"A Great Group of Cachers!"

On New Year's Day, it has become a SLAGA tradition to host the first group cache hunt of the year. Sometimes an area is chosen because it tests your physical abilities, or maybe it's simply somewhere you've always wanted to cache but would rather not tackle alone. This year Strider is hosting a group hunt at scenic Hawn State Park, just outside Farmington, Missouri. We will meet at 8:00 am in Farmington for a buffet breakfast, then head out to the trailhead at Hawn, the site of the first MOGA event back in 2004. It is a beautiful park and we will be hiking along the Whispering Pines trail. There are 6 caches out there, including River Aux Vases, which was placed in 2002. Expect a 5- to 7-mile hike, depending on which ones you want to go for. The main hike is about 5 miles, with 2 possible side hikes to get River Aux Vases and then 2 other caches along another side trail. Please RSVP so we can give the management a good idea what to expect for breakfast.

Oh, and rumor has it that there will be an L Frank roast after the hike!

Twas the night before Christmas and in every house,
Every cacher was busy using their mouse,
Downloading PQs for a Christmas cache run,
Hoping the day would see FTF fun.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

Come one and all to the SLAGA Christmas party! We have chosen an Incredible place for the party this year. For those of you that attended the Christmas Bash last year, this place will look somewhat familiar. Bring your appetite and game skills, both could be needed at this event. Visit with old friends and make some new ones at America's Incredible Pizza Company in St. Peters, Missouri.

Date: 12-10-2011 Time: 4:00 PM till 5:30 PM (after that you're free to stay longer if you wish)

The cost will be $7.75 cash or check per person to be paid to SLAGA at the event. Correct change greatly appreciated!!

Again this year, there will be no gift exchange but we will have a toy drive for those children less fortunate. Please bring an unwrapped, new toy for collection. And also, if you could, bring a can or two of food as times are still hard for many, and local food pantries are relied on for daily meals.

Written by Ravi Kumar

Whatever happened to that nerd-tastic hobby called Geocaching? The high-tech game of hide and seek still has around 5 million users worldwide if Wikipedia is accurate. But some education start-ups are looking at ways to use the same GPS technology as a way to make learning fun by linking GPS devices to curriculum. The timing is right, given that GPS apps like Google Maps and others now often come standard on smart phones and readers like iPads.

Recently, Apisphere, Inc., the company behind Geomate. jr, an easy to use GPS-based geocaching device collaborated with SDG Creations, Ltd. to enable teachers and students to actively learn through what they call “geocaching.”

Educaching, a GPS based curriculum for Educators would like you to believe that learning is like treasure hunting or geocaching.

"The curriculum combined with the Geomate.jr guides teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based, GPS scavenger hunts that engage students in teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking and exercise in a fun learning environment," said Jason Hubbard, teacher and author of the Educaching GPS based curriculum.

Read the entire article at www.wiredacademic.com.

Pictured: L Frank, Denmother, Mikeinmo, Crowesfeat30, Repmul, Strider, Quailman2 (both of them), twolpert, javapgmr

On Saturday, November 19, ten SLAGA members went on a group hunt. A power trail? Reliving the glory of MOGAs past? Not so much.  Most of us drove 190 miles each way - and one of us came from Iowa - to find a single cache.  And it was worth it!