaware Geocaching Jigsaw Puzzle, GC1ZKK9 Alas, Poor Yorik A Night Cache, GC31BDR A Treat and A Garden (my son loves UD Creamery), GC5RVJ2 Preserve Trail #2, GC2ZARE Yellow Submarine, GC4WAV8 Swallow Your Pride Rock, GC48GD3 Not So Nice And Easily Bamboozled, and the Santa’s Caches.
10. Do you have any other hobbies or interests?
I am a Boy Scout leader so I camp every month of the year. I also enjoy riding motorcycles, playing disc golf, and I am an avid comic collector.
