January 2, 2008

Coast King

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

A family outing to Natural Bridges SP to see the butterflies (not so many right now) led to lunch at the French Bakery. Our food was much, much better than brussel sprouts! TFTC.

Whale, you're here

By: skylanth Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

On a family outing to see the butterflies nearby, we happened upon the Marine Science Institute because of this cache. What a great find! After listening to a docent talk about the whale skeletons, we went inside and the kids got to hold a bunch of sea animals. Thanks for pointing out the spot.

Dam Hicks! (Nazgul Secret Trailhead #2)

By: Team Nazgul Difficulty: 3.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Walked right up to it, but only because I've found a couple of more recent variations by a certain cacher that lives up my way. Thanks for a fun hide.

Alien Rover

By: ProTechCC Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Small

Nice hike under clear skies. Cache container gave me a split-second shock! TFTC.

Marine Science Earthcache

By: Team Nazgul Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

We came to Santa Cruz to see the butterflies at Natural Bridge SP nearby, but the Marine Science Institute was the real find of the trip! We really enjoyed our visit, and appreciated learning about the marine terraces through this earthcache. We estimated the distance from the bluff to the terrace to be about 50 feet. Thanks!

Chemistry: Chapter 11

By: ProTechCC Difficulty: 5.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

I've solved this puzzle twice before, losing the solution since I never got around to making the find. Finally though, I knew I needed it for my matrix, so I got serious about making the trek way down south. At ground zero my widget was pointing a little bit off trail, and I was tempted to follow it. Then I turned around...Oh. [;)] The signature on the log above mine mentioned that (s)he had found it without a GPSr, but couldn't understand which waypoint it was! Heh. [}:)] Thanks for a fun puzzle and a pleasant hike.

Above the Mine

By: ProTechCC Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

In the park for another ProTechCC cache and had to grab some others nearby. Loved the views. The reservoir is quite low, but I expect that will change soon. TFTC.

Secret Trailhead #12 - Natural Bridges

By: Marky & Joani & Woof! Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I made a quick diversion to find this cache during a family outing to see the butterflies. It was fun to look through all of the old log books. TFTC!

December 31, 2007

Shady Grove

By: the voucher Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

End of the year cache run. Nice little hike to this spot, although it appears that some have found a short-cut by climbing through the fence. Their loss. TFTC.

Our Pilot

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

End of the year cache run. It seemed really exposed to me. There was a nice pair of sunglasses sitting nearby on a railing. Someone lost them I suppose. Watched a hang glider land in the nearby field. Very cool. TFTC.

Sweet Springs Trail

By: digitalfish Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

End of the year cache run. I drove around for a while looking for the trailhead, and realized that the closest spots were at the wrong elevation. Circled back and found the access, but still had to climb a pretty steep hill. Loved the pretty trail. TFTC.

The King of Redwood Shores

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

End of the year cache run. Pedestrians, bicyclists, cars: busy! busy! busy! I stuck out like sore thumb. Noticed several deer in the king's yard. TFTC.

Lake? What lake?

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

End of the year cache run. I enjoyed my long and winding trip up to this cache. The canyon is beautiful and green. Thanks for the placement.

Unit #4

By: Roman 8:28 Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

End of the year cache run. Lots of families in the park today enjoying their new presents in the warmth of the afternoon sun. TFTC.

Quilter Trail Pipe Dream

By: digitalfish Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

End of the year cache run. Another very pleasant trail. Thanks for pointing it out. The cache was visible as I hiked up the trail, so I bravely placed it further into its hiding place when I was finished. TFTC.

Log This Rock

By: digitalfish Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Small

End of the year cache run. Once again, drove around looking for access. I should know better with digitalfish caches [;)]. Eventually found it, and the cache shortly thereafter. Nice hide. Lots of deer hoofprints in the muddy trail. TFTC. The Caught Red-Handed coin IS still there.

Pony Tracks Ranch

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

End of the year cache run. Didn't need to be discreet since it seemed that the owners of the establishment were on R & R elsewhere. TFTC.

The Los Trancos Woods Marching Band

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

End of the year cache run. I threaded my way up to the cache site, and then had to wait out not one, but two neighbors! Boy, was that uncomfortable! Searched for a few minutes, and then found the cache on the ground a few feet from where it was supposed to be. Thanks for the interesting story!

Barkley Fields and Park

By: Roman 8:28 Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

End of the year cache run. You had me stumped! I had to find the other one before I had the insight needed to make this find. TFTC.

The Lost Village of Searsville

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

End of the year cache run. Lost, but not completely forgotten. Thanks for another history lesson. It's been a while since I had seen this signature hide, but fortunately I remembered it. Thanks!

Denis Was Here (aka Thornewood's Back Door)

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

End of the year cache run. My GPSr was useless here. I wandered around for a long while then called a lifeline. TFTC.

You Must Be This Tall...

By: jasmerb Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

End of the year cache run. I took a quick walk up the trail to find this cache. Thanks for introducing me to Windy Hill OSP. I'll be back for the rest of the caches higher up. TFTC.

December 28, 2007

The Cave of Caerbannog

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

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. Cachemedic rescue efforts complete. Thanks for pointing out this interesting spot. Just based upon the appearance of the quartz vein up the cliff face, it sure looks like a promising spot for a mine. I really wonder what happened here. It's fun to ponder the mystery. Thanks.

Cedar Mtn Cave

By: rockhead15 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. At this point we were descending back through the clouds and it was extremely foggy. We had seen some snow along the road earlier. TFTC.

Time for a Stretch?

By: Salmon Falls Widow Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. Lots of people headed home after the Holidays produced a backup all the way to the freeway off-ramp. Crazy! We found our own way around the back of the rest area though. A lot less congestion that way, although it did produce a few stares. [;)] TFTC.

