Introduction%20to%20Geocaching

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Introduction to Geocaching

• Doug Earl
• (D of ABCDMCachers)

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Agenda

• What
• When
• Where
• Who
• Why
• How
• Travel Bugs
• Resources

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What
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Geocaching What is it?

• An outdoor adventure game for GPS users of all
  ages
• GPS Global Positioning System

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What In a Nutshell

1. Someone hides a weatherproof box in the woods.
2. The latitude and longitude of the box is
   published on the Internet.
3. Others go out and find the box using their
   portable GPSr.
4. Finders sign the log, trade trinkets.
5. When they get home, they log the find on the
   Internet.

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What Boiling it Down
I use multi-billion dollar military satellites
to find Tupperware hidden in the woods.
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What Is a Geocache?

• A weather-resistant container such as Tupperware,
  Rubbermaid, or surplus ammo box

Usually
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What Else Can it Be?

• Micro Caches
• 35mm film canisters
• Magnetic key holders
• Or smaller! (Nano caches)
• Camouflaged
• Fake doggie doo
• Hide-a-key rocks
• Hollowed out rocks
• Pine cones
• Plastic spiders

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What Else Can it Be? - 2
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What Else Can it Be? - 3
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Whats in a Geocache?

• Logbook
• Trinkets to trade
• Examples toys, books, coins, tools, games, etc.
• Information sheet that explains the container and
  has contact information.

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When
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Timeline
May 1, 2000 Selective Availability Removed
May 3, 2000 Stash hidden in Oregon
Sept 2, 2000 Geocaching.com started with 75 caches
Accuracy before
Accuracy after
100 meters
10 meters or better
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Where
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Where are They Hidden?

• All over the world
• 479,372 active caches in over 200 countries (as
  of 11/1/2007)
• Well over 500 in the metro-Milwaukee area

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The World
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United States
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Wisconsin
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Milwaukee
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Where Kinds of Places

• Places with natural beauty
• Parks state, county, city
• Hiking and biking trails
• Areas with historical significance
• Urban areas
• Park and rides, waysides
• Interesting places you didnt know existed even
  in your own backyard

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Where - Specifically

• Hollow trees and logs
• Handrails, fence posts
• Hanging in trees
• Usually under or behind something, but never
  buried

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Where Wont They Be?

• National Parks
• Private property unless owner gives permission
• Under bridges
• Less than .1 mile from another cache
• Less than 150 feet from railroad

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Who
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Who Participates?

• All ages, walks of life
• Singles, Couples, Families, Retirees
• People who enjoy the outdoors
• People who like technology

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Who Hides Them?

• Anyone who has a geocaching.com account
• All caches must be approved
• Maybe you?
• Get experience finding before hiding your own -
  find at least 20

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Why
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Why Geocache? 1

• The journey to the cache beautiful areas and
  interesting places

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Why Geocache? 2

• Family activity

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Why Geocache? 3

• The challenge of the find, the thrill of the hunt

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Why Geocache? 4

• The numbers game

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Why Geocache? 5

• Read about others adventures

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Why Geocache? 6

• Turn off the TV and enjoy the outdoors! Get some
  exercise while youre at it.

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Why Geocache - Different Ways to Enjoy
Traditional Caches Most common
Like hikes? Multi-caches
Like puzzles? Mystery caches
Like socializing? Event caches
Like history? Virtuals
Like challenges? Try higher difficulty
Like traveling? Try county or Delorme challenge
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Mystery/Puzzle Caches

• Before finding the cache, you need to solve a
  puzzle, sometimes on the cache webpage, sometimes
  at the cache site

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Mystery/Puzzle Caches (2)
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How
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First Steps

• Create a geocaching.com account
• Buy or borrow a GPS receiver

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Find Nearby Caches

• Search by zipcode or latitude/longitude

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Find Nearby Caches - 2

• Use Google Maps from geocaching.com or Google
  Earth

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Find Nearby Caches - 3
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Read About the Cache
Cache type, name, Who placed it
Size
Difficulty/Terrain
Unique Identifying code (AKA waypoint)
Latitude, Longitude Distance from home
Download Lat/Lon file (so dont have to manually
enter)
Attributes
Hints!
Travel Bugs / Geocoins
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Enter the Coordinates into the GPSr
Waypoint Name
Waypoint Note (Optional)
Latitude and Longitude(Coordinates)
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Follow the Arrow
When the arrow points straight up, you are going
in the right direction.
How far you have to go Direction you are
going(Typically only works while
moving) Direction you SHOULD go(bear right)
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Look Around

• Look for anything unusual or out of place.
• Look in places that YOU think would be good to
  place a cache.
• No luck? Enlarge your search area
• Heavy tree cover affects signal
• Use a compass only high-end GPSrs have a
  built-in compass

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Woo Hoo! Found it!

• Sign the log book
• Trade items if you wish
• Family-friendly, no food
• Leave something of equal or greater value
  compared to what you take
• Re-hide the cache back in the same spot
• Log your experience on geocaching.com and
  collect a smiley

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Hiding Your Own

• Show off a favorite area
• Show how sneaky and creative you can be
• Get permission from land manager
• DNR land - must fill out form
• Be mindful of environment

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Travel Bugs
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Travel Bugs and Geocoins

• Travel from cache to cache (not collectible!)
• Usually have a goal, Examples
• Visit all baseball parks, all capitols
• Have picture taken with ltfill in the blankgt
• Final destination Alaska, South Pole
• Journey is tracked on geocaching.com

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TB Examples

• TB Tag has a unique ID
• Attached to a small item

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TB Examples - 2

• From the you gotta be kidding me file

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TB web page
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Travel Bug Map
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Trackables Page
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Resources
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Important Terms

• FTF First To Find
• Muggle Non-geocacher
• TNLNSL Took Nothing, Left Nothing, Signed Log
• DNF Did Not Find
• CITO Cache In Trash Out
• 1/1 Referring to difficulty and terrain
• TB Travel Bug

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Wisconsin Geocaching Association

• http//www.wi-geocaching.com

WGA Picnic Event McKenzie Environmental Education
Center, Poynette, WI August 21, 2004
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Premium Membership

• 30/year
• Have Pocket Queries emailed to you
• Up to 500 caches centered on a point
• Easy to transfer to your GPSr
• GSAK
• EasyGPS
• Member-only caches
• Email notification of new caches

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Similar Sites

• Terracaching.com
• Goal higher quality caches
• Waymarking.com
• Unique locations, but no cache to find
• Misspelled signs, funny mailboxes, waterfalls,
  water towers, etc.
• Letterboxing.org
• No GPSr required

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Thanks for Attending

• Questions?