Good morning everyone. This week's fun fact is most found caches logged for March 17, 2018. TG4 in Canada had 82 finds. In the States, it was CuteLilFuzzyMonkey with 449.
This week I want to share what my St. Patrick's Day was like in terms of geocaching. I am a bit of a stats junkie. Sometimes when I head out, I have a goal in mind. For March 17, I only had 3 finds in total for that day. From March 18 to April 3, I have at least 11 finds for each day. A 17 day run. My goal for March 17 was to find at least 8 caches to bring my total up to a minimum of 11 finds and stretch my run to 18 days. Since I have majority of the North part of the city cached out, there was only one area to go without leaving the city, the South end of the city.
That morning I was chatting with my geocaching travel partner, Auntie Mo, via text. I mentioned that I was going caching, where, and I planned on getting a shamrock shake from McD's while I was out since it was St. Patrick's Day. Auntie Mo hasn't been out caching yet this year and we haven't gone caching together in a year and a half. We've been on a few adventures. finding all sorts of neat caches, neat places, and just having fun. Life has a tendency to get in the way of things. She was interested in joining and I'd be picking her up in an hour.
I quickly checked a pocket query that I run everyday for recently found. I made a list of caches within a certain area and off I went to get Auntie Mo. When I make lists, it's more of a suggestion as I have a tendency to stray from that list. I usually go with the flow.
We arrived at a parking lot that I designated as a starting point and close to a puzzle final. We determined that the gas station sign was GZ, but it's also near the gas station itself. At Auntie Mo's suggestion, I drove up to the sign, hoping my car will block the view. A quick search of the area turned up our first find of the day. A 'slimjim' type container (a baggie wrapped in duct tape with a magnet). Off to our second cache. Auntie Mo has taken over the navigating duties at this point. This is something that she's very good at (even though she said she was rusty) and I've learned to trust her word when she says where I need to turn. This next one (and not on my list, one cache in and I'm already straying from the list LOL), had a hint that it's magnetic, and was on another large sign. We searched, and I used my phone to take pictures in places that I otherwise couldn't see, hoping a pic might reveal the container. No luck. First DNF. I did get a wet knee from kneeling in the snow to take pics and from searching the base of the sign.
Off we go to grab another puzzle. A container in a pine tree. Don't we all love pine tree hides? Not. We circle the tree, looking and trying to be stealthy as it's in a residential setting. As I look, I see the container, maybe 12 inches from my face. Found it!! At least it wasn't a nano. It was a pill bottle at one time. Signed and moved on.
Next cache was another that wasn't on the list. I saw what route I'd take but Auntie Mo suggested a quicker way. I listened. We arrived near GZ (another big store), walked over to GZ, where she made the find. A wooden pinecone (not a 3-D type either) with a bison tube inside. A muggle was watching from a distance, but we figured that he was more interested in the garbage truck that was loading near by. Signed, replaced, and started to move on to the next. In typical geocacher mode, I was going to take a direct route, or at least what I thought was a direct route (it was as the crows fly LOL). Auntie Mo said no, we'll be looping around the various streets and not really getting anywhere fast. I followed her directions and we arrived at the next GZ. This is why I like having her as a navigator.
We walked over to GZ where we searched and searched, but nothing stood out. Then I stumbled on the cache by chance. It was one of those in the open, in your face hides. Signed and was thankful it was a nice day out as I rolled up the tiny log sheet to fit back in the nano. Nanos are not Winter friendly as you can't roll those tiny pieces of paper with mitts on. Back to the car to determine where to go for the next cache. Turns out, I didn't need to drive anywhere. The next cache, another puzzle final was in a park area, and our last find was at the entrance of the same park. Off we went for a short walk. On the way there, we couldn't help notice that the snow plow that did the sidewalk really missed the sidewalk. The plowed path was either to one side or the other side of where the actual path was. We made our way to GZ, but it was in the wide open, where a family that was playing on a homemade backyard hockey rink can see us if they're paying attention. I made the quick find, (a magnetic key holder) signed, replaced, and we were on our way.
We attempted one more, but we determined that GZ was in a clump of trees behind some townhouses. Just so happens that a muggle was in his backyard with a clear view and saw us walk by. Took a pass on this one. Lunch and shake time. As we sat, we pondered if the cache across the street was accessible or did we have to go into deep snow. We opted to try another one that was around the corner. This particular one is part of a series put out by local cacher crackerjackie, and they're all near fire stations. First In, Last Out. Again, not on my list. We walked over to GZ and began our search. I quickly spotted something on the ground, but knew it wasn't the cache. The strangest things you find near ground zero. I can add a plunger to the list. Not sure how a plunger got there as GZ was at the corner of an open field. I stuck in on the box for a better photo op.
