December 30, 2010

Pueblo Viejo

By: Jeep'en Jumpers Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

1st cache in Mexico! Thanks.

Journey to the Center of the World

By: Roving2Sum Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

Curious place. It sort of bugged me that what was described as a $5 'suggested donation' on the sign outside was actually a 'museum admission fee'. Times are tough I reckon. TFTVC.

"T" in the desert

By: Baja Lou & Teina Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

Well past dark now, and we've been caching since dawn. Started in El Cajon and headed towards Blythe. Thanks for marking the turn.

NOT QUITE "THE CENTER OF THE WORLD"

By: GIDEON-X Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

We spent a long time hunting in the dark here. Plenty of hiding places. We were convinced it had washed away for the longest time. Finally I noticed something with a straight edge. Bingo! TFTC.

~OCEAN TO OCEAN~

By: GIDEON-X Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

bthomas and I found this very interesting virtual together. On the first pass I didn't understand the traffic signals and ended up driving the single lane against traffic. Angered a few folks who started honking, but I was committed. Oh well. Thanks for pointing the bridge out!

Jail House Rock

By: Raymonking Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

This was an interesting sight! Thanks for pointing it out. Julian is great place to visit, even in the snow, which we had today. Answers emailed. TFTVC.

Phil's Memorial Cache

By: GoodDogSD (Adopted By GoBolts!) Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Regular

It was quite brisk when we set out, but the sun was shining brightly, and only a single set of tracks in the snow on the trail ahead of us. Most of the pine needles were covered in a coating of ice that glittered brilliantly. Quite a memorable hike! Thanks for California's oldest!

Thanksgiving 2010

By: Samurai Guys Difficulty: 1,5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I had trouble spotting the cache...that's not an ammo can, that's a nevada nano! Heh! Thanks.

Trail Head.

By: dawny-t Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

We dodged the motorbikes, sand rails and RVs to make a find. Plenty busy on this holiday weekend. TFTC.

The Well-Travelled Cacher (bthomas) Challenge L.A.

By: EMC of Northridge, CA Difficulty: 5.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

Many apologies for the late log. bthomas and I are road-tripping the southeastern corner of the state for DeLorme map pages...like any good WTC would do! Yesterday's itinerary was Bay Area to El Cajon, with stops for this very nice challenge and to log some finds along the SoCal challenge alley near Elsinore. On tap for today was a zig zag along the southern border pages with a stop to pay our respects to Phil at the state's oldest cache and a 10 minute, 100 foot dip into Mexico at Algodones for our first cache south of the border. Tomorrow is north to Beatty, and the day after that Death Valley. All in all, about 1500 miles and a satisfied smile of a well travelled cacher. Thanks!

48 on 78

By: "Flintstones" Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

I've never been to a NASCAR race, but I'd love to go. Thanks for the tribute cache!

The Lost Soul, #1

By: bornfisher Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Winter in the desert is definitely my speed. Summers on the beach. TFTC.

Along the Road

By: Half-Pint Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

This cache was tough to find in the dark. We perservered though and eventually it showed up. TFTC.

Let's take a walk.......... #3

By: fugategonzo Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Got it! TFTC.

I'm not under that...

By: fugategonzo Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Under, over, beside, adjacent...I've experienced them all. Caching is good like that!

Where are we?

By: fugategonzo Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Why is this place all fenced off? It's the places like this that really make you wonder. TFTC.

We are where?

By: fugategonzo Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

It's interesting the places you end up at while caching. As bthomas mentions, this one had more significance to me than most. Challenges are funny that way sometimes! TFTC.

Smell Something??

By: mginnis Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

It just smelled dusty to me. I was glad to be here on a 50 degree day though! TFTC.

No striking here.............

By: fugategonzo Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

I loved the cache container! Yeah, we made it a drive up too. I'll bet all those folks passing on the highway wondered whether we were crazy! TFTC.

Airport Vista Too

By: SKILLET Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

I could definitely see the landing strip! That looked like the only improvement though. Do you think the motorbikes would get out of the way if they noticed a plane on final approach? TFTC.

