Its summer, the sun is out, and your inside scrobbling your facebook as if it's a DJ's scratchpad. I have news for you; you need to get out. You waited a long winter for this, and you're wasting it with cheesy excuses about the weather, or feeling tired... etc. Well I have news for you; its because your ass is soggy and you need to get that right and tight!
Okay, maybe this isn't going to get you fit like a 12 day 12 step program, but you'll see the benefits. Yes, I'm being a bitch - but life's one too. :) I present a solution to all who've taken my humor lightly.
Geocaching
Geo (of or relating to the earth)
Cache (a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place)
ing (... you get the idea)
To those of you who do not know the term - this is an actively growing activity which involves using a gps device which will give you coordinates that will lead to the uncovering of a hidden container, traditionally holding a log book, and sometimes tradable doohickeys if you chose to exchange goods. There are multiple types of caches available, but roughly 95% of geocaches are of this traditional type. The adventure lies in getting to said coordinates (which your gps will point on out to where). The terrain and difficulty of each cache is rated on the cache details listed on the geocaching website, so if you're in a wheelchair, no one is asking you to climb a mountain (unless you want to try that of course). Some geocaches are as easy as parking and grabbing an easily locatable container. Some involve climbing a mountain. Some even require 5 days backpacking adventures. Some are just for the kids. The point is there is something for everyone. And there are some right outside your door. Maybe 1 block away, but ya, seriously. There is a map on the geocaching website which you'll see at this link.
Now you may be asking 'what be ye GPS'? I shall show ye. Pull out that 'smart' phone you have in your left pocket, and see the apps section. Download the geoaching app. If you just want to check this out, see the intro app which is free -- otherwise the 10 buck app is worth it. If you have a backpacking GPS device, this works great too, but depending on the model, will require some tinkering to transfer geocache coordinates. I used to do it this way, but went to the smartphone device instead since all details about the cache are transferred right into the app - no messy paperwork.
Now I have a smartphone (iphone 4) but do not have an account linked to it. I don't pay anything -- nada -- no charges -- no bills -- no fees. But what can my device do? Everything still. A smartphone still works as a gps locator, as long as it has a SIM card in it (guaranteed you do). So what I do, it download (from wifi) the hundreds of geocaches in my area to an offline saved maps list, and then access them on the go. Works like gangbusters. Now I drive out to the countryside, looking for someplace new, and find some odd places I've never been. If you have a data plan on your phone, all the better. The idea of geocaching too, is that someone put the cache there to show you something or someplace interesting. I was geocaching in Cambridge with my girlfriend, and this one geocache led to an old amazing mill on the Grand River. Something like that, people need to see. Someone else who was at the mill, told us he collected the coordinates from the geocaching website, just so he could see the location - but hadn't geocached before. Anyway, this smartphone appy way of geocaching for free is a steal to find a way to get out and explore while keeping in touch with your inner-ninja and inner-geek at the same time.
Now I know my words are fickle and thin, but I hope to have wetted your palette. Feel free to browse their website for all the other info I missed.
Happy Geocaching!
P.S Check out the geocaches I made -- my screen name is hops118
