Moviepalooza! 2023 Series Kick-off Event

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Announcing the start of the NoVAGO annual caching series! This year our theme is cheesy movies. We’ve named it Moviepalooza. Members of NoVAGO will be hiding geocaches around the area over the next few months. We are hoping to see at least twenty new, movie themed caches publish. Join the Moviepalooza Kick-off Event Bring a chair, grab some popcorn! Plan for fun! Saturday, September 30th, 2023 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Be sure to let the hostess know that you are coming. Please RSVP on the event page: NoVAGO Moviepalooza: Premiere (GCADRYW) … Continue reading →

Spotlight Cache: OLYMPIAD2020: Rhythmic Gymnastics (Adv. Lab Bonus)

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#NationalGymnasticsDay (September 19) Spotlight Cache: OLYMPIAD2020: Rhythmic Gymnastics (Adv. Lab Bonus) Today we are celebrating National Gymnastics Day with a cache that brought us out of pandemic hiding places and challenged us to to be our best gymnast. As one cacher said, “They rhythm is going to get you.” This cache by Serrabou and ZippyFinn, OLYMPIAD202: Rhythmic Gymnastics (Adv.Lab Bonus), is a mouthful to say so we’re just going to call it Rhythmic Gymnastics. It is the bonus to a fun Adventure Lab that you must complete first. It is located in Clifton, VA. Because the cache was part of NoVAGO’s annual series, OLYMPIAD2020, you will notice lots of fun photos in the early logs of competitors showing off their best Anna Bessonova. For those who don’t know, this cache series involved, among other things, participants submitting photos that would be judged in an effort to earn points for their … Continue reading →

President’s Favorite Points ❤️

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What’s been happening around NoVA? We all have seen those big yellow buses on the road and kiddies with backpacks and lunch boxes crowded on the corners.  That’s because it’s September and school is back in session. Seems too early doesn’t it?   Even though the last few days have been the hottest of the year, Summer is quickly ending.  We all know that the end of Summer turns into Autumn!  Seasonal events & activities are happenings all around & geocachers who have been waiting for the green to fade away, can hit the trail soon.   Autumn is also an exciting time of the year for NoVAGO.  The fall picnic is right around the corner; October 22, 2023.  This year’s picnic will be located at Laurel Hill Park Central Green, Pavilion B, Lorton VA  11AM – 2PM.  Event Cache – GCABN9Y; 2023 NoVAGO Fall Event: Laurel Hill Central Green.  A big … Continue reading →

Don’t be afraid to reach out to a cache owner.

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When and how to reach out to a CO and how it benefits the greater geocaching community.  Many years ago when I was training as an engineer, it was commonplace to see technical drawings stamped ‘If In Doubt Ask!‘. Most seasoned cachers believe in this adage and will message Cache Owners (CO’s) for advice and guidance when stuck on a puzzle or at a particularly evil cache hide. CO’s are usually very willing to provide a “nudge” and it isn’t uncommon for them to be so eager to help that they will jump in their car and race out to meet a cacher in distress! To contact the CO, go to the top of the caching page for that GC number and click “message this owner”. The Message Center page will open automatically and will start your message by showing the Title and GC number for that cache. Don’t forget … Continue reading →

NoVAGO Celebrates Fall with some CITOs!!

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CITO stands for Cache In Trash Out. It’s the geocacher’s approach to keeping our game board (i.e. the entire planet) in great shape. Geocachers gather together to pick up trash, remove invasive species, repair trails and more! Each CITO we attend is a testament to care: care for others, our communities, and our planet. Also all geocachers who participate in a CITO between September 1st to November 30th will earn a pretty sweet new souvenir! September 4, 2023 – Picky’s Second Smashy CITO: Labor Day Decimation Herndon Picky’s Second Smashy CITO: Labor Day Decimation will be held in the area around a parking lot. You may want to venture into the woods a bit, too. This would be a great event for someone with limited mobility who is looking to get this cache type. September 16, 2023 – Mayfield Fort CITO X Manassas Join experienced CITO host, Awesnap, in Manassas … Continue reading →

2023 NoVAGO Fall Picnic & Auction

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2023 Fall Picnic Image

All are invited to the 2023 NoVAGO Fall Picnic! Our fall picnic is an annual event hosted by the board members of the Northern Virginia Geocaching Organization. We will have grills going and will provide hot dogs and hamburgers and members will bring their favorite potluck-style sides to share. Please log your “Will Attend” on the official event page at least a few days before so that we know how much meats to purchase. In your log, you might want to mention what food you are bringing, just so we don’t end up with two dozen types of potato salad. In addition to food and conversation, participants will have the opportunity to bid on donated auction items. You can find a link to the cache event page here. Who is the picnic for? The event is open to everyone interested in geocaching. While most in attendance will be locals from … Continue reading →

DNF versus Needs Maintenance

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(Originally published August 13, 2013) So what do you do when you are out in the field and cannot find a cache ?? Well, if you are out on your own or with others who have not found the cache, you should be logging the attempt as a DNF (Did not Find). The DNF is a tool that is used by the cache owner (CO) to help them to maintain their caches. Several DNFs in a row are a strong indicator that there is something amiss with a cache. Of course, the other possibility is that the cache is very well hidden and is just not being found. In either case, it is the cache owner’s responsibility to check on it and verify it is in place or fix it if it is not. So how does a Needs Maintenance Log fit into the picture ?? The requirement for a … Continue reading →

Geocaching 101 Class in Winchester, September 23, 2023

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Want to learn more about geocaching? Join NoVAGO at the Handley Regional Library in Winchester on Saturday, September 23, 2023. There will be a “Geocaching 101” presentation at 11am hosted by NoVAGO’s president, Gina Thompson. The presentation will also be an official geocaching event (GCACYZZ) so be sure to sign the log book! There will be a scavenger hunt inside the library to get you in the mood. Local geocachers will be on hand from 10am-4:30pm to answer questions. All geocachers are invited to attend the event, whether this is your first “find” or you have thousands under your belt. We look forward to meeting you! Visit the Handley Regional Library website for more info. To go to directly to the event page, CLICK HERE. … Continue reading →

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NoVAGO Board Appoints Members to Officer Nomination & Elections Committee

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At the July board meeting, officers voted to activate a committee charged with gathering nominations for the 2024 slate of officers. This committee will also manage the election. We would like to thank Michael Schwandt (aka schwandt) and Jesse Chou (aka MrPsyduck) for volunteering for to be on this committee and for taking on this task. If these names sound familiar, it is because they were also the dynamic duo who ran our 2023 cache awards. If you are interested in being a part of NoVAGO’s future and are considering a run for office, please reach out to a current officer and we will put you in touch with the committee.


Spotlighting Accessible Caches

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Spotlighting Accessible Caches Henderson House and Meister’s Mystifying Box National Disability Independence Day #NationalDisabilityIndependenceDay (July 26, 2023) #spotlightcache Today we are spotlighting two caches that are great examples of placing caches with accessibility in mind; in Falls Church, Henderson House – FCCRH (GC3EFEQ) and in Winchester, Meister’s Mystifying Box @ Jim Barnett Park (GC5115R). Read on, to find out what makes these caches great. Henderson House – FCCRH (GC3EFEQ) According to Atlas Obscura, the Henderson House is a Sears Catalog kit home built in 1913. Its owners, Dr. E.B. Henderson and his wife, Mary Ellen Meriwether, were both notable civil rights activists. In front of the little house is a marker noting the historic significance of Henderson’s contributions. The cache page tells more history than can fit on a marker. What makes this cache by cacher zgrav special is the unique way that a regular size container is hidden in … Continue reading →