Maker Magic: A Day of Cache Creativity

Maker Magic - Cache Creation Day turned out to be a fun and creative geocaching community day, bringing together cachers of all experience levels for an afternoon focused on building, brainstorming, and sharing ideas.

The goal of the event was simple: create a space where geocachers could connect, explore new ideas, and leave feeling inspired to build their own hides. Whether attendees were brand new to cache hiding or already had creative concepts in mind, there was something for everyone.

Throughout the event, tables were filled with containers, tools, and all kinds of unique geocaching ideas. From simple hides to more creative builds, there was no shortage of inspiration. It was the kind of setup where every table had something interesting to check out.

A highlight of the event was a hands-on build station hosted by KesleyK, where attendees could create their own geocache containers. This gave participants a chance to walk away with something they built themselves, while also learning what goes into making a solid hide.

The atmosphere throughout the event was relaxed and collaborative, with geocachers sharing ideas, asking questions, and helping each other refine their concepts. It was less about structured instruction and more about creativity and community.

Instead of a traditional logbook, a painted canvas was set out for attendees to sign. It quickly became a unique and memorable part of the event, capturing everyone who came out to be part of the day.

A big congratulations goes out to 2xrCody for reaching an incredible milestone of 700 finds during the event. It was a great moment to celebrate and added something extra special to an already memorable day.

Events like this highlight what makes the geocaching community so great, not just the caches themselves, but the creativity, collaboration, and connections behind them. The Brazos Valley Geocachers appreciate everyone who came out, shared ideas, and helped make Maker Magic a success.

Now comes the fun part—seeing all of these ideas turn into new hides out in the wild.

Spring CITO at Edelweiss Gartens Park

Geocachers, Aggie students, and community volunteers came together for a great day of service

Today, Kiecker hosted a CITO event at Edelweiss Gartens Park, and it turned out to be a wonderful day of community service, geocaching, and time spent together outdoors. We were especially glad to welcome Aggie students participating in The Big Event, who came out to help clean up the park and surrounding area.

Every year, Texas A&M students take part in The Big Event as a way to give back to the community. While many projects are focused on helping individual homeowners, this year we were excited to bring that spirit of service to a public space so the impact could be shared by everyone who visits the park.

Event Details:
Location: Edelweiss Gartens Park
Date: Saturday, March 21
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Hosted by: kiecker

Winter and early spring had left quite a bit of trash built up in the park and back in the wooded areas, so there was definitely plenty to tackle. With help from the students and local geocachers, we made a real difference and had a great time doing it.

It was one of those events that really highlights what the geocaching community is all about — not just finding caches, but also caring for the places we enjoy. Seeing everyone come together to help out made the event especially rewarding.

After the cleanup: A few cachers even broke off afterward to go do some caching, which made for a perfect ending to the day.

Thank you to everyone who came out, helped clean up, and made the day such a success!

TXGA Mega Event - Challenge 2026

A weekend of competition, community, and geocaching fun across Texas

The Texas Geocaching Association Mega Event was an incredible experience, bringing together geocachers from all across the state. Brazos Valley Geocachers had a great time competing, exploring, and connecting with the wider geocaching community.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the team competition, where we competed alongside the Southeast Region team. They put in a strong performance and finished 4th place overall — a great showing in a very competitive field!

Final Team Results:

• Gold Ammo Can: North Region – 402.25 Average
• Silver Ammo Can: Out of State – 342.00 Average
• Bronze Ammo Can: East Region – 312.82 Average
• 4th Place: South East Region – 294.64 Average
• 5th Place: Central Region – 239.86 Average

Special Shoutout: Congratulations to KesleyK for winning the individual competition for males in his age group!

Congratulations to all the teams and players who competed — the level of competition and sportsmanship was outstanding across the board.

Beyond the competition, one of the best parts of the event was getting to meet and spend time with the greater geocaching community. It’s always a reminder that geocaching is about more than just finding caches — it’s about the people, the stories, and the shared adventure.

We had an amazing time and hope to see everyone again in November at the TXGA Roundup!

CITO 2026: Season 1 Kickoff

GCBJEAP • Edelweiss Gartens Park

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Spring is officially around the corner, and it's time to give back! We are thrilled to announce that kiecker is hosting our very first CITO of the season. Let’s get together to clean up the park and earn that Season 1 souvenir!

🤝 Extra Helping Hands

We are excited to welcome 8 students from Texas A&M’s "The Big Event"! They'll be arriving at 9:00 AM to help us tackle the creek area and the deeper woods.

Event Logistics

Time

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Meet Up

Picnic Tables

Goal

Trash & Debris

Edelweiss Gartens Park — College Station, TX

🎒 Checklist

• Gloves: Highly recommended.
• Grabber: Helpful for the creek area.
• Water: Stay hydrated out there!
• Shoes: Closed-toe shoes only (it gets muddy).

2026 CITO Souvenirs

ACTIVE

Season 1: March 1 – May 31

Attend this event to unlock!

Season 2: Sept 1 – Nov 30

Ready to help out?

Log a "Will Attend"

Cache In Trash Out® is a registered trademark of Geocaching HQ.

