November 21, 2006

15 caches and about 8 miles on Mission Peak with vaccine and TPS.



Maya Silver: Encounter: I met up with vaccine and TPS for the Mission Peak loop. Things were looking a bit familiar, but it wasn't until we found the Inca Gold cache over the hill that I was able to check the logs and confirm that I had indeed been here before, over 2 years ago. That day was blazing hot, but today was cool and overcast. Perfect! Thanks for providing the motivation for a reprise visit.

Maya Silver: Greed: Yup, the trail is steep. It didn't help that we decided to take a short-cut...straight up the hill. I'll wager we pay for that later on. We found the cache sitting out on the ground, unlatched, but put it back where it belonged. TFTC!

Maya Silver: Betrayal: It fell to me to copy the pictures at each cache in the series. The task was a lot of fun: some physical exertion followed by a little mental effort. A great combination!

Maya Silver: Sacrifice: By this point we were getting to an elevation were we could really see the valley. It was a bit hazy, but wonderful nonetheless. Great views from this...and every cache along our route today! Thanks.

Maya Silver: Escape: I'm going to take the position that everybody's really enjoying themselves when I walk right off the main trail and they just follow on behind despite what the arrow says. Yeah, that or they're severely oxygen deprived. TFTC!

Maya Silver: Redoubt: I'm sweaty and winded, but those million dollar views are well worth the effort. I never knew that there were hillside springs up here. On the way past this cache we past the first of several. Thanks for providing a cache series with such an interesting story line.

Maya Silver: Secrets: This cache was our lunch stop. After translating all of my chicken scratches into coordinates for the final, we ate a shared meal...although I seem to recall that vaccine didn't offer me or TPS a dorrito. TFTC.

Maya Silver: Tears of the Moon: Thanks for a fantastic series! I can't believe you carried that cache camouflage all the way up there. We enjoyed taking pictures and having a glimpse of the backside of Mission Peak. I dropped my swag from Linz in order to fulfill Orient Express Quest requirement #6, and traded for some cool sig items in the well stocked cache. A BIG thanks!

Just A Little Higher: We contemplated the direct route for about 3 seconds, and then contoured around to the next cache, thinking there had to be a longer, but less strenous route. It turns out not! Thanks for the chance to scramble around on top. The coin is missing.

Horse Heaven: I can see how a horse would love this area. I thought it was pretty great too, and especially enjoyed hiking past the hillside spring. TFTC.

Man on a Mission: Once again, I was in the lead and not paying attention to the arrow. We ended up back-tracking about 350' horizontal...and what seemed like 100' vertical. It was nice to find an old cache like this, but it definitely needs a little TLC. Thanks.

Backside of Mission Peak: I guess I'm still tired. Wrote a log for the wrong cache, and had to come back and change it. TFTC in a beautiful park!

Another way up – 2, Lizard’s Home: In deciding to go for this cache, I think we were of the opinion that there might be another way down to the Stanford Ave trailhead. A loop or somthing...fatigue was definitely setting in, and after the find we trudged back up to the saddle to make our descent. TFTC.

Spawning Ground: Of all the springs we saw on today's hike, this one was the most interesting. The crash when that tree came down must have been something amazing, but I suppose the water that provided life for so long was ultimately the tree's undoing. Thanks!

Inca Gold: Stairway to the Sky: Somehow I never logged this cache when we did Inca Gold over 2 years ago. Realizing this, I stopped by and signed the log on my way back from completing Maya Silver. TFTC, and for a couple of superb series!

November 20, 2006

Lockheed Martin Station: A quick find this morning before the fog burned off but after most were at work. I love those warning bells that sound as the train approaches and departs! TFTC.

Before Time: I showed up at about 10:50a and grabbed the cache with no trouble. Retreating to my car to sign the log, I was suddenly stranded by wave after wave of arriving cars...all adults. Amazing! Who knew the early movie was so popular? I didn't. TFTC.

