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We've got a new App!

We are excited to announce that we are rolling out a mobile app called Cache Planner. We want our customers(YOU) to get all the information available on our website with the ease of a mobile app. On this new app you are able to access information on all of our trip packages; you can even book your trip right through the app. It also has all of our trips on one easy to read trip calendar so you can look at all your options for a certain time frame at once. Also, it has links to local events and points of interest for each trip so if you want to plan things to do on your rest days. As trips get closer you can find information on the weather for where your trip will be. Each trip package page has an area for previous customers to post reviews and pictures of their trips. There is a page for geocaching product reviews and an online shop for all your Span the Globe geo-swag including trackables and geo-coins. 

The last 12 weeks I have been learning about different social media marketing tools. Some of the platforms I got to use are: Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Soundcloud, Youtube, Magisto and Jing. The ones I thought were most useful for my business were Facebook and Youtube. I also think a photo platform would be useful, but I wish I would have choose to use Instagram instead of Pinterest. 

I think Facebook would be the most useful for a business like mine because people who use travel agencies typically wouldn't follow them on Twitter, but they would look them up on Facebook to get website, hours and review information. Also customers could post pictures of their trips to our Facebook page. Youtube would be useful for a business like mine because it is a great way to get a lot more information to the customer in a short time frame, whether it is travel or geocaching tips or just information on our many different trip packages. 

Hard Core Cache Contest

This week we are celebrating our hard core geocaching enthusiasts, those cachers who live for getting smileys on the 5/5 difficulty rated geocaches. Do you have what it takes?

Your mission should you choose to accept it: Find these 5 geocaches:
1. Man Up, Nancy
2. Wayside Cavernous Cache
3. Looking For Nut 3?
4. McCauslin Cache
5. Perrot Canoe Trail #1

Sounds easy right? Wrong! These 5 geocaches are some of the hardest in Wisconsin. Did we mention they're spread out over the state?

Still think you have what it takes?  Good. To get entered swing by our location at 9373 W Soldier Lane, Osseo, WI to register as a participant. Then gather your geo-gear, set out on an adventure and find those caches! 

Here are the rules:

1. You must be a registered participant
2. You must find all 5 geocaches
3. You must log the caches when you find them (the first one to log all 5 wins!)
4. You must provide picture proof of your face with all 5 geocache containers (get that selfie stick out)

Garmin Montana 650

Grand Prize Package:

• Garmin Montana 650 Waterproof Hiking GPS with 5 MP camera
• Geo-Swag package including 5 trackables
• Geocaching Hoodie
• Hiking bag to carry all your awesome new gear in

Geo-Swag

Hoodie

Contest starts Monday April 4, 2016 and ends when there is a winner. Must be 18 yrs or older to enter.

Handy Dandy Tools of Geocaching

Geo Swag

Whether you are new to geocaching or a self proclaimed expert who could use a reminding. Here are some tools we always carry.

Pens- You must sign the log! Not really, but it is always handy to carry a pen or 10.

Swag- Yes, those cool trinkets to trade with the cache once you find it. My daughter likes to make those rubber band bracelets. The toy isle at the dollar store has some cool stuff too.

Tweezers- For those micros that are just a log rolled up really tight in a tube that you can never get out.

GPS- Not necessarily essential, but definitely handy. Most people can get by with their smart phone, but if you're out in the middle of no where you're going to want a GPS.

Extra magnets- For the clumsy cachers like me. I have a tendency of dropping loose magnets and not being able to find them. So it doesn't hurt to have a couple extra in your bag.

Gloves- Not the my hands are going to get cold kind. The "I know the cache is in that dark, dirty crevice and there's no way I'm sticking my bare hand in there" kind of gloves.

First aid kit- Just in case.


Also, check out our new commercial:

March Madness

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March Madness is in full swing and of course we are rooting for our Wisconsin Badger Boys. And what better way to celebrate than to have a Mad Sale on our Madison weekend getaway package? That's right, book your weekend getaway to Madison before March 31, 2016 and get it for 30% off.

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Enjoy a weekend of geocaching and culture in beautiful Madison, WI. The first day will be filled with caching and seeing the sites on the University of Wisconsin- Madison campus. Some of the things you will visit on campus are: University of Wisconsin Arboretum, Babcock Hall Dairy store, Picnic point and Eagle Heights Community Garden. For the second day you will go out and about the town. You will take a tour of the state capitol building, visit the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and end at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Of course geocaching along the way.

Give us a call today and book your weekend getaway.

Reasons to Geocache

Ask any geocachers why they cache and you will get a mile long list. Everyone has their own reasons but I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

1. Get outside- The world has so many beautiful views and yet people are more concerned with what's going on with the screen in front of their face. The beauty of geocaching is that it can take as short or long of time as you want it to. It can be a quick stop at the highway lookout spot or an all day hike through a national park. You decide. So take a walk around town, finally check out the wildlife reserve on the edge of town or plan a weekend camping trip to a state park.

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2. Connect with your kids- You'd be amazed by how searching for a container in the woods brings people together. If you have a little one give them the GPS and let them lead the way. Even if you spot the cache first, step back and let them search and find it. They may dance around and rub it in but it is a great confidence boost for them. If you have an older kid or teenager plan out a longer hike and use it to find out what's going on at school or with their friends. Don't settle for "Nothing, school's boring." Go beyond "What's your favorite class or teacher?" Find out what it is about the teacher that they like, is it the way the teacher helps them, is it the class content etc.

