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Judeo-Cache: The Game A new springtime activity In a nutshell, Geocache is a high tech treasure hunt. Participants follow clues and geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to find their way to a hidden cache or treasure. The fun of geocaching is not only in retrieving the treasure but also in getting there. The hunt might involve solving a mystery or climbing a mountain to get to the treasure. People have been geocaching since May 3, 2000. On May 1, 2000, the Clinton Administration removed the intentional GPS signal degradation called "Select Availability (SA)" opening up high quality inexpensive GPS signals to civilian applications including this game. Two days later, the first cache was hidden near Portland, Oregon. The cache was discovered three days after that. Since then, the game has kept growing and growing. The official website lists about 200,000 active caches placed in 217 countries. A few simple rules govern geocaching:
There are many variants to geocaching --- from the offset cache (coordinate take you to a location where something is hidden) to multi-cache (one cache site gives you clues to the next cache site, much like a treasure hunt) to virtual cache (in which the cache is not a physical treasure but rather an important building or monument). Our cache has a Jewish theme. The
clues will lead you to Jewish locations in the Main Line near Philadelphia. The distances can be covered easily by bike or by car.
You will need a hand-held GPS receiver. They can be purchased for about $100 at many electronics stores or contact me helensloeb@gmail.com
and borrow hers for the day. (Donations to the Philadelphia Jewish Voice greatly appreciated.) Part One Find the Jewish buildings at the three GPS coordinates below and copy the year of construction, dedication or renovation inscribed on the building or sign. (All latitude and longitude coordinates are given here in degrees, minutes and thousandths of a minute.)
All these buildings are close to each other, so you can either walk or bike from one to the next one. Please be respectful to the people using these Jewish buildings and do not take notes, or use your GPS or other electronic devices on their property during the Sabbath or Jewish holidays. Part Two Part I will give you ten numbers that you will need to feed into the magic formula below. Call the 9 numbers A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L. Just replace the letters below by the corresponding digit from the clues above and you will get the location of the cache:.
The Judeocache is hidden some 2 miles away from the locations in step 1. The cache should be fairly easy to find. Additional clues can be found on the Judeocache page of the Geocaching website. When you find the cache, leave a note with your comments. Feel free to take an object from the cache. Our cache has a Jewish theme, so if possible please replace it with another object related to that theme. Happy Caching. Remember to sign in and send us feedback to tell us you found the cache. We will announce those who discover the cache on this webpage! You can also post your comments on the Judeocache page of the Geocaching website. Honor Roll The Judeocache was hidden Sunday, March 26, 2006. Discovered by:
References
Dr. Helen S. Loeb |
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