A Few Simple Rules for Safe Geocaching
Listen Up, Kids...
Well, congratulations. You've got your GPS unit and are figuring it out, you've found a few caches near home, you've visited the forums or emailed other cachers about your experience and are now ready to go on your first full-fledged caching expedition. You've planned your trip, loaded the coordinates for the caches you want to hit, you've got your good shoes, spare socks and cache bag in the cache-mobile with a cooler and some water. You're ready to hit the road.
But wait. Like Dad on Prom Night, I want to have a few words with you about safety. Just a few simple rules to make sure you come back in one piece.
- Be prepared; geocaching usually involves walking outdoors. Walking outdoors involves the use of one's feet, outdoors, where there are thorns, pop tops, snow, sharp rocks, broken bottles, branches, loose rocks and thousands of other accessories that can cut, trip, twist, slice, poke, entangle and otherwise ruin your day. Be protected. Wear shoes, not sandals or flip-flops. Wear socks. Watch your step.
- Look up once in a while. The "Go To" arrow doesn't care about things like cliffs and highways. Try to avoid committing "Magellicide." If you have a complicated route to drive, take a partner or a decent easy-to-read map. Your GPS unit is not likely to attempt an escape so it is unnecessary to watch it for the entire trip. Look around once in a while. Enjoy the trip, not just the destination.
- You cannot fly. Any questions? I thought not. Don't try it unless you're VERY good and trained; just take the trail and travel the extra distance.
- Locked and sealed boxes labeled "High Voltage" rarely conceal caches. Read the cache page before heading out. Take some notes and read them. It may look like a brilliant place to hide a cache, but the electrocution element is probably not the reason for the "3" rating in difficulty.
- Micros rarely have fur or teeth. Think before you grab. Spiders, snakes, scorpions, electrical wiring, ground squirrels with bad attitudes...these are all things that could be in that interesting hole you found. Think about it for a minute before sticking your hand in there.
- If you find bear poop, don't stay and look for the Pope. Don't splash through the alligator's bedroom. Don't climb the junkyard fence; friendly dogs do not have names like, "Foamy" or "Lacerations."
- Save the "Afters" for After. NEVER combine intoxicating substances with geocaching and especially with driving. Getting lost and dehydrated in the woods is bad. Going home in a black zippered bag is worse. Party when you're done running around.
- Leave the antler hat at home. Try to avoid being a casualty by not looking like a target. Wear your hunter's orange or other brightly colored outfit in the woods. In urban settings, try to avoid dangling lots of valuable equipment all over your body.