Will It Blend?

Extended Lunch

What I Actually Do

Christmas Socks

Really Only One Reason

Beginner's Luck

Real Fear

Decisions

Gadget Caching

On Saturday, I took the boys to Angleton, Texas, to do some of the much vaunted "gadget caches" of VossX2. I'd heard of them at events and again when seeking suggestions for a special cache for my #1000, so I'd been wanting to check them out for a while. I knew the boys would love something special too. Gadget caches are typically easy to find but then require some problem-solving actions to get to the actual log and cache container. Most are built into birdhouses. I knew some special tools would be needed so I made sure I packed a gallon of water, a bicycle air pump, and jumper cables (just in case).

Our drive to Angleton took longer than it should have. One delay was a construction detour that wasn't well marked. I missed the turn and had to go a mile the wrong way to get back on track. Then, there was "I need to go to the bathroom" and "I'm hungry." A single stop at Whataburger solved both problems. Then there was traffic. And a funeral procession. And this. And that. I almost gave up but curiosity won out.

The first cache required us to figure out how to use a handful of provided marbles to determine the code to a 3-digit combination lock. I tried them all at once; they got wedged in the chute. After some poking, prodding, and percussive maintenance, I finally got them loose. We were all frustrated and I began wondering again if this excursion had been in vain. Finally, we learned what was required, saw what we needed to see, and gained access to the cache. The log was signed, the swag was traded, and Oohs! and Ahhs! were shared around.

We ended up finding six more caches and signing five more logs (one of them was missing). We used the aforementioned water and air pump to access two of them (unfortunately, the jumper cables stayed in the car). We also saw caches that made use of pulleys and gravity, magnets, and user-generated electricity. It started getting dark and we started getting cranky, so I called it a day. On the way home, we stopped for a pizza and a chat about our day. We had a blast! I recommend gadget caches to anyone. There are some in Angleton that we didn't find; I'm certain we'll be back that way again.

Of Course!

After Gadgets

Dragon Breath

FTF Blues

Innerspace

It's Never Too Cold

Bob's Your Uncle

A 2-stage multi-cache that starts just outside Houston's Museum District. 

​At Stage One, find a six-digit number that has the same pattern as the phrases below. This number is ABCDEF. Stage Two is at N 29 44.ABC W 95 25.DEF.

L@@K! The minutes whole-number values are different from the coords for Stage One. L@@K!

• Pull up, Eva, we're here! Wave! Pull up!
• A man, a plan, a canal, Panama!
• Lager, sir, is regal
• I’m a lasagna hog, go hang a salami
• Nate bit a Tibetan
• Dennis and Edna sinned
• Red rum, sir, is murder
• Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo
• Madam, I'm Adam
• Emily's sassy lime

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My First Find

I received a handheld GPS unit for my birthday one year. I opened it, installed batteries, and then couldn't figure it out. Almost two years later, I found it again and decided to actually read the manual. Imagine that! I was able to find satellites but the interface didn't make any sense to me and I had to get back to work. I put it away again and returned to grading papers. But... I had read about geocaching in the manual!

Fast forward another year or two (my timeline is fuzzy... I've slept since then): I found it AGAIN and decided that I wouldn't ever use it. It went to eBay and sold rather quickly. A week later I got my first iPhone and while searching for the best apps to start with, found a free one for that thing I'd once read about in a GPS unit's owner's manual. I created an account and promised myself I would try it if it didn't use up too much of my limited data plan. I also kicked myself for getting rid of the GPS receiver. Timing, it seems, really is everything.

My oldest son was just getting to that age where I felt comfortable taking him hiking. I hadn't gone in a long time and I thought it would be a fun way for us to bond, one on one without Mom and little brothers around. I selected a place in San Marcos (Texas) that had decent reviews and reportedly easy trails: perfect for a beginner and his out of shape, former Boy Scout of a father. We put on our boots or sneakers and headed out to Ringtail Ridge Natural Area, water bottles, pocket knife, and hiking sticks in tow.

While there, we spotted several kinds of birds, tasted some raw prickly pear, and collected a few rocks. We also chased some lizards. One particularly large (i.e. catch-worthy) one led us down the trail for a ways. It finally darted into a large hollow at the base of a tree and, not wanting to give up, I got down on all fours and went after it. Unfortunately, it was gone but I suddenly didn't care: in the back of the hollow, there was a pile of sticks that didn't look right. There was just something off about the way the sticks were stacked; they don't grow that way; animals don't nest that way. Wondering what the nearby college students had hidden, I moved a few sticks and spotted a container that was obviously made to attract as little attention as possible. It was a large orange pill bottle wrapped in camouflage duct tape. "I wonder if this is one of those geocache things..." I popped it open, found a crumpled piece of paper, and called my son over to see what we'd found. I confirmed my silent suspicion, signed our names, and rehid the container under what I later learned was a UPS. Eager to get home and discover which cache I'd found, I encouraged my boy to walk a little faster as we headed back to the car.