Scissors Crossing - Redux

By: habu! Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

Lots of sand rails and motorbikes out in the desert too. It seems like a good way to spend New Year's weekend. Thanks for marking our way to lower elevations!

Local Kids

By: sierramadre3 Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

You're lucky to live here! Thanks for the fun cache.

Park and Play!

By: BlondHiLites Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Nobody playing today, too cold. We left the motor running and were quick about it. The warm car felt good when we got back to it! TFTC.

Sunrise Hwy: Laguna Lure

By: Duncan! Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I was gripping the steering wheel tightly on the way up this twisty road. Rain to ice with a bit of snow on top made of a bit of an adventure. Pretty and glistening in the sun, though. I did a donut in the parking lot on the way out! TFTC.

Sunrise Hwy: In the Beginning

By: Duncan! Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

Rain yesterday at lower elevations meant plenty of frozen slippery stuff at this cache. It's my first time to these mountains, and I'm enjoying the sights. TFTC!

Casio Run # 1

By: JB & LF Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

Thanks for keeping things interesting on Hwy 78!

Monument Trail

By: "Flintstones" Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

Hey! Every monument deserves a cache! Thanks for helping out.

FEE AREA?

By: RiffRaff2 with bb's back up Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

No improvements, no fees, IMO. Put in a few picnic tables and a vault toilet, collect the trash, and yes, I'll pay a fee. I voted for the $18 registration fee, but, hey, I use the state parks. TFTC.

Potholes

By: BroncoBusters Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

I would have liked to see the cemetary, but by the time we got here, it was pitch dark. Golden State map page: check! Thanks.

Watching TV

By: Dezertflyz Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Other

Hmmm, the crew must have come through and picked up the TV to work off their community service hours. Kinda fun driving through a bombing range though. TFTC.

Banner

By: habu! Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

Out of the mountains and into the desert. I was glad to leave those icy roads up the hill behind. TFTC!

Coins in the Cleft

By: Nat (adopted by TrailGators) Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: SmallIt took quite a while to find this cache, and our teeth were chattering before it was all over because of a breeze. Thanks for marking this beautiful view!

December 29, 2010

CT 12: Friendship

By: jahoadi and john Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Not Chosen

As they said at GWS7, It's all about the friends you make along the way. I couldn't agree more! TFTC.

CT 12: Just Poking Around

By: jahoadi and john Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I sure wish somebody would 'torment' me by hiding caches around my home! That's a swell thing to do! TFTC.

CT 12: Tag You're It!

By: jahoadi and john Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container:

Things were buttoned up tight at the airport. Must be a daytime place for the most part. Thanks.

CT 12: Keeping Up the Game

By: jahoadi and john Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Dripping foliage meant we got all wet searching for these caches. I'm glad it wasn't raining though! TFTC.

Early Bird Gets The Worm

By: Wyan & Wobbles Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I wormed my way in there, wishing I had grabber to avoid the creepy-crawlies. Fortunately, none were encountered. Cute container! TFTC.

EASY CHALLENGE: DOING THE DIAGONALS

By: Team Geo-Rangers Difficulty: 4.0 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Micro

Tons of good memories in those squares! Thanks for the opportunity to reminisce. That was a tough find, too! We searched left, right, high, and low before spotting the bugger. Fortunately a previous finder had left a tool nearby to assist with the mechanics. Thanks!

