Do you have a little “Indiana Jones” lurking inside you? If you’re looking for a new adventure, and one you can have with your dog, then geocaching might be just right for you. Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a high-tech game of hide and seek, a treasure hunt with a twist. All you need to get started is access to the Web and a handheld GPS (global positioning system).
This is how it works. Someone hides a container and posts details about the cache and its coordinates on www.geocaching.com. The adventurer (that’s you!) loads the coordinates into a handheld GPS and starts the search. When you discover a cache, it will usually have a logbook to sign, indicating that you’ve found it. Locating the cache is the true prize, although you might find an item or two inside to take home. These are intended as trades, so I always carry a little something with me to leave in the container for the next person who finds it.
You can choose what kind of adventure you’d like from a listing on the Web site. Caches are graded based on terrain, difficulty, type and size. For example: a “virtual” takes you to an interesting place; “multi” is a sequence of findings; “puzzle” requires some sleuthing just to uncover the coordinates. The container can be anything: mint tins, 35mm film canisters, Tupperware, even huge buckets. Not knowing exactly what you’ll find is part of the fun.
Although the game itself is not top secret, you need to be discreet when seeking. You want to be sure the cache remains safe for the next person searching and that it won’t be vandalized by someone who’s not familiar with the game. Afterward you can log your adventure on the Web site.
When I first heard about geocaching, I knew it would be a perfect fit for my dog and me. Abby, an energetic Portuguese Water Dog who was adopted from the Tri-Valley SPCA, has turned out to be a perfect caching partner. She’ll gladly splash around in a creek while I look along a bank for a cache. If I’m preoccupied searching, she’ll alert me if people are coming. She doesn’t mind the walks, the hikes or, on occasion, the endless circling within the same 30 feet if I can’t seem to find the container.
Abby and I have found caches under benches disguised to look like rocks, tucked in trees, out in the open. We’ve found more than 100 caches in the past year, and we hope to find many more. It shouldn’t be too difficult. The last time I checked, there were more than 242,383 active caches stashed in 221 countries, and the number keeps growing. How many caches are in the Bay Area? Too many to count! I work in Pleasanton and there are over 400 caches within a 10-mile radius of my office. You and your dog could be busy for many years to come.
Before the rain ended, we had a clear day one weekend and I decided it was a perfect opportunity to find a couple of geocaches. I loaded the coordinates into my GPS and Abby and I were off on another adventure. We ended up at a regional park, and, with the GPS and park map in hand, we found the trail that would bring us closest to the cache. The hike was fairly short with a strenuous ascent, and we finally zoomed in and found the cache.
We sat down and the logbook told me that SnoWake and Dingo has been there in May 2003, Blue Blaze Irregulars and Bill the Dog found it November 2005. Now it says BayAreaLiz and Abby made it in March 2006.
You can sometimes identify cachers by the trade items they leave behind. Many people leave a signature item – perhaps a custom button, imprinted pencil, sew-on patch, wooden nickel – with the cacher’s name on it. You’ll sometimes find fun toys like hot wheels, yo-yo’s, or stickers. Trading isn’t required, but it can sure be fun. I like leaving a button with a photo of Abby and, if the container is big enough, I’ll leave a “Bay Area Back Roads” travel card.
The view from the cache site was nothing short of amazing. Abby and I spent quite some time on the hillside just enjoying the sun, the breeze and the quiet around us. We had a fantastic hike and a perfect caching day.
Geocaching is a great sport that offers special rewards. Abby and I have had some fantastic explorations together. I’ve become more familiar with the Bay Area, its local history, and many monuments around town just through caching. Best of all, geocaching helps us spend quality time together, getting great exercise and enjoying the outdoors as a team. Indiana Jones never had it so good.
