The countdown begins. It’s t-minus 12 hours and ticking down toward liftoff of a rocket bound for space. U.S. astronaut Rick Mastracchio will pack along a Geocaching Travel Bug on his six month mission to the International Space Station. He’ll use the Geocaching game piece, which typically moves from geocache to geocache on Earth, to teach students about geography and science.
Join Geocaching HQ from this Google Hangout at 6:45pm and 8:00pm Seattle time tonight to connect and celebrate Geocaching in Space with the global geocaching community. Then turn to NASA TV to watch the rocket launch live. The launch is scheduled for 8:14pm Seattle time (PST). Convert to your time zone here.
Enjoy this look at Geocaching in Space in pictures as envisioned by the Geocaching HQ staff. Spread the word about Geocaching in Space by sharing your favorite picture through social media and tagging #SpaceCaching. Follow all the #SpaceCaching tags at Tagboard.com/SpaceCaching.
Imagine: The midnight darkness of the desert is lit only by a pale moon. You’re driving down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere Nevada. You see the wink of a meteorite falling to Earth. It’s slower than any you’ve seen before, it’s greenish in hue. The trajectory of the fast moving light shows it landing in the area you’ve been told doesn’t officially exist even though you pretty much know for a fact it does. You feel validated when your friends agrees with you that this might not be a meteorite. In fact, it very well could be aliens. Yes. Aliens.
This would seem weird under normal circumstances. This doesn’t fall under normal circumstances though. This is geocaching. Specifically, this is the ET Highway.
Annie Love with Moun10Bike, Princess Trouble, dsvaughn, Joe of JoenSue
Bordering the place that doesn’t exist (Area 51), this geocaching power trail is not for everyone. It’s the ultimate in power caching. Film canister after film canister at 6,000-7,000 feet in elevation, this trail leads you through some spectacular country. Originally 2000 geocaches, recently expanded to 2400, this is one of the largest power trails on Earth. Traveling through this part of the world makes you feel like it’s impossible not to ‘believe.’
Knowing that Geocoinfest 2013 was going to be in Las Vegas, I immediately thought ‘I should do the ET Highway.’ Over the nine years I’ve been geocaching, I’ve only found just under 1200 caches. It’s definitely not about the numbers to me. For me, it’s the experience I have geocaching. That’s what appealed to me about doing the ET Highway.
Before I could make my own plans, I received an email from Princess Trouble (one of the hosts of Geocoinfest). After a few more emails, a team was formed. My colleague Moun10Bike, Princess Trouble, dsvaughn, Joe of JoenSue and I had plans to leave bright and early after Geocoinfest.
Blazing through rugged Nevada backcountry with our minivan and Jeep, we found the 2400 caches over four days. In our quickest hour of geocaching, we found 116 geocaches. Being in the company of cows, jack rabbits, coyotes, wild horses and fun geocachers made for a truly amazing adventure.
Some tips for folks thinking of doing the ET Highway:
-Plan to bring at least 50 film canisters with logs (for cache maintenance along the way)
-We had two stamps with us and these were both nearly dead by the end, so three might be best
-Figure out a plan in advance for getting gas or hauling gas with you so you don’t get stranded
-Cell phones don’t work on most of the trail, so be prepared with plenty of food, water, flashlights, clothing layers and make sure you have a spare tire in your car
-Allow for extra time to find the other really interesting geocaches, visit the Little A ‘Le’ Inn, and check out the ghost town of Belmont along the way
Geocache Finds on the E.T. HighwayGroup ShotView of the E.T. HighwayAn Alien “selfie”
Sometimes geocaching hints create a confusing chorus that doesn’t lead anyone closer to the actual geocache. “Hints” like, “It’s in the obvious place” or “Yes, it’s really there” or “You don’t really need a hint” lead to a little confusion and a lot of shoulder shrugging. The hint shouldn’t spoil the exact location of the geocache, but be should be used as a good clue as to where it can be found. If you’re a geocache hider, consider a clue that would help someone who’s finding their first geocache step closer to the container.
The hint can still be clever and require geocachers to think about their surroundings. If you’re new to geocaching, or even a seasoned pro, sometimes the hint takes a little decoding. Here’s some help:
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Tie Your Shoe = Bend down and look at a lower level
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Attractive = Magnetic geocache
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Troll = Under a bridge
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SPOR/UPR = Suspicious Pile of Rocks/Unusual Pile of Rocks
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Handyman Special = Magnetic bolt
Do you still have more questions about hints? We’ve got you covered. Another great destination to decipher and share your favorite hints is the Geocaching Facebook page. Inspire a geocache owner, leave your favorite tips on hints below in comments!
More than 1,100 Geocaching in Space Event Caches will dot the globe on November 6 and 7. Geocaching in Space events can be found in more than 40 countries and in the world’s most remote locations, like Easter Island and inside the Arctic Circle.
Each event commemorates the launch of a Geocaching Travel Bug® as it journeys to the International Space Station. Astronaut Rick Mastracchio will use the Travel Bug as a tool to teach students back on Earth about geography and science. He’s scheduled to launch from Kazakhstan in the early morning of November 7, which will be November 6 in much of the rest of the world.
Find and attend an event near you by exploring the interactive map below. Get prepared by ordering the limited-edition Geocaching in Space Mission Patch. Proceeds from patch sales will benefit Donorschoose.org. More questions? Check out the Geocaching in Space FAQ. One quick note: The deadline to submit a Geocaching in Space event has passed. If you’re an event owner, check out the Geocaching in Space Event Owner’s Guide to the Galaxy on ways to connect with the global community, like using #SpaceCaching in Tweets and posts.
Whether you’re watching the rocket launch live or celebrating the spirit of exploration afterward, you’re part of a global community of adventurers commemorating a big day in geocaching history. Find and share your event now through this interactive global map. We’re here to help connect your event to the worldwide geocaching community and make it a success.
When is the Launch:
November 7 at 04:08 a.m. GMT – Convert to your time zone here
Where to Watch the Launch on the Web:
NASA Television: coverage of the launch begins an hour before liftoff.
Join Geocaching HQ from our Geocaching in Space event with a Google Hangout, beginning approximately 15 minutes before the launch.
Tagboard.com/SpaceCaching Follow and join the Geocaching in Space community by tagging #SpaceCaching on your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, tumblr, Vine, and Google+ posts.
New Limited-Edition Geocaching in Space Mission Patch
Order and show off your new Geocaching in Space Mission Patch. All proceeds from the sale of the patch will be donated to the educational charity Donorschoose.org. And of course, you should go geocaching after the event.
Who to Invite:
Reach out to the local community to join in the historic event and the adventure of geocaching. Use the text below as a guide when posting the event to local blogs, sending the announcement to newspapers, or alerting the media about your unique event.
Join a celebration of the spirit of exploration ________ night/morning. A symbol of exploration and adventure rockets into space on (insert local time). It’s known as a Geocaching Travel Bug®. An astronaut is taking the Travel Bug to the International Space Station and will use the it to teach students back on Earth about geography and science. A group of local adventurers, known as geocachers, will be hosting an event to watch the rocket launch live. They’re joining geocachers at more than 1000 geocaching events around the world celebrating the launch. Everyone is welcome to join in the celebration.
Meet at __________ at ______________ to witness a moment in history, watch a rocket launch and maybe experience the adventure of geocaching afterward.
Please go to Geocaching.com, sign-in or sign-up and RSVP to (your Event URL) so we know to expect you.
What if the launch is delayed?
Still hold your event, watch some of the other videos, earn your souvenir and celebrate the spirit of exploration from Geocaching in Space.
