TeamPooKel

Not only was yesterday's caching adventure with PAMag76 tons of fun but I got Teampookel's 24 in 24. YEAH!! Thanks for being part of the milestone Pam.

Yesterday PAMag76 and I, the Poo portion of Teampookel, headed off to the Ottawa, Illinois area for a day of geocaching to kick off the first day of the Planetary Pursuit Challenge. We found some clever caches and learned some interesting historical facts from the virtual caches we completed. It just wouldn't be complete for us without a mishap or mix-up leading to a serious bout of laughter. And yesterday did not disappoint. We were on a roll logging quick finds until we got to the empty lot of a former restaurant. Pam and I searched and searched the area around GZ but with no luck. We got in the car, drove around the lot continuing to check everything before driving back and parking at GZ again. As I parked I spotted something sticking up out of the ground right in front of the car. I was sure we'd finally found it. That was it. I knew it!! It was one of those fake sprinkler head cache containers. How had we missed that before? I picked it up, feeling confident, and took it back to the car ready to sign. As I took the top off to pull out the log I found... the insides of a real, actual sprinkler head. Yep, I had pulled up the sprinkler system from the coffee shop. Ooopsy! :)~ Of course with pens in hand, and feeling quite surprised we couldn't help but laugh A LOT!! Oh.. BTW... we never did find the real cache but we sure had fun and another great laugh. Can hardly wait for our next escapade!

My sister/friend, Pam of PAMag76, and her traveling companion, Max Madison Canine Detective came to Peoria from Chicagoland so the three of us could spend a fun filled weekend geocaching. I started out by taking Pam to one of my favorite hides in Peoria which is located in one of the cemeteries in the area. From there I needed her expert help in locating the cache at the Richard Pryor statue. My partner, the Kel of Teampookel, and I had searched thoroughly or so we thought and we unsuccessful in finding it. Pam had that one found in no time. YEAH!! We continued around Peoria and East Peoria finding caches along the way. Some easy, some not so easy but fun nonetheless. About four hours later after darkness had set in Pam was still hot on the trail of yet another cache. I, on the other hand, was getting tired, cold, and hungry so I said I would go to the car and turn on the headlights so she could see better. SHHHH.... that was my way of saying I'm done without interrupting her search. It was going to be a great weekend. I could tell and I was right! I'm quite the photographer: chopped off Richard's head! Found a large cache container at the end of this trail

By the time we reached Macomb, Il I was approaching my 100th find. The temps had been getting warmer and the snow was melting so things were pretty muddy to say the least. We parked on the road in Everly Park and proceeded to the coordinates to find the cache. However after taking a few steps into the grass the muddy hill got us both! Down the hill we went on our behinds ending up very muddy but also close to the cache. Once we got back to the car we realized we were going to have to change our clothes before we could get in. Fortunately we had a change of clothes in the trunk. But... Hmmm.. we were in the middle of a park... with people.... across from the police station..?? After a serious laughing episode we were able to successfully get changed. But not until after the father who was swinging his son on the swings decided we were having way too much fun and took his son off the swing, got in their car, and quickly drove away. When we were cleaned up we headed for home. Thus ending our very memorable weekend. I can hardly wait for our next adventure!! It can't come soon enough. That was by far the most fun I have had in a very long time! So much laughing, talking, exploring! I've only hit the highlights here. There's just no way to include it all. I can't imagine sharing that experience with anyone other than my dear sister/friend Pam and of course my other half Kel. Our mud slide to the bottom and to the cache. Looking up at the Redmobile. I know Max Madison was laughing at us too!

More fun, more adventurous, more caches, more laughing, and more endless talking as we made our way from Keokuk back to Nauvoo, IL. What an interesting place to visit. Got some caches and discovered a whole lot about the history of Nauvoo, the Mormon religion, and the community. One interesting cache was at the base of a 160 year old big cypress tree. This also marked Pam's 100th consecutive day of finding a cache. Way to go my friend!! Very interesting historical town. Well worth a visit.

As we were driving along talking up a storm I happened to mention to Pam that I hadn't gotten the cache in Peoria that was closest to my house because it was in someone's front yard and that kind of weirds me out. So we pulled in to Keokuk, Iowa and stopped at Casey's gas station. Well, when I came out of the little market and climbed into our Redmobile Pam said, "I've got the perfect cache for us!" Yep it was not in the homeowner's yard but a cache actually placed in a screenless window of the cache owner"s house! I love my friend so much! (I still haven't gotten the cache in my neighbor's yard. Oh Pam.... when are you coming back to Peoria?) Seems he was trying to get his wife back in to caching. Not sure how having strangers peeking in at your window is going to get her more involved but whatever works. We found the address, and started searching. I was a little cautious but searching nonetheless. Pam actually found it after a very brief search. We left some swag and so I wouldn't have to go back to the guy's window, I cleverly volunteered to walk Max Madison while Pam put back the cache. Shhh... I may have to use that one again.

Next stop Hannibal, Missouri and the Statue of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn for our next virtual cache. Successfully completed our virtual cache and on we went to find more caches. What we discovered was a beautiful view overlooking the Mississippi River and a statue of Mark Twain for yet another virtual cache. Cool statue of a great author. As we were looking out over the Mississippi we spotted an eagle taking off from it's perch in the tree and swoop down to the river to catch some lunch! The next cache in Hannibal was discovered by our partner in crime Max Madison Canine Detective at the Barkin' Round cache. Way to go Madison you sniffed out that one!! Another Missouri cache for us! The fun continues... off to another city on our weekend adventure..

Last weekend one half of Teampookel, that would be me: Sue, my friend PAMag76 and Max Madison Canine Detective decided we needed to go on a geocaching adventure and earn two more state pins. Saturday morning bright and early we left Peoria, IL heading south to Springfield, IL. Our first stop was Oak Ridge Cemetery for a virtual cache which included Lincoln's tomb. After learning lots of cool facts about Lincoln and finally finding the receiving vault after lots of searching we successfully completed the virtual cache and moved on to find other caches in the Springfield area. Some we found some eluded us. Mary Todd's man escaped us this time but we'll be back! Outside Lincoln's Tomb Not the most graceful but I got it!! By the time we were ready to leave Springfield snow was really coming down. Undaunted we headed to Hannibal for our first Missouri find. On the way we saw the largest flocks of birds either of us had ever seen. PAMag pulled the Red LaBaron off to the side of the road while we watched in amazement at all those birds!! Incredible sight to see! There were birds of all kinds everywhere!! Our weekend was off to a great start! Veteran's Memorial- also part of the virtual tour