Welcome to our Home Coordinates!
N 46 35.564 W 112 02.176
About Me
Hi, I'm Pete — though in the geocaching world, you'll know me as CerealBoxMonsters. My hometown is Helena, Montana, and I've been geocaching since April 2007. From the very beginning, I've been what I would call a traditionalist geocache — or, if you prefer, old school.
The Traditionalist
I still use the first GPSr I ever bought: a Garmin Foretrex 101. No maps, no color screen — just a simple black-and-white LCD and a signal pointing me in the right direction. I may have not always found the geocache it has led me too, but it's led me to every single one I've ever found.
When I head out to geocache, I enter waypoints manually, one at a time, and carry a small pocket notebook for notes on Virtual and EarthCaches. I plan routes the old-fashioned way — road atlas, MapQuest Google Maps, or topo maps depending on where I'm headed. That said, I'll admit I do appreciate a few Premium features on geocaching.com, particularly the Lists, which are genuinely useful when organizing a road trip or preparing offline cache data for areas without cell service.
Favorite Cache Types
I'll try to find most any cache that looks interesting, but Traditional and Virtual Caches are my favorites, followed closely by MultiCaches, EarthCaches, and Mystery Caches. I have little patience for devious hides in uninspired locations, and it's always a disappointment to encounter a cache that's been neglected. Whereigo and Adventure Lab caches, in my opinion, simply shouldn't count toward finds as they have their own websites and require dedicated devices.
To me, a great geocache does one of two things: it takes you somewhere remarkable — a stunning view, a fascinating feature, an unexpected lesson — or it presents a genuinely creative and unique container. I'd rather find one exceptional cache that requires a lengthy hike than a dozen forgettable urban micros. Though I'll make an exception for those that lead somewhere historically interesting or just plain unusual.
On Trackables
Over the years I've Found/Retrieved, Discovered, and moved along plenty of Trackables — Travel Bugs and Geocoins alike. I've even released a few of my own, all of which have since gone missing. These days, however, I'll only pick up a Travel Bug if I'm confident I can move it along toward its stated mission. Geocoins have largely vanished from the wild, and unfortunately, the once-integral tradition of trade items — trade up or trade even — feels like it belongs to an earlier era of the game, so I don’t bother to bring trade items anymore. Instead, I carry blank logsheets and small plastic bags to replace those that need replacing — this feels like a service of greater use to the geocaching community.
The Story Behind the Name
Years ago, a small plastic cereal box monster turned up among the random odds and ends in our kitchen's junk drawer. One morning, on a whim, I moved it to the silverware drawer — a quiet little surprise for whoever reached for a fork next.
The next day, I found it tucked behind my favorite cereal box. And just like that, a game was born.
The little monster started migrating all around the house, hidden by one family member, discovered by another, then quietly relocated somewhere new. It was our own private game of hide and seek.
When the day came that we found our first geocache and I had to create our geocaching account, the name was almost too obvious. The game we'd been playing for years was, at its core, exactly what geocaching is — hiding, seeking, and the joy of discovery. The name just fit. And, like that little monster, I've always enjoyed living a little outside the box.
Other Interests
Away from geocaching, I'm a lifelong learner with an appetite for history, geography, travel, adventure, science fiction, and fantasy. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts, spend time walking and hiking, enjoy a good board, dice, or card game, and travel whenever I can.