Tuesday, February 14, 2006

New hobby/pastime/activity

Okay...I know. How many "hobbies" have I gotten all excited about, rushed out and bought the requisite equipment, only to use it once and move on to something else? Rock Climbing, Astronomy, etc. But this is different, I promise.

My new thing is Geocaching. Basically, its modern-day treasure hunting with a GPS device. Somoene hides a container (maybe big, maybe small) in a public place. Inside is at least a log, usually there are items inside as well. Then the "hider" posts general coordinates on the above website and hints as to the cache's location/how it is hidden/etc. Your job is to find the cache, sign the log, take an item and leave an item. Then you post back to the website when you found the cache-what your experience was like (did you like the hunt, was it hidden well, etc.), what item you took, what item you left, etc.

It is a great family activity...kids love it. You get outdoors, get to walk/hike, enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Then later you hide your own and enjoy that side of it as well...how well can you hide something/how good are your hints?

Okay, so I haven't yet actively hunted a cache. I know where there are a few located very near my house and I did obtain the requiste equipment. My lovely wife got me a GPS device for Valentine's Day. Nothing says I love you like a nifty electronic toy! Either that or she has forever negated the wonderful excuse of "I got lost."


Beav said...

Good to see you back again! You know, I've seen a couple things on geocaching and wondered just what it was. Sounds really cool. Plan on taking the young'un with you on a few trips?


MthNrd said...

Yeah...Alyce is excited...everyday she asks if the weather is gonna be nice enough. The fact that some of the caches have things in them to take makes it truly a treasure hunt.

There is a cache over in the moview theater/shopping center parking lot near your house/my work.