August 5, 2013 / Derek H

Mid-West Geo-Bash 2013 — One Geocaching HQ staffer’s journey into Area 51

Editor’s note: Geocaching HQ staff are joining geocachers at Mega-Events around the world to celebrate and share the adventure of geocaching. Derek Hamilton, a.k.a. ScatterMyCaches, attended Mid-West GeoBash (GC3T8EH) in Wauseon, OH, USA in July. Derek has been with Geocaching HQ as the Copywriter since 2012. This is Derek’s account of his trip.

This past week I had to opportunity to attend one of the largest geocaching Mega-Events in the mid-west United States—Mid-West GeoBash. All in all, I had an amazing time, got to meet tons of great geocachers, found several geocaches and left needing a few day’s worth of sleep. Here’s a short recap of my trip:

The trip began with a 4 a.m. ride to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. From there, I made the journey to Detroit, Michigan, where I picked up my rental car and drove to Wauseon, Ohio. After checking in to my hotel and grabbing some dinner, I ventured out to the Fulton County Fairgrounds where “Area 51” was already in full swing. For those of you not familiar with Area 51, this is one of the most popular parts of Mid-West GeoBash. Each night at 10 p.m., the bonfire area is closed off to people under the age of 21, coolers are wheeled out and adult beverages are enjoyed. I wasn’t quite ready for what this entailed. Let’s just say that since I was the only Geocaching HQ employee at the event, attendees were very generous.

The 9/11 memorial. Photo by geocacher Rross1973

Friday was my day of geocaching. I drove around the town of Wauseon, picking up geocaches and even attending a second event, Caching in Corsets. Despite the name of the event, I did not do my Dr. Frankenfurter impression and squeeze into a corset (which was probably better for everyone). One of the geocaches I found was Fulton County’s 9/11 Memorial multi-cache. This began at a memorial that featured a piece of the Twin Towers. The path to the final stage took me past a very patriotic wooden sculpture. In my log, I recounted where I was and what I was doing on that fateful day in 2001. Later that night, I again visited Area 51, where, again, the bonfires raged and everyone was very generous.

Saturday was when the geocaching community, volunteer reviewers who attended, and I got down to business. We held a Geocaching HQ/Reviewer panel to answer questions and discuss topics from geocachers who attended the event. The questions and discussion was awesome and I brought back quite a few suggestions for the team at Geocaching HQ. After the Q&A session, I roamed the event taking photos and handing out Geocaching swag. Later, we took the event photo and officially wrapped up the event. Of course, I had to attend the final night of Area 51. However, I had to cut my time short in order to be able to wake up and make my 8:30 a.m. flight out of Detroit.

This was my first Mega-Event and I had a blast. A huge shout-out to Pete and Sonja for putting on such an amazing event! And thanks to everyone else that I met, those that I hung out with, and everyone who attended. If you’re able to make it to the 2014 Mid-West GeoBash, I would highly recommend it.

Bonus: There was even a 30-minute TV segment filmed about the bash. Check it out below.

[youtube=”http://youtu.be/HK94vgjbz8g”]

August 5, 2013 / Eric Schudiske

Your Geocaching Community Awaits…

Connect to 100,000’s of Geocachers with One “Like”

WeeklyMailer_06013_GeocachingWithFriends_vFINAL_blog Whoever said the world is a small place might have just been a geocacher connected through the Geocaching Facebook page. It’s a snap (or a click) to discover geocaching groups around the globe, keep up on the latest and greatest geocaches and discover insider tips and tricks. A few more clicks and you’re wired into the adventure of thousands of your fellow geocachers.

Follow @GoGeocaching on Twitter for the latest updates from Geocaching HQ and track #31in31 for news from the 31 Days of Geocaching. See geocaching from another perspective through the Geocaching Google+ page. Ever hope to explore the perks of using a Geocaching app in less than 2 minutes? The Geocaching YouTube channel can do that, plus introduce you to more than 100 other time-saving and inspirational videos. Explore the glossy side of geocaching through the beautiful images and video on the Geocaching Instagram feed. And don’t forget to tag @GoGeocaching and #31in31 in your geocaching videos on Twitter or Instagram to play a part in the upcoming video, “31 Days of Geocaching in 31 Seconds.”

It’s a wide world out there with more than 2 million hidden geocaches to discover and 6 million of your fellow geocachers joining you in the adventure. See the wonders of geocaching and share your exploration by connecting to Geocaching through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Instagram.

August 3, 2013 / Paige Edmiston /

Beat the Heat: 7 Safety Tips to Keep You Healthy, Happy, and Cool as a Cucumber

With 31 Days of Geocaching in full gear, we thought we would give you a few pointers on how to keep your cool in the midst of all the craziness.

Tip #1: Don’t hit that snooze alarm!

