Geocaching for bitcoins

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[moocow1452]

Love Geocaching. Love Bitcoin. I see no problems here.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Geocaching bitcoins has been mentioned on this forum a few times before. That said, I'm glad to see this idea revised once more. I believe I have a couple of those empty green ammo cases if anybody is interested.

How I would like to see this thread progress to is starting a whole new Geocaching site based solely on Bitcoin or, at the very least, bootstrapping to http://www.geocaching.com/.

Reach

• Unique Users: Over 3 million average monthly unique visitors to the site.
• Average Monthly Visits: 10 million.
• Pages per Visit: an average of 13 pages viewed per visit.

Pros/Cons?

~Bruno~

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Geocaching bitcoins has been mentioned on this forum a few times before. That said, I'm glad to see this idea revised once more. I believe I have a couple of those empty green ammo cases if anybody is interested.

How I would like to see this thread progress to is starting a whole new Geocaching site based solely on Bitcoin or, at the very least, bootstrapping to http://www.geocaching.com/.

Reach

• Unique Users: Over 3 million average monthly unique visitors to the site.
• Average Monthly Visits: 10 million.
• Pages per Visit: an average of 13 pages viewed per visit.

Pros/Cons?

~Bruno~

Really, I didn't know anyone gave away coins this way before. That’s great. Why don’t you start a bitcoin geocaching site Bruno? This is a big hobby and the participants are already tech savvy which should help.

GEOCOINING.COM is available.

Without putting a lot of thought in that name, how do others feel about its marketability?

~Bruno~

EDIT: Instead of using GPS, this game can be played with any phone, albeit a smart phone with GPS would help, but not even necessary. Will provide further details as this thread progresses.

[proudhon]

Geocaching bitcoins has been mentioned on this forum a few times before. That said, I'm glad to see this idea revised once more. I believe I have a couple of those empty green ammo cases if anybody is interested.

How I would like to see this thread progress to is starting a whole new Geocaching site based solely on Bitcoin or, at the very least, bootstrapping to http://www.geocaching.com/.

Reach

• Unique Users: Over 3 million average monthly unique visitors to the site.
• Average Monthly Visits: 10 million.
• Pages per Visit: an average of 13 pages viewed per visit.

Pros/Cons?

~Bruno~

Really, I didn't know anyone gave away coins this way before. That’s great. Why don’t you start a bitcoin geocaching site Bruno? This is a big hobby and the participants are already tech savvy which should help.

GEOCOINING.COM is available.

Without putting a lot of thought in that name, how do others feel about its marketability?

~Bruno~

EDIT: Instead of using GPS, this game can be played with any phone, albeit a smart phone with GPS would help, but not even necessary. Will provide further details as this thread progresses.

I've mentioned this sort of thing before.  I think it's a great idea.  In fact, just yesterday I was considering going to a few of my favorite local geocaches and leaving little notes with private keys on them and explanations.  In fact, I was thinking of trying to create some buz by suggesting a group of us pool together a significant sum of bitcoins and then have somebody create a geocache for it and announce it on a few of the popular geocache message boards.

Maybe even better would be to do something where we create two caches in two distant locations, each of which contains part of a private key to a substantial sum of bitcoins.  Maybe a set up a website for it where participants could communicate.  The finders of each part of the private key would have to get in touch with one another and come to an agreement about how to split the winnings.

[proudhon]

What I like about the idea of using bitcoins with geocaching is that you can add a fun cryptic touch to an activity that already makes you feel like you're searching for treasure.  For example, instead of the cache containing the key, you could have it contain a note that says something like "The Key is in the east".  The participant might have to look exactly east and perhaps there's a prominant building directly east from the geocache, and the SHA256 hash of the building's name is the private key, or part of a private key.  Stuff like that.  It could get really creative and fun, I think.

Edit:  As a sort of side note I've also been thinking about making a T-shirt that says something like "This t-shirt is worth 10 bitcoins" with a private key QR code on the back, and then see how long it takes for the account to get emptied.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Geocaching bitcoins has been mentioned on this forum a few times before. That said, I'm glad to see this idea revised once more. I believe I have a couple of those empty green ammo cases if anybody is interested.