Auntie Mo did find the real cache. This reminds me of another time I was making my way to GZ for a different cache and I came across something that was adorable. It was a-Dora-ball.
We walked over to our next one, the one that we wondered about while sitting at McD's, and decided that the snow depth wasn't that bad. We both spotted this cache, a fake birdhouse. I'm glad it's fake. Ever come up to what you think is a fake birdhouse and it turns out to be the real deal? And mamma bird isn't happy you're there so she starts dive bombing your head? File that under encounters with animals, (and yes, that did happen to me once). Another find. #7 for the day.
Off we go to the next, a previous DNF for me and other puzzle final. We saw that it was recently found and the log sheet wasn't in great condition. This was another pine tree hide. Yuck! We searched and circled and searched. Lots of places where it could be as there were a few trees here, but not all pine trees. It was Auntie Mo making the find on this one. A film canister with cammo tape. I was able to avenge a DNF with Auntie Mo's help. I also reached my goal for the day. We set off to get another that was on my list. It's listed as a large container. A large in the city? I need to grab this one before it goes missing. We got there, and we searched, and searched, and searched. Auntie Mo spotted something that turned out to be a baggie with the log sheet. Where's the container? Was this thing considered the container? It's a large and it counts towards my total. I'll take it.
Before heading home, I swung by a cache that we both had searched for a couple of years ago but found nothing. I did manage to find it later on and it's listed as one of the older caches in the city. What makes this one tricky is that it's located near a very popular ice cream stand and today was opening day. I spotted the cache quickly and so did Auntie Mo. How did we both miss this that day we searched? By the looks of the container, it was recently replaced and didn't look familiar to me at all. Auntie Mo got to avenge a DNF on this day as well.
One more stop on the way home. As we passed through downtown, I said "you don't have a virtual yet?". A quick stop and Auntie Mo got her first virtual. That concluded our day. I dropped Auntie Mo off at home and I made my way home as well. Nine finds for the day. One more than planned, but that's ok. Auntie Mo finished with eleven finds. A good start to another caching season for her.
That was my day. Hopefully there'll be plenty more adventures this year to share. I have a few in he plans. Hopefully they become reality. Until next week; enjoy, peace out, be safe, and remember, geocaching is suppose to be fun.
This week I want to share what my St. Patrick's Day was like in terms of geocaching. I am a bit of a stats junkie. Sometimes when I head out, I have a goal in mind. For March 17, I only had 3 finds in total for that day. From March 18 to April 3, I have at least 11 finds for each day. A 17 day run. My goal for March 17 was to find at least 8 caches to bring my total up to a minimum of 11 finds and stretch my run to 18 days. Since I have majority of the North part of the city cached out, there was only one area to go without leaving the city, the South end of the city.
That morning I was chatting with my geocaching travel partner, Auntie Mo, via text. I mentioned that I was going caching, where, and I planned on getting a shamrock shake from McD's while I was out since it was St. Patrick's Day. Auntie Mo hasn't been out caching yet this year and we haven't gone caching together in a year and a half. We've been on a few adventures. finding all sorts of neat caches, neat places, and just having fun. Life has a tendency to get in the way of things. She was interested in joining and I'd be picking her up in an hour.
I quickly checked a pocket query that I run everyday for recently found. I made a list of caches within a certain area and off I went to get Auntie Mo. When I make lists, it's more of a suggestion as I have a tendency to stray from that list. I usually go with the flow.
We arrived at a parking lot that I designated as a starting point and close to a puzzle final. We determined that the gas station sign was GZ, but it's also near the gas station itself. At Auntie Mo's suggestion, I drove up to the sign, hoping my car will block the view. A quick search of the area turned up our first find of the day. A 'slimjim' type container (a baggie wrapped in duct tape with a magnet). Off to our second cache. Auntie Mo has taken over the navigating duties at this point. This is something that she's very good at (even though she said she was rusty) and I've learned to trust her word when she says where I need to turn. This next one (and not on my list, one cache in and I'm already straying from the list LOL), had a hint that it's magnetic, and was on another large sign. We searched, and I used my phone to take pictures in places that I otherwise couldn't see, hoping a pic might reveal the container. No luck. First DNF. I did get a wet knee from kneeling in the snow to take pics and from searching the base of the sign.
