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!

October 12, 2006

T in the Road: My jury duty got postponed until the afternoon so I suddenly had some time on my hands, and the baylands seemed like a great place to take a hike. After seeing about ten different types of ducks, I kinda lost count: this place is teeming with birds! What a great place to relax on a beautiful fall morning. TFTC!

East Pond: It seems you've got the the bases covered out here (...well at least first and third!) As Catomcat mentioned in his log, the white pelicans were still present: probably about a thousand of them, truely impressive. As I approached the cache, there was a group of ravens. Each one was perched on top of its own rock pile. They squawked at me, but didn't fly away, and I felt like I was in a Hitchcock film. Creepy. Thanks!

West Pond: I think I walked a bit further today than I thought I would, but I'm not complaining since there was so much to enjoy along the way to this cache. Standing quietly on the levee I could hear the ducks: not a quacking or a honking, but a kind of insect-like buzzing coming from thousands of tiny throats. Fascinating! I had hoped to grab the TA coin, but it wasn't there. In spite of that, I left a rowanf coin. TFTC!

The Functional Bridge: I was passing through on another errand and stopped to grab this cache. Thanks for showing me this interesting spot; hopefully the cache will survive the construction, if it ever happens! Those are 'horse apples' on that tree.

Look Out Below: It took a few minutes of sytematic searching, but I found it eventually. Fortunately, I had a few moments to myself! As soon as I put the cache back, the walkway got busy. Thanks for showing me this peaceful spot.

September 30, 2006

Almost Eden: We were out for a father and sons cache adventure today. Our objective was any cache larger than a micro! John and Ted had forgotten where it was hidden so I let them find it. Thanks for taking over (and improving!) this cache.

Mad House: There was lots going on over on the soccer field, but we were able to find the cache undisturbed. Fun! John and Ted traded, and I swapped TBs. TFTC!

Cache Across America – California: I was out with the boys the morning hunting for larger caches, since they love to trade swag. This one was just the ticket! I was searching an area that I knew made no sense when Ted started shouting that he'd found it. He had...but needed my help to retrieve it, of course. Lots of trading and a bug swap took place. Thanks!

East Evelyn Oaks: The boys love to trade, and this cache was just big enough to keep them interested. Thanks! It appears big changes are just around the corner for this site...hopefully these magnificent trees will weather the transition.

Oreo Cache: Ted (6) found it. John (6) was quite amused with the container. TFTC!

Been Here: Pastoria: I spotted the cache as we drove up, and asked one of the boys to grab it. No need to switch off the car; we're off to the next adventure! TFTC.

Baylands Cache and Carry: I think I DNF'd this cache a long time ago in the dark. I had a couple of helpers today...which made all the diference! Thanks.

Mall Death: It was suprisingly busy for a spot that is in transition, but we slipped in a find. Thanks for a nice big cache!

GeoFusion: We had a little trouble, but made a quick find after checking the cache page. Hmmm, I think it's almost time for lunch. Thanks for reminding us!

Baylands Bike & Bridge: I felt the same as Changes in Latitudes, but then I checked from a different angle. Oh, duh. We enjoyed that little stroll under the freeway. TFTC!

Bridge to the Past: There's definitely something arising from the ashes here, as the demolition crew was hard at work on a Saturday. Even so, the bridge still seems audaciously optimistic. TFTC!

Look, but don't touch: The cache was almost an afterthought, since John, Ted, and I got seriously distracted catching these big green grasshoppers that were along the nearby trail. Cool!

To Breathe Lazily: You're right, it is a silly puzzle, but I ended up enjoying it. Thanks!

The Stinky One: 7:15pm Well, I got some unknown goo on my fingertips, but since I eventually found the cache, it's all good. I sure am glad I had a flashlight, though. TFTC!

September 27, 2006

One equals Two: Yup, got it. I had to brush through over 4 months of spider webs and egg sacs though. Yuck! TFTC!

The Only Way to Succeed: When my nearest page got filled with '?' caches (...except for the 5 kayak ones , which I'm ignoring), I knew it was time to stop passing them by. I solved the simplified version, and enjoyed visiting the park where the cache is located. TFTC!

September 26, 2006

Poetry Corner: I looked at this puzzle again today, and something clicked in my brain. Having made that connection, it was a matter of doing the research, which took quite awhile, and the find, which was quick. Thanks for the nicely constructed puzzle!

September 23, 2006

Game Set Match: Thanks for putting together a fun puzzle! The sets weren't a problem, but making coordinates from them was a challenge, even after a hint from the cache owner. Eventually I got it, and finally made it to the area to pick up the cache. Fortunately it was pretty much deserted on a Saturday afternoon. This was find #1600 for me! Thanks.

Remnants of the Past: I was out today to finish some long unfinished business in El Corte de Madera OSP. What a great trail! The creek is just a trickle and everything is dry and dusty. TFTC.

Banana Slug Falls: It's too dry and dusty for Banana Slugs right now, I guess...I didn't see any on the whole trip. It was a nice spot to take a breather though. TFTC!

