Caching Frenzy!

Dec 8th 2007 , 7 yrs of Wedded Bliss....and A Caching Frenzy.
We set out early in the am because we had to head down to The Hamlet Know as Frostproof. for the next TTT..
We found it with out a problem there was only one Cache at this leg of the TTT.
so we decided the night before that we would do a few other Local Frostproof Caches and then head to the Crooked lake Praire , which is the TTT for January as it would be on our way home from Frostproof.
Upon arival at this nice location we stocked our selfs with some H2o, Garmins and some swag, and off we went...The very Fisrt find there was a Travel Bug so we grabbed it . on to the rest there were 6 in all in the crooked lake praire.The main reason for doing this one was so that we could get our log books stamped and would 'nt have to worry about coming back down that way for a little while ( june is SUMICA) well would'nt ya know we ( ME IT WAS ME!!!) forgot our log books ...we will have to make the trip in January after all and get our books stamped.
The area was beautiful with Great views and some pretty neat plants and a few sand skinks here and there.
Some people will go to any lengths to get to a cache!

While others just sit and give orders...


After Crookerd Lake we went and found a few more here and there including another Caches for the TTT in Lake Wales, got our books stamped and we were on our way
all in all we gathered 15 Caches plus one EarthCache.. so we needed some Grub so off to a Little Fish Camp Called Cherry Pockets that sits right on Lake Pierce..we had some yummy grub and some good conversation. and then we parted ways...until the next Cache Run!

Green Swamp??

This past Sunday ( because we did'nt make it out on Saturday) we met up with our cacheing troop and headed to the Green Swamp.
I was thinking it would be a nice walk , with swamp marshes near ...They must of all dried up , because I did not see to much "swamp" at all...
It was a 5 mile Hike or walk round trip , we found some intersting Caches and Hiding spots . The most unique one was the "Bus Stop"

And Believe or not the women and children found this with the help of a Garmin ..No men! ( of course we went around in a circle in the woods for about 15 minutes).
The "trail" was all "chewed up" and hard to walk at certain points.
but enjoyable...
From what i understand ( from other Cachers) the "Bus Stop" use to be a "homestead"
as evidenced by a old refrig and stove inside one of the buses...Creepy because it was way back in the woods...
We made it out safe!

Last Time I checked

Our Caching buddies were ahead of us by 22 caches ...Dang they are Machines!...
Any how we have'nt been out for a while Caching, with the Holiday and all we just did'nt have the time ...
We plan on going out This Saturday with our caching buddies...to do another Leg of the TTT we should get about 10 there....but its not about the numbers its about the adventure....
So Marc has decided he is going to jump in and Hide a Cache the first of we hope of Many...the trouble is finding a good spot..He found one that is "ok" but its not Travled very much ( actually i doubt very many People know its there) I think for our First it should be hidden where others are so we get some Traffic, but you can't tell MEN anything !!!!...
so we shall see....
Next Weekend we celebrate 7 yrs of Wedded Bliss!

Back on Track

Well after a mini hiatus we started back on Track last week and Kicking it in High geer this weekend, First we started on saturday with the Second leg of the Trek Ten Trails in Polk County, we met up with our caching buddies 4luv2fish. as we meander through the Lake Highland Scrub we enjoyed all the scenery, we found every cache that was hidden. Some very interesting hides i might add.
So Off to home we went, got some nice rest and started Early on sunday with our friends again, this time they came out our way to find a few that we had already found , after a quick retrieval we went in further to the Preserve to find the one we had'nt found yet, and boy what a great find it was , well worth the wait the weather was Picture Perfect.

Biking the Trail

We decided to bike the Trail yestererday, and although going was easy coming back was not, Travis had to be "towed" behind Marc on the way back.. To Pooped to Pedel Anymore..
We found 5 Caches with out Cachering Buddies 4luv2fish.
there were Two that were DNF's .
it was an adventure in its self trying to stay out of the Spiders way, and Not step in the millions of ant piles around , we all Managed to get a few ant bites on our Feet...
We have some battle wounds , but its all about the KACHE!
After we were done we went to the 4 that love to Fish's House afor a FISH FRY! YUMMY!
then onto Cypress Gardens for some of the Halloween Festivities, Spooky!

