In light of the recent excitement over the social media/treasure hunting phenomenon of “@hiddencash” visiting Fresno“, I heard a friend say, “Now I want to try Geocaching!”
Looks like the Central Valley is where people are most enthusiastic. Not surprising after our huge Fresno turnout.
Her statement made me think that it’d been too long since the last time our family went Geocaching too!
Fresno: Head to the big park for lots of silver and green. pic.twitter.com/75e24mBilI
— Hidden Cash (@HiddenCash) July 8, 2014
I first learned about Geocaching about 4 years ago. Geocaching is an outdoor activity in which “Geocachers” search for items “caches” that are hidden by others, that are logged by location coordinates on the internet. The caches vary in size (from micro like a pencil lead refill box to large like a trunk or chest) and contain various items, such as a log for you to sign (kind of like “Natali was here!”) or items you can take (and you leave an item in return) or sometimes even items that are considered “trackables”. Trackables are to be moved from cache to cache, and some have an ultimate destination.
People who hide caches log their GPS location into a website (geocaching.com) along with clues and a description that help other Geocachers locate their hide. When Geocachers find a cache, they log it as found along with any relevant notes that may help others– though the goal is not to give away too information, the seeking is the fun of it!
If you’re like me, and a visual person, you might enjoy this video explanation of Geocaching (from Geocaching.com) more than my attempt to describe it.
Why Geocaching is so fun?
1. It’s a very inexpensive/free activity. We bought one iPhone app to use for GPS help for $10 and can now do this anytime
2. You can do it almost anywhere- in any given location there could be as many as 100s of caches within a mile of you
3. You can spend a day hunting for multiple caches or 5 minutes finding one
4. It’s a family friendly treasure-hunting activity
5. It’s neat being a part of a worldwide “game” that has been going on for over a decade!
6. It’s fun to find the caches that are very creatively hidden- it trains you to think outside the box
I have pictures of myself and friends finding caches, but I’m hesitant to post them, as I don’t want to ruin any of the hides for local Geocachers. Just trust me- if you’re looking for something fun to do with friends and family, or even if you are solo and have time to kill, Geocaching is a lot of fun!
- A Scoop of Nostalgia: Discovering Gelateria del Centro in Downtown Fresno - November 27, 2023
- Fall into Joy: 5 Ways to Discover Seasonal Glimmers in Fresno/Clovis - November 16, 2023
- Unique Finds at Bulldog Square: Discover Fresno’s Newest Boutique Gem - November 9, 2023
Leave a Reply