Just when I thought I had a pretty good handle on all the different ways to go geocaching, Geocaching Headquarters decided to experiment with something new.
Lab Caches.
No traditional container to find. No logbook to sign. No need to explain to a passing stranger why you're examining the underside of a park bench.
Instead, the idea was to create a geocaching experience that didn't necessarily have to follow the usual rules.
It sounded interesting, but what exactly was a Lab Cache? And would it catch on?
I was curious to find out.
A Little Experiment Called I <3 Geocaching
Lab Caches first appeared at Geocaching Headquarters' Block Party (GC3X684) in Seattle in August 2013. They were part of an effort to test new ideas that didn't necessarily fit the traditional geocaching guidelines.
In February 2014, Headquarters opened up another experiment to Premium members called I <3 Geocaching.
Members could create a temporary, personalized Lab Cache for someone else. It didn't necessarily require a physical container, and once the intended recipient completed it, the cache was archived.
Basically, a geocache designed for one person and one find.
That's certainly different from the ammo cans, pill bottles, and lamp-post skirts I was accustomed to.
My introduction came on February 27, 2014, when I completed Team Awesome Sauce, my first Lab Cache from the I <3 Geocaching experiment.
I probably wouldn't have known much about the experiment if it hadn't been for tankgirrl, who was excited about this new idea and wanted to show me.
By then, I'd been geocaching for nearly five years. I'd found plenty of containers, solved puzzles, and visited locations I probably never would have discovered otherwise.
But this was something different.
Geocaching Headquarters was experimenting with what a geocache could be, and I was getting a chance to try it.
I liked the idea, although I wasn't exactly ready to trade in my collection of ammo cans for experimental challenges.
Ten More at GeoWoodstock XII
My next experience came a few months later with GeoWoodstock XII (GC4BGXM). My logbook shows ten Lab Cache finds dated May 27, 2014.
Now this was an interesting development.
My first Lab Cache had been a personalized experiment shared between geocachers. At GeoWoodstock, I was encountering a set of Lab Caches associated with a major geocaching gathering.
That seemed like a natural fit.
Mega-Events already bring together geocachers from all over, with activities and opportunities to discover interesting things beyond the regular cache hunt.
Lab Caches could give organizers another tool for creating something special.
Instead of placing a collection of temporary physical containers, they could design challenges specifically for the event.
I was interested to see where that idea might go.
Geocaching Goes to the Movies
On June 30, 2014, I logged four more Lab Caches as part of the Earth to Echo Chicago Adventure.
This was another unusual use of the concept.
The experience was part of a promotion for the movie Earth to Echo.
So now Lab Caches weren't just being used for experiments between individual geocachers or activities at large events. They could also be created around a particular theme or promotional experience.
It was another example of how flexible the format could be.
Whether that was something we'd see much more of remained to be seen, but it was certainly different from anything I'd encountered when I started geocaching in 2009.
Back to the Mega-Events in 2016
I didn't log any Lab Caches in 2015, but the opportunities came around again in 2016.
At MOGA 2016 (GC5KYNP), I completed ten Lab Caches in a series called the MOGA 2016 Decathlon.
Then, at Midwest GeoBash (GC66A5W), I completed another ten in the 2016 Midwest GeoBash Backyard Games.
And on August 17, 2016, I added three more from the Wild Wild West Bend Lab Adventure, part of the West Bend Cache Ba$h (GC65E0M).
By the end of the year, I'd completed 38 Lab Caches across six different experiences.
That's not a huge number, especially compared with the thousands of traditional geocaches I'd found over the years.
But those 38 finds had given me a look at several different ways the concept could be used.
I'd encountered Lab Caches as a personalized experiment, a movie promotion, and activities associated with major geocaching events.
And I was beginning to notice a pattern.
Mega-Events seemed like a pretty natural place for Lab Caches.
Is It Geocaching Without a Container?
One of the things I've always enjoyed about geocaching is the hunt itself.
