Your Caching 2005

[+Simply Paul]

John Lennon Smilie:

 

What was it John Lennon sung? "Another year over..." Well, nearly. Joining in with the whole 'end of year retrospective' thing that happens around this time every December, what are your memories of geocaching in 2005? Was there a milestone (or two) that you passed which made it special? Did you do an amazing cache you'll never forget? Do you have a tall tale of adventure you'll be boring your kids/grandkids/friends/parents with for years to come? Is there a morality tale of woe you'd like to pass on as a warning to others not to commit the same folly as you? Or do you just want to list your favourite traditional, multi, puzzle and virtual cache of the year? I'm easy! So long as it wasn't 'just another year' with nothing worthy of note in it. That really would have been a waste of 12 months. So, please show the world that you've made good(ish!) use of your time on it this year below!

 

SP

[+Bud Lightbeer]

Well for me, this has been a great year. Not only was I introduced to this fantastic hobby/sport/game/obsession, I also met my caching partner, soul mate and future Mrs Lightbeer, Nettie (must get around to formally asking her lol), without whom it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

 

Highlights must also include 2 5/5 successes at UV Got A Txt Msg by Stuey and Cryptology V by the Hancock Clan.

 

To all cachers: I wish you a very Merry Christmas and happy hunting in the New Year. Look out for us next in Northumberland as I am posted in Mar to take up a new post as an instructor.

[+HazelS]

Mine was being introduced to caching, loving caching, and climbing Gaerstone in Shropshire while caching...

 

Phill and I may have split up now, but when I'm feeling more like it, I'm hoping I can carry on without him.

[+AriExplorer]

Highs: Being introduced to Caching. To be honest every time you get the first glimpse of that plastic lid in the undergrowth its a high

 

Lows: The blisters I got on Kew Gardens Meridian after walking the 2km to it (and back) along the River Thames towpath from Richmond. I was unsuitibly dressed for caching as I'd been to a wedding & we had a couple hours to kill before the reception.

 

The two other wedding guests I'd dragged off for a "walk" were unimpressed and unsympathetic at my sore feet.

 

Let this be a lesson: even urban caching in heels is a bad idea.

[+Geoki]

My highs were getting to the SGDO in Aviemore and meeting some fellow 'nutters' ....sorry cachers, and then getting away for a weekend from the family to cache 31/32 wasn't a bad tally!

The lows were pranging Mr Geoki's car on the way home. Thankfully it was fairly low speed and his little KA only had a cracked number plate, however the car in front had a towbar and kick plate and it was in a far worse state.

Also on the way home from Aviemore I tried to get another cache under my belt but this happened,

 

Was attempting to do this on my way home from Aviemore. However due to failing battery on pda got the co-ords for the cache BUT not the correct carpark. Trying to follow the clues off I go in search of the cache. Within five minutes my last pair of trousers that i had for the weekend are soaked up to the knees, my boots are full of water [i'm getting a real sense of deja vu]. The closest i got to this cache was 1/2 a mile i was on the wrong flaming hill. Managed to find my way back on to a road and walked back to the car. Now i have the journey home and really don't fancy doing so with soaking trousers and socks. there really is only one solution. I put on my pyjama trousers!! I do apologise to the people in the house opposite where i had parked. I didn't intend to do a moonie!! Luckily was driving Mr Geoki's car so if they report it guess who has some explaining to do!

Will definately be back and do this properly.

 

Now realise that I should go away more often as I have great fun, but should maybe not come home as mis-haps seem to occur!!

[+Stuey]

My caching highlights of the year are:

 

The Ten Tors challenge by Plymplodders which I completed on an epic day out with Davy Boy, Wadders and Cachemad.

 

The Underworld Series by WilldeBeast which I did with Cachemad, Woodworm and Wadders.

 

The Event on Lundy which was very memorable and shared with dozens of fellow cachers.

 

This weekend just gone, which was a weekend in London with Wadders and Cachemad where I got my 1000th cache.

 

Having a cache hold the top spot in the UK cache ratings for a few days.

 

The worst caching experience? 65 half decent logs which I need to write today! (well, not really!)

 

Get the idea that I like the social side of caching? Friends make it fun!!!

