/ Eric Schudiske /

“WWC – World Wide Cache” GC1DZFC GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – June 16th, 2010

The Starting Point for WWC - World Wide Cache, Braga City, Portugal

This cache taps into the global spirit of geocaching and the team building nature of geocachers.  The WWC – World Wide Cache sends players on an intercontinental puzzle-solving adventure.  You start and end in Portugal. The first cache in this Multi-Cache is GC1DZFC.  From there you journey to America, Africa, Australia and Asia before heading back to Portugal.

Worried about the cost of all the airline tickets? You don’t need to flex your credit card to complete this cache. Most (if not all) of those who take on this Multi-Cache never leave their home county.  They build a network of teams with members near each leg of the cache.  Each cache contains the coordinates to the next.

WWC - American Leg of World Wide Cache

SPY_Team created the cache.  Rui, from SPY Team, says his 13 year old son encouraged him to create the five physical caches around world. It took four months to bring all the teams together and place the caches. Rui says, “I think the most amazing thing about this cache was the team work.”

He says the response to the cache has been powerful, “Many people working together to find the last cache. It was the most beautiful moment in Geocaching, seeing all those people working together to find the five caches and finally celebrating the global find.”

Cache Fan,  The Spindoctors, Earthquake5683, and JAKKTeam placed and maintain the other caches.  They say it takes coordination and a focused approach.  Cache Fan says the reward is in the interaction with other cachers, “It is also very exiting for the Geocachers seeking the caches of the series to get into contact with cachers from other countries to share stories and tips.”

The geocachers who’ve completed the cache say the key is team work.  Solving a riddle in the Portugal leg leads you to the American leg (above) where you encounter another riddle.  The answer leads you to the African leg (below) and so on.

WWC - African Leg of World Wide Cache

Teams like “ROUND the WORLD” post pics of all team members when they complete the cache. So far, 20 teams have logged all legs of the entire Puzzle Cache.  What are you waiting for?  Go out and geocache around the world!

Team photo of "ROUND the WORLD"

/ Eric Schudiske /

Epic Geocaching SWAG – A Journey Inside the HQ Cache

Lackey Mike (SanNiccolo14) models what might be the best SWAG ever.

I’m always struggling to impress the Lackeys behind the reception desk here at Groundspeak with amazing and bizarre facts.  It almost never works.  They tend to trump me.  But yesterday was suppose to be different.  Unfortunately, what you’re about to read unfolded instead.

Another Lackey had just provided me with some series and unimaginable conversation ammunition.

I walked up inflated by this powerful factual nugget and stood before Sara (Gonzogrrl) and Nicole (Louie Bliss). We locked eyes. Then I just blurted it out.  “Guess what? You can buy scented bowling balls! They have cherry, vanilla, even blueberry…”  I exhaled.  “Can you believe it?!?!?”

Lackeys Sara (Gonzogrrl) and Nicole (Louie Bliss) at the reception desk

Then… nothing, not a word.

What followed was an eerie combination of  blank stares, awkward blinking and a long unfilled void of silence.  The sun rose. The sun set.  Trees outside changed colors.  The seasons marched on.

Then Sara finally spoke.  “Oh yeah, look at this.”

HQ Cache

She walked over to the treasure chest cache inside HQ.  She reached into the cache and pulled out a knitted hat. But no, this was no normal mocha colored knitted hat.  A full beard and mustache was also knitted onto the hat.

CaityPa modeling her creation
CaityPa modeling her creation

CaityPa knitted and placed, what will now be referred to as “The-Best-Lumberjack-Knitted-Cap-Swag-Ever,” in the cache just last week.  It’s a powerful fashion statement, modeled at the top of this post by Lackey Mike (SanNiccolo14).

But it begs the question, what’s the best swag you’ve ever encountered?  Any other knitted hat/bread combos out there?

It’ll be tough to dethrone The-Best-Lumberjack-Knitted-Cap-SWAG-Ever, but give it a go.  Post the story of your best SWAG find ever in the comments section below.

P.S. – This is also a cautionary tale.  We can learn something here.  You never know where the conversation will take you, when you start by talking about blueberry-scented bowling balls.  Beware.

/ Eric Schudiske /

GPS Adventure Maze – Geocaching.com’s Lost & Found Video

Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, California hosts the GPS Adventure Maze Exhibit now through September 6th. The thrill is in the hunt. Learn about geocaching, navigation and the cutting-edge Global Positioning System all while negotiating the twists and turns of a real maze.

Geocachers who attend can even log a GPS Adventure Exhibit cache.  But geocaching isn’t just indoors here.   Turtle Bay Exploration Park and the surrounding area are home to hundreds of geocaches.

The GPS Adventure Maze is the creation of Groundspeak and Minotaur Maze Exhibits.  See the Lost & Found video series, including stories of a geocache in space and the geocache diet, here.

/ Eric Schudiske /

“Geocaching Diet” A Geocaching.com Lost & Found Video

Geocaching squares off again the battle of the bulge.  Geocacher Martin Pedersen is on a diet. Martin is determined to lose 100 pounds by the end of the year.  He’s using geocaching to shed the weight.  His aim is to find 1000 geocaches and walk 2500 kilometers.  Root him on by posting a comment and sharing your geocaching weight lose stories here on our blog.  You can also track his progress and send well wishes his way on his must-read family website, http://familynavigation.com

/ Eric Schudiske /

Roadtrip? Just add Geocaching…

Lackeys and friends celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the "The Goonies" film and add geocaching to the fun

You can’t take it with you.  The adage is a common enough saying, but when it comes to geocaching, it’s an outright lie.  You can take it with you whether you’re road tripping for business or during a family holiday.

A group of Lackeys did just that this weekend.  They road tripped from Seattle, Washington USA, one state south to Oregon.

Why? The Lackeys revisited a movie at the heart of all things geocaching.  They took part in the celebration “Never Say Die – The Goonies 25th Anniversary Celebration”.

“The Goonies” is a classic location based treasure hunting film featuring a pack of outcast kids seeking a pirate’s hidden treasure with the mob in hot pursuit.  The movie based in Astoria, Oregon.  “The Goonies” is in a word, hilarious.

But what’s hilarity without sharing the fun with friends?  Enter the Lackeys.  In true geocaching tradition, they created an Event Cache.  More than 50 people showed up to share their own stories of hunting hidden treasure – though geocachers were not armed with a treasure map or chased by the mob (I hope), they were packing some serious GPS power.

Trackable t-shirts

There were also Trackables (like the t-shirts in the pictures.) trivia and trading at the Event Cache. Getting any ideas about hosting an Event Cache?

Right now, there are over four million of your geocaching friends out there in the wide world.  If your holiday travels take you to a fun and exciting destination, why not add geocaching to the equation?

You’ll be able to finally put faces to geocaching usernames and connect with local cachers.  It’s easy to create an Event Cache, just go to the Hide and Seek a Cache page.  Begin planning your Event Cache by reviewing how to Hide a Cache.

Your next road tripping adventure will multiply in fun.  Because with geocaching, you can take it with you.

Let us know, what has been your favorite Event Cache?  What’s your advice for a geocacher who’s thinking about attending their first Event Cache?