January 10, 2014 / Eric Schudiske /

The Creator of EarthCaching talks about the 10th Anniversary

Editor’s Note: Gary, Geoaware, placed the very first EarthCache on this date in 2004. Today there are more than 17,000 EarthCaches around the globe from the peaks of mountains to the desert floor. This is Gary’s story of that first EarthCache.

Gary aka "Geoaware" — Gary aka “Geoaware”

By Gary, Geoaware: Ten years ago I was a lucky guy in the right place at the right time. The Geological Society of America (GSA) had just employed me to work on education and outreach programs, a GSA member mentioned the new game of geocaching to my boss, and I was on holiday here with my kids looking at the rocks in Australia.

So that day we wandered around a rock platform that I had been on a thousand times before but now with a new purpose. How could I bring others here geocaching so they left learning something new about our amazing planet? Fossils, evidence for glaciers, weathering – so much in such a short walk. This was the perfect place. And so EarthCache I GCHFT2 was born—and so was the concept of an EarthCache: a place where the Earth was the treasure. A place where you would learn about the geology of the planet while you geocached. If you have not experienced an EarthCache, its time you tried. It’s a different experience – but who would ever not enjoy learning when it’s fun!

Since then we have gone through many changes, twists and turns – always in partnership with Geocaching.com and always edging forward so that we can add to the game of geocaching as well as teaching people about our Earth. We even now have a Mega-Event held each year just for EarthCachers (GC4JD1B).

What an amazing ten years the EarthCache program has had. Since the first EarthCache was placed, four million people have visited over 17,000 EarthCaches in 165 countries around the globe. It is a truly outstanding impact to get people outside, have fun and learn about our dynamic planet all at the same time. And all of that amazing credit goes to the whole community that visits, develops and loves EarthCaches and the wonderful group of community volunteers – the ‘geoawares’ that work with EarthCache developers to get the very best EarthCache submissions published.

gary 22 — EarthCache: Gullfoss (Golden Falls)

Finally, I can’t ignore the amazing support of The Geological Society of America, who sees this program as the jewel in its outreach to the wider community.

I hope you will all celebrate the amazing 10th year of EarthCaches by finding and logging an EarthCache or even joining the next 3rd International EarthCache Mega-Event!

January 8, 2014 / Derek H /

Celebrate 10 Years of EarthCaching! — Table Rock EarthCache (GCMH1C) — Geocache of the Week

Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. Photo by geocacher Desert Varnish — Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. Photo by geocachers OddballCachers

Geocache Name:

Table Rock EarthCache (GCMH1C)

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

1/1

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

Tomorrow marks the 10 year anniversary of EarthCaching—that’s a decade of not only earning a smiley, but also learning more about the bubbling, rock shattering, and often hidden geological processes that shape our Earth. If you feel like celebrating, pay a visit to one of the most favorited EarthCaches in the world (this is the most favorited). Here geocachers will learn how glaciers and erosion formed these magnificent waterfalls known as Niagara falls. One tip: make sure to bring a rain jacket or poncho; otherwise you’ll get soaked from the spray coming off the falls. Consider the soaking a very wet souvenir.

# of Finds:

3,330

# of Favorite Points:

436

What the geocache owner, Team Tigger International, has to say:

“Firstly Niagara Falls is my favorite place it’s so beautiful and powerful. We really enjoy Earthcaching because it can be really fun and scientific , plus you get to learn something you may not have known about our Earth. As we visit the beautiful Table Rock area on a regular basis , and find it absolutely fascinating , we thought it was the perfect place to place an earthcache.”

“We really enjoy seeing all the logs on this cache it is one of our most popular that we have placed. We especially love to see all the pictures of this beautiful area.”

What geocachers are saying:

“We spent a great day at Niagara Falls with perfect weather. This is just an absolute amazing place. It was so exciting to see the enormous power of the water running down the falls.” – Orpheos

“Snagged this earth cache on our whim to go to Niagara Falls. So glad we did it – awesome vacation and awesome sights! Ontario was great and everyone was very friendly. TFTC” – tigervhaga

“Thank you for bringing us to this area. The information was very interesting and I’m not sure we would have stumbled upon it by ourselves.” – CeeeKer

Photos:

The falls are even beautiful at night. Photo by geocacher Chod

Happy geocachers making the find! Photo by Team OSS

Another beautiful shot of the falls. Photo by geocacher Desert Varnish

See More Photos

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve learned from finding an EarthCache? Tell us in the comments.

