Walking is one of the best exercises for lifetime fitness. But let’s face it – plain old walking can be a boring proposition for students. As a result, the canny physical education teacher will find ways to make a walk more exciting.
Thanks to modern technology, there is now a fun activity that combines satellite navigation, orienteering, computer skills, treasure hunting…and walking. It’s a super cross-curricular game that your students will love.
Called “geocaching,” (pronounced “geo cashing”) it makes use of GPS units to find prizes hidden by other geocachers.

WHAT IS A GPS?
GPS stands for “Global Positioning System” and these handheld electronic units make use of satellites to pinpoint your latitude and longitude to within three meters. A GPS will help you navigate from your current position to another location using their built-in maps and instructions.
GPS units cost anywhere from $100 and up. As an alternative, some Blackberry units can be GPS-enabled. You can download “Geocache Navigator” for free for 60 days. For more information, see the “Blackberry.Geocaching” website.
However, the big surge in GPS use will come when regular GPS-enabled cell phones hit the market. It is estimated that 500 million such cell phones will be in use, worldwide, by 2012.
GEOCACHING – HOW TO GET STARTED
To start a geocaching quest, log in to the “Geocaching” website. Enter the postal code of your area and you’ll see several local cache locations, each with a short verbal description, a level of difficulty and a location shown on the Google Map website.

To get your GPS co-ordinates, you must first register (it’s free). You can then receive the GPS longitude and latitude co-ordinates. An example might be N43o40.110′W083o23.378′
Your job as a geocacher is to enter the co-ordinates into your GPS unit, then follow the directions to the cache. This will involve a nice hike for your students.
Before embarking on your quest, you could give a cross-curricular lesson on latitude, longitude and satellites…not to mention the use of the world wide web.
ONCE YOU FIND YOUR LOCATION – WHAT TO DO?
Your GPS will get you within 6 to 20 feet from your target. You then have to search to find the cache, which usually will be a plastic container.
Most containers will contain a dollar-store item such as a plastic animal, pencil or measuring tapes. They will also contain a logbook that you can read, and then sign. Seeing who else has been to the cache is half the fun. Take the prize, then replace it with a prize of your own.
CLASS LOGISTICS
You can go geocaching with your entire class, or split into groups, as long as each group has a supervisor. Also, you could also establish a cache or two of your own, in a location you know to be safe and easily accessible.
The good thing about a GPS is that it’s hard to get lost when you have one in your hand. It will leave a trail of “bread crumbs” as you walk – little dots on the display screen that show you how to retrace your steps. However, it’s also good to bring a compass, just in case the GPS batteries die.
And the best thing about geocaching?

It will get your students walking – and make it fun at the same time!

If you’re looking for an interesting way of showcasing your homes, introducing clients to your area or making an otherwise boring home hunting trip into an interesting one, why not try geocaching?

Geocaching is a great way to get outdoors and make traversing a community more fun. It also can be the doorway to new ideas on how to market your homes and get the attention of people who are on the fence about buying.If you’re an accomplished cacher, you know what “geocaching” means. If not, here’s a brief overview:

Geocaching began in the year 2000 when people realized that Global Positioning Systems (GPS) could be used to pinpoint locations where a cache was hidden. This cache usually took the form of plastic or metal canisters which housed tradable items and a logbook. It has grown to nearly 850,000 caches logged around the world. For more information about geocaching, head over to geocaching.com

You might think that this is kind of crazy – what does geocaching have to do with home sales? Niche marketing is the answer. The concept isn’t new; there are currently “bicycle Realtors® who offer bicycle tours of homes for sale. There are realties that offer weekly real estate walking tours. So why not take advantage of one of the fastest-growing outdoor sports to encourage people to buy?If you have clients who are geocachers or are outdoors inclined, a geocache hunt may be a great way to spend an afternoon touring the city. Offering a “Geocache Tour” of your area is an unusual and fun way of getting people interested in the neighborhoods they visit in the course of the tour.

Geocaching is growing into a hugely popular sport and many people scouting out locations for their new home would be happy to know that there are a large number of caches in the area.The geocaching principle can also be used for clients who are house touring. In addition to being a great way to take a break from house touring, your GPS can be used to plot the course of your home tours so that your clients can later review them, along with pictures. This can be a good way to give your clients a little extra information to work with when they make their choice. If you can get together with other Realtors®, you could try planning a sort of “geo house hunt” of open houses in the area. It might seem crazy, but making a game out of house hunting could be the impetus that makes someone take the next step to buying their first home when they “fall in love” with a house that is on the tour.

Today’s market requires some ingenuity to attract the attention and interest of potential buyers. Geocaching is growing so rapidly in popularity that it is certainly a viable way of showcasing both your business and homes you hope to sell.

The Niagara Region is known for its breathtaking scenery, award winning wineries and world class Shaw Festival Theatre in Niagara on the Lake. But now it has even more excitement to offer tourists – a diverse array of challenging geocaches.

