GEOCACHING

Using Technology to Get Kids in Touch with Nature
DAYTRIP DESTINATION

Dana Spencer, 11, Sarah Kalinowski, 11, and Colin Spencer, 9, enjoy the extra reward of their geocache hunt: a memorable view over Upper Mill Pond in Brewster on Cape Cod. "Not another hike!" my kids used to groan whenever I tried to drag them away from computers and television to explore the outdoors.

Now Dana, 11, and Colin, 9, eagerly plot their next trek.

What changed?

They are not just hiking any more. They are on a treasure hunt.

They're geocaching.

Geocaching (pronounced geo-cash-ing) is a worldwide game in which small trinket-filled boxes called caches are hidden and their navigational coordinates are posted on the Internet. The game uses cutting-edge technology, having begun in 2000 when the U.S. Government started allowing civilian access to Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite data.

Families are getting into the hunt, with or without the aid of handheld GPS receivers. Massachusetts alone holds over 2,000 caches. Geocaching.com lists more than 222,500 caches hidden in 219 countries. If you're traveling, seeking a few caches can bring you to interesting sites off the beaten path.

Dana, 11, and Colin Spencer, 9, investigate the contents of a cache they tracked down in Brewster on Cape Cod. Scott Dresser, of Boxborough, has been geocaching with his wife Aga and children Emily, 9, Andrew, 7, and Matthew, 3, for two-and-a-half years. Emily likes the trinket treasures, especially finding things like stuffed animals, Pez containers, marbles, and coins in the cache.

The rule is if you take something from a cache, leave something of equal or greater value, so the Dressers keep a pile of fair trades ready.

Andrew Dresser likes to find the cache, which is not easy. According to his father Scott, "I'm always amazed at how good they are at finding caches. Kids are very observant and sometimes they will look in places that I wouldn't even consider."

The Dressers' geocache excursions have led them to spectacular views in New Hampshire's White Mountains, observations of wild turkey flocks in Sudbury, and hundreds of bright orange lizards called efts near Leominster, and lessons about the start of the American Revolution at Old North Bridge in Concord.

PLAN YOUR GEOCACHE

Colin Spencer, 9, finds the cache at West Hill Park in Uxbridge. It's easy to get started geocaching. With a little preparation for hiking with children, you'll soon be playing 21st-century hide and seek.

The one essential piece of technology for geocaching is Internet access so you can search for caches in an area. The largest geocaching Web site is geocaching.com, and you must register to access the coordinates and maps for caches. Basic membership is free. When you find the list of nearby caches, look for ones that are easy. Caches are rated on a scale of one-to-five stars for difficulty and for terrain, and it's best to stick with caches rated one or two. Some newer caches include helpful information such as whether it's kid friendly, takes less than an hour, and is available in winter.

Children like to trade trinkets, so choose what's described as a regular cache. That's a watertight plastic box or military-style metal ammo container filled with a log book, pen, and tradable items like souvenirs and small toys.

Regular caches might also contain game items known as travel bugs. Travel bugs are trinkets tagged with a tracking number and a goal, for example, to get to Maine. Geocachers who pick up travel bugs in a cache log their progress on the Web site and then

Nathaniel Holden, 4, looks over the table of travel bugs at the Fall Back Geomeet, hoping to find one to move closer to its goal. drop them in another cache that moves them towards their goal. Adding to a travel bug's journey story is a fun way for children to exercise their imagination.

Once you've selected your cache online, click on one of the linked maps like Topozone or Google Maps to get a visual picture of the location. Look for nearby roads and places to park. See how far off the road the cache is. Depending on the age of your child, keep the search to 15 minutes, or approximately a half mile or less. It's a good idea to print out the cache Web page and map to refer to during your hunt.

Now get ready to hit the trails. Pack seasonappropriate hiking gear (see "Be Prepared"), a small first-aid kit, snacks and water, and a cell phone or whistle for emergencies. Bring a stash of tradable trinkets. Geocaching has inspired more than one budding photographer so bring your camera.

THE SATELLITE CONNECTION

The high-tech centerpiece of geocaching is the GPS receiver, or GPSr. You don't actually need a GPSr to hunt for a cache. You will spend more time searching (especially if you're in a forest and the only hint is "look for the ash tree"), and you will need to rely heavily on maps and old-fashioned directional navigation - the things you learned back in Scouting - but many geocachers enjoy the challenge of using their own wits.

A GPSr helps you close in on a cache more quickly. GPSrs tell you in what direction and how far away you are as the crow flies from your target, based on latitude and longitude coordinates you enter. It does this by locking your current position into satellites circling the earth. You can buy a GPSr at department stores, sporting goods stores or online for around $100 to $300.

A GPSr can get you within 6 to 20 feet of the cache. The rest is up to you. Caches are not supposed to be buried, but they can be well hidden in hollow logs, stone walls, or under loose brush. Children are often the best finders and the excited cry, "I found it!" revives even the droopiest hiker. Be sure to log your find both in the cache logbook and on the Web site when you get home.

GEOCACHE EVENTS

While geocaching is usually an individual or family activity, it can be very festive. "Geomeets" are held each season at Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge, bringing together clues-seekers of all ages for games and socializing. Stop by River Bend Farm on April 2 from 12 to 4 p.m. for the Spring Forward Geomeet (call 508-2787604 for details).

At the Fall Back Geomeet last October, Pat Delaney from Belchertown and his daughters Aurelia, 4, and Saebra, 3, enjoyed the GPS Great Pumpkin hunt along the Blackstone Canal.

"I like finding all the cool stuff," said Aurelia. Saebra added she liked the walks.

Four-year-old Nathaniel Holden of Uxbridge looked over the table at the geomeet of travel bugs waiting to be moved towards their goals.

"I like getting travel bugs and bringing them to a different geocache," he said.

Geocaching is more than a great way to get parents and children outside together and to learn about nature, geography and historic sites.

"My 86-year-old grandmother also caches occasionally," said Scott Dresser. "There aren't too many outdoor activities I can think of that a 3-year-old and his 86-yearold great grandmother can do together!"

Susan Spencer is a freelance writer and nonprofit director who geocaches under the screen name, "BiPR", with her husband and two children around their Whitinsville and Brewster homes. Dana, 11, and Colin Spencer, 9, are the best cache-finders in the family.

Tips to be Prepared

Just because you might be carrying around a piece of billion-dollar technology in your GPSr doesn't mean you're immune to the natural hazards of the outdoors. Whenever you hike, follow these rules for safety and comfort:
 Dress for the weather. Microfiber clothing is best in cold weather because it dries quickly. Bring along extra socks, gloves and a change of clothes if you're going any distance. Wear sneakers or hiking boots, not flimsy sandals.
 Keep your arms, legs and feet covered to protect against ticks and poisonous plants. Use sunscreen and bug repellent.
 Recognize Poison Ivy, even in winter! "Leaves of three: let them be."
 Carry spare batteries for your GPSr and a magnetic compass for back up. Caches might be hidden in hollow logs or holes but so might critters. Bring a stick or old ski pole along to poke into dark places before reaching your hand in.
 Let someone know your route before you head for the trails.
 Hunting season runs generally from late September to March, except on Sundays. If you're going into areas where hunting is allowed, wear bright orange.