This year, in addition to the customary roses and chocolate (and maybe something sparkly), my wife will be getting a Valentine’s Day card with something different in it…coordinates and a description of where to find her Valentine’s Day Cache. The cache isn’t listed with Geocaching.com or any of the other geocaching sites; finding it won’t require solving a cryptogram or facing 5-star terrain, it’s in the woods behind our house. I’m hoping to sweep her off of her feet with a fun surprise, and help her understand what I’ve been doing out in the woods during my free time for the last year in the bargain.

She’s guaranteed a FTF on this cache, which should be fun for her first time geocaching, especially when she figures out that all of the swag is for her. The cache container is a 50 cal. ammo-can painted bright red with little white hearts on it (Thank You Rustoleum!). I have loaded the cache with some regular geocaching stuff (geo-buttons and an NFA sig-item) as well as more traditional Valentine’s Day “trade-items”: a teddy-bear, a heart mug, some massage-dice, a couple of cards, and a heart-shaped tin of chocolate. She should have a good time, but I have an ulterior motive…getting her to go caching with me in the future.

My wife of almost 8 years is also my best friend, and we do lots of things together…but not geocaching. She thinks it’s great that I’m getting exercise, going cool places, and meeting cool people (at events and over the internet); she hasn’t been tempted to join me yet though. My two year-old son was seduced by matchbox cars in the first few caches we found together, but I don’t think that even really cool tiny cars will sway my wife; I’m hoping to change her mind with a tailor-made caching experience with success guaranteed (I mean…the container is bright red with white hearts on it…she’s got to find it!). With any luck, we’ll be caching as a couple by springtime.