Found this YouTube Video on “Jon’s Adventure Vlog: Geocaching For Buried Treasure!”

Geocachers never cease to amaze me with their creativity. I have found geocaching containers so cleverly hidden in plain site, that as a muggle, walking that same path daily, I never noticed their existance. I even photographed one once and didn’t realize that the shot contained a geocahe until many moons later.

Geocaching containers are not the only way to be creative with your geocache. The cache coordinates can be skillfully hidden in an image on a geocaching.com listing page or woven into the fabric of a story written to disguise clues to the cache. Some caches are theme based with elaborately decorated geocache containers, filled with ornately decorated geocaching log books and geoswag all reflecting it’s theme. These are some of those extra steps taken by many geocachers to engage our imaginations and uplift our spirits while geocaching.

I have found micros in the woods hidden in hollowed out sticks. I have found ammo cans hidden behind a garden fence in an urban alley. But until today, I had never found a geocache online.

ErikaJean, a geocacher from Arizona, has introduced me to a new kind of creative geocache. She has put together an interactive introduction to geocaching on YouTube. Using a series of short videos hyperlinked to hot spots on the main video, she takes us on a tour of her backyard during our hunt for a geocache. It’s as close to geocaching as I’ve ever seen on a screen and a great way to introduce geocaching to your muggle friends when they won’t leave the computer to go outside and play. (I used to resemble that remark!) I may not be able to log a smiley on geocaching.com for this one, but the smile it brought to my face was well worth it.

Thank you ErikaJean for your splendid version of a creative geocache!

(And yes, I did giggle )

If these people would use their blog to educate (one of their stated goals) about eco-sensitive areas and the specific types of plants, fungi and lychans to pay special attention not to disturb, I would be more inclined to value their opinion about geocache placement. I am always happy to learn new ways and change my behaviors to be a more responsible patron of the outdoors. But…

I think that these people might better serve the environment by sharing their points of view in an educational way rather than the destructive route they are engaged in. Geocachers share things. It’s the basis of what we do. We share knowledge of beautiful locations with each other by placing geocaches. We share knowledge of trail conditions, outdoorsmanship, safety considerations and much more at geocaching events. If these persons truly want to stop environmental damage done by geocachers seeking caches, then teach. The few who are taught will always forward the information to other cachers.  Sharing knowledge with 64 Geocachers instead of stealing 64 geocaches, would go much further in the effort to change the current conditions in our Washington State Parks and the world.

Instead, they geocache freely. Signing some logs and using the services of geocaching.com to find many more beautiful and interesting places. Then appoint themselves as “defenders” of public property. Property held in trust for the benefit of all citizens and animals alike protected by trained professionals who have dedicated their lives to the service of the land, it’s people, its wildlife and remove other geocaches as they deem fit.

Letterboxing has been around for centuries. Geocaching 10 years. Both activities are known to all governmental agencies and park personnel. If the authorities and real “defenders” allow them and in many states actively encourage and engage in these pursuits, what right do you have to remove them?

Geocaching has many side benefits. The biggest one for me has been a dramatically increased awareness of the environment, its ecosystems and my effect upon them. It has changed the way I live everyday. In effect it has taught me to be a more earth-friendly consumer and has started me upon a path of green living. These changes take time, but the changes I’ve made have had a ripple effect into the lives everyone I know. And the ripples just keep spreading. Teaching changes the teacher and the student. I am now also learning more about living green form those very friends who, once influenced, took it a step further. The circle returns. This is educating.

But. These part time geocachrs/eco-anti-cachers do not teach, enlighten or foster support for their views with their actions. They destroy.

Doesn’t say much for them in my humble opinion.

“With All Sincerity”
Kryptic

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I feel compelled to attend geocaching events. I really appreciate the time and effort the hosts put in to make them fun and enjoyable. By attending I feel like I am saying “great job” and “thanks” for creating an opportunity for me to get to know more great people and just visit with folks who enjoy the things that I do.

An Event is a fixed time and place and if you miss it, there is no tomorrow. A geocache? Well, that will be there next week when I’ll have more time. At least that is what I tell myself. (But really when do any of us really ever have more time?)

It seems like I need to have a mountainside fall on me to get me to actually step away from all of the little things that seem so important, like laundry, housecleaning and oh yeah, work, to get me to go outside and caching. Going caching alone is often just the ticket I need to sooth my soul. I get a great sense of peace just hanging out in the nature that surrounds me on a mountainside or in a great park. Other times, I just have more fun caching with friends. And Geocaching Events are the place to make Geocaching Friends.

So, thank you to all my geocaching friends, old and new, for brightening so many of my days this last week. Which brings me to my icons!

I was lucky enough to attend three “10 Years!” geocaching anniversary events last weekend.

10 Years! – Tacoma, WA (GC26TQB) 10 Years! – Seattle, WA (GC25617) 10 Years! – Olympia, WA (GC273T6)

I had a blast at each and every one!

Picked up a webcam cache while out running errands.

Phatboyz…Go dogz (GCH3NT)

And finally was able to do my first Earthcache!

It’s the Water…and a Parking Lot, Too! (GC1B9WN)

Not a bad geocaching week! Enjoy your weekend and Happy Caching!