Editor’s Note: Geocaching HQ holds an all company meeting once a month. The 80 folks from HQ discuss all things geocaching. The meeting changes each month. But there’s one constant. Every meeting starts with a geocaching community story. A Geocaching Life in Pictures is the story we shared in our meeting today.
Kristian and Maja, a father and daughter team from Denmark share their #Geocaching15 story in 15 pictures. In 2004, Kristian thought of an innovative way to connect with his growing daughter. He found geocaching by reading an article while waiting in the doctor’s office. Eleven years later the duo is known as Farogdatten and have collected more than 3,000 finds. Maja has grown from a 13-year-old to owning a house near her parents.
Kristian says they still geocache together from time to time. But one note he wrote to her teachers years ago helps explain their adventure.
I took her out of school two days, to prolong a weekend, but wrote a note to the teachers, that I would guarantee for her learning history, math, language and gymnastics on our geocaching trip. They had never before had an honest note like this and I am told the note was pinned at the teachers wall for a long time.
#Geocaching15 in 15 – Farogdatter
2004 Geocache Finds: 34
2005 Geocache Finds: 533
2006 Geocache Finds: 1103
2006 Geocachine Finds 1103
2007 Geocache Finds: 1552
2008 Geocache Finds: 2175
2009 Geocache Finds: 2376
2009 Geocache Finds: 2376
2010 Geocache Finds: 2560
2011 Geocache Finds: 2656
2012 Geocache Finds: 2987
2013 Geocache Finds: 3171
2014 Geocache Finds: 3522
2014 Geocache Finds: 3572
May 2015 Geocache Finds: 3,591
For Maja’s confirmation in 2005 she asked for one gift that would mean the most to her: a dog. She then named her dog CITO.
Maja with CITO the dog thinking about trackablesCITO the dog upon hearing someone did not pickup trash while geocaching
Kristian says geocaching still inspires and unites his family, “Well – the most important lesson, we learned, is, that it is still surprising, that geocaching can bring us new surprises.”
Farogdatten geocoin – 2007
Celebrate 15 years of Geocaching by sharing your #Geocaching15 pictures and stories with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram – and leave your favorite #Geocaching15 stories here on the blog in comments.
Share your story and we might just send you one of these Geocaching car flags for your #Geocaching15 road trip
Most geocachers love a good gadget cache and this geocache is a perfect example. These types of geocaches highlight the creativity and ingenuity of the geocaching community. Forests and other places where the gadget box won’t be mistaken for a real piece of equipment are great places for gadget caches. Many of these geocaches, while they may seem technologically advanced or difficult to create, were built by people with no prior experience. Thanks to the internet, you can learn simple engineering, programming and even woodworking. We won’t give it away, but when this geocache reveals itself, it’s utterly electrifying.
What geocachers have to say:
“Nice! Love the gadget caches! Had to stop for this one on the way home to Illinois.” – supersteen
“Very nicely done and fun cache!!! TFTC!!!” – tabbikat
“Awesome cache! Well deserving of a favorite point! Thanks for a great cache!” – Mazzy Duck
What one of the geocache hiders, Hockeyhick , has to say:
I have always been a fan of thought-provoking puzzles, and geocaching certainly gives us all a chance to stretch out our brains as well as our legs. Additionally, my wife, Kerry (Cache-n-Kerry) cling to the mantra that a quality cache should either take you somewhere really cool, consist of a really cool puzzle, or a really cool container!
To be truthful, my inspiration for this cache humbly came from my good friend, Mike Sherwood (MSWahoo). He travels a lot for his job, and as a result, shares many tales of cool caches that he has found. He told me of the really cool hides that he found belonging to a cacher named Dayspring. After hearing about some of his caches, I wanted to try to give geocachers in our area some cool caching experiences, too. Having an electronic engineering background, a twisted sense of humor, and a shop full of “toys,” the sparks rally began to fly in the Hockeyhick Labs!
The original cache began as a 4-inch PVC pipe with the electric motor/gearbox inside, but sadly, someone decided that they wanted it more than I. After consulting with the property owner he encouraged me to make one that would be little more permanent than before. The housing is an electrical enclosure mounted to a fence post, with the pipe exiting the bottom, and a more maintenance-free motor doing the work inside. Adding in some limit switches has really helped to keep it running smoothly over time. Over all, it took about a weekend to build, but I tested it a lot, with various weights and conditions because I didn’t want to disappoint folks that come through the Upstate of South Carolina and detour just for this cache.
The results have been well received, and the real pleasure for me, as the cache owner, comes when we get those extremely nice email notifications! Knowing that our cache has brought so many smiles to fellow cachers gives great satisfaction. Also, we have seen that when you think that you have seen it all, someone else raises that bar a little bit higher, and in our area, that is no exception. We have since seen incredible cache ideas as a result, and they make me want to get even more creative!
Photos:
Huzzah! The geocache!You’ll have to read the description for this one.
What was the last geocache that made you say “WOW!”? Tell your story and post photos 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, just fill out this form. Thanks!
What’s made of cement, has six legs, and Shrek’s face?
You know you’re a geocacher if you answered, “Probably a trackable.” And you’d be right.
There’s something very special about a person who attaches Shrek ears and children’s shoes to a cinder block and tasks others with carrying that object from place to place. We like to think that special drive is what makes a geocacher a geocacher.
