Press Release 06/19/05
For Immediate Release Contact: Rose Szwed

Phone: (248) 542-5072

GEOCACHERS FIND NEXT HUNT WITH BED & BREAKFAST INNS OF SOUTHERN MICHIGAN

(Jones, Michigan)—In the year 2000, Mike Teague became the first to find a container of goodies hidden by someone outside Portland, Oregon to celebrate the removal of the federal restriction on the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for the public. Years later, the Bed & Breakfast Association of Southern Michigan is embracing the newly entertained game for GPS users by offering geocaching packages to its guests.

What exactly is geocaching? It is an adventure game for GPS users. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache.

What do the 24 inns of the Bed & Breakfast Association of Southern Michigan have to offer for geocachers? The inns purchase items, such as a savings book or gift card for nearby places, and put them in the hidden cache.

They then find a hiding place for the cache, and log the coordinates into the GPS unit, creating a networking system in which their guests participate in a cache hunt within various B&B inns. Guests can bring their own GPS unit, or the inn can provide them.

The rules for participation in these B&B sponsored geocaching games are that participants must: 1. Take something from the cache, 2. Leave something in the cache, and 3. Write it in the logbook. Where the participant places the cache is entirely up to them. Caches may be located on the side of a rocky cliff, underwater, above or below ground, inside or outside buildings, and may require special equipment to access.

The skillful placement of a small logbook may also be difficult to find even with the accuracy of a GPS. The logbook may contain a map to a greater treasure, or even riddles or clues to solve other caches at different inns.

How does a guest with one of our exclusive inns get involved in this exciting event? Log on to www.geocaching.com to get in on the game, and learn about new caches and share experiences with other geocachers.

Whatever the venture, our 24 Bed and Breakfast Inns have activities to make your Southern Michigan stay memorable.