Geocaching

Geocaching, what fun!

What is GeoCaching? "Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment." - from the geocaching website.

So, basically you download the coordinates of a geocache from the website to your GPS. You follow the GPS to within feet of the hidden geocache. Usually it's a box hidden filled with small trinkets for the kids to take but could also just contain a paper for the records. You always record what was taken, and what you replaced in the box, along with documenting the date you found the geocache and your geocache user name in the log book. It's honestly pretty fun. It's treasure hunting for us grown-ups. I can totally see how it can be addicting for some.

Anyway, we went with my mom yesterday morning for about an hour and a half. She had borrowed her friends GPS unit, it's quite the expensive toy for geocaching. lol. About $400.00 worth. Geez. We had the coordinates for 3 geocaches up Hobble Creek Canyon. We couldn't find either of them. On our way back down another man was searching for the same geocache and actually found it. It was a small canister from a roll of film, wrapped in camouflage tape. We were looking for the bigger ones with trinkets. On this geocache you just write down the date and your username. He gave us the coordinates for another one up the road to a box where the kids could get some small trinkets. We headed up to that one and actually found it. The kids thought it was great. From there we were addicted.

Looking for the 1st geocache.

Looking for the 2nd geocache. Cute Madison and Chloe stopped so I could take their picture. Darling!

This area is where the 3rd geocache should be. I am sure now that is is a small one in the bird house behind us. The GPS lead us right to it, but we were looking for a bigger one in the neighboring trees and bushes. Now that we know of the sizes, we can hopefully figure it out better.

This is the 4th geocache from the guys coordinates that we actually did find. The kids found it with little help. It was beneath a pile of make shift rocks at the base of the tree.

Here the kids are with my mom going through the container looking for the trinket of their choice. Brayden picked out a game of chinese checkers and Madison took a rubber lizard. We replaced them with some Hawaiian plastic straws and a few other small toys along with documenting the date and user name.

After Chloe's naps we headed out again with my mom and nephew Kyler for another geocache search. The first spot we hit was at a park and the GPS lead us to a big pine tree, we couldn't find anything, again. The 2nd spot we searched was at a car wash, the GPS lead us to some bushes but we again couldn't find anything. The 3rd spot was in a lot between some houses, we found it!! The 4th spot was near some apartments, probably by the fence but we didn't dare go look because of the people that were outside. Your not supossed to let others see you doing it so they don't steal the geocache stuff. The 5th spot was a weird area, between an intersection, we looked, but found nothing. The 6th spot was at a someones house. My mom didn't dare get out and look. At first we just sent out the kids, but then I got out with the GPS and actually found it. It's a good thing too, otherwise I would have felt pretty stupid searching around in someones yard. The 7th spot we searched, we also found it.

After all those searches, it was getting close to soccer practice and we had to call it quits. We seriously probably could have kept it going. It was a lot of fun.

My mom and Chloe at the first stop.

Madison, Kyler, & Brayden getting the geocache. This was the 3rd geocache spot.

Madison, Kyler and Brayden posing with the geocache container.

This geocache item is called a bug. It was also in the container. These items are for the adults to play with. You pick it up and follow it's directions. Some bugs travel all over the country. We found a few other bugs but they needed to travel out of the state, and neither of us are going anywhere soon. You should do the bugs objective in 2 weeks.

This geocache bug was found in the yard. Not sure about it's objective because I am not the one with them, I left those with my mom. :D

Currently there are 636,795 active geocaches around the world. 713 of them are within 10 miles of my zip code. If anyone of you are interested in playing, visit this website: http://www.geocaching.com.