Geocaching as Deep Travel

I was recently introduced to geocaching. As I talk with folks, I'm realizing that it's both a new and old concept at this point. Many people have been engaged in this adult treasure hunting for years, while others are clueless about the bevy of hidden gems that exist throughout their community and throughout the planet. 

Wikipedia says this about geocaching:

Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called 'geocaches' or 'caches,' anywhere in the world. Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica. After 10 years of activity there are over 1.3 million active geocaches published on various websites. There are over 5 million geocachers worldwide."

There are nearly 40 of these caches within three miles of Big Bend Blvd. and Highway 40, according to the prime starting place for most enthuasists, www.geocaching.com. Geocaching has become my latest form of deep travel. As I move through neighborhoods looking for the smallest of treasures, I am able to notice the forks in trees, the leaves in a creek bed, and the smallest pieces of trash blown against a tree. From a new statue in Dogtown that I had never seen to the beauty of the frozen lake at Oak Knoll Park, geocaching has expanded my deep look at the community in which I live. I encourage you to give it a try as it will change your perception of your place in the community forever.