Geocaching is delightful because of the people who play it — adventure-seekers, makers, parents, astronauts and (sometimes) celebrities. Read their stories.
Ping! That’s the sound of your phone or email notifying you when a new geocache is published nearby. Grab your geo-bag, gps device, and get moving… you want to be the FTF (First To Find).
Discovering new geocaches before anyone else. Image by @gc_steph
Why would I want to be FTF?
Being FTF on a geocache is an exciting experience. You get to discover the newly published geocache prior to everyone else in the community and you get to brag about it 😉 . On many occasions, geocache owners will leave a small gift for the first geocacher to discover their cache. Prizes? Heck yes!
Photo by @officialtinysupermanCash prize! Image by Instagrammer @ruznuz
How do I set up instant notifications to let me know when a new geocache is published (only applicable to Premium Members)?
You can custom build notifications under Premium Member features.
Choose a cache type to monitor (e.g. Traditionals, Events, etc.)
Choose the types of logs you want to see (if you are just looking for newly published caches, choose “Publish Listing”)
Set the location (central point) and distance (around that point) you want to watch.
Check the email listed in the “Send to” drop-down menu. (If you would like to send Instant Notifications to an alternate email,you will need to manage your email addresses first.)
Check “Enable Notifications”.
Select “Create Notification” and you are set!
For addition information on Instant and Text Notifications please go here.
FTF! Image by @driftsolo
How can I add FTF to my statistics?
Geocaching.com does not have a feature that showcases FTFs, as Geocaching HQ does not regulate or manage FTFs. However, many geocachers use outside statistics-generating sites such as GSAK.net or MyGeocachingProfile.com to display their FTFs on their profile pages.
As men around the world started to grow their facial hair in honor of Movember, we wondered about mustache-themed caches, trackables, coins, and geocachers that could be out there. And we found facial hair from a can is pretty popular. Most geocaches encourage people to use a mustache in the geocache to share a picture of themselves, stache’d up, on the geocache page. Here are some of our furriest finds:
‘Stache Caches:
GC415QR Movember – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
GC3F6P2: Facial Hair – Redmond, Washington, United States
GC57VAQ Moustache Cache – Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, United States
Trackables:
What about “a’sttaching” one to a Travel Bug then acquiring a few fun photos along the way?
TB214CA PCTM – Picture Crazy Travel Mustache
TB4XPHF – Ridiculously Large Mustache
Geocoins:
Oh these soup strainers are clever…
TB665G3 Geocoin Club November 2013 – Movember Geocoin even comes with a handy spot for inserting a “photo-op” stick.
TB5XQY3 “the Mustache made me do it” traveled 3,392 miles before finally landing on the upper lip of its owner
And finally, no blog about geo-staches would be complete without an honorary mention of Mr. and Mrs. Mysterious, aka TheVillans who bill themselves as, “the most feared geocaching team on the planet!!!” This dastardly duo caches in disguise leaving a comic book and a calling card in their wake. Muhahahaha!!
TheVillans
How do you Must-cache? Share your photos in the comments and tell us about your fall-foliage and folic-y fun. :-{)
The holidays are approaching and with the Geocaching Action and Discovery kit, you can inspire the spirit of adventure in kids. The Explorer’s Guide to Geocaching Activity Book—exclusive to the kit—guides them through the adventure of geocaching with fun characters, over a dozen activities and more. They’ll have everything they need to find their first few geocaches* as well as hide one of their own.
Give this kit and unlock millions of adventures around the world.
Recommended for ages 8 – 12
The Geocaching Action and Discovery Kit includes:
The Explorer’s Guide to Geocaching Activity Book
Clear Ammo Can Container
Geocaching Logo Cinch Bag
Rock Geocache Container
Micro Geocache Container
Nano Geocache Container
Log Pencil
Small Logbook
Wooden Nickel
Geocaching Logo Patch
Geocaching Logo Bracelet
*Download of a free iPhone, Android or Windows Phone app required for outdoor geocaching.
When CarpeCrew and #36 set out in search of GC3CZ72, they weren’t expecting to find anything. The geocache was placed in February of 2012, on National Forest land just northwest of Colorado Springs. 13 finds and four months later, the Waldo Canyon Fire tore through the region. It was one of the most destructive fires in the state’s history. There was little to indicate that the geocache had survived—no finds, no DNFs, no comment from the geocache owner.
Two years later, a forest road near where the geocache was placed was reopened, and CarpeCrew and #36, saw their chance to explore the area, visit an old personal landmark, and perhaps find an EarthCache in honor of International EarthCache Day. When they saw that GC3CZ72 was supposed to be nearby, they took a chance and trotted toward where their phones were putting it.
A forest rising from the ashes.
