Have you ever fancied yourself a treasure hunter - studying an aged treasure map and searching for that mysterious place where X marks the spot? Well, we can’t promise gold and gemstones but a high-tech treasure hunt is sweeping the nation - geocaching. With over a million caches stashed around the world - in cities, forests, on mountainsides, and even underwater - chances are there’s an adventure just around the corner. Geocaching has grown in popularity among RVers all age groups - families, boomers, retirees - anyone that relishes an exciting outdoor adventure.
The first step in geocaching is visiting http://www.geocaching.com/ to locate cache coordinates via zip code, state name or latitude/longitude. Then, using a handheld GPS unit or a GPS enabled iPhone, the hunters set out to locate the cache. And what exactly is a cache? Caches typically consist of a waterproof container hidden inconspicuously at the coordinates.
Inside the container you’ll find a logbook and a variety of goodies - perhaps a toy, map, small book, bauble or other silly, fun or even valuable item. No telling what treasure hunt plunder you’ll find!! Be sure to fill out the logbook with the date and time of your visit and leave something in exchange for a cache-goodie.
There are several types of caches, too. Many parks listed on GoCampingAmerica.com have stashed caches at their park. One of our favorites types of cache is what’s known as a Travel Bug. This “is a trackable item that moves from place to place, picking up stories along the way. You can add your own story when you’ve located a Travel Bug or live vicariously through each bug's adventures” according to Goeocaching.com’s Travel Bug page.
Sounds easy? Easy and fun! Enjoy this short, informative video and give it a try yourself. You’ll see what an exciting challenge and great RV travel fit geocaching really is.
Contributed by Evanne Schmarder
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment