Delaware's Virtual Caches

Delaware's Virtual Caches
by gpsfun, Phil and James, Hostanut and LadyH, CAW and WDP and Mickey225

Wait a Minute. This is March - not October! What's that ghost doing here?

Quick answer -- it's a stand-in.

For those who may be new to geocaching, this ghost is a reminder of the ghost logo you sometimes see on geocaching.com where it denotes a kind of cache called a virtual cache. Since we don't have permission to use this geocaching.com logo we've created this stand in. But there's another good reason for using this ghost.

Geospeak, the parent organization of geocaching.com. no longer allows the creation of virtual caches. This "rule change" happened several years back. That's why you won't see any new virtual caches appearing. But geospeak did "grandfather" all existing virtuals when the rules changed. Grandfathering means that those virtual caches which were in existence when the rules changed are allowed to continue to exist for as long as the creator of the virtual cache continues to maintain and support it. This makes virtual caches a kind of ghost category. And while no new caches of this type will appear, those that are still in place can provide a good geocaching experience.

So, what is a virtual cache?

Last month we reviewed 13 caches with unusual containers. A virtual cache goes one step further. There is no container at all! Instead the creator of a virtual cache leads you to a place where you will see something - that is if you are observant. Often this area will be a spot where something historic took place, or it may have a beautiful view of something, or it might even have several signs which you will need to find. But the finding is only part of the quest.

Typically the creator of a virtual cache has posted several questions in the description of the cache found on www.geocaching.com. The finder's task is to use their powers of observation and find the answers to these questions.

Virtual caches also differ from regular caches as they have no log book to sign. Instead when you have discovered the answers to the cache creator's questions you need to e-mail the creator with the answers. The creator will reply to you by e-mail letting you know if you are correct and can log it as a find.

Contacting the creator of a virtual cache by e-mail can be done by clicking on the cache creator's name in their cache description. This will take you to the cache creator's profile. Look carefully and you'll see a link where you can sent this person an e-mail.

In this review we will visit the 6 existing virtual caches still existing in Delaware. The caches are listed in the order in which they were placed - oldest to most recent.

Hometown Virtual Tour
(GC4577) by gpsfun Placed 3/24/2002

This cache is the oldest surviving virtual cache in Delaware. It also have the distinction of being created by the person who currently serves as the geocaching.com approver of Delaware geocaches.

If you have not yet hidden any caches you may not be familiar with the role of the approver. The approver is the person who reviews the description a hider submits to make sure this potential site meets all the guidelines for a geocache site. In that way there is a level of quality control that assures geocachers will have a safe and rewarding experience where they seek this cache.

gpsfun formerly lived in Delaware in the area where this virtual cache is situated. He knows this area well. But a glance at the description for this site demonstrates why virtual caches became a bit of a problem.

Hometown Virtual Tour requires the geocacher trying to complete it to discover the final coordinates through unraveling a kind of puzzle. One of the items needed to discover several parts of this puzzle is no longer available. And so gpsfun has altered the description to just tell you that letters ABC and D are 1, 7, 2, and 5.

Since gpsfun wants this to be a real challenge for you, you will have to also discover the numerals for the rest of the alphabet. You will find them using your powers of observation as you complete a four stop walking tour. Be sure to bring along the cache site description and make notes as you go along.

Don't forget to also take time to look at WHERE you are. You will be passing through some interesting areas. And, even when you've found those final coordinates gpsfun presents you one final challenge.

Since beach season is still a few months away this might be a great time to get into Rehoboth to match wits with gpsfun. And, while you are there, be sure to watch where you park. No need to end a great day of caching with a parking ticket - or worse - having to pay for having you car towed. Come to think of it, perhaps this is another level to the challenge of this cache.

Tour De Solar System
(GC6F31) by Phil and James Placed 7/10/2002

When you see this beautiful Colonial Style building you'll be ready for a trip across the solar system. You won't need a space suit or rocket but you need some sharp eyes are you search for several of the planets of our solar system.

Phil and James created this virtual long before there was any controversy regarding whether Pluto was a planet or not. And, we hear that despite the recent ouster of Pluto it will remain part of the larger search you might find yourself doing.

To complete this virtual cache Phil and James have you visit several markers which were placed on the University of Delaware grounds years ago. Each marker lists one of the planets (to be fair the 1st marker is for the sun). All of the markers are the same size - which is not all that large - and luckily they stick up above the ground surface about 6 inches or so. Once you have found the 1st one you'll know what all the others look like. But there's a catch (isn't there always).

The person of persons who placed these markers spaced them as a model of the universe. The idea was to get folks thinking about the real distance between the planets and how vast an expanse our universe covers. Granted this model uses inches to the mile but it is still quite impressive to travel from the sun to Pluto - especially if you try it completely on foot!

To complete this virtual you only need to visit 3 planets and the sun. At each marker you'll need to use your powers of observation to gather some specific information. This information is the same type for all 3 planets. If you are like a lot of folks after you have found your target objects you'll want to travel on to the other planets. When you do you'll get a good idea of how vast space really is.

Tour Around Seaford
(GC7355) by Hostanut & LadyH Placed 7/20/2002

Hostanut and LadyH have the distinction of being the only geocaching teams with being the owners of two virtual caches. As is the case with Hometown Virtual Tour, a look at the site description for Tour Around Seaford demonstrates what Hostanut & LadyH have had to do to keep this site active.

Near the beginning of the description is a listing of several edits which were necessary because of changes. Delaware is undergoing massive change as areas that were formerly fields and forests become shopping malls and housing developments. As this site demonstrates even our towns change. All this change makes it hard for the creator of a virtual cache. What was once a great view might now be a view of a parking lot - signs that once explained the historical importance of an area might be moved or removed. Our thanks to Hostanut and LadyH for the work they've done to keep this site going.

This team of geocachers takes you on a walking tour of Seaford the "Nylon Capital of the World". There are 8 stops. At each one you are challenged to use your powers of observation to closely examine your surroundings. Sometimes you will be looking for signs, other times the target information will be on a building. As you continue you'll be collecting digits similar to the way gpsfun challenges folks. This time, however, you will be trying to find digits for all 26 upper case alphabet letters as well as 8 lower case letters. And, at the end you will plugging these discovered digits into a formula supplied by Hostanut and LadyH to create the coordinates for the final challenge.

Be sure to bring along the site description for this cache.

Colonial Cache
(GC8756) by CAW & WDP Placed 8/31/2002

Have you noticed that the waypoints for all the caches so far look a lot different from those currently being assigned? Geocaches that start with GC and then have a set of digits only let you know that you are reading about or seeking one of the early geocaches. We're hoping that you are reading and seeking.

Yes, that's a statue of William Penn near a famous part of the town of New Castle. If you keep him on your left as you stroll down this street you are going in the right direction to find this virtual.

CAS & WDP created this cache as a quick and easy virtual. While they would really like for you to take your time and soak in the history of this town your task is to find one special object.

When you have located it you will need to use your powers of observation and deduction. The target it may or may not be in its original place. It has been know to move. So if you find and it is out of place you'll need to figure out what it means. That's a level of challenge that is a bit different that the other virtuals described in this article.

Just about anytime is a good time for a geocaching visit New Castle for except when they are celebrating A Day in Old New Castle. On that day the town is packed with tourists - all of them muggles. People are bused in from surrounding states just to see this authentic Colonial town. Isn't it great that you lived here and can see it any time you wish. And to top it off, in addition to this virtual cache the town has several caches as well as several more that are a short drive away.

Across Sussex
(GCB8AD) by Hostanut and LadyH Placed 12/25/2002

Here's the 2nd of the two virtual caches created by the team of Hostanut and LadyH. While their first virtual kept you in the town of Seaford, this time they expand their view (and yours) to cover the whole county!

In their first virtual you were challenged to discover 34 digits which eventually were plugged into an equation that resulted in the coordinated for the final challenge. This time they lighten the challenge - but not by much. You only have to discover 26 digits!

To find all 26 you will be visiting four locations spaced "Across Sussex". Expect to do some driving with this one. Expect to also see some beautiful parts of Delaware that you might never have seen if you had not searched for this virtual cache.

A complete review of this cache was published as one of our Featured Geocaches during 2006. This review can now be found in the Featured Geocaches section using the menu listing on the left side of any main page.

Tomorrow's House from Yesterday
(GCH92R) by Mickey225 Placed 11/24/2003

There's a bit of irony that this virtual, named as it is, is the last virtual cache placed in Delaware. It's almost a "Back to the Future" moment.

That is a house in this picture and there's an interesting story about it in the description of this site. Mikey225 notes that there is another like it over in New Jersey but why travel all the way over there when you can come visit this one right here in Delaware?

As you can see it is located at a air field. We won't give away whether it can fly or not. We'll leave that for your to discover. Just know this - the house is NOT the object you need to discover to be able to log this cache. Isn't that clever?

Mickey225 brings you within touching distance of this great house and then expects you to divert your attention to find something else. Fortunately there's just one thing to find. This time there's no complicated set of digits to collect or any formula you need to decode to get to the spot where your target object is on display. If you are as near to the house as shown in this picture you should be able to find the target object without having to walk more than 15 feet. Be sure to take some pictures while you are here. This house has been know to move.

So, there you have it. These are the 6 surviving virtual caches in the State of Delaware. As of this writing Geocaching.com is not expected to change its mind and start approving additional virtuals. So what you have is what you're got. And, given the difficulty maintaining virtual caches there's no guarantee that these 6 will be with us forever.

We urge you to visit them. Even those with the greatest challenges provide a great geocaching experience. And, if you do all 6 you can proudly say that you have found every virtual geocache in the State of Delaware.

Our thanks to the geocachers who created these virtual caches and who maintain them so that today's geocachers have a chance to experience this historic style of geocaches.