Star Trek: Frontiers

What does it say that I have carried my love of Star Trek and science fiction into the adventures I have through the sport of Geocaching?

Something that might have helped is that I was first introduced to the sport by two dear friends from Germany … Kevin and Steffi who I met through Star Trek: Frontiers.

Who would have figured that this game would bring writers who live an ocean apart to a point of meeting face to face and knowing they are the best of friends?

During their visits to the States last year, both had only just begun their furay into the world of Geocaching and made sure to include both myself and my wife in their adventures while here.

I might have enjoyed it had I ever stumbled into it on my own, but the fact that these dear and special friends introduced us to this sport and shared it with us made me swallow it hook, line and sinker.

For those who don’t know what I am talking about, let me share the definition I just retrieved from Dictionary.com:

“A type of scavenger hunt for waterproof containers bearing treasure using the containers’ exact geographic coordinates and Global Positioning System devices.”

You can also learn more about the sport from its website at Geocaching.com.

Let me also note that since I began participating in this sport, I have lost weight and slowly gotten in better physical shape — something that just sort of happened as it did not feel like working out in the slightest!

When I had a heart attack back in December 2008, I could have been far, far worse and I honestly believe this activity helped make it so I could have a full recovery.

Another reason I became hooked … but I digress.

So, we have this sport that both Kevin and I (two of the original founders of STF) loved and shared … just like the stories we had once written through the Star Trek: Frontiers universe.

It only seems natural to bring the two loves together … right?

Then I stumbled across the “The Phantom Cacher!” … from “Skull Island,” he has a profession of … “Fighting lowland and river valley pygmies.”

Whoever does it has a small Phantom action figure that is used when visiting the various geocaches they find as well as posting the Phantom Cacher’s adventures through photos and log entries.

It hit me … Why can’t we do that?!?!?”

So was born the “Ships of the Cache” project.

Although still evolving and finding its legs, the concept is that we have ships roaming the landscape in search of hidden geocaches. … sharing their adventures with the world through photos, ship’s logs and written stories.

Kevin is working on his USS MANNHEIM, and I have put together Team Pathfinder in the form of the U.S.S. PATHFINDER … NCC-1774-A (not to be confused with the writing unit in STF with the same name!).

Like the one used in the Star Trek: Frontiers universe, the ship is based off the CONSTITUTION-class hull and represents the heart and soul of our adventures.

The commanding officer for the Pathfinder is none other than Capt. Jonathan Malcolm Hunter himself!

So far he seems to be a capable ship’s captain and has always treated us fairly … at least so far.

There are other ships of the cache that make an appearance and not all are geared towards the Star Trek unvierse as there are even a couple of Colonial Battlestars roaming around at present.

But for my team, the U.S.S. Pathfinder is the jewel of the fleet!

So, right now you are likely wondering just how crazy and insane I am to go tracing about the world recording the adventures of a plastic starship with an action figure Captain.

Well, all I can say is that I have loads of fun doing it and have even received some positive comments along the way.

Case in point …

Thank you very much for the photo of the autism awareness geocoin.  Seeing it in a photo is helpful to me, and especially seeing it in such good condition!  There had been little progress with my trackables lately, and a couple seem to be missing, so my hats off to the starship and the fleet for your patrols!  I am a fan of Star Trek and Stargate…I should get into Battlestar Galactica too, I hear great things about it!

So we happen to also bring a bit of joy into the world.

And you know what else I have discovered? … My handheld GPS device is about like a tricorder, the flip cell phone is the communicator and the camera has become the phaser.

Is it any wonder that I have a new shirt for those days spent adventuring?

Respectfully,

–Mike Tripp
Team Pathfinder