Tag: Souvenirs

/ Eric Schudiske

New Video: How to Hide a Geocache

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Words, words, words, who needs them when you’re staring at a fresh-out-of-the-oven video about How to Hide a Geocache?Check out the new video from Geocaching HQ that’s full of easy-to-use ideas and tips for placing a well-loved geocache. The payoff for the maker (you?) of a cleverly hidden geocache comes from “Found it!” logs containing heaps of praise for the inspirational adventure and lifelong memories. Well done! Quick check: Still reading? Haven’t watched this video yet? Okay, here are some more words.

After the success of Geocaching Maker Madness, with nearly 1000 events around the world, Geocaching HQ wants to set you up for success with this new How to Hide a Geocache video. Need a little more inspiration? Check out this Geocaching blog post, with ideas to create a geocache that keeps people talking. Okay, and last chance, Watch. The. New. Hider. Video.  And then share your ideas for great hides on the Geocaching Facebook page.

 

 

/ Eric Schudiske /

Geocaching.com and Geocaching App Downtime on Tuesday, April 8

MailerImage_040714_Maintainence_vFINAL_mailerGeocaching.com and the Geocaching apps will be temporarily offline on April 8. We’re adding horsepower and beefing-up* Geocaching.com and our apps. They’ll both be much more stable after the upgrade. The site outage is expected to run about six hours starting at about 2pm PDT (convert to your local time here).

Yeah, you read that right. Apologies, six hours is a little bit of time right? So, during that time you have a two-part assignment, if you choose to accept it. Step 1: Load up your Pocket Queries and offline lists so you can still go geocaching. Step 2: Use that time to get inspired to “make” an amazing geocache. Check out this blog post with all you need to know.

*technical jargon

/ Paige Edmiston

Makers’ Secrets Revealed: Blueprints for 3 Amazing Geocache Hides

3 Amazing DIY Geocache Hides Revealed

 

Geocachers who attended one (or more!) of the 900+ events held around the world during Maker Madness, gained a glimpse into the inner-workings of the crazy-creative minds of geocache makers. They learned how to make clever hides, like camouflaging a container to look like a rock or tree or set up the ultimate Multi-Cache.

A few of these great geocaching minds agreed to share the secret sauce behind their coolest creations with us. So yeah, please DO try these at home.

Fogg working on "Geocache on the Rocks"
Fogg working on “Geocache on the Rocks”

Geocache on the Rocks by Fogg

fogg is a geocacher from Schallstadt, Germany known for his ingenious hides. To make Geocache on the Rocks, Fogg utilized a little thing called “physical computing.” Take a look at what geocachers have to say about this geocache:

rabbitredux: TFTC! What a truly amazing cache. I have never seen anything like it before!

BiblioMo: I thought I’d seen it all in Geocaching until today. WP1 was extremely cool and ingenious.

Check out these step-by-step instructions to recreate your own Geocache on the Rocks.

Click for a PDF of Geocache on the Rocks
Click for a PDF of Geocache on the Rocks

 

 

A SHOCKING Cache by WVTim

WVTim is a geocacher from West Virginia who has racked up an impressive 5100 Favorite Points. He’s known for his gadget style hides, like a SHOCKING Cache. Here’s what geocachers are saying:

smitfam4: Another clever cache, my kids don’t understand how you come up with these ideas.

Steve105: Thanks for the shocking experience.

Check out these step-by-step instructions to recreate your own SHOCKING Cache.

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Click to see a PDF on how to build A SHOCKING Geocache

 

Schrader’s Ode to Dayspring by Herr Potter

Herr Potter is the local, Seattle geocacher featured in Geocaching’s video Thank You to the Geocache Hiders. As its name implies, his geocache Schrader’s Ode to Dayspring was inspired by another awesome Seattle hider, Dayspring, and his Totally Tubular geocache series. Read what geocachers are saying:

wants to fly: Very nicely done. Impressive workmanship.

benandjayme: What a fantastically fun idea for a cache! We had a great time retrieving the cache with our co-workers. There was dancing, singing, worm admiring, and log signing! Thanks for bringing us here and sharing your creativity!

Check out these step-by-step instructions to recreate your own Schrader’s Ode to Dayspring.

Click to see a PDF of "Schrader's Ode to Dayspring"
Click to see a PDF of “Schrader’s Ode to Dayspring

 

Share your ideas for inspirational geocaches in comments below!

/ Eric Schudiske /

Geocache Hider: Tips to Level Up Your Geocache

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Revisit Your Geocaches, Leave Them Feeling New

 

Let’s paint a mental picture: on cold, dark, rainy, frost-bitten, locust-infested nights—and all other nights—your geocache waits, hoping for intrepid explorers to sign the logbook. But if your geocache is lonelier than you expected, it might ultimately be waiting for a very special someone: you. Geocaches don’t just require maintenance; some may need some more tender loving care. If your geocache isn’t getting the “Found it!” after “Found it!” logs you think it deserves, there are options to help up the find count.

  • Rewrite the description: Be creative, add some humor, local insight and upload a few pictures to the geocache page.
  • If you’re not fundamentally changing the experience, choosing a sturdier container or adding a splash of personality to your geocache will help cultivate Favorite Points and lead more people to your adventure.
  • Double-check your coordinates. People might be trying to find your geocache, but are led astray.
  • Did you choose a container size on your geocache page? If the container is listed as “size not chosen” it might discourage people from searching for your geocache.
  • Get advice from a notable geocache maker in your neighborhood, attend a Maker Madness event to up-level your geocaching hiding game.
  • And if you’re not interested in maintaining the geocache anymore, it’s okay to archive your geocache and open up the location to other hiders, or even adopt it out to another geocacher.  ​

What advice would you offer to new geocache hiders? Share your maker advice in comments below or on the Geocaching Facebook page.

/ Eric Schudiske /

Dear (Aspiring) Geocache Hider: Earn a Souvenir

MailerImage_03102014_MakerMadness_vFINAL_blog (1)You’ve found geocaches that leave you in awe, now unlock the secrets of making those creative geocache hides. Celebrate Maker Madness. Hundreds of Maker Madness events around the world aim to inspire geocachers. Learn the magical formula that weaves innovative containers, inspiring locations and powerful storytelling into creative geocache hides. While amazing geocaches live on and on, Maker Madness is for a limited time only. It runs from March 28 through April 7. Everyone logging an “Attended” for a Maker Madness event earns a digital “Maker” souvenir for their geocaching profile.

Visit the Maker Madness Event Center to find an event near you, or find out how to create your own Maker Madness event. Now “Go Forth and Create”!