Geocaching

Warning for those not interested in geocaching you can stop reading here.

First, what is geocaching?  The following is taken from www.geocaching.com.

Geocaching 101

Welcome to the geocaching community! If you still have questions after reviewing this information, we recommend that you search our Help Center or ask a question in the geocaching Forums.

The Game

What is geocaching?

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

How is the game played?

At its simplest level, geocaching requires these 8 steps:

1. Register for a free Basic Membership.
2. Visit the "Hide & Seek a Cache" page.
3. Enter your postal code and click "search."
4. Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
5. Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device.
6. Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.
7. Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location.
8. Share your geocaching stories and photos online.

There are many other levels to the game. Keep reading the guide to learn more!

What are the rules of geocaching?

1. If you take something from the geocache (or "cache"), leave something of equal or greater value.
2. Write about your find in the cache logbook.
3. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com.

What do I need to go geocaching?

The only necessities are a GPS device or a GPS-enabled mobile phone so that you can navigate to the cache, and a Geocaching.com Membership.

Where are geocaches located?

Geocaches can be found all over the world. It is common for geocachers to hide caches in locations that are important to them, reflecting a special interest or skill of the cache owner. These locations can be quite diverse. They may be at your local park, at the end of a long hike, underwater or on the side of a city street.

Are there different types of geocaches?

Yes. There are currently over a dozen "cache types" in geocaching, with each cache type being a different variation of the game. See the full list of Geocache Types.

  
I have been picking up a geocache here and there lately and have skipped the ones nearest to the RV park.  Today Gerry and I got a late start looking for the caches and since there was a very bad wreck on Kolb Ave, the diverted traffic overwhelmed the road we were on.  Then there was an accident in the merge lane of our road and that made it even more difficult to get around.

The nice thing about geocaching is that there are many out there and I just switched to another area to search for them.  The first cache was in the desert about 200 yards away.  I set off looking for it and found the cache quickly and signed the log.  The next cache nearby was very difficult to get to and I approached it from the wrong side of the highway and it was at the end of a difficult climb.  I decided I didn't have any business searching for this one and called it a DNF.  (Did Not Find).

By this time the traffic was becoming impossible so we had to drive further out.  We managed to find a cache where we dropped off a travel bug and then found another cache behind a small cemetery.  The next caches were quite a way off the highway and the path was through some tough cacti.  We decided to save them for another day and I tried to talk Gerry into stopping for Happy Hour at a local water hole, but she held firm and we came back to the motorhome.

We didn't find that many caches, but I walked more looking for them than I have in the past couple years.  Slowly, my walks last longer and hopefully the healing in the knee will continue.  

That was our exciting day, how was yours.