June 18, 2005

Nefertiti's Pyramid: Royal Gates: Maggie (8) and I decided to attempt this series. After poking around in some more typical hiding places, we discovered this cleverly hidden cache. Maggie realized that there were beads available for trade, and was quite excited for the opportunity. Thanks!

Tamarack Gate: A quick grab while doing the new series. Thanks!

Nefertiti's Pyramid: Shrine: This one was tough for us: Lots of prickly weeds and branches to stumble over. Eventually we found it, and Maggie traded for another bead, which made up for any temporary discomfort. TFTC.

Nefertiti's Pyramid: Underworld: A cool spot! What a majestic old oak tree. Thanks.

Nefertiti's Pyramid: King Tut: Maggie was starting to drag a bit at this point, so I sent her down to the bench by the pond to eat a snack. After about 5 minutes, I went back to check on her. Whew! an amazing transformation! TFTC.

Nefertiti's Pyramid: Viper: We passed M&J who were headed back down the trail close to this cache. They pointed out to us that we'd missed the 'Offerings' cache, and provided the necessary information. Maggie made the find on this one, and we enjoyed our little creek-side adventure.

Nefertiti's Pyramid: Throne: Hopefully there weren't any PETA members around, cuz we had a ball tormenting the cows. Our objective was to touch one, but they're suprisingly quick and nimble when it's required. Oh, we found the cache, too, but spent a few misdirected minutes trying to follow the instructions on the cache paper right at that spot. Nothing doing. Duh.

Nefertiti's Pyramid: Even having all of the information, and correctly assembling the puzzle (very cool by the way! Maggie insisted on doing it all by herself), this was still quite a challenging cache to find. I appreciated the encouragement I found shortly before the container itself. Maggie traded for a keychain this time, and I traded for the benchmark token since it was new to me. Thanks for a great series!

Nefertiti's Pyramid: Offerings: Even though we'd already finished the final puzzle, I still wanted the smilie for this one, so we detoured to get it on the way out. Thanks!

June 16, 2005

Forgotten Psychedelic Rock Venue: Got it. Thanks.

Baylands Grove: Dusk, drizzle, deserted. Fortunately, no spider webs. TFTC.

Token Gesture: A very nice park! Thanks for bringing me out here.

Aw, Nuts!: I dispaired to find this cache in the dark, even with a flashlight. Fortunately my fears weren't realized. Thanks.

Home Run!: This cache was a bit tougher in the long shadows of the flood lights. Eventually I stopped chasing the arrow and found it in a logical, but shadowy spot. I think I might have distracted some of the folks on the other side of the fence.

BM521: All the action was across the way at the ball fields. Thanks for showing me this trail.

Have a Ball: I reached this cache just at sunset. The storm clouds were clearing and the light was fantastic. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera. In any case, the air was clear and the views were great! Thanks.

June 15, 2005

Beacon, Light My Way: 9:30p 2TF. I walked the 246 feet from my front door to this cache and still wasn't first, meeting Eagle81 and ShoresScouts who had just found it, on the way. (It was very nice to meet you and congratulations on the FTF!) As far as the cache itself and the supposedly 'incorrect' coordinates, what can I say? Not much, except that puzzle caches are the accepted venue for this sort of trickery. Deliberately giving incorrect coordinates in a traditional cache is considered bad form. It actually would have been a pretty cool puzzle: Call it Mirror Image, tell people the cache isn't located at the posted coords, but that they need to visit them to get clues to the actual location...or something like that. Oh well, maybe next time.

June 14, 2005

Burton Park Revisited: I scoped out the area but had to wait for someone in a nearby car to clear out before making the find. Nicely done. Thanks.

June 13, 2005

Circle of Technology: 5:30p It's a bit past the gardening hour, and everybody else appears eager to put a little distance between themselves and and nearby offices, resulting in a straightforward search and find for me. I peeked into the canyon below and thought to myself, 'There's got to be a trail down there.' Twisted, very twisted. Thanks.

June 11, 2005

Touch the Twilight (Night Cache): Thanks for creating a really fun adventure! As I write this the next morning, the kids are sleeping in late, so it must have worn them out pretty good, too! The lights of the city were beautiful to look at, and we enjoyed listening to the cows mooing their goodnights to each other. The course is in good shape, and after finding the final location, we noted that a YJTB and unactivated USA geocoin are still there for the taking. TFTC.