Today, the entire Niagara Region is absolutely filled with outdoor adventure – all you need is a consumer brand GPS device, keen eyesight, and a decent pair of hiking boots.What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is a fun 21st century treasure hunt where Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates are targeted to find buried caches of collectible goodies. The caches are hidden in Tupperware containers, empty peanut butter jars, or steel ammunition boxes.

Each geocache is an accumulation of rare and valuable geocoins, local pins, buttons and other traceable artifacts. It’s thrilling, especially if you set up an ‘amazing race’ with friends and family members to see who can find the booty first.

One international geocaching website binds the entire community together with remarkable unity. On this one site, ALL geocaches in ALL countries are listed, along with their coordinates and any hints you may need to find the booty. Best of all, membership is free. Register to follow the links below.

The Niagara Falls Urban Oasis geocache was created to accommodate the newbie to the sport; it requires an easy walk through a woodland park within a residential subdivision. The trail is well maintained, although the park itself is relatively small. This cache is easy find, hidden in a very traditional geocaching spot.

The Fort George Cache is more interesting, and it’s also easy to find. If you visit the website and read about this adventure you’ll find a strange history lesson. This cache’s progenitor, a user named Lakeport, has penned an entire history of Fort George, right off the top of his head. Such is the passion of geocachers for geocaching in this culturally rich region.

One of the most spectacular targets in the area is of course the infamous Niagara Virtual geocache, which combines with two other waterfall caches, Victoria Falls, Zambia and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in another related online attraction. Geocachers are citizens of the world.

A word to the wise, you should bring a rain jacket if you plan to visit this cache.

There is also a website disclaimer here to inform readers that in the winter months it may not be safe as “the logical access point to this cache may be chained off (final steps to the cache may be slippery). Some cache seekers duck under the chain to find the cache, but do your own assessment of this and if you feel that it is unsafe then do not proceed.”Down the Canadian Gorge can be found somewhere on the trail leading down to the Niagara River. This cache is located on the Canadian side of the Niagara Gorge at the bottom near the whirlpool. Again there is a warning here that the terrain can be very slippery, muddy, and dangerous at times… but it’s worth it; the container full of great geocache items.

Finally the Toiypygmcela Tevral Bug Htoel is probably the most challenging geocache in the entire Niagara Region. Take note it contains a Bee-ware geocoin which I suspect might also be a warning to watch for live bees.

Typoglycemia is the informal name given to a purported recent discovery of the cognitive processes behind reading written text. Years ago, researchers at Cambridge University discovered that the human brain can comprehend words in context when only the first and the last letters are correct.

The clever geocacher that created this cache has challenged the membership to follow this logic and interpret the co-ordinates N40 59.398 W70 91.952 where only the first and last numbers are accurate.Ontario Geocoins

As geocaching grows more popular, geocoins grow more valuable. Limited issue, traceable, geocoins in particular are attracting the attention of online collectors, and tourism promoters. First understand that a ‘geocoin’ is a special coin created by individuals or groups of geocachers as a kind of signature item or calling card. The pictures that accompany this article are images of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 official Ontario Geocoins, the first to be issued by the Province of Ontario. Each geocoin is assigned a unique tracking ID which allows them to travel from geocache to geocache or to be passed amongst friends, picking up stories along the way. There are no collectible Niagara Falls Canada geocoins yet, but rumors of immanent issue persist, as the Niagara Falls NY geocoins are already hot property.

Muchmor Canada Magazine decided to take a look at the phenomenon of Geocaching and how you can get involved and make exploring your country even more exciting.

So, what is Geocaching?  Put simply, Geocaching is a game of treasure hunting or hide and seek. All over the world individuals and companies hide caches and then share the location on the Internet and invite other Geocachers to find them using GPS devices.

Some caches can be found quite easily, whereas others require significant hikes and map reading skills. There are puzzle caches that require you to solve clues in order to find the cache and multi-caches, which involve finding several caches before finding the final location. At the time of publication there were over 30,000 Geocaches in Canada and these are added to every day.

This type of treasure hunting makes it fun to explore your surrounding and makes for a great family trip.

What is a cache?

There are many different types of cache to find and the size and contents vary. Smaller caches can be the size of a 35mm film container and contain only a logbook and pencil to register who finds it and when. Other caches can be the size of large buckets or plastic containers with several items inside such as CD’s, money, books, maps, games, in fact anything that is not illegal or dangerous.When you find a cache you should enter your details in the logbook and if items are included you should take one and replace it with something of equal or greater value.

Where are caches usually located?

The location of the cache is what makes Geocaching interesting. Some are located in easily accessible areas such as at the side of a road, in a local park, cemetery or even in the middle of a town centre. However the more interesting cashes can be placed in very remote locations and may require special equipment in order to find them. Examples include caches hidden underwater that can only be accessed by scuba divers, ones located on rocky cliffs, accessible by rock climbers etc.

