Zombies

Let me start off this post by being absolutely clear: I dislike zombies. 

I find the whole cult-like fascination that some folks seem to attribute to the idea of zombie outbreaks, or zombies vs. $RandomThing, or any of the other myriad of zombie related fetishes that have come along in recent years to be rather pointless and silly.

In short, zombies are boring, predictable, and completely uninteresting to me. (Terminators, on the other hand, are a real threat, and deserve our immediate and undivided attention).

However, despite my normal reservations about zombie stuff, I can certainly appreciate a well executed geocache based on the theme.  Emphasis on "well".

Over the past couple months I have travelled all over the continent, and during my travels I came across just such a cache.

The approach to ground zero started with this scene:

There were a series of them leading to the first set of coordinates.  The cache is a multi-staged puzzle themed on a zombie outbreak, and the ensuing struggle to survive it.  Given that theme, these signs really added to the atmosphere.

It is the little things that added to the ambience of this cache, like random skulls visible while traveling between the stages. Clearly we are meant to believe a vicious battle to the death was fought in these woods.

Another example is this "blood" covered chain saw (don't worry, the sharp parts were removed, and random bones strewn about the forest floor. It really adds to the experience to see these little touches.

This cache actually has it all - a puzzle solvable at the computer,  multiple stages with provided coordinates, and even an offset waypoint (basically you are given a direction, and a distance).  They were thoughtful enough to provide a compass for the offset waypoint portion.

The offset led me to the final container - an ammo can.

At ground zero I accidentally scrapped my hand.  I hope this means I am not going to become a zombie.

This was an amazingly well done cache.  It goes to show that, given enough effort and planning, even a cache that is themed on something one actively dislikes, it can still become an enjoyable experience that is worth blogging about.

So well done, cache owner, well done. My hat is off to you.

Now, might I suggest you do a cache based on this next?

Creative Cache Containers IX

This is the ninth installment of my creative cache series.  All of these caches have been spotted in the wild during my various cache hunts.  I hope that by sharing some of the awesome and creative hides that I have found over the years it may inspire others to build and hide their own creative caches.

Note:  To avoid spoilers I do not post the location or cache details of the caches I show here.  If you are interested in finding one of these caches, let me know and I will send you the cache info privately.

Some of these are simple, some are more complex, so hopefully the pictures and descriptions will do them justice.  So, let's begin.

The first is a creative hide in a brick wall.  A bit of stone fleck spray paint and some moulded hot glue make a decent fake rock.

This spooky cache was placed so cachers come over a rise only to find this fellow suddenly staring back at you. 

Sometimes all that is needed is a thematically painted ammo can to make a normal hide a little bit more special.  This cache was themed after a brick wall. 

This next cache was themed after Russian Matryoshka Dolls, or Babushka Dolls - those dolls that have another doll inside it, and inside the smaller doll is an even smaller doll (you've seen it, especially if you watched Sesame Street as a kid).  In this case the "dolls" are a series of every decreasing sized cache containers.

This final cache shows what one can do with natural camouflage.   This cache is in a tree in a median of a busy parking lot, but I bet few people notice that there is a cache hidden in that tree (tho its obvious from the right angle).

So those are the caches for this post.  I have more in the queue, so stay tuned.

If you like these sorts of posts, you can check out the rest of the series by clicking here: Creative Cache Containers: The Series.

Creative Cache Containers VIII

This is the eighth installment of my creative cache series.  All of these caches have been spotted in the wild during my various cache hunts.  I hope that by sharing some of the awesome and creative hides that I have found over the years it may inspire others to build and hide their own creative caches.

Some of these are simple, some are quite complex, so hopefully the pictures and descriptions will do them justice.  So, let's begin.

Some of the coolest camouflage jobs is when the cache blends completely in to nature.   It is a bit obvious in the photo, but out in the field this camo is surprisingly effective.

This ammo can has 50 (count em!) film cans inside... your job is to find the log.  There is a twist, however...