Thank Frank, Again!

By: HanSohn Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Regular

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. This cache was a real navigational challenge! We drove to within 500 feet, but figured we could get closer, so drove a big loop back around to the next ridge and ended up parking about 250 feet away. We did discover the mud puddle though! From our final parking spot we ended up hiking just as far as it would have been from the first spot since we had to go down to the bottom of the ravine to get under the fence. I would think the cache predates the fence. I wonder if Frank remembers that? Thanks for the adventure.

Zinging in the Raines

By: HanSohn Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 5.0 Container: Regular

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. I paid my $5 and had a blast. The campground was packed with RVs, and we had to dodge a 100 dirt bikes on the way up, but the trip and the views were well worth the trek. Thanks for luring us into Raines OHV park. The cache is in great shape, and I contemplated dropping a TB but visits are just too infrequent up here!

Tracy Triangle #2

By: Book Bug Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. After crossing from the west on Coral Hollow Road, we reconnected with lots of folks who were in a hurry to get someplace else. TFTC.

Tracy Triangle #1

By: Book Bug Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. Rounding back to the Bay Area via Del Puerto Canyon, but this cache was too close to ignore. Thanks.

The Gingerbread house

By: Samhill Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. This cache marked our turn back off of the fast lane. Thanks.

BATHROOM BREAK

By: C & MMorris Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. Parked within 2 feet. Cool! TFTC.

HomeTown Cache (all you can cache)

By: georgeandmary Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. We were in a bit of a hurry, and didn't want to pay the $5 to get in if we weren't going to stay. Unfortunately, the Ranger at the gate was insistent, so we just parked on the road, hopped a couple of gates, and strolled on over to a find. Lots of upgrades in the 4x4 park recently. Definitely worth a return visit when I have a day to play. TFTC.

Meeting of the Mines

By: TeamAlamo Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. We thought this was going to be a quick touch and go, but with the poor weather, the waitress at the roadhouse had plenty of time to kill. We parked in a funny spot on the road, which had definitely aroused her curiousity. Being the good soldier, I volunteered to endure the second-hand smoke and provide distracting cover. TFTC.

Rocky Mountain Highway

By: Red95231 and Co. Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. This was a fun drive. Thanks for placing a cache to break up the trip at this interesting rock formation. I traded TBs.

Fossil Find

By: georgeandmary Difficulty: 3.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Other

Out for a backroads tour with GeoBrowns. A very interesting and unique cache! I loved the challenge of conducting my very own hunt within a hunt. Thanks!

December 26, 2007

Where the Land Ends

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. Beautiful views and a frothing ocean to enjoy! TFTC.

Where the Sun Sets

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. Great spot for pictures. We had a little suprise on the way to the cache: A train!

Waddell Beach

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. This was our lunch stop. The wind was quite fierce, so we ate in the car and watched the parasails jumping waves. Neat. Oh, and I wandered over and found the cache. Thanks.

Greyhound Rock

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. A quick find, although we had to dodge the glances of several muggles sitting in their cars. The tide was in, so we decided not to try the trek out on the rock. TFTC.

Shelob's Stair

By: Sgt Stitches Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Small

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. I ventured up while the rest of the crew played on the beach. A fun little scramble, and the views were definitely worth the effort of getting there. The wind was really whipping and I was starting to feel like I might get blown off the side of the rock as I slid carefully down to the cache site, but there it was, safe and secure. Thanks for the cache!

Cypress Bluff

By: Kealia Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. It was a nice walk down to the beach, and we spent a bit talking to the crew that was cutting down the cypress trees and burning the logs. Evidently they're non-native species. (Huh?!? ...I always seem to learn something new while caching!) According to the Ranger, the multi-year plan is to remove all of the trees on the bluff. The kids had fun playing chase with the waves on the beach. It was high tide, and the water was coming right up to the edge of the cliff. Thanks for pointing out this beautiful spot!

The Mines of Moria

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Small

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. Getting the shorter folks up on the shelf in front of the entrance was the first trick. Once accomplished, Ted (8), Maggie (11), and I set out. The last third of the trek was definitely toughest for me, as the roof definitely got low enough that I couldn't crouch through it, and I ended up crawling a ways. (Ouch! Hard on the knees, but definitely easier on the thighs and the back! I'm wondering if the pipe section is being slowly crushed in the middle? [:O] Or perhaps my fatigued brain was playing tricks on me?) In any case, the kids were seriously freaked when they realized that I was quite a ways behind! Eventually, we emerged at the other end, and gratefully the cache was a quick find. Hearing road noise nearby, I briefly contemplated an overland exit, but smartly abandoned that idea. After a self-portrait, we headed back through. Thanks for a great adventure!

The Last Whistle

By: St.Brendan Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Small

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. This was a fun adventure! We decided to approach from the east, which was probably a good thing since the creek was quite full as it approached the beach. On the way down though, I had my doubts since the trail was quite muddy. After finding the cache, we worked our way around to the beach and played for a while. The wind of an approaching storm was quite strong and eventually we retraced our steps and moved on. Thanks for the history and the adventure.

A Hole in the Head

By: PurplePeople Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. I found two cache containers: Motor Bug's, which I removed, and the proper PurplePeople placement (...heh!). Lots of wind today. TFTC!

Tales of Odysseus: Aeolus, Keeper of the Winds

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. On our way down to a couple of other adventures, this one was too close to pass up. Thanks!

Scott Creek Bridge Benchmark

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

With clear weather and everyone on holiday, we decided to take a family geocache outing along the coast. Fun little hunt in a busy spot. TFTC.