We think we are getting better

Due to circumstances beyond her control, Peanut misses the 6am caching call. She stops by at 3pm, dressed in jeans and tennies ( it is 87 degrees out) and wants to go caching. Sure....but Pizza Dudes caches, are all terrain of 1-1.5, so what is with the jeans? And...that is when she announces....we are going to get "the tunnel" ! Oh....
"the tunnel", yep I am in...let me change my clothes! (sign #1....we are getting better)

We decide to do a small collection of 5-6 caches in one town, then buzz over for "the tunnel" I have printed off, just the map showing the location of the caches.....hoping to do this in some sort or orderly fashion. ( sign # 2)

We head out on our quest, the 1st stop of the day, will be a cache, that we had been meaning to get to, but never got around to. We stop there first. We are in a park. We get out our phones, and go to our Geocaching applications. Nothing! What? Ok, lets try again...nothing. Well eventually we get a message saying " no communication" So, basically it is saying we are s--- out of luck! Well, we didn't drive out here for nothing! This cache is placed by someone we know, know the style, know what they like, so I decide to do a little "profiling". ( sign #3)

Hmmm....this was placed in their early days, so it will be a cammo hanging, or a taped container at the base of something...tree or bush. Looking around we see, about 10 evergreen trees...that would be #1 choice. So, now we are trying to "think" back to when we read the logs....ok, is this the one where Alphabet man said, he hated this kind of cache...or do we just know that from the cache event? Anyways, lets go with the first thought...the evergreen tree! ( sign #4)

looking around, I choose the cluster of evergreens, in the middle, but in the back...This cacher would not hide something, where everyone would be watching...plus the cache would be reached from the back, thus hiding the cacher even better ! The base of the trees are pretty "open"....so we are going for a hanging.
Past experiences tell me, it will be at 5 foot-ish high, or it will be low, but on a branch where you have to pick up another branch to see it! (sign #5)

So, now we have it narrowed down to 4 trees, I am guessing the middle 2. But I am still trying to figure out the right or the left one...( hey can't tell you everything!)

Ahhh...got it! (sign #6) So much for profiling...makes me think twice about MY next hides! So, we are off to the next cache...hoping our phones will be up soon...
We are clueless on the Pizza Dude!

The grumpy old man

Monday comes, after a really grueling weekend, I am off to "cache" up on a few things. Replacing wet logs, replacing muggled caches...and the likes. On my to do list, is to go into town, and do a few errands. It was while I was in town, I decide to look up a few caches in the area. I have been carrying a TB that needs to be dropped. The first challenge is to find a cache that is big enough to hold him. Seems like everything is a micro! Ok, so I see where there is one located not far from where I was, according to the log, it looks like a regular size, and according to the map, it appears to be out in the country. Great...no woods...no ticks....this will work out fine!

I arrive in the general area, and slowly drive by, checking out the site, I do a turn around a little ways down the road. I pull up to the sight, and pull off the road, it is on a corner ( typical bush hide) I look around...no one...I get out...I grab the cache...I return to my car. EZ ! As I am signing the log, decide to do a travel shoot ( while in the car) and as I am stuffing this TB into a small container, I see this gentleman, riding down the road on a John Deere tractor. From now on, I will refer to him as Grumpy old man !( GOM) He drives by me...and if looks could kill, I would not be writing this ! He turns left, and drives on. I am now done, and need to replace the cache...I drive down the road, and do a turn around in the nearest driveway, and as I am headed back...here comes GOM ! So, I am thinking, he must be going to mow...and of course, he is going to mow, exactly where I need to return the cache! So, as I am coming to the intersection, I am trying to decide "how to do this!"

The phone rings, and I can tell, by the tone, it is Peanut...."whatch ya doing? " This is good, I will explain the dilemma to her and she will have a good suggestion. As I am sitting at the stop sign, talking on the phone...here comes GOM and he pulls right up to my car window ( on the JD) and he is hollering at me.....hmmmm...so I roll down the window, clearly I am on the phone, but he don't care. So, I tell Peanut, I will call her right back...and as I am hanging up, I can hear her saying...No, don't hang up!

On my side of the phone, I see GOM as harmless, but I am also thinking he is going to be making a citizen arrest ! On peanut's side, she hears GOM, and pictures Barney Fife and thinking he could possibly be carrying the 1 bullet, he is allowed!

The following conversation takes place:

GOM: what you doing? ( sternly)
Me: ( sweet little geocacher) nothing
GOM: what business you have out here? By now, I am taking in the whole look and attitude....he doesn't really look like a fellow cacher...( lawnmower was the give away)....but maybe his kid or something has that cache, and he is seeing if I am gonna admit I am geocaching. So, before I can decide on the game plan...
GOM: There has been robberies down here and I want to know what your business is ! So, by now I am trying to decide if he thinks I am running "a business" from this corner, or if he thinks I am robbing houses! Really? I mean REALLY ! It is noon on Monday...I wouldn't be doing either ! I mean it is only noon! So, I decide to play it straight.
Me: Have you heard of geocaching? ( no answer) A world wide game using Gps? ( no answer)
Me: ( cheery and smiling) Well, there is one hidden right over there, and that is why you may see some people stopping and
GOM: I seen it, plastic container under the bush, but I ain't touch it.
Me: Oh....okay..... so I stopped to get it and
GOM: I seen you

Wow, and he is getting madder, so now I don't know if he is mad, that I am on public property, at an intersection or if he is mad, that I took the plastic container that "he seen"
Me: Well I needed to drop off a Travel bug and ( ok...this is not working) Do you live around here? ( trying to make small talk)
GOM: Yup, down the road there, where you turned in my driveway. I seen you, Been robberies out here
Me: well since you know about this, I might as well just put the container back.
(I get out of my car, holding the cache)
Me: See the little travel bug, he started in Germany, and he wants to go to New Zeland, and I got him in California and ( no response, just staring me down) so I will just go put this back now...

He stands guard, as I go to the bush to return the cache ( mean little sucker) and I am now whispering to the TB...I am sorry, I have to even leave you here with the mean guy, but hopefully someone will come get you, real soon. As I get back into my car...

GOM: You get out of here now..GO! Wow, I was really tempted to ask him, if I had at least till sundown! ( Ma always told us to be nice, but really! )

As I drove away, I can see him in my mirror, sitting on his little John Deere, wearing a little reflective vest, and those glasses, the kind that turn dark, when you are in the sun...with that mean little face, just watching me, making sure I am leaving town!

I sooooooo wanted, to roll down the window and yell at him " My John Deere is bigger than yours!" But I didn't!

( Ma would be so proud!)

Geocaching at the airport

Here all along I thought there were no geocaches placed at airports. Boy was I wrong!
As soon as my plane landed, I was into my first caching expedition. Actually, it was an unplanned cache. I had my location, I headed towards ground zero. I knew what I was looking for....It took me some time, re-checking the coordinates, looking and searching...and then just like geocaching you get a smiley as you say....I see it!

Just like geocaching! So I grabbed my luggage and I was off.....I did not want to post a DNF ! All my clothes were in there! :D