Edited December 12, 2005 by Stuey

[+Tyrolean Maid]

I have discovered a new passion this year, caching, and love it. My family doubt my sanity, but hey... Although I have come to a halt a bit due to work commitments, I look forward to going out there again after Christmas and hopefully set a cache or two myself next year.

[markandlynn]

What a great thread idea

 

Dartmoor Will o the wist andsome great scenery at the tors.

 

Doing 59 caches in a fortnight on our second caching holiday of the year with two days lost due to a faulty bed and 3 kids not bad going

 

Finishing the water of leith at 11:30pm with one of our favourite caches of the year

river rubbings still the last people to do this one.

 

Finding Jonahs Journey .

 

The shropshire cache bash our first outing with the"dome"

 

and finally the East lothian quartet led to our favourite caching photo of the year

 

oh and for mark winning an award image

[+Kitty Hawk]

Highlight. Start of the year me and Finn, my 6 year old (he was 5 then) did 11 caches along the Kennet and Avon Canal. It was a great day out, a big walk for his little legs but we both enjoyed it with no grumbling from either of us.

 

Lowlight - Dysdera set 'Not as it seems'.

 

Highlight - doing 'Not as it Seems' i & ii with Wadders, Davy Boy and Martyn from Hancock Clan.

 

Highlight - going for a White Jeep in 50 miles away in Devils Den, near Marlborough at 4am with driving rain and wind and finding the cache.

 

Lowlight - the jeep was gone, just 2 hours before I got there.

 

Highlight - Mollinis Crew's log.

 

Highlight - Grinning from ere to ere on a freezing night, on my own in snow and wind.

 

Highlight - setting the 1st UK earthcaches

 

Highlight - meeting cachers at the late Christmas meet in Winchester and I've met several others along the way this year as well.

 

Lowlights - in the space of a week, going for 2 FTF's and not finding them becuase the coordinates had been typed in wrong on the cache page (different owners, one apologised)

 

Lowlight - starting my own business - less time to cache now.

[+The Mars Bars]

Highlights have to be:-

 

"Lakeside Loot" GCHRYM as it was my first taste of this mad game of ours.

 

"Top of Monaco" GC2DC2 for the sheer splendour of the setting. (see pic. below)

 

"Mountain View" GCK88F where I caught "Token Celt" and "Final Victim" in the act.

 

Solving one of Piemans infamous puzzles! GCMTYA

 

Bagging my 100th cache:-

"Lock up your Daughters" GCHH2C

 

Bagging my 200th cache:-

“Churches and Sandstone” GCW0P

 

Finding out that I hadn't wasted an afternoon in Paris. (see below).

 

Worst bits:-

 

“Paris in Springtime” GCAD88

Struggling around Pere Lachaise cemetery against the clock with next to no signal and without "The Map" or any Hints to work off.

 

Swimming neck high in brambles (no exageration). to find the final clue to

"Lock up your Daughters" GCHH2C

 

Enjoyed it all really though...even the nettles

 

Cheers

Dave

Edited December 12, 2005 by The Mars Bars

[+bobuk]

first off..... "merry christmas and a happy new year to you all"

 

highlights of the past year for me was finding this mad sport of geocaching

 

starting my geocoin collection...meeting new friends...

 

dimlights... not being able to get out more often, due mostly to my age i guess [well thats my excuse]

 

highlights....looking forward to a good 2006

 

B.

[+kewfriend]

Nice moments

 

When someone finds your cache and the posting shows that they enjoyed all aspects of the cache like this short entry from the Richter family. And especially so when a DNF on a cache is then a few days later followed by the Whoopee - its been found.

 

Low moments

 

Well, when something happens to a cache such as this smelly comment, or even worse when a cache NokNok, goes AWOL leading to the glorious comment:

October 23 by Cryptik Souls Crew (181 found)

Lol, finding it on purpose was hard enough, let alone by accident!

but we managed to recreate it.

 

Some caches never seem to get visitors and languish unloved , which is why Blue in Kew was archived.

 

As for finding caches

 

This one on the south coast of France GCHQP2 deserved all its ratings and was a stunning location.

 

Some caches make one sad like the memorial flowers to a suicide under Dean Bridge. Others lead to DNFs when one could throttle the incompetence of the setter such as Richmond Park. And then even when the setter is incompetent, one can still enjoy the cache such as Crazy catkin where the initial half dozen postings sum it up well.

