geocaching in Boston

[+Robespierre]

They should award a special prize to the first cacher to dig out a cache in Boston. Can't be an inside-the-Mall cache. Must be under at least 20" of snow.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

They should award a special prize to the first cacher to dig out a cache in Boston. Can't be an inside-the-Mall cache. Must be under at least 20" of snow.

With an extra Kudos for it being a white camo container.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Cascade Reviewer]

Robes, man, why did you have to go and post a Geocaching thread in Off Topic? Moving to Geocaching Topics.

[+edscott]

Does it count if you have to pick it out of the guts of a snow blower?

[Mr.Yuck]

Looks like about 30-40 inches of depth in most of the Boston area. They're obviously not accustomed to that there, but it can be done. I'll say I've found about 5 caches on two different outings with about 36 inches on the ground. And yes, I'm talking in the woods, not LPC's. And I have heard a story of a local digging out an LPC years ago.

 

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

I'll say I've found about 5 caches on two different outings with about 36 inches on the ground. And yes, I'm talking in the woods, not LPC's.

 

I did one in the Syracuse area with that much snow...a nice .5 mile schlepp each way. Fortunately cache was at the end of a huge fallen tree (root end) so I knew where I had to dig!

[Mr.Yuck]

I'll say I've found about 5 caches on two different outings with about 36 inches on the ground. And yes, I'm talking in the woods, not LPC's.

 

I did one in the Syracuse area with that much snow...a nice .5 mile schlepp each way. Fortunately cache was at the end of a huge fallen tree (root end) so I knew where I had to dig!

 

I didn't say how many DNF's there were on those two outings. Yup, there are snowier places, but Syracuse, N.Y. is the long time snowiest major City in the lower 48. Linky. I have about 24" on the ground right now. As soon as I type this, I'm going to email local "streak guy" to see if he's finally thrown in the towel. I'm going to guess he has.

[JASTA 11]

The piles around my driveway are over six feet. We lost our shih tzu in the back yard for a while after the blizzard.

 

The only time I've come close to this was living way up in upstate New York. I'm not talking about Poughkeepsie, that's only way upstate to the islanders. It was up near Watertown.

 

I first got to Fort Drum just after Thanksgiving. Already the snow banks were too high to see over. The road from Lowville to Drum was like a canyon. You couldn't tell where the intersections were. Except for when the snow mobiles crossed the road right in front of you.

 

It would snow every day up there, just as soon as the sun started to set.

 

It's not that bad here. Yet.

[+Ambrosia]

Goodness, and here we've been having these wonderful springlike days, 40's and 50's, lots of sun. Yesterday topped at almost 60 degrees. I know it's bad for the agriculture business and for summer fires, but I'm enjoying the heck out of the weather, taking walks and caching.

 

Caching yesterday:

 

[+cerberus1]

That's just not fair...

Only about two feet or so here, but you can't punch through the ice in-between.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

The piles around my driveway are over six feet. We lost our shih tzu in the back yard for a while after the blizzard.

 

The only time I've come close to this was living way up in upstate New York. I'm not talking about Poughkeepsie, that's only way upstate to the islanders. It was up near Watertown.

 

I think Watertown is still in the lake effect band that hits Syracuse. It may even get more snow than Syracuse but isn't considered a major city. I suspect that Oswego and Mexico (the city in NY) get as much or more snow than Syracuse as well.

 

A few years ago I had an early flight out of Syracuse and had decide whether to drive up the night before and stay in a hotel (it usually takes about an hour) or to get up at 4:00am and drive up with the risk that it might take a lot longer if I had to drive on snow covered roads the whole way. I ended up getting up at 3:30AM, left home and started north in a light rain. The roads were clear but wet all the way to Syracuse. At the north side of Syracuse it was like driving into a wall of snow as I entered the lake effect band.

 

I fly out of Syracuse occasionally since our local airport is really small and is usually more expensive. When I do I often try to leave a few hours early so I can do a little caching before I have to be at the airport...but not in the winter.

