Team Bohica Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 ...and a new cache appeared on my 'Nearest Caches' page. I had been cooped up in the house for the last three days because of all the rain in Central Texas. I had to get out. That it was 10pm and raining made no difference. I packed up my GPSr and favorite flashlight, made sure I had spare batteries for both and headed out. The drive to the cache was slow going with the rain and the fact that I was trying to avoid running over the hundred of toads chased out of the creeks from the days of rain. As I neared the cache I noticed the car in front of me was driving very slowly, weaving a bit and blowing through stop signs. I followed a bit then called 911 to report a drunk. They took the info and asked me to stop following them. I wasn't happy about that as I knew they would most likely hurt someone. But they asked me not to follow. I gave up chase and headed for my cache. I could get within about a 1/4 mile of it on the road. Not too bad a hike I thought. Little did I know. After sneaking into the greenbelt I started downhill and kept going downhill. I was over a 200' drop from road to cache area in less than 1/4 mile. Nice and steep. As I neared the cache location I heard the creek. My GPSr told me it was less than 200' away. On the other side of a storm swollen creek. Fine, let's find a crossing. I found where the crossing was supposed to be but the stepping stones were under a foot of water. I must have been a sight standing by the side of a creek at 11pm throwing rocks in. As I was throwing rocks I noticed the eyes. Lots of eyes. All watching me from the banks of the creek. I hadn't noticed them before because I always hike at night with my light off. I had only turned it on to get across the creek. I ignored them and pressed on. I got across the creek only slightly wetter than before. I immediately ran into a deer less than 10' from me. We both about had a heart attack. Found the cache quite easilty, logged it, and headed back. On the way back I had to rebuild my steps as they had been washed out in the 10 minutes I had taken to find the cache. I didn't make it back across as dry as before. One of my rock piles gave way soaking my foot. Now I had to climb back up the hill. Half way up my phone rings and I about jumped out of my shorts. I couldn't talk because I was panting so hard from climbing. The humidity was over 100% from the rain and I was sweating like crazy. I made it back to my truck sweating, tired, and covered in mud. In retrospect, crossing that creek in a Texas summer storm was probably not the best idea. Crossing it in a storm at night as even more stupid. Crossing it in a storm at night by myself, well... The things some people will do for this hobby. I did get first finders though. [This message was edited by Team Bohica on July 01, 2002 at 12:55 PM.] [This message was edited by Team Bohica on July 01, 2002 at 12:57 PM.] Quote Link to comment
chloew Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 Great job, Bohica, and thank you for sharing your experience. I was sitting at home at 6:04pm yesterday, and saw the cache popup on my search page. As I was in a crappy mood from all the rain over the weekend and spending quite a bit of time searching for Southeast Metro Park to go caching earlier in the day, only to find that the trails were closed, I decided to pack up my stuff and go find the Coyote and be the first finder. I figured it was only 6pm, there should be about 2 hours of daylight left and it looked like the rain had let up. So I gather all my gear, downloaded the coordinates to my eTrex, printed out the cache description, make up a bottle of Gatorade for energy, and headed to the door gathering my muddy sneakers from earlier in the day. (I had left my hiking boots which I planned on using on the cache in the car.) As I stepped outside I was greeted by a continuous drizzle, not the normal downpour we are used to, but just a steady continuous rain like I remember from living in Europe and up north east. Having read the cache description and thinking about all the rain that had already fallen, I was imagining one huge mud puddle to get to the cache. Not willing to face this agony, I decided to let nature win, turned around, and headed for the comfort of the couch. Much respect to you for not giving in to the elements and facing the challenge. quote:Originally posted by Team Bohica: In retrospect, crossing that creek in a Texas summer storm was probably not the best idea. Crossing it in a storm at night as even more stupid. Crossing it in a storm at night by myself, well... As I was reading your story, I was thinking the same thing. Given the poor lad who was found in Barton Creek yesterday, I will be much more careful around creeks and rivers. I would hate to have a geocacher be found this way. I hope you let someone know that you were going out last night and where you were going. Quote Link to comment
