Went Geocaching today

Went Geocaching in Tulsa today.  Got a LOT of exercise!!  Didn't find many caches :o( We were mainly looking for micros and they are so darn tough!!  One of them we got to the right spot, but there was someone trimming the exact tree that it was supposed to be next to, so we couldn't really score that one. We did find one virtual cache and two traditional caches...  Another one that we didn't find was a puzzle one.  We didn't figure out the puzzle and Miranda (9 year old) was with us, hungry, whining, and being annoying so we called it a day. Ate at Mimi's Cafe :o)  I think both Josh and Miranda like it... and, NO I did NOT have the bread pudding!!!!!  lol  (We shared the brownie dessert!)  BUT, I didn't eat much of it!!  I was already full with my quiche and salad! Then, went to the mall to walk off dinner, bought me a car charger for my new cell phone and bought Miranda a Webkinz pig. Hope everyone had a Wonderful, Beautiful, Saturday! Dot

  Maybe I'm dumb, But here goes, What is GEOCACHING???? I have never heard of it.... Any way sounds like you had a nice day.    

First, I go to www.geocaching.com and find geocaches in the area I want to look... The website gives a little description of the cache and the GPS coordinates of where to find it. I enter the coordinates in my GPS unit and use the unit to find the "cache"  A cache is usually an Army Ammo box or a rubbermaid container filled with little trinkets (McToys), a small note pad, and pencil. You log in the notebook that you were there and you can trade "goodie" items if you want (that is what my 9 year old thinks is fun).  Once you find a cache and log it at the site, you can also log it on www.geocaching.com and keep track of where you've been. A micro cache (that I was talking about) is usually really small with paper only that you log that you found it and nothing else.  We have found micros that are as small as the pen cap of a Bic pen and some are the size of a film canister.  Some are made out of mint tins or hide-a-key containers and have magnets where they are stuck to things. The puzzle cache that I was talking about is where they give you the coordinates to the first spot and then you have to solve a puzzle to find additional spots that eventually lead you to the actual "cache"  Some of them don't even give you the starting spot, but you have to work the puzzle to figure that part out.  I have never completed a puzzle cache yet. A virtual cache is actually just a site that you go to and there isn't a physical cache there.  The "owner" of the virtual cache usually asks you a question about the virtual cache that you don't know the answer to unless you visit the cache.  You email the owner  the answer and then you can log it online that you found it. There are also "travel bugs" that have unique numbers to them that you can take out and place elsewhere.  They usually have a "goal" of where they want to go or whatever and the point is for different people to help the "bug" travel to complete it's goal. This is a long description...  It is kinda like "high tech" treasure hunting.  It is fun, you never know what you might find, and it is good exercise! Glad you asked...  are you sorry you asked?  lol Dot

Nahh you're not dumb queenie, I had to look it up on Wiki the first time i heard her talk about it too.  It sounds like a lot of fun and good exercise. From what I can understand someone "hides" an item.  Then they put the coordinates on the internet.  Other geocachers then get the coordinates and, using GPS and other devices, go find the item.  I am sure DOt can explain it better but thats the general idea.

Yeah, that's a nice brief description (esp. compared to mine!!)  lol

That sounds like a lot of fun. I might have to check into it. Just not sure how to get started.  Tressa

You can find info at www.geocaching.com I usually put my zip code in the search and then it pulls up caches in my area (or the zip of where I want to go).  There are many different ways of looking for caches there though. Then, there is also a page that tells you how to download the geocaches from the site into your GPS unit.  I think we had to download some free software...  I usually print the cache page for reference when we are out caching.  Some have encripted hints that you can use if you need more help finding it. Then, just follow your GPS to the spot and look around for the cache!  Be sure to carry some little goodies with you to trade (if you want) and have fun!

I want to do this! Hopefully we can splurge for a gps with our tax return.

Daph, we got a cheap one (I think it was $120) and it works perfectly fine!

Sounds like fun for the whole family.