This blog is in response to my colleague, Emily, who commented last week "do you have a picture of a cache? I guess I'm still having a hard time imagining what this looks like and how you could hide it."A cache is defined as something that stores information (or objects) that will be used in the future.
In geocaching, a traditional cache is usually a container of some kind, ranging in size from a small photo canister to a larger plastic container (i.e. Tupperware less that a cubic foot). It is usually plastic, preferably water tight, and should be labeled as to its purpose. Usually, they are hidden on public land or on private land with the permission of the land owner. The geocaches are hidden well enough that people who aren't looking for them usually won't find them.
A simple cache would include a logbook which contains information from the creator of the cache as well as notes or comments from other cache visitors. You would record your name and the date you found the cache in the log book. You might also leave some kind of information such as a riddle or joke for the next person who finds it.
Larger caches will contain the logbook along with treasures. A geocache can have almost anything inside of it, but usually the items are of minimal value. When you go geocaching, you take items to trade with the geocache. For example, you might find a geocache that has a CD, baseball cards, and a book. You might choose to take the book and leave a toy car in its place. The #1 geocaching rule is if you take something you must leave something in return. Some geocaches might even have a camera for you to take a picture of yourself. Of course geocachers know never to take the camera.
Some caches may not have any containers at all. For example, if I were to create a cache of native Florida plants and trees on my school's campus, the "logbook" might be the students using a digital camera to snap pictures of each specimen.
Here are some additional photos:
IMAGE SOURCES:
http://www.notla.com/images/journal2006/2006_geocache03.jpg
http://www.lakecountyfl.gov/hometown_highlights/images/geocaching/geocache.jpg
http://www.theheads.org/images/geocache.jpg
http://www.alicechristie.org/pubs/E6/index.html
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Geocache_CZ_02.JPG/800px-Geocache_CZ_02.JPG
3 comments:
I'm glad Emily asked you that questions, because I'm sure all of us were wondering. You did a great job explaining and the visuals helped alot. I wonder how many times I've walked past one and not known it. I'm glad you included the part about sometimes the caches don't have anything. Taking pictures of the "cache" (or landmark) is a great idea. I'm going to try to take the digital photography class whenever it is offered next and then maybe I can incorporate my new skills to make one great technology project!
Thanks for sharing!
Oh thank you so much for posting pictures! Your descriptions were excellent as well. I feel like I have 100 times greater understanding now. I will absolutely be on the lookout for these from now on. I knew from all your past posts that this was a fascinating project but this has helped me understand it on a different level. Thanks again! If I should ever find one you'll be the first to know!
Thanks Anna for the photos and websites. I too was wondering. I thought you were just talking about finding natural sites. There must be a lot here in Gainesville since I saw so many on the web site you directed us to earlier.
Jessica, the digital photography is offered in the summer. It was fun.
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