What happens when something as low-tech as hiking gets crossed with a high-tech satellite system? Well, it might just result in a sort of modern-day treasure hunt. The hobby is called "geocaching," and instead of an X, GPS coordinates mark the spot.
"It's basically a pastime where people hide these containers with various knickknacks and novelties in them for other people to find," second-year Engineering student Phil Harton said.
People hide the containers in what is "usually an outdoorsy place," log the coordinates using a GPS receiver, and then post the information on geocaching.com, where it can be accessed by other hobbyists, according to Virginia resident and geocacher Eric Jones-Davenport.
Upon finding the cache using their own GPS receiver, hobbyists exchange a memento of their own with one in the container.
Caches have been hidden all over the world, even in Charlottesville.
"The first cache I ever found was in the Dell at U.Va.," Harton said, adding that there are also caches at Observatory Hill, Fontaine Research Park and "pretty cleverly hidden" at the Barracks parking lot.
When the caches are hidden in public places like that, "the challenge is to find them without anyone else seeing you," Jones-Davenport's wife Jean said.
While Harton has found several of the Charlottesville caches, he said he has only participated in the hobby for about a year and a half. He said he heard about geocaching on the news years ago but had forgotten about it.
Then, after discovering the official Web site two summers ago, Harton said he decided to try it out.
"I enjoy the outdoors and if it's an excuse to go play outside, then I'm all for it," Harton said.
The Jones-Davenports also enjoy this chance to spend time outdoors.
"We do hike and we do bike ... [so] this is just something that we added to it," Jean said, noting that her husband was always interested in learning about GPS receivers.
In addition to University sports and cultural events, Eric said the collection of local caches is another reason to keep coming back.
"Charlottesville is just a neat place to go," Jean said. "It's a small town, but not a small town [and] it's got the University."
These qualities can help make geocaching in Charlottesville an enjoyable experience.
"The other day we did it and you can walk to three or four of them," Jean said. "In other places, you have to get in your car and drive."
These drives, however, also have their benefits.
Jean noted that while she and her husband have lived in this area for 30 years, they have discovered many nearby parks that they never knew existed.
Geocaching can also have its scarier moments.
Harton was eager to tell his tale about getting stopped by the police at Bunnyman's Bridge, supposedly a haunted location in Clifton, Va.
According to Harton, the police shined the light upon him and his friend, told them to approach slowly and conducted a search.
Harton said he learned that the police have seen a lot of criminal activity at the bridge, which is private property, and have even had guns pulled on them, so they had reason to be suspicious.
While the police warned about treading on private property, they lightened up a bit when they found Harton and his friend were just looking for a geocache.
"What part of a personality would appeal to hidden treasures?" Jean asked. "Going back to childhood? I'm not sure what makes it so much fun."
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