 

Finally a year ago ( to the day ), I did Felix Park in Belgium, and even now I am surprised that such a lovely little corner of Brussels exists.

 

But what I like most about geocaching is that it gets me out of the house to places I never knew existed.

[+Sensei TSKC]

Oh the highlight, like others, must be the commencement of caching! However, not only caching. This sport/pastime/hobby has also involved me in things I would not do if it wasn't for caching. Amongst these:-

 

Walking

Puzzle solving

Enjoying mathematics

 

On top of this, caching has; allowed me to spend more quality time with my kids; increased my circle of friends; taken me to places I had never and would never have gone; widened my awareness to other walks of life; used up more of my time than I actually had to spare!

 

Lowlights? Not that many I am glad to say but they include;

 

Damaging my car (which wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been stupid enough to drive to that particular cache!)

Having one of my caches trashed by drunken hooligans (sad eh?)

 

Other than that I have enjoyed both setting and finding caches equally and hope this continues for many years to come.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all.

[+alma]

being introduced to caching was one of the highlights of my year meeting new people and going to places were i would never have gone to and just generally getting me out of the house

[+walkergeoff and wife]

Highlights -

 

The Chiltern Hundreds series by 2202 gave me a great day's walking in wonderful countryside.

 

Getting my 100th cache on a trip with Jon of the Dewdrops.

 

Finding bozburun Idyll, Jenny's Pearl, Kas cache and Mezarlik cache while on holiday in Turkey.

 

Helping to organise the first Binfield Cache Bash with Jon of the Dewdrops, and seeing many people really enjoying themselves.

 

The countless new places I have visited simply due to geocaching.

 

My first (and so far only) FTF on Broadmoor (Berks).

 

The only downside - too busy to go out as often as I would like, and seeing Mrs WG finding caches ahead of me!

[+Firth of Forth]

2005 started with a bang and a milestone: bagging my 400th cache on the top of a hill in the snow in the Borders and skidding the car on ice and ending up in a hedge. It's been all uphill since then......

 

The highlights have to be events that I have attended:

Team Ullium's brilliant Bute Weekend in April caching with Haggis Hunter and roolku over 3 days and 32 caches in some of the best scenery in Scotland;

The 3rd annual Scottish Cache Bash on the north coast of Scotland at Talmine: a waterlogged funfilled day as part of 'Team Tongue' (along with Pooter, Highland Nick and Billy Twigger and over 2000 caches between us);

A blazing hot sunburnt weekend on the north coast of Ireland enjoying stunning scenery to attend the 2nd annual Irish Cache Bash;

Bagging my 700th cache at Another SGDO on the top of a Munro and celebrating with a surprise bottle of champagne;

A romantic weekend in Dublin - spent geocaching and attending theIrish/British Meetup;

and hopefully I will be rounding up the year with my 800th cache.

 

Needless to say these events have given me the chance to cement friendships and form new ones.

Edited December 12, 2005 by Firth of Forth

[+The Bongtwashes]

My Caching Highlights of 2005:

March 13th First caching trip, and 2 finds

July 27th My first FTF (Guide Hide)

November 12th My first Nighttime FTF (THE DESCENT)

December 10th 3FTFs before Breakfast, then my first Event Cache in the evening

 

And Caching Lowlights:

Two Muggled DNFs, that I will never be able to clear, as they are both now archived.

September 7th Stocker's Lock

October 20th Tour Dacorum - Up the Spout (now replaced with - Further Up the Spout)

[Da Rubber Chicken]

*******************2005*******************

 

HIGHS!!!

 

* Meeting new people and making new friends not enemy's (Ihope !! )

 

* Setting my own cache

 

* Doing +20 caches on my first day of caching

 

* Completing two 5 star caches and a 4 1/2 star cache

 

* Just having fun with the sport and wanting to find more and more lunchboxes

 

GEOCACHING RULES!!!!!!!

[+Firth of Forth]

and finally the East lothian quartet led to our favourite caching photo of the year

 

Great photo! Great place!

Edited December 12, 2005 by Firth of Forth

[+Bill D (wwh)]

Da Rubber Chicken wrote:

GEOCACHING RULES!!!!!!!

 

Nah, they're not rules, they're only guidelines.