Diagonal #1:
1) 1/1 GC609B Rhino Eels 5/5/2003
2) 1.5/1.5 GCBC09 Es Effo Bug Hotel 9/18/2003
3) 2/2 GC20CF Taylor-Made 9/20/2003
4) 2.5/2.5 GCTBNV Hillside Maze 2/10/2006
5) 3/3 GCGZ6G Rafts Stalk Up! 10/3/2003
6) 3.5/3.5 GC26B0 'G' is for Ghost Town 5/6/2006
7) 4/4 GCMWCH Piedras Mojadas 4/1/2005
8) 4.5/4.5 GC10KE2 Muckraker 4/21/2007
9) 5/5 GC1D7QT The 555 Club 11/10/2008

Diagonal #2:
10) 5/1 GCM9FR 10 Foot Pole 3/26/2008
11) 4.5/1.5 GCJG8G Big Worm-Gear Needed 5/29/2004
12) 4/2 GCYNR9 Bay Area Quadrangle Challenge 8/18/2007
13) 3.5/2.5 GCGQRW Ode to My Leg 6/17/2004
14) 3/3 GCGTX9 Old View of New Idria 5/6/2006
15) 2.5/3.5 GCHHM5 Shelob's Stair 12/26/2007
16) 2/4 GCMGWM The Shawshank Redemption 6/4/2005
17) 1.5/4.5 GCGVTJ Neptune and the Fisherman 9/23/2003
18) 1/5 GCHXXG Moonshine Wash 4/2/2008

Club 81 - Fizzy Challenge

By: Team Stevecat Difficulty: 5.0 Terrain: 5.0 Container: Regular

Wandering far and wide with bthomas. Thanks for the SoCal version of this challenge! Rainy day, but it seemed like everytime we got out of the car to find a cache, the skies cleared.

The Renaissance Cacher Challenge

By: Team Stevecat Difficulty: 4.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

Lots of good memories in this list! Thanks for the challenge.

TRAD: GC1CWAV Why Do I Geocache? Remind Me!! by SNSpencer (3.5/5) 11/1/08
MULT: GCGQRW Ode to My Leg by Woof! (3.5/2.5) 6/17/04
VIRT: GC26B0 'G' Is For Ghost Town by Buxley (3.5/3.5) 5/6/06
LETT: GCGH5J Columba by bthomas (2/1.5) 5/30/05
PZZL: GCKRR5 Hall of Champions (5/5) 10/18/08
EVNT: GC2E6PM What Happens at Loon Stays at Loon 3 by Scoobert (1/1) 10/2/10
MEGA: GC134MJ GeoWoodstock VI by RCGDS & NUTS (1/1) 5/24/08
CITO: GCMZPY Trail Days: Almaden Quicksilver by sammydee and workerofwood (2/2) 4/23/05
WCAM: GCQNHK Hamcams by Team Nazgul (3/1) 8/11/07
APE: GCEF7 Mission 7: Crab Creek (Project APE) by Dep&Uno&Co & 2Wheel'in (2/2) 5/19/06
EARTH: GC177KB Delicate Arch by Lord Mot, Baby Girl and Littlefoot (1/3.5) 3/30/08
LOCO: GC99F6 What's in a hut? by LarsThorwald (2/1)12/31/05

100 Cache Challenge

By: Team Stevecate Difficulty: 5.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

Ahhh, Trail of the Gods, the one that started this madness! Actually it was 402 finds in 23 hours on 3/13/10 with bthomas and geoides. Wish we could have pushed on for another hour, but working 8, driving 7 and then caching 23 kind of did me in. Thanks for the challenge cache to mark the milestone!

100 DNFs - Challenge

By: Team Stevecat Difficulty: 4.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

Excellent challenge! My DNF rate over the past 8 years is about 4%, and I've finally gotten past any self-doubt in posting them.
My most memorable DNF was on a 16 cache series spread across several counties in South Carolina called GeoChess that culminated with the White King cache (GC19Y4M). I had to stay over the weekend on business, and decided to attempt the series. I was able to find all 15 of the cache clues that got increasingly harder as I progressed from pawns to the queen. Between the second bishop and the first rook, I got broadsided by foolish teenage kid who was looking at his girlfriend and not where he was driving. That little misadventure put me seriously behind schedule, but I pressed on into the night. Finding the queen was pure dumb luck as it was buried under leaves, sticks and mud in a swamp. Calculating the coordinates for the final, I realized I would have to drive over 30 miles in the opposite direction to get the King. From nearest parking I bushwhacked through dense underbrush, forded a stream, and managed to avoid those freakishly large 'Garden Spiders' that are so common in SC. After searching over an hour in the dark, I gave up. After returning the mangled rental the next day, and confirming the coordinates with the CO, I returned for a second search in daylight. Still no luck after another hour. So much time and effort expended, and no smilie. Thanks for letting me retell the story though. What an adventure!

