Interview Date : 1/27/16
Caching Name : GeoAPPs
Real Name : Mike & Linda Frydl
1. How did you become involved in geocaching. When did you start?
We started in 2003 as an activity to do with the kids who were both in middle school, but we only cached for about a year. Their interests went in other directions and at the time there really weren’t that many caches around. We didn’t think about caching again until 2013. We were visiting our son in upstate NY and looking at nearby parks to explore. For some reason geocaching came to mind and I wondered if there was an app for it since I’d recently gotten a smart phone. Of course there was, and after downloading it, we headed across the street to the city park to look for caches. We spent 45 minutes looking for one cache at the park visitor center with no luck. We went to look for another one and spent at least another 45 minutes with no luck again. Discouraged we walked back to our son’s thinking maybe the app wasn’t very accurate. I emailed the cache owner of the first cache telling her we thought it was missing. She emailed back right away and said she could see we were new at it and told us that it was a bison tube in a tree. We didn’t know what the heck a bison tube was and Googled it. Well no wonder we couldn’t find it, we were looking for Tupperware. There was also a picture for a nano and we couldn’t believe how small it was. Back in 2003 caches were all big: paint buckets, Tupperware, and ammo cans. We went back to the park and found the bison immediately. We went to look for the other one where the only thing around was an iron fence. We figured it had to be a nano and it was. After that we were hooked.
2. How did you choose your caching name?
The first time around we had separate names, but this time we decided to have one. We chose MdAPPs first, but changed it to GeoAPPs soon after. APP is for our alma mater Appalachian State.
3. How many caches have you found so far?
We are at 2071 as of this writing.
4. What brand/type of GPS do you use?
We mostly use the phone app, but we bought a Garmin GPSMAP® 64st last year and I just bought an Oregon 600 for me. I want to start using the gps more and my phone less. I’ve already broken 2 phones geocaching and my phone now has a crack in it from dropping it a few weeks ago while caching.
5. What programs/software or hardware (PDA/laptop/phone) do you use to make caching easier?
We use the geocaching app, c:geo and Project GC. My goal this year is to learn how to use GSAK now that I’m using the gps.
6. What type of cache do you prefer seeking – traditional, multi, puzzle, virtual?
We prefer traditional caches, especially ones that take us on hikes in the woods. But really, any type is fine that leads us to unusual spots or views.
7. Which caches were the most challenging – physically/mentally? Why?
We come from the land of Hixon, so puzzles are the most challenging. We had to start solving some while doing our yearlong streak because we’d found most nearby traditionals. Mike’s not a big fan of puzzles, so I have to be the puzzle solver which is funny because he is the one who is more mathematically and logically inclined.
8. Do you have a favorite or favorites among the Maryland caches that you’ve found? Do you have a favorite in a nearby state?
This is really hard. Any cache that the cache owner takes time to be creative becomes a favorite. Some of our favorites are:
GR8Caches’ A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
CacheNCarry45’s A Song of Ice and Fire (Story by Hixon)
Shenanagan's flair cans, especially Bigger On the Inside
georick402’s caches - Some of his are made from upcycled items he’s found while caching. A favorite is Gotham City Nightlight. Rick found a piece of metal while a group of us were caching and he turned it into an awesome cache.
There are so many more out there by some very clever CO’s. We are lucky to live in a state with so many creative people involved in geocaching.
9. What’s the most unusual thing that you’ve ever found in a cache?
Someone put a snake skin in one of our caches, we’re not sure why.
10. What are your current caching goals? Is there a certain cache that you can’t wait to do?
We want to finish our Jasmer this year so we’ll be heading to Georgia soon. And Mike really wants to do the Bling Trail in NC, and put out some gadget caches.
11. How many caches have you placed? Do you have a current hiding goal?
We have 85 out currently. No hiding goal, though I do have a geoart in mind that I want to get out this year.
