I love geocaching. If you don’t know what that is, it’s an online game that you play in the physical world. People hide containers (geocaches) out in the world and then input the gps coordinates online (at geoaching.com) and then others go and look for them and record their success or failure online at the same web site. Most people use an app on their smart phone to play these days. (A better explanation is by geocaching.com at this link.) Over the years I have found almost 2200 caches and hidden about 30 or so. Only three are still active.
There are ethics to geocaching that you take care of the caches you hide. If they go missing or get damaged or something changes in any way then the expectation is that the owner of the cache needs to replace or repair, or disable it so other people don’t waste their time looking for it. I had two caches that had gone missing so I set about replacing them. The caches are in remote areas and I like to make them easy to find. Also, the expectation is on longer caches is that there be trade items. Mainly they are there for people who bring their kids with them. The idea is that you can take a toy or item from a cache if you have something equal or better to trade.
The first cache I replaced is in a patch of urban woods at the junction of three freeways in Tulsa. It is in a floodplain and hardly anybody would just go there for recreation. So you can get close on a bike trail.
And then you have to duck under one of the freeways and head to the woods.
I put it several feet above the ground. The area floods a lot so there is no use hiding it on the ground plus I like to people to find my caches so I made it kind of obvious.
So I took a different route back to my car. That was interesting. It wasn’t the terrain I though it was going to be. I went close to several homeless encampments and the back property of several businesses and it wasn’t much fun in terms of a hike but it was interesting. The thing is I hate going out and back on the same route. I like loops so I made a loop.
The prettiest part of the hike!
The next cache was on Turkey Mountain. I use the Turkey Mountain parking lots it is 2.5 miles to the cache site. I was in a hurry so I parked at the YMCA adjoining the Turkey Mountain. I’m a member so I just checked in at the office and used the Y’s trails, which interconnect with Turkey Mountain’s trails and saved my a lot of time.
I love trail bridges!!
Here is a view of the Y from across their lake (on Turkey Mountain, ponds are called lakes for some reason. Probably because they named a hill, Turkey Mountain.)
And here is the sign, 2.5 miles to the other parking lot. So I got kind of an express pass.
So is the general location of the cache site. This is the Rock City area of Turkey Mountain. I hid the cache a lot better than I did the other one because there all sorts of bikers and hikers on trails on both sides of the cache. Years ago I hid the cache in amongst those rocks. Bad idea. Nobody could find it and nobody wanted to because they were afraid of snakes. I am afraid of snakes too!! Plus when I did look for it I never could find it. So I would hide another one. That is great except somebody say, “Hey I found two caches close together. Which one is the right one?” That’s embarrassing. So I started hiding it close to the same location but not in the rocks.
This cache is a lot more fun and interesting place to go hiking than the other place.
So I got them both replaced the same day. Lot of fun!! And you can tell that on this second hike, I made a double loop out of it.
I am linking this post with Skywatch Friday and My Corner of the World. Go check both links out.
Yes I’ve heard of it, I’m not sure if it’s around where we live now though.
It really is a fun thing to do!
Lindas fotos. Parece que fue un genial paseo. Te mando un beso.
Geocaching sounds fun.
Your dedication to maintaining the caches and making them accessible is admirable.
It’s cool how geocaching leads you to interesting places.
Thanks for sharing your adventure with us, Yogi.
You’ve posted lots about it, nice to know the intricacies.
…I have trouble finding my key, perhaps this would be a good activity to help to develop my finding skills!
You do have fun with it and any hobby that gets people out into nature is worthwhile!
Geocaching sounds like fun. I remember years ago coming across a box under a creosote bush in a very remote desert location and having no clue what it was!
We can´t geocatch at the moment because Ruskies are blogging GPS signal to prevent precise weapons on their targets. Aeroplanes find it difficult to navigate due that. Luckily we have other means to do that.
Interesting. I am not familiar with it.
A perfect game that gives that little extra incentive to get out in nature and explore. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoy the task of finding and hiding items – it gives you interesting places to go.
I know a little bit more about geocaching now. Thanks! Very pretty graffiti on the pillar.
Interesting post. Looks like spring. I found one under the roots of a big tree, luckily we haven’t snakes here.
I like the wooden bridge and my favorite is #7, the reflection.
I’ve begun to notice the time of my sky photos – in next week it will be in my post.
Have a nice weekend
Beautiful.
Interesting game. Never heard of it. The reflection shot is amazing
It is an interesting game and it is great to be outside.
Beautiful sky and nice looking trails.
I love the view of the trees reflecting in the water.
Take care, have a great day and happy weekend.
some new and interesting information for me about geocaching.
I’ve read many of your posts about the hobby and I enjoyed the up close explanation. I’ve never participated. Not into snakes, either! Not sure, as I am not too adventurous in urban settings, I would be geocaching in area #1 but area #2 yielded some nice photos. My favorite was the trees reflecting in the water and also the redbud closeup.
Beautiful photos. I don’t know anyone who does geocaching so I would call you an avid geocacher 🙂 It’s always great to have an outdoor hobby.
Wonderfully informative post about geocaching and great series of photos ~ favorite is the YMCA grounds and the bridge ~ thanks,
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Such an interesting game!
Glad to read, Interesting,
Beautiful photos, Loved the graffiti. Happy Weekend.
Oh, that’s such a wonderful thing to spend time outside with open mind and heart. Love it!