Thursday, April 28, 2011

X Marks the Spot - Geocaching


Remember when we were kids and organised complex treasure hunting activities in our yard? I'd gather friends and give them a clue, which would lead to another clue, then another, and on until they reached the prize. So much fun!

Then we grow old, and more important things take precedence to the games. What kind of responsible adult goes treasure hunting nowadays?

The kind who geocaches.

Geocaching is a modern-day treasure hunting which occurs as we speak, all over the world, by tourists, businessmen, locals, serious adults and kids. Anyone and everyone! The idea is simple.

One person hides a cache – a sealed plastic container with a notebook and a pen – in an accessible area, whether  in nature or in town, and puts the GPS coordinates on the official websites.  Other geocachers pick the coordinates and set out for the location with their GPS receptor.  When they find the cache, they put their names in the log and replace it.

Yes, you need a GPS.  Once you have one, however, geocaching is 100% free.  And 200% fun. It's the perfect way to spice up your travel and discover local spots no tourist guide talks about.

Wherever you are or go, it's likely there's a cache nearby. Try it out. Seek a cache with your address and watch a special google map tell you where the hidden treasure is.

And if you own a GPS, why not register and set out for a new, modern-day treasure hunting?

I promise you, it can only be fun.

Anyone else here geocaches? And if you don't, any good memories of a childhood treasure hunt?

13 comments:

  1. My daughter and I went once and I was surprised how many locations there are near us because we are in a rural area. It was October and we bought some bloody plastic fingers at the dollar store and left them for the next geocachers! It was a lot of fun!Kids love it!

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  2. I've heard of this before. We used to do something similar in college for the Orienteering class. Instead of GPS, though, we used a compass and a map to find things that had been hidden -- usually in a square mile vicinity, since we were on foot in rugged mountain terrain. Fun!

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  3. I love geocaching :-) Although I do not have a GPS of my own, I used to go with a friend. I haven't done it in a really long time. It is a ridiculously fun time!

    My only comment is that I think people shouldn't do it alone. Some of the cache spots are pretty remote. It is always best to go treasuring hunting with a friend.

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  4. I haven't been - I would love to though, it sounds like great fun :) I don't own a GPS and although my other half does, I have yet to convince him that geocaching is cool. . .

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  5. LOL, I thought I was being so clever titling my post X Marks the Spot, and so far I've found a half dozen more with the same title!

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  6. LG: A square mile? O.o wow. I've heard of people doing it only with the googlemap, too. It's possible, just harder.

    Sommer: I've done it alone, but I was in Newfoundland and as far as kind people goes, it's hard to beat that place. I'm not sure I would dare to do the same in the States. So, yes, teaming up is recommended. And funnier anyway. :)

    Ellen: For him to try. :P I haven't found anyone that didn't like it yet. More seriously, I'm lucky for that. My other half geocached long before I even started!

    KarenG: Aaw, really? I thought I was clever, too XD Oh, well, we can't have it all!

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  7. Wow, I've never heard of this before. Sounds fun! I'll have to try it sometime :D

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  8. How bizarre that I've never heard of this before when it is (apparently) pretty popular in my area. I checked out the 'seek a cache' link, and there are 467 listings within 5 miles of my apartment!

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  9. Book Owl: It's tons of fun, I promise. Opening a cache to see what's inside is like unwrapping a gift at christmas.

    Margo: O.o I must get to your apartment and hit them all. 467 ? WOW

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  10. I've heard Geocashing is a lot of fun. Maybe we'll try that sometime!

    I'd love to have you check out my take on the A to Z Challenge, comment and follow, if you'd like.
    http://oaklawnimages.blogspot.com/
    Kathy at Oak Lawn Images

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  11. Yay for "X Marks the Spot" blogs!

    No geocaching for me, but I *loved* treasure hunts/scavenger hunts when I was a kid. I used to beg my mom to make a scavenger hunt where one clue led to another, which led to another... until the final "prize." Love that kind of stuff.

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  12. "O.o I must get to your apartment and hit them all."

    If you ever visit California, you can stay with me and we'll go geocaching! Normally there's nothing interesting to do in my area. Visitors have to take a two hour drive to Cambria/San Simeon or to Yosemite. After you get tired of geocaching, we could do those. :)

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  13. Oh, Margo, I spent 10 days in Newfoundland looking for those caches. I never tire. ;) (Admittedly, I was visiting the place, too).

    At some point when I become rich and famour (AH!), I'll have to tour the States and visit the dozen online friends I know in there.

    TL: We did that all the time in the house. It helped there we were four kids. :)

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