Seen in the middle of the woods.  Urban camo in unexpected places adds a fun twist to an otherwise simple bison tube.  Pro tip: the plumbing section of your local hardware store can be a fun place to get components for creative caches (see the next cache for another example of caches using plumbing fixtures).

I'm sure someone out there will have nightmares about this next cache. This spider cache is huge in real life - the legs span out 3ft.  For perspective, the body is a 50cal ammo can.  The cache was also packed full of swag.  Very cool.

This last cache uses bits retrieved from nature to make a fun container for a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle themed cache.  It is a  matchstick container glued to a turtle shell.

So that is the end of this episode of Creative Cache Containers: The Series.  I hope they will help inspire your next hide to be just a little more awesome.

You can check out the rest of the posts in this series by clicking here: Creative Cache Containers: The Series.

The COG Cache Theory: Lab Caches

**SPOILER WARNING** Normally when I do posts like this I take care not to reveal the name or location of the caches in question.  However since this is all about the COG 10 Mega Event lab caches, it is hard to obfuscate those details.  If you haven't found them yet and plan on caching near Tottenham Ontario, you may wish to skip this post.

Last weekend I had the great pleasure of attending the Central Ontario Geocachers (COG) annual mega event.

This year was called The COG Cache Theory, and was based off of the sitcom called Big Bang Theory (if you are not familiar is about the hijinx of a group of 30-something ultra geek scientists, engineers, and one recovering wanna-be actress).

This proved to be a great theme as it led to a lot of creativity.  The organizers release 40+ caches for the event, plus 8 lab caches, all of which were themed around the show - physics and comedy - what could be better?  (not to mention the awesome thematic thread of lab caches themed around a show partially located in laboratories)  The following are the highlights of a few of the lab caches that were placed.

The first is a ball pit (yes, Benignsource, its a "pit" :)).  One had to find the right ball in the bit to grab the code to claim the lab cache (lab caches are claimed by entering a code word, not by signing a log).

This next one was themed after historic computer failures. The final (reachable only after fording a deep stream, and hiking up a hill and thru the woods), is a complete computer.  Adding the circuit boards to the container was a nice touch.  Update:  This cache was not a lab cache, tho it was placed for the Mega.  It is, in fact, a Whereigo.

This next one involved properly refracting light to get the log compartment open.

This one was a play on the infamous "powering a lightbulb with a potato" experiment.  Clever application of the probes (no, don't go there), revealed the clues to the final code word.

This last one is a play on the Rock, Paper Scissors, Lizard, Spock game. Winning the game gets you a smiley.

These are just a few of many I did at the event. Thanks to the COG folk for placing these awesome caches - they really made a good time great, and made the weekend all the more memorable.  Job well done!

Creative Cache Containers Part VII

This is the seventh installment of my creative cache series.  All of these caches have been spotted in the wild during my various cache hunts.  I hope that by sharing some of the awesome and creative hides that I have found over the years it may inspire others to build and hide their own creative caches.

Some of these are simple, some are quite complex, so hopefully the pictures and descriptions will do them justice.  So, let's begin.

The first is an example of a simple hide adding a little bit of camo and creativity, to a simple bison in a tree type cache, makes it something to talk about.

This is actually one of the first creative cache hides I ever found, way back in 2010.  It is an old Saguaro cactus that has died.  All that is left is wood (semi-interesting side fact: cacti are wood like when dried).  The cache is hidden inside the cactus, and is accessible via a door cut into the plant.

This hide is a faerie door placed behind a tree in a sea of english ivy.  East to overlook, but once spotted, adds a nice decorative touch to the surrounding area.  The cache was attached to the back with velcro.

This is an example of a very devious hide. Walking up that stump looks awfully suspicious looking. Move the stump out of the way reveals a post hole about 2ft deep. Look in the hole you see a rock... hrm... no cache.  Looking closer and you realize that the rock is a fake - sure enough... rock cache.

This is a spring activated cache. You pull down on the handle and let it go, similar to how one starts the ball moving on a pinball table.  The mechanism inside launches a bison-esque container up 20ft, and down to the ground.  If you are really good you can catch it mid-air (took me three times to catch it).

