“What in the world is Geocaching?” This is a question I hear a lot when explaining one of the hobbies our family is involved in. “Geo---What?” Well, in case you are one of those who have never heard of this fast-growing outdoor sport you are in for a big surprise! Geocaching is going on all around you. It is a world-wide treasure hunt using technologically advanced navigation and exploration. This treasure hunt is open to everyone and it seems once you get bit by the geocaching bug you just can’t get enough. Geocaching combines the enjoyment of outdoor adventure and discovery with the excitement of a high-tech game of hide-and-seek.
Having a GPS (Global Positioning System) is necessary to participate in geocaching. The basic idea is that individuals, families, or organizations place hidden “caches” all over the world. They mark where they put these caches by means of longitude and latitude coordinates using a GPS device and share the location via the internet. GPS users can then locate the coordinates and the caches. Once found, the cache is logged both on the GPS device and on the internet creating an up-to-date status of the cache and its finders.
You may be wondering what is in a cache and what does it look like? Caches vary in both size and contents. The smallest caches (sometimes called micro-caches or nano-caches) are usually most stealthy and are big enough only to contain a small, tightly-rolled piece of paper to log your visit. Our family has found some micro-caches as small as one inch in length. Micro-caches are lots of fun to find since the thrill is in the hunt but probably not the best place to start if you want maximum experience. Caches vary in size but are usually some sort of weather-proof container big enough to hold a pocket notebook, pen, and prize trinkets. We have found caches ranging in size from a small sandwich shaped plastic container to large military issue ammo boxes. Regardless of size, caches are usually camouflaged in some way or another.
The contents of the bigger caches are usually filled with novelty trinkets, key chains, local interest doo-dads, cds, children’s toys, etc. Some caches are specific to their content and so the items in them will go along with the type of cache they have been labeled. For example, this past summer while on vacation we found a cache called “International Coin Drop.” This cache was filled with coins from countries all over the world. You could take a coin from the cache if you left one in its place. The contents of a cache may also include Travel Bugs or Geocoins. These are trackable items intended to be passed from cache to cache sometimes with a specific goal. One travel bug we found wanted to visit farms and asked the geocacher to take a picture of it on a farm.
Occasionally higher value items are placed in caches but are normally put as a reward for the “first to find” (FTF). In this case the one who places the caches puts out a notice on the internet that their cache has been placed and there is a reward for FTF! The only catch to taking anything from any cache is that you must replace it with something else. This keeps the cache continually full and changing in its content.
Geocaching has many draws to it. Besides being part of a continual treasure hunt with people all over the world, it also opens up a whole new dimension on nature hiking. When we goecache as a family, we often find places we would have never known existed. Geocachers like to hide their caches in place where only the “locals” would know about, giving you a great opportunity to become familiar with local sweet-spots when it comes to hiking, biking, or camping. Many geocachers have also taken the opportunity to “cache in trash out” or CITO and there are often scheduled events organizing cleanup efforts of parks and other cache-friendly places. Participants simply take along a small trash bag as they geocache and pick up any litter they may encounter along the way. Do not be fooled though, caches are not only placed in the woods or nature trails, they are placed throughout your own town. Caches in the city are often camouflaged as mock drainage pipes, fake-out garden stones or bricks, or even as magnetized attachments to buildings or signs. They are often right under your nose.
Knowing about this surprising outdoor activity is your invitation to join in this world-wide treasure hunt. With the right tools you can turn your everyday walk or hike into an adventure. Geocaching has proved to be not only exciting and enjoyable but without a doubt one of the most interesting and infectious new sports of this high-tech era. We enjoy the time to get outdoors and see new trails and place as well as find the treasure! With the help of a GPS your eyes will be open to the world of treasure hunters all around you!
To learn more about Geocaching you can visit:
http://www.geocaching.com
or
http://www8.garmin.com/outdoor/geocaching