Maegan and I found our first geocache today. Geocaching is basically a treasure-hunt for hidden objects using GPS devices. People hide geocaches (small containers) in various places and using nothing but the GPS coordinates you try to locate the cache. Sometimes the geocaches contain small trinkets you can take and replace with a new trinket, but ideally the journey should be it’s own reward.
It always looked like a lot of fun but we don’t own a GPS device, which makes geocaching extremely difficult. But using Google Maps, Maegan and I found a geocache location nearby listed on a website that was easy to find without a GPS (not deep in a wooded area). We drove down to the location and easily found the spot we were looking for, but not the geocache. We searched high and low for 10-15 minutes, befuddled that we couldn’t find something that was described as being “right out in the open”. Then right before we were about to give up and leave I saw a symbol lightly imprinted on to a rock. I picked it up to discover that the rock was fake and hid a small plastic container inside. Eureka! We didn’t have any small trinkets to trade but we signed the log book and left it for the next geocacher to find.
If you don’t have a GPS device then you should look into Letterboxing. It’s the same idea, except you look up directions to the letterbox online instead of coordinates.
Instead of trading trinkets, you bring a stamp and your own log book. You put your stamp in the log book in the letterbox and put their stamp in your own book.
We’ve been doing it for a while and have found letterboxes all over the place. Whenever we go out of town we always check first to see if there will be any letterboxes where we’re going. The kids love it.
That sounds like fun. I’ve heard that term before but never looked into what it was. I’m going to check more into that now. Thanks for the tip, Chris.
Donna B. says THANKS MIKE for contacting me…..watch the LAKESIDE NEIGHBORS column of the YORK section of the Charlotte Observer