+PLMerry Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 For the amusement of all. Except for the first two paragraphs below this is an edited copy of my log at Skullduggery (GCKHTF). My bad luck started last week at Delaware State Park Ohio. I tried to cross a log jam just down stream of where a bridge was washed out last year. I fell through what looked like 'stable junk' on top of the logs and was stuck quite well. After 10 minutes I decided to give it one last try to get myself out before I used my cell to call the park ranger. I managed to pull myself out this time. Just to show how bullheaded I am; I returned to my car the same way, although much more carefully. I did post a warning in my log about the problem. Today I should have realized that things weren't going well on my fourth stop. I walked 350m to a cache and back, 700m total, in jeans, a T-shirt and my cowboy hat (of course I had shoes and socks on too) at 45 degrees (F). When I got back to my car I was swetting bucketts. By my 8th stop I had an queezy stomach. By my last stop at Skullduggery (GCKHTF)............ 3/12/2007 by PLMerry I was here for 5+ hours and still end up with a DNF! Here is my story: I left my last cache (Quiet Saints GCKQK9) with an upset stomach, cold and wet from the rain, and swetting. I had this cache as my last cache in the Mt. Vernon area (despite the one I drove right by and never saw on my map navigator; Brandon Park). I decided to try and get something to eat to see if that would settle my stomach. After three bites I was worst than before. Four miles from the cache I pull over and start dry heaving for 30 minutes. Due to stomach surgery 7 years ago I cannot regergitate food, but my stomach was sure trying. When I got to the cache site, half senceless at about 4:00pm, I did not notice that the ground was muddy, until I stopped my car and it prompty sank. I thought no big deal I got front wheel drive I'll just drive my self out. After 20 minutes of looking for the cache without any luck I decided that I would get my car out of the mud and start with a fresh scan afterwards. After about an hour of trying to 'drive' my Chevy Cavalier out I had only succeded in sinking her deeper. I spent ten minuted looking for the cache again without success. I went back to the car got the jack out, scooped away enough mud to get the jack under the frame and jacked the car up, sort of. For every inch the car went up the jack sank a half inch. Finally I got the car high enough to get sticks under the wheels. I lowered the jack put sticks under it and repeated the process two more time. The driver's side was done. I spent ten minuted looking for the cache again without success. At that point the other end of my digestive systems started causing me problems, enough said about that. I started to work on the other side with frequent interuption from the last problem noted above. By the time I was done with the three jacking-it-ups the sun had set and darkness was closing in (about 8:00pm+/-). Needless to say the car still did not move. Needless to say again I am a macho man and refused to give in despite being sick on both ends, cold, wet, swetting and running out of any thing to drink, until this point. Finally I called my auto club, which I should have done four hours ago, and spent thirty minutes on my computer's navigator trying to tell them where I was, in the middle of nowhere strateling a county line. They finally gave me the number to a tow company and I spend twenty trying to explain again where I was. I walked out to the road and they arrive 45 minutes later. After 45 minutes, and my rescue truck almost getting stuck, we were out on the main road. still with no cache found. By now I was too sick to care. Got home to Delaware, OH, ran through the house to the bathroom, and got yelled at by my wife for tracking mud in the house. I shrugged my shoulders, climbed in my recliner and fell asleep. Also my fourteen year old daughter told me the same stuff has been going around the high school for two weeks. I siad "Thanks, next time leave it there!" But, I did get my 100th cache at (Quiet Saints GCKQK9) before all this happened. No thanks for this cache BY the way TNLN and did not SL (Oh yeah this was a micro)! Should I retire? PLMerry Pete My worst day,................. so far(?) Quote
+T F T C Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 If you retire you won't have any more cool stories to tell. Quote
X-isle Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Dang...I'm feeling a little queezy just reading about it! Quote
+wiseye Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Get a LARGE roll of TP and carry on, the fun is just starting! Quote
+Team Noltex Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Should I retire? Why? Sounds like the fun's just starting! If you think about it, almost all of the memorable events in your life, the ones that you tell the stories about later, have some element of overcoming adversity or perseverence though suffering. Wear it as your badge of courage. But then, you probably picked that up from my sig line too. Quote
+briansnat Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 (edited) Should I retire? Why? Sounds like the fun's just starting! If you think about it, almost all of the memorable events in your life, the ones that you tell the stories about later, have some element of overcoming adversity or perseverence though suffering. Wear it as your badge of courage. But then, you probably picked that up from my sig line too. Yep. Life is a collection of memories. Some of my fondest memories came out of events where things didn't go very well at the time. When we encounter adversity we often say, "one day we'll all look back at this and laugh" and we usually do look back and laugh. Retiring from geocaching could only give you fewer things to look back and laugh at. Edited March 13, 2007 by briansnat Quote
crtrue Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 There are always going to be off days. You just managed to pack five or six into one. That means you've got nothing but smooth sailing for at least a week! Quote
crtrue Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 On another note, be glad you have a cellphone. Unlike the rest of the civilized world, I got stuck deep in the mud a month ago and had to walk a good four or so miles to a phone, spending then five or six dollars trying to find at least one tow company prepped enough to actually pull a car out of the mud (most of the towing services just tow junked cars and tourists w/ problems, so offroading rarely occurs). I finally found a place and had him pick me up before we backtracked through the original path and finally retrieved the car. It cost me fifty bucks but was the only sigh of relief I had that day. Oh, and there wasn't even a cache involved. I'm just crazy, apparently. Quote
