Geocaching, or Walking With a Goal in Mind

We've discovered GEOCACHING and had great success our very first day. In fact, our first day was a hat trick: we managed to find all three of our first caches within about three hours. In the process we collected a "geocoin", a couple of "DSTs" (dumb stupid toys similar to McDonalds kids meals junk) and a "tracking bug" (a metal dog tag with an engraved number that you can track on the Internet. Ours started in Georgia wth stops in NM, OK, MO and WI on its way to MN). And here's our dirty little secret: we don't even own a GPS unit!

Realistically we could call (and did call our excursions) GoogleCaching. Using Google Maps in the Hybrid mode, we were able to see the approximate locations of the caches. The satellite photos were able to give us clues (such as the really big shadow must be the tallest tree in the little pocket of woods about 20 yards from the cache and the cache is parallel to the first row of parking spots to the west of the woodlot, etc.). GeoPurists would probably call us infidels—or maybe not; they don't strike me as the name-calling types.

So, what does this have to do with creativity? By the conclusion of our second successful cache hunt, I was already planning the day when we would plant a cache of our own. It will have to wait until we do own a GPS device because you have to post the coordinates of your cache. I'm thinking of themed caches: "Harry Potter" memorablillia exchanged at the cache site or photos of your pets. Or how about the idea of a "BaudelaireCache", with a series of unfortunate caches you track down in order, with the coordinates for each successive one located in the previous one. All for fun and creativity! Not to mention another excuse to get out and enjoy the Minnesota spring.