Discover the Fun of Geocaching
If you enjoy the outdoors and would like to exercise your problem-solving and observational skills as well as your muscles, then you might like to try geocaching.
Geocaching combines the fun of an old-fashioned treasure hunt with the lure of the outdoors and the community-building capabilities of the Internet. According to the website Geocaching.com (which is the official global GPS cache hunt site), "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." All you need to participate are a sturdy pair of hiking boots or walking shoes, a hand-held GPS device, and a sense of adventure.
Any geocacher can hide a cache anywhere in the world. A micro-cache is a cache hidden in a very tiny container. Many caches are of a more normal size — big enough to hold a log book, a couple of pencils, and perhaps a prize or two or three (bring trinkets to trade); and in some heavily traveled urban or touristy areas, some caches may be virtual, i.e. instead of finding a container you're asked to simply take note of a specific feature of the environment (you may, for example, be asked to record an inscription on a monument, etc.). Caches are often hidden in parks or along hiking trails, but you can also find caches hidden in the heart of most major cities.
If you register (it's free!) for an account at Geocaching.com, you can easily search to see what geocaches are located in your immediate area (you can search by address, by ZIP code, or by state). You'll spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 or so for a decent GPS device, and that's pretty much all you need.
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