My name is Fiona Simon. I am 9 years old and a 4th-grader at Crystal Spring Elementary School.

 

I was on the trail searching to find the geocache, I looked everywhere, and there it was: I had found it!

 

What is geocaching? Let me tell you! In geocaching, you try to find boxes hidden in nature. They may contain small objects, such as pens, stamps, tiny cars, and stickers, that can be traded out for one another. NO FOOD is allowed in the box! It will attract animals. The GPS coordinates of the geocache are published on the Internet.

 

Geocaching is fun because it challenges your brain and you get to spend time with your family. The first time I went geocaching, it was in Nashville, TN, where I used to live. I really liked the multi-caches at the historical sites in the area. When my family moved to Roanoke, geocaching helped me learn about cool places such as the former Roanoker restaurant, Mill Mountain trails, and several city parks including the smallest one, Harkrader Park, which had the smallest cache, called a nano cache. I also like to find caches when traveling, like we did this summer when we visited friends in Cherryfield, ME.

 

You can choose to make your own geocache. You need a lock-and-lock box, a piece of paper for the log, and some treasures to start with. Then, you hide it, give it a name, and publish it online!

 

I LOVE geocaching. It is SO, SO, SO much fun!