 

 

 

[+cerberus1]

They should award a special prize to the first cacher to dig out a cache in Boston.

The local news said you guys are 50+" over normal. Wow!

 

What a difference a day makes.

Posted a few hours ago (that lucky Ambrosia), after salting the drive.

The Sun melted that 24" or so earlier into 16", that I could fill the bird feeders without breaking through.

Sure ticks were out today.

 

Did want to tie up a buncha stonefies for early season trout...

[+Robespierre]

They should award a special prize to the first cacher to dig out a cache in Boston.

The local news said you guys are 50+" over normal. Wow!

 

What a difference a day makes.

Posted a few hours ago (that lucky Ambrosia), after salting the drive.

The Sun melted that 24" or so earlier into 16", that I could fill the bird feeders without breaking through.

Sure ticks were out today.

 

Did want to tie up a buncha stonefies for early season trout...

and squirrels must be saving a lot of effort to reach up.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

They should award a special prize to the first cacher to dig out a cache in Boston.

The local news said you guys are 50+" over normal. Wow!

 

What a difference a day makes.

Posted a few hours ago (that lucky Ambrosia), after salting the drive.

The Sun melted that 24" or so earlier into 16", that I could fill the bird feeders without breaking through.

Sure ticks were out today.

 

Did want to tie up a buncha stonefies for early season trout...

 

I'll probably do that despite the weather. I've always enjoyed tying stone flies, definitely much more so than tying up size 20 tricos.

 

The current weather forecast for us has a wind chill warning until 4:00PM tomorrow with wind chill readings as low as 20 to 35F below zero.

Edited February 12, 2015 by NYPaddleCacher

[+cerberus1]

and squirrels must be saving a lot of effort to reach up.

We're using an old swing set (came with the new place) to hang feeders off of.

My other 2/3rds thought it'd be a great idea to use cooking spray on the uprights, thinking the furry rodents would slide right off.

- Turns out raccoons love the taste.

Hoping to catch a "tongue stuck on the pole" pic, but hasn't happened yet.

 

The old place, I set up a cable with frisbees on each end.

They never figured how to jump 'em and land on the other side.

 

Hand shoveled our huge drive three times today.

Not enough snow to bring out the blower.

Sun out, shovel, squall comes through, repeat...

[+NYPaddleCacher]

and squirrels must be saving a lot of effort to reach up.

 

Hand shoveled our huge drive three times today.

Not enough snow to bring out the blower.

Sun out, shovel, squall comes through, repeat...

 

I spent about an hour hand shovel our driveway and sidewalk after work. Yesterday I did both before and after work. It's been too cold to melt any snow so it just keeps piling up and I'm running out of room to put it. The drive belt on my blower broke a couple of years ago and there wasn't enough snow last year for me to replace it. It's a single stage blower and doesn't work well on our gravel driveway so all this snow has just about convinced my wife that we need to buy a new 2-stage blower.

[+cerberus1]

I've always enjoyed tying stone flies, definitely much more so than tying up size 20 tricos.

 

The current weather forecast for us has a wind chill warning until 4:00PM tomorrow with wind chill readings as low as 20 to 35F below zero.

After trigger finger release surgery and the arthritis that set in, it's wulff (and similar) dries, wets (yes, some still tie wets), and nymphs.

 

Looks like 9 tomorrow daytime with the same in wind chill.

- Why I wanted to get as much shoveling in as I could today.

 

Still can't get my new neighbors (cachers) interested in borrowing one of my ice axes for some below ice caching (the only ones besides me who'd head out in this carp), but next week might be good for a couple of "5" approaches normally needing the 'yaks.

[+cerberus1]

The drive belt on my blower broke a couple of years ago and there wasn't enough snow last year for me to replace it. It's a single stage blower and doesn't work well on our gravel driveway so all this snow has just about convinced my wife that we need to buy a new 2-stage blower.

Last year was the worst snow we saw in some time (kinda what Robespierre's going through now).

New place and wanted new "stuff", we had a choice of a snowblower or a new dining room set.

