Geocaching For The Non-Nature Lovers

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geocachingBy now you’ve all heard of geaochashing. if not, a good way to think of it is an analog-ish version of a currently popular app to catch figment animals (are they animals? Totally don’t get that game) For a better explanation, here is a great article from a fellow DMB blogger with an intro guide.

It took me a long time to warm up to Geocaching. A really long time. My daughter had been having blast on the geo-outings with her grandma hiking in the woods/local parks, over turning logs, digging in mud to find these boxes. OK…so she really wasn’t doing a Marine’s style obstacle course, but that’s all I heard. I heard woods, hike and nature and totally shut it down as something I’d never like. It’s no secret far beyond the walls of my house that I hate nature outings. Nature to me, is the grassy area in Boston Commons, our favorite beach or a well manicured botanical garden. It’s not that I’m a city snob, I just never have connected with the existence of bugs, nor can I spot Poison Ivy until I’m knee deep in it. You can literally see my heart rate spike on my Fit Bit from the physical reaction my body has to nature.

imageThis past summer I let my daughter download the Geocaching app to her iPod in hopes I’d get child free time while dad took the kiddos out to the great wild wilderness. Since our accounts are linked, it downloaded on my iPhone too. To kill time on a road trip, I started looking at the app. Maybe there would be one along the way we could stop and find? And there my addiction began. Not all of them are so far into the woods you need to soak your clothes in bug repellent and carry a emergency GPS beacon.

It came in so handy to have that app on our phone! While we were in Boston, we found Geocaches in spots we’d been 1000 times, but were able to see different aspects of it. You can Geocache the Freedom Trail earning your check-in at the end…there are puzzles along the way, you solve with landmarks.

On the last leg of our trip, my husband had to work, leaving me to figure out things to do in a new city. Most of the kid attractions were not close by, so out came the Geocache app to the rescue. We got to explore and touch so many things we would not have other wise found in this city had it not been for this activity. We got to touch and explore a B52 bomber and learned some history of the town. My favorite was spending an evening on a well paved path, lined with beautiful sculpture pieces that let us explore art while solving clues. It was so much fun!

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There is something so rewarding about finding those boxes and working as a family solving the puzzles. What can I say, I’m hooked! When we came home I found that our local historical society has created a historical walk via geocaches! The app is such a handy way to find and explore without really trying!

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Beth
Hi! I’m Beth Phillips lead photographer and owner of Beth Phillips Photography (www.bethphillipsphotography.com), mom to 3 and Dayton native. Well, both a native and a transplant. My husband and I grew up in Centerville (Go Elks!) and spent many years going coast to coast with his Navy career. This past May I graduated from Wright State with a degree in Fine Art, Photography. My true photography passions are births, new moms and capturing the grace and beauty of dancers.Favorite things to do around Dayton…Dragon’s Games & the splash yard at The Greene. :: Favorite things about motherhood :: Aside from snuggels, cuddels and smiles, I LOVE the pure joy and excitement kids have about the simplest things. Getting to photograph their daily tasks. And of course, bedtime!

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