Introducing: The Mr. Toot Geocaching Adventure
Mr. Toot is the mascot of the North Iowa Band Festival and representative of Mason City as a whole. His image has appeared on everything from t-shirts to business cards, banners on light poles, and even the water tower. Now, his image has been used to create a geocaching trail throughout the Mason City area. Each puzzle in this collection of caches includes a fun fact or story related to Mason City history, native son Meredith Willson, or “The Music Man” theme. Questions answered correctly reveal coordinates and clues that lead geocachers along the Mr. Toot trail.
So, what is Geocaching? Up until a few weeks ago, I did not know much about geocaching. Now that I’m in the know, I’m excited to share the fun and my newfound knowledge! Geocaching is an adventure you can do anywhere in the world and can be enjoyed all year round. You can play with your friends and the fam or plan an event around this real-world, outdoor treasure-hunting game!
How To Play
Players navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location. If you’re a newbie to geocaching (like me), I recommend you start at the simplest level of play by following these 7 steps:
- Register for a free Basic Membership at geocaching.com to view a map of geocaches near you.
- Visit the “Hide & Seek a Cache“ page, and search for “001 Mr. Toot”
- Answer the question to solve the North & West coordinates
- Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device or cell phone (official Geocaching® mobile app is also available for download)
- Search the location for the hidden cache (you may be wondering what does a geocache look like?)
- Once found, sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location (don’t forget to bring a pen with you when you start your hunt)
- Keep solving the clues & finding the caches until Mr. Toot appears on your GPS (picture above)
Geocaching Gear
The only necessities for Geocaching are a GPS device or a GPS–enabled cell phone so that you can navigate to the cache. The following checklist will help you prepare for a fun-filled day of geocaching:
- GPS Device/Smartphone: Ensure accuracy in locating caches.
- Map: For backup navigation.
- Pen/Pencil: Sign logbooks.
- Notepad: Jot down notes or clues.
- Small Trinkets: For trading in caches.
- Gloves: Protect hands while searching.
- Flashlight: For low-light or night caching.
- Extra Batteries/Power Bank: Keep devices powered.
- Extract small logs or items. First Aid Kit: Handle minor injuries.
- Backpack: Carry all your gear comfortably.
- Bug Spray/Sunscreen: Protect from insects and sun.
Geocaching Etiquette
A few things to keep in mind and to be respectful of when Geocaching:
- Trash – if you see it, please pick it up
- Notify the owner of a cache if a cache is missing or broken
- Put the cache back where you found it. If you feel that the cache may not be located in the correct location, please email the cache owner directly or post a log on the cache listing page
- If you take something from the cache, leave something of equal or greater value
- Sign the paper log inside the cache (again, be sure to bring a pen)
- Log your experience online
Types of Caches (earthy, mystery, virtual, etc.)
There are currently over a dozen ‘cache types’ – each cache type brings a different variation to the game. Luckily, the only type of cache you need to know for the Mr. Toot Adventure is the ‘mystery or puzzle’ cache – the icon is a blue circle with a white question mark. To view the full list of caches >> CLICK HERE
Geocaching is a great way to get out an explore #MasonCityIowa and the North Iowa area. Be sure to share your adventures with us by tagging Visit Mason City in your photos posted to Facebook (@MasonCityIowa) and Instagram (@VisitMasonCityIowa)
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