 

I'll get me coat...

[+Jaz666]

High: Discovering a game based around the devices I sell in my day job, a week after getting back from holiday.

Low: Finding out there was a cache not too far away from my holiday hotel, a week too late!

 

High: Discovering I live in one of the UKs caching hotspots.

Low: Failing to find all 4 of my first attempted finds

High: Finally getting my first find, which was a FTF as well!

 

High: Placing my first cache, and getting great feedback.

 

Ultimate High: Tightening my belt by five notches due to all the exercise

[+Simply Paul]

I suppose I can answer my own questions

 

Highlights:

 

Finding 270 caches (so far) this year, of course!

Climbing Ben Nevis to do the cache at the top in June: Britain's highest Geocache by Postie.

Going underground in Northhants: ALPHA QUEST-Y (Northants) by Messe.

Finding Dan's The Ring

Hitting my

400th and 500th and since I'm only 6 short, my 600th too I hope.

Caching every day for a week in Scotland (where I found my favourite non-London virtual: Funny Faces (Galloway) by jstead - Is this getting too specific now?) and placing three caches at locations used to film The Wicker Man. Speaking of filming, seeing my Countryfile video with a sittingroom full of cachers and doing a bit for the BBC with Dave Womble.

Putting that business about the T[removed] which kicked off at the start of this year behind me.

 

Attending 12 great cache events, including Alibag's Christmas Drinkies, the Kiwi's Xscape Plan II and the Halloween Cache Basher's Revenge. Meeting lots of entertaining folks at them.

 

Setting my 100th cache, making the Ridgeway Run series and walking a bit of it with fellow cachers for a couple of events.

 

Lowpoints:

DNFs on a cache or two (or eleven) many of which were genuinely missing. Way too much rain for my Ridgeway Run - Big Event (it was still fun though) - Archived my first physical cache (not my first hidden) - Couldn't find Hyde Park #2, my Nemesis cache, several times. Lost a shoe setting a cache...

 

SP

[nobby.nobbs]

highlights: great caches, great cachers, great meetings

 

lowlights: just not having the time and energy to be caching everyday.

[+Haggis Hunter]

Needless to say these events have given me the chance to cement friendships and form new ones.

You have forgot one very important event FoF? If it hadn't been for The Forester organising this Great CITO Event then the chances that you would have been Smitten by a Captain may well have been slim?

 

Well done The Forester, for what was a better event than could have been intended

 

My main high had to be the same weekend on Bute, with so many fabulous people and great caches into the bargain. The main company with roolku & FoF was fantastic for that weekend.

 

My two main lows are the arguments that go on between a few people from Scotland, say no more on that one! And that I fell out with a few people that I thought were friends, over a suggestion on what I thought would be good for a forum. That was at the beginning of the year and it doesn't look likely that a friendship will blossom again

 

But putting that aside, I have made far more friends doing this hobby than what I have made enemies, so that can't be bad?

[+Queeny]

Highlight: Meeting everyone on the NE meets. Lowlights: Not attending the last recent two...because I had to work :-( and knowing how much fun they were all having :-)

 

Super Saturnalia, Splendid Solstice and Season's Greetings to you all! Thanks for all the fun and here's to more in 2006! Queeny :-)

[+perth pathfinders]

Highlights:-

 

Meeting lots of great geniune new friends, and receiving lifts to caches by them.

 

DaBeEm

Willoughby Wolves

FOF

Allieballie

Team Clova

and of course Snaik

 

Doing my first 5/5 cache at Windy Ghoul cache

 

Receiving a FTF prize of a bottle of Malt at Double trouble puzzle cache

 

Social evenings with local cachers

 

Exploring the beautiful countryside we have

 

Lowlights;-

 

 

Quote from Haggis Hunter

 

 

My two main lows are the arguments that go on between a few people from Scotland, say no more on that one! And that I fell out with a few people that I thought were friends, over a suggestion on what I thought would be good for a forum. That was at the beginning of the year and it doesn't look likely that a friendship will blossom again     

 

But putting that aside, I have made far more friends doing this hobby than what I have made enemies, so that can't be bad?     

 

 

I think New Year is a time for Resolutions, and a fresh start!