3. Connect with yourself- For me nothing says freedom like jumping on my motorcycle and hitting the open road. For others it might be hitting the bike trail or just taking a stroll through town. There is something about being alone with nature and your thoughts that is refreshing, exhilarating and therapeutic. Whatever road, trail or sidewalk you're on there is probably a geocache nearby.

4. Exercise!- I think most of us would say that we should exercise more than we currently do, right? And it's definitely easier if we're doing something fun that makes it seem like it's not exercise. That is exactly how geocaching works! Check out this study that Texas A&M did on the health benefits of geocaching.

5. Learn something- There are many ways you can turn geocaching into an educational experience. A couple ways are the mystery/puzzle caches, multi-caches and my favorite, the earth-caches. Mystery or puzzle caches give you clues or a puzzle to solve in order to get the actual coordinates for the cache. Multi- caches will give you the coordinates for the first "cache" then you will have to get information from the location, maybe a sign or historical marker, that translates into the coordinates for the next "cache"  and so on until you reach the final cache that has the real cache with the logbook. Earth-caches don't have actual cache boxes, they are just a geological location. Many have placards explaining the history or significance of the location. There are many ways you can use geocaching as an educational experience. Look at how some teachers are using it in the classroom.

Share why you cache in the comments below.

Red Cross Month

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The American Red Cross serves many purposes, some being: collecting blood donations, disaster relief, military support and health and safety training and education.

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Here at Span the Globe, we know the importance of knowing first aid and CPR. As avid geocachers and world travelers you are more likely to be in an unfamiliar place when you step wrong and twist your ankle or your friend over exerts themselves and starts having chest pains. You never know when tragedy will strike, but you can be prepared for how to handle it.

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This is why we will be hosting an Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED class at our home office in Osseo, Wi on Saturday March 19th starting at 12 pm. There is room for 20 people to participate. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Register Now! 

If you are unable to join us for the class, you can still help the cause by donating HERE.

We are excited to announce we will be teaming up with our friends over at Duying for an Awakening Retreat Center for a veterans  weekend retreat.  The guys over at Duying for an Awakening specialize in working with veterans with PTSD and us at Span the Globe know how much connecting with nature, going for a hike or geocaching helps relieve stress. So we are putting our heads together to to offer a special weekend just for veterans. 

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You will start Saturday morning with a session with the staff of Duying for an Awakening on stress relief, PTSD healing and meditation. In the afternoon I am sending over a couple of my master geocachers to give an introduction to geocaching and safe hiking and camping. On Sunday, the group will put what they learned on Saturday to use. We will find some easier geocaches and then set out on a hike to find an earth cache. Once we get to the cache the Duying for an Awakening staff will lead a group meditation session. 

Take a trip to Devil's Lake Wisconsin

Start planning your summer vacation now! This week's featured trip is Devil's Lake, Wisconsin. Join us Sunday, June 19th through Saturday June 25th for a week of fun, sun and geocaching.

You will start the week on Sunday by getting settled into your cabin at Fox Hill RV Park and Campground. Get acquainted with your surroundings and see what the campground has to offer.

Elephant Rock
Photo taken by myself along the East Bluff Trail

Monday morning we are starting at the North Shore Visitor Center and hiking and geocaching the Tumbled Rocks Trail and coming back along the West Bluff Trail. Point of interest we will see today is Prospect Point. When we get back the rest of the day is yours for exploring. Enjoy the beach, rent a paddle boat or kayak or set out on one of the outlying trails. 

Tuesday is an open day for you to explore freely. We suggest you see what the Nature Center has going on or maybe check out the Circus World Museum in Baraboo.

Wednesday we will set out for another day of hiking and geocaching by starting at the South Shore Visitor Center. This time we will hit the other side of the lake going up along the East Bluff Trail and coming back along the East Bluff Woods Trail. Points of interest we will see this day are: Balanced Rock, Elephant Rock and Devil's Doorway. Feel free to check out the other trails on the east side afterwards! 

Balanced Rock
Photo taken by myself along the East Bluff Trail

Thursday is a rest day. Take it easy, you deserve it. There's more fun to be had tomorrow. 

On Friday we head up to the Wisconsin Dells for a day at Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus is the Dells largest water park and amusement park so whether you enjoy the thrill of roller coasters or water slides Mount Olympus has what you need.




Devil's Lake State Park website

Devil's Lake Map

You're invited! Span the Globe Geocaching Trips' Inaugural Open House

We have been busy searching the world for the best geocaching locations for you and we are excited to show you the geocaching trips we will be offering this year.

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We'd like to invite you and your family and friends to our Open House on Saturday, February 20th from 11 am- 4 pm. We can be found at 9373 W Soldier Lane, Osseo, WI. Come for lunch and find out how we can help you plan your next geocaching adventure. Our agents will be on hand to answer any questions you have about our company, trip planning and prices. Don't forget to enter the drawing for 10% off your first trip!


We will have many activities for all ages, including a good old fashioned treasure hunt for the really little ones, a geocaching tour of the garden for the kids, and an advanced geocaching tour of the woods for the more adventurous.

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Not sure about this geocaching thing? No worries! We will have GPS units available and our agents can show how it works and teach you everything you need to know about geocaching.

An idea is born....

Geocaching became the center of most our family vacations. Planning was all about what location had the best geocaches, best views, how do we teach the kids about history while making it fun? And once we figured that out now we have to plan a geocaching route, but what caches are the best, should we do this trail or that trail, how many websites do I have to research to figure out which route is the appropriate level for me and my family? Why isn't there someone who can do all this research for me so we can just show up and enjoy the trip?


How does anything start? A passion, an idea, more passion and more ideas, before you know it you have a business.