- The snowblower won.

So many sold that we only had a choice of one of the smallest 2-stg made, or a Cub Cadet 930swe.

CJ - "The little one has heated grips!"

Me - "No, good try though..."

- A local guy made her a dining table outta a tree slab (she always wanted one) with reclaimed barn wood chairs as a consolation prize for Christmas this year.

 

CJ looking over my shoulder, said if I have time to tie flies and chat on the forums, she has a couple ideas for new cache hides I could be making for her for this Spring.

[JASTA 11]

 

I think Watertown is still in the lake effect band that hits Syracuse. It may even get more snow than Syracuse but isn't considered a major city. I suspect that Oswego and Mexico (the city in NY) get as much or more snow than Syracuse as well.

 

 

Yep, it was that moisture in the air that would turn to snow as soon as the sun set. Every morning there'd be another inch or so on the ground.

 

We'd get up in the morning an do P.T. outside. Afterwards, I'd be in the barracks getting changed for work and Willard Scott would be doing the weather. "Coldest spot in the lower 48 right now - Watertown, New York".

 

Still beautiful country up there though.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I think Watertown is still in the lake effect band that hits Syracuse. It may even get more snow than Syracuse but isn't considered a major city. I suspect that Oswego and Mexico (the city in NY) get as much or more snow than Syracuse as well.

 

 

Yep, it was that moisture in the air that would turn to snow as soon as the sun set. Every morning there'd be another inch or so on the ground.

 

That pretty much describes 2015 here but it's often been more than an inch or so.

 

 

We'd get up in the morning an do P.T. outside. Afterwards, I'd be in the barracks getting changed for work and Willard Scott would be doing the weather. "Coldest spot in the lower 48 right now - Watertown, New York".

 

Still beautiful country up there though.

 

It certainly is, especially if you go a little further north to the St. Lawrence 1000 island region or east into the Adirondacks.

 

 

[Mr.Yuck]

 

I think Watertown is still in the lake effect band that hits Syracuse. It may even get more snow than Syracuse but isn't considered a major city. I suspect that Oswego and Mexico (the city in NY) get as much or more snow than Syracuse as well.

 

 

Yep, it was that moisture in the air that would turn to snow as soon as the sun set. Every morning there'd be another inch or so on the ground.

 

We'd get up in the morning an do P.T. outside. Afterwards, I'd be in the barracks getting changed for work and Willard Scott would be doing the weather. "Coldest spot in the lower 48 right now - Watertown, New York".

 

Still beautiful country up there though.

 

Watertown was -24 last night, mentioned as the coldest spot in NY on the morning news. By the way, did you know all but about 10 of the old WWII barracks are gone? And those are just used for offices and stuff, not barracks. I was up there last Labor Day weekend. I know, beat me with the off topic stick.

[+Robespierre]

 

I think Watertown is still in the lake effect band that hits Syracuse. It may even get more snow than Syracuse but isn't considered a major city. I suspect that Oswego and Mexico (the city in NY) get as much or more snow than Syracuse as well.

 

 

Yep, it was that moisture in the air that would turn to snow as soon as the sun set. Every morning there'd be another inch or so on the ground.

 

We'd get up in the morning an do P.T. outside. Afterwards, I'd be in the barracks getting changed for work and Willard Scott would be doing the weather. "Coldest spot in the lower 48 right now - Watertown, New York".

 

Still beautiful country up there though.

 

Watertown was -24 last night, mentioned as the coldest spot in NY on the morning news. By the way, did you know all but about 10 of the old WWII barracks are gone? And those are just used for offices and stuff, not barracks. I was up there last Labor Day weekend. I know, beat me with the off topic stick.

and have you seen the 2016 Indian Dark Horse?

[Mr.Yuck]

 

I think Watertown is still in the lake effect band that hits Syracuse. It may even get more snow than Syracuse but isn't considered a major city. I suspect that Oswego and Mexico (the city in NY) get as much or more snow than Syracuse as well.