[+steviep]

Highs

361 finds this yr so far ( compared with 172 in 2004) passing my 200, 300, 400 & 500th milestones. Best cache was "all tooled up" best series "Egyptian gods" where I achieved most 1st to finds in a day.

Another if not the best, the many new friends I have made in 2005.

 

Lows

working the flaming computer side of the game out.

[+rutson]

Highlights:

 

The vast majority of the 492 I've found so far this year.

The counties record in January

Carry on Camping and especially The Quest for the Ring with LordElph, House of Boo, Sparticus

 

Lowlight:

 

They're in the past, let's look forward....

[Helen in Mustardland]

Highlights:

 

Completing LOTR The Quest for the Ring of Power

 

This last weekend's caching in Dorset with my family, all four caching teams / individuals of it

 

The first time someone found a cache I placed

 

Getting a joint FTF on the very first caching trip I went on (King's Quoit in Pembrokeshire)

 

and all three events I attended but especially Bash in a Cache

 

Lowlight: (to be more specific "not too much light because it hurts my eyes" The morning after Bash in a Cache!

[+bargee]

Highlights :

first cache an uplifting day out, found at night and a really innovative container

 

Caching in pembrokeshire LEWYLEWY's caches are spot on

 

Introducing Helen in mustardland to the bug also in Pembrokeshire

 

And then watching the seed germinate and grow to include Paul (hawkeye1922), Dave (purple pinneapple) and the Easy Rambler :very satisfying

 

200th find in essex with Helen in mustardland again.

 

meeting our first cachers out in the field with Kitebuggyboy and ninkle whilst doing skippy and pingu's Rainbow series

 

completing only 1/2 of QFTLOTR(still got to complete that next year) with Helen and hawkeye. (making it sound like we cache together a lot) ( which we don't)

 

Getting to know Hazel and Phill and completeing pieman's Blink..... .....Blink series, with them

 

Low Point ; a certain cache in worsley became my nemesis for a while

 

and having to work so not being able to get out every day,

 

glaring enviously at all those cachers who log saying what an easy puzzle cache, worked it outt in 30 seconds GRRRRRRR!!!

 

Iain the bargee

[+bargee]

oohh nearly forgot

 

Caching in south west ireland

 

brilliant locations

 

if only the roads weren't so bumpy

[+Team Clova]

Highlights:-

 

Have made some great friends this year including that caching couple Soo and Snaik ( the man of many names! none of them beginning with M!!! )

 

Climbed our first Munro with 10yr and 13yr old daughters ( yes - left a cache at the top!)

 

Done some really great caches so thanks Allieballie, Perth Pathfinders, Snaik, McKryton, Cookster, Frog Bhoys, Krafty Kennedys and all the other peeps that put out great caches

 

Met some really interesting people who werent anything like we expected!

 

Had lots of good feedback on our caches - yep even Jericho!

 

Oh! - And still being able to stand after the last PPU

 

 

Lowlights:-

 

Pasts are past - doesnt do anyone any good bringing up grudges that happened ages ago

[+Firth of Forth]

Needless to say these events have given me the chance to cement friendships and form new ones.

You have forgot one very important event FoF? If it hadn't been for The Forester organising this Great CITO Event then the chances that you would have been Smitten by a Captain may well have been slim?

You're quite right HH: that was an event I was glad that I went to, in the end.

 

However, I expect that everyone is completely bored with me going on about how geoaching has changed my life.....

Edited December 13, 2005 by Firth of Forth

[Nediam]

Highlight:-

 

Being able to have a month off from extension building in July and managing to get the most caches I've done in a month. Including a great day out in Oxford (if a little tiring) and completing the "In Search of Robin Hood" caches series.

 

Lowlight:-

 

Too much DIY at home on lovely, sunny "should be caching" days.

 

My PDA deciding to "Hard Reset" itself at the weekend and losing all my MemoryMap, TomTom and GPXSonar programs Will now have to re-install everything before I can go caching again and I had planned on getting a few caches done over the Christmas Hols.

[+The Northern Invaders]

Highlight:

 

actually getting started - we'd heard about it before but couldn't remember what it was called!!!!!

 

Lowlight:

 

Owen getting to heavy to carry in the papoose so i have to chose the mid week caches very carefully

 

not getting our series of caches out there

[+lathama]

Highlights:

 

Events -

 

Yorkshire meet, staying the weekend with goldfish!