TFTC!

Save Gas "Cache" The Trolley: Gillespie

By: Jahoadi and John Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Trolleys were passing by, but no one was riding. I guess it was late enough that all the commuters had already made it home. TFTC.

TB Flight 1214

By: Peter & Lois Griffin & skydive121 Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

Too bad this cache has fallen into a bit of disrepair. We did our best to maintain it by dumping the water and adding a dry log sheet. Thanks!

Heroes are Made Here

By: jahoadi and john Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

All of these J&J caches around Gilespie Field were challenging finds, especially in the dark. Glad we had the place to ourselves though. Thanks!

Go Green: Cache the Trolley: Fenton

By: jahoadi and john Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

We had a bit of trouble counting, but eventually came across a creepy-crawlie. Fortunately it wasn't one of the biting kind! TFTC.

Enjoy Your Sit With Sam!

By: Pedroz & Cyndyz Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

Roaming far and wide with bthomas. I needed a few caches in the San Diego area for the DeLorme Challenges, and couldn't pass up this fun virtual. Thanks!

3...2...1

By: p.wood Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

Touch and go with bthomas. Thanks for pointing out this interesting location.

December 25, 2010

Annie's Cache

By: swingblade Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

Even though it was raining, I've never cached on Christmas Day before, and needed the date for a challenge cache. John and I slipped and shloshed down the trail, passing a gentleman in gym shorts carrying an umbrella. We were definitely suprised to see someone else braving the elements! We found the cache in good shape, and enjoyed the views through the fog. I love the Belmont open space. TFTC.

Open Space Math Time

By: kanchan Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

John and I ventured out into the rain. We enjoyed the sounds of drops on the leaves and torrents rushing down the little creeks. Finding the cache was definitely a challenge, although I must say that the location we eventually found it in was a lot less scary than most of the places I blindly stuck my hands! Thanks.

December 16, 2010

Left What in San Francisco?

By: bthomas Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container:Virtual

Work holiday lunch at Slanted Door, so we parked nearby. The ramp was quite full, and we had to park on the top level, which provided the perspective in my photo. TFTVC!

December 11, 2010

Pompano Park

By: stevenw54 Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container:Micro

Darkness made it more difficult. There was a HUGE mushroom on the way to the cache! Thanks.

Let There Be Light

By: geocomb Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container:Micro

All quiet early on a Saturday evening. I found it with the boys, who were curious about the area since they'll be attending middle school in Belmont next year. TFTC.

TAM

By: vasscsalad Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container:Regular

It was a busy day today, but as I'd never in my nearly 8 years of geocaching found a cache on December 11, this was a once in a year opportunity. Thanks for feeding my obsession!

December 6, 2010

Doughboys of Menlo Park

By: PurplePeople Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container:Small

Thanks for bringing this 'forgotten' history together! I often find myself wondering what a place looked like a long time ago, and this hunt painted a vivid mental picture. The final cache is in good shape. A great multi-cache.

December 3, 2010

A Walk in the Park

By: geocomb Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

Geodate with mrs303. Finding in the dark added a half star. I found some doggie do-do too. TFTC.

SISA #3 - Feeling Lucky

By: kobridge Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Geodate with mrs303. After the cache, we walked the boardwalk, dodging cooks and dishwashers on break from the restaurant. Thanks!

An Urban Cache by Lee O'Corell

By: NeoTrinMorpheus Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I enjoyed this puzzle! mrs303 and I found it on a geodate. Nobody was using the immediate area for its intended purpose, but there were scores of pre-teens roaming about nearby. FCPD rolled by, but we didn't even get a second look. Thanks!