And there it was…right on the spot. The charred and blackened ammo can was spotted and opened, though not without a bit of difficulty. The identifiable geocache inventory was as follows:
Charred remains of a logbook (visible in the photo)
Several key rings
Pens and pencils
A button that belonged to a local geocacher
A charred and pockmarked Travel Bug tag
The somewhat intact remains of GC3CZ72.
After a full treatment of sprite, baking soda, and vinegar, the Travel Bug’s tracking code was almost complete. It only took a few guesses as to what the last number could be, for the TB to reveal itself. CarpeCrew and #36 posted their story to the Geocaching Colorado – GCCO Facebook page, immediately generating dozens of comments from other geocachers.
The bug had originally been placed in a geocache in Colorado Springs in 2007. At the time, it contained the clues to a Mystery Cache in Colorado Springs. That Mystery Cache has since been archived, and the original owner of the TB doesn’t play much anymore.
CarpeCrew and #36 have yet to decide what they’re going to do with the trackable, but re-releasing it into a geocache nearby is definitely an option. So unless this was an elaborate experiment to test what type of trackable was the sturdiest, we think this was one lucky Travel Bug. Keep an eye out for it if you’re geocaching in Colorado in the next few weeks…and if you’re concerned about the fire safety of your trackable, a TB tag might be a good investment. 😉
The earned, never for sale, Geocacher of the Month Geocoin (sun flare optional)
You know you’re a geocacher if…
You talk to into your GPS as if it’s a cell phone when a muggle walks by…
The 1 Dollar/Euro store makes you happier than Disneyland…
You’ve been to a CITO event (Cache In, Trash Out), and…
You’ve been nominated for Geocacher of the Month!
This month, these three awesome people know for certain that they’re geocachers (in case they had any doubts before).
Here’s your opportunity to help decide who will take home the earned, never for sale, Geocacher of the Month geocoin (at left). Each featured Geocacher of the Month will receive the exclusive special edition geocoin, a hat and profile icon. They’ll also receive a certificate acknowledging their contributions, signed by two of the founders of Geocaching.com.
Capt Biggins
Known as Capt Biggins, The Capt, or sometimes simply Bill, this geocacher is a great asset to the local geocachers of the Tampa Bay area. “First and foremost,” says geocacher oldrocknmetal, “Capt Biggins holds an annual Cache In, Trash Out (CITO) event on a mile of beach that he has adopted in Pinellas County. These CITOs are cherished by the residents and county personnel alike. In 2013, he even set up 31 events for the month of August so everyone had the opportunity to get all the souvenirs. Capt Biggins has a big heart too. He has created travel bugs in which all the proceeds go to a geocacher with MS. He has aso created a petition to try to bring the GPS Adventures Exhibit to the area. And of course, The Captain is a wealth of information for the geocaching world.Anything from hiding a cache to creating a cache page to hosting an event to locating a specific Geocoin, Bill is your go-to guy.”
Pudsemand og kone
Pudsemand & Kone, also known as Henrik and Tina, are “one-of-a-kind-cachers”, and not just because they attended the first geocaching Giga event this year. Geocacher hvidhoej says, they “are the most social, friendly, nice, caring, happy geocachers I’ve ever met. They arrange 3 to 4 events every year opening their private homes to up to 200 geocachers. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet other ‘cachers, to talk geocaching and have a nice time. And the events are always successful, with many new and interesting caches in all categories from kid friendly to D5/T5. If I am ever in need of a good geo-advice or in geo-trouble they are always there for me and others.”
DrJay
DrJay started geocaching in 2005 and is approaching an impressive 9500 finds, but the contribution he makes to his local geocaching community is even more impressive. According to geocacher firennice, “DrJay is one of those cachers who works as hard at caching, as he does at work. He has taken the reigns of our local geocaching organization and makes sure that we have had events every spring and fall for the last few years…dragging BBQ grills, and food to them all. He always takes the time to visit and answer questions with new cachers. Help them with ideas, and give them advice on what they can do to enjoy caching even more.
Comment below to tell us who you think should be the October Geocacher of the Month. Vote by October 31st.
If your nominee wasn’t recognized here, please submit your nominations again next month. We’re always looking for the next Geocacher of the Month. To nominate a geocacher,
If you know an outstanding geocacher who should be considered for the honor, simply fill out this webform. You’ll need to include the following information:
Your name, the name of your nominee, their username
A picture of the nominee
Description (200 or more words) explaining why he or she deserves to be the Featured Geocacher of the Month
Please inform your nominee that you have submitted them for the award. Nominations for the next Featured Geocacher of the Month should be received by November 15th.Once Geocaching HQ has received the nominations, we will choose the top candidates and post them on the blog. You will then get a chance to champion your favorite. Our goal is to involve the entire geocaching community in this process so that we might learn from each other.
