outdoors

Geocaching Update

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Not only can you discover hidden canisters full of trinkets around the globe, half of the appeal in Geocaching is hiding caches yourself and watch others enjoy your discovery. It’s fun to see people sign the logs, grab a trinket, take a trinket and add images to the cache’s digital logs.

Sadly, however, things happen to these hidden caches such as weather or muggles (non-players.) I had to archive another hide this morning so now I am only down to two. I have a few more hides I need to scout locations for and create but I am waiting for other things to happen first.

Only two left, not counting the virtual caches I have created (not shown)
This little sucker has traveled almost 1,200 miles!
GeoDenbow’s Globe-trotting Travel Bug #TB2AEXR
A sneaky hide underneath a highway guardrail

Geocaching
Geocaching is a treasure hunting game where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers with other participants in the activity. Geocaching.com is the listing service for geocaches around the world.
Geocaching

Human Feeders

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I think it was Kleon who used the phrase “human bird feeders” to describe those places that attract and feed us. A Little Free Library certainly counts as a feeding place. We ventured out for some geocaching after lunch today and had a 2-for-1 special in that while we were looking for a hidden cache it was inside the LFL. Bonus: I found a title that is currently on my “to be read” list called Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Now I can scratch that one off of my public library hold request list.

I can also check two more geocaches from local hiding places. Love it.

What are some other “human bird feeders” that attract us and make us pause?

Sneaky hide
Easy grab and go cache hidden under a rock

Mojo Island Geocache

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GCA06T7 has been upgraded with a new container and is even more secured. I placed a tiny cache on the island last year but was concerned with rising water levels. So last week I dropped an ammo box filled with all sorts of treasures and a new log, then secured it with lock and chain. It should be around a long time for other intrepid visitors to discover!

Just south of Route 66 in the river.

Mojo Island (GCA06T7)

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With my friends joining me, I have claimed an island in the middle of the Arkansas river as my own and renamed it “Mojo Island.” After verifying GPS coordinates, I placed a container full of treasure and a log for those intrepid explorers who follow me. From the geocache description:

This geocache is rated as a  5/5. Not everyone may be able to attempt this cache. It will require walking down rocks, wading, or possibly swimming in river water currents (not suggested) You may have to use a canoe or kayak to access Mojo’s island. Either way, you need to understand that you assume the risk. Myself, nor Geocaching.com/Groundspeak can be held responsible for your decision to attempt to retrieve this cache. You are looking for a container on the island itself. It could have a tendency to leak, especially in high water, so if you cannot sign it then a photo of you and the container will qualify as a smiley in your log. Due to the nature of the terrain and difficulty level, photographic proof is required in addition to the signing of the log. Please send images to me directly instead of in the geocache log. Good luck and stay safe out there as there are potentially sharp rocks along the shorelines. 

– Geo Mojo, host of Mojo’s Island

I’ll be headed back to Mojo island as soon as I have found a more suitable container, more treasure to add to it and even a human skeleton that I will chain to a tree as a waypoint for future explorers to discover.

Wandering Equipment Checklist

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Wandering is simply spending some time walking as therapy, silencing your cell phone and exploring an area near you. There is more to it, of course (look up The Wander Society online). But for now, here is a simple checklist.

  • notepad, pen
  • TWS book as inspiration
  • comfy shoes, sunscreen, glasses, hat
  • camera 
  • grab bag for collecting nature 

Solvitur Ambulando