Uh oh, it looks like the geocaching may be getting into dangerous territory with the authorities. For those not in the know, geocaching is a GPS game, where a person hides a “cache”, typically in a tupperware container or old ammo box, and provides the coordinates online. Other folks then use the coordinates and hints provided on a web site to locate the cache. This is a game that’s been around for a few years, and is played all around the world — as of this writing there are 236, 596 registered caches in 220 countries. Chances are good that if you live near a major metropolitan area and are in a nearby park that there’s a cache there. There in almost every recreational park I’ve visited in New England. It’s played by a lot of people and is very kid-friendly — this is frequently a Boy Scout activity. Since I like to hike, it gives me a little extra something to do, aside from just hiking a trail.

Unfortunately, as reported by The Morning Call, a geocacher was mistaken for a possible terrorist. I can’t say this is entirely a surprise, especially post 9/11. I mean, what would you think if you never heard of geocaching, then see some guy with a device for tracking global positioning wandering around secluded areas? Lt. Joe Chernaskey commented, ”From the bomb squad side of it, it’s something we really frown upon, because all these calls could cause havoc throughout the city. In this day and age, with people worried about terrorists, this isn’t the smartest thing to do.” That definitely typefies the muggle reaction. (A geomuggle is a non-geocacher, a reference to muggles in Harry Potter.) It’s a game, and a rather broad reaching game, yet many people still don’t know of its existence.

Also from the article: “Bethlehem will absorb the cost of Tuesday’s response, said Fire Commissioner George Barkanic, but if calls about suspicious packages continue to come in, the costs of investigating them will be paid by the people who hid the caches.” (Emphasis added.) Keep in mind these are caches that are hidden with permission from the proper authorities to hide caches on the land. If such policies were enacted, you would probably see a quick removal of many caches, due to liability — no one is going to want to have to risk footing that emergency service bill.

I understand the alternative view point: we’re in a state of heightened security, so things like geocaching seem, well, risky. However, one has to wonder where to draw that line. We can’t just keep hiding our heads in the sand. Should we live in fear of constant attack, staying inside and locking our doors; or should we go out and enjoy the world as it is? In which case do the terrorists win?