Hopefully this post has encouraged some of you to go out and build a creative cache.  If it has, let me know about it by dropping it into the comments below.

You can check out the rest of the posts in this series by clicking here: Creative Cache Containers: The Series.

Creative Cache Containers Part VI

This is the sixth installment of my creative cache series.  All of these caches have been spotted in the wild during my various cache hunts.  I hope that by sharing some of the awesome and creative hides that I have found over the years it may inspire others to build and hide their own creative caches.

So lets get started.

A quick and easy way to make a fun cache is to be thematic to the location, such as this cache hidden in the woods behind a ball field.  It is a nano container in a baseball - simple, but effective.

I always appreciate a good gadget cache.  This one requires the use of a credit card to get opened.  When you push in the credit card, it trips a gate latch, which allows the door to be opened.

Sometimes the best geocaches are ones with a twist, or a trick.  This next one has a locked ammo can and a bag of 50ish keys... only one unlocks the can... good luck! (It only took me 25 tries!) Note: if you were wondering, the ammo can and the bag of keys were hidden in a 5 gallon pail (not pictured).

This next cache is the exact opposite of the previous one.  Sometimes the best creative caches are the simplest.  This is a fake plant with a bison tube attached.   This one is hidden 10ft off trail, but easily visible.  100 people a day walk past this point, but I bet none of them notice the cache hidden in plain view.

Using humour is also a great way to make a cache memorable.  This cache is billed as the shortest multi-cache ever.  I don't think I can argue that claim.

Hopefully this post has encouraged some of you to go out and build a creative cache.  If it has, let me know about it by dropping it into the comments below.

You can check out the rest of the posts in this series by clicking here: Creative Cache Containers: The Series.

Creative Cache Containers Part V

This is the fifth installment of my creative cache series.  All of these caches have been spotted in the wild during my various cache hunts.  I post them in hopes to inspire others to hide quality caches of their own, instead of tossing pill bottles under lamp skirts.

Lets kick this off with a cleverly hidden pressure gauge that has been converted into a geocache.  The end of the pipe is magnetic, so it sticks to other metallic pipes in the area. There are only a few spots where such a hide works, but in this case it was very effective.

The cache description said "Beware killer crocs spotted in the area". The humour alone makes this cache favourite point worthy.

Sometimes it is the simple hides that work best. This hollowed out stump fit in perfectly with its surroundings.  You cannot tell from the photo, but all of the trees in this area look pretty much the same.  The brass pipe helped keep it all together.  This is one of the better hides of this type I have found.

Another classic is the cache suspended in a tree.  One has to lower down the cache using a rope and pulley system of some kind.  This was a simple suspension, but the container was very thematic, don't you think?

If you can't make it out, this is a toy space ship, ALF themed.  Another example how a little bit of humour, and in this case a nostalgic cultural reference, adds a lot of character to a geocache, and allows it to stand out from the crowd.

Another take on a classic hide.  A muggle would likely never notice this, but a cacher can pick it out fairly easily.  It helps that the camouflage was taken (at least appears to have been taken) from the same wood that the rest of this retaining wall is made out of.  Makes it match perfectly.  The only clue is the slight offset bit of wood.  

You can check out the rest of the posts in this series by clicking here: Creative Cache Containers: The Series.

Go forth and create. Make the geocaching world a more interesting place.

Have you found any creative caches?  Drop them in the comments below.

The Wizards Box

My latest cache is made from recycled materials.

Last year a tree fell in my backyard.  (I was there to see it, and it didn't make a sound).  Contained on said tree was a bird house (the prettiest birdhouse that you ever did see).   The house got damaged a bit during the felling, and I didn't have a place to put it back up, so it sat in my basement, mocking me.

I decided to make a geocache out of it.

It has become my latest cache creation.  I call it The Wizards Box.  It is a bit of a gadget cache in that you need to do some "magic" to retrieve the container with the log book.

