Sluggo being self-indulgent on New Year’s Day 2003

[+Sluggo]

I wanted to try something new as far as log entries are concerned. Today presented me with that opportunity. I logged 7 finds on 8 cache pages today. I logged them as a saga (or diary) and referenced the beginning of the saga and next installment on each cache page. The entire saga follows:

 

GCBBC0 - White Pelican

04:30 – I got up at to go geocaching alone. Sugar’s broken foot prevents her from going with me to all but “drive-by caches”.

05:25 – Spent about 25 minutes trying to find (in the dark) the correct approach to the cache without getting on the Hanford site or drowning in the river.

05:50 – Slipped on a pile of ice-covered concrete slabs (Broken up) and suffered anterior dislocation of left shoulder.

05:52 – Reduced dislocation by ramming back against concrete slab (ever see Lethal Weapon?)

05:52 – Made decision to not let physical infirmities limit fun on a great geocaching day.

06:15 – Finally made my way to the cache site.

06:15 – 06.48 – Searched around (in the dark) for the cache. Finally decided to sit down and wait till dawn to continue search.

06:50 – Took off gloves, put down walking stick, set GPSr down in a protected place, heard “thunk” sound, and realized that I had put GPSr down on top of cache.

06:55 – Logged cache, left and found really easy access to cache area (it was dawn by then).

 

GCB8EC – Landing View

08:10 - Arrived at the cache site. This is the second time for me at this cache.

09:00 – Gave up (again). After spending 50 minutes crawling all over everything at the site, I just gave up. Went back to the 4-Runner, said the “Serenity Prayer three (3) times, took some deep breaths, (ouch that hurt my shoulder), and moved on.

 

GC93B0 – Copycat #2

09:30 – Arrived at the park. Both gates were locked. I started to just park at the entrance or across the street and I got to thinking that it was probably locked up just like after hours, so they probably didn’t want anyone in there. I decided to catch this one later.

The saga continues at GCBB1C – Waterfall View by Lindsayk

 

GCBB1C – Waterfall View

09:45 – Arrived at site. GPSr read “2 feet to next”.

10:00 – Found Cache, made log entry. This one is hard to do without being observed.

 

GCAA30 – Watch out for soccer moms

10:25 – Arrived at site. Didn’t see any soccer moms, in fact, didn’t see anyone.

10:30 – Located cache. A light rain had begun to fall.

10:35 replaced cache and got ready to move on.

 

GCB368 – That’s Amore!!

10:45 – Arrived at cache site. It was raining hard. I gave consideration to returning to the Tri-Cities.

10:47 – Walked around general area, I didn’t see anything that looked like a cache container.

10:49 – Went back to the car to get a flashlight to look into some “hidey-holes”.

10:51 – Found cache but couldn’t open it. Left shoulder was really singing the pain song by then. The rain was steadily getting harder.

10:53 – Got container open. The pen wouldn’t write. Used my own pen and left it in the cache. Tried to keep open cache dry. TNLN (other than the pen).

10:54 – Began to re-seal cache. Cursed, cried, cursed some more. Turned head sideways to see better and got rain in ear. Left arm was useless due to shoulder dislocation, had to use one hand (right) only. Did I say I cursed? Finally got cache re-sealed. I had thought of doing something similar with a cache before, I think it could work better with a screw top.

11:00 – Off to next site.

 

GCB8F8 – A Lighter View

11:15 – Arrived at cache site.

11:20 – After driving around chasing the coordinates, I decided to just stop and look around. It was beginning to snow and GPSr readings were erratic at best.

11:35 – Went back to the car to get out of the rain/snow. Decided to give up and log it as a DNF.

11:40 – Re-read the details page and got a bright idea. Got out and went straight to the cache.

11:45 – Stopped at Subway for a sandwich.

 

GCBB4A – Garretson’s View

12:15 – Arrived at cache site.

12:25 – Located waypoint after trudging through mud and snow. My earlier experience with the shoulder dislocation made me VERY conservative on the snow-slick rocks.

12:27 – Found cache but could not get my fat fingers around it. I got smart and pulled off my gloves.

12:30 – Logged find with my muddy fingers and got mud all over the log pages.

 

Back to GCB8EC – Landing View

12:35 – While on my way back to the Tri-Cities I thought about the three caches by Lindsayk that I had found and that one stubborn one that I hadn’t been able to find after two tries. I felt like I had a handle on her style and maybe I should give Landing View one more shot on my way home.

12:45 – I arrived (for the third time) at the cache site. I thought I knew where the cache was, so I didn’t even get my GPSr out of the car. I went straight to where I thought it was, checked, and was sorely disappointed.

12:47 – I walked over to where the coordinates indicated the cache should be and ran into elkmilk and mojavegirl. I asked if they minded if I hunted with them, they said no, so we started sharing what we each had already looked at. I got into a conversation with mojavegirl and elkmilk continued crawling around.

13:00 – elkmilk found it.

13:02 – Just as we were logging the find mojavegirl spotted two geocachers and said to elkmilk; “You better get that back, here come some more geocachers”. It was PJnRG. I went to them and ask what they wanted to do and they elected to wait until we finished logging and re-hiding to start their hunt.

13:05 – 13:15 – We all stood in the rain and chatted. This cache site seems to be a meeting place for local cachers. Elkmilk, mojavegirl, and Sluggo left PJnRG to “do their thing”.

 

What a day (and saga) this has been! Dislocated shoulder, caching in the dark, rain, snow, frustration, meeting new friends (that I’ve read their logs for over a year) and seeing old friends. This is what it’s all about!

 

In my beloved “Deep South” we have a superstition that says: “what ever you do on New Year’s Day you will do all year long”. I believe in that superstition, I hope everyday is as full of mystery, fun, and good friends as today was. However, I can do without the dislocated shoulder.

 

01/01/03 – What a day!

 

 

Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is... - -Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

[+Sluggo]

I know that is long, but I said it was self indulgent!

 

 

Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is... - -Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

[+charlietd]

This is an interesting concept but an awful lot of work maintaining all the detail. Seems like you would spend more time writing than caching... Being a retired engineer, I like details but hate writing so this is way more than I would want to do. Have fun with it...

 

Charlie Trail Duster - West of Buxton, Oregon

[+citrix_99301]

Glad you were ok on Pelican. I hit that four hours later and the rocks close to the water were wet.