Invisionary Photography

Posted By Admin on May 31, 2011

There?s one on the International Space Station, in a locker 250 miles above Earth. There?s one at the bottom of the ocean, beside a hydrothermal vent 2,300 meters down.

And there?s probably one in your neighborhood, not far from your front door.

The object is called a geocache, and the Adventure Science Center?s newest exhibit is teaching aspiring treasure hunters everywhere all about it.

GPS Adventures, which opens today, introduces center visitors to geocaching, a high-tech, family-friendly game in which explorers seek out hidden containers ? geocaches ? using GPS devices.

The game began in 2000 when government satellite-positioning signals were approved for civilian use; now, it?s a hobby for people across the globe. There are millions of hidden objects, including nearly 1,700 stashed within a 25-mile radius around downtown Nashville.

The science center exhibit will teach visitors how to navigate the game, and soon families across Middle Tennessee may be taking scavenger-hunting treks across the state, finding fun objects and gaining something else in the process.

?The memories you make traveling around together, that?s the real treasure of geocaching,? said Brad Simmons, a member of Middle Tennessee Geocachers Club.

A family affair

Simmons and his wife, Laura, started geocaching in 2003.

The Chapel Hill couple?s first find was down Highway 41 west of Shelbyville. They took a plastic cowboy and flashcard, left spider rings and Silly Putty, and did six more hunts that same afternoon, stating: ?We are hooked.?

The basic premise of geocaching is this: First, someone hides a container, which can range in size from a small film canister to a breadbox. He or she posts the location coordinates on the Internet, usually at www.geocaching.com, and may include a puzzle to decode or a few clues about the stash.

Others then visit the website, get the coordinates and use their GPS to find the general location. Geocaches can be found along greenways, near historic landmarks or in grocery store parking lots. Some are high in trees. Some are underwater. Inside each geocache, there are typically goodies of minimal value, like a bouncy ball or piece of costume jewelry. There also is a logbook for discoverers to sign.

The outdoor activity often inspires adventure. Since starting to geocache, the Simmonses have learned to rappel, bought kayaks and bikes, and Brad has lost more than 100 pounds.

?It got us off the couch and into nature again,? he said.

Now, it also is a family affair.

Their son, Liam, was just 2 days old when his parents took him on his first find.

They scoured an area along a swimming pool fence line near Highway 96 until they uncovered a small Rubbermaid container filled with a collection of trinkets and toys.

Liam headed home from the hospital that day with a tiny plastic figurine.

One year later, he has discovered 1,628 caches ? with his parents? help, of course.

#39;We like adventures#39;

At the Adventure Science Center, parents and kids learn about the game together.

The exhibit features a life-sized maze, complete with hidden objects, puzzling codes and clues, and secret rooms ? unlocked only through geocache discovery.

Amy Demania and her two children excitedly meandered through the labyrinth during a recent exhibit preview. Dominic, 6, searched for lettered waypoints on a map to decipher the next hint, while Mackenzie, 9, eagerly awaited the chance to collect a completion stamp located on the other side of the locked door.

As the trio exited the exhibit, the group was all smiles.

?I really had to think,? Amy Demania said. ?I think it?s really good for your brain and your body. It?s something we can all do together as a family outside. Plus, we like adventures.?

Already enticed, Dominic couldn?t wait to get out into the park near his Franklin home, where he heard a geocache was hidden.

?We know it?s there,? he said, ?but we don?t know where it is.?

The science center exhibit also has four geocaches secretly stashed around the center so families can test their treasure-hunting skills with GPS devices, which they can check out from the center.

Cathy Mathai and 6-year-old Sophie stared intently at the tracking screen as they traversed the grounds outside. Heads down, they moved from the planetarium to the parking lot, en route to the next find.

When they discovered the location, Sophie rummaged through the box?s contents, selecting a small plastic frog as her reward.

As they walked hand-in-hand back toward the center, all four geocaches uncovered, Sophie?s small voice perked up: ?Can I do it one more time?? she said.

Categories: Hunting
Tags: Hunting