Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Something to do any time: Geocaching!

If you're looking for a way to get a little physical activity, one thing you can do is geocache. Geocaching is "a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game." This is an activity that does not cost anything. All you need to do is find out where a cache is located and start searching for it! You can do this by searching on www.geocaching.com or by installing an application on your smartphone.

There are several geocaches to be found in Huntsville. Just type the zip code into the search box on the geocaching website and it will list all of the caches in the area. The search results page will give you everything you need to know about the cache: description, difficulty/terrain, when it was placed, and when it was last found. Most importantly, it gives you the GPS coordinates, which tell you where to locate the cache. Just type the coordinates into your GPS device or into maps.google.com. If you have a smartphone, you can download apps that will allow you to search for caches. I have a BlackBerry Torch and used the app "Geocache Navigator." It worked pretty well. If you do not want to pay for an app, just get the coordinates from geocaching.com and then put them into a map program on your phone or into your GPS.

If none of this is making sense, or if you just want to read more about it, go here for a helpful brochure/guide made by the people of geocaching.com!

If you would like to start out easy, go to geocaching.com, search for caches in zip code 77340, then choose "Forgotten Lovers." It is located in the cemetery on Montgomery Road. There is also a cache in Gibbs Park:



If you take something, try to leave something! Also, try to leave something cool! These caches in Huntsville have a lot of junk in them! Haha. Happy geocaching!

No comments:

Post a Comment