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, leave a comment below with the name of the geocache, the GC code, and why you think we should feature it.

January 6, 2014 / Derek H /

I <3 Geocaching FAQ

Welcome to I <3 Geocaching. Premium Members can experiment with one Lab Cache during this test.

http://www.geocaching.com/iheartgeocaching/

Question		Answer
What is I <3 Geocaching?		For the month of February every Premium Member will be able to hide one personalized, temporary geocache for one person. Once the geocache is found and logged by one account it is automatically archived. Choose your personal geocaching adventure, and its recipient wisely…check out this blog post for ideas.

What is a Lab Cache?		A Lab Cache is an experimental and extremely rare geocache type. These geocaches are a way for us to innovate and test new ideas to make geocaching even better. By creating and finding a Lab Cache, you’re helping shape the future of geocaching.

Does my I <3 Geocaching personal Lab Cache have to involve a container? Are there other limitations (multis, etc.)?		Not necessarily, and are you ready for this? Your personal geocache can even be indoors, even in your house! The person you share this geocache with will need to discover a code to unlock the find. Looking for some inspiration? Check out this video.

Will a geocaching community volunteer be reviewing my geocache before it’s published?		Your personal geocache, is just that, personal. A community volunteer will not be reviewing your personal geocache. Continue to follow all laws, local regulations and just common sense when placing your personal geocache.

How do I preview my personal geocache creation?		By visiting the link generated at the end of the building process you can view the geocache as your friend will see it. Be careful not to test the Find Code with any account but the one you used to build the cache since these Lab Caches can only be found once.

How do I share this personal geocache with my intended friend?		Simply copy the link generated at the end of the personal geocaching building process… and share it with your player.

Do I earn a smiley if complete a Lab Cache?		Yes – when you find a Lab Cache you earn a find and smiley. Congratulations.

Does a Lab Cache effect the statistics on my Geocaching profile page?		The short answer is, “It will in the future.” The current statistics system does not support Lab Cache finds, but it will in the future. We’ll keep you posted. For even more information check out our Help Center.

Does my hide count go up if I create a I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache?		Not yet. In the future, we’re planning to roll Lab Caches into your hide count at the same time we reflect Lab Cache activity on your statistics profile.

Who can view the Lab Cache I create?		Anyone who knows the URL address of your Lab Cache can see it, so be careful who you share it with!

I want others to play the geocache I created, how do I share it with them?		I <3 Geocaching is meant for one special person. This is a free test of a potential new feature. You may be able to create personal geocaches in the future in a very similar way.

My personal geocache was accidently logged by (a tester, another friend, an alien) how do I reset it?		Unfortunately there’s no way to reset your hide. Once the find code has been entered by another geocacher, it is automatically archived.

If I become a Premium Member during the month of February will I be able to create one for a friend?		Yes

How do I share my story of the awesome hide/find?		Join the discussion on our inspiration blog post or join us on Facebook.

Why can only 1 person log my Lab Cache?		I <3 Geocaching is a test, and as a test, we’re limiting the scope. So take your time creating and playing. You have until the end of February to complete an I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache.

Interested in even more information about I <3 Geocaching check out an expanded FAQ on our Help Center.

Ready for some I <3 Geocaching inspiration? Check out this blog post and share your ideas for an amazing I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache.

Have you completed creating a I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache?

Help us improve next time around.

Click here to take a quick survey

Have you finishing playing a I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache?

Help us improve next time around.

Click here to take a quick survey

January 1, 2014 / Derek H /

This hotel is full of bugs. — Travel Bug Plaza Hotel & Suites (GC3JQQ1) — Geocache of the Week

I think this qualifies as a Travel Bug Resort. Photo by geocacher CaptainObvious78

Geocache Name:

Travel Bug Plaza Hotel & Suites (GC3JQQ1)

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

1.5/1.5

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

I’ve seen quite a few Travel Bug hotels, but none have compared to this one. This is the sort of hotel I wouldn’t mind staying in—if I were a Travel Bug. There are quite a few things that make this hotel unique. To begin with, there are plenty of rooms. From large suites to efficiency rooms, there’s plenty of room for your trackable and all of its friends. And of course, no self-respecting hotel would be complete without a nice lobby to kick back and rest in. There’s even something for geocachers: the CacheMedics tour. This handy map will take geocachers on a nice journey through the area. So when you’re in Florida and in need of a place for your trackables to stay, there’s always room at this amazing hotel.

