Galvanisé de savoir que quelqu’un avait trouvé toutes les géocaches posées sur Terre, le HQ Geocaching a initié la suite logique afin que la croissance du jeu garde son rythme. Avec la mise à jour d’aujourd’hui et le lancement de la recherche galactique, les joueurs peuvent maintenant chercher des caches dans l’espace.
Category: Community
Geocaching is delightful because of the people who play it — adventure-seekers, makers, parents, astronauts and (sometimes) celebrities. Read their stories.
Turnagain Arm Tidal Bore Earthcache — Geocache of the Week
It was almost 11 years ago, but geocacher and HQ employee Prying Pandora remembers the moment well.
Prying Pandora was with CENT5, also visiting Alaska on a geocaching trip, and NorthWes, a local Alaskan and geocacher who was their tour guide for the day. As they drove along the dramatically scenic Seward Highway in a rented minivan, they took in the never-ending range of snowcapped peaks, and fjords filling with and spilling out water.
Suddenly there came a cry from the back of the car.
“BORE TIDE!!!”
It was NorthWes, who had caught sight of the phenomenon that his EarthCache, GCN6YV, describes. The van immediately stopped, everybody piled out (some more or less confused as to what was happening) and NorthWes explained what they were seeing.
Later, in her log, Prying Pandora wrote, “What a totally cool thing to witness, and unbelievable luck to have caught it!”
You see, this EarthCache is all about a bore, but it’s not boring.
Turnagain Arm is a waterway off the Cook Inlet in the Gulf of Alaska. The Arm’s unique combination of topography and tidal activity results in the geological feature that’s at the heart of this EarthCache: the tidal bore.
Before you say, “No, you’re a tidal bore!” let’s talk about what ‘tidal bore’ means. Basically, it’s a wave—a very, very special wave. It’s the individual large wave caused by a sudden influx of water rushing into a narrow, shallow inlet that’s still draining water from the previous tide. The rush of water coming into the inlet runs right into the draining water going out in the opposite direction, and boom!
Well…slosh.
Making it to the right spot in time to catch that wave’s journey through Turnagain Arm (and take a photo of it) is the task prescribed in this Geocache of the Week.
Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world.
Check out all of the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog. If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, fill out this form.
Geocaching adventures in Las Vegas
By Jen Pearce, Geocaching HQ Employee
Have you been to Seattle, home of Geocaching HQ, in the winter time? It rains here — a LOT and we just had our wettest winter on record. Many Seattleites try to visit sunnier climates during this season, and the employees at HQ are no different. So where to?
Factoring in our limited time (a weekend), our shared interest (geocaching), and our greatest desire (to see the sun), we decided to go to Las Vegas, Nevada!
Our first stop was Route 66, a historic highway that runs from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA. The highway fell out of use in the 80s when the Interstate Highway System was created, leaving behind ample, rarely-disturbed space for geocaches.
Our next stop was Hofbräuhaus Beer Hall for GC6BJG6, an Event Cache to meet up with local and visiting geocachers in Las Vegas.
Our last stop was the Valley of Fire, Nevada’s oldest and largest state park.
The park is home to petroglyphs, gorgeous red sandstone ranges, EarthCaches, and the final resting place of Captain Kirk from the movie Star Trek: Generations.
The peak seen in the movie is called Silica Dome, which also happens to host GC4Z3F6: an EarthCache by Landondena. There is an “easy” way to reach the dome and a “hard” way — we took the hard way.
Other notable EarthCaches (and a Virtual!) we found within the park: GC1PPNP, GC1PPNG, GCH723 (limited time meant leaving the park before we found all of the caches).
The next time you venture through Nevada, keep an eye out for the Lackeys on Tour stamp in the local logs.
Until next time…
Kate’s Binary Challenge #6/Mission Impossible — Geocache of the Week
- Mystery
- GC64BH
- by Team-CRICK/Dr-Gadget
- Location:
- North Wales, United Kingdom
- N 52° 54.556 W 003° 35.612
Geocache GC64BH is the final in a series of 6 geocaches hidden in honor of a geocacher named Kate’s 10th birthday. 1 and 0 make up the binary numbering system, so, naturally, using binary numbers to solve puzzles and gather codes is part of the challenge of finding this cache.
The reward at the end is worth the struggle. Before visiting this cache, you may want to watch (or re-watch) the first Mission Impossible movie. Specifically, the scene in which Tom Cruise lowers himself headfirst into a vault.
Then, go find this cache, which is hidden on the cache owner’s property. You’ll see a brown box on a gate post. Break the cable tie to open it, record the binary code inside, then use a new cable tie from inside the box to secure it again. Convert the binary code to decimal numbering, and add that number to the other codes you’ve collected through the series.
Then and only then will you be able to open the padlock on the little pot nearby, which contains a key. Thought you were done yet? Nope. The key opens another cash box on a pole nearby. Inside is…not the cache, but a remote control. Take a deep breath, channel your inner Tom Cruise (or don’t, whatever floats your boat) and press the down button.
Things will begin to feel a bit familiar with you see this descending from the sky above:
Finally, you’ll have access to the cache and logbook, which is safely strapped to miniature Tom Cruise’s vest.
Watch the cache in action:
Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world.
Check out all of the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog. If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, fill out this form.
Bananaaaa Nightclub Nachtcache — Geocache of the Week
A few years ago, geocacher DJ UKW wondered why almost all night caches he encountered were Multi-Caches. Could one make a night cache just as entertaining as a traditional?
One could. And he did.
Bananaaaa Nightclub Nachtcache looks rather ordinary on the outside, a bit like a mini-fridge. But inside is a feast, not for the stomach but for the eyes and ears.
DJ UKW says inspiration came from watching a YouTube video with talking and singing Minion toys from the movie Despicable Me. “And as a former DJ (did that for nearly 20 years) the idea was born to do a Minions Nightclub.”
With some help from his geocacher friend Kadüü, the Minions Nightclub came to life.
The cache is rigged with all sorts of surprises. The container itself is locked, and to open it, you’ll need to first enlist the help of some of those singing Minions…but we won’t tell you exactly how! Inside are two speaking, highly flatulent Minions…
…and a fully-functioning miniature disco, powered by electricity from a friendly neighbor. Sound is provided by an mp3 player and some little speakers. The light show is created with a disco ball, LED dome light, and an ultraviolet tube light. There’s even a little fog machine. Says DJ DKW: “All you need for a Minion Party.”
Everything operates on a timer, so the party can only begin after 6pm, and ends at 2am—even Minions need to sleep! The Cache Owners says it’s not uncommon to read logs on the cache about people having their own dance party next to it, and “becoming children again when they let the Minions talk or fart!” Classic.
When asked if he’d like to share anything with the Geocaching community, DJ DKW said simply, “No. Just go out and have fun while Geocaching.” 🙂
Thanks in part to him and this night cache, we will.
Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world.
Check out all of the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog. If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, fill out this form.
