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.