Caching Port Alberni

For me Port Alberni, BC is an untouched oasis of caching.  Yes I have found caches there but I swear they are being published faster than I can find them.. However I have the advantage of a place to stay so any trip to PA is a bonus for me.  I take advantage when I can and get some good visiting and caching in.

Case in point is this previous weekend.  The_Pollywog & I headed out mid-morning and got into PA just after 12 noon.  We did some mystery caches on the Rogers Creek Trail from the parking area on the Port Alberni Highway.  I had been here before and finished up a few that I still needed in the area while the WOG managed to catch up to me in that area.  The next time I/we will access the area from another spot and hopefully get the rest.  Burde Street access is another good spot to access these trails from.  I finally got a good map of the trails. 

We managed to work our way to my friends

The next day we again attempted to get a good start to the day but came up empty on a few.  We ran into cachers from our area at one cache and gave them some hints on ones we had found but they didn't.  We then went to an event "aDIOS" to wish a  great Port Alberni caching team good luck in their new home.  We are definitely going to miss them and their particular brand of evil caches.

Afterwards we teamed up with two teams from our area and proceeded to find a puzzle and some traditionals on the the same trail. The multi was a puzzle cache called CHIMERA.  This cache was worthy of the puzzle type.  I won't give it away but I suggest everyone that visits PA to go do it.  There were some issues but the CO's will be fixing them.  Basically just maintenance.  Afterwards we grabbed a few more and then headed home.  We stopped and found an unpublished cache in Cathedral Grove that was one of 16 placed for the event.  See what I mean?  Just cannot catch up....

Shame the dumpers

My new project is to stop the dumping on our logging roads.  I have started a group in Facebook to expose the dumping.  Please join and add your photos, comments, etc.  

http://www.facebook.com/groups/145684335532120/

SNOW!!

Snow has arrived in Campbell River.  Was out working the other night and got caught in it and never even made it home!!  Good things I have other options.  

As for geocaching, it definitely puts a crimp in the whole thing.  However, we did manage to make it out yesterday for a few and a great walk in the snow with the JR's.  They thought that it was the cat's meow. something about snow really makes them happy and full of energy.  Not like they never had that before but there is a noticeable change that I cannot quite put my finger on.

 

Caching in the snow was great.  The finds were easy enough  but I fear we gave away the hidey hole with our footprints alone.  Never fear!!  There was a small overnight snowfall that would cover them right up!!

November caching

Well the days are getting shorter and the weather is no longer reliable.  Any caching to be done is opportunistic.  And with that note it was a fine day when cacher_lou and I set off to bike the Snowden Demonstrations Forest on November 1.  We spent about 4 - 5 hours doing the Lost Lake/Upper and Lower Lost Frog Loop while he amassed 41caches for the day  30 of them on the trail alone. The days was perfect for riding.  Cool enough not to overheat but not so cool that stopping gave us chills. 




The next day we were on a hunt for the FTF on a earthcache.  We noted that it had not yet been logged before we started out.  There were several caches along the way and beyond for cacher_lou to find and I did not mind the drive and it is always nice to share the Strathcona Park/Buttle Lake area.  The earthcache in question was Karst Creek Earthcache  GC36VNQ

I have been to this area several times and always enjoy returning.  There is another cache close by that is a 2002 hide and has just recently been adopted by another cacher .

When we first walked up to the cache site  Buttle Lake had only small ripples on the surface but during our walk we noticed that in the trees the wind was picking up so we did not tarry as branches were starting to fall.  When we returned to the parking area there were white caps on the lake.  So off we went to Myra Falls to  grab the remainer of the caches out there.  On the way back we stopped at Ralph River Campground and because the gate was locked we managed to wear the dogs out a little bit more.  After leaving there the rain had started so we called it a day and noticed on the drive back to Campbell River that there was wet snow in the rain. 

Yes opportunistic is right.  And timing can be everything. 

A couple of FTF's make the drive worthwhile

Was just heading out the door to take the JR's for a short walk when I get notification that there were some new caches.  I quickly hook up the Garmin and download two caches up in the Buttle Lake area of Strathcona Park in my old hiding grounds.  Turns out both of them are more or less right were I shut down a couple of park caches this spring. One of them is hidden in exactly the same spot.  Oh yeah, a drive, two FTF's and a lovely but short walk with the JR's.  I get home and go to log them and discover two more out in Ralph River.  Well, not going back out today but a general excuse for another rainy day drive and a walk under the trees.  So glad that another cacher has picked up the ball and started hiding in the Buttle Lake area  Great trails and scenery.

