Geocaching.

I think that it is about time that I talk about geocaching because it is an important part of my life. I will try to explain geocaching in case you have never heard me talk about it or have heard of it on your own. Geocaching is a sport/hobby in which you use a handheld GPS (global positioning system) to find hidden boxes. That is the basic info. You go to the website http://www.geocaching.com/ and sign up for a free account. Then you search for geocaches in your area and load them onto your GPS. Then you get in your car, on your bike, or in your walking shoes and go find the cache.

When you go to the website and sign up you will choose a geocaching name. Craig and I cache as a team and our Geocaching name is Wheelers of Fortune. When you find the geocache there will be a log book. To claim the find you must sign the logbook (with your geocaching name) and then go online and log it there also. But you HAVE to sign the physical logbook. When you find the cache depending on the size there will be items for trade. You are able to take something if you want. (Usually items are inexpensive).

There are several different types of geocaches. You can read about those on the geocachingwebsite. My favorites are probably multi-caches and mystery caches. Multi-caches are caches with more than one step to them. For example you will go the coordinates for the cache and use some information at the location to answer a question. There will be info in the cache information to tell you how to turn the answer into coordinates to go to the next step or to the final. A multi can be just two steps or more. Mystery caches usually have a puzzle for you to solve before you can get the coordinates to the cache. Another option for mystery caches is that you fulfill a requirement before the cache owner will give you the coordinates to the final cache.

There is some basic etiquette that you should know before you go geocaching.

#1 Trade up. If you take an item out of a cache you always replace it with another item. Preferably with something of equal or higher value.

#2 Cache In Trash Out. Clean up cache area. If the surrounding area is trashy, then pick up. No one wants trash laying about.

#3 Rehide cache better than how you found it. You want to make sure that it is well hidden for the next cacher.

#4 Don't hurt the surrounding environment. Don't step on nearby plant life. You don't want to leave any trace that you were there. Once again you want to preserve the natural environment.

A few reasons I love geocaching:

I love to spend time outside seeing the world.

I love to go to little known spots and see things I never would have otherwise.

I love to find caches while on a road trip. (A great way to take a break)

I love to having a hobby to enjoy with Craig.

I love it.

A few of my favorite caches:

Can you guess where the cache is??? Yep, up the lion's butt!

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=4e43e00f-4957-40f4-9938-bdda7e90df6e

This is a plaque placed where the original geocache was. And it is right outside of Portland, OR.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=a79d6f50-74a6-4c85-b18c-86dd8b7313ab
Our 500th cache!

I got to feed a donkey!

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=15db1edd-d9ac-46cc-b21e-6df3df629c8c

This is Craig gettin ready to go look for the final cache of the Georgia Delorme Challenge. This cache took the most work on our part.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=3eefa0c3-8c78-4c71-8d77-d8edaf726e3d

I am sure that I will post a lot more info on geocaching and such but here is something to start off with.