Off we go to grab another puzzle. A container in a pine tree. Don't we all love pine tree hides? Not. We circle the tree, looking and trying to be stealthy as it's in a residential setting. As I look, I see the container, maybe 12 inches from my face. Found it!! At least it wasn't a nano. It was a pill bottle at one time. Signed and moved on.
Next cache was another that wasn't on the list. I saw what route I'd take but Auntie Mo suggested a quicker way. I listened. We arrived near GZ (another big store), walked over to GZ, where she made the find. A wooden pinecone (not a 3-D type either) with a bison tube inside. A muggle was watching from a distance, but we figured that he was more interested in the garbage truck that was loading near by. Signed, replaced, and started to move on to the next. In typical geocacher mode, I was going to take a direct route, or at least what I thought was a direct route (it was as the crows fly LOL). Auntie Mo said no, we'll be looping around the various streets and not really getting anywhere fast. I followed her directions and we arrived at the next GZ. This is why I like having her as a navigator.
We walked over to GZ where we searched and searched, but nothing stood out. Then I stumbled on the cache by chance. It was one of those in the open, in your face hides. Signed and was thankful it was a nice day out as I rolled up the tiny log sheet to fit back in the nano. Nanos are not Winter friendly as you can't roll those tiny pieces of paper with mitts on. Back to the car to determine where to go for the next cache. Turns out, I didn't need to drive anywhere. The next cache, another puzzle final was in a park area, and our last find was at the entrance of the same park. Off we went for a short walk. On the way there, we couldn't help notice that the snow plow that did the sidewalk really missed the sidewalk. The plowed path was either to one side or the other side of where the actual path was. We made our way to GZ, but it was in the wide open, where a family that was playing on a homemade backyard hockey rink can see us if they're paying attention. I made the quick find, (a magnetic key holder) signed, replaced, and we were on our way.
We attempted one more, but we determined that GZ was in a clump of trees behind some townhouses. Just so happens that a muggle was in his backyard with a clear view and saw us walk by. Took a pass on this one. Lunch and shake time. As we sat, we pondered if the cache across the street was accessible or did we have to go into deep snow. We opted to try another one that was around the corner. This particular one is part of a series put out by local cacher crackerjackie, and they're all near fire stations. First In, Last Out. Again, not on my list. We walked over to GZ and began our search. I quickly spotted something on the ground, but knew it wasn't the cache. The strangest things you find near ground zero. I can add a plunger to the list. Not sure how a plunger got there as GZ was at the corner of an open field. I stuck in on the box for a better photo op.
Off we go to the next, a previous DNF for me and other puzzle final. We saw that it was recently found and the log sheet wasn't in great condition. This was another pine tree hide. Yuck! We searched and circled and searched. Lots of places where it could be as there were a few trees here, but not all pine trees. It was Auntie Mo making the find on this one. A film canister with cammo tape. I was able to avenge a DNF with Auntie Mo's help. I also reached my goal for the day. We set off to get another that was on my list. It's listed as a large container. A large in the city? I need to grab this one before it goes missing. We got there, and we searched, and searched, and searched. Auntie Mo spotted something that turned out to be a baggie with the log sheet. Where's the container? Was this thing considered the container? It's a large and it counts towards my total. I'll take it.
Before heading home, I swung by a cache that we both had searched for a couple of years ago but found nothing. I did manage to find it later on and it's listed as one of the older caches in the city. What makes this one tricky is that it's located near a very popular ice cream stand and today was opening day. I spotted the cache quickly and so did Auntie Mo. How did we both miss this that day we searched? By the looks of the container, it was recently replaced and didn't look familiar to me at all. Auntie Mo got to avenge a DNF on this day as well.
One more stop on the way home. As we passed through downtown, I said "you don't have a virtual yet?". A quick stop and Auntie Mo got her first virtual. That concluded our day. I dropped Auntie Mo off at home and I made my way home as well. Nine finds for the day. One more than planned, but that's ok. Auntie Mo finished with eleven finds. A good start to another caching season for her.
That was my day. Hopefully there'll be plenty more adventures this year to share. I have a few in he plans. Hopefully they become reality. Until next week; enjoy, peace out, be safe, and remember, geocaching is suppose to be fun.
Comments
Post a Comment