[GeoStL] Geocaching on CNN

There was an article on Next on CNN  about Geocaching. One view  of the 
computer screen showed some caches, including RGS' Burkesville Cave. It  was a 
decent show, wish my VCR didn't screw up while I was recording it. Here is  the 
transcript of the segment.
Well, speaking of finding things, what do you get when you combine a  $100 
global positioning device, a love of the outdoors, and some spare time? You  
something called Geocaching. And, while participants may only find a handful  
of cheap trinkets, the enjoyment comes from solving a puzzle. 


RICK CLAWSON, GEOCASHER: So, are you ready to go Geocach?  

SIEBERG (voice-over): To go on a high-tech treasure hunt, all you need  is a 
GPS device, some good walking shoes, and a little patience. Age is not an  
issue. We tagged along with Rick Clawson and his daughter, Emily, to find one 
the thousands of Geocach sites out there, this one just outside Atlanta, off 
the  beaten spots where someone has hidden, well, a hidden treasure of sorts.  

CLAWSON: My wife calls it "Pavlovian hiking," because there's a little  
reward at the end. 

SIEBERG: A stay-at-home artist, Clawson only started  Geocaching late last 
year, but now says he's totally hooked. A Geocaching  website provides us with 
the coordinates. 

(on camera): So, where are we  headed? 

CLAWSON: Right down the trail here onto the Silver Comet Trail.  

SIEBERG: OK, is it going to be pretty rough terrain or...?  


SIEBERG: Can Emily handle it? 

CLAWSON:  Yeah, she can handle it. 

SIEBERG: If she can handle it, we can handle  it.

(voice-over): The idea of trekking cross-country with just a few  satellite 
points to guide the way has actually been around for a few years, but  it's 
increasing in popularity as the GPS devices get cheaper and some of the  prizes 
provided by sponsors like Magellan and Jeep get better. RANDY HALL,  MAGELLAN 
GPS: It wasn't started by any company or anything like that, it was  really 
enthusiasts who love their GPS and want to be able to be in the outdoors  and 
explore, and so they've invented this treasure hunt game. And, it's  
internet-based and it kind of just took off on its own. Someone started a -- 
you  know, 
a few websites and it really has caught on like wildfire. 

SIEBERG  (on camera): Now, it looks like it's telling us to go off that way?  

CLAWSON: Yeah, the path will wind around to the right over here.  


CLAWSON: And it should join the Silver Comet Trail.  

SIEBERG: You having fun, Emily? Yeah?

CLAWSON: Most of the time  she's on my back, if the trail gets rough, or if 
we have to go into the woods  then I'll take her out of the stroller and we'll 
piggyback it. 

I've lost  like 20, 25 pounds in six months just walking through the woods 
with her.  

SIEBERG: All right, so now we're about 100, 120 feet away?  

CLAWSON: I got 107, it's right back here. 

SIEBERG: Emily's  taking a little nap.

CLAWSON: Yep. We'll wake her up for the cach.  

SIEBERG: Go right up the hill? Scramble up?

CLAWSON: Yeah.  

SIEBERG: OK, sure. You got it?

CLAWSON: Yeah. You're almost  standing on it. 

SIEBERG: Really? I'm almost standing on it? Oh, see, now  that is camouflaged 
like so many of these other things around here.  

CLAWSON: Exactly. 

SIEBERG: And you're allowed to take whatever  you want as long as you put 
something in there. 

CLAWSON: Right, if you  take two things, put in two things, or put in more. 
You can put in as much as  you like. A little first aid kit. 

SIEBERG: I could use some of those  moist wipes right now. 

CLAWSON: (LAUGHING) Sunglasses case, mini pocket  knife, odd little lava 

SIEBERG: Oh, that's kind of cool.  

CLAWSON: You never know what you're going to find. Check the log book.  

SIEBERG: So, what are you going to write, here? 

CLAWSON: "Long  hike. Good hide." 

SIEBERG: No blood, a lot of sweat, and no tears  later.

CLAWSON: No blood, a lot of sweat. 

SIEBERG: How does it  feel once you're -- once you're here, once you solve it?

CLAWSON: Oh,  it's fun, it's like -- you know, a sense of accomplishment and 
the fact that  you've got a highway right here with all these people zooming 
by, have no idea  that somebody's up here playing with toys and finding 

SIEBERG:  And obviously, it's a good workout. 

CLAWSON: It's a good workout, yeah,  I'm drenched. 

SIEBERG: And now we got to hike back. 


SIEBERG: A couple of fun footnotes on Geocaching: If you see  someone on the 
trail who doesn't know what Geocaching is, they're referred to as  a "muggle," 
a "Harry Potter" reference. And if you see someone dancing around  sort of 
moving like this, that's the "GPS dance," as you're trying to get a  better 
signal on your device. 

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