Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Caching our Way to Cache Creek

I love the Fraser Canyon and I love the beautiful simplicity of the towns along the way. So when Tony asked me if I wanted to take a little road trip to Cache Creek I didn't even need to think about my answer. "When do we leave" was the only thing I was thinking.

A few days later with the 4Runner packed, a hotel room booked and the GPS loaded we were on our way.



We got an early start and by 8am we were finding our first two caches in Bridal Falls. It sure is nice to cache when there is no one around!

We continued caching through Hope and Yale and by 9:30am we were in Lytton. We had previously grabbed the two caches on the highway above Lytton, but we never seemed to have the time to go into the town itself. I was so glad we did this time. The sun was shining and, being a Sunday morning, there was no one around. It was so peaceful and tranquil. I don't know what it is about towns like this... for me it seems like the past is almost palpable and the history is in the air. I want to soak it all in.

The first cache we got was "Going Postal"... OK, that was wierd, but fun! After that we did a Earthcache called "Lytton Jelly Roll." This is why I love earthcaching. It was so interesting and there's no way we would have ever seen this without another geocacher to point it out to us. Very cool. I should mention that while we were finding the Lytton caches we were also finding clues to solve the puzzle cache "Nlaka'pamux." What a great puzzle (I love learning new things)! After we found the final we ended up spending another 1/2 hour there watching a large sheep herd on the side hill across from us. It was incredible.

When we got to Cache Creek we had some time to kill before we checked in so we decided to drive above the garbage dump. I know it sounds wierd but if you want wildlife photos this is often the place to go. We weren't disappointed. I have never seen so many eagles in one place and before I knew it we had taken over 50 pictures!

The next morning we decided to grab the cache by Hat Creek Ranch called "Boo!" I won't spoil it for you but this one gave me the biggest laugh all weekend. Well done... I love it when cachers use their imaginations!

All too soon it was time to go home. We saved a couple of caches in Boston Bar for the next day but it sure was sad to realize that there are almost no caches left in the Canyon for us to find.

So for all of you who are Canyon Cachers I'd like to say, "Thank you so much and whenever you're ready... I'm ready for more!"

Monday, March 9, 2009

It's Just a Number....Isn't it?

I've been geocaching for just over 2 years now. This hobby has taken me to places I never knew existed, on hikes I never would have attempted and trips I never would have considered. Soon I will be closing in on that 1000 mark and I gotta admit... I think that's pretty amazing.

I know - it's just a number.....

A couple of weeks ago I spent the day caching with goinggone in Bellingham. First of all let me just say that that is the most organized cacher I have ever met in my life! Between the palm pilot, the GPS and his notebook with hand-written notes on which streets to take, I was kept busy! There was no "I'll just come along for the drive" on this caching day. And don't forget to stamp the cache notes with the "Found" stamp! By 3 that afternoon I had broke my record of 17 caches in one day. Thanks goinggone! What an awesome day and now my record is 26!I know - it's just a number....

The very next day I went to Deep Cove to hike the Baden Powell trail with my friend Carol. With our lunches packed and caches loaded in the GPS we set off in the pouring rain. I wouldn't even consider going to the mall if it was raining but I'll hike for 5 kms if it means I might find one more cache. The hide (GC323A Deep Down Below) proved to be a bit tricky but in the end Carol said those three little words that have come to mean so much to me... "I found it!" One more find.

I know - it's just a number....

Isn't it?