Off the Beaten Path

A few Sundays ago, we arranged to meet some friends for a geocache adventure.  Geocaching is treasure hunting with a GPS.  My sister-in-law Jes brought the sport to our family when she gave my brother his GPS a couple of Christmases ago.  We finally got our own last Father's Day and have had much fun with it ever since.

Chris planned our route, choosing two caches, neither of which was a trinket cache. Knowing that that's a big motivator for the girls, he made up a story about Indian princesses who had hidden beads in the caches.  He secretly planted the beads when we found the caches and the girls were thrilled.  They held onto their beads as if they were precious treasures. It was amazing to see how something so small gave so much joy (I'll have to remember that when I'm shopping for Christmas next year).  

For me, geocaching is mainly an excuse to go tramping around in the woods- something I've loved doing since I was little (although not all the caches are off the beaten path.  Last summer we found one in the open in downtown Woodstock- very tricky).  

When we geocache, I occasionally have fun playing navigator but mostly I like following along. There are over fifty caches hidden right here in Kingwood.  And now that we've introduced our friends to the sport, we might have some company.  I wonder what their name would be- Four Canadians? The Moose Patrol? Rock Doc y Las Chicas? We'll see!

Planning out the route

Anna, Clare & Mia- Good Buddies

The huddle to see what's in the cache

Searching for Cache #2

Chris writes in the tiny, soggy  log book "Frodo Seven & Friends"