Tuesday, July 22, 2008

What the heck is Geocaching?!

So I get asked that question frequently when I tell people that I went geocaching over the weekend. Like today in the elevator, I started to explain it and his eyes glazed over and he started to smile & nod. "Basically I'm just a nerd." That he gets.
But it reminds me of treasure hunting! I stinking love it! I was introduced one fouth of July at the ocean and have been hooked ever since. My Pa let me steal his garmin since he's too traditional to use it during hunting season anyway.
But the beauty of geocaching is that it shows you new and amazing things. People hide these geocaches in undiscovered parks, next to trails I never tried, a lake I never knew existed and on top of a peak with a great view, etc.

For example one of my latest
geocaches took me thru the Snoqualmie Tunnel - 2.3 miles of you (and my buddy Alan) just trying to get to that little light at the end of the tunnel. And not only did Alan and I find a geocache but in the darkness of the tunnel Alan hears a familiar voice. "Dur?" Alan asks...*silence* "Dur?!" is what we hear back - "Duryee!" One of our old co-workers was in the tunnel - very random. But Duryee was more brave and went without a flashlight. I think the flash of the camera assaulted his retina beyond belief. But it was a great reunion moment.



When I visited my friend Alicia on the East Side she screamed like a girl as we drove up a primitive road only to find a geocache that was covered in animal bones - but what a view.
Then there are these great things called "travel bugs". I still need to get one of my own and give them their own mission. Perhaps I'll get a He-man figure and explain that he's trying to find Greyskull...or by the power of Greyskull - either one.
Anyway - one travel bug I found wanted to travel to beautiful places and take pictures. So I took him (he was in form of a frog) on some hikes and took plenty of pics to send to his owner before putting him in a another geocache for his next adventure to begin. Another travel bug was a police car that wanted to travel to as many police stations as possible.
The premise is to find this geocache, sign the log and trade items (if you wish). Every geocache is different and some have better items to trade than others. Some of my favorite finds have been: Hand sanitizer (thank god), LED light (used for the tunnel) and even a home-made fishing lure that I gave to Alan the Ogre. There are even some enthusiasts (or at least one that I know of) that do "nudecaching." He posts pics of himself by the found geocache cleverly covering his junk. Whatever makes you happy - I guess everyone enjoys retirement in their own way...but I digress.
It's such a fun adventure and it's forced me to travel to many places I would never go. It gets so exciting to be on the hunt that I disregard the spider webs I walk into or, obviously, the animal bones I encounter.
If you'd like to join me take your sense of adventure and enthusiasm. Oh - and bring your determination! Some of these geocaches are a challenge to find so put your super sleuth caps on. I periodically have some geocaches that have become my nemesis forcing me to come back another day to try to find it again. I'm talking to you "Timber", "Raccon's Restaurant" and the one by Annette Lake that shall remain nameless.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Kelly Clarkson!

So I visited my good friends in Prosser again for some fishing, relaxing, good food and Wii! I really think Alicia and Mike should open up a resort. Alicia is an amazing cook, hostess and makes everyone feel at ease. Mike can do the man stuff like fish and hunt. Oh, and he fixes stuff that I don't know about. But Alicia will have to kill the spiders...



So now that talking on cell phones is illegal without a earpiece (and I'm too cheap & broke to buy one) I had only my thoughts and imagination to entertain me on the drive. Come join me...



*First of all my best friend, and all around wonderful person, Big D was in Tanzania climing Mt. Kili. To thank me in helping watching her house & cat while she was doing one of the most amazing things in her life - she gave me a gift certificate at a salon. What would I get done that I'd otherwise never pay for now that I'm broke? I'll let you guess. But holy KELLY CLARKSON!! It was quick and painful but I had bad flashbacks during the whole drive. *shudder*

*It was really hot this weekend and I saw a few, swollen & dead raccoons on the side of the road. Think they ever explode?

*Is that bad driver in front of me drunk or getting road head? Once I was brave enough to drive past him turns out he was just old....and probably drunk. But no road head that I could tell.

*I haven't heard any updates from Stacia in a few days - did she die in California? I need to send her a text message asking if she died (update - she hasn't answered back yet. I'm a little worried...)

*I miss Ellensburg. I see a train going by 97 - I remember one of my fav things to do in college was to do a midnight hike over the Yakima River and wait on top of this peak. The train tracks followed the Yakima River and when the train would come in the middle of the night it'd illuminate the whole valley and the light would sparkle off the water. *nostalgia*

*I need to do a wine tour soon.

*I'm sure Katy Price is a nice girl but her song needs to go.

*I'm glad I can enjoy the Big Distraction/Hot Detective now without taking anything to heart. But he did check out his muscles while I was talking to him the other day. Please don't.

*Sunday evenings are the most depressing night of the week.

*Washington is so stinking beautiful...but I wish the snow would melt so I could do the cool hikes.

*I got my first speeding ticket in Greenwater. Dangit.

*I'd eat more melon if they were all in the shape of bite sized balls.

*I'm glad I took Chinook Pass home - it's so beautiful! But driving thru Enumclaw, Buckley and Bonney Lake stress me out beyond belief. I have strong and good reason to believe that at least 30% of the population here drinks and drives.

*And on that note. If you're going to drive please have insurance. If you're going to hit someone with your vehicle then especially have insurance. Opening my mail today when I got home was a bad idea.

*And to summarize it all: Alan the Ogre *REALLY* needs to wash my car now. All the bug guts will be patient and waiting. Scrub Scrub.