Sagerat Scribbles

• Nov. 26, 2005 - Treasure on earth and in Heaven

Today we went Geocaching. For those of you who don't know what that is I'll give you a quick lesson.

Dave Ulmer started geocaching on May 3, 2000 to celebrate the Selective Availability ban being lifted by President Clinton. To geocache you need a GPS unit which had previously only been used by the military. Mr. Ulmer placed this first cache in Portland, Oregon.

A cache consists of a waterproof container (Tupperware, Rubbermaid, ammo can) with "treasure" inside. This treasure can be anything from kid meal toys, to tools. Some caches are themed, only holding books, movies, or coins. Geocaching is now a worldwide treasure hunt.

To find a cache you need to go to a geocache website. There you find coordinates to place into your GPS (Global Positioning System). Once you have the coordinates in your GPS you set out in the direction it points to, usually driving to start and eventually walking. When you get close to the coordinates you start looking around, under and over everything! Wahoo! You found it! Next you open it and find the log, recording who you are, (usually your nickname) the date, what you took and what you left. Then you hide the cache again for the next geocachers to find.

That is what we did today. We have been doing this for a couple of years now, as time allows. We have found only 23 caches so far but we know people who have found over 1,000!

It's a great way to see the country. We love to go for drives and this gave our drives a bit more purpose. The children just love it! As the treasure is usually "cheap" they are the ones that get to choose what they want to take out. Geocaching is a fabulous way to spend time with your family. The children learn compass skills, decipher clues and feel like pirates!

You probably have quite a few caches right around your home and town and you never even knew it! Walking right past treasure everyday!

Bet you didn't even know there is a Bible verse that goes with geocaching! Matthew 13:44 The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Let your Bible be your GPS, put in the coordinates of Heaven and head off to seek your treasure!

• Nov. 27, 2005 - Untitled Comment

Posted by gottsegnet

That does sound like a lot of fun! and probably addictive to! I can see where people would go searching for thousands. Thanks for sharing...there is a book program that is similar, but at the moment the name is escaping me. But once in awhile, you find a book in the program, log in and register that you found it. After you finish reading it, you release it back into the "wild" and log where you left it. You can release your old books you can't quite bring yourself to throw away and track their travels...

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• Nov. 27, 2005 - Hey, we love geocaching too!

Posted by tn3jcarter

Our username is CarterCrew. What is yours? I love your geocaching scripture!

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• Nov. 28, 2005 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mamaduso

So cool. I think I read somehting about this in a Family Fun magazine one time. I never knew anyone who did it. What a great idea. I can't wait to try it. Oh- I guess we need a gps. Where did you get one? ARe they expensive? My kids are going to love this. And my husband is going to think its cool also. What an inexpensive way to entertain ourselves. I could have done this at my parents home too. They are probably everywhere. Do you just do daytrips around the area?
Susan

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• Nov. 28, 2005 - Getting a GPS

Posted by sagerats

You can get a gps from any outdoor store or the outdoor section of super stores. The cost varies depending on how high tech you want to go. We bought a cheapie for $80 and it works just fine for geocaching. Your only other costs would be gas, and cache prizes. You can just dig out small old toys from your children's toy box, or buy fairly cheap things at the dollar store. We like to put in Altoids strips. We get those for .99 cents.

Yes, they are EVERYWHERE! All over the world, thousands upon thousands. We mostly do daytrips but have done a couple while visiting family. We know a family that has planned their vacations around geocaching.

Have Fun!

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• Nov. 28, 2005 - Untitled Comment

Posted by foreverinmyheart

I have never heard of this. It sounds like a fun hobby!

Thanks for visiting my blog. To answer your question, we will be moving to the south central area of Oregon. :)

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• Nov. 28, 2005 - Thanks for giving the best explanation...

Posted by takingthechallenge

...I've heard of what this is. Now that I understand it better, we'll have to give this a try...sounds like a total blast!

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• Nov. 28, 2005 - Untitled Comment

Posted by drewsfamilytx

Now THAT sounds like fun! My boys would be all over that!!!

Very cool...thanks for sharing!
Marsha

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