Pokemon Go in Real Life

Leave your phone at home and sign up for an adventure race or go orienteering.

Geocaching, orienteering and adventure racing were around long before the Pokemon Go craze and you don't need an app to play.

I can understand the excitement of Pokemon Go. Like following a treasure map and finding the gold, it is electrifying to navigate to your destination using only a few tools.

In geocaching, orienteering and adventure racing, the world is your PokeGym.

Geocaching is the most laid-back and non-competitive of the three as players are independent and there is no leaderboard. The satisfaction of finding the cache is the reward.

Orienteering can be very competitive with clubs like Southern Michigan Orienteering Club organizing competitive events. I have been to a handful of these contests and can tell you some of the participants are very, very good at this and other novices (like me) can really enjoy a day of fun with a few simple instructions before you head out with map and compass in hand.

Adventure racing combines orienteering with running, cycling and sometimes paddling with teams trying to collect the most checkpoints within a strict time limit. Michigan Adventure Race hosts 4 major events in the state each year- I rarely miss one.

Check out the video and photo gallery and think about signing up for a race that won't drain your battery but will recharge your enthusiasm for the great outdoors we enjoy in pure Michigan.

Bonus Video: South Bend Urban Adventure Games 2015