7-County Challenge Celebration

GCBGWTM • Brazos Valley, TX

January 17, 2026

The 7-County Challenge Celebration was a massive success! We had an incredible turnout at Joe's Place to celebrate everyone's hard work across the Brazos Valley. From the early morning cache runs to the puzzle-solving over lunch, it was a day to remember.

WINNERS

🏆 First to Find (FTF): Congratulations to kesleyk for being the first to ink the log!

🧩 Puzzle Champion: A huge shoutout to finnfive (with assists from Atakkat and Kpip1066) for winning the event puzzle booklet and the grand prize bag!

Event Snapshots

(Swipe or scroll to see all photos)

Huge Thanks to Our Sponsors

Geocaching Podcast • Lone Star Cache Supply • Pathtags! • DealFarms1 • PodCacher

Roll Call

Nov64 (52,897)	MsPatt (51,252)
georeyna (21,156)	Team_Red_J (18,561)
momshark (14,893)	CaveatObservator (11,778)
Beetlebub (10,237)	Kpip1066 (8,072)
pritzen (7,037)	finnfive (6,900)
ebb77 (5,696)	dealfarms1 (5,225)
dilloman (3,697)	PirateKate (3,451)
Atakkat (3,422)	TxRider (3,411)
TXSanta (3,221)	MrsTXClaus (3,221)
Zephyr01 (3,105)	kesleyk (1,103)
ooDreamCrafter (683)	2xrCody (598)

Support Brazos Valley Geocaching!

Visit the BVG Shop

🎉 Unboxing 2026! Time to Log Your First Find of the Year.

Happy New Year, Brazos Valley Geocachers! The calendar has officially flipped, which means it’s time to start chasing those 2026 goals, earning the first souvenir, and logging a new Day Found for your calendar grid!

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🎁 Earn the "Unboxing 2026" Souvenir

Your first official mission of the year is simple: Log any geocache, Event, or Adventure Lab® to secure the Unboxing 2026 souvenir! This is the perfect way to get momentum for your year-long resolution goals.

Souvenir Details:

• What: Log any single find (Cache, Event, or Adventure Lab®).
• When: Any time from January 1st through January 8th, 2026.

Why wait? Get out today! The weather is cool, the parks are relatively quiet, and that first smiley is waiting for you.

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🗓️ Grid Check: Start Your 2026 Grind!

If your resolution involves filling the Calendar Grid (a find every day of the year) or the D/T Grid (a cache for every Difficulty/Terrain combination), today is day one!

Today's Mission:

• Log Your First Day: Finding a cache today locks in January 1st for your Calendar Grid!
• Aim for a Unique D/T: Don't just find the easiest one. Today, try to find a cache that helps you fill a rare square on your D/T Grid (like a D4.5/T1.5 or D2.5/T4.0). Search for specific combinations on the official site!
• Try a Different Type: If your last find of 2025 was a Traditional, make your first find of 2026 a Mystery, Multi, or EarthCache to start diversifying your year.

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✨ Happy Hunting in 2026!

Whether you hit the trails at 12:01 AM or wait until the afternoon, we hope your first cache of the year brings a big smile.

We can’t wait to see all the success stories from the Brazos Valley Geocachers this year!

🥂 🗺️ 🥇

🎆 2025 in Review & Your Geocaching Resolutions for 2026!

As the year draws to a close, it's the perfect time to look back at the caches we conquered and plan the adventures waiting for us in the new year.

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🚨 Last Call: Don't Miss the Closing 2025 Souvenir!

The final souvenir of the year is available! Geocaching HQ is giving out the Closing 2025 souvenir for anyone who logs a find between December 24th and December 31st.

Souvenir Details:

• What: Log any geocache, Event, or Adventure Lab® location.
• When: Any time from December 24th through December 31st, 2025.

If you need a quick, easy find before the clock runs out, check out the lower-difficulty caches near campus — it's the perfect way to cap off your 2025 find count!

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🎯 Your 2026 Geocaching Resolutions

New year, new goals! Whether you're a seasoned cacher or just getting started, January 1st is the ideal day to set some personal geocaching challenges.

Challenge Yourself in the Brazos Valley:

• Fill the Calendar Grid: Find at least one cache on every day of the year (366 days in 2028, but 365 in 2026!).
• Complete the D/T Grid: Find a cache for every combination of Difficulty (1-5) and Terrain (1-5).
• The Cache Hider Challenge: Hide at least one quality, memorable cache in a new area of the Brazos Valley (after finding 100 first!).
• Find all the Oldies: Finish finding the 5 oldest Traditional caches in our region (you can re-read our past blogs for that list!).

Go Big and Go Regional:

• Attend the Texas Challenge (March 2026): Your Mega-Event attendance goal is already set!
• Conquer a GeoTour/GeoTrail: Look at one of the dedicated trails outside of our immediate area for a weekend road trip.
• Try a New Type: If you’ve never found an EarthCache, Letterbox, or Wherigo, make 2026 the year you master a new type.

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✨ What’s Your Goal?

Whether your goal is 10000 finds, mastering the Difficulty/Terrain grid, or simply getting outside more, we encourage you to write it down and share it with the BVGC community! Accountability makes achieving those tough goals so much easier.

Happy New Year's to all our fellow Brazos Valley explorers! We can't wait to see your success in 2026.

Don't Forget: You can also earn the Unboxing 2026 souvenir by logging a find between January 1st and January 8th! A great way to start the new year!