+unclerojelio Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 quote:Originally posted by chloew:As I was in a crappy mood from all the rain over the weekend and spending quite a bit of time searching for Southeast Metro Park to go caching earlier in the day, only to find that the trails were closed. Now *THAT* would have been a mudfest. I too made a mad dash for the car when this new cache popped up. I made it as far as Spicewood Springs road before I turned around. The sign said something about being closed due to flooding. I guess I'm just not the geocacher I thought I was. ... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, ... unclerojelio Quote Link to comment
Night Tracker Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 Bend Over Here It Comes Again? Frankly I like FUBAR myself.. Don't know about you Texas boys.. Quote Link to comment
+unclerojelio Posted July 2, 2002 Share Posted July 2, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Night Tracker:Bend Over Here It Comes Again? Frankly I like FUBAR myself.. Don't know about you Texas boys ... With the recent and continuing DotCom meltdown still very much alive in the Austin area, I think the moniker is very appropriate. ... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, ... unclerojelio Quote Link to comment
Team Bohica Posted July 2, 2002 Author Share Posted July 2, 2002 quote:Originally posted by unclerojelio: quote:Originally posted by Night Tracker:Bend Over Here It Comes Again? Frankly I like FUBAR myself.. Don't know about you Texas boys ... With the recent and continuing DotCom meltdown still very much alive in the Austin area, I think the moniker is very appropriate. And seeing as I've been laid-off three times in the past three years it's been kind of a motto of mine. I even have a polo shirt with 'BOHICA Inc' monogrammed on it. I am currently laid-off and looking for work. Austin ain't the place to be in the computer industry right now. Too bad I love the city too much to leave. Tony (Last of the Bohicans) Quote Link to comment
+unclerojelio Posted July 2, 2002 Share Posted July 2, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Team Bohica: I even have a polo shirt with 'BOHICA Inc' monogrammed on it. Here is the matching hat. ... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, ... unclerojelio Quote Link to comment
Kingtriton Posted July 2, 2002 Share Posted July 2, 2002 Bohica? Could that possibly be "Bend Over Here It Comes Again? Wow. That brings back memories of Uncle Dicky Marcinko in dadgum Neck! Great team name. Quote Link to comment
+Moore9KSUcats Posted July 2, 2002 Share Posted July 2, 2002 We were geocaching on the Barton Creek greenbelt on June 22. There was no water in the river in the area we were at that time... I haven't seen it since all the rain, but I am sure it is not safe to be around! When we heard the news Sunday night about the hiker that drowned, I immediately thought about all the friends we have made geocaching, but thought that *surely* they would have more sense to stay away from a central Texas raging river after those rains! Bohica... you worry me! Quote Link to comment
mtncycler Posted July 24, 2002 Share Posted July 24, 2002 In Canada, I worry more about hiking in the bush and encountering wild animals.... I myself decided to leave a buddy in the car while out caching. I heard a large crashing in the bush. Since there was no time to run, I shimmied up a tree. I was about 8ft up when what ever it was crashed onto the path. Of course I had to see what it was, so I looked down and was almost face to face with a darn cow moose. WOW are they're eyes ever BIG I then heard another noise in the bush and out walked her baby. Momma sniffed the air, grunted then continued on her way....the same way I just came from. I waited 10mins or so before coming down from my not so safe perch (how the heck did I get up there?) I never did make it to the cache that day, and the whole time, I had my camera dangleing around my neck....didn't get a pic either so when I finally made it back to the car, my buddy asked if I saw the momma and baby moose. All I managed was a stupid grin and a nod of my head! I hope a few of you get a good chuckle out what could have been my missfortune. STAY ALERT, STAY SAFE! and happy caching Quote Link to comment
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