A True Puzzle Cache
We usually don’t do puzzle caches. I’d rather just get to the finding than try to break a code. Just a personal preference. The other day when we were out doing some rare winter geocaching, one found us in a rather unexpected way.

The cache was located on a rail-to-trail path we’ve often walked, but not this far west from our home. The day turned out to be colder than we thought. A winter wind across the open prairie is the coldest thing you’ll ever encounter. We decided to grab one more before we turned around.

The last log on the cache said this was the cacher’s hardest cache to log. Using our smartphones, we honed in on ground zero quickly. We looked at each other in disbelief when we found it behind a boulder. What could be so hard about this cache, other than the walk out to get it? Then, we opened it up.

The cache consisted of two pieces of wood, locked together with bolts and screws. My husband swore for about the next five minutes as he worked the boards loose with the tools provided. The cache was a film canister in a recess carved into the wood pieces. High marks for clever on this one! I love it when geocachers go that extra mile for a good find.

Kudos to Clever Caches is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

We geocached more in Door County this year than we ever had. We made it a mission to find a lot of caches to bring us to our 500th find. Unfortunately, DC provided its own challenges with lack of coverage. It’s good if you want to get away, but bad if you need cache info and maps for the next find.

My husband and I tested two mobile apps to cope with our dilemma. My husband used the download feature of c:geo. I used Back Country Navigator. Both apps performed well. We were able to geocache despite the coverage issues. C:geo had all the cache info stored. Back Country Navigator had the geocaches as waypoints, but no cache info.

The disadvantage with both is that you have to remember to download your data prior to going out, something you may not realize until you are in the field. G:geo had the advantage of the cache info, but you have to do some planning here as well to pick the caches you want. With Back Country Navigator, I created a pocket query for an entire area that I uploaded to my phone. I was also able to get topo maps for the entire area. This is nice if you want to have a lot of info handy for a wider area. C:geo is free. BC Navigator is not.

Navigation was a piece of cake with either app. I was surprised by the accuracy. With one particular cache, BC Navigator identified the cache in front of a private home. Silly me, I tried to decipher clues out of the cache description and ignored what was right in front of my face. Maybe that is why comments on the cache repeated, “Trust your GPS.”

BC Navigator, though spendy, has the advantage in that you can use it for other applications. Why you would be hiking in the woods without trying to score a cache is beyond the scope of this post. 

Geocaching without Coverage is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

The point of a scavenger hunt, of course, is to find a treasure. We’ve accumulated a number of great finds including:

• New bird sightings
• Money
• Great swag including pens, a Swiss army knife and foreign coins
• A new restaurant/bar
• New find for a wildflower
• Morels
• Fellow geocachers

Geocaching has given my husband and me a new hobby and recreational activity. It has helped us grow closer and get in better shape. Those finds are priceless.

(FYI: the plants around the geocache are poison ivy. Take note and beware. This is not a “treasure.”

Photo by penywise

Celebrate the Updated Scavenger Hunt is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

This time of year can make for some challenging geocaching. You really just don’t know what to wear. We went out a couple of weeks ago, bringing raincoats just in case. What we really needed were some polar fleece jackets with the biting wind. Spring has nothing on the fickle nature of fall’s weather. In like a lamb, and out  is anyone’s guess.

Your best option when out geocaching is to be prepared for it all. Whether it is waterproof pants or thick wool socks, come ready for a climatic challenge. We have an added challenge coming up with a threat we hadn’t encountered before, at least knowingly—rattlesnakes. My outer gear is about to get a new addition with a pair of Wellington boots.

If you’re looking to grab some deals on clothes for the outdoors, you may want to check out Regatta clothing. They have an entire selection of shoes, fleeces, and jackets. Some items are marked less than half price. If you’re looking for a deal, here’s your chance at some great buys.

For me, I can’t have enough shirts and polos. My usual trail shoes are seeing their last days. It’s not a bad time for me to stock up on some outdoor goodies for hitting the trail. This time of year, you’re probably best having layers of clothing so you can match the weather and your effort on the trail.

