Geek Outdoor Hobbies?

Embedded Geek asks: "My wife and I, in an effort to get more exercise, have recently begun geocaching, which is basically global scavenger hunt using GPS. We have also been active in the Society for Creative Anachronism and my friends are always trying to draft us into paintball. While we're having a blast with all these, I wanted to see if other slashdotters could suggest more geek style, outdoor hobbies that would appeal to a pair of pasty faced nerds like us."

Comments

Outdoors?

[Siliconwalker]

what is this "outdoors"?

Uh...

[Cuthalion]

If the SCA isn't geeky enough for you, just give up now.

Walking!

[fm6]

Not usually thought of as geeky, but you can make it geeky. Bring along your GPS; take notes on what you see with your Palm, which should also have downloaded maps of your stroll (though you should consider the pleasures of deliberately getting lost); record every single excurusion with a wearable cam; etc.

Walking is extremely good for you and difficult to find excuses against. Bad weather? Just makes it more interesting.

Walking forces you to interact on a human level. Which is either good or bad, depending on you point of view.

Re:Walking!

[Paradise Pete]

take notes on what you see with your Palm

Day one, January 3rd The inside of my glove.
Day two, January 4th The inside of my glove.
Day three, January 5th The inside of my glove.
Day seventeen, January 19th Still the inside of my glove. Man I can't wait for Spring.

Geek is all in your head

[FransUNC]

Being geek is a state of mind, it's not a seperate entity or anything. I love outdoors, and I do a lot of outdoors-y stuff, like climbing, camping, fording rivers and creeks, hiking, etc etc...

At the same time, when I'm indoors, I'm constantly into gadgets and computers and other electronic stuff. But I would probably be insulted if someone labeled me as a geek.

My point is, don't think of it from a "geek" perspective. I don't consider myself one, and I don't want to be considered as one, but that doesn't prevent me from reading slashdot and tweaking my computer constantly. Don't let being a geek prevent you from playing football or rock climbing or even sunbathing. Be proud to be a geek. But don't be too proud to have fun.

Re:Not exactly outdoor, but out of the house

[sjehay]

Hmm. Laser Quest is fun - but nowhere near as fun as paintballing. Laser Quest involves being inside buildings painted all in black and shooting at people at close range with cheesy sound effects; there's no physical aspect to it at all. Sure, it's a laugh, but it's pretty much the same all the time... Paintballing is outdoors; it involves crawling around in mud a lot in my experience :-) Still, you get much, much more of an adrenaline rush hiding with a mate behind a tree/log as millions of paintballs whistle over your heads trying to get down covering fire as teammates go for their flag, etc. - or sprinting for home through the undergrowth with The Bad Guys in hot pursuit. Much more in the way of tactics, much more in the way of teamwork, much work in the way of physical exercise.

Laser Quest isn't as fun - but it's not anywhere near as expensive, either. After charging plenty for entry they hit you with huge bills for the ammunition as well. Ouch.

disc golf

[tps12]

You might give disc golf a shot. It's cheap to get into, pretty good exercise (as golf goes), and exposes you to nature, which is fun. There are courses all over, so check out the directory to find one near you. Most people try it out with normal frisbees before investing in real golf discs.

Oh, relaxed is the name of the game also. It is not unusual to see beer drinking and pot smoking on the course and in the parking lots, though this obviously varies a lot course to course

The Confluence Project

[Raetsel]

Check out The Degree Confluence Project

Since most of the easily accessible locations have been photographed already, getting a 'new' point on the map (one that hasn't been visited or attempted) will require a significant period of interface with a non-virtual world.

It'll even exercise your diplomatic interpersonal skills, as some of the 'attempted' sites are on reservations -- since they're a sovereign nation, they can require permits for a visit. Heck, even getting onto private land can be interesting.

• ( i.e.
• "You want to do WHAT? Yeah, right buddy! What are you really here for??? )

Fortunately, there is a form letter that you can print and take with you to convince the skeptical.

( Personally, I'd love to do some of the sites in Montana. )

Don't go outdoors

[codexus]

The sun will burn your face with its UV radiation. In this season, you might get pollen poisoining too. And worst of all, you might actually meet real people! (you know, the strange kind that just stares at you when you want to discuss the merits of the preemptive linux kernel).

And if these aren't enough to convinve you. Think about all the things you can do with your computer instead of wasting time "outdoors".

Figures.

[JediTrainer]

59 comments and nobody states the obvious. You have a wife and you want exercise.

What about sex? It can be done indoors or out in a variety of locations and positions, in private or in public (depends on how bold you are I suppose), and is very good for your health. You'd get your daily heart-rate boost, in addition to improving your married life (your relationship with your wife).

And you'll make virtually the entire /. population jealous and horny just for mentioning it.