 

 

Yep, it was that moisture in the air that would turn to snow as soon as the sun set. Every morning there'd be another inch or so on the ground.

 

We'd get up in the morning an do P.T. outside. Afterwards, I'd be in the barracks getting changed for work and Willard Scott would be doing the weather. "Coldest spot in the lower 48 right now - Watertown, New York".

 

Still beautiful country up there though.

 

Watertown was -24 last night, mentioned as the coldest spot in NY on the morning news. By the way, did you know all but about 10 of the old WWII barracks are gone? And those are just used for offices and stuff, not barracks. I was up there last Labor Day weekend. I know, beat me with the off topic stick.

and have you seen the 2016 Indian Dark Horse?

 

Sweet ride. Was I the first one to bring up Watertown or Syracuse? No, it was New Englanders. Apparently, you're not one of them either. I actually did find a cache in 2 feet of snow today, although it was a micro off the ground in a pedestrian tunnel in a park. I do doubt there is much caching going on in Boston. Although you never know, I hear many people have been off of work all week.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Mr.Yuck

[Mr.Yuck]

Here ya' go, on topic. Would be better if it was Harvard, but it's still New England. Anti Global warming protest cancelled at Yale this weekend due to cold weather. You heard it first. I predict a 0% chance of major media outlets covering the story.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Here ya' go, on topic. Would be better if it was Harvard, but it's still New England. Anti Global warming protest cancelled at Yale this weekend due to cold weather. You heard it first. I predict a 0% chance of major media outlets covering the story.

 

The Cornell vs. Harvard hockey and basketball games (both played indoors) at Harvard were rescheduled to 4:00PM (from 7:00PM) today due to the weather.

[+zoothornrollo]

I just saw a report on the national network news that Boston's February total snowfall is more than Chicago has ever had in a whole winter...and Feb. is only half over!!! My son was posted at Fort Drum a few years ago - he was an MP who had to do road duty in the wee hours of the morning at minus 25 degrees at times. A bit tough for a boy born and raised in Houston.

[Mr.Yuck]

I just saw a report on the national network news that Boston's February total snowfall is more than Chicago has ever had in a whole winter...and Feb. is only half over!!! My son was posted at Fort Drum a few years ago - he was an MP who had to do road duty in the wee hours of the morning at minus 25 degrees at times. A bit tough for a boy born and raised in Houston.

 

11:00 AM Sunday February 15th, and supposedly Boston is being hammered again as we speak. But with 0 Degree temps this time.

 

I wonder if anyone born and raised in Hawaii ever got posted to Ft. Drum? Anything he told you is true. Watertown, N.Y. is friggin' Siberia. Probably worse than Siberia, I doubt they get an average of 200 inches annual snowfall there.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I just saw a report on the national network news that Boston's February total snowfall is more than Chicago has ever had in a whole winter...and Feb. is only half over!!! My son was posted at Fort Drum a few years ago - he was an MP who had to do road duty in the wee hours of the morning at minus 25 degrees at times. A bit tough for a boy born and raised in Houston.

 

11:00 AM Sunday February 15th, and supposedly Boston is being hammered again as we speak. But with 0 Degree temps this time.

 

And this time there is also a lot of wind. I just went out and shoveled snow for about 20 minutes. Practically froze my noogies off.

 

 

I wonder if anyone born and raised in Hawaii ever got posted to Ft. Drum? Anything he told you is true. Watertown, N.Y. is friggin' Siberia. Probably worse than Siberia, I doubt they get an average of 200 inches annual snowfall there.

 

We had a couple of au pairs when my son was born. We picked up the first one in Connecticut on a day in January and as we got about 25 miles from home I noticed that the outside thermometer was reading -17F. The average January temp where she was from is 50 degrees. She didn't work out as an au pair for us and we got other one. She was from Thailand where the average annual temperature is over 80 degrees and varies only a few degrees all year.

 

Amazingly, after the girl from Thailand finished her stint with us as an au pair she got married to a local and they continued to live here for 8 years before moving to Florida a couple of years ago.