We love lazy weekend mornings as much as the next guy, but hiking days are not the days to roll over and hit the snooze button. Partner Programs Manager Annie Love (Username: Love) admits that she’s not the biggest morning fan but still says, “Getting on the trail before the temperatures rise will make for a more pleasant experience and help avoid factors like heat exhaustion, dehydration and loss of sodium from mass amounts of sweat!”

Tip #2: Bring lots (and we mean LOTS) of H20

A big hike is not the day to skimp on drinking your water. Community Liaison to Engineering – as well as expert hiker and world-renowned geocacher – Jon Stanley (Username: Moun10Bike) gives us the lowdown: “Without water, your body will dehydrate, causing a loss in performance, dizziness, and possibly heat stroke. The general consensus is that hikers should carry about two liters of water on them, and drink about 1 pint (or 1/2 liter) every hour. The actual number will depend on the climate, level of exertion, and individual needs. Today there are many options for bottles or backpacks with water bladders that make it a snap to carry water and access it easily on the trail.”

Tip #3: Don’t forget your sunscreen and bug spray

Dude, bug bites and sunburns are not cool. Sunscreen is absolutely vital for a long day out on the trail. Excessive sun exposure speeds up dehydration and can result in sunburns, which can increase your risk of melanoma (skin cancer). As for bug spray, Jon says it’s more of a personal choice whether or not you decide to use it. Annie, on the other hand, is not a fan of bugs, “OMG, bugs are annoying! Do you want to enjoy the hike? Be prepared for those little buggars!”

Tip#4: Shoes should be more than a fashion statement

You know what else isn’t cool? Getting a blister. Annie says, “Waterproof boots with good ankle support are the best for summer trails. It’s a good idea to buy a half size larger than you normally wear as your feet will swell when hiking. Having boots that fit properly with thick (wool is ideal) socks will help keep blisters away.” Jon says you can also help prevent blisters by wearing shoes that are already broken in. A long hike is not the place to test drive your new kicks!

Tip #5: Do your research

It’s hard to know how to gear up if you don’t know the trail conditions. Annie reminds us that there are great resources out there to help you get prepared. “Check to see if there are websites that offer information on the hike you’re going on, or buy a local hiking guide that includes trail information and directions. I like to check out websites that allow for hikers to leave their trip reports so I can be prepared for any current trail conditions (snow on the trail, trees down or other obstacles that might make a difference in how you plan for the hike). Check on Geocaching.com to see if there is useful trail information in the description of the geocaches, or if recent finders provided useful information or pictures.”

Tip #6: A smiley (or Souvenir) isn’t always worth it

Check yourself before you wreck yourself. We know that earning 31 Souvenirs in a row sounds totally awesome. But we also know that taking care of yourself (and your family, friends, and pets) should be the priority. If finding a geocache makes you feel unsafe or if keeping up the streak is taking too much away from other aspects of life, it’s okay to DNF that one. There will always be more opportunities to log a “Found it” or earn a Souvenir….so don’t sweat it too much!

baxter's new haircutjpg — Okay, this isn’t the original Old Yeller, but it is somebody’s Old Yeller. And Moun10Bike is being careful to take good care of him! (Note: Power bars are not approved for canine consumption by the American Veterinary Medical Association.)

Tip #7: Don’t forget your faithful geocaching companion Old Yeller

Your dog may like to eat hots dogs, but he sure doesn’t want to be one! Remember that your favorite geocaching companion is only “mammal” too. Brings lots of water, snacks, and love for your pet with you on the trail. Oh! And don’t forget the poop bags! No one want to FTF the little presents that your pet may decide to leave behind.

How do you keep healthy, happy, and cool as a cucumber while out on the geocaching trail? Share your tips in the comments below.

August 2, 2013 / Eric Schudiske /

Geocacher of the Month Nominees for July 2013 – Add Your Comments

The earned, never for sale, Geocacher of the Month geocoin (sun flare optional)

From geocaching community websites, to creative geocaches to inspiration for geocachers—these nominees for Featured Geocacher of the Month have it all. They’re spread across two continents and have contributed more than two decades of geocaching know-how to the adventure. This is your opportunity to help decide which will take home the earned, never for sale, Featured 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.

In June, fredrikhast, was named the Featured Geocacher of the Month for his use of use of multimedia to enhance the experience for geocachers visiting his geocaches. One geocacher wrote, “As a father of a child with mental disabilities, I know he tries to put out hides to satisfy all types of geocachers, including the ones in a wheelchair. Another thing Fredrik does for the geocaching community is vlogging about his geocaching adventures (Swedens only, in fact).”

fredrikhast - Geocacher of the Month for June 2013 — fredrikhast – Geocacher of the Month for June 2013

Now it’s your turn to help us select the next Featured Geocacher of the Month. Write a supportive comment at the bottom of this blog for the nominated geocacher that you feel should be awarded the title.

Each geocacher named below is already a winner and will receive a prize package from Geocaching HQ. A panel of folks from Geocaching HQ will then use your comments to help guide the decision of which geocacher is awarded the Featured Geocacher of the Month honor.

