I Love My Garmin eTrex Venture HC!

Well, it seems like the world is finally catching up on the fun that is geocaching! Geocaching is a sport, or activity, where you download GPS points into a handheld GPS, and then use the GPS to give you directions to hunt for them. Hidden at the waypoints are little "caches" - boxes with trinkets or collectable coins, and other items, plus a log for you to enter your "I was here" note. As geocache classes, parties and events grow, it's becoming a more popular sport - plus it gets you into the great outdoors! It's an incredibly fun family activity, and it takes you outside in a way that organized team sports just can't.

That's why I love my Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS receiver! It is a middle priced GPS, and has plenty of features and storage for the beginner to intermediate geocacher. When you sign up at Geocaching.com, you can download waypoint information into your Venture HC, and it's ready to go when you reach your destination. You can also purchase additional maps from Garmin to load into the Venture. While more expensive handheld GPS units have more storage space, or full color maps, and other features, getting started geocaching with this great little unit is just right. You can easily connect it to your PC via a USB connector (included) to download maps and waypoints.

I bought mine at Amazon, which actually had lower prices for a brand new unit than some of the auction sites had for used or refurbished. And I noticed it goes on sale there sometimes too! You can sometimes catch a deal on these for around $100.

The eTrex Venture HC has many other features too. You can track your route to see how far you've traveled, including an altimeter to track your elevation as you climb hills for example. You can load in your own points of interest, manually entering latitude and longitude, for future use. You can link the GPS to free software online to manage all of your waypoints, and your found caches or the caches you've hidden yourself. Similar to other GPS units, it also lists points of interest near your geographic location, such as restaurants or gas stations, you can use it for regular travel by car, say. However it does not have all the same features as a GPS meant for car navigation - because that's not what it's designed to do.

If you haven't tried geocaching, but you're curious, look for local courses given in your town, as it picks up in popularity. Many communities have added it to their roster of classes, and kids' camps now offer it. We even had a geocache party for a group of 20 twelve-year-olds - they loved it! The best part is, it gets kids outside, on the trail, in places as familiar as your neighborhood park, to remote wilderness if that's where you want to go. Caches are hidden worldwide! It's a global sport and tons of fun. Geocaching just celebrated it's tenth official anniversary too.

And I highly recommend the Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS. It's easy to use, has excellent battery life, and is at a good price point. Get one today, and get out there! See you on the hunt!

Here are some places you can explore for hidden geocaches. Look them up online and load them into your eTrex Venture HC!  Add your favorites in the Comments section!

• Nearby trails
• Local nature centers (which might also offer classes!)
• University campuses
• Mountains
  
• Local lakes or river pathways
• Off-road wilderness areas
• Arboretums in your area
• State or local parks in your area
• Parks and natural areas where you go for vacation
• Places you're visiting for business
• Some stores also hide caches to bring in customer - our local bike store does! Look for ice cream stores, hiking and sports stores, etc.
  

(Note that officially, the U.S. National Park Service prohibits caches from being hidden in NPS parks. )