200 Things

If you like geocaching, and you like books about geocaching, especially books with lots of pictures, then this may be the book for you: "200 Things Any Geocacher Must Do Sooner or Later". It is scheduled to be released next month, and the author is offering a 15% early bird discount. You can get more information on the book and the discount offer from the Awesome Geocaching website.

A Cache A Day...

Not sure how this happens. I don't plan it. But for the past five years now I've averaged one cache find per day:

Happy New Year everyone! Here's hoping 2015 brings you nothing but fun and exciting cache finds!

Google Maps Engine

I started playing around with Google Maps Engine to see if it provides a nice environment for creating and storing cache information in an online mapping tool. Spoiler alert: it does.

While meant more for business use, you can also use the Map Engines Lite version for free. It's a great way to create and share your own personalized maps.

In the example below, I used GSAK to export a CSV file containing a filtered list of the most difficult caches (D/T rating > 4.0/4.0) in my neck of the woods. Then I simply imported that file into my GME account, and presto, a share-able, customizable map.

Cache On!

Locus Map - Android GPS App.

I had recently read a raving review about an Android mapping application called, Locus Map, and decided to check it out. It comes in two versions: Free and Pro. The Pro version costs $8.27 (as of this writing), and offers a wealth of features not available in the free version. What I found really impressive was the number of background maps that are available, both for online and offline use - over 20; although most of them are eastern European maps. But the one map I really liked was the USGS topo map, as it, of course, includes trails.

Even though this app. is primarily built as a GPS navigation tool, I was really only interested in testing out the geocaching features. The app. did a great job of pulling caches live from geocaching.com and displaying them over the topo map background. It also allows you to save the geocache information to your device's memory, either from the live screen, or even from your downloaded pocket queries; which is handy in case you find yourself outside of cell range.

My only complaint is that the free version does not allow you to upload your field notes to geocaching.com - you have to fork out the money for the Pro version in order to enable that feature. And since that is primarily what I use my device for when I'm caching (since I have a separate Garmin GPS device for cache navigation), I find myself sticking with c:geo for most of my geocaching adventures. But for people who hunt caches primarily with their Android phones, this may be the ideal app.

Cache On!

Where Has The Time Gone?

Today marks the 10th anniversary of my very first cache find. It seems like it was just yesterday when I loaded that cache's coordinates into my Garmin GPS 12 and headed out with my daughters on our bikes in search of our first cache.

But at the same time, it's amazing how much has changed in the geocaching world since then. The biggest change, of course, being the smartphone revolution with their built-in GPS's, and the development of various geocaching iOS and Android apps that can show you which caches are near you anytime, anywhere.

Back in the day, I used a program called, "EasyGPS" to load waypoints downloaded from geocaching.com into my Garmin device. And I used "Cachemate" to load the cache information into my Palm Pilot (remember those?). How archaic was that?

Not only has the technology changed dramatically in 10 years, but so have my caching habits. I started out caching with my kids, who loved geocaching at first, but as they got older, decided it was too dorky. See photo above, taken at our first find. Now they are young adults, and rarely have time to go caching with their old man.

So for several years after my daughters stopped caching, I did a lot of solo caching, cleaning out all the caches in and around my home base. More recently, my habits changed again, and I've been caching regularly with friends I've made along the way, and now rarely cache alone. We've also expanded our search radius, so to speak, covering thousands of miles on numerous road trips in attempts to complete various challenge caches (Quads, Counties, DeLormes, etc.).

In all this time, I've found 3,237 caches, which amounts to close to an average of one find per day. And the good news is, I still find caching as fun and enjoyable now as I did 10 years ago.

Cache On!

Tread Lightly

At the risk of sounding a little preachy, I thought it was worth sharing these excellent tips for responsible geocaching from the good folks at treadlightly.org.

A lot of this is just common sense, but there are some good tips to help geocachers leave minimal impact out on the trails and in the wilderness, as well as some useful personal safety tips. Of course, these tips don't necessarily apply to urban caching, so go nuts when looking for those LPC's.

Cache On!

Garmin Oregon 650t GPS Review

People often ask, "Why can't my GPS receiver be more like my smartphone?". Well, according to Sportsman's News Television, now it can; with the new Garmin Oregon 650t GPS:



Just be aware that when the reviewer talks about downloading caches directly from the internet, he is most likely referring to Garmin's "OpenCaching" site rather than geocaching.com.

Cache On!

Geocaching Day on NPR

You know your once-obscure hobby has hit the big time when this happens:


Cache On!