We have some great geocaching trips planned in the weeks ahead to enjoy the fall colors and to satisfy my insatiable wanderlust. The right gear can either make or break a trip. For me, I’m planning on being prepared for whatever Nature has in store.

Time to Play the Weather Game is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

I’ve become quite the connoisseur of trail mix. You have to, as a geocacher. You’re hiking for maybe hours at a time. Trail mix is a handy snack to keep your blood sugar levels at a good level. Nuts form the basis of a good trail mix. They provide fat, an easily digestible source of energy. They will help keep you feeling sated.

Dried fruits form the bulk of the mix. This is where you can be creative. Add dried bananas, cranberries, coconut flakes, whatever your heart desires. Include the treats you’ll enjoy for a flavorful mix which will fuel the hunt.

Trail mixes are the snack of choice while geocaching. Take this day to celebrate the food that fuels your geocaching.

Photo by abcdz2000

Snacking on the Trail is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

Since you are probably in a park already, why not add to the enjoyment of the day by planning a picnic? You can easily tote along a pre-made lunch or maybe you can find a place along the way to get some take-out. Either way, you can enhance your experience outdoors by experiencing it when you are not on the hunt for a geocache.

Alternatively, you can pack some meat for the grill and let it marinade while you geocache. Whatever way, you are making your geocaching trip more of an adventure. Just be sure and plan carefully for safe storage of any food you bring along. Bon appetit!

Photo by theswedish

Make Geocaching a Day is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

The log cabin lifestyle invokes the outdoors and the kind of special relationship you foster when you are outside enjoying Nature. Geocaching is the perfect pursuit.

Living in a 900 square foot cabin reminds us of the outdoors. You’re that much closer to Nature when there is less separating you from the elements. That’s one of the things that geocaching taught me. Enjoy the time when you can be close to the Earth and learn her stories.

When you live in a cabin especially one by the lake, you have to endure bugs of every sort. There are the yearly visits of spiders, ants, and what-nots. There are the squirrels, the chickadees, and the woodpeckers who view your log cabin with envy. Every year I have to persuade the chickadees not to use my insulation for nesting material. I felt ridiculous explaining to the clerk at the hardware store about our persistent chickadees scolding me every time I scared them off. Ah, it’s cabin living.

Photo by bruce_jd13

Enjoy the Cabin Living is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

As I tell my husband, fishing isn’t unlike gambling. It’s all a game of chance, no offense intended for pro anglers. You toss your line in, hoping to catch a fish. With geocaching, you enter the geocaching coordinates, hoping to log a find. They both follow the same principle of find and reward.

Today is a special day. You can log a geocache and lunker. Grab your fishing gear! It’s time to log a find!

Photo by tsandsmark

Finds of Two Sorts is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

I recently had an opportunity to use my new Dual Pro X to get a new geocache ready for hiding. I was inspired by what turned out to be a very cunning hide which we came across last fall. I can’t recall today how I even found it, the camouflage was so good. Must have been that geo-sense.

My knife had a good solid feel in my hand, seemingly so much bigger than the older Swiss army that I keep in my geo-bag. The older one seemed so small compared to the Dual Pro X.

We headed out to the woods, trying to make this a multi-purpose trip. I wanted to gather materials for my geocache as well as get a good hike in for the day. I found a good piece of bark which I planned to use around my cache container. The saw of the Dual Pro X sliced right through the bark. With a few adjustments, I had part of my cache ready to go.

It’s fun how things like hollow logs and bark take on a whole new meaning when you geocache. No long are their elements of Nature; they are opportunities. Having my knife with me made gathering the materials I needed easy and quick.

I have always carried a Swiss army knife while caching. It comes in handy when I need to do a quick repair on the trail or at the campsite. There are several varieties available at the SwissArmy.com site, including the knife I used for my cache. Hey, if you want a chance to win some great prizes, head on over to their Facebook fan page to fan them and win a chance at a $25,000 Ultimate Adventure.

Tool for the Trail is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors

Congratulations, Geocaching.com!

Congratulations, Geocaching.com! is a post from: Exploring the Great Outdoors