Have you heard of Geo Caching?
From Wikipedia:
Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little value. Currently over 800,000 geocaches are registered on various websites devoted to the pastime. Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica.[1]
Where have I been? I just heard about this today, but apparently this outdoor game has been around since 2000. A co-worker told me about it, explaining that one doesn't just do it to search for the cache. Some of the places that the caches are hidden in are beautiful spots that you have to hike to, and normally wouldn't find unless you were native to that particular region. He and his family have searched for cache's while on vacation and have discovered that the treasure is really the hidden coves, the spectacular overlooks, and memorable vistas.
Again, from Wikipedia:
For the traditional geocache, a geocacher will place a waterproof container, containing a log book (with pen or pencil) and trinkets or some sort of treasures, then note the cache's coordinates. These coordinates, along with other details of the location, are posted on a website. Other geocachers obtain the coordinates from the Internet and seek out the cache using their GPS handheld receivers. The finding geocachers record their exploits in the logbook and online. Geocachers are free to take objects from the cache in exchange for leaving something of similar or higher value, so there is treasure for the next person to find.
From the look of the numbers, this seems to be quite a popular pastime. Hey, anything that gets you off the couch and out in the fresh air can't be all that bad! Hmmmm.... wonder if I can learn how to read a GPS?
It is so much fun. My kids and I started doing this, they love it. Hubby goes sometimes but we usually do our Geocache hunting while he is at work.
ReplyDeleteMost GPS's are pretty simple. I don't understand all of it and we manage just fine. On ours, you make a waypoint (a marker) it will have a place for your lat. & longe..(get those from the website) Then it will place the marker for you and all you do is follow the map.You can do it!
Just make sure you have a good topo map as a backup... There have been more than one lost party of geocachers when the GPS died... :-)
ReplyDeleteWhere have I been? I just heard about this today...
ReplyDeleteWell, we've both been in the same place (or the same neighborhood, anyhoo), Alison. Today's the first I've heard of it, as well. Pretty cool, too!