In France the children play cache cache, in Germany its versteckspiel and in the U.S. we call it hide and seek.

The beloved childhood activity has in recent years developed a high-tech sibling called geocaching, and mid-valley children and adults are getting into the game.

The appeal is two-fold for most geocachers: they get to employ new technology (GPS) to play an old-fashioned game of treasure hunt.

A breakdown of the name of the game helps one understand the point. Geo stands for geography and cache for hiding place.

The essence of the game is this: Someone hides a container, ranging in size from a 35-millimeter film case to a waterproof container the size of a shoebox. Then someone else finds it, using latitude and longitude coordinates from a website - www.geocaching.com is the preferred site - and a global positioning system receiver.

The container holds a logbook where geocachers write or stamp their name or alias. They often contain trinkets as well, which cachers are invited to take and replace with another item. Some also contain a clue to the location of another cache.

Registered participants number in the hundreds of thousands and locate themselves and their caches all over the world.

Adaptable adventure

"It takes you places you wouldn’t otherwise go, or didn’t even know existed," said Jim Lyman, also known as Geogold. He is 41 and lives in Independence.

Geocaching is adaptable to just about any cacher’s needs and limitations.

"I’m old, I’m fat and I smoke - and I do it," Geogold said.

The hunt may be at the player’s own pace; there is no time element unless you want to be the first to find that particular cache.

The rating for both the difficulty in finding the cache and in traversing the terrain to get to it is expressed in stars - one is easiest, five is most difficult - next to the cache coordinates on the website.

Keeping up with the Joneses

Glen and Martha Jones of Albany are collectively known as GlenMart. By several accounts, they are the most prolific geocachers in Oregon.

Their daughter introduced them to letterboxing, a similar game that relies on hints and clues instead of GPS points to find hidden boxes. (Find out more at www.letterboxing.org.)

GlenMart came across several geocaches on accident while letterboxing. At one cache they met a woman using a GPS and were impressed with its capabilities. They became converts.

Martha says they started geocaching in August 2003.

Glenn said they weren’t aware of their No. 1 status until they attended a geocaching event and were told. "We went home and got online and looked at the stats," he said. Sure enough, there they were.

"We haven’t competed with anybody, trying to be first or anything. We just go out and do it because we like it," Glenn said. "We get exercise and get to see things we never seen before or even knew was in Oregon."

They go out every day there are new caches in the mid-valley and surrounding area, which is almost daily.

"We’re up to 8,344 caches," Martha said, adding that they have hidden 173 caches themselves. "You also get to meet a great group of people."

For the love of the hunt

Martha is 67, Glenn is 69. They are retired.

In April, Glenn had some medical problems. A large tumor was discovered on his right kidney and the kidney had to be removed. GlenMart took a break from geocaching for about two weeks and on the third week Glenn went to the hospital in Portland to have the staples removed. On the return drive home, GlenMart stopped in Wilsonville to look for a cache.

"They are animals!" said Geogold, who knows GlenMart and applauds their zeal for finding caches, even while in recovery.

Like GlenMart, Geogold hunts and hides geocaches. He says he makes it a point to put them in places elderly or wheelchair-bound hunters will be able to access them.

Almost anyone, from little kids to grandparents, may play the game.

What’s inside

Caches are always hidden outdoors, but may be in an urban or rural environment, or somewhere in between.

Some include money or gift certificates to stores, Glenn said. Some people make the booty themselves, such as pieces of jewelry or knitted items.

Some have themes. A fishing motif could include plastic fish and lures, either all in one spot or distributed with clues linking several caches.

There are a few rules for treasures: No liquid - it could freeze; no food - animals might get to it first -no weapons, like knives; and no cigarettes, alcohol or drugs. This is a family activity.

Geogold said the most common injury he’s seen in geocaching is sprained or twisted ankles.

"And be up on your shots," he laughed as he reached for a cache under an old rusty bench somewhere near Camp Adair.

Terms to Know

Cache - Pronounced "cash," this is the item you are searching for. It’s usually a container holding a log and a writing utensil to document you were there. Sometimes they also contain prizes.

Travel Bugs and Hitch Hikers - A travel bug is a numbered tag you can track online as it "hitch hikes" from cache to cache and person to person. The owner may assign it a task, such as reaching a certain destination, or it may simply travel wherever cachers take it. Geocachers must first activate the bug, then each person who finds it must log it into the website, allowing everyone to follow the bug’s progress.

Geocoins - These are similar to travel bugs and hitch hikers, and cachers may track geocoins as they are picked up and dropped off at different cache locations.

Muggles - A reference to the "Harry Potter" book series, muggles are non-geocachers who may snatch caches instead of playing the game.

Waypoint - A coordinate address saved in your GPS.

Sources: www.geocaching.com glossary and "The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Geocaching"

Resources

- "The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Geocaching" - by Jack W. Peters

- "It’s a Treasure Hunt! Geocaching and Letterboxing" - Cq Products

- "Geocaching for Dummies" - by Joel McNamara

- "Local Treasures: Geocaching Across America" - by Margot Anne Kelley

- Geocaching.com - has answers to commonly asked questions and is a great place for cachers to start learning the game

What you will need

- Internet access

- GPS receiver

That’s it! The rest is up to you. Geocachers can plan their adventures for an hour or two, a day or a week. They may go it alone or in a group. Geocachers can also choose their level of difficulty.