Okay, by now you have seen several references to geocaching in my blog and maybe even taken the time to click on the link to the site to see what it is… well, let me give you a quick lesson: Geocaching 101.

Geocaching is an adventure game played by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world using a techie gagdet called a global positioning system (GPS) – those nifty devices that use satellites to triangulate where you are in the world. Onboard navigation in cars is now the most frequent use for this technology although like most whiz-bang things, it was invented by the military to conduct warfare more efficiently. As one geocacher put it… geocaching: the most fun you can have with 12 billion dollars in military hardware (without getting to blow things up.)

People all over the world (200 countries and counting) hide little “caches” of treasure all over the “geo”graphy and log the GPS coordinates to the website so that other geocachers can go locate them. They are usually in out of the way areas so that non-players “muggles” won’t happen upon them accidentally and destroy or raid them. Often they are hidden in interesting, strange and sometimes even scary places. Where a cache is hidden usually plays a large part in how enjoyable it is for the finders.

The rules when finding a cache are simple:

1. Take something from the cache
2. Leave something in the cache
3. Write about it in the logbook

I have been geocaching for over two years now and in that time have found a few dozen of them across Texas… don’t worry, there are thousands… a quick search on the website with my zipcode as the starting point lists over 100 within ten miles!!

I hid my first one June 5th of this year and it has been found 11 times with about 6 failed attempts. The feedback I have received from the finders has introduced an entirely new level of fun in the creating and hiding of a cache. To that end, I am about to create my second one…

Here I am at the Army Surplus store picking up ammo cans. (They make great containers for caches because they are easily hid in underbrush and their rubber seal prevents the contents from getting wet in bad weather.) Thank you again to the military for providing our entertainment.

I was running errands to the music store while we were filming today and it is right next door to the surplus store… These cans will become brilliant hidden caches… if I can just think of a cool place to hide them…