A Geocaching Guide Checklist

Before you head out on your next Geocaching trip, be sure you have everything you need. I use a fanny pack that has my geocaching items in it so I can always be ready to go. You do not need a backpack, unless you have children with you for all the extra things you need for them. This is the checklist, with an explanation of each below: GPS Receiver List of Caches Pencil or Pen SWAG Bugspray Gloves Flashlight Compass Spare GPS Batteries Trash bag for CITO (optional) Water GPS Receiver - A bit on the obvious side, but you cannot geocache without it! List of Caches - If you do not have your caches loaded into your GPS receiver, you will want to printout the details on each cache you intend to visit. Pencil or Pen - Almost every geocache has a pencil or pen in it. And almost none of them work. Bring your own so you can log your visit. SWAG - (stuff we all get) Most people go geocaching just for fun, but as an extra incentive for the kids, many caches have small toys inside. It is common practice to swap things in and out of the cache. Take a small item, but leave something of equal or greater value. Usually there are little toys that make it fun for the kids to find. A few things of note about leaving items in a cache. First, never leave food in a cache. Animals or bugs will find it and make a mess. Second, never put matches, knives, lighters, etc. A good rule of thumb is to only leave items that you would let your 3-year-old play with. Bug Spray - Many good caches are hidden in places where there are biting insects. Protect yourself and your children. Gloves - Sometimes you need to find by feel , because you are pretty sure that the cache is hidden in some dark hole. Be safe. Wear leather gloves. Aside from the creepiness factor of putting an un-gloved hand in a hiding hole for spiders, sometimes hollow stumps or crevices that make good cache-hiding spots also make good dumping grounds for people to put broken bottles, cans or other trash. Flashlight - Even on a bright, sunny day, you may need your flashlight. In fact those bright days make it hard for your eyes to see into the dark places that might hide a cache. Compass - Unless you have a fancy GPS receiver with a built-in compass, most GPS units require movement to accurately show directions. Your GPS might tell you that the destination is 150 feet to the north, but unless you are moving, it does not know which way north is. A cheap little compass can at least show you north so you know which way to start moving. Spare GPS Batteries - If the batteries run out, your day of fun is over. They also make great SWAG. You never know...your batteries in a cache might save someone else s day of geocaching! Trash Bag - Some people like to CITO (cache in, trash out), and clean up the areas they visit. Be careful, and wear your leather gloves. Water - Stay hydrated. Even if you do not want to carry the water with you while you look for caches, keep some in the car so that you can drink there. Sometimes geocaching takes you to places where a fresh drink can be hard to find. George Halt loves to take his son geocaching, and has authored a Geocaching Guide for Beginners. http://geocaching.best-free-information.com