How do I find the cache?

When someone sets up a cache they submit the location details (waypoint) on the Geocaching website. They will also give other clues such as if it is a box or bag and its size, so you know roughly what you are looking for. They may also give you practical information like, “you might need Wellingtons” or  “it is in a very public area”. There will also be details regarding the difficulty and terrain, so you can search only for caches that suit your ability. When you decide which cache to search for, you input the co-ordinates (waypoint) in your GPS device and away you go.

What is a GPS Device?

A GPS (Global Positioning System) unit is an electronic device that can determine your approximate location (within around 6-20 feet) anywhere on the planet, much like a satellite navigation system found in many vehicles.  Coordinates are normally given in Longitude and Latitude. You can use the unit to navigate from your current location to another location. Some units have their own maps, built-in electronic compasses, voice navigation, depending on the complexity of the device. You don’t need to know all the technical details about GPS units to play Geocaching. All you need to do is be able to enter the waypoint where the Geocache is hidden.

How do I buy a GPS unit?

You can purchase GPS units from many places on the Internet as well as camping stores and other supply stores. The costs vary depending on the type of device you purchase and where you buy them. Units start at around $100 CAD and can be as much as $1,000.The GPS unit you choose should be easy to use and durable. Some GPS units come with certain functions and accessories and others require you to but additional software etc.As a guideline, you should consider purchasing a GPS with the following functions:12 parallel channels, external antenna jack, in/out ports, NMEA compatible, at least 8 megabytes of memory, memory card acceptable, adaptable power sources i.e. cigarette lighter cable, solar charger, rocker keypad, large screen and waterproof. Some GPS units have colour screens and although these can be useful they are not essential to Geocaching and the colour screen will use up batteries much quicker than a black and white.

Getting Started

So, now we have you interested here is what you need to do. Go to the Geocaching website at http://www.geocaching.com/ here you can find out all sorts of information about your new hobby including help and advice, forums etc. Before you start you should purchase your GPS unit and a map of the area, preferably a topographical map, which shows land features such as hills and rivers etc., these can be purchased at camping stores or off the Internet. You might also want a compass and of course make sure you are equipped clothing wise. You should also have items ready that you can leave in the cache in place of the ones you remove. These can be anything from key rings, to CD’s, jewelery to cameras.

On the Geocaching website you can locate one or several caches in the area you are concentrating on. You can search by postcode, province etc. Study the information given carefully and look at the results of other people who have found the cache. They might give you some clues, which will make finding the cache easier.Next you need to use your GPS and input the waypoint and off you go. Once you find the cache, remember to sign the logbook and enter any additional information such as how easy it was to find, what fun it was etc. If there are items in the cache take one and replace it with something of equal or greater value. Never move the cache from its original position and always replace leaves, rocks etc if they were there before.

You can log your find on the Geocaching website and also email the person who hid the cache to let them know you found it. Safety FirstRemember to always let someone know where you are going and if at all possible never travel alone. Make sure you have adequate clothing, food, water etc and that you have spare batteries for your GPS. When you leave your vehicle at a cache point it is worth entering the waypoint into your GPS so that you can find your vehicle after you have found your cache.

Next?

Once you get into Geocaching you can start to leave your own caches for others to find.  You can also attend Geocaching events and start to extend your search to other locations and even other countries. You can purchase trackable items to leave in caches such as Geocoins and Travel Bugs. As people transfer then from cache to cache you can track them on the Geocaching website so you can see how far your item has travelled – you might be surprised. There are many different kinds of cache, so you might want to track certain types such as puzzle caches where you have to solve clues in order to locate the cache, or you might want to track only caches that contain Travel Bugs.

The scope of Geocaching is endless and new variations to the game are always being invented. One thing is for sure, once you get the Geocaching bug it will be very had to travel anywhere without first checking to see what caches lie nearby for your to find.Number of caches in Canada Alberta: 3,037British Columbia: 5,483Manitoba: 1,074New Brunswick: 3,149Newfoundland and Labrador: 875Northwest Territories: 40Nova Scotia: 2,919Nunavut: 17Ontario: 6,926Prince Edward Island: 267Quebec: 6,279Saskatchewan: 518Yukon Territory: 64Total: 30,648If you are travelling, there are thousands of caches all over the world:United Kingdom: 17,428Australia: 9,908France: 2,149Germany: 31,322New Zealand: 2,868South Africa: 1,701

Publiched in muchmor canada magazine www.readmuchmor.com

Geocaching is a great adventure. There are some ground rules to remember as you journey out with your new handheld GPS device. Pick different cache types to keep the game fresh.

Caches Vary in Categories

1. The Cache can be a basic waypoint with a small container
2. Multi-caches involve multiple waypoints and add to the fun
3. Puzzle caches require some thinking to find the destination
4. Virtual caches have no container but usually take you to a destination that requires you to obtain some information