Geocachers set coordinates for Grant County

Published 11:54 am Tuesday, June 16, 2015

JOHN DAY – About 44 geocachers flocked to the Grant County Chamber of Commerce for Saturday’s Geocoin Challenge.

Geocaching is a hiking scavenger hunt sport where people use coordinates on GPS units or smartphones to find hidden caches.

The event was organized by the Grant County Geocachers Club, including Tammy Bremner, Jim Spell, Rex Kamstra, Carl and Ronda Metler, Karla Teague and Kimberly Teague.

“This is our second big event,” Bremner said. “We work together really well.”

Seekers were ready to head out Saturday for a hunt that would take them south on Highway 395 and through Logan Valley.

Gladys Biglor of Bend, who goes by the geocaching name “Bulldog,” said she and her husband Jack “Mad Jack” have been geocaching since its early days in 2001.

They had hoped to find all 20 caches on Saturday.

“If not, we’ll be back,” she said.

She said the event would have a positive economic effect for the community, and that most of those attending the event would stay at local motels or campgrounds.

“We’re spending money, and not just in restaurants,” she said. “These things grow, and it’s a good thing for the community and the cachers.”

If the adventurers find 15 of the 20 caches, they receive a commemorative coin – the geocaching club has 150 to give away and the Geocoin Challenge will continue through the summer or until all the coins are given away.

The first 19 searchers who find all 20 were promised this year’s and last year’s coins.

The event was funded by a grant from the Grant County room tax fund, Spell said.

For more information about the Geocoin Challenge or the Grant County Geocachers, call the Chamber 541-575-0547 or Spell at 541-620-4163.