June 10, 2005

Mindego Trail Cache: Passed a park ranger in his truck at the trailhead. At first I thought he was watching us, but then, as soon as he started up the hill, two mountain bikers came zipping out of the fog from the other direction and nearly ran us over. That's who he was looking for! Ah, the cat and mouse life of a park ranger. TFTC.

Pillars of Stone: Whew we made it! I was more nervous than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs walking along that stretch of road...in the fog...with two 5-year olds.

Razorback Ridge: John, Ted and I found this cache on the way to a campout at the beach. Okay, so we took the long way! The fog was settling fast, and by the time we got back to the car it was more like a rain storm. A little trading occured; thanks for a nicely stocked box.

June 8, 2005

Hidden Canyon Hideaway: 7pm FTF!!! Thanks for another excuse to visit this beautiful park. The trail map and markers are a welcome addition, and I made a mental note of several tucked away trailheads for future trips. It took me a few minutes to find the nicely concealed cache, and had to keep reminding myself that it was, as mentioned on the cache page, hidden close to the trail. A quartet of mountain bikers startled me while I was writing in the log book. They don't make too much noise going uphill! I took the YJTB and left, appropriately enough, a rubber snake. The other TBs I had with me just wouldn't fit. TFTC.

June 7, 2005

KrakaTwoEighty: What a cool place, and a mind-expanding hide! Definitely worthy of #800. Thanks for showing it to us.

June 6, 2005

Sanchez Lagoon: 12:45p FTF!!! Thanks for pointing out this hidden trail. If you're curious about this area, read the small sign along the trail about half way to the cache. A great lunch time hike.

Public Access: After some encouragement from the cache owner (who narrowed the search area down from ± 20 ft to about ± 2 ft for me), I found the cache easily. Now that I've visited this area at both low and high tide, I realize each has its own interesting features.

June 4, 2005

Assume Nothing #8: As I was approaching, Team Alamo came running up and told me not to look. So I spent a few minutes watching the firefighters mop up across the creek. Eventually bthomas and stbk concluded it was not possible to rehide cache, so they let me sign the log. Despite the damage, very nice. I can say with confidence I would have gotten it anyway. A 9-1-1 call was made to a cache paramedic, who arrived on scene shortly to fix things up. TFTC.

Bait (Hidden Walkways II): The clue brought this one home for me. Thanks.

Vasona Lake cache: A quick find on the way to group events. Thanks!

The Shawshank Redemption: Knock this one down a couple stars for me with others doing all the thinking. It was lots of fun getting wet in the tunnel and enjoying the theme of this cache. Thanks!

Little Cache of Horrors: With a little stick-to-it-ive-ness this cache was ours. I think the neighbors are getting suspicious though. Hopefully this cache will get a rest for a few days.

Little Cache of Horrors II: Emilie and I walked over to this cache after the event. It was pretty much dark, but fortunately we didn't need a light and found the cache by feel. Nicely done.

Little Shop of Horrors: The Sequel: Lots of fun for us chatting, scoping out coin collections, and spray painting. Thanks for hosting a super event!

June 3, 2005

Dorthy W. Erskine: #1 of a lunch-time caching foray deeper than ever before into the unknown territory of San Francisco. With friendly finds like this, I'll master my fears of the City yet!

Secret Garden: Whew! I'm glad that's over...although I enjoyed this area very much, I couldn't quite get over the feeling that I was walking in somebody's backyard. TFTC.

Harry's Hideout: I found the cache, but I had to hurry since someone was coming up the 'street'. Thanks.

(#4) Sr. Verissimma's Playground: I took the difficult way in, then sat a while and enjoyed the view. Thanks for the workout.

(#3) Sr. Verissimma's Science Class: A quick find. (Just lucky, I think.)

(#5) Steeple View: A not-so-quick find. (The luck had run out down the hill!) TFTC.

Annie's Birthday Present: 11:45p FTF!!! Nice park. Tricky hiding spot. TN, left a really little matchbox car. Thanks.

June 2, 2005

Banana Slug Highway: This was my second visit after a DNF last fall. There is construction going on at the trailhead: It's more than just a home since there are at least 5 buildings going up. It's evident no expense is being spared (would you expect any less?) I'll be curious to come back in a few months and see how things turn out. TFTC.