Saturday, February 20, 2010

I'm sure Stacie was wondering how long it would be before I posted a blog about my hobby obsession.  In case you hadn't noticed from the links on the right side, my favorite pass-time is Geocaching.  The official explanation of the hobby is "a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment."  We've been doing this for about a year and 4 months. Today's picture shows a typical geocache after the find.  Geocaches can be as large as an army surplus ammo can or as small as the tip of your little finger nail.  So this is the way it works:  Someone hides a container and puts a paper log inside it, they take some readings with their GPS receiver to record its location, they logon to the Geocaching.com website and submit an online form to report the new hide.  A reviewer from the website evaluates the request to ensure it meets the proper requirements and that the hider has followed the guidelines.  The reviewer approves the new geocache hide and a webpage is generated with all of the information about the "cache".  Immediately geocachers within the general vicinity are notified by email (yes, even on their cell phones) about the new cache and the fray begins.  You see, it is a high honor to be the first person to sign the log, or the "First To Find" (FTF).  They load the coordinates into their GPS receivers and start searching.  After the geocacher finds the geocache and signs the log, they report their find online and include comments as to how they enjoyed the hunt or how difficult or easy the container was hidden.  Geocaching is suitable for children of all ages.  It is the most family friendly hobby I've seen. For geocache containers that are large enough to hold other items besides the paper log, cachers leave trinkets, small toys, and other things behind for others to trade.  It is all on the honor system.  Well, I could literally type about geocaching for days so I will stop here for today.  I should point out the link on the right to Geocaching.com.  What is your obsession?

2 comments:

  1. Moogy wasn't the only one wondering when this was going to pop up:) It's wonderful to have a hobby that you enjoy so much! I would have to say that making hair bows has been the longest lasting hobby I've ever gotten into. I just love having a tangible result at the end of my efforts. Not to mention getting to show them off when my little angel wears them!!

    ReplyDelete