No-Touching Zone

Here's an opportunity to take a 5 minute break from trying to find a cache every day this month, and take some comfort in just just how difficult it was to navigate in the 1800's without a GPS; compared to how easy we've got it now:


Cache On!

Review of the Oregon 600

A very thorough, detailed review of the Oregon 600 from our friends at GPSTracklog.

Cache On!

News You Can Use

AR GPS Compass Map 3D
This interesting android app sports a 3D Compass and Waypoint Finder with Map and Augmented Reality Display.


The Rand McNally Foris
Everyone recognizes the Rand McNally brand for their maps and atlases. But did you know they also have their own line of GPS devices? Neither did I.



And Speaking of Rand McNally...
They've teamed up with geocaching.com and Good Sam in search of the best small towns in America. This year's event features a new category: Best Town for Gecoaching. Read more about it here.

That's it for this week. Cache On!

Geocaching With Kids

There are plenty of good resources out there for beginning geocachers; especially now that our little hobby has become so popular. But one of my favorite go-to sites, not just for geocaching, but to learn about anything outdoors-related, is REI. Their "Expert Advice" section is excellent. And this post on "Geocaching with Kids" is no exception. Here's an excerpt:

This brief but helpful write-up contains all the essential information for parents wanting to start enjoying time outdoors with their kids.

 Cache On!

Hide a Cache, Win a Prize

Garmin is offering you a chance to win a new Oregon 650t device. The only catch is that you need to hide one or more caches and post them on opencaching.com during the months of June and July.

The Opencaching site has been around for a couple of years now, but it still doesn't seem to be gaining a lot of traction. In my neck of the woods, for example, there are about 30 total caches in about a 20-mile radius of my home; compared to the thousands of geocaching.com caches within the same area.

Who knows; maybe give-aways like this will help Garmin's fledgling caching site pick up some momentum.

Cache On!

Rogue Geocaching

Unfortunately, no, this post has nothing to do with caching along Oregon's beautiful Rogue River (although I did find a few hides there during a recent excursion up north). Instead, an apparent rogue geocaching website, called Muggled Dot Net, was recently shut down, as reported in this post on, It's Not About The Numbers. It's not clear if the site voluntarily went 404, or if it was due to certain legal pressure.

The site, before it was taken down, encouraged users to locate Geocaching.com and OpenCaching hides, sign the logbooks, then steal the containers and their contents. MDN members were then encouraged to either (1) hide their own muggled.net cache at the site in place of the original; (2) destroy the original cache and post photos of the cache's destruction; or (3) return the stolen cache after extorting $10 from the original cache owner. Pretty sleazy to say the least, and not surprising that the site has been taken off-line.

You'll also notice references to a seemingly-associated site in the post in the link above, called, Off The Grid Geocaching. This appears to be a home-made geocaching site that requires various levels of paid memberships to unlock certain features, where members can post hides and log finds. Currently, these OTGC caches are only available in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The "Alamogul" of OTGC is someone named, barryd52, who has a total of six finds so far. 

As far as hiding geocaches, the only requirement is that the cache containers have the OTGC logo and website URL attached. Otherwise, "there are no basic rules", as stated on this page. You'll also notice this little contrast to the geocaching.com rules on the OTGC "Hiding Geocaches" page: "Feel free to partially bury geocaches, bury geocaches, sink geocaches, etc." So if you decide to become an OTGC member, be sure to add a shovel to your geocaching kit bag.

Suddenly, opencaching.com doesn't seem quite so rebellious any more.

Cache On!

Don't Be Afraid; It's Only Geocaching

Apologies for my blog posting tardiness, but I've spent the last couple of weeks (weekends, actually) grabbing the last few caches I needed to qualify for both the California DeLorme Challenge (Northern), and the Discovering & Logging California's 58 Counties challenge caches. This last trip took me in a big circle around the southern Sierra Nevada mountains, including my first time visiting the incredibly gorgeous Death Valley National Park. This is why geocaching never gets old, right?!

The Majestic Eastern Sierras

Speaking of Parks and Caching, if you have plans to be in or near Washoe Lake State Park in Nevada next Saturday, you may want to check out this introductory geocaching outing the State Parks Department is hosting. Now why can't more State Parks in California take this same approach to attract, instead of discourage, more visitors? After-all, it's only geocaching.

Cache On!

