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.See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching
I think geocaching is pretty neat and if I owned a GPS I would definitely try it out. That said I am not going to go buy a GPS to start geocaching. I have a long list of gear I want to get before a handheld GPS.
My hardcore side doesn`t like the GPS. It somehow feels like it would take the edge off of being in the woods. Like carrying a cell phone instead of a survival kit - you haven`t really left civilization behind at all if you have a phone.
But again geocaching has some advantages. You get to work on your map reading skills without all the running of orienteering and you get to hike with a purpose in mind which is good for motivation. Who doesn`t like to find stuff? Hidden stuff!
Sunday morning I`m going to hike the Pine Grove trail on the Greenbelt. It should be a flat 13 kms. I figure to bring my stove and boil a cup of tea somewhere along the way just for S&Gs. I plan to leave Parking lot 18 (which is on Davidson just off Hawthorne) by 9AM and if I do the full loop I will treat myself to a hot coffee in some establishment that shows football on the TV when I`m done (any suggestions?). This is part one of my scouting the East end greenbelt trails for some convenient afterwerk trail running/snowshoeing locations.
3 comments:
I'm actually thinking about getting a GPS. I think it would be a nice enhancement to the whole hiking thing but I wouldn't want to become dependent on it to tell me where to go. I'd still prefer to be able to read the map and just use the GPS to find the caches when I get myself close by other means - just kind of a target to aim for on the hike. Click on my name and stick your postal code in the search - you might be surprised how many there are just in your neighbourhood - there is one right behind my house which I have yet to go look for.... I've probably walked/hiked right by 40 or 50 caches in the last month or so...
John-Eric has been doing this in geography class this Fall and they are going on a class field trip on Friday coming up to go geocaching. A guy a work just bought a GPS for geocaching as a fun weekend activity for him and his significant other. Check out the link there are thousands of little treasures hidden all over the place......
GCW5T2
ESP
A cache by DCKKNOHARE Hidden: 5/19/2006
Cumberland area, near the arena and tennis club. There is a park on site. The trail leading down to the cache site is muddy after the rain we've had and the brush is some what thick, but my 3 year old made it with out any trouble.
This is Crpytonight's sister cache also left by the residents of a group home. These residents are having a blast doing this geocaching stuff and were jumping for joy when Cryptonight was found. Same as before for cache contents, toys and items suitable for small children. The log book is probably signed by the O'Hare clan, this is an unofficial find. It was just me locating the cache to get the co-ordinates to upload. FYI again "O'HARE CLAN NOT FTF"
Good luck an use your ESP to find this one...
J.I.C. (just in case) the cache is in a clear plastic container and placed inside a large Ziplock Bag.
Additional Hints ( Decrypt )
Decryption Key
A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z
(letter above equals below,
and vice versa)
Vs vg vf envavat be unf envarq jvguva gur ynfg 24-48 ubhef Oevat lbhe [RAIN BOOTS]. IREL ZHQQL
There are hundreds in Gatineau Park - click my name.....
I found my first geocache yesterday morning! right behind my house.... I got a great deal on a "hiking companion GPS" that, as it turns out, was a great deal because its an older discontinued model - but I made it work - plus it'll tell me how far I walk, how much ascent and descent I do, average speed, etc..... and if I get lost it'll lead me back to my car - hahaha
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