By Russ and Tina De Maris

Global Positioning Satelites beam down the secrets

As we wandered through the desert wash, every bush began to look like the last one. Stumbling over rocks at times, I began to wonder if maybe we were going in circles. I took a quick peak at the "bread crumb" trail on the instrument in my hand. Sure enough -- we we're going around in circles! Lunch time must have slipped past a long while ago, and my companion was beginning to make noises about needing to make a "comfort stop." All of this for a lousy cat toy and a bunch of rocks?

No. All of this for the thrill of the hunt and the finding of the cache. It was our first successful attempt at geocaching -- perhaps the newest sport for RVers and outdoor lovers of all backgrounds.

Too Many Big Macs
What is this geocaching? "Gee-oh-cashing" if you will, is an outdoor adventure game with a high-tech twist: You'll need a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver, one of those little gismos that can tell you just where you are at any point on the face of the earth. Uncle Sam has kindly placed an array of satellites in the heavens, each transmitting information that the GPS unit uses to tell you your latitude, longitude, and altitude above sea-level, accurate to within a few feet.

Your mission, if you decide to accept it, is to take a set of map coordinates, plug them into your GPS receiver, then go find the treasure (or geocache) at the specified location. While it sounds easy, getting there is a whole 'nother matter. In our case, after bumping over seven miles of dusty washboard road, we were within 200 feet of our geocache. It took us almost an hour to make those last 200 feet and locate a little green box, loaded with knickknacks and a log book.

Not all geocaches are hidden in trees in the middle of a desert wash. Urban caches may be taped under a bench in the middle of a shopping center. Other geocache games don't have a hidden treasure, but may instead be a monument or grave stone, from which you'll obtain information to prove you actually found the mark. For the really adventurous, finding a cache may require the use of a scuba tank, or even technical climbing gear. With literally thousands of geocaches the world around, there are caches to appeal to both young and old, those physically svelte, and to those of us who've had a few too many Big Macs.

Pick A Stash
So how do you know where to look? Fire up your computer and log onto the world's official geocache site at www.geocaching.com. Here folks who create caches -- essentially hide a geocache -- register their cache. Looking for a cache near you? Just enter your zip code, and the web site's search engine will direct you to geocaches within a reasonable distance. Or enter a state, even a country, and you'll get back a list of potential places to start looking.

Each cache has its own unique name, given it by its creator. Our cache was called "Rockhound Exchange," based on the majority of the contents of the cache. Others base their names on general locations, such as "Above Mission Gorge," in California. Others seemingly taunt, like one in the Netherlands called "Out in the Open." A scale of difficulty on both finding the cache and how tough the terrain will help you sort out which geocache you want to chase after. Grab your GPS, area maps, and a buddy and you're ready to go. Want to play along?

The Rules Are Simple
Many RVers have invested in computerized GPS systems--they hook a GPS antenna on their laptop computer, and with it they can 'map their way' from one address to the next. Is the laptop GPS the way to your first geocache? Hear the voice of experience--wandering around in loose sand, a GPS antenna on top of your sun hat, your laptop cradled in your arms -- is not the way to find a geocache. Trust us -- we didn't find the cache, and we almost dumped the laptop when stepping into a hole. Our laptop GPS system helps us greatly to narrow down the search and pick some possible roads for getting to the cache, but leave it in your rig once you've parked.

A handheld GPS unit is the ideal tool for geocaching, and they come in a variety of flavors. A basic $100 unit is really all you need to find a cache. Adding more whistles and bells like built-in compasses, on-screen topographic maps, etcetera, will help, and might be something to consider if you really find you like the sport.

While you're logged onto the geocaching site be sure to read the "stash notes" for your site--they're useful hints left by the cache creator. Those who've found the site may also leave comments, but beware -- sometimes people throw in a few red herrings -- called "spoilers" -- just to confuse!

Depending on your GPS unit's ability, plugging in the map coordinates may show you a map of the area -- getting close is easy. If not, and you don't have computerized mapping program, other internet "map sites" will provide you with a basic map of the area of your stash. Armed with the information, you'll need to make a judgment call on whether or not you need a local map. The harder the terrain rating, the more likely you'll want a topographic map. Although your GPS unit will tell you how far from the stash you are, it won't tell you if you have to climb up a rock face to get there!

Drive as close to the stash as you're able. Here it's best to mark your rig's location as a GPS waypoint (a specified location in the unit's memory). In the thrill of the chase, it's all too easy to forget how to get back to the car. Now work your way toward the cache, and when close, pay particular attention not so much as to direction as to distance. Walking around in a circle -- at first rather inadvertently -- helped us find our first cache. A compass -- despite its low-tech reputation -- can also help out when you get real close.

The last few feet can be the worst. You know you've got to be on top of it, but where is it? Here's where the "stash notes" may come in handy. On one chase two of us stood around dumbly at the end of a boat dock -- we knew we had to be on top of it! Then the third member of the group -- a complete neophyte to the game--simply reached over the edge of the dock, pulled on a rope, and came up with the submerged stash.

Didja find it? Now the rules are simple: Take something, leave something, and write in the logbook. What might you find in a cache? Generally, small items but from there, it could be almost anything. Two-dollar bills. Music or software CDs. Small tools. Polished rocks. Pez dispensers. The list goes on. So if you wish, take an item, and leave something behind of your own. And be sure to note the date of your find in the log book -- there's one in every cache. Look closely at other logbook entries, sometimes they're even more rewarding. You might learn about a great place to eat nearby, or find out about another geocache that hasn't been posted on the official web site.

When you 'get back to civilization,' don't forget to log back on the geocaching web site. You can enter your "find" information on the site, and maybe leave some hints about the site for next guy. No doubt with your first find behind you, you'll also be looking for that next geocache to search out. Or maybe even planning to place one of your own.