There's something satisfying about following coordinates, searching an area, and finally discovering a well-hidden container.
Even better when somebody has put some real creativity into the hide.
Give me a good gadget cache, a clever field puzzle, or a proper ammo can, and I'm happy.
But a physical container has never been the entire experience for me.
Virtual Caches and EarthCaches have already shown that there's plenty to discover without signing a logbook.
Sometimes it's the location that makes the experience worthwhile. Other times it's learning something about the history or geology of a place.
Lab Caches seem to follow a similar idea, while giving their creators a little more room to experiment.
And that got me wondering about something else.
Could Lab Caches Be the Next Virtual Cache?
Geocaching Headquarters stopped accepting new Virtual Cache submissions back in 2005.
Existing Virtual Caches remained active, of course, and I've always enjoyed finding them. They're often attached to historic landmarks, unusual attractions, or locations where placing a physical container isn't practical.
But without new ones being created, they're also a bit of a disappearing breed.
So could Lab Caches eventually fill that gap?
They certainly share some similarities. Both can take you to interesting locations without requiring a physical container. Both can make the destination itself part of the experience.
The biggest difference, at least from what I've seen so far, is that Lab Caches offer creators more freedom to experiment with the format.
Maybe Headquarters is looking at Lab Caches as a possible successor to Virtual Caches. Or perhaps they're experimenting with something entirely different.
I have no idea.
But I would love to see a way for geocachers to create new experiences that highlight historic places, unusual landmarks, and other destinations where a traditional cache just wouldn't work.
If Lab Caches could eventually make that possible, I'd consider that a pretty worthwhile addition to the game.
Of course, just because something is different doesn't automatically make it better.
A challenge still needs to be interesting.
And that's where I think the future of Lab Caches will depend on the creativity of the people designing them.
A Future at Mega-Events?
If I had to guess where Lab Caches might become most popular, I'd put my money on Mega-Events.
I've already seen them used at GeoWoodstock, MOGA, and Midwest GeoBash.
So it's not a question of whether they can work at these events. Clearly, organizers have been experimenting with them.
The question is how much more they might do with the idea.
Imagine a Mega-Event where Lab Caches take participants around the grounds, introduce them to local attractions, or involve them in creative challenges designed specifically for that gathering.
They could incorporate local history, interesting landmarks, games, or activities that wouldn't necessarily work as traditional geocaches.
And because these experiences could be temporary, organizers might have more flexibility than they would with permanent physical hides.
That's the part that interests me.
I wouldn't want every Mega-Event to turn into a collection of questions people answer just to increase their find count.
There's already plenty of that sort of number chasing in geocaching.
But something creative, entertaining, or educational that adds to the event experience?
I could see that becoming popular.
And having attended quite a few Mega-Events over the years, I know organizers are always looking for ways to make their gatherings memorable.
Lab Caches might give them another opportunity to do exactly that.
Where Do Lab Caches Go From Here?
As I look back on my experiences so far, I've only scratched the surface of what Lab Caches might offer.
I've tried them in a few different settings, and I've enjoyed seeing how the concept has been used.
But I'm still curious about where they're headed.
Will they remain mostly an occasional feature at Mega-Events? Will Geocaching Headquarters expand the experiment? Could they provide a new way to experience places that once might have been suitable for Virtual Caches?
I really don't know.
And that's part of what makes it interesting.
Geocaching has changed quite a bit since I started in 2009. Some new ideas have caught on, while others have come and gone.
Lab Caches are still something I'm figuring out.
I'm not ready to give up hunting for a good old-fashioned ammo can, and I doubt I ever will be.
But if Lab Caches can introduce me to an interesting place, teach me something new, or add a little more fun to a Mega-Event, I'm all for it.
I'm interested to see what Geocaching Headquarters and the community come up with next.
After all, the best part of geocaching has never been just collecting smiley faces.
It's everything that happens along the way.
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