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Caching In

Hidden treasures---maps---encrypted clues to decode.  Remember those childhood games of buried treasure, secret codes, great games of pretend when we were pirates and spies? I got that flashback  when we mobilized for our first geocaching hunt. With a handheld GPS, a list of decoded clues, and coordinates from a geocaching website, we headed out to see if we could actually find these caches of trinkets.

What fun to find out that trails we'd hiked previously were full of these caches! After a false start on the first search, the hiking trip up an abandoned railroad bed and into a nearby canyon yielded four finds. Each was different. One was a metal box full of odds and ends--a nickel, key chain, etc. The next merely a geocache pin which we walked around for a few minutes before identifying it. It looked like a bottle cap at first glance. Then a Navy ammo tin tucked under a huge boulder and some smaller rocks. I signed the log book and continued up the trail to find the next cache that was about a quarter of mile away. This one was hidden in the rocks above the trail--just a shell casing.

I might be hooked. It was an energizing hike and a treasure hunt wrapped up in a sunny Arizona winter day. There was a lot of satisfaction in finding each cache. And there was also some competitive spirit - I found two and my husband found two. Of course there will have to be another round. 

Geocaching is a big deal. There are over a million "treasures" hidden all over the world. There are several hundred just in our immediate area. There are most likely a healthy number in yours. If you're looking for some good outdoor fun, check out www.geocaching.com. You can use your phone or a GPS device to download coordinates. Put on your hiking shoes, get outside, and find some hidden treasure. Have some fun.








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Unknown said…
This is such a neat read for us. We started caching in 2010 and while we don't cache in the winter we definitely look in the summer months. It really changes your perspective when you're out and about in nature. There are several caches near us in the city. I'd love to do a few extreme caches some time in my life. Glad you guys have the type of area where you can go all year round. Enjoy your finds :D
January 15, 2012
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