How I would like to see this thread progress to is starting a whole new Geocaching site based solely on Bitcoin or, at the very least, bootstrapping to http://www.geocaching.com/.

Reach

• Unique Users: Over 3 million average monthly unique visitors to the site.
• Average Monthly Visits: 10 million.
• Pages per Visit: an average of 13 pages viewed per visit.

Pros/Cons?

~Bruno~

Really, I didn't know anyone gave away coins this way before. That’s great. Why don’t you start a bitcoin geocaching site Bruno? This is a big hobby and the participants are already tech savvy which should help.

GEOCOINING.COM is available.

Without putting a lot of thought in that name, how do others feel about its marketability?

~Bruno~

EDIT: Instead of using GPS, this game can be played with any phone, albeit a smart phone with GPS would help, but not even necessary. Will provide further details as this thread progresses.

I've mentioned this sort of thing before.  I think it's a great idea.  In fact, just yesterday I was considering going to a few of my favorite local geocaches and leaving little notes with private keys on them and explanations.  In fact, I was thinking of trying to create some buz by suggesting a group of us pool together a significant sum of bitcoins and then have somebody create a geocache for it and announce it on a few of the popular geocache message boards.

Maybe even better would be to do something where we create two caches in two distant locations, each of which contains part of a private key to a substantial sum of bitcoins.  Maybe a set up a website for it where participants could communicate.  The finders of each part of the private key would have to get in touch with one another and come to an agreement about how to split the winnings.

Now that's thinking outside the box. Two locations--two keys. Both finders would discuss the terms for the split on some newly created website. In fact, it can be that they don't even know the exact amount they're negotiating with the exception that it's normally worthwhile.

~Bruno~

[Phinnaeus Gage]

What I like about the idea of using bitcoins with geocaching is that you can add a fun cryptic touch to an activity that already makes you feel like you're searching for treasure.  For example, instead of the cache containing the key, you could have it contain a note that says something like "The Key is in the east".  The participant might have to look exactly east and perhaps there's a prominant building directly east from the geocache, and the SHA256 hash of the building's name is the private key, or part of a private key.  Stuff like that.  It could get really creative and fun, I think.

Edit:  As a sort of side note I've also been thinking about making a T-shirt that says something like "This t-shirt is worth 10 bitcoins" with a private key QR code on the back, and then see how long it takes for the account to get emptied.

Several players could be involved in this. The sponsor who offers the prize, two planters who plant the geocoins (could even be continents apart), and the two finders of the GeoCoins. That's at least 5 people involved. This shit (no pun intended, for I'm on the throne while penning this post) has legs.

~Bruno~

[moocow1452]

What I like about the idea of using bitcoins with geocaching is that you can add a fun cryptic touch to an activity that already makes you feel like you're searching for treasure.  For example, instead of the cache containing the key, you could have it contain a note that says something like "The Key is in the east".  The participant might have to look exactly east and perhaps there's a prominant building directly east from the geocache, and the SHA256 hash of the building's name is the private key, or part of a private key.  Stuff like that.  It could get really creative and fun, I think.

Edit:  As a sort of side note I've also been thinking about making a T-shirt that says something like "This t-shirt is worth 10 bitcoins" with a private key QR code on the back, and then see how long it takes for the account to get emptied.

Several players could be involved in this. The sponsor who offers the prize, two planters who plant the geocoins (could even be continents apart), and the two finders of the GeoCoins. That's at least 5 people involved. This shit (no pun intended, for I'm on the throne while penning this post) has legs.

~Bruno~

.... >_>

So, have a master lock on an account that requires multiple caches to unlock the price inside?  Seems like it could go for years without being claimed, kind of like Ready Player One or something. Locked in a QR Code might be interesting though, would you just have it lead to an instawallet?

[proudhon]

Also, so that each finder could prove that they in fact do have a legitimate piece of the private key we could create private keys out of hashes of each half of the main-prize private key.  Those secondary private keys might have, say, 1 bitcoin in them, or a satoshi, or whatever.  To prove that you have half of the main-prize key you'd have to be able to move the balance of the secondary key.  Keys within keys...

