Geocaching 101
Getting started
1. Register for a free basic membership at www.geocaching.com.
2. Visit the “hide & seek a cache” page.
3. Enter your postal code and click “search.”
4. Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
5. Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS device.
6. Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.
7. Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location.
8. Share your geocaching stories and photos online.
Rules of the Game
1. If you take something from the geocache (or “cache”), then leave something of equal or greater value.
2. Write about your find in the cache logbook.
3. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com.
Jeremy Mlazovsky wasn’t sold at first.
“A friend explained geocaching to me and I couldn’t figure out how it could be fun,” Mlazovsky said.
Then the Dayton resident tried it.
“I was wrong,” he said with a smile. “A couple of years ago, I got my first smartphone and I was looking for something to do with the kids, so I thought I’d give it a try. It was a lot of fun.”
Geocaching is like a high-tech treasure hunt. Instead of a weathered old treasure map, these treasure hunters use a GPS-enabled device to track down their prizes. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.
Think hiking with a prize beyond improved fitness.
“Hiking in the parks is a lot of fun, but geocaching adds an element of excitement to traditional park uses,” said Brent Anslinger, Five Rivers MetroParks outdoor recreation manager.
The preparation
Supplies are minimal for a geocaching trip, but a handheld GPS device is essential. Many smartphones feature geocaching applications and basic stand-alone GPS units can cost as little as $40, with high-end models in the $300 range. Coordinates are usually given in latitude and longitude, so make sure to select a unit that has that capability.
A variety of geocaching applications are available for iPhone, Android and Windows phones. The Groundspeak Geocaching Application uses a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi positioning and cell towers to determine your approximate location. The application then queries the Geocaching.com database in real-time and provides a list of geocaches near you. In order to access the locations, you will need a free basic membership available online at www.geocaching.com.
If you take a small prize or token from the cache, then geocaching etiquette dictates that you leave an item of equal or greater value in its place, so take some small items with you when you set out.
“We have a backpack filled up with little toys that we take with us when we go out,” Mlazovsky said. “Getting a little surprise never gets old.”
Mlazovsky and his family make a day of it and pack snacks or a lunch so they can take a break in between searches.
THE HUNT
While the GPS coordinates will get you close, most caches are well hidden so it will still take some time and effort to discover it.
“There have been a few times that my family has given up, and I’ve gone back later to look for it,” Mlazovsky said.
The MetroParks and local community parks are common cache sites, but caches aren’t limited to the wilderness. Even local retail centers such as The Greene can be a cache site. Cache sizes vary greatly from a small box to a container the size of a footlocker.
Prizes can be anything from a small bouncy ball to a football. All caches should contain a log book, so you can record your finds. Many people take a picture with the cache and post it on www.geocaching.com
Be sure to bring an item with you if you plan to take what you find in the cache. Put the cache back in the place you found it, so the next treasure hunters can enjoy it.
THE SCOPE
Geocaching is international, with caches found around the world and even under the sea. There are 1,686,993 active geocaches and more than 5 million geocachers worldwide.
There are 76 possible locations to place a cache in the MetroParks. All caches are within 15 feet of official hiking trails and marked with an official MetroParks geocache sticker.
To place a geocache in the MetroParks, you must take out a free permit, available at www.metroparks.org, and register it on www.geocaching.com.
“Geocaches play a valuable role in motivating and inspiring people to get active and take a hike in their MetroParks while experiencing this family-friendly activity,” Anslinger said.
Once Mlazovsky was hooked, he introduced many of his family members to geocaching.
“It’s fun for the kids, we get some exercise, we’ve found a whole bunch of small parks that we never knew existed and I get to play with my toy,” he said.
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