October, fall weather, and geocaches

Well October has arrived and so has the fall weather.  Looks like any chance of a mild fall or winter is out the window.  I finally gave in a turned on the heat.  The pets were starting to shiver.  Now that's not good.
Went for a walk yesterday and retreived/archived a couple more caches.  They were down an old road through a slash.  Happened by them the other day and lo and behold the road had been reopened so I thought I better check on them.  One of them was about 6 inches from being buried.  How did I miss that?
Well with all this cache maintenance and archival I have turned my eye towards another area and the awesome trails on them.  I will have a partner in crime and have some interesting thoughts.  One of them may require a change of clothes after doing the cache.   mwahahahahaha

Thoughts & opinions (rant) for Sept 30 2011

There is a lot of debate regarding the recent roadside cache ban that is in effect until
Groundspeak & the MOT here in BC can get some sort of agreement in place. Everyone is getting really antsy over it and I can see in the forums that the reviewers are doing what they can. 
I think that most of us forget that we must use common sense when hiding a geocache and that some areas are perceived to be dangerous to ourselves as well as others.  Highways are not always the best spot.  I personally think that if you are hiding on a highway a good pullout is required.  Not a 4 foot shoulder but an actual pullout, rest area, road, etc. 
Now these new temporary measures might spawn some caches illegally placed just because.  That is not going to do any of us any good.  All it will do is show that geocachers have no regard for the guidelines, the law, etc.  It makes all of us look bad. 
Here on Vancouver Island I have seen so many illegal placements and not just ones on the highways.  For the most part I ignore them unless they are on a structure that will cause a problem such as a dam or a BC Park cache that does not follow the BC Parks Policy on geocaching. 
These policies have been painstakingly discussed and fought for and designed to cause as little environmental impact as possible but still allow us to hide and find caches.  The geocacher who ignores and thinks that it does not apply to him/her puts us all in the hotseat and has the potential to ruin it for all of us.
I am not saying that we should get out there and become cache police.  For the most part this hobby is self-policed and I still have hope that everyone thinks first and hides second.  

Archiving a cache is sad

Well this cache has not been found for over a year so I decided that maybe it needs to be freshened up or removed..hopefully someone else will get out there and place one.  (Not on the highway guys!!)
I decided to head out to http://coord.info/GC176AY this morning to take the JR`s for a walk.  I knew that the logging company had closed the trestle and put a gate at each end.  Even let T-Bone off the leash because I knew she couldn't go very far on this road/walk. 
Was a great morning for the walk.  Was still warm out, and no wind.  Nice quiet day now that most of the campers have departed from the lakeside. 

It didn't take long to walk across and remove the stages and final.  The second stage was not hanging up but almost buried in the debris below the hook.  Had to dig it out.   Well I guess after a year anything is possible.  The last cacher DNF'ed this cache and I still don't know why.  It was a pretty straightforward multi with a magnetic key case on the railing, a bison tube in a post and the final in between them both in a post as well.

 

Another November Storm in September

Wow..the wind is howling and gusting.  Sounds and feels like the roof is going to come right off... hunkered down with JR's trying to ignore it but it is hoard.  would like to get out and get a walk in today but so windy and miserable...

Port alberni & the Geo-Cathlon

Never been to one of these before so have no idea what it is or how it works.  Just know that any day out of town doing something I enjoy is a good day.
Weather is rain & cold but going prepared.  50/60 theme so sorta dressed the part but with this weather I am  not getting to overboard.

Blowing up a storm

Well the wind is howling right now.  Feels like all the trees around me should come tumbling down.  I canot remember a September storm like this one.  Usually reserved for November. 
Good day to putter around the house.  I have been neglecting it for so long that I feel extremely guilty about it.  Not so guilty that I stop doing my regular activities to do housework though. 

Geocaching

The one thing that I love to do is geocache!!  I have over 3500 finds and 126 hides at this time.  I am an Earthcache Master, enjoy hiking and seeing new places.

Welcome to Toads & Roads

This is my new blog. Here I will try to maintain a sense of humor and fairness.  It might not always be possible but I will try, I really will.