{"id":770,"date":"2010-09-02T14:01:24","date_gmt":"2010-09-02T21:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/?p=770"},"modified":"2016-01-15T16:43:51","modified_gmt":"2016-01-16T00:43:51","slug":"geocaching-evolution-the-themed-multi-cache","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/2010\/09\/geocaching-evolution-the-themed-multi-cache\/","title":{"rendered":"Geocaching Evolution – The Themed Multi-Cache"},"content":{"rendered":"

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FBZ A.P.E. 51; Stone of the Lost Valley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Near a FBZ cache<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The geocaching spectrum runs from the ease of drive-up light pole caches all the way into the dark world of mind-bending themed Multi-Caches<\/a>.\u00a0 The geocaches like the “Forbidden Zone Geocaches<\/a>” (FBZ) around San Diego, California push geocachers to their mental and physical extremes.<\/p>\n

It took two years for Jim Epler (SGTF<\/a>) to create the complex and conspiracy-laden series of seven geocaches.<\/p>\n

Jim says FBZ draws inspiration from the Project A.P.E. caches<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Seven caches are hidden in and around San Diego.\u00a0 The story line for the FBZ geocaches has players assume the role of an agent investigating a link between extraterrestrials and primates, and possibly uncovering plans for an alien invasion.<\/p>\n

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FBZ Clue\/Prop (No animals were harmed in the making of this cache)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clues and passwords at each cache advance players through the game.\u00a0 The players must register through the Forbidden Zone Geocache<\/a> website. The registration is only to keep score.\u00a0 All the geocaches are available through Geocaching.com.\u00a0 The first six geocaches do not have to be found in any particular order to uncover coordinates for the final cache.<\/p>\n

When asked why he created such an involved geocache, Jim jokingly says, “because I didn’t know any better!”<\/p>\n

But he says creating the Multi-Cache was two years well spent: “For me, the fun was in the creative process, not necessarily the end result. I looked at it as an enjoyable hobby which comprises a number of things I like to do including web site development, photography and graphics design, research, prop building, science fiction, storytelling, urban exploration, and hiking.”<\/p>\n

The caches were hidden in 2008. More than a dozen geocachers have attempted the series and many completed all seven caches.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
FBZ Clue <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jim hopes that people finish the cache without absorbing too much of the conspiracy.\u00a0 He says, “I hope visitors are able to appreciate the ‘tongue and cheek’ humor which was my foundation for the entire project. I wrote the ‘top secret’ documents from the perspective of a paranoid conspiracy theorist, and all the stuff used to support this ridiculous storyline is just one long outrageous spoof.”<\/p>\n

What do you think, would you ever attempt a themed Multi-Cache? Have you encountered other caches like this?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The geocaching spectrum runs from the ease of drive-up light pole caches all the way into the dark world of mind-bending themed Multi-Caches.\u00a0 The geocaches like the “Forbidden Zone Geocaches” (FBZ) around San Diego, California push geocachers to their mental and physical extremes. It took two years for Jim Epler (SGTF) to create the complex…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[134,53,35],"tags":[152],"series":[],"class_list":["post-770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community","category-extreme-geocaching","category-movie-references","tag-extreme-geocaching"],"episode_featured_image":false,"episode_player_image":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/inside-geocaching-hq-podcast","embedCode":"

Geocaching Evolution – The Themed Multi-Cache<\/a><\/blockquote>