The secondary balances (its bitcoin address) could be made public so that anyone in the world could watch it.

[proudhon]

What I like about the idea of using bitcoins with geocaching is that you can add a fun cryptic touch to an activity that already makes you feel like you're searching for treasure.  For example, instead of the cache containing the key, you could have it contain a note that says something like "The Key is in the east".  The participant might have to look exactly east and perhaps there's a prominant building directly east from the geocache, and the SHA256 hash of the building's name is the private key, or part of a private key.  Stuff like that.  It could get really creative and fun, I think.

Edit:  As a sort of side note I've also been thinking about making a T-shirt that says something like "This t-shirt is worth 10 bitcoins" with a private key QR code on the back, and then see how long it takes for the account to get emptied.

Several players could be involved in this. The sponsor who offers the prize, two planters who plant the geocoins (could even be continents apart), and the two finders of the GeoCoins. That's at least 5 people involved. This shit (no pun intended, for I'm on the throne while penning this post) has legs.

~Bruno~

.... >_>

So, have a master lock on an account that requires multiple caches to unlock the price inside?  Seems like it could go for years without being claimed, kind of like Ready Player One or something. Locked in a QR Code might be interesting though, would you just have it lead to an instawallet?

I'd hope it wouldn't be made that difficult to find.  Even the harder geocaches I've seen have somebody checking into them every month or so.

[tonto]

Casascius' coins have promise in Geocaching as well.  Maybe someone should post about them on some popular geocaching boards and send one to a geocacher (person) who's well known to plant one.  although perhaps in a sealed plastic (small) box with a folded note explaining what it is.

[kjlimo]

http://coin4.me/

I think this is the website you were talking about making.  It has been up & running for a while.  I've been e-mailing the owner and plan to get into geocaching with my co-worker in the coming months.

My co-worker & I have an agreement that he will place a Geocache before May 1 in the Cleveland, Ohio area.  I plan to give him a print out flyer that includes directions to an instawallet account using the above website (http://coin4.me/)

Also, the owner of this website is hiding a flyer in just about every geocache he visits.  I think he usually just leaves .1 bitcoins in the instawallet.  Something small and easy to redeem.

I love the more complicated ideas for multi locations and nifty puzzles.

I especially love the t-shirt idea.  That's just hilarious!

Lastly, in addition to bittalk tv, I suggest a Bitcoin Magazine Article to spread the word about Geocaching for bitcoins.  I think they could be a great market to tailor bitcoins to.

I will gladly attend the local geocaching meet up group here in Cleveland to spread the word.  What better a way to give credibility if I have a Magazine article, website and example of how they can get to finding treasure!

Keep brainstorming ideas people; what will we think of next?

[Tuxavant]

Here's an example of how coin4.me works...

I put a firstbits style URL in a geocache making it easy for them to type it in, but relatively hard for a cheater to guess:

http://coin4.me/1Kfib

This URL will give them a link to an instawallet funded with bitcoins. The have to be quick to figure it out or someone will come in behind them and snatch the coins... This URL is usually dropped in several geocaches and coffee shops at the same time so many people have a chance at it at relatively the same time frame. I'll usually just keep dropping this same URL into new caches until someone claims the bitcoins.

I'd offer this to anyone who wants to promote bitcoin in this manner, but you have to understand that I would have access to the instawallet where you put your donations. Another disclaimer, this site is hosted at linode. lol. If you'd like your own domain (perhaps a subdomain off coin4.me?) to do this on your own word press site, I'd be happy to give you the code and setup the subdomain.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

http://coin4.me/

I think this is the website you were talking about making.  It has been up & running for a while.  I've been e-mailing the owner and plan to get into geocaching with my co-worker in the coming months.

My co-worker & I have an agreement that he will place a Geocache before May 1 in the Cleveland, Ohio area.  I plan to give him a print out flyer that includes directions to an instawallet account using the above website (http://coin4.me/)

Also, the owner of this website is hiding a flyer in just about every geocache he visits.  I think he usually just leaves .1 bitcoins in the instawallet.  Something small and easy to redeem.

I love the more complicated ideas for multi locations and nifty puzzles.

