Geo Caching: The Key to Growing Interest of this Popular Sport

The different games of Wii have physically gotten people out of their chairs to play video games. Now, a new sport is on the rise that combines technology and the outdoors. The name of the new game is call Geo caching.

Geo stands for geography. Caching means the act of hiding something in a secret place. Geo caching is basically a modern-day version of hide and seek. Ever since GPS (Global Positioning Systems) have become more affordable and more compact, they have been used for more than just finding a location. Now they can be used to even play a game.

Decades ago, people would stay in and watch and play video games. Atari comes to mind as the first video game. Then with the advancement of technology came computers and new games have sprang up for their use. People could compete against each other in various games over the World Wide Web. A couple of years ago came the Wii game, This game allowed individuals to use muscles by simulating skills used to play the game.

Now comes Geo caching. You use a GPS and you hit the outdoors to locate something special that has been hidden. In some cases, clues are even given. When you find the prize before someone else, you are the winner of that or another type of prize. The GPS tracking system can get an individual from between 15 to 30 feet of an object or selected place.

In computer terms a "cache" is stored information that can be retrieved faster from stored memory in a computer. The GPS unit, which is usually hand held, gathers longitude and latitude coordinates to help the searchers locate their prize.

The game can be played several ways. You can start everyone from the same position. Although that allows cheating to be done rather easily. You can start individuals from several locations that has the same amount of distance to cover. You can even have them race against time to find the prize first. A good planner can have individuals locate clues at various spots along the way with the last clue providing the coordinates for the last stop and the prize. Individuals have played the game on foot, by bikes, and vehicles. A good planner has to take into account how far they want the participants to travel. In some ways, the game runs like the movie "National Treasure."

Individuals are forced to get outside of their homes instead of just playing with a joystick. In many cases, individuals get a chance to go into the country side and view nature as well as play the game. Contests can be held on either small or grand scales. One contest even involved using an entire State. Geo caching is also an excellent way to raise funds. Individuals and teams that enter the contest, pay a fee to participate. The fees are then used for charity or even expenses for the game.

GPS units run from $100 to $1000 in cost. Of course the more expensive ones are more accurate. A GPS Unit relies on coordinates given by a satellite in space. You simply put in the "way-points" coordinates into your GPS or computer and you are on your way to retrieve the clues or prizes at the location. Sometimes clues or prizes might be hidden under a rock or buried in the ground.

Geo caching is also good for teaching individuals how to use way-points as well as a map and GPS Unit. You not only learn how to apply and use modern technology but, it forces individuals to get outside and out of the house. The benefit being exercise and fresh air.