Once back in front of a computer, I pulled up the map on geocaching.com, navigated to Ringtail Ridge, and then had to identify which of the six caches in the area we'd found. Through trial and error, reading cache descriptions and logs, and Google maps, I was able to do it. It was GCVPP2, "Cactus Tree." I submitted a simple log and sat back in my chair, smiling, dreaming, and nodding happily. Yep, I was immediately hooked! Since then, my oldest son and his two brothers have developed their own love for caching. I've dubbed them my "myrthlings" and we cache together as often as we can. I've also purchased another GPSr just like the one I had had before and have learned how to use it. Who knew a lizard would lead me to this hobby with grand adventures, great new friends, and so many more fun stories? Maybe it was Signal in disguise. Hmm... I may never know.

--
This story has since been published in FTF Magazine and the myrthlings were featured on the cover!

Vikinger var også pirater!

Many don't know but the "Seven Seas" includes a few fjords too! Gather 'round for some good ol' sea sagas as we ponder the meaning of the English Sea Queen's riddles and plan our voyage to seek her hidden treasure.

First Dog Watch (for you land lubbers, that's 4:00-6:00 PM)
Ship and Shield pub
403 West Gray
Houston, TX 77019

Grub and grog available for purchase.

There will be a drawing for some sort of undisclosed loot... One ticket just for attending and a bonus ticket for attending in your best pirate/viking costume.
Please log a Will Attend so I can give a rough head count a few days before.

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Black Hole Adventure

This is my first Whereigo (hybrid or otherwise). I had fun!

I learned about gravity and event horizons. I learned about spaghettification, and, while I may have shed a few pounds on my trek, I'm not nearly as thin as I was led to believe I would be after going through a black hole.

That's another thing: Hollywood definitely has it wrong! Traversing a black hole is not all flashing lights, tunnels, and Dramamine. It's very green, very blue, and MUCH s l o w e r than they make it seem. In fact, Han Solo, expert Kessell Runner that he is, is even a little off: navigating hyperspace is A LOT like dusting crops!! So much pretty green... 🌲🌳🌿🍃

As I approached the wormhole, I misinterpreted my navicomputer's output and blasted right through an uncharted asteroid field, not realizing there was a much shorter, much easier route. If only I had taken that right turn at Albuquerque! Oh well. I am glad I didn't see any space worms.

I found the cache as described and then opted to return to my space pod by the aforementioned shorter, easier route. I just had to get to it. It was then that I experienced gravity and event horizons and all that other stuff: down I went, sliding and grimacing until I reached the bottom. After a quick self-diagnostic and inventory check, I smiled broadly, shook the stardust off, and climbed back up the other side. I was quite relieved to find the shorter, easier route back to my spa-- Wait a parsec! I've been here before!! Is it déjà vu or did I land on an alternate Earth? Is Mayor Turner an orangutan now?! I guess only time (and space... it's a continuum!) will tell.

Thank you so much for the adventure, the exercise, and the cache. +1 fp. God bless! 2 Corinthians 5:21

P.S. I was just a little under-prepared for this journey. I was dressed in my business casual work clothes; my slip on shoes were almost treadless; and I had no bug repellent or water. Also, it's a very good thing I didn't need to thumb a ride: I didn't bring a towel!

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3G - G.alleria G.eocachers G.abfest - Version 5.10

I can't wait to log this...

 Number 1,000!!

Thinking I would reach this milestone much earlier, ordered a special shirt back in August. I've not worn it until today, when I finally earned my comma!!

Thanks for the fun!

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Hedwig the Owl (Harry Potter Geocaches #1)

So, a funny thing happened while geocaching one evening at Rice University...

I have learned to not stick my hand in a tree's bole hole without first looking. This is a little challenging when the hole is above my eye level, so I've taken to raising my phone and snapping a picture of the inside before making the plunge. This technique has spared me countless ant and spider bites and at least one encounter with a snake.

While searching near GZ tonight, I found just such a hole that would be perfect for a size small cache. I raised my phone per usual and pressed the button. There was a slight, anti-red-eye pause before the flash went off. Then, SURPRISE!!, out leapt a critter! It thumped to the ground and then flew off. I'm 90% sure it had feathers and 100% sure it startled me, for, SHOCK!!, out from my mouth leapt a four-letter word. That too thumped to the ground and then flew off. Heart racing, all I could do was laugh. The students walking by gazed at me suspiciously. "It's okay! I'm a professional!" or something. WWAVD: What Would Ace Ventura Do?

Anyway, I opted for no more surprises, read the hint, and quickly found the cache. This will be a great story, for many geo-events to come, I'm sure!

TFTC. God bless! 2 Corinthians 5:21

(oh yeah... cool statue!)

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