+Bad_CRC Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 the only legitimate reason to retire from geocaching is because micros are taking over and ruining it. one of my most exciting geocaching experiences was a dnf on a cache I had to climb a cliff to get to. Quote
+Mr. 0 Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 I have to agree with the rest who have replied so far. No way you should retire. Personally I find my misadventures sometimes are the best part of Geocaching. Sure, there are times where you have to let time pass before you can laugh, but it always gives you a good story. I saw your log on one of my caches from earlier in the day where you mentioned it being a good start to a bad day. Now I see what you're talking about. Regardless, keep with it! Quote
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 As mentioned, bad experiences make great stories that you will tell and laugh at forever! A few weeks ago I was caching with friends in California, drove a bit too far onto the beach at None More Southwesterly and sunk my rental car in the sand. While digging out the Border Patrol comes up; he has a tow strap but isn't allowed to use it on civilian vehicles, he calls the Park Rangers, who use their truck and his strap to get us out. Just one of dozens of interesting events I have had while geocaching, each one invaluable and funny (if only in hindsight!). Hope to see you on the trails! Quote
+sbell111 Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 (edited) the only legitimate reason to retire from geocaching is if certain vocal cachers were successful in getting caches that you liked banninated. Edited March 13, 2007 by sbell111 Quote
+halffast Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 The OP story sounds like a good day of caching for me. Quote
+Totem Clan Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Now that will be one of the stories that will be told from now on. RETIRE?!?!?!? Why? Keep having adventures. That what makes these trips around the sun worth it. Quote
+agilefox Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 I was once told, "No good war story ever started 'it was 70 degrees and sunny that day...'" Sounds like you have a doozy. Cache on! Quote
+Jhwk Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 "I spent ten minuted looking for the cache again without success." I would say you are sufficiently motivated to be a cacher. No need to retire, you won't be able to... Quote
+StarBrand Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 What a sick perversion of logic we engage in. We are driven. I've never been quite that sick while out caching but one time I got a 2 inch gash in my head and bled for 20 minutes - then looked for the cache. Keep on going. You know you can't quit after that. Quote
+TotemLake Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Looks like this needs my mantra: Failure is a hard pill to swallow until you realize the only failure you can really have in this sport is the failure to enjoy yourself. Quote
+beezerb Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 That which does not kill us makes for a good story. Thanks for the read. Cache on! Quote
+VeryLost Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Life is a collection of memories. Strange. The first two times I read that, I thought it said "Life is a collection of miseries". Which actually makes just as much sense to me. Quote
+NorthWes Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 A good geocaching friend recently had a 'bad day' caching... almost broke his hip in a fall on ice while beta-testing a tough puzzle cache. (no, it wasn't 70 degrees and sunny... Hmmm...! There's some truth to that concept...) He's recuperating at home - can't even go back to work for two weeks. So, I ran up a little icon for him... I'll share it with you, since you're under the weather... "Cacher Needs Maintenance" (inspired by that icon we all love to see on our cache page when the cache needs maintenance) It's proven to be so popular that Geocache Alaska is making a geocoin out of it... as we've seen on the replies in this thread, there always seems to be day when we cachers need maintenance too! Hope you're back out on the trails soon! Quote
+gh patriot Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 I did not notice that the ground was muddy, until I stopped my car and it prompty sank. I thought no big deal I got front wheel drive I'll just drive my self out. I bet this guy felt kinda like you did that day. Quote
+Stunod Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 (edited) Should I retire? Don't quit now...you've only been caching for a little over two months. You need 7 years before you're fully vested in the retirement plan. Edited March 13, 2007 by Stunod Quote
+OienLabs Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Get a LARGE roll of TP and carry on, the fun is just starting! Second that. Quote
+traildad Posted March 14, 2007 Posted March 14, 2007 For the amusement of all. Should I retire? PLMerry Pete My worst day,................. so far(?) No Way. Sounds like it is time to make a personal GeoCoin! "My worst day GeoCoin" Quote
+Arrow One Posted March 14, 2007 Posted March 14, 2007 That was quite a great story! Retire? No way! I figure I'll retire from Geocaching when I'm dead! Quote
+martinell Posted March 14, 2007 Posted March 14, 2007 Sounds like a lot of fun to me. Be safe - but keep it up and enjoy the adventure --- you might find that you are having such a good time that you forget to find the cache. I have been guilty of that one. Quote
+michigansnorkelers Posted March 14, 2007 Posted March 14, 2007 On another note, be glad you have a cellphone. Unlike the rest of the civilized world, I got stuck deep in the mud a month ago and had to walk a good four or so miles to a phone, spending then five or six dollars trying to find at least one tow company prepped enough to actually pull a car out of the mud (most of the towing services just tow junked cars and tourists w/ problems, so offroading rarely occurs). I finally found a place and had him pick me up before we backtracked through the original path and finally retrieved the car. It cost me fifty bucks but was the only sigh of relief I had that day. Oh, and there wasn't even a cache involved. I'm just crazy, apparently. It could be worse; It WAS for me. I broke my leg geocaching. All alone on a deserted trail almost a mile from my car. And I did not own a cell phone (I do now). Took two hours in excruciating agony to limp about a mile back to my car using a tree branch as a crutch. And it was a DNF to boot. Oh, and one week later I returned to geocaching with crutches and my leg in a cast! Quote
+chuckwagon101 Posted March 14, 2007 Posted March 14, 2007 A REAL cacher would KILL for a day like that!!! Now.....stop that WHINING and get out there and cache!!!! Thanks for the story! Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.