A MoodyMessyHungry.com Adventure Series Post
When I started geocaching, I had big dreams: dramatic treasure finds, triumphant photos, maybe even a cool nickname among local caching circles (“The Garden Sleuth”? “Mud Queen”?). What I didn’t plan for? Failing. Repeatedly. Spectacularly.
Turns out, geocaching isn’t just about finding tiny hidden containers in the woods. It’s about failing gloriously, laughing at yourself, and trying again with even muddier boots.
Today, I’m sharing my first five geocaching disasters and the very messy, very human lessons they taught me. (Spoiler: I regret nothing.)
Fail #1: The “This Will Be Easy” Incident
Location: A city park not far from my house.
What Went Wrong: The app described the cache as “family friendly, short walk, easy grab.” Perfect, I thought. I strolled confidently along a paved trail, following the GPS until it beeped: “You’re within 10 feet!”
Cue 45 minutes of me wandering in tiny circles around a bench, a trash can, and a suspiciously large rock. I looked under, behind, inside. Nothing.
Eventually, a kid on a scooter zipped past, casually reached behind the bench, grabbed something, signed it, and replaced it. I was standing inches away the whole time. I had simply missed it because it wasn’t “hidden” the way I expected.
Lesson Learned: Never assume “easy” means “obvious.” Humility: acquired.
Fail #2: The Weather Betrayal
Location: A local forest trail known for wildflowers.
What Went Wrong: It was a perfect spring morning when I left home. Blue skies, light breeze. By the time I reached the trailhead? Sheets of rain. Biblical levels.
Did I turn back? Of course not. (Stubbornness is both my greatest strength and greatest flaw.)
Half an hour later, soaked to the bone and squelching with every step, I slipped on a mossy log and landed face-first in mud. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled mockingly.
I never did find that cache.
Lesson Learned: Always, always pack rain gear. And maybe a kayak.
Fail #3: The Muggle Encounter
Location: A suburban greenbelt.
What Went Wrong: In geocaching slang, “muggles” are non-cachers—people unaware that treasure hunting is happening around them. The rule is: be discreet. Don’t let muggles see you retrieve or hide a cache.
Well.
I spotted the cache easily (tucked inside a fake rock) and reached for it… just as a family walking their golden retriever turned the corner.
They froze. I froze. The dog barked hysterically.
“Uh, hi!” I said, trying to look casual while holding a rock that clearly didn’t belong.
They backed away slowly. I backed away too. No signing the log that day.
Lesson Learned: Stealth mode needs work. Also, dogs know when you’re up to something.
Fail #4: The GPS Lie
Location: An open prairie trail.
What Went Wrong: Most geocaching apps are reasonably accurate. Most. That day, my GPS had apparently decided to play a prank.
“You’re 5 feet away!” it insisted.
I scoured the grass. Nothing.
“Now you’re 5 feet that way!” it chirped.
I ran back. Still nothing.
After an hour of being led on an invisible goose chase, I realized my phone’s compass was spinning like a drunk pirate.
Lesson Learned: Trust your eyes more than your screen. Technology is a helpful guide, not a flawless map.
Fail #5: The Too-Clever Cache
Location: A riverside bike trail.
What Went Wrong: The cache description read: “Magnetic. Blends perfectly. Bring tweezers.”
“Ooh, a challenge!” I thought, thrilled.
I arrived at the coordinates: a giant metal bridge support covered in bolts, screws, patches, and graffiti. Everything looked “magnetic.” Everything “blended perfectly.”
After 90 minutes, sunburned and defeated, I gave up.
Later, someone posted a photo in the log: the cache was a fake bolt — identical to hundreds of others.
Lesson Learned: Sometimes cleverness wins. Sometimes you lose. And that’s okay.
Why These “Fails” Were Actually Wins
Every “failed” geocache still gave me:
- An excuse to be outside.
- A reason to move my body.
- A tiny adventure story.
- A reminder that perfection is not required to have fun.
Isn’t that kind of the point of all this messy, hungry, muddy living?
Gardening taught me that not every seed sprouts. Geocaching taught me that not every hunt succeeds. In both cases, it’s not about the outcome. It’s about the showing up. The noticing. The trying again.
If You’re Starting Out, Here’s My Advice:
- Laugh often. Especially at yourself.
- Pack snacks and water. (Always.)
- Celebrate the “almosts” and “not yets.” They’re just as important.
- Bring a dry pair of socks. You will thank me later.
- Take photos even when you “fail.” Muddy smiles are still beautiful.
Final Thought:
If you’re willing to get a little lost, a little dirty, and a little laughed at — you’ll find more than just caches out there.
You’ll find you.
And honestly? That’s the best treasure of all.
# MoodyMessyHungryAdventure #GeocachingFails #AdventureMess #TreasureInTheMud