Note: Click HERE for a tool to help with managing your "not yet found" cache list.
You can read all about it at 
www.geocaching.com or HERE but before you click away here's a brief description:
Basically, geocaching is a high-tech version of hide-and-seek. Geocachers seek out hidden treasures utilizing GPS coordinates posted on the Internet by those hiding the cache. Using a GPS unit, they then trek out into the backwoods or urban jungles to find the hiding spot of the cache. Once discovered, geocachers follow a simple set of rules: Fill out the logbook, take something out, put something back in, and return the cache to the exact position and condition in which it was found. It can be as simple as walking to an open area at a local park or as difficult as searching for multiple locations to find the final prize. Some caches have even been planted on mountainsides or underwater! And it's growing and evolving as a new gaming activity every day.
Anyone can play who has the two necessary components: an internet connection (which you must already have else it would be difficult to read this page!) and a hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.
While it's beyond the scope of this page to fully describe GPS and why you should care, I've taken a shot at it; you can click HERE for my description.
A GeoCache (I'll call it "cache" for short from here on) is a waterproof container filled with small items - just about anything - plus a notebook and pen or pencil. A cache owner finds a spot to place his cache that offers a challenge (varying from "hardly any" to "quite difficult") and then publishes the longitude and latitude coordinates of where he placed it on a website (same link as above but dont' click away just yet). Along with the coordinates (which he gets from his GPS receiver) he includes a description of the cache and, if it's difficult to find, hints. That's it (from the placement point of view).
So what do you do (as a potential cache finder)?
You visit www.geocaching.com and enter a city name or zipcode or keyword and the website lists nearby caches.
You print out the description pages for the ones you plan to visit, put on your outdoor clothing, take your GPS receiver in hand -- and go find the GeoCache.
When you find it, you log your entry in the cache logbook, take something from the cache and leave something else, return home and log your visit on the cache's web page.
It's great fun (all problem-solving is fun, right? Right?) and it gets you and the family outdoors with a purpose.
Is GeoCaching popular?
A this writing there are more than 75,000 GeoCaches in more than 180 countries! That's right. No matter where you live there are caches nearby.
Caches in the US?:
What else? There are multi-caches where the coordinates take you to a hint and the hint may give you another set of coordinates, etc., etc.
There are "theme" caches where the cache owner asks that it be used only for hotwheels model cars or writing instruments or (in one of Rich's caches) collector pins.
And there are "virtual" caches where it would be impractical or illegal to leave a container. In those cases, when you get to the coordinates there's a question that you can answer. You email the answer (or answers) to the cache owner and they validate your log entry.
Have I confused you? HERE is a link to the FAQ on the www.geocaching.com website.
Being a techie in the first place, the whole "hi-tech scavenger hunt" thing caught my attention right away. And, surprisingly, Gael thought it would be cool to do as well!
Get involved; it's great fun!
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Next you'll need to acquire a GPS receiver. These range in price from about $100 to about $1000. Don't worry. The under-$300 units work just fine for GeoCaching; the rest of the features are nice-to-haves but any Garmin or Magellan receiver will work. I use the Garmin eTrex Venture; Rich uses the Garmin eTrex Legend. There are six different Garmin eTrex models with varying features and cost and you can check 'em out by clicking HERE and clicking on "eTrex Family Showcase".
Magellan and Garmin each have their supporters; kinda like Ford and Chevy.
You can buy a unit from many mass retailers and lots of places online. The best prices are usually found at www.gpsdiscount.com. I bought mine on eBay...
You should dress appropriately for the climate and expected terrain. Long sleeves and long pants are a good idea if there's bushwhacking expected or poison ivy, oak or sumac in the area.
Click HERE to learn about this.
You want one four feet long or longer, lightweight and strong. I swear by the Sassafras sticks made by my good friends Jim and Jackie Hoff in St. Louis, MO. Click HERE to see my stick (and a couple of others the Hoffs have made). They are very reasonably priced and include a "what if I get lost" whistle -- and they even carve your name! Truly. Write to them by clicking HERE to find out how to get one of your own.
in many of my logs:
April 25, 2002-- with RichApril 29, 2002-- in Hilton Head w/GaelMay 22, 2002-- with RichMay 24, 2002-- in Louisville, TN w/Gael, Newsom & Beverly May 25, 2002-- I placed my first cache! June 1, 2002-- with BillJune 4, 2002-- with RichJuly 21, 2002-- with BillJuly 24, 2002-- in Kennesaw w/Heather & Chelsea August 25, 2002-- with Bill & Rich September 8, 2002-- with BillSeptember 9, 2002-- with RichSeptember 13, 2002-- with Bill September 15, 2002-- with BillOctober 28, 2002-- I placed my first virtual cacheNovember 1, 2002-- with RichNovember 4, 2002-- with Rich & WinstonNovember 4, 2002-- I placed my second virtual cacheNovember 8, 2002-- with Winston November 9, 2002-- with Bill, Rich & InaNovember 11, 2002-- with PeteNovember 12, 2002-- with RichNovember 23, 2002-- with MattDecember 12, 2002-- with RichFebruary 2, 2003-- with BillMarch 10, 2003-- with RichMarch 22, 2003-- with RichApril 3, 2003-- with RichMay 12, 2003-- with RichJune 10, 2003-- with Rich & PeteJune 15, 2003-- with BillJune 17, 2003-- with RichJune 22, 2003-- with Bill August 8, 2003-- with Rich, Newsom & Fred September 5, 2003-- with Bill September 16, 2003-- I place my first microcache October 2, 2003-- with RichOctober 3, 2003-- I place my second microcache!October 6, 2003-- I place my third fourth microcaches!October 8, 2003-- I place my fourth and fifth microcaches!October 14, 2003-- With Rich in Calhoun, GAOctober 27, 2003-- With Grandson Spencer in Santa Rosa, CAFebruary 26, 2004-- With Friend Quay in Bozeman, MontanaMarch 22, 2004-- With RichMarch 30, 2004-- With Rich and geo-novice Bob AllphinApril 5, 2004-- With RichApril 6, 2004-- With RichApril 15, 2004-- With WinstonSeptember 15, 2006-- With Gael
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