Author: Derek H

/ Derek H /

I <3 Geocaching Inspiration

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UM8zWMifpE]

Get ready for a test of a new way to explore through geocaching on February 3. It’s an experiment and we’d love to hear what you think once you’ve played or created a new I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache. Whether you create a trek through nature, a romantic quest or even a trip guided by robots, the I <3 Geocaching beta-test is a new way for Geocaching Premium members to experiment with what might be part of the future of geocaching.

Beginning February 3, Geocaching Premium members can take part in the beta-test by using the Lab Cache creator  to craft a one-of-a-kind adventure for someone special. (Hint: It can even be indoors.) Each I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache will be a personalized, temporary Lab Cache meant for just one person.

This new test is different than normal geocaching and is open to all sorts of creative interpretations. To help get you started in creating a cool adventure, here are a few ideas we put together:

 

1. Say thanks to your favorite geocaching buddy.

It’s no secret that geocaching is better with friends, so why not use this opportunity to say thanks to your favorite partner-in-find. This could work by having your Lab Cache lead them to the outside of their favorite movie theater. In the description, you can leave a clue like, “Check under the bench outside.”  You could hide a typical geocache that contains two tickets to that movie they’ve been wanting to see. And don’t forget to include the find code inside, too. When they enter that in the web app, they’ll see a picture and your thank you. Who knows, maybe they’ll even have an a Lab Cache created to say thanks to you, too!

 

2. Make it really special.

Just like any other day, your loved one wakes up and heads to the coffee maker for their morning pick-me-up. Except this morning, there’s the URL to your Lab Cache with the words, “I can’t wait to see you!” When they open the Lab Cache on their phone, it leads them to the park where you two first met. Upon arriving, they see you sitting there with a delightful picnic waiting for them. And if you want to make it really special, maybe the find code is “MARRYME?” (No pressure.)

 

3. Create an all-day adventure.

We all know someone who thrives on adventure. For them, you could create something like a multi-stage puzzle cache. It begins by leading them to their favorite rock climbing crag and has the clue “Head to the top.” Once there, they find another clue: “It’s time to go for a hike, visit the top of the hiking trail we enjoy.” After safely rappelling from the rock climbing route, they’ll head to your favorite hiking spot and make their way to the top of you favorite trail, only to find another clue: “Now it’s time to get wet. Grab your kayak and paddle out to that spot we swim in the summer.” Your friend will paddle out to the floating platform to find a fluffy bunny, some balloons and of course, the find code to your Lab Cache. Epic!

Ready to begin? Click on this Premium Member link to start your limited time, single use Lab Cache: http://www.geocaching.com/iheartgeocaching/

An I <3 Geocaching Lab Cache is easy to create. You’re only bound by your imagination, a Find Code and, of course, local laws, regulations and just common sense. Need more info? Check out the I <3 Geocaching FAQ.

Tell us your creative ideas in comments below.  You might help inspire a once-in-a-lifetime experience for another geocacher.

 

/ Derek H /

It’s okay to chase this waterfall. — White Water (GC6B6A) — Geocache of the Week

Whitewater running through a brick city.
Whitewater running through the city. Photo by Peter Lindmark @peterlindmark on Instagram

Geocache Name:

White Water (GC6B6A)

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

3.5/3.5

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

Did you see the picture? It looks like it’s photoshopped, but we can assure you it’s not. This photo actually came to us via the Geocaching Instagram (@GoGeocaching) and we couldn’t pass up on posting it for the whole world to see. The waterfalls than wind through parts of Mölndal, Sweden were once used to power industrial mills. Now, the water that rushes through the city is more of a tourist attraction. And for geocachers, the waterfalls present a challenge for those who want to earn their smiley on this geocache. You’ll have to summon your bravery to safely find your way to ground zero and back. Good luck!

# of Finds:

296

# of Favorite Points:

73

What geocachers are saying:

(translated from Swedish) “I’ve thought about picking this up several time during the spring, since the water is friendly enough to keep a low level in the rapids. This evening I finally proposed to one of the kids to go on a evening walk, so we snuck down here and were amazed at what was hidden. Thanks!” – Asfalga

(translated from Swedish) “Fun and adventurous cache! A rope made it easier.” – King of Diamond

“What a fantastic place, one of the best cache experience I’ve had so far…Very big thanks for this nice cache, one favvo point for sure!” – cattivikkio

Read More Logs

 

Photos:

 

A happy geocacher by the white water. Photo by geocacher jetoma.
A happy geocacher by the white water. Photo by geocacher jetoma.
The waterfalls through the city. Photo by geocacher clasf.

 

A look from ground zero. Photo by geocacher Benedictus Schwartze.

 

See More Photos

What’s the best photograph you’ve taken while geocaching? Post it with the story 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.

/ Derek H /

Visit the home of the hobbitses. — Hobbiton (Waikato) (GC1HCXK) — Geocache of the Week

The lovely shire. Photo by Rob Chandler (Rob & Jules)
The lovely shire. Photo by Rob Chandler (Rob & Jules)

Geocache Name:

Hobbiton (Waikato) (GC1HCXK)

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

2/1

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

If you think about it, maybe the one ring was actually a rare trackable and its goal was to make it to Mt. Doom. And Gollum was just an overzealous trackable collector. Alright, maybe that’s a stretch. Either way, you can pretend as you walk through the shire to find this geocache in New Zealand. After the Lord of the Ring movies were filmed here, the entire town transformed with hobbit-like architecture to welcome LOTR fans from around the world. In between first and second breakfast, you can pop on over to earn this smiley before exploring more of Middle Earth.

# of Finds:

424

# of Favorite Points:

19

What geocachers are saying:

“It is impressive how much love and enthusiasm the Kiwis invest in building sites, houses, places etc. to fit to the local sights or situations. This is one of the best examples. We booked the Hobbiton Tour in there, it was a great pleasure. The cache was easy to find and to catch (with a little bit of ‘cacher camo’).” – Team_BeAn

“Went on the tour which was totally awesome and when we came back later in the day we were able to find, retrieve, sign and replace without being in any photographs. Took 3 travel bugs and definitely needs a favourite. What a great boost for Matamata. Well done.” – 1066

“Were they muggles, or just overgrown hobbits but there were a lot of them about on a sunny Sunday afternoon? Once the coast was clear we soon found this cache very cunningly hidden. It was more of a challenge extracting it and signing the log without wanting to appear too obvious. TFTC.” – kiwilah

Read More Logs

 

Photos:

 

Hobbit holes! Photo by geocacher Sinbadsfriends
Hobbit holes! Photo by geocacher Sinbadsfriends
A Hobbiton monument. Photo by geocacher quinella.
A Hobbiton monument. Photo by geocacher quinella.
Classic hobbit architecture. Photo by geocachers Team sissifalke
Classic hobbit architecture. Photo by geocachers Team sissifalke

What’s your favorite geocache that’s based on a movie or book? 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.

/ 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

Read More Logs

 

Photos:

 

The falls are even beautiful at night. Photo by geocacher Chod
The falls are even beautiful at night. Photo by geocacher Chod
Happy geocachers making the find! Photo by Team OSS
Happy geocachers making the find! Photo by Team OSS
Another beautiful shot of the falls. Photo by geocacher Desert Varnish
Another beautiful shot of the falls. Photo by geocacher Desert Varnish

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.

/ Derek H /

I <3 Geocaching FAQ

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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?

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