Geocaching

Geocaching.  Have you heard of it before?  Do you know what it is all about? 
Several of the girls from our Troop found out today.

We started out early in the morning and drove to Black Star Canyon.  There we were going to meet up with a friend of mine and her husband.  They have three boys and are very active in Boy Scouts.

Since they go Geocaching often, I had asked if they would join us and show us just how this all works.  They were kind enough to join us and show us all the ins and outs.

It was a beautiful morning.  Sadly, Jesse and Elizabeth were unable to join us.  Perhaps next time we go they can make it.

We hung out at the entrance to Black Star Canyon to wait for the others to join us.  We only had about a 10 minute wait until they pulled up.

The girls all got a lesson about what a GPS is and how it works. 

We then punched in the location of where we were and within seconds several locations of hidden treasures popped up.

So we started to follow the signal.

Our first spot turned out to not have anything there.  Or at least, we couldn't find it.  So, we moved on to the next location.

There we searched for several minutes and then it was spotted.  A little gray container next to some rocks under a tree.

Can you see it?  Look closely.  It's hard to find, but, it's there.

The container was a tiny one.  It turned out to be a pill bottle wrapped in duct tape. 

We opened it up to find a small log inside.  The log is for anyone who finds the container to write down who and when it was found.

Normally, the containers are bigger then this one.  We believe something may have happened to the original container and it was replaced with this one.  We think that because you can get hints about the location and looks of the container.

The hint told us the container was bigger then what we found.

We were excited to dump out the contents to see what little treasures we found.  Inside were two erasers.  One a pumpkin and one a butterfly.

When you find your treasures, you have the option to take one if you put something else back of equal or greater value.  Or you can just put it back the way you found it.

Since we didn't bring anything to exchange it with, we just put the container back where we found it and left it for the next treasure hunters to find it.

We were shown some "coins" you can purchase.  These are called Geo Coins.  They can be left as replacement treasures if you want to take something you like.  These coins are all different and fun to collect. 

If you are lucky, you may find one left in one the containers you find.  Some of the coins can be registered on line and you can track where the coin goes.

Here the girls are learning about the different type of Geo coins that can be purchased or found.

After a few questions, the group decided they wanted to go search for more treasures. 

So, we hiked on as we followed the GPS.  With each step we got closer and closer to our next hidden treasure.

In only a few minutes, we were at our next location.

Searching like experts now, the girls searched under bushes, moved rocks and asked what hints were given.

This time the container was much, much bigger and easier to find then the last one.

The excitement built as they opened up the container and searched inside to see what was in there.

Wow!  What a find!  There were all sorts of different things in this one.  There were some small toys, a rubber bracelet, a ring, small animal figures and several other things. 

Again, we didn't take any.  We just put the container back where we found it and decided to go search for a few more.

We didn't have any luck on the next two we looked for.  Either we couldn't find them because they were hidden in hard to find containers or they had been moved/taken. 

We were there a few hours and it was starting to get hot so, we decided it was time to head back to our cars.  After all, we had walked a few miles into the trails. 

Everyone had fun and the girls all said they wanted to not only go again, but, they wanted to make their own container up and hide it for others.

So, just what is Geocaching?  It's a modern day scavenger hunt.  It's a great way to get outside and get some fresh air and exercise while having fun at the same time.  It's a fun way to spend time with friends and family and not spend a lot of money. 

We also learned it's great to have friends who are willing to share new and thrilling outings with you.  Thank you Trish and Jason!  We had a wonderful time.

Basically we learned that Geocaching is FUN!