Geocaching and the Cache Crate

Good morning everyone.  Sticking with Cache The Line's WAM (Weekend Adventure Mission), this week is about Earthcaches.  The weekend mission is to find an Earthcache.  California is the best place for Earthcaches.  There is 1,006 listed Earthcaches there.  North Dakota is 48th with 23 Earthcaches.  Up here in the Great White North, Ontario leads the way with 620.  Manitoba ranks 8th in the country with 65.  Mexico has 59 Earthcaches with Quintana Roo region having the most with 15.

If you recall, two weeks ago I was waiting for something to arrive in the mail, but it didn't arrive in time.  I made mention that it might show up the day after that blog was published.  Guess what happened?  Yup.  I went to my mailbox on the Monday, opened it and there it was.  My first ever Cache Crate from Cache Advance.  I have watched Joshua, the Geocaching Vlogger open numerous Cache Crates on YouTube.  You can watch him open the October Cache Crate here > October Cache Crate  Since I'm looking for ways to get inspired about geocaching again, I thought this would be a good idea.  It's been over a year since I last hid a geocache.

A little history about the Cache Advance Cache Crate.  Over the 2014 holiday season, Lookout Lisa (the owner of Cache Advance), was looking for something new, the next killer app.  Along with Cache Advance that she started in 2005 with Dr. B's Cache Repair Kit, vehicle TBs, and the ability to make coins, tags, and Cachekinz with the purchase of Cache Addict in early 2014, Lookout Lisa wanted to add something new.  That's when she decided to start a monthly subscription box for geocaching.  Out went surveys asking geocachers if there was any interest in such an endeavor, what cachers would like to get, how often, and how much they would be willing to pay, plus other research into subscription boxes.  The end result is what we know today as the Cache Crate.

Now to open my first Cache Crate.  I took pictures as I discovered and took out what was in the crate.  This did feel like opening a present on Christmas morning.  There was that excitement and curiosity as to what I'll discover inside.

First thing I pull out is an Ultra Violet LED light.  It looks exactly like a pen so it'll be easy to carry around in a pocket.  This will be handy.  I know of at least one geocache not far from here that might require this to help find the final.  

Next out of the box is a package of Fire Tacks.  I'm sensing a theme here.  UV light, fire tacks, could this be a night cache theme?  I've never hidden a night cache.  Thought about it though, but you need the right location and conditions for a good night cache.  I love doing night caches.  I have done a couple on my own and I have teamed up with other geocachers to complete a night cache.  Because you need the right conditions/area, there are very few night caches around here.  They do require the extra effort to set up than a basic traditional.    

If you have a UV light, then you need a pen that only a UV light will detect.  Now I feel like writing secret messages all over the place.  I had a thought.  What if I sign a log sheet with this pen?  I did find the cache, I did sign the log sheet, but you can't see it unless you have a UV light.  Would that still count as a find?  Hmmmmm….

Since we have a night cache theme and things that glow in the dark, a couple of glow sticks is only fitting for a night cache themed crate.

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And a sticker that says I love night caching.  It's true.  I do love night caching.  I know of a newer night cache so I'll make it a point of going out and giving it a try.  I haven't really used my Handy Dandy Flashlight II yet.  I have had a couple of opportunities but I forget it at home.  Maybe if I treated it like an American Express Card, then I won't leave home without it.  I'm not sure how well the pictures would turn out if I did an actual night cache.  It'll be worth a try.  

As for hiding a night cache, I do know of a perfect location, but my main concern is wildlife.  Bears in particular.  I might try to stay local, but now I'm very limited in ideal locations.  Plenty of thought will be needed for this.  For my first Cache Crate, I'm already feeling inspired to go out and hide something.  To quote the inside of the crate, "What's inside will get you outside". 

That's all for this week.  I await my next Cache Crate, plus I'm expecting more geocaching goodies in the mail.  Until then, be happy, be safe, enjoy life (why waste it by being miserable?), hug your geo-pets, and most importantly, have fun.  Peace out.

(I'm so cool I have to wear shades)