I especially love the t-shirt idea.  That's just hilarious!

Lastly, in addition to bittalk tv, I suggest a Bitcoin Magazine Article to spread the word about Geocaching for bitcoins.  I think they could be a great market to tailor bitcoins to.

I will gladly attend the local geocaching meet up group here in Cleveland to spread the word.  What better a way to give credibility if I have a Magazine article, website and example of how they can get to finding treasure!

Keep brainstorming ideas people; what will we think of next?

Then you'll really like this idea, kjlimo.

http://www.swagqueen.com/swag_connection_blog/view/967/qr-codes-take-swag-to-the-next-level

http://www.swagqueen.com/swag_connection_blog/view/967/qr-codes-take-swag-to-the-next-level



Let's not forget the http://www.geocaching.com/ alternatives: http://www.opencaching.us/ and http://www.terracaching.com/

That said, in conjunction of possibly starting a new site or re-branding an existing Bitcoin retated one, we can bootstrap onto the other three by hiding GeoCoins, logging in the coordinates, not forgetting to always use the keyword Bitcoin. The bottom line, this geo thingy is all about spreading Bitcoin awareness.

~Bruno~

[finway]

I've been thinking to combine Bitcoin and Path to make something called "People Crowding",
which means, 
you place some coins virtually,
and people get it automatically
when they move to that coordinate.

This service can help merchants "crowding people".

[teflone]

I've been thinking to combine Bitcoin and Path to make something called "People Crowding",
which means, 
you place some coins virtually,
and people get it automatically
when they move to that coordinate.

This service can help merchants "crowding people".

Interesting idea...

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Coin4Me looks a little sparse. Setting up a website devoted to giving up bitcoins geocaching is a good idea. In fact, all of the ideas presented so far are great but someone needs to implement them and track it (very time consuming).

Bruno, are you suggesting geocaching t-shirts? Some of the containers we found are not very big. I think this would be limited to the most remote ones.  Here is a site we used and some of these would be big enough for that idea: http://www.nevadageocaching.com

The link is down, CBH, but that's not what I was advocating.

What I proposed is an idea I've coined as MovableCache (I see red is the new bold), where it's to the best interest of the shirt wearer to don their tees daily with hopes of having the QR-Code scanned, for they'll get a referral fee (share) each time. Each shirt has its unique QR-Code on it that recognizes the wearer as the affiliate. If two people had the same shirt but with a different QR-Code, once scanned by two different scanners, they'll be directed toward the very same site, albeit the affiliate would be different.

Let's see how this would play out to bring maximum awareness to Bitcoin.

Company X provides $30 USD to be geocached via Bitcoin at two distinct locations.
Geocacher 1 (among others) hide the first part encrypted.
Geocacher 2 (among others) hide the second part encrypted.
T-Shirt wearer is out in public displaying the QR-Code to be scanned, directly all scanners to the info on the site.
Finder of part 1 of the encrypted cache announces his find.
Finder of part 2 now announces his find.
At this point, all 5 parties are awarded an equal share--$6.00 USD each in BTC.

During the interim of this ordeal, many people were made aware of the advertiser, Bitcoin, and the site provider of this endeavor. An added plus is if all this was also posted on the three geocache sites I previously mention above.

Now, I know this idea needs fine tuning, but desired to present it in this brainfart fashion.

~Bruno~

[Phinnaeus Gage]

I've been thinking to combine Bitcoin and Path to make something called "People Crowding",
which means,  
you place some coins virtually,
and people get it automatically
when they move to that coordinate.

This service can help merchants "crowding people".

I wrote a white paper on this very same thing 12 years ago (look at the name of the authors to get the joke, though the paper I reference is not a joke): Motivation Crowding Theory: A Survey of Empirical Evidence

~Bruno~ (not Bruno S. Frey)

[Phinnaeus Gage]

That’s pretty complex. I’m not sure people are ready for Raiders of the Lost Ark geocaching. Maybe it would be better if we just stashed some bitcoin private keys and tracked them on a website.

I bet you'll have second thoughts on your post after viewing this 1:56 video, paying close attention to mark 1:33. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJHCwdUITk

Shit just got real!

~Bruno~