Found Any CACHE Lately?

There are some who can give you the exact date when they started. 

I would really have to search my memory banks to be that precise.  It was some time the summer of 2011. The year my first born was getting ready to go to college.  I can, however,  tell you exactly why we started.

In 2013 we will become full blown empty nesters!

Yikes, I forgot that it was a syndrome! 

Since a young adult moving out from his or her parents' house is generally a normal and healthy event, the symptoms of empty nest syndrome often go unrecognized. This can result in depression and a loss of purpose for parents, since the departure of their children from "the nest" leads to adjustments in parents' lives. Empty nest syndrome is especially common in full-time mothers.

Before I get all teary eyed and blubbery, again...I'm really writing about Geocaching.

Week # 18 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - Geocaching

My husband and I decided that since the kids were getting ready to fly the coop, we needed to find more things we could do together, just the two of us.  One thing we talked about was starting to hike.  Having two dogs that need to walk daily, we are used to the thought of walking, but we decided we wanted to make it more interesting while hiking outdoors. 

 

Somehow, somewhere.... we heard about Geocaching and thought it was the perfect activity for us!

Not long after that, our local newspaper had an article about Geocaching across our county through the conservations park district.  Everything seemed to fit!

What is it and why we're hooked.

 

Geocaching is a real world outdoor treasure hunt.  It's what happens when nerds go outdoors.  It is great fun and inexpensive entertainment that gets us outside.  It involves critical thinking and helps us to look at our surrounding differently. Once we got our first 'find'  it became the thrill of the hunt.  We were so amazed how many beautiful parks were in our county.

 

GEO - geography (EARTH)  CACHE (container ) pronounced like cash

Here's the hubster, at first we printed out all the details (coordinates and clues) thus the clipboard.

 

We used our car Garmin GPS (global positioning system) at first.  Then upgraded to an actual hand held GPS (looked like a walkie talkie). And now I have an application on my smart phone.

 

Last week I wrote about all things Earth.  In Week #18 I will continue with that topic, but change it up a bit, put twist on the twist....because there are is so much to write about.  Our EARTH has so much to offer us.

Instead of just taking a walk on this beautiful path before us, my husband and I are getting a chance to explore the next stage in our lives together!  Please join me and see where our adventures take us.

If you're NOT anonymous, please leave a comment.  And stay tuned this week to see what kind of hidden treasures we've discovered Geocaching!