Muddy Logs

954

A Muddy Day

Another few under our belts this week. Accompanied by very occasional cacher Ashman-BMX we decided to go for a pretty new series,  Whissendine Wanders by Crafty Foxes. A nice series of 15 + bonus we planned to do it at the weekend when Ashman was free from work commitments. When we decided to do the series I contacted a previous finder to see whether the series could be done by bike or not.

Although the attributes didn't show bikes and the person I contacted said that some of it would be difficult we decided to go for it anyway. When we planned it we hadn't had the amount of rain that we then saw. Needless to say on Saturday when we reached the parking spot and looked at what was ahead we saw a field of mud ahead. Not one to balk at a challenge we were soon on the bikes and set off. We didn't get far before we were off the bikes again, they were so clogged with thick gooey mud that the wheels seized completely and we spent a good ten minutes clearing them before setting off again.

Still not giving in we carried on, stopping every few minutes to de clog the bikes. It made for a really enjoyable, if dirty day out.

Wemnog and some muddy bikes

Halfway round and still with loads to find we decided that it may be better to leave the rest for another day and do some drive bys. As we arrived at the end of a particularly muddy part and reached the road we spotted a couple of familiar faces sat in their car having a cuppa.

We headed over and had a natter with seasoned cacher darrach. It turns out that they had done the rest of the series apart from this one cache which we were about to look for. They had had a fruitless search for it a little while before and decided to stop for a cuppa before looking again. Joining forces the five of us continued to look and eventually Wemnog came up trumps and found the cache, some 40 feet away from the listed coords. This was the only cache in the whole series where the coords were out.

After signing the log and heading off to find a few more of the series that were on the road darrach caught us up again whilst we were waiting for a train to pass.

darrach at the level crossing

Although we didn't complete the series in one go it is one that I would recommend if you want a good walk (or cycle) and we will certainly be completing it in the not too distant future.

The bike rides the rider!!

We finished off the day with doing another couple of the Crafy Foxes drive by caches followed by a couple of the great little ongoing series by Treecrabs. The CKTV series is one that takes people back to their childhood days of TV watching. We have only done a couple of them, but heard good reports about all the whole lot.


Entertaining Logs

It's always fun to see logs coming in on your caches, or on those caches that you have been watching. The following log was neither, but one that was mentioned on Facebook. I reproduce it here with kind permission of the author who had been out to find a night cache.

"This has to be my most dramatic DNF ever!!



I am thinking of setting up a night cache myself, and as I was researching I noticed these two only 20mins away! It was only 9pm and I don't have to get up tomorrow so I set off.


My torch was not the best and so I found a couple of the reflectors difficult to find but I was ambling through and enjoying a night walk, listening to a couple of owls.


I had read the description carefully and was aware that there was open water around so I was being careful. I got up to a certain point and could not see the next reflector. I walked down the obvious path but didn't pick it up so went back. To the left, down a curb was what looked like a newly paved cycle path, with the sparkly bits reflecting in the moonlight. 'Maybe it take you down the cycle route a little way?' I thought. So I had thought I heard people walking along under the bridge close by, so didn't questions it. As I stepped off the small curb on the beautofully sparkly newly paved cycle path, my foot went through it. It was too late to pull back and I fell full into the canal!! I think it was covered in a weed, and it was so still, it looked solid!!


Maybe I am a lightweight cacher, but I did not continue, I emptied my wellies and headed back to the car, dripping as I went, and rushed home for a shower.


I read the warnings to be careful, and I thought I was, so this is totally my fault and I do not write this as a complaint, rather for my own catharsis and as a story to share!!


Sadly my smartphone/gps reader and my head torch are no longer working :(


update- 28/10/11 - After sitting in a bowl of lentils (I didn't have any rice) in the airring cupboard for the last three days, I tried turning on my phone and it worked!!!!! Will head back for the cache soon."

This log had a few people chuckling when it was pointed out to people. Again, I have to say thanks to the author for letting me copy it here.

Interview With A Cacher

Another in the occasional series now where a geocacher answers a few questions about their caching career. This time Team Blid435

How long have you been caching for?  Since November 2009.

How did you get in to geocaching? Through a Geocaching friend.


Favourite type of cache? Any, except puzzle caches, I'm not too good at those. Not good at caches that involve walking or climbing due to health problems.

Series or single caches? Either, but prefer drive bys due to reasons above.

Your favourite find? One of my favourites has got to be Schrödinger’s Ghostly Wormhole Paradox GC2HJYV.which I found with Rob and Ian 2Anchors and Jeff Jat2010. Very glad to have been supported by a great crew and doubly glad to have taken the risk to do it.
Fair weather or any weather? I do prefer decent weather, but have done a few in rain and snow.

Your very first find? Harry's Cache-The Quarries GC1EXVG.

On your own or with someone else? With Susie my faithful Geo-Westie.


Furthest cache from home? Platja de Ses Salines, Ibiza GC34J59. This one was extra special as I was FTF even though the app on my phone failed as I was about 100 metres from GZ so had to rely on my geocaching senses.

Favourite bit of advice for other cachers? Just get out there and enjoy yourself. It doesn't matter if you find one cache or several, just enjoy being out and about and finding places you never knew existed or that you wouldn't have visited if it hadn't been for geocaching.

What’s in your caching bag? Two or three pencils, pens, plastic bags, a multi tool, a couple of extendable magnetic probes, various items for swapping, a few spare log books of different sizes,a small torch, a UV light, a note book, camera, and a couple of medical items for emergencies, and my GAGBGeocoin which is dipped into each cache I find as a form of mileage checker.


Any cache that you have heard about that you really want to find? Not really I just take each cache as it comes.There are a few I would have liked to have done but again due too health restrictions have been rejected.

Thanks John

Piratemania V

Piratemania V has recently been published. As mentioned before this has already has Mega status for next year. This is a very friendly event and well worth a visit, even if it is just for the day. Along with the North West Mega up in Cartmel next year is going to be a good one for UK and overseas cachers. If anyone wants to know about a decent campsite up in the Lakes for the Mega let me know and I can tell you about a hidden gem that my man and me have used for years.



Piratemania V

Lastly for this week, the new Facebook page GeM is getting a good response and a healthy membership with some really interesting stuff being posted. If you want to join let me know and I can give you more details.

Not sure what we are up to later in the week, we have seen a few boat only caches that we may go for, though we have also been told about a few green lane caches that may just tempt us even more.

Have a good week.