No Right Turn: No vertical challenge here. Busy watching the traffic from the East, I was suprised by a bicyclist from the West. No matter. I covered up just fine. FWIW, it was a 4-pointer to get going back where I came from. TFTC!

The King and Queen Are Sleeping: I guess I should read the cache pages closer 'cuz I ended up on the wrong side of the creek on my first attempt: Blasted autorouter! 75' away but no way to cross. Once I got on the correct side, I did see a potential crossing point about a 150' south. I dare anybody to try it! Thanks for the cache!

Former Ford Assembly Plant: I had to wait out some guy in a truck, which gave me the opportunity to step inside to use the facilities and grab a bite. I also walked right by the display case you mentioned. Very interesting. Thanks for pointing it out!

Shadow of the Tower: Eventually I stumbled on to it. I'm not sure who all these people are you're talking about in the cache description, although several passers-by did look at me with raised eyebrows. TFTC!

Evergreen Sikh Temple: What an interesting spot. I noticed a man leaving the temple on foot. He was wearing the very distinctive chunni (sp?) and had a long uncut beard, but was wearing a suit and tie. Interesting contrasts! Thanks for showing me this spot.

November 19, 2006

The Original "Survivor": Wow, I'm the 4th of four visits today! A very fun puzzle, although at first the coordinates I produced were a reflection of the solution, which threw me for a loop. The final location was familiar, I'm sure I've been here before for several long archived traditional caches. Hopefully this puzzle will last; it's a busy place. I knew Sunday evening at dusk would be a relatively quiet time, and I was right. A quick find. TFTC!

Water Dog Lake #2: Today I decided to take a quick little hike to this cache. It was a misty overcast morning, which made it wonderful to be in the canyon. Afterwords, I followed an overgrown trail down by the creek, which turned out to be quite an adventure! Those hillsides are steep, and with all the PO branches it was a bit like a minefield. Thanks for the fun!

November 14, 2006

Geocachic Park: It took me awhile to make my way through this multi: I needed a three visits and two phone consultations with a previous finder, but by the end I felt pretty darn good about it. There was a little hiccup, however. Approaching the final, I realized that I was going to be in plain view of about a dozen teenagers who were 'hanging out' (if you know the final location, you understand what I mean!) Fortunately for me, though, I didn't need to search for the cache because it was sitting on the ground in for anyone to notice. So, I just picked it up and walked off. The teenagers wouldn't leave, and I had to go, so I guess I'll be coming back for a fourth visit very soon. Oh, by the way, everything in the cache was safe and sound. Did the previous finders forget to put it back? Did it somehow move from it's hiding spot? Only the trees know. TFTC!

November 11, 2006

CloudView Cache: Thank goodnes for a GPSr that auto-routes! Just as you said, a quick find after arriving. Early on a Saturday there were no muggles to contend with, although a housekeeper sitting in a BMW was waiting to go to work...only in Sausalito! TFTC!

THE TROLL- from Aesope's,Three Billy Goats Gruff: Started searching, but attracted the attention of patrons eating breakfast in the nearby restaurant. Fortunately I could retrieve and place the cache out of their view with a little body english! Thanks.

Trailheads Galore!: Lots of activity around this cache on a Saturday morning! Campers cooking breakfast, hikers starting out on the trail, and a bunch of trail runners in some sort of a race. After a night of rain, clearing skies are bringing a beautiful, clear day. Thanks!

Firestone: I've been wanting to find this cache for quite some time, and today turned out to be the perfect opportunity. The clouds from last night's storm had cleared, and the views were crystal clear. I really enjoyed the hike to the cache, and got quite a chuckle when I realized how it was hidden. You've gotta love those old-time terrain / difficulty ratings, huh? Definitely one of my more memorable hunts! Thanks!

Azalea Hill: Mt. Tam was shrouded in fog, but the views were still great on this nice little hike. Great swag! TFTC!

Roy's Pools: A very interesting spot! Thanks for pointing it out.