# of Finds:

374

# of Favorite Points:

245

What the geocache owners, CacheMedics, have to say:

Regarding the geocache inspiration: “One of our local geocaching friends challenged us to create a travel bug hotel…we thought it would be fun and interesting to make something that actually resembled a hotel.”

On construction: “…we hand-painted the scenes to give the appearance of the exterior of a hotel. The lobby floor is real flooring tiles, the tiny chair-rail is real routered, stained, and lacquered wood trim, and the furniture items are securely glued in their places.”

Reactions to the logs and favorite points: “The comments are amazing and it just makes us feel great to know that people are enjoying our creation! We appreciate and celebrate each and every favorite point our cache has received! …When we built this, we wanted it to be something unique but we never expected such wonderful reactions from so many visitors!”

And to the geocaching community: “…it’s okay to do something different, to think beyond pill bottles and tupperware and add some kind of twist that will surprise the people who find your cache. We were nervous the first time we put out something different, thinking that the local geocachers wouldn’t like it, but we were happily surprised to find that they loved “different,” and wanted more! It doesn’t have to be something big and complicated, it can be silly or funny. Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to be yourself – Go for it!”

What geocachers are saying:

“The amount of creativity, ingenuity and effort you have put into your caches really shines through, and there is no doubt in our minds that you have brought a great many cachers an immense amount of pleasure…Thank you so much for providing us with such an enjoyable day of caching, and for giving so much to the geocaching community. The first cache of yours we did today was “What are you thankful for?” As we finish caching for the day here, we have to say, we are thankful that there are cachers like you, who are willing to put their all into creating awesome experiences for the rest of us!” – Zekester & Simon

“The amount of detail in the construction is amazing! TFTC!” – CPRTEAMSIX

“What tremendous amount of work went into making this cache. WOW! I’ve seen quite a few different cache types now – especially when I visited the Seattle area, but I haven’t seen a TB hotel like this!!! This should be called the travel bug RESORT!!!” – lilyfly

Photos:

A couple geocachers checking out the amenities. Photo by geocacher D&JC

Just lounging around in the lobby. Photo by geocacher Xensen

Retiring to room 202. Photo by geocacher Xensen

See more photos

We love to watch our trackables move around the world. What’s the farthest one of your trackables has traveled and where did it go? Tell us in the comments.

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, leave a comment below with the name of the geocache, the GC code, and why you think we should feature it.

1)	Host or attend a geocaching event
2)	Create a creative geocache that will earn (many) Favorite Points
3)	Find a minimum of 365 geocaches
4)	Have one day where you find 24 geocaches in 24 hours
5)	Solve the Puzzle Caches that stumped you in 2013
6)	Log DNF’s (Did Not Find)
7)	Add 5 more countries to the list of places where you’ve found geocaches
8)	Spend more time geocaching with family
9)	Forget about the numbers, just have fun geocaching
10)	Reach a milestone that ends in three zeroes (like 2,000)
11)	Fill your Difficulty and Terrain chart on your statistics profile
12)	Be the First to Find at least once
13)	Find a Terrain 5
14)	Discover a geocaching location that makes you say “wow” once a month

Geocache Name:

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

# of Finds:

# of Favorite Points:

What the geocache owner, Team Tigger International, has to say:

What geocachers are saying:

Photos:

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve learned from finding an EarthCache? Tell us in the comments.

1)

Host or attend a geocaching event

2)

Create a creative geocache that will earn (many) Favorite Points

3)

Find a minimum of 365 geocaches

4)

Have one day where you find 24 geocaches in 24 hours

5)

Solve the Puzzle Caches that stumped you in 2013

6)

Log DNF’s (Did Not Find)

7)

Add 5 more countries to the list of places where you’ve found geocaches

8)

Spend more time geocaching with family

9)

Forget about the numbers, just have fun geocaching

10)

Reach a milestone that ends in three zeroes (like 2,000)

11)

Fill your Difficulty and Terrain chart on your statistics profile

12)

Be the First to Find at least once

13)

Find a Terrain 5

14)

Discover a geocaching location that makes you say “wow” once a month

Welcome to I <3 Geocaching. Premium Members can experiment with one Lab Cache during this test.

Question

Answer

Have you completed creating a I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache?

Help us improve next time around.

Have you finishing playing a I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache?

Help us improve next time around.

Geocache Name:

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

# of Finds:

# of Favorite Points:

What the geocache owners, CacheMedics, have to say:

What geocachers are saying:

Photos:

We love to watch our trackables move around the world. What’s the farthest one of your trackables has traveled and where did it go? Tell us in the comments.

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