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photograph by Melissa Placzek
“A sense of curiosity is nature’s original school of education.” ~Smiley Blanton
Have you ever wanted to search for hidden treasure? We heard about a sort of ‘high-tech’ treasure hunting sport some years back, called geocaching. We’re hooked. It’s really not hard at all once you get the hang of it, and it’s a fun way to spend time outside with your family. Kids love the idea of hunting for ‘buried’ treasure!
“Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.” ~From Geocaching.com
We started geocaching as a family about 5 years ago. It is an exciting, economical way to spend time with family and friends and satisfy your adventurous side. We have found several caches all over the Midwest, and ‘planted’ some caches as well. One at Gooseberry Falls, one along the Cannon Valley Trail in Red Wing and one on Sorin’s Bluff in Red Wing.
Easy Steps to Geocaching
- Register for a free Basic Membership.
- Enter your postal code and click “search.”
- Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
- Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device.
- Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.
- Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location.
- Share your geocaching experiences online.
~Melissa