| Geocaching is a treasure hunt game using a | | | | probably a cache somewhere close to you. The |
| hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) unit. | | | | first cache I found was less than ¼ mile |
| Hiders hide a geocache (small waterproof | | | | from my back door. We go geocaching as a |
| containers) anywhere in the world, make a note | | | | family and we have found many since then and |
| of the GPS coordinates, and list the geocache on | | | | even hidden a few. |
| a website for hunters to seek. Once the site has | | | | It's really not too hard: |
| been listed, hunters can use a hand-held GPS unit | | | | 1. We use or to pull up a list of caches where we |
| to direct them to the cache. They will usually get | | | | want to go hunting. |
| close, then they might have to be clever to find a | | | | 2. We can either print out the pages or load them |
| well-hidden cache. A typical cache can be just | | | | up into my Palm PDA. |
| about any size, from really small to large, and it | | | | 3. We load up the coordinates into our GPS unit. |
| will probably be camouflaged to make the hunt | | | | 4. We pack up our trading trinkets and some cold |
| more challenging. The cache usually contains a | | | | drinks (don't want to get dehydrated). |
| notebook, for logging the find, and some small | | | | 5. We use the GPS unit to help us navigate to the |
| trade items (usually of little monetary value). | | | | geocache site and start hunting. The listings usually |
| Gecaching had its start in May 2000 after the US | | | | give a good indication of what we should be |
| government decided to make an improved GPS | | | | looking for. |
| signal available to the public. This made the public | | | | 6. Once we find the cache we make a note in the |
| use of GPS systems far more accurate and | | | | logbook and trade items (usually small toys for us |
| much more useful than it had been to that point. | | | | since we hunt with a 3-year old). |
| Soon after this government announcement David | | | | 7. When we're done, we make sure to go back |
| Ulmer of Oregon placed his first geocache. His | | | | to the listing website to log the find. |
| concept of the game, then called The Great GPS | | | | 8. I usually like to write a blog entry on my |
| Stash Hunt, was very simple: the hider would hide | | | | geocaching blog at Caching Adventures. This is a |
| a container and note the GPS coordinates. The | | | | good place to tell the stories that don't quite fit |
| seeker would use those coordinates to locate the | | | | into the log entry. |
| container, make a note in the log, and trade | | | | Geocaching has taken us to several local parks |
| items. | | | | that we knew about but had never explored. Our |
| It didn't take long for that cache to be found, and | | | | family usually takes in 3 to 5 caches in a single |
| a new outdoor sport was formed. | | | | outing. Others will take on many more. |
| The game has grown dramatically in the last few | | | | One positive thing that geocaching has done for |
| years. There are now more than ¼ million | | | | us is that it has gotten us out of the house and |
| geocaches hidden around the world. There is | | | | back out into the great outdoors again. |