Geocaching: Using multi- billion dollar satellite technology to find Tupperware hidden in the woods.
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In preparation for a course that will undoubtedly put me in the woods for the better half of the summer, I decided to pick up a GPS and have some fun. Namely through the sport of Geocaching.
What is it?
It’s pretty much a treasure hunt using your GPS instead of a compass and map. There are caches on every continent including Antartica, with over 800,000 worldwide. There are also over 1500 caches within 25 miles of my house. (In case you were wondering…)
What do I need to play?
You are probably going to need a Global Positioning System (GPS) to play. If you are reading from Canada, I would highly recommend getting a GPS from www.gpscentral.ca. After all the research I did, this was the cheapest spot for me to grab one. If you are from the States, I like Amazon, but please help me out in the comments, where readers could shop for a good, cheap one. Myself, I have the Garmin 76CSx. However, there are many GPS’ that have Geocaching capabilities. If you are unsure of which one to purchase, here is a link to a handy chart that compares most popular GPS units.
Beyond that, you should just make sure to have clothes that are going to get dirty.
So how does it work?
Once you have your GPS, you are going to go to a website called www.geocaching.com. This website will teach you everything you want to know about geocaching. From there you sign up for a free account and plug in your gps. Once you have found a cache close to your house, just send the coordinates to your GPS and you are on your way. You would be surprised to how many are around you. I found 13 within a 1/2 mile radius of my house!
What am I looking for?
Some type of waterproof container. To the left is a picture of a hidden container that I found in Rockwood Conservation Park. (This was one of five hidden in the park.) In the containers are usually a pen/pencil and a notebook. Make sure to sign your name, just like a B&B guestbook. There is also a few trinkets left in the cache. Most of the stuff you can find in a local dollarstore, but it is fun nonetheless, especially for kids. Feel free to trade items at your discretion.
Most of the caches are well hidden and covered up in a camo/black duct tape. If you are really stuck, these caches have clues through the website to help you find them. Just make sure to write down the clue before you go.
A couple of terms
Just so you don’t come across as a real kook to the game, let me fill you in on a few terms you may come across.
CITO: Cache In, Trash Out. This is an initiative by Geocachers, to clean up the parks that host these caches. At the very least, don’t add to the problem and clean up after yourself.
D/T: Difficulty / Terrain. This refers to the difficulty in finding the cache and how hard it is to get there in the first place. Start with a 1/1 and then you can move up to 5/5 in no time.
FTF: First to Find. The first geocacher to find a newly created cache usually jots this down in the book.
Muggle: A non-geocacher. If a cache has been muggled, that means that a passerbyer found the cache and cleaned it out or destroyed it. It’s some kind of HarryPotter reference.
TFTC: Thanks for the Cache. Just a quick note to leave for the person who created the cache. If you are interested in making your own, go here.
TNLN: Took nothing, left nothing. I really just like geocaching for the hunt so I’ll usually jot this down in the book and leave it as is.
Last safety points
1. Let someone know you are heading out to the woods. Especially if nobody really misses you if are gone for days on end.
2. Bring extra batteries and a compass/map. Just in case all else fails, you have a solid backup.
3. Check your car off as a waypoint while you are walking, that way if you get completely lost, you will be able to find your way back home.
Now go!
So go out and have a good time. Check off your cardio workout for the day as hiking through the bush is certainly harder than hitting up the treamill. I usually like to do a group of five or so when I am out in an area, as this will give me a few miles of hiking. Just make sure you don’t walk off a cliff while staring at your GPS.
Comments: Any other questions of Geocaching? Have any of your tried it?
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