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In This Issue...
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Travel
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Geocaching " America’s Newest Treasure Hunt
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Geocaching " America’s Newest Treasure Hunt
By Melanie Anderson
Sssh! It’s a secret. Treasure hunters know what I’m talking about. But maybe you don’t?
My sister Karen recently introduced me to the sport of geocaching when she came to visit from Southern California. Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for those who love the outdoors and playing a high-tech version of hide ‘n seek by using a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit.
She brought her portable GPS, a printout from the Internet, and we were on our way.
“Geo” stands for geography and “cache” means concealing and preserving provisions in hiking/camping terms. Geocaching players use GPS to hide and find a stash of rewards. According to the website geocaching.com, the sport began in 2000 when the first container of goodies was hidden by someone near Portland. Since then the game has grown worldwide.
Karen knew from the website that someone had hidden “treasure” near the confluence of the middle and north forks of the American River near Auburn. What better way to hike around the river, enjoy our day and find a little treasure too?
We didn’t park where the coordinates told us to (because we needed to use the outhouse) and therefore we began the adventure heading the wrong direction. But that’s the fun of it! We were supposed to be on a certain trail, but we weren’t sure which one. Karen suggested we start by following the arrow on the compass of the GPS.
Since I was new to geocaching, Karen let me wear the GPS around my neck. A GPS unit can determine approximate location anywhere on the planet via satellites. Some units have maps, built-in compasses and voice navigation. Karen spent about $140 on hers. I kept constant vigilance on the unit, which directed us which way to turn.
A Few Glitches
The idea is simple " set the GPS to the coordinates given and follow the arrow on the compass. However, the arrow didn’t take into consideration the topography of the area. It led us right to the river and we were still about a half mile from the treasure. We were on the wrong trail and the wrong fork of the river. We walked over the bridge and headed down another trail, this time in the right direction. And we were hiking on a trail I’d never seen before " a narrow, rocky dirt path above the river.
Karen was enjoying the butterflies, wild flowers, and watching the flow of the river. I kept my eye on the GPS and monitored our progress as we got closer. When a couple of bikers went by, we jumped off the trail into the weeds to make way.
Karen explained the rules. Don’t let hikers, bicyclists or other adventurers see what you are doing. The treasure is supposed to remain a secret. That way it doesn’t become vandalized by those not playing the game.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I asked pointing at the GPS hanging around my neck.
“People think it’s a camera,” she explained.
Every few feet, I announced we were getting closer. I became more confident. We’re stealth, we’re smart, we’re on a mission, and we will succeed! I won’t go home until we’ve found the treasure.
So Close, and Yet So Far
The GPS will determine how far it is by tenths of a mile, then by feet. When the measurement changed to feet, I started getting excited. We’d been on the trail for about a quarter of a mile. When we should have reached the area where the treasure was hidden, the numbers started going back up.
“Uh oh,” Karen said. She pointed across the river. We could see a park bench, one of the clues we were supposed to be on the lookout for.
“If it were the middle of summer, we could just swim across,” I said wistfully.
We reversed our steps and hiked back. In the parking lot, we got into the car and drove to another lot, then resumed our hike " this time on the right side of the river. Once we got to the park bench, we knew we were close.
We left the trail and started hunting in a stream bed. Within 10 feet of the target, the GPS quits working accurately.
“It freaks out,” Karen said. “Now we’re on our own.”
We surveyed the area critically, looking for a sawed log, one of the clues. We found two huge sawed logs and started lifting rocks. No treasure.
We spent several minutes searching the area without success. I was a bit worried about lifting rocks that might be homes to creatures I didn’t want to meet.
We studied the clues again:
“Don’t move the log or other seekers might be barking up the wrong tree.” Hmmm … I looked around again, searching for trees, sawed logs, a good hiding place. Then I saw it " a small sawed log that could be easily moved. Underneath it was a pile of rocks " a small cave perfect for hiding a cache.
My sister moved a rock, and wow, we found treasure! The small plastic container contained a trove of trinkets, a small pad of paper and a note which informs people about geocaching in case the treasure is found by accident. We added our names and the date to the logbook " a list of people who have successfully found the cache.
Someone had been there just the day before. We took a small clip from the container and placed a small, hand-crotched butterfly in its place. The rules of geocaching are simple: take a treasure and leave a treasure, then put the container back in its hiding place. Let no one else see what you are doing. We tried to look casual when a group of CCC workers walked by.
I was hooked. We raised our arms in victory. We are treasure hunters!
But shhhh … it’s a secret.
[Editor’s Note: Melanie Anderson lives in the Sierra Foothills with her two children. A former newspaper reporter, she now enjoys travel writing and seeking new adventures. She is a contributing author to “Chocolate for a Woman’s Blessings,” “Chocolate for a Woman’s Dreams” and “HOPE: True Stories of Answered Prayers.”
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