Here are your nominees for the July Featured Geocacher of the Month. Some testimonials have been edited for length.

De broekies

RHCV aka Ruben H. says, “That’s Robert and his wife Hemma, both playing under the name De broekies. They have a community website called Globalcaching. It’s a fantastic website and for a lot of things in association with Geocaching.com.

The 1st of July the website existed 4 years now. Four years of giving a lot of themselves by giving a lot of opportunities to the local geocaching community. It’s not only about the website and the website’s forum, but also the tools and programs they offer us to use for free. A program called GAPP (Globalcaching APPlication) is now in action for more than a year. It’s really unbelievable what you can do with it. They also put a lot of effort and money in their website. And all this just to make geocaching a little bit more enjoyable over here. Even when it’s not always that easy to go on, because of some difficulties from time to time … they just keep on going and make it as enjoyable as possible for everybody!!!

So … for all the work they’ve done so far, all the effort, all the enjoyable moments on their forum, all the help we get from them and hopefully for some several years more … I want to nominate them as geocacher of the month. Please consider this nomination because they earn it more than words can tell.”

goblindust

Debbie Eyman-Whitehead (TTUMS) writes, “Scott (goblindust) is fairly shy about his contribution to the caching community but, having been a part of one of his most technical caches and a co-host in several events, I can tell you, from a close up and personal perspective, that he puts his heart and soul into everything he does. He’s one of the few people who are genuinely good and decent and kind from both a personal and caching standpoint.

Scott’s caches are known far and wide. He puts countless hours into making a cache creative and fun for everyone. Super Pages is just one example. He wants you to find his caches and he wants you to have fun doing so.

The events he’s been involved in have always been with one express goal. “Lets have fun”. In the case of the event that he threw for Jared, the Make a Wish boy, he proved that fun and good deeds go hand in hand.”

mollov

Hristo Dakov aka dakich says, “I would like to nominate Ivelin Mollov aka mollov from Bulgaria. All it’s started back in 2010 when I first met him at the 10 years Geocaching.com event in Plovdiv. That was his first event that he organized and it was very good with a lot of caches and a lot of fun. Since then he hid more than 100 caches which is pretty much for our country. His contribution for the geocaching society in Bulgaria is huge, with his movies (about his geocaching adventures) and his stories about them, with the advertising around and last but the most important with his geocaches. His caches are always different and interesting I could say he manage to get the game to the next level around here.

He manage to combine his work as professor in Plovdiv University (biologic faculty) with the game. Always taking pictures of an animals and flowers, telling facts about them while we are searching for caches, with his knowledge about the environment he creates original caches. He even has a geocache hidden in front of his office.

Since then we have found so many caches together and he manage to invite more and more people to try this game.”

Comment below to tell us who you think should be the July Featured Geocacher of the Month. We will be accepting comments through August, 19.

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, send an email to geocacherofthemonth@geocaching.com and 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 July 15. 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.

July 31, 2013 / Derek H /

Catching a ‘Cacher — How to Build a Better…(GC29F60) — Geocache of the Week

Caught another one! Photo by geocacher Annaxxbanana

There are many types of geocachers: casual, hardcore, stealthy, adventurous—the list goes on and on. The real question becomes, with so many different types of geocachers, how do you capture their attention and draw them to your geocache? We’ve given tips and ideas for creating great geocaches in past blog posts. In fact, Geocache of the Week is written to inspire quality geocaches. The creators of How To Build a Better…(GC29F60) solved the problem head-on: if you want to capture a geocacher’s attention, why not just go for the whole geocacher?

That’s a powerful geocacher trap. Photo by geocacher whateverky

In the geocache description, the geocache creators FarmBoy&theTeacher recalled their tale of inspiration, “Awhile back we saw a picture of a unique type of cache hide and it got us thinking about the age old question: ‘How to build a better one’. Well, the ideas came and went and after much pondering we put together a plan. Then it was time to start building so we headed for the shop. Sawdust soon filled the air as the wood was cut. The steel was bent and twisted with the utmost precision. A shiny new coat of paint finished the project.”

This difficuly 1, terrain 2 geocache has not only captured many geocachers, but also their favorite points. You can see from all of the positive logs that the geocachers don’t seem to mind being “caught.” Geocacher ArBec said, “Very proud to name this one as our 100th find!!!! After only a few months of doing this, we’re on a role!! LOVED this geocache. Had heard so much about it that we had to check it out for ourselves. Probably the coolest geocache we’ve come across yet!!”

Another geocacher about to be caught. Photo by geocacher imgrendel

So far, this geocache has been found over 300 times and has earned over 115 favorite points. Another geocacher who has earned their smiley is yeahYOu, who said, “Very cool. I can see why this is a favorite cache. The kids loved this one. Took pictures. Its caches like these that inspire great ideas.”

This geocache was inspired by other geocaches. What inspires your geocache hides? 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 or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@geocaching.com.