Latest news with #BrianKlinger
Axios
14-07-2025
- Axios
How to start geocaching: Tips from an expert with 10,000+ finds
Columbus teacher Brian Klinger has logged well over 10,000 geocaches since 2008. We asked him for advice on how to get started: 👀 Know the ground rules. Watch a few quick videos to understand the basics. ✅ Start easy. Caches are labeled for difficulty, so find easy ones first (1 star) and work your way up. 😬 Don't worry about " muggles." Searching can feel awkward with others around, but acting confident should dispel any suspicion. If possible, wait for muggles to walk past before grabbing a cache. 👍 It's OK if you can't find one. This is very common! Post on the digital log that you missed it. The cache owner will sometimes give another hint and you can try again. Level up your geocaching journey 🎁 Bring trinkets to share. Larger caches have room for knick-knacks — players follow a "take something, leave something" system. 🤝 Get social. It's great as a group activity and can have major social benefits for older players. Ohio cachers are headed up to the annual Midwest Geobash in Fulton County later this month. Our local Metro Parks offer two ways to explore the outdoors through geocaching. 🚶 The beginners tour: This collection of 10 caches is ADA accessible and great for newcomers. 👽 The annual GeoTrail: It features an "Alien Invaders" theme this year, with 15 caches up for grabs at 15 different parks.
Axios
11-07-2025
- Axios
Geocaching celebrates 25 years of treasure hunting
Brian Klinger has dug under bushes, climbed up trees and waded through swamps to find hidden treasure. The reward? Usually just the chance to sign his name in a logbook. The Columbus teacher is a geocacher, and for millions like him, the hobby is more about the journey than the destination. Why it matters: Geocaching, a global treasure hunting game, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The free game encourages people to explore places familiar and new. State of play: The first cache was placed in Oregon by a GPS enthusiast in 2000, and now there are over 3 million around the world. That includes nearly 700 located within 10 miles of downtown Columbus, per Chris Ronan, spokesperson for the official Geocaching website. 👀 They're all around you: tucked inside tree hollows, under park benches or hanging on chain-link fences. The locations are just sneaky enough that non-players (known as "muggles," like in Harry Potter) are unlikely to discover and take them. How it works: Anyone can post caches to the Geocaching site with coordinates guiding seekers to an approximate spot. Clues sometimes offer help. It's an accessible game for all ages and abilities — caches range in difficulty, from quick grabs to requiring all-day hikes or lengthy puzzles to solve. Flashback: Klinger, the Columbus teacher, had never heard of geocaching when his daughter brought home a toy found inside a cache near their home in 2008. He set out to find others across town and was quickly hooked. Then came whole geocaching trips all over the country, and Klinger became the leader of the Central Ohio GeoCachers group. Stunning stat: Klinger logged his 10,000th cache last year in Oklahoma City, a milestone involving a horror-themed escape room. He especially loves group outings and "experience" caches like that one. The other side: Others find joy in simply locating as many as possible. One friend has racked up nearly 50,000 over the years. "That's what I love about geocaching," Klinger tells Axios. "Everyone makes it what they want it to be." Klinger's advice for getting started
