We started Geocaching back in 2007. We had read about it online and thought it was a great way to get outside and challenge our sense of awareness. Our Son was interested so we started locally when we lived in Florence and really enjoyed it. Over the years our interest is on again/off again – but we still enjoy the activity.

Hidden Covered Bridges off the main roads are common Geocaching spots

Oddly enough – we didn’t do much at all in 2020 – even though it would have been the perfect year for it. I think our weekends were just too packed with other activities to give it much real thought.

Bridge opening a Geocache in central Oregon this summer

For anyone who has not heard of Geocaching, it’s an outdoor activity where someone hides a container. Using GPS coordinates another person will search for the cache. The goal is to find and log as many as possible. It’s wildly diverse, there are urban caches, forest caches, desert caches, some have some pretty hefty requirements to find it (e.g. diving in a lake) and others are very simple (take a picture of a particular place).

Always some neat stuff out there near cache sites. This is near an old failed earthen dam on Sisemore Road by Sisters Oregon

In some situations the caches are educational – often linked to historic places and some caches even require a cache finder to answer specific questions. While sometimes the terrain can be difficult – many caches are designed for those with reduced mobility and for any age group.

Not all caches are physical hides, this one is a special one where you visit and photograph yourself with the Plummer Building Doors at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota – there is an interesting history behind these.

It’s open to anyone worldwide and can be done for a minimal cost if you have a smartphone. Take a look at Geocaching.com for more information on how you can get started.

If you are an extremely data-driven nerd like IT analysts – below is our most recent Caching stats in every flavor and table imaginable:

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Posted: February 16, 2021

Category: Exploration