Inside is a PVC pipe, and in the bottom of that pipe is a bison tube with some metal bits JB Welded onto it.  Unless one has extraordinarily long fingers one cannot reach the logbook.

The perch has a rare-earth magnet on the end.  One needs to extract the perch, and use the magnet to fish out the container from the hole.  Once that is accomplished it is a simple matter to open the bison tube and sign the log.

This is my first in-field puzzle cache that I have put together.  The cache description is here: The Wizards Box.  What do you think of it?  Let me know in the comments below.

Skirt Lifting

You never know what you'll find when you go skirt lifting*. 

*No, not any skirt - just the one at ground zero (unless you buy it dinner first).

What Is At The End Of The Sidewalk?

For those that may be curious to know what exists Where The Sidewalk Ends from yesterdays post, it is, apparently, this guy:

It is a southern black widow 50cal geocache.  It does not bite, but it does have lots of swag.

I <3 Geocaching - Adventures in Lab Caching

On Friday I received a link in my email inbox that pointed me to a web page with this on it:

This is a Groundspeak lab cache.  In an effort to play around with different geocache ideas, in the month of February any premium member of geocaching.com was allowed to create one cache, and one person could find it.  The cache could take any form, without the restrictions of the normal geocaching guidelines - the world is the geocache hiders oyster.  They call it I <3 Geocaching (the 'lab cache' comes from the experimentation part). The caches are logged by entering a code that is determined by finding a container, or as in this case, solving a puzzle.

I had arranged to swap lab caches with a local cacher who goes by the name of NinjaChipmunk.  I had created a cache for her (a puzzle involving exploring a parking lot - yeah, I'm *full* of awesomely mediocre ideas).  She in turn created a lab cache for me.

So when I got the link in my email I immediately opened it up and was greeted with this:


It was at this point I started to suspect collusion with my dearest wife.  You see she had informed me a week ago that she was going to take me out for dinner in Hickory on Saturday (she never does this - she often suggests we go out, but she never plans it ahead of time), and she had casually mentioned she wouldn't mind if I found a geocache on the way (I talked about filling in my geocache calendar so it didn't seem odd at the time).  So when the cache said "bring a companion" on our already planned date night, in the same town 35 minutes away we already planned to go... my spidey senses were tingling... something was afoot.  I didn't know what tho.  It turned out to be awesome.

So my wife and I leave the kids with the grandparents (conveniently in town, tho I suspect this part was actually a coincidence), and headed off to Hickory.  We arrived at the location, which turned out to be a parking lot.  I set about solving the puzzle (Spoiler alert: its 'breath'), and used my phone to enter in the answer.  I was then greeted with this:

I look up from my phone to see my wife holding an envelope in her hand.  It turns out NinjaChipmunk gave us a gift certificate to an Irish Pub (which was in the plaza we were parked at - convenient!).

So we went inside, and had a cracking good date - helped in part to a lab cache.

Ninja said she wanted us to have a good time, so we ordered drinks ('tis date night after all).  I was faced with a plethora of tasty looking scottish and irish beers, so I decided to get a sample platter of 4 different beers.

So many thanks to NinjaChipmunk for a great night, and a super awesome lab cache.  This one is for you.

Cheers!

Creative Cache Containers Part IV

This is the fourth installment of my creative cache series.  All of these caches have been spotted in the wild during my various cache hunts.  I post them in hopes to inspire others to hide quality caches of their own, instead of tossing pill bottles under lamp skirts.

First off is this old apple, found in an apple tree.  The apple was made of foam.

A simple birdhouse hide.  The owl makes it art.

An electrical box attached to a pole.  This cache was out in the open.  The combination is one of the numbers on the pole.

Ye olde fake brick.  This took me a long time to find since the bricks were behind some bushes, so they were not easy to see.

The classic garden gnome.   I love seeing these guys out in the field.  It seems a much better life than guarding some garden somewhere

You can check out the rest of the posts in this series by clicking here: Creative Cache Containers: The Series.

Go forth and create. Make the geocaching world a more interesting place.