The willingness to be a little unusual, a little conspicuous, and sometimes downright weird seems to be common to geocachers. It’s an element that surfaces particularly with trackables. If you’re new to the game, a trackable is a game piece with a unique number. It commonly looks like a dog tag. These trackables are attached to hitchhikers (objects of various sorts), like the giant ones you’re about to see.
At some point, everyone—from the trackable obsessed to the fair-weather trackable logger—has gazed at a trackable and thought the following:
How am I going to move this [loose ball of yarn]?
Where can I get one of these [humongous metal Travel Bug tags]?
There is no chance we’re going to be taking this [instrument of extreme noise].
I’m taking a picture with a giant [teddy bear].
Where is the rest of [the vehicle to which this door was once attached]?
Why do trackables tend to be so weird? Because the world of trackables is so wide and hasfew limits to what can be made trackable, they are geocaching’s most widespread form of self-expression. Trackables tell stories about who we are and where we’re from. They travel the world when we can’t. They bring joy to people we’ll never meet.
But where to put the oversized, hilarious trackables you find? Check out these BIG caches and see if there’s one near you.
What’s the biggest, weirdest trackable you’ve ever moved?
Geocachers love showing off their locations—that’s why geocaching is one of the best ways to discover new places. The next time you’re on a trip, try using one of these 5 tips to explore a destination through geocaching:
– GeoTours – These are groups of geocaches that are curated by local organizations and Geocaching HQ. They’ll guide you through some of the best local spots, teach you about the area’s history and—of course—increase your find count! (Pro tip: With some GeoTours, you can even earn free prizes!)
– Pocket Queries – Headed somewhere that doesn’t have cell signal? Geocaching Premium members can create downloadable lists of geocaches for offline use.
– Multi-Caches – These multi-stage geocaches are often perfect methods for getting a short tour of a city.
– Sort by Favorite Points — Geocaching Premium members can find the best geocaches in an area by using the new search and sort tools. Just search for geocaches in an area, then click on the “Favorites” column.
– Meet the locals – Who better to show you local flavor than the geocachers who live there? Creating or attending an event in your destination is a perfect way to meet local geocachers. Use the geocache search to find events in your vacation destination.
What are your favorite tips for geocaching while on vacation? Leave us a comment below!
Geocoins—it’s hard to imagine Geocaching without them, Travel Bugs, or any other kind of trackable. But for an entire year and a half after geocaching was born (in May of the year 2000), that was how geocaching was done. Caching primarily involved using GPS technology to discover ammo cans hidden deep in the woods, then the seekers would write long entries into pre-placed log books.
The Father of the Geocoin: Mr. Jon Stanley, aka Moun10Bike
But geocaching’s path changed forever (and for the better) when Jon Stanley, aka Moun10Bike, created and placed the very first geocoin in a cache near Deception Pass in Washington State, USA.
Not only is Jon a legend of geocaching, he’s also a Charter Member and now works as a System Analyst/Lackey with Groundspeak. We caught up with Jon between bug fixes, forums posts, meetings to keep everyone in the loop, and geocaching on his lunch break, to find out more about how geocoins came to be.
What gave you the idea to place a geocoin?
Back in 2001, I was coming up on my 100th cache find. I wanted a signature item to launch in time for that milestone and had heard about military challenge coins from a fellow cacher. They sounded like the perfect geocaching item – compact, easy to carry, durable – so I designed and minted a set of personalized coins that I dubbed “geocoins.”
Here it is, folks: Moun10Bike Geocoin 001. Try not to hyperventilate.
When was the first Geocoin placed? The coin was placed September 30th of 2001. I placed it in a cache that still stands out today in my mind as one of the best (even though it has since been archived) – Light House Point. It involved a rickety aluminum ladder that you could only access during low tide. I climbed the ladder. I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it because I have a fear of heights. But knowing I wanted to place that coin in a special cache got me up the ladder.
So the first coin was placed in that cache?
I kept the first one for my personal collection. So it was number two… 002. That was the first one placed.
And then what happened?
I placed it in there and didn’t think that much about it. Well you know, it started off really slowly. It was about 6 months after I placed or minted my coins and placed them that anyone else started making coins that I know of. They became desired items. So rather than people seeing them and moving them on, the goal was to get to it first and keep it for their collection. It was almost like a Beanie Baby craze. There was the Geocoin craze.
How many Geocoins do you think you’ve placed out in the world at this point? I’ve sent out over 1200 of my Moun10Bike geocoins so far, and over 1500 coins if you count my coinaments (a Christmas tree ornament that is trackable and shaped like a coin)!
How many Geocoins do you own? I stopped counting in 2006. At that point, it was around 1000. I have at least five times that many now.
Jon, aka “Moun10Bike”, and his son Jameson, aka “Moun10Tyke”, on an adventure a few years ago.
What is something that most people would be surprised to learn about you? Hmmm, I’m pretty boring. Would it surprise people if I said that my wife and son can barely tolerate caching?
Getting abducted on the E.T. Highway
Any parting thoughts? From computers to the web, to gadgets, and then foremost the outdoors, I just couldn’t ask for a better hobby.
Sure is crazy to think that any experiences you’ve had with geocoins, Travel Bugs, or trackables lead back to Jon Stanley. Do you collect geocoins, or geocache with trackables? How have they changed the way you cache? Tell us your stories below!
2004 Geocache Finds: 34