12. What advice would you give someone that wants to place a cache? What steps do YOU take when placing a cache?
I think anyone that places a cache should have at least 25 finds to their name. I know when you start geocaching you get excited and want to put one out, but I think you need experience looking for different types first. I know, because we put a couple out right away and made mistakes. We try to be creative in either the container or the location to keep it interesting, but we do have a few regular ones too. I think maintenance is key, if you can’t maintain it, don’t put it out.
13. How often do you go caching?
Right now, every day. We started a yearlong streak in 2014, but we’re still going. 517 days and counting. A lot of new ones have been published in our area recently, so while it is still convenient we’ll keep going. As soon as we have to drive 20 miles for an LPC, we’ll stop.
14. What advice would you give a beginning geocacher?
First of all, go on Google Images or Pinterest and search on geocache containers. People don’t realize the variety of creative and evil containers out there. Nothing is more frustrating when you can’t find a cache, and I think people quit too soon because they don’t realize what they should be looking for. Second, attend an event. When we started again, we were only caching sporadically. It wasn’t until we went to our first event during the 7 Souvenirs of August that we really got into caching. It was where we met other cachers and learned a lot we didn’t know, such as about the Jasmer, D/T’s, Delorme, and other challenge statistics. We had no idea and once we started looking at filling in those squares, we were hooked (some might say obsessed). We’ve developed some wonderful friendships through events and geocaching. We find cachers to be very welcoming and helpful and we’re happy we finally found our “tribe”.
Castle Rock
15. Have you completed CAM in the past? What was your favorite aspect?
We did our first CAM last year. We loved seeing parts of the state that we never would have without geocaching.
16. Do you collect geocoins? Of the ones that you’ve collected, which is your favorite?
We do have some. There are so many cool ones, it is hard not to buy them all. But we’ve decided to only collect the ones we earn doing trails or buy ones that commemorate an event or goal reached. That didn’t stop Mike from buying 3 Thor Hammers though, or me from ordering a Doctor Who coin from Germany, but we are trying to be more selective.
17. What type of gear do you carry with you on your caching trips? What’s in your geopack?
We both have geopacks filled with every tool and emergency first aid item we think we might need: from log roller to telescoping magnet to UV light and antiseptic wipes. I never take mine because it is too cumbersome with all that stuff, lol. I usually just carry a smaller water bottle holder with log roller, tweezers, pen, and Clif Bar. Mike carries his pack with all the extras.
18. What is your most memorable caching experience?
We have so many great memories from the past couple of years, it’s hard to choose. We love to go out with groups to get the harder or remote caches. However, I think our 30th Anniversary trip was most memorable because it was our first caching trip. We’d only learned about the Jasmer, Delorme, and D/T challenges a few weeks before we left on that trip. We were taking two weeks to drive up through New England, but we didn’t really have an itinerary. After learning about those challenges we planned our stops to start filling in those grids. That took us to the oldest caches in Massachusetts, Maine, and NY. We stopped at the Delorme Coin Vault, we did our first Webcam cache in Vermont, and saw all sorts of sights we wouldn’t have if we’d just done the touristy thing. We had such a great time on that trip.
Hunter’s Beach Trail, Acadia, Maine
19. What is your best caching story?
Well, our best caching story ends with the bomb squad being called, but we don’t want to go into detail on that one. Suffice it to say PVC pipe is not always a good choice for a cache container.
20. What do you like about geocaching? What keeps you going?
We love that it gets us outdoors and takes us to places we’d never have seen otherwise. Mike is motivated by the stats and badges we earn, and I like working on filling in map squares for the Delorme and ADC challenges. We also really enjoy the social aspect. We’ve made some great friends and love getting together with a group to go caching.
21. Besides geocaching, what other things do you like to do?
Since we started this streak it seems like all our extra activities pertain to geocaching. If we aren’t out there caching, we’re making caches, planning caches, or figuring out what caches to get next. But we also both like to read and watch movies. Mike plays soccer twice a week and I like to craft stuff.
22. What question did you expect us to ask but didn’t. What is the answer?
I can’t think of any.
I'm sure we WILL run into one another eventually! 
