My 13-year-old son has a private blog where he records his thoughts to share with only his closest friends...and his mom. I check in occasionally and this morning I found an entry that I knew I had to post here. My family and I have found a great pastime to share with each other. It is called Geocaching. You go online and find coordinates for a "hidden treasure" and use a handheld GPS device to find it. It is seriously fun and addictive. The caches are everywhere; we've found them in small tourist spots and in remote mountain locations. I hear there are even a couple on Mt. Everest! I wish I could describe the excitement we all feel when we find one of these caches. I have wanted to blog about it myself for some time, but always get distracted. My son beat me to the punch! With his permission, I am sharing his blog entry here. My technogeeky, 13-year-old goes by "Elmer" online, although that isn't his real name. He is such a crackup!Here are a couple of links to more information Geocaching that can be found online, although there are many more. Use goodsearch as your search engine and have fun!
And now, without further ado, my son's blog:
I just thought I'd tell you a little bit about Geocaching. Geocaching is a family game. In this game you, not the computer, are the search engine.
There are boxes with at least a pen and piece of paper inside them. The paper is for you to "log" your visit. Also, in some caches there are little trinkets such as quarters, kid's meal toys, $3 bills, etcetera. You bring a bag of trinkets and if you want to, you exchange one of your trinkets for a trinket of (hopefully) equal or lesser value. Some people don't even take anything, they just leave a trinket.
Elmer's Recommendations
To start geocaching you need two things: 1. A GPS, and 2. Web Access. If you are new to the sport, I would recommend a Garmin eTrex yellow as a starter GPS. I use it. A guy who found 1,000 caches uses it. It is inexpensive so If you try geocaching and do not like it you don't lose hundreds of dollars. I recommend a day bag or fanny-pack-type of bag. If you are going caching and need more room, use a fannypack or a school backpack that is empty.
What to Pack
My dad and I pack two 2 liter bottles of water, a rain poncho(one per person), a big Buck knife, Kodak EasyShare DX7630 (OPTIONAL), and a bag with: a razor blade, pair of gloves, flint and steel, Mini Mag-Light, duct tape, matches, magnetic compass, cotton balls, extra flashlight, a big multi tool, Ziploc bag with trade items, a pen, and a Bag of candy (rejuvenation purposes). In my pockets are a Leatherman Micra, hanky, chap stick, and wallet. I have no clue what's in my dad's pockets, he could pull a canoe out of his back pocket and I wouldn't be surprised. In my hands are a Garmin eTrex Yellow and The cache page(s), which are both sometimes in my pockets. We have never run into trouble before. Also optional are a map and compass, pen or pencil and paper, small amounts of food, spare batteries, and a flashlight.
What to Wear
"The best way to deal with lots of temperatures is to layer" - Tyrell Seavey, professional Musher and Iditarod racer.
If you are in cold weather, wear 1. A Base Layer, 2. Mid Layer, 3. Outer Layer. A base layer is long underwear and long t-shirt. It has to be pretty tight. This is to wick away any sweat, which will cause you to get colder. It should be wool or synthetic fiber. A mid layer is usually fleece, wool, or down. Seavey said, "Spend the most for your mid layer". The mid layer is responsible for most of your insulation. An Outer layer is a hard or soft shell defense from wind and other weather. If it's wet use a hard shell. If it's dry, use a soft shell. Anything will work for a hard shell, a trash bag with head and arm holes, a jacket, pretty much Anything. A soft shell is the main type for any weather. You need to wear hiking boots. When buying hiking boots you need to try on as many as humanly possible. "Hike" the store for 10 minutes per pair. If it is winter, get a boot with some extra toe room for blood circulation. It's better to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it. In other words, it's okay if you're boots are a bit bulky. Just break them in and they will be comfy. Kick the floor while wearing the boots or shoes while in the store. If your toe touches the floor, think about your toes, will they hit the shoe when walking downhill?
"If you want dry socks; layer. Wear a thin neoprene or silk sock liner next to your skin. Then, slip your foot inside a plastic grocery bag. Sounds weird, but it creates an inexpensive light weight vapor barrier" - Jeff Mathy, a professional mountaineer
In warmer weather you don't need to worry about all that, just throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and you're good. That is, unless there is a chance of cooler weather or rain. In said situation, you need to be prepared.
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