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Looking for a little fun outdoors with the family but haven’t a clue what to do?  Geocaching could be the answer. The first thought that came to my mind when I heard that word was, “What in the world is geocaching?”. It’s still relatively unheard of in the U.S. thought it is gaining steadily in popularity. Geocashing is basically a modern day treasure hunt using a GPS device. The name of the game is to locate a hidden container, also known as a “geocache” at a specific location outdoors. These geocaches are hidden in a variety of locations. Currently, there are over 680,000 caches hidden throughout the world. The contents of which differ according to the difficulty and effort put into finding them. After a geocache is found, the finder typically writes about their experience on the official geocaching site and replaces what was found inside the cache with something of equal value for the next seeker to find. Therefore, there is no need to worry about someone finding a cache before you and wasting a trip.  Geocaches have been known to hold everything from letters to cash. There are many different locations to choose from varying in difficulty. For the beginner, I would recommend something with an easy terrain and a low level of difficulty. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start getting in shape before one of these adventures either. Many require a lot of hiking and climbing so being in fair physical condition is recommended. I don’t recommend this as an adventure for family with young children due to the physical activity demanded and somewhat remote locations of the geocaches. However, for families with older kids, this is a great way to get outdoors, get in shape, and spend some quality time together. 

For more information on geocaching and locations of caches near you (or anywhere you’d like to go), you can visit their official site at  www.geocaching.com

Who knows what you might bring home?  Happy hunting!

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