A Bandwidth of Gold

Well, the wireless startup, LightSquared, is back in the news again, and back from the dead apparently. After filing for bankruptcy a year ago following a losing battle against the GPS industry, which successfully lobbied to keep LightSquared from using part of the satellite spectrum, they're now testing the feasibility of sharing the spectrum with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  According to Maggie Reardon of CNET, the FCC recently gave approval for LightSquared to begin testing the use of 5MHz of spectrum in the 1675-1680 MHz band.

While it appears that our precious GPS satellite spectrum is still safe for the time being, we'll have to see how the shared bandwidth testing, not to mention LightSquared's emergence from bankruptcy, plays out over time, and whether or not they try again at some point to utilize the satellite bandwidth they were originally granted permission to use.

Cache On!

Geocaching in Education

I'm not a teacher, but I come from a long line of them, and happen to be married to one as well. As such, I have the utmost respect for our educators and have always been troubled by how under-valued and under-appreciated they are, at least in American culture. But that's a rant for another day.

Switching gears slightly, I've been pleasantly surprised to see the growing use of geocaching as a teaching aid in the classroom. It doesn't take a brainiac to see the broad range of educational applications afforded by our little hobby - everything from math (geometry, algebra and trigonometry) to geography to history and more. Makes me wish I was back in school...

Following are some specific examples I found from educators describing how to integrate geocaching into the classroom:

• Use of Geocaching as a Fun Teaching Tool
• Integrating Geocaching into the Mathematics Classroom
• MathCaching
• Geocaching: How to Use it in Your Classroom
• Geocaching Across the Curriculum

I'm sure there are many more examples out there, which is pretty impressive considering no one had even heard of geocaching just a mere ten years ago.

Cache, and Educate, On!

More Resources

If you, or someone you know, is just getting started geocaching, make sure that you add this REI site to your list of great resources for beginning geocachers. While there is some very helpful information scattered throughout the geocaching.com website, the information provided by REI supplements gc.com's tutorials quite nicely. It covers just the right amount of detail on topics including geocaching basics, etiquette, what to bring, and even a brief history of the hobby.

REI could have easily turned this site into nothing more than an advertisement page for their GPS receiver products, but they've steered clear of that temptation and instead made this one of the best resources I've seen for new geocachers. Certainly bookmark-worthy.

Cache On!

Did Hell Freeze Over?

Not sure if I missed the pigs flying or the Earth opening up and swallowing me whole, but apparently I survived finding my first cache using only my smartphone, sans GPSr. I never thought I'd do it, but a situation came up where it made sense to just take along the smartphone: I was going on a walk/hike in a familiar area near my home, and there was only one cache left in the area that I hadn't found. I was pretty sure I knew where the cache was, but I saved the cache information to my Android phone's SD card before heading out, just in case there was no cell service at GZ.

I admit that it was really nice having music to listen to on the walk, a camera to snap a photo at GZ (see above), a phone in case of emergency, and a geocaching app. that pointed me to the cache; all on one device that I could carry in my pocket.

But I'm certainly not ready to throw my Garmin device up on eBay any time soon. I still prefer carrying a unit that only needs a clear view of the sky to accurately locate my position rather than having to rely on hit and miss cell service. And yes, I know that once you get within 10-20 feet of GZ you switch from using your device to using your geo-senses, but I sure do appreciate the Garmin's positioning accuracy compared to my phone's. I also like having the ability to load custom trail maps on my Garmin from sites like GPSFileDepot.

And until recently, the other big advantage my Garmin had over most cell phones was the ability to download  GPS tracks after a long, fun day of caching. But I recently discovered Google's "My Tracks" and loaded it on my Android phone. It's a great little tool that records your path, speed, distance, and elevation while you walk, run, bike, or do anything else outdoors. You can then store your tracks with Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Fusion Tables, or Google Spreadsheets, or export your tracks to external storage in different formats, including GPX. You can also share your tracks via most social networking sites such as Google+, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

It's a great little app., and definitely worth checking out.

Cache On!

Some Really Good Hikes

So you've been caching for a while now and you've become quite the avid hiker. And now you're looking for some more challenging hikes than what you've been doing so far. Well, fear not, my east bay area friends, because the East Bay Regional Parks District has just posted a list of ten challenging hikes. These are hikes with over 1,000 feet of elevation gain and range from 6 to 20 miles in length. In other words, plan on spending the day in your hiking boots.

There are some great hikes on this list (the Las Trampas hike into Devil's Hole is one of my favorites), so if you've never been on some of these, or it's been a while since you've done them, then now's the perfect time to get out there, as these areas are also chock full of quality caches.

Cache On!