G-Mites

Our VERY eventful journey through the Creek!

By: Madison Drye & Katlyn Rogers On our geocaching journey we decided to see what we could find around our campus at Campbell. We gathered our handy GPS, IPhone with the Geocache app, and our course Jacey. Jacey is Madison’s black Jeep. We figured that on our adventure, we needed an explorer vehicle and my little Cruze would not do the job. We were prepared for the best adventure yet! The well experienced Geocache master Dr. Roukema taught us that if we were standing still the GPS would not work correctly, so I walked in circles around Jacey in the parking lot until we got directions- then we were off! Our first stop was in Saylor Park! Jacey zoomed through campus and came into Saylor Park on two wheels. Jacey didn’t park anywhere she took us all through the field and as close as possible to find our first geocache! When we were thinking and trying to figure out where it could be, we had no idea where it could have been hidden. Katlyn was in charge of directing us with the GPS and getting us as close as possible. We started walking towards Pat Barker which we call “New Dorm”. We just knew we were heading in the right direction. We were 250 feet away as we walked toward “New Dorm” BUT we were going the wrong way! We changed our direction to the light poles. As we walked closer to the poles the closer and closer we got! We were only 30 feet away! We used our clue to look all over high and low. Since we had done the campus wide Easter egg hunt before, I had seen the clue but could not remember where it was. Then we saw it, connected to the light pole!







We were so excited that we had found the first one so we decided to go ahead and to look for Geocache number two! Katlyn put the second one in the GPS and we were off to the Bell Tower. As soon as we arrived, Jacey just pulled up to the dumpsters, there was no time for parking behind the infirmary. We jumped out of the car and Katlyn was so excited that she tripped over the curb, almost took out bush. I walked around to the side of the car to find Katlyn laid out on the sidewalk. I thought she had already hurt herself, but really she had tucked and rolled over the curb. Once we got her up and running again, we got the GPS working and getting us closer to the Geocache. We just assumed that the Geocache would be inside the fence beside the Bell Tower, but once we walked all around we figured out with our coordinates that we needed to go in a different direction. We started walking toward the handicap parking spaces as the GPS told us we were only 20 feet away! We searched and search until Katlyn realized we were right on it! The GPS told us we had arrived. I just knew that we couldn’t get into the drain, it wasn’t possible! Katlyn bent down to look, and she saw this little plastic thing poking out of the side of the drain. She pulled it out and there it was!! We had found our second Geocache



Two down, many more to go! Our third location was the camel. Of course the hints told us that it was not on the camel but close to it and it was magnetic. Our brains started running as to where could this little Geocache be. We knew it was small and would blend in. We jumped out of Jacey and started toward the camel. People were all staring at us as we franticly looked our treasure! We look all down the camel, around the camel, up the camel, and on the ground- but it was nowhere. The GPS told us we were 15 feet away, so we walked and searched, walked and searched, until we finally found something. Madison, on her hands and knees from searching, rejoiced that we had finally found it. Placed under one of the benches in front of the camel was a tiny black magnetic treasure. We had found the treasure!

We were on a mission! We knew we only had to do a certain amount but we were having a blast and thought why not do extra. It was fun and interesting! Katlyn put in the next closest Geocache. On the GPS it was telling us near Kivett. We hopped out of the car started searching. We walked around and around Kivett when we realized all around the building we were not going in the correct directions and sure wasn’t getting any closer. When we realized we couldn’t find it, Katlyn followed the GPS perfectly when it took us to the tree in front of Chick-Fil-A. I just knew we were in the wrong spot. How could a geocache be hidden high in a tree? We couldn’t climb it. So then Katlyn and I thought and knew it couldn’t be in the ground. We bent over to look across the tree when we read the clue it said “Tree Hole”. Then we were on a search for a hole in the tree! Madison looked into the hole to find a Camera Roll! “WE FOUND IT!!!” Katlyn’s hands were smaller so she put her hand in and pulled it out!! We had found our FOURTH GEOCACHE!!!

Last but not least!!! The hardest one on our list- The WELL! We walked in circles following the GPS! We stood on the side, stood on the well. From north and south to east and west the Well was searched! But finally on the last attempted we discovered the cache hidden away behind a spider web!!

G-MITES GEOCACHING ADVENTURE WAS CONCOURED!!!!! Our advice for future Geocaching: 1. Wear the right shoes! 2. Always watch your step! 3. Bring snacks! 4. Always look high and low! = =

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Here is a sample lesson plan for 8th grade students! This lesson plan takes the students on a journey to discover different groups from North Carolina history that worked to promote different forms of change! See if you students can answer- These groups did what?