Tree with a "V": A couple of mountain bikers came by while I was signing the log. They didn't notice anything though, since their attention was focused on the tree that had recently fallen accross the trail about 100' down. TFTC!

DC-6 Resolution Crash Site: I found the cache pretty exposed, but threw a bunch of extra leaves on it when I was done. With that paint job, it doesn't really blend in too well at this time of year. Thanks for pointing out this spot. I was suprised there's no memorial plaque.

The Tafoni: The afternoon sun through the trees made really interesting shadows on the sculpted rocks. It was fun to visit here again since my first trip predated this cache. TFTC!

VOTE FOR PEDRO!!: I have to admit that I don't get the humor in that movie, but the cache I really liked! That's the last cache I had to find in Corte Madera; can I have some more please?

September 15, 2006

Growing Micros: This was a well-constructed multi-cache, although, like vaccine, I nearly walked away when I realized what the task for the first stage involved. Then, I called him to find out if there was a shortcut. Nope, there isn't. It'll be interesting to see how long this lasts. FWIW, these kinds of situations still make me uncomfortable, and I was glad not to be there during business hours. The second stage was quick and easy, but the third was a bit more challenging because of a temporary obstruction. I liked the final cache container. TFTC!

September 14, 2006

New Vista Park: K-league practice was underway about 20' from the cache, so I had to scan for it from a shielded vantage point. Fortunately, the hide was easy to spot, and when the scrum migrated to the far end, I made the grab. TFTC!

September 12, 2006

Kiss of the Oceans: I was back today for my reprise visit. Except for a few moments of uncertainty searching for 'hearts', things went smoothly. I think the new final location will be much safer, although I did have to wait out a lady who stopped to train her puppy: 'Sit, Rosco, sit!' she said. On my way back to work, I noticed a mural at the corner of Ocean and Junipero Serra that promiently features the sundial. TN, but left a Yellowstone pin. Thanks again for a very interesting and educational cache!

Rock Innie: This cache is near the top of my nearest list, and since I needed a scenic drive to unwind after work, it turned out to be...on the way home.

CM08: I had lock, but the EPE was +/-85 feet. Naturally, I was drawn to the object associated with the cache title, which turned out give me searching fits. After about 10 minutes, I retired to the hood of the car to reconsider the situation, at which point inspiration whacked me over the head! It was my first time on this road, which was quite enjoyable. Thanks for luring me off the well-travelled path!

CM10: Whew! This cache was a toughie, even with the hint. I lost lock soon after arriving, and since I didn't know which side of the trail the hint was referring to, I had to search both. Of course, I spent most of my time on the wrong side. The gathering late afternoon shadows made searching the nooks and crannies difficult, but eventually perserverance paid off. No way I was going to go away empty-handed after coming all the way down to this cache! Thanks!

September 11, 2006

The Five Senses: BALANCE: 2TF @ 8am. I had the kids help me solve this puzzle since I didn't want to over think it. They found it straightforward, so I think you can say that it is 'kid-tested, and, gauging from their interest in several of the pictures, 'kid-approved'. After finding the cache, I made a 7-rock stack. I can see that this little exercise will likely get competitive, so I may have to come back and try for something a bit higher! Thanks, and I'm looking forward to the next edition in the series!

California Ave. Art: Thanks for the tour of California Avenue! Except for a BA employee who was assigned to harrass people who parked in their lot accross from stage 5 (I had decided to do the series backwards), it was quite enjoyable. I quickly found alternate parking close-by and jumped into the task without missing a beat. It appeared to me that you could have added several addtional stages to this cache, but I appreciated being able to just enjoy those without anything to figure out!

Historic Palo Alto (Mayfield) 4: Having already stretched my brain on California Avenue, I figured why not? I recognized some similar information from previous rain734 caches at stage 1, but stage 2 was completely new to me. Although I had seen it from the street many time, I had no idea as to the subject, so thanks for getting me to stop and take a look. I liked the final hide too! Nicely done! A smilely I can look back on with satisfaction.

Play Ball II: What a great place to meet! Here's to many happy days to come!

September 9, 2006

CAUTION DUANE HOPS BROADWAY: Nicely done! This one had me going in circles! I hope it lasts.

Stanford_Wasteland: A quick and simple find. After locating the container, Ted, 6, declared, 'Dad, that's not a small cache!' I'd tend to agree. We'd left the kiddie swag bag in the car, but I was able to scrounge a pin out of my fanny pack so that he could trade.

Tao of Bykenut: Once I got some clarification on the puzzle from another cacher, I was able to solve it. On approach, we ran into atc (Nice to meet you! ). My coordinates had me zeroing in the neighbor's backyard, but we found the tell-tale signs soon enough. Being a large container, I brought the boys along, and they weren't disappointed! Ted traded for the medal, John for a mini eightball, and I exchanged TBs. Thanks for a fun adventure, and, happy belated birthday!