NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Geocache Placement & Maintenance

#volunteerspotlight Did you know that NoVAGO is 100% run by volunteers? They are ordinary geocachers who want to give a voice for the the wider geocaching community while supporting efforts in their own Northern Virginia area. To spotlight opportunities in the org, we are running a series of job profiles between now and our “Thanks Event,” the annual volunteer appreciation lunch in January. NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Geocaching 101 Classes NoVAGO is always on the look out for volunteers willing and able to hide new geocaches in our area. If you’re interested, let us know what area of the map is your favorite and we’ll let you know if we might be able to use your services. Thank you! To offer your services, e-mail officers@novago.org … Continue reading

NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Geocaching 101 Classes

#volunteerspotlight Did you know that NoVAGO is 100% run by volunteers? They are ordinary geocachers who want to give a voice for the the wider geocaching community while supporting efforts in their own Northern Virginia area. To spotlight opportunities in the org, we are running a series of job profiles between now and our “Thanks Event,” the annual volunteer appreciation lunch in January. NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Geocaching 101 Classes Northern Virginia Geocaching Organization is the official face of geocaching in our area. We frequently get requests from members of our community to give presentations about the hobby. We work with schools, scouts, libraries, parks and other groups. This educational outreach is part of our commitment to safe, responsible, and environmentally responsible geocaching. Each request is unique and so every presentation must also be slightly tailored to its audience. We need volunteers who love talking about their favorite hobby, geocaching. We … Continue reading

Spotlight Cache: In Memory of Dr Tooth A Magical-Mystery Bird House

#NationalBrushYourTeethDay (November 1) November 1st is National Brush Your Teeth Day! This was not created to remind people to brush their teeth once a year (We at NoVAGO are hoping that everyone brushes their teeth more than this one day annually!) Ha hah! No, this holiday was actually created to encourage parents to make sure their kids brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes. To celebrate this holiday, we here at NoVAGO would like to spotlight a cache in Stafford called “In Memory of Dr Tooth A Magical-Mystery Bird House (GC89BKD).” This gadget cache was placed by robbitandpaul as tribute to their favorite gentile dentist. Since it was placed it has been found 92 times, earned 43 favorite points, and was awarded a coveted NoVAGO Cache Award for most creative geocache of 2019! So make sure your kids are brushing for a full two minutes, and if nearby, … Continue reading

Spotlight Cache: NoVAGO U: Chemistry 100 & 101

#NationalChemistryWeek (October 20–26, 2024) Today we’re celebrating #NationalChemistryWeek by spotlighting this fun puzzle in Leesburg. NoVAGO U: Chemistry 100 & 101 (GC9ZZH5) was placed by hrothroc in 2022 as part of NoVAGO’s annual cache series. In 2024, the cache now has a 74% favorite point rating. First you’ll need to check your periodic table to solve the coordinates for this cache. It should be pretty straightforward for anyone who has completed high school chemistry class. With that done, geocachers will find themselves standing in the lab (well actually the forest) trying to figure out what to do with the supplied equipment. The kit includes a 3D printed cryptex which contains the log paper. Can you figure out the key word to get inside? Be sure to check the old logs. As part of the series, contestants were encouraged to post silly photos related NoVAGO U: Chemistry 100 & 101. Here’s … Continue reading

Spotlight Cache: The Loaner

#National Name Your Car Day (October 2, 2024) Going down the list of fun/bizarre holidays you will find that October 2, 2024 is National Name Your Car Day!  There are plenty of famous cars out there like Herbie, Christine, Eleanor, and the General Lee.  Studies have shown that when people name inanimate objects like cars, they assign almost human-like attributes to it, and feel more in control. There are a few car related geocaches in NoVAGO territory (Just ask Joey-Jo), but one stands out as having a name assigned to it in the cache title. That car is The Loaner (GC493RZ). Placed in 2013 by mobywv, it is a letterbox where you follow a map through the woods to a 1976 Mercury Bobcat Villager. I am sure that there is good story behind a very old wrecked car that is rusting away in the forest, and that every geocacher who … Continue reading

NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Officers

#volunteerspotlight Did you know that NoVAGO is 100% run by volunteers? They are ordinary geocachers who want to give a voice for the the wider geocaching community while supporting efforts in their own Northern Virginia area. To spotlight opportunities in the org, we are running a series of job profiles between now and our “Thanks Event,” the annual volunteer appreciation lunch in January. NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Officers Our annual officer elections take place during the month of December. A nominations and election committee is formed to make the process run smoothly. This team will be accepting nomination for officer positions during the entire month of November. Anyone wanting to self nominate may reach out to the committee. If you know someone who you think would be perfect for one of the jobs, you may also reach out. The committee will contact each person nominated to confirm their interest before they … Continue reading

NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Nominations and Elections Committee

#volunteerspotlight Did you know that NoVAGO is 100% run by volunteers? They are ordinary geocachers who want to give a voice for the the wider geocaching community while supporting efforts in their own Northern Virginia area. To spotlight opportunities in the org, we are running a series of job profiles between now and our “Thanks Event,” the annual volunteer appreciation lunch in January. NoVAGO Volunteer Profiles: Nominations & Elections Committee Our annual officer elections take place during the month of December. A Nominations and Election Committee is formed to make the process run smoothly. This team will be accepting nomination for officer positions during the entire month of November. They will contact each person nominated to confirm their interest. In December they will create a ballot for any contested positions and will supervise an election. This committee is the first to know who will make up the officer slate in … Continue reading

Spotlight Cache: NoVAGO U: Geology 101

#NationalRockDay (July 13) Today we’re celebrating #NationalRockDay by spotlighting a wherigo cache from the 2022 NoVAGO annual series. Placed by kiisikwa, NoVAGO U: Geology 101 will take you on an adventure through different rock samples. You will be challenged on your knowledge before you can get the coordinates to where the cache is hidden. “I learned something at each of the stages. Thanks Dr for the lesson and placing this cache!” ~923Graham “This class rocks!” ~02Hooson “This was a unique wherigo experience. The lesson was enjoyable, and the geology examples where top notch.” ~Awesnap “This was a very enjoyable Wherigo! I not only learned something, but I admired how it was set up. I had never done a Wherigo where I had to find cache at each stage.” ~Team_Palazzo If you were making a geocache cocktail and threw in a little bit of multi-stage cache, a little earthcache, and a … Continue reading

Spotlighting DC Boundary Stones in Virginia

Spotlighting DC Boundary Stones in Virginia International Day For Monuments and Sites (April 18, 2024) #spotlightcache Today we are spotlighting geocaches placed along the DC Boundary Stones in Virginia. They are listed in this article from north to south. The country’s first federal monuments were stone markers placed in 1791 on the original boundary of the new capital city. These boundary stones were the brainchild of George Washington to mark out the border. There were originally 40 markers, one for each mile of the 10 x 10-mile diamond plat of land. As you go through these geocache pages, you’ll learn a little more about the unique history of these federal markers, as many of these cache owners have really done their homework. DC Cornerstone (GC6781) The most northern of Virginia’s boundary stones that is accessible to the public, “DC Cornerstone” is one of the four cornerstones. When you are in … Continue reading

Spotlight Cache: Jeopardy! Series

#NationalTriviaDay (January 4) Spotlight Cache Series: Jeopardy! Today we are celebrating National Trivia Day with a series of caches placed in honor of the late Alex Trebek, host of the long-running TV game show, Jeopardy. This Jeopardy! Cache Series by TheColdedge and his TrustyNavigator will reward your knowledge and sometimes out-of-the-box thinking with coordinates for twenty-one mystery type geocaches. Winter is a great time to solve these at home and wait for a fair weather day to head out to the Winchester, Virginia area (and slightly beyond) to make the finds. I asked TheColdege a little about what went into creating this series. Q: What inspired you to chose Jeopardy as a theme? A: Alex Trebeck had recently died and I enjoyed the show as a kid. I also wanted to fit some strange trivia categories into a mystery cache. Q: How did you come up with the questions/answers? A: … Continue reading