On a bright summer morning, I get out of my car and approach a cluster of towering pine trees outside of Maclay Gardens State Park in Tallahassee. My stride is purposeful as I glance occasionally at two strings of changing numbers displayed on the screen of a small electronic device in my hand. Some numbers cause me to smile and move forward; other digits bring a frown and a change of direction. I'm literally getting my bearings during my maiden geocaching adventure.

Now, as a woman who's never touched a Nintendo and managed to escape the 20th century without learning to program a VCR, tech-savvy hobbies don't float my boat. And when geocaching - a term that combines "geographical" and "cache," from the French word meaning "to conceal" - first launched, it was the sport of geeks.

In 2000, the U.S. Department of Defense stopped scrambling signals from their Global Positioning System, and techno-nerds quickly embraced a "treasure hunting" game that employed handheld navigational receivers. Using coordinates for locations posted on web sites, they searched for creatively hidden, weather-tight "cache" containers filled with inexpensive trinkets.

But the high-tech hide-and-seek soon attracted enthusiasts of all ages and descriptions, and has become a favorite form of outdoor recreation. Across the state, the sport has caught on, and in no place more rewarding than Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands, where their geocaching program features hidden metal tokens, free hotel nights and other local discounts.


Preparation

An active geocaching friend convinced me that borrowing her GPS device would add a new dimension of fun to a road trip. Programming a list of latitude and longitude coordinates into the device, she explained that caches are rated by degrees of difficulty. "They can even be hidden underwater," she warned. "But we'll start you off with something simple."

Checking different web sites, the "Hidden Treasures" caches listed by Original Florida looked perfect for a novice cacher and meshed nicely with my travel route.

Now it's just me and my little electronic buddy, the Garmin iQue 3600. As I impatiently cross and re-cross a road by the Maclay park admissions station, the ranger leans from the booth and says, "Slow down! It takes a few seconds for the satellites to read your location."

Obviously, he's familiar with the sport and has watched other players stalking the park's cache. I consider being blunt and asking where it's hidden, but refrain from cheating. Instead, I thank him and take his advice.

Suddenly, the numbers on my screen aren't spinning like a slot machine. And I'm noticing beautiful plants and birds around me. The ranger station is surrounded with vibrant azaleas, and a cabbage palm adds a tropical touch to the stately neighborhood of water oaks and loblolly pines. A bluejay and a pair of cardinals flit through the trees, and a mockingbird perches on a nearby branch to offer tuneful encouragement. I may have found my geocaching zone. However, the cache doesn't jump out and yell, "Here I am!" The ranger, who'll probably be an old friend by the time I leave, advises, "Remember, it's smaller than a train."

Okay - focus. I resort to deciphering the web site's encrypted hint for the cache (a neophyte tactic): "V nz cvavat sbe lbh gb cnex arkg gb zr." It decodes to: "I am pining for you to park next to me," which makes sense upon spying a fallen pine tree. Parking myself on the log, I brush away leaves to uncover an ammunition box. Success!

Unhinging the lid, I examine the contents of the cache. Lots of cool bracelets, stickers and miniature toys to choose from. I add a magnet from Wakulla Springs and remove a tiny bobble-head puppy - my first caching "treasure."

After recording the exchange in the cache's log book, I flip back to peruse notations left by previous cachers, and finally feel connected to the caching community. It turns out the prize I selected was left by my friend, Geo "K," four months earlier. Synchronicity is clearly at play.

During the following week, I locate caches at Steinhatchee Falls, Evinston Community Store and Post Office near Gainesville, Lafayette Blue Springs State Park along the Suwannee River and more. But the north of the state isn't the only place to look.
When you're accustomed to taking home a keychain or refrigerator magnet, nabbing a complimentary massage or kayak rental is a pleasant alternative!



Charlotte Harbor Geocaching

Geocachers have long considered Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands their happy hunting grounds. Dozens of wildlife-rich parks and nature preserves, encompassing miles of pristine beaches and tranquil aquatic Blueway trails - plus laid-back coastal communities with plenty of visitor-friendly amenities - provide an appealing game zone for these high-tech sport enthusiasts. Players get to explore the uncrowded barrier islands, pine flatlands, tropical hammocks and mangrove shorelines of this ecologically-diverse environment while searching for hidden treasures.

The challenge of the game and the pleasure of enjoying unspoiled natural settings are the real rewards of geocaching: Traditional "booty" has little or no monetary value. However, a Hide & Seek tourism campaign sponsored by the Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands Visitor's Bureau raises the stakes - and makes a successful hunt a genuinely rewarding experience.

Instead of the standard trinkets, twenty-five official caches contain certificates for an array of desirable prizes. Free hotel stays, dinners and cruises are among the goodies that savvy geocachers can discover. When you're accustomed to taking home a keychain or refrigerator magnet, nabbing a complimentary massage or kayak rental is a pleasant alternative!

But don't expect easy pickings - top geocaching experts were consulted to design this challenging contest. Cache sites include town and country locales that lead players to cultural, sporting and environmentally enlightening destinations. And keep in mind that in this vast estuary with 280 miles of shoreline, water-based caching is a splashy variation of the game.

Handsome, limited-edition geo-coins - specially minted signature tokens - are another cache item with real cachet. Finding one of these popular collectibles unlocks a different set of fun and valuable prizes.

Playing is as easy as checking into a participating lodging facility. Upon registration, GPS coordinates are provided - and the rewarding adventure begins.