The conclusion of the first ever Paul & Babe's GeoHunt took place at the Crosslake Community Center on Saturday Aug. 1st with a daylong event attended by over 100 people. Participants traveled from as faraway as Illinois and North Dakota to take part in the high tech scavenger hunt for 12 caches strategically placed in the Crosslake Park, and family style picnic that followed.

Kathy Moore of Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association organized the event with Jon Henke, Director of the Crosslake Park and Recreation Department, along with 15 GeoHunt Volunteers.

Moore said, "We're really encouraged by the turnout - and for next year - we really want this to become an annual event." She noted the wide appeal of geocaching. "We had several families - this is a fun, multigenerational activity. There were a lot of kids here with their grandparents today."

The GeoHunt lasted just over one month and ran the length of the 54-mile Byway. Coordinates were released on June 27th for the Pine River area, and July 15th for the Pequot Lakes-Breezy Point area. Dozens of local sponsors supported the event.

“Intro to Geocaching” a one-hour class was held by the Crosslake Park & Recreation Department at the Crosslake Community Center. For future GeoCaching event information, call (218) 692-4271.

Children’s activities and entertainment were followed by a Paul Bunyan-style picnic, complete with brats and hot dogs, beans, cole slaw, chips, watermelon and drinks.

A variety of prizes and other awards were presented during the picnic.

Commemorative GeoHunt T-shirts were alsoavailable for $12 ($15 for 2XL). Proceeds from the sale of T-shirts and picnic tickets supports thethe Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association and the Parks & Library Foundation of Crosslake, two local non-profit organizations.

Shown here are mother and daughter Geohunt volunteers Berny Janish of Fifty Lakes, and daughter Beth of Breezy Point and Coon Rapids. They handed out “Swag” to participants. (Photos by Paul Boblett/Northland Press and BrainerdDispatch.com.)

Thanks to our 2009 sponsors:

Sample Collector Card from 2009

Sample GeoCoin from 2009