Published Saturday, August 28, 2010

Geocaching 'almost addictive' outdoor treasure hunt hobby

By KRISTIAN HAMMOND

news@newnan.com

Geocaching is a global phenomenon -- and one that has taken off nicely in Coweta County.

Geocaching is a high-tech, outdoor, global scavenger hunt. People who geocache create an account online at www.geocacheindex.com. Then they set out to enjoy the outdoors and have fun.

Each geocache box has a clue on how to find it, GPS coordinates and an encrypted code of its location. Geocachers go to box locations, log in to a book, leave a gift and receive a gift from the boxes.

Local geocache fans do not have to go far away to participate. Currently, Coweta County has a geocache box at the Coweta County Convention and Visitors Bureau's welcome center on Walt Sanders Drive east of Newnan.

"A person working in our events department geocaches, and she wanted to add one to the visitors center," said Pam Mayer, welcome center coordinator. "Since then we've had 87 people log in at our box. It's now filled with little trinkets like travel locks and Georgia buttons. We enjoy knowing that it's out there and always make sure it's filled with fun gifts for visitors."

The majority of geocaching is an outdoor activity. Geocachers, however, also log their finds online, where they can rate and comment on what they find in each box.

"I've looked at the comments, and there was one guy who had found 7,000 geocache items," said Mayer. "Many of the comments say we have a great location, and the people doing this have stayed to see what's in Coweta County."

Geocaching is also not only for one specific age group or demographic.

"An array of people have done geocaching," Mayer said, "There's no specific target. It's for all ages, and there's no criteria needed. Families seem to love it because it's like a big scavenger hunt. It's all about travel and seeing places while collecting little gifts."

Mayer described the activity as "almost addictive." She enjoys geocaching herself.

"The Georgia State Parks have geocache boxes at the parks, and they have a brochure about where to find each one," Mayer said. Mayer wants to increase the number of boxes in Coweta County.

"Geocaching would be a great way to bring in tourists," Mayer said. "I did a search and there were dozens of Geocache boxes in Coweta County. We want to add one at the courthouse and maybe other places around Newnan. It's a great creative activity that's a lot of fun no matter who you are."

Lorraine LaRue of Sharpsburg is among the Cowetans who have caught the geocaching bug.

She had her first success at the state park geocache box at Smithgall Woods Conservation Park near Helen in north Georgia.