Couple crazy for Geocaching
GPS-based game holds tourism potential
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STEUBENVILLE -- Every day, in the U.S. and abroad, individuals stroll past concealed treasure stashes without even realizing it. Those hidden hoards are the result of an international adventure activity known as Geocaching.
Geocaching is an outdoor game that utilizes GPS technology to help players of all ages hunt for hidden treasures called geocaches stashed in creative places, near and far. A database of geocaches can be accessed on the free Geocaching website or app, which players use to pick which caches they want to seek and provide feedback on their hunts.
Caches, which are hidden by players for others to find, are typically durable containers that come in various shapes and sizes -- traditionally, ammo crates are used, but caches can be anything from plasticware to faux plant life, which provide an extra layer of hiddenness. Inside each physical cache is a paper logbook that players sign when they find it, and sometimes they're filled with trinkets on a "take something, leave something" basis.
The first iteration of Geocaching was on May 3, 2000, when computer consultant Dave Ulmer decided to test then-revolutionary GPS technology by hiding a container in a forest near Portland, challenging others online to find it. Web developer Jeremy Irish took an interest in the burgeoning movement and created the geocaching.com website to serve as a database on Sept. 2, 2000.
Though only 75 caches existed worldwide upon the site's launch, the total number of active caches has since ballooned to 3 million, covering 191 countries, as well as Antarctica. It should come as no surprise that Jefferson County has more than a few of its own geocaches, as well as a dedicated fanbase that keeps the game alive and circulating locally.
Two such devoted players are Steubenville residents Matthew and Emily Goodrich, who go by the username Planetmoon123 on the Geocaching database. Originally from Mingo Junction, Matthew Goodrich began Geocaching in 2009, but it didn't take root until 2019, when he began Geocaching with his wife. From then on, he said, they "started and never stopped."
To date, they've hidden 60 of their own caches and found about 700 others. To be listed in the database, prospective caches must be submitted for approval and at least 527 feet away from an existing cache. The Goodriches estimate that there could be between 300 and 500 caches in Jefferson County alone, with a large chunk in Steubenville.
Matthew Goodrich, who works for a digital asset mining consultancy, said the database allows players to leave ask questions comments and leave comments about different caches, adding, "You try to give clues and hints without taking away the excitement of finding it."
Ranked in the database by difficulty, size and the surrounding terrain, caches come in many different types. For example, multi-caches have various physical or virtual stages players must complete -- like puzzles or ciphers -- to uncover the cache's GPS coordinates. Other caches provide educational lessons on history or science that players can complete.
Frequent travelers, the Goodriches like to take their 4-year-old to find Geocaches with trinkets inside to play with. Matthew Goodrich said the game is great for parents, who can play while visiting parks with their kids.
All someone needs is a smartphone or old-school handheld GPS to play the free game, which has an extra premium option. Matthew Goodrich said the goal for them is to make their caches challenging but fun.
Players have a dictionary's worth of lingo, including "TFTC," which means "thanks for the cache," or "swag," which refers to the trinkets hidden inside a cache. Trinkets can include arrowheads, stickers, necklace charms or even keychains with codes known as "trackables."
Trackables' codes can be input into the database and count as a cache find. Some are meant to travel the world from person to person, with one of the Goodriches' trackables reaching as far as Haiti.
Players travel from all over for the game, with one example being Austrians who visited the Goodriches' cache near Naples Spaghetti House. Geocaching events like GeoWoodstock draw large crowds for challenges and trinkets -- event locations are determined by a bidding process.
Individual cities can make use of Geocaching, creating tours through their historic sites. Belmont County, for instance, has a Bigfoot-themed geotour.
"I would love to get together with city or county officials and do something like that in Steubenville because it would bring a lot of people here," said Emily Goodrich, a registered nurse for Trinity Health System.
The game has already cemented its presence in Steubenville, with caches attached to the city's murals and a cache on the Market Street Bridge. The two are passionate about the game and want to share about it, having already hosted two Geocaching events in Beatty Park -- the location of the county's oldest cache, placed by a Russian rocket scientist while visiting his in-laws.
Other local players -- some represented in the Steubenville and Weirton Area Geocachers Facebook group -- include St. Matthew, a leader in educational caches, and Jake 23, who places caches along local bike trails.
"I enjoy the thrill of the hunt," Matthew Goodrich said of the hobby, adding, "I don't see us ever stopping."
Emily Goodrich said she enjoys how Geocaching is family-friendly and "takes you to places you would otherwise not know about." One such place is in Union Cemetery, which the Goodriches visited on Friday, where a geocache search leads players to a stunning panoramic view of the city.
Geocaches are hidden surprises that can lead to individuals uncovering other hidden gems like the panorama that are well worth the hike.
Another term among players is "FTF," or "first to find," referring to the coveted glory of being the first person to locate a new cache. As the Geocaching fanbase grows in Steubenville and Jefferson County, thanks in part to the Goodriches, the potential is boundless for the area's next big find.