Cecy's Cache: I had to wait for a couple to finish paying their respects. The way they were poking around the plaque, I almost thought they were cachers...then I noticed the woman dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. So tragic. The views were great! Thanks for pointing out the spot.

"Another Birthday Bashe Cache" (WSR Turns 2): Cool hide! Even though it's past your 3rd birthday, I took the opportunity to sign the card. Thanks for the party favors!

Elephant Mountain: Cool spot! Knarly spiders! TFTC!

Rouge et Noir: Interesting spot apparently in the middle of nowhere! I stopped for a late lunch. A bunch of workers were busy in the back room making Holiday gift packages. Thanks!

Cache to Eagle #9: The outer container was full of water after last night's rain. The inner container has kept things dry...so far. I'm an Eagle scout myself, and am getting back into things as my twin sons' Tiger Cub Den leader. Time flies!

Vantage Point: I picked up the cache only to discover that about a dozen daddy long-legged spiders were using it as cover...needless to say I yelled and dropped the cache! This was a really interesting spot. Thanks for bringing me here.

San Pedro Box: A nice short hike in the fading afternoon light. Thanks for the oldie!

China Camp Overlook: I loved the views of the bay close to this cache. Thanks!

These hills aren't in Beverly: Nice views, but I really have to wonder why this exit was built. It's a mystery to me. TFTC.

November 8, 2006

4|23 `/0|_| |337 3|\|0|_|6|-|: Well, it turns out that in actual fact I was seconds from a find yesterday when I sliced my finger. Today I needed encouragement from a fellow finder in order to continue along my previous line of thinking, since it's evident that the way I found it is not the way it was intended. Thanks for a very fun and imaginative cache, both from the perspective of the puzzle and the hide!

November 6, 2006

Cheapco: Definitely a place I wouldn't have visited but for geocaching, so thanks for the smilie!

Urban Beach #2: FTF @ 8:10 am. You know you've been caching a long time when a new cache brings you back to a spot of a former, now archived cache. In the present case it was called something like 'David's decoys', and there were 4 or 5 fake caches with taunting messages like "Try again" or "Wrong!" in them. Just like today, the cache site was always busy with families, and it was tough to search uninterrupted. I think I went back 3 times before I finally found that old one. Fortunately today's find was a straightforward one, and I was concealed from view. Thanks for the deja vu!

November 4, 2006

Another Brick: Thanks for recycling the spot! The innie (...my first sprinkler-head hide, I remember it well...) has become an outie. TNLNSL.

October 31, 2006

Elizabeth's Shortcut: Wow! This location reminded me of a few caches I've done up in the City. I always get pretty nervous in this type of location, and coming around at 7:30 in the morning didn't help! Fortunately, it was a quick find for me. Thanks for pointing out a neat spot!

Edgewood's Front Door: Before arriving, I was pretty sure I knew where this cache was placed. I confidently walked up to the object of interest and promptly discovered that my GPSr was pointing about 150' elsewhere! TFTC.

Howdy Pardn'r: No napping for me, just a quick turn-out with the blinkers on. I paid my respects to the boys, and then got down to business. Prickly! The commuters who passed by probably thought I was there for a pit stop! TFTC.

Middle Sheep Camp Trail: [soapbox]...I suppose you could call the Upper and Lower Sheep Camp caches trailhead markers...but at least they're far enough from illegal parking that you wouldn't risk a dash and grab like I (and several others, evidently) did on this one! [/soapbox] TFTC.

October 27, 2006

Urban Beach #1: I found it, but not before attracting the attention of a trio of 'tweens. They were eyeballing me pretty closely, so I muttered something about finding a lost toy and took the cache with me to run a couple of errands. Coming back 45 minutes later, there they were, sitting on the swings, dragging their feet in the sand exactly like I left them. DRAT! So the cache is still on the front seat of my car. Sorry. I'll put it back tonight. Oh, the green jeep isn't there. TFTC!