science

Trackable (Geocaching)

Trackable (Geocaching) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Trackable (Geocaching) rather than just read about it. In short: A trackable is a traveling item used in geocaching. Trackables are moved from cache to cache, with unique tracking numbers allowing these movements to be tracked through the geocaching website.

Key takeaways

Trackable (Geocaching) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Trackable (Geocaching) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Trackable (Geocaching) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A trackable is a traveling item used in geocaching. Trackables are moved from cache to cache, with unique tracking numbers allowing these movements to be tracked through the geocaching website. They are usually fastened to an object, known as a "hitchhiker", before being released into a cache. The main types of trackables are Travel Bugs and geocoins. Travel Bugs and geocoins have different origins, with Travel Bugs being created by geocaching co-founder Jeremy Irish, and geocoins being created by Jon Stanley. Trackables have been used in commercial promotions, such as advertising Jeep products and increasing diabetes awareness. Trackables have been to outer space, first in 2008, then in 2013, and finally in 2020. A free tracking service known as Geokrety is also available, but is not affiliated to Groundspeak.

Description Trackables are stamped with their unique tracking number. A trackable can be attached to another item. These attached items are called "hitchhikers". The owner then creates a name and a mission for the trackable, such as "to travel as far as possible" or to travel to a specific cache or location. On Geocaching.com, each trackable has an individual page which tracks its movement and calculates the distance traveled. A trackable moves when a geocacher picks it up and physically moves them from one geocache to the next. The geocacher then places it inside another cache, logging its movement online through the geocaching app. Alternatively, there is an option for the trackable to be "discovered" if the geocacher does not wish to pick it up. A geocoin is a type of trackable, being a token or coin made by a geocacher or a group of geocachers as a signature item. Trackables are susceptible to going missing, such as someone taking the trackable but not logging it online or a cache containing a trackable being destroyed.

Origins

Travel Bugs The first Travel Bug was released by Jeremy Irish (the co-founder of Groundspeak, the parent company of Geocaching) on August 30, 2001, titled "Deadly Duck: Envy". The Travel Bug was attached to a rubber duck with devil horns. Irish also released six other Travel Bugs all centered around the seven deadly sins, being sloth, pride, gluttony, lust, wrath, and greed. (The greed Travel Bug was placed in a cache that was never published.)

Geocoins

The first geocoin was created by Jon Stanley (geocaching name Moun10Bike). Wanting a signature item for his 100th geocache find, Stanley created the geocoin, inspired by military challenge coins. He placed the first geocoin in his collection, and placed the second one in a geocache on September 30, 2001. Around six months later, more people started to mint coins. Eventually, geocoins became "desired items", so people would try and get to a cache first to grab the geocoin.

Trackable Promotions

Jeep From 2004 to 2007, Jeep sponsored a contest, known as the "Jeep 4×4 Geocaching Challenge", when one of Jeep's advertising clients, Rodale, reached out to Groundspeak wanting to do a partnership. The Travel Bugs were tied to a sweepstakes, with the prizes being three Jeep vehicles. There was also a separate photo and essay contest. In 2004, yellow Jeep Wrangler Travel Bugs were released, followed by approximately 5,000 white Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Travel Bugs in 2005, approximately 5,500 green Jeep Rescue concept vehicle Travel Bugs in 2006, and approximately 8,000 red Jeep Commander Travel Bugs in 2007.

International Diabetes Federation In late 2006, to promote diabetes awareness and to gather support for a United Nations resolution, the International Diabetes Federation disseminated 20,000 "Unite for Diabetes" Travel Bugs to be released by volunteers around the world. Unlike the Jeep Travel Bugs, each Unite for Diabetes Travel Bug has a specific mission. Every individual Travel Bug was assigned a specific target city. It then travels to and around its assigned city to spread awareness for diabetes. Specially made geocoins were also created for release in 2007.

Trackables in Space

Trip by Richard Garriott Richard Garriott traveled to the International Space Station with a Travel Bug on October 12, 2008. Along with the Travel Bug, Garriott hid a geocache on the station in locker 218 of the Russian segment of the station, placing the Travel Bug inside it. The Travel Bug was picked up by Astronaut Michael Barratt and brought back to Earth. The Travel Bug has since been on display at Geocaching Headquarters in Seattle, Washington.

Trip by Richard Mastracchio

Astronaut Richard Mastracchio traveled to the International Space Station with a Travel Bug on November 6, 2013 during Expedition 38. The event was organized by geocacher Robert Cizaukas (geocaching name Cizzors) and sponsored by the Waterbury Police Activity League. The Travel Bug was given to Mastracchio in September by a 5th grade class at Chase Elementary School in Waterbury, Connecticut as a way to teach them and 11 other schools in Waterbury about space travel. The Travel Bug had 11 hitchhiker tags labeled "EXP 38" attached to it, representing the schools participating in the event, although 12 were participating. Groundspeak allowed geocachers to host events on the launch date to celebrate. The Travel Bug was in space for six months until the return flight on May 13, 2014. During the trip, Mastracchio was first to find (FTF) Garriott's cache. His online log writes:

"The geo space bug (TB5JJN1) has made it to the Russian Service Module, panel 218. He traveled from Waterbury, CT to Houston, TX to Cologne, Germany to Moscow, Star City Russia, to Baikonur Kazakhstan where it launched on a Russian Soyuz Rocket to the International Space Station. He has traveled around the space station and will continue to do so for the next 6 months. When he is not traveling he will be staying with me in my very small crew quarters. He hangs/floats on my wall and waits for more adventures while I do research and perform experiments here on ISS. Thanks for getting this little guy started Cizzors. Every journey starts with the first step and you took the first step of this one.”

Mars Perseverance Rover

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Trackable (Geocaching)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Trackable (Geocaching) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Trackable (Geocaching) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Trackable (Geocaching) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Trackable (Geocaching)

In research: Trackable (Geocaching) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Trackable (Geocaching) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Trackable (Geocaching) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Geocaching, Internet object tracking, Outdoor locating games, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Trackable (Geocaching) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Trackable (Geocaching)” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Trackable (Geocaching) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Trackable (Geocaching) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Trackable (Geocaching) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Trackable (Geocaching) in simple terms?

A trackable is a traveling item used in geocaching. Trackables are moved from cache to cache, with unique tracking numbers allowing these movements to be tracked through the geocaching website.

Why does Trackable (Geocaching) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Trackable (Geocaching)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Trackable (Geocaching).