Thursday, 17 August 2023

Today Is...International Geocaching Day

When i asked someone about this they asked if Geocaching was still a thing and i replied obviously as they have a day for it although i have managed to get this far in life without ever hearing of it before.
Apparently it began in the 1850's when people would uses clues and references to landmarks embedded in stories and became the outdoor recreational activity we don't know today although it became really popular in the early 2000's.
The participants hide containers, called 'geocaches' at specific locations and give out clues where the Geocachers can find them and each cache contains a pen and paper so the finder can sign their name although the rules state that only terrestrial caches are allowed because placing them on the Moon or Mars would be a tad unfair.
At one event in Yorkshire, England in 2011, a group of Geocachers were seen to be acting suspiciously and reported to the Police who called in the bomb squad and exploded the box which it turns out is quite a regular occurrence in America where Geocaching is more of a thing with a number of caches being
destroyed in controlled explosions and South Carolina has passed a law stating that it is illegal to geocache in a cemetery, historical or archaeological site just in case they damage the site blowing it up.
According to the Geocaching website, in 2022 there was 3.1 million geocaches hidden in 196 different countries worldwide and hunted by 1.9 million Geocachers who this year will be desperately trying to get to the site before the local bomb squads.

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