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Community Corner

Treasure Hunts Have Gone High-tech

Grab the family and a GPS device and search for fun.

Have I got a great activity for you and your family! Geocaching.

We learned about it this summer when my son took a class at the Morton Arboretum.  The class taught the kids about how to read a compass, and how to locate places with coordinates and a global positioning system (GPS).

During the class, the youngsters walked around the arboretum with a handheld GPS device. It looks a lot like a walkie-talkie. You put in coordinates for a place where an item is located and then you follow the GPS to the location. The kids looked for different items throughout the arboretum and had a great time. On the last day of the program, the staff told the kids where to get their own GPS and how to become part of the geocaching community.

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They explained we could purchase a GPS at big-name stores.  We decided to do some investigating, and we were able to purchase one for half the price on eBay.  I believe it was about $70. Prices are much higher in the stores. My son was so excited to try out the GPS that he used much of his own money to buy it.

There is actually a Web site that tracks hidden items all around the world, and you can just pick one in your area and the site will give you a map of the general area and the coordinates to find it. Once you do that, you drive to the location and start following the GPS directions until you locate the object. 

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What object you might ask? Well, it is really quite fun. The items are called caches, and all of them are different. Usually they are containers in camouflage tape so they are only visible to those looking for them. They contain all kinds of items, such as small toys, pens, balls, key chains, etc. The rules are you sign your name on the log inside the cache and if you take an item out of the cache, you have to put something else in its place. We always carry a box of small toys and trinkets with us.

One of the caches we found was somewhere around Park and Roosevelt, and we spent one hour searching for it. Most are easier to find, but this in was a very clever hiding spot. Once we did locate it, the clue we were given made perfect sense.

When you go home, you log on to the Web site and comment about your experience with that cache without giving away any info to future lookers. It is like a treasure hunt, but you never know what you are looking for or exactly where it is. The GPS gets you close, but then you have to search for the item on your own.

The great thing is that you learn a lot about wherever you are. For example, we did several in Glen Ellyn. We entered the zip code and many cache locations came right up. Our searches took us to parks and areas of town we never knew.

You can also start your own cache. The Web site gives you rules and directions on how to start one. You could have one any place that you want people to go and look for it. You can pick a size and what you want to put in it. Your only job is to check it frequently so as to ensure the cache is still there for future treasure hunters.

A cell phone application for geocaching allows you to turn your phone on while in the car and get you geocaches for the area you are in. You can do this during a trip down to Florida or while driving to Chicago. And, it is something fun for the entire family that also allows you to explore Glen Ellyn. You only think you have seen it all.

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