Geocaching Friday - Confessions of a Geocache Fail

My name is Becky, and I failed at geocaching.

The reason for the fail was not failing to locate the cache itself. That part I did perfectly fine. And boy was I ever excited to see a trackable coin!

For those who are unfamiliar with or new to geocaching, trackable coins are just what they sound like - coins with a special code that, when entered at the appropriate website, allow the owner of the coin to track its whereabouts. It's pretty fun for both parties!

Let the Woes Begin!

Sadly just after I found the coin, I began to have car trouble. I've been in my house for the past 5 weeks. The worst part is this coin that hangs from the key holder by the front door, taunting me.

Adding insult to injury are memories of all the forum posts at www.geocaching.com from disgruntled owners of coins that were picked up never to be seen or heard from again.

And to make matters worse, this trackable has a really awesome story and a request not to hold it for more than 15 days. I have had this coin for going on 15 weeks. OUCH!

Reaching Out with an Apology

Finally I decided that enough misery was enough misery, and it was time to take responsibility for my fail. I decided to man up and email the owner of the trackable.

I told them all my car woes, not to mention that my beloved dog died during the same time frame) and tried to assure them that I am not the type of geocacher who gets into the hobby and then flakes out, coin in hand.

If they respond then I'll post in a future episode of Geocaching Friday. I don't blame them if they don't, though.

Sticking My Trackable Swag on the Line

In the meantime I think it only fair that I plan to put my own trackable swag on the line. After perusing all that Amazon had to offer, I've decided to go with dog tags.

These tags come 4 to a pack which makes them quite the deal from an economic standpoint. And as many as 85% of the reviews give this item a 5-star rating, which was a big factor in my decision.


If you're a geocacher, then you know the value of great swag. And if you're new to geocaching, why not start out by dropping a trackable or two?

Clicking the picture takes you over to the Amazon site where you can order your own trackable swag. The quicker you place an order, the quicker you can track the whereabouts of your tags!

And if you have geocaching adventures - fails or successes - to share then I'd love to hear about it in the comments section. Until next Friday - happy geocaching everyone!

Geocaching Friday - Why Lock & Lock Make the Best Geocache Boxes

If you are a geocacher then you are no stranger to the term Lock & Lock. They make great geocache boxes because they offer exceptional durability for a low price!

Originally used for food storage, these containers are meant to keep your kitchen pantry or refrigerator tidier. However I was using them for non-food purposes long before I knew about geocaching! I used these plastic containers to hold craft supplies. My older son uses them to organize his model train accessories. And my younger son uses one to hold the loot he finds when metal detecting.

Once my family discovered geocaching, it was not long until we began pondering, what if we created our own geocache location? What kind of container would we use? Would the location have some kind of special meaning? Would we use a theme and create several? Did we want to use riddles? Or would we be completely random?

As I posted a couple of weeks ago, there are plenty of options for creating safe, eco-friendly geocache containers. Sadly not all things that you can recycle make great containers, though! The plastic may have BPA or break down if left exposed to the sunlight. Metal can rust. And never use glass, which could break and create sharp edges.

Why Use a Lock & Lock Container

Sure you could use other types of plastic containers, but it is doubtful that they have a 4-sided locking mechanism to help keep the contents dry and the critters from getting inside. Here are some other reasons why Lock & Lock containers make the best geocache boxes.

• 100% silicone gasket helps keep it both air and watertight
• BPA free
• Holds up to both humid and frigid temperatures
• Plastic resists stains
• Easy to camouflage as you can see from the above picture!

You can find Lock & Lock containers at places like Target or Wal-Mart. Personally I prefer ordering mine from Amazon. If you belong to Amazon Prime as many people do (including my family) after purchasing a Kindle Fire, then you can enjoy free 2-day shipping!

Click this link above and order some Lock & Lock containers to make your own geocache boxes now!

Geocaching for Kids - Everything You Need for a Fun Family Adventure

While geocaching is something that is enjoyed by people of all ages, geocaching for kids is perhaps the most beneficial. In addition to all the other benefits the hobby provides, it allows families a way to spend time together and work towards a common goal - finding a geocache container!

When people ask my sons, "What is geocaching?" They often reply, "Using billions of dollars of military hardware to find Tupperware® hidden in the woods." And technically, that is pretty much an exact description.

Geocaching is using GPS coordinates to find the latitude and longitude of a hidden container. The container could be in an urban or rural location. It could be out in the open, like at a public park, or hidden several thousand feet above sea level on the Appalachian Trail. We even saw on the map where a container is hidden in the middle of the Potomac River for kayak enthusiasts.

Preparing a Geocaching for Kids Adventure

Geocaching with young kids in tow might sound intimidating but really it is no more stressful than any other family outing. Here are some tips to help get you started:

• CLOTHING - Dress how you would for any other outdoor family event, like a hike over rocky terrain or a walk through an area with weeds or high grasses. In other words, dress comfortably according to the weather and wear socks with sneakers as opposed to sandals or flip-flops.
• SNACKS - Bringing snacks with you will save you the time and cost of stopping off at a convenience store or the drive-thru window of a fast food restaurant. Goldfish crackers, fresh fruit, and bottled water all make great geocaching snacks.
• CACHE BAG - Even though my kids are teenagers, we cannot leave the house without our "cache bag". It has a small notebook for keeping track of which sites we visit, a couple of mechanical pencils and pens for signing logs in the geocache containers, and some loot. Currently our loot is baseball cards, army men, and some small party favors. 

Whatever other preparations you make will depend on the unique needs of your family. They might include medication (like an epi pen for those allergic to bees or other outside things), bug spray, wet wipes (even if your kids aren't in diapers, these things have a million uses).

The Best GPS to Use When Geocaching for Kids

If I had to buy a GPS right now, I would purchase the Magellan eXplorist GC Waterproof Geocaching GPS from Amazon. The display is about the same size as a cell phone, and its paperless connection to the Geocaching website makes it a great eco-friendly tool as well. Some of the other features of this little gadget include:

• Connect to Geocaching.com
• Free 30-day premium membership to the site (regular membership is still free, though!)
• Pre-loaded with plenty of popular geocache sites
• Easy navigation with colorful menus and graphics
• Transreflective screen for easy reading on super sunny days
• Storage for up to 10,000 geocaches
• Waterproof to IPX-7 standards to protect against drops and spills
• 3-meter accuracy when finding the geocache site
• 2 AA batteries provide 18 hours of life for a whole day of geocaching
• USB connects right to your laptop or desktop computer

Whether you are just starting out geocaching or have been doing this for years, you are entitled to have fun while staying safe. The Magellan eXplorist GC Waterproof Geocaching GPS allows you to do both. It even connects to waypoint locations that you set up -- such as where you parked the car or the location of that public rest room that you passed ten minutes ago. (Because we all know that kids don't have to go until after the bathroom is out of sight!)

Click the icon above to head straight over to the Amazon site where you will enjoy a generous discount. And if you are a member of Amazon Prime, then you will also enjoy free shipping as well! Don't wait until you are stuck relying on a cellphone that struggles to find a signal or a has a low battery life. Order your Magellan eXplorist GC Waterproof Geocaching GPS today!