Geocaching Fail

As you may recall, a few weeks ago I did an article on Geocaching. I was so excited to start. I downloaded the application to my I Phone and looked for some sites in the area. I picked some that were listed as easy and right off the road. I told my kids that we were going treasure hunting.
Wow, this was an epic fail. We went to the first one and looked and looked and looked. It was a parking lot and the security people from the establishment came out to ask what we were doing. So, we moved on to the second one. Once again - nothing. At this point we were hot, thirsty, and whiny.
So, I tried one more. I put the baby into the Jeep stroller and we walked into a dirt field full of rocks. (Note to self: don't wear flip flops while Geocaching.) This one was a little more exciting because it was supposed to be a larger cache nestled amongst some rocks. My middle son embraced this and looked at it as an adventure. My oldest, not so much. He has Asperer's Syndrome and the dirt, heat, and lack of results did nothing for him. It was at this point that I decided to take them home.
Once home, I asked myself, "What am I doing wrong?" I then did a little research on the internet. Apparently, GPS signals can be up to 20 feet off. Therefore, when using the GPS, broaden your search. Also, there are hints available on the app. Wish I had seen that. Finally, you can look at the photos that others have posted to get an idea of what you are looking for. I also would recommend that when you plan your day, treat it as though you are going hiking; wear appropriate clothing and bring snacks & drinks.

Geocaching and Letter-boxing

My boys are adventurers. So, when I tell them that we will be going on an adventure, they get involved whole heartedly. So, geocaching or letter-boxing seems like the perfect fit. But, I really have no clue where to begin. This requires research. This is what I found.

According to Wikioedia, "Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device^[2] and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world."
I think my boys would love this. After all, it includes mystery places and treasure. But how do we begin?

• Make and Takes has a cute and easy explanation of Geocaching for kids.
• The Outdoor Guy also has a wonderful description of this fun activity. So, I think that is a good start. 
• But, the official website for GPS locations and explanations is http://www.geocaching.com/.

Another similar activity is Letterboxing. Wikipedia describes this as, "Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places (like parks)^[1] and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. Individual letterboxes usually contain a notebook and a rubber stamp.^[2] Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp, either on their personal notebook or on a postcard, and leave an impression of their personal stamp on the letterbox's "visitors' book" or "logbook" — as proof of having found the box and letting other letterboxers know who has visited. Many letterboxers keep careful track of their "find count"."
Oooh, art and puzzles. What's not to love? I like that this uses riddles and clues instead of a GPS.

• Letterboxing North America has pretty much everything you need in order to start this fun hobby. I like the section on Getting Started. It is a very easy site to navigate.
• This post Letterboxing with Kids also offers some great information. I love the example that they posted as well. Very cute! 
• Atlas Quest has a ton of information, as well as clues on where to find letterboxes in your area. 
• And check out this super cute letter boxing kit (photo above).

So here's my plan. We are going to make our own "adventure kits" to use for both activities, since we are not sure which one we are going to like better. ( I will post our creations in a later post.) I think I will also get a big map of our state to post on the wall and we will pin where we find each cache. What a wonderful opportunity for us to learn geography!