Geocaching Passport

Pssst...wanna earn a free custom geocoin? Visit my local park district and pick up a Geocaching Passport. Then run around town and find geocaches in parks you may have otherwise missed. Collect at least eight of the unique stamps in your passport and return it for a sweeeet Crystal Lake Park District geocoin. Details are here. Another example is here. Find treasure in parks!

Geocaching 101

I know it's hard to believe, but some people have no idea what "geocaching" means. For the clueless, here's a simple illustration.

Hats Off to Caching

I think geocaching is the greatest thing since pre-sliced bread. It’s an excuse to go hiking, take pictures, be creative, be crafty, blog, journal, do some creative writing, be alone or meet people, learn history, solve puzzles, get dirty, or just add a little more adventure to life. What’s it worth to you to feel just a bit like Santa when you trade up, or walk into the woods empty-handed and return with a bag of trash? I love finding caches that take me places and show me things I would have otherwise missed. I treasure the opportunity to hide a cache while doing the things I enjoy. Chances are, someone else will enjoy those things too. Sometimes a great log entry can be a gift just waiting in your inbox. So I like hats, and I like caching, and therefore I give you the "Hats Off to Caching" puzzle. Many happy trails!

Ticks Bite, Mosquitos Suck, and Soggy Logs Stink

Fact: Geocaching needs more clip art. Fact: Short statements of truth can be funny. Truths: ticks bite, mosquitos suck, and soggy logs stink. Good luck avoiding this unholy trinity of scourges. Grab these great big versions for your everyday use: ticks, mosquitos, logs.

Geocoin Holders

No wimply plastic sleaves here! These geocoins are earmarked for globetrotting so they got the bulletproof-treatment. First some wooden puzzle pieces got personal with a hole saw. Then the travel itinerary was posted on their backsides with some heavy stock paper. The geocoins got glued in and then the entire beast was slathered in clear sealer. Aleene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue did the deed. Now these four animal ambassadors are on their way to Germany. Auf Wiedersehen!

All I Need

Food. Drink. GPSr. What else do you really need? This image on a t-shirt might earn you a one-way ticket out the front door, but you can dream can't you? Wear it with pride or in confession. Get it in reverse for an iron-on here.

Waterproof Log Books

I've been making my own waterproof log books for a year now. Two hundred sheets of Rite-in-the-Rain paper ran me $30. So my average 12 page 3"x5.5" log book costs 60 cents and I can publish 50 of them. Of course, all my covers are custom, but here's a generic template for the masses (i.e. all four of you who read this blog). Cover. Lines. Print, cut, fold, staple, and then reinforce the spines like this: Fold a strip of 1/2"waterproof first-aid tape over the top. If the tape's adhesive is lame on the specialty paper add some contact adhesive to beef it up. Practice on cheap paper first and stick with laser printers. Bonus: You can tell your friends you've gone into publishing.

I Cache Semaphore

Looking for a way to communicate with sailors and boy scouts? Try semaphore. Everyone else will have to ask you what this means. It says, "I cache." Put it on a t-shirt and hit the trails. Here is the reverse image for your iron-on.

I am Iron Man

Here's some ink you may actually want on your shirt. Custom geocaching iron-ons make sweeeet swag. Print up a batch (remember to reverse the image) and drop them in a ziplock with something sturdy like cardboard. Give yourself credit with this card...(back too). Renzo recommends creating a commemorative iron-on for finishing a series or attending an event. Looking for design ideas? Check your head and this site.

Happy Birthday RCC

Renzo's Custom Cache is one year old today. Here's a quick recap:

11 custom swag items
3 travelers
3 collector cards
3 cache ideas
1 flier

Thanks for following along and dropping a note now & then. Happy trails.