London (Canary Dwarfs) and then racing back across London to make train!

 

Caches -

 

Moel y Llyn in WALES, Although the assent on the bike wasnt the best!

Caching at Stonehenge

 

LowLights:

 

Having 4 TB's go missing in a year

Loosing 2 caches to muggles

[+t.a.folk]

Caching Highlight was seeing Perth -Perth T.B mysteriously get retrieved from a cache 13.5 months after it we had placed it in another cache....from where it got reported missing .

 

Thanks to Perth -Perth T.B. owner .

He didn't once beat us up about his T.B.'s mystery disappearance from the caching scene .

[+Phil and Ruth]

High point: Getting 100 caches

Low point: No-one noticing

[+kewfriend]

Phil and Ruth Posted: Dec 20 2005, 10:10 AM 

 

High point: Getting 100 caches 

Low point: No-one noticing 

 

- ditto and 200 but who cares - we enjoy the day out

[+The HERB5]

High point: Getting 100 caches

Low point: No-one noticing 

High point: Getting 100 caches

High point: Some-one noticing

 

Hehe

Edited December 20, 2005 by Nebias

[+Yorkypudding]

My Highlights , and not those in my hair.---

 

Discovering Geocaching,

getting over 300 caches,

Going to any event or pub meet and meeting new people,

being discharged from the hospital because I now have my Diabetes controlled due to walking.

 

Although I have enjoyed most of the caches I have done my favourite cache so far is Papercaper, it was peaceful and a beautiful surrounding.

 

My Lowlights ,----

 

Slowing down because it goes dark early and not reaching 400 by xmas,

Not being able to sleep at the The camping do's with all the noise someone keeps makeing lol,

Blowing a tyre,

Doing a very long trek without any water on the hottest day of the year and nearly dying, which was my own fault.

 

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy caching New Year to you all.

 

Madam Yorkypudding xxxxx

[+The HERB5]

High point: Getting 100 caches

Low point: No-one noticing 

High point: Getting 100 caches

High point: Some-one noticing

 

Hehe

AND High point: 1st FTF

 

Twitch Way

[+Pharisee]

High point.....

 

Sitting on Corn Du at 07:00 on a lovely sunny morning after the cloud had just lifted. I'd just found my 1000th cache (Tommy Jones) and was celebrating with a bottle of 'Circle Master'. Apart from a few totally dis-interested sheep, I had the whole mountain to myself. It doesn't get much better than that

 

Low point....

 

Can't really think of one.... at least.... not one that's geocaching related.

[+woZere]

The highlight was undoubtly hitting our 150th on Scarfell Pike with a great group of fellow caches from Carry on Camping. The low was a computer virus that played havoc with our e-mails (amongst other things) and caused big problems for another cacher, thankfully that was fully resolved with the techno help of Mr bedlingtonduo. Thanks to everyone who contributed to making our first year so much fun and well done to all those who have hit milestones this year

Edited December 26, 2005 by WETHERSPOONERS

[+Moote]

I think that the highlight for me was the UK Counties Record of 27 caches in 24 hrs

[+walkergeoff and wife]

I think that the highlight for me was the UK Counties Record of 27 caches in 24 hrs

Why am I not surprised? This could be a highlight of a caching career, let alone one year of it!

[+Chaotica_UK]

Highlights?

 

Discovering Caching

Discovering a caching buddy

Placing my own cache and not getting the co-ords wrong

100 caches since March

 

Lowlights?

The loss of Slam Patrol TB

Doing Tomb Raider Returns (GCNXKJ), in jeans on the hottest day of the year and spending 20 mins sat in a beautiful village with the diesel running to give us air con!

Not quite cleared all caches from Bristol or Bath. (hmm 5 days left... I wonder!)

 

Edited December 26, 2005 by Chaotica_UK

[+Rose_Thorn]

Highlights: Like a lot of other folks - discovering caching

Part 2 of LOTR - so pleased at being brave enough to wade through the water in the dark tunnel!

Introducing my brother to caching over a great weekend.

 

Lowlights: Getting frustrated and annoyed with myself for failing to find caches other people seemed to find easily!

 

New Year's Caching Resolutions: Don't take it too seriously. CITO more. Carry spare batteries!