FFF in the ONF

What a Fantastic Saturday, we got up bright and early to Make our Journey by Geo Truck to The ONF (Ocala National Forest) For the FFF (Floridas Finders Fest).

Upon Ariving we found Lots of Fellow Cachers Mulling about ,waiting for the Oficial Expalnation of the Race before we begin.


We of Course had to wait until 10:30 to start our leg of the "race" but the wait was well worth it, we got to check out some neat scenery , and even met a couple fellow cachers..


So when it was our time we hopped in the Trucks provided to take us to the Dumping grounds where we would start the race...what a bumpy ride!...


We took along our Sons Little Red Waggon incase the two yonger cachers got to tired..and really only one did and it was our little cacher...but he quikly learned we were'nt getting to far with him in the waggon , and decided to walk a bit and then ride a bit.


As we Made our way thru the ONF trail that was platted out by our Great host ,IceCreaMan we found cache after cache , and even found some bounus points..


we were not in it for the win but for the experience and the exercise.My Husband Marc, was the one that kept eveyone in check, "nope your to far over to the left, just a little bit further up" he would say, to find the Cache, Army Training, always the thinker.


So on our final leg of the race onto our last find, we were left in the DUST by the Leader of our Team.. he halled Butt out of the ONF and onto the "Last Find".


I guess all His Marine Training paid off on this one...


the whole team consisting of Marc, Amanda, Mike , Maryjo, Jennifer, And Zach and our two Junior Cachers Travis and Brandy made it back to the End point in just under 3 hours not bad for Newbies .


The Whole thing was a awesome Expeirence, i would not trade for the world ( except maybe better shoes) ..


We saw some intersting things along the way...


we were all pretty tired and stinky but well worth it

Beautiful Day for a Kache

Sunday Oct 14th we decided to attempt the Ft Fraser trail again, this time we struck gold, we found 3 of the about 14 left on the trail, again however there was still one that eluded us.. "DON'T POKE THE TROLL" this Cacher makes it very difficult for others to find..but thats ok we like the challenge!

Ten Trek Fort Fraser Trail

Well We Started yesterday at the Highland city Meet and Greet, we met a few Fellow Cachers and Got some Freebies and a few Walking sticks, and we were on our way. the first one took us about 1 mile down the trail, we found what we were looking for and quickly put it back, only to be mobbed by others seeking the same foutune...
Onto the next one, we decided to hop in our Geo mobiles and Drive to the Begining of the trail hopefully avoid other cachers, not that we don't like them it just seems to take the fun out of things when others are on your Bum looking for the same thing. We searched for about 10 minutes and Bingo we found it, only to be Muggled By the LAW, but we made a quick Cover and were outta there.
Then We decided to do one more about a mile further down the trail, HA what A JOKE We were every where , even under thre bridge trying to find the Troll for help he was 'nt home, and , after one hour we decided enough is enough!.. we have to go back and ge that one !... there area about 17 on this Part of the Ten Trek Tails so we have to go back so we can log them all !

Trek Ten Trails

Saturday Oct 6th 2007 , we will be heading out to Lakeland to start and join the Trek Ten Trails,
Its a Polk County Parks Program, Designed to get people out and off the couch , and to enjoy Nature.
And it has a added Benefit, there will be some Geocaching too boot...
Im very excited, as this is a great Kick off to our Geo Tracking Storm, in two weeks is the Big Florida Finders Fest In Ocala..so i Hope this will get us into some type of Shape for the Big one..
I will post about the Adventure on oct 6th

Im Lost

We haven't Been out Cache -ing in a while...
We Definitely need to get back in the swing of things, Because Oct 2oth is the Big Florida Finders Fest in Ocala, We are going as the POLK SIXX with two tag alongs.. should be Fun , we hope that the weather is nice , we are not going to win , we are going to have fun..

Don't forget to check

For TICKS..yeah thats right ,although this sport gets you outside and some much needing exercise.. you may come home with a Friend or two...
So do a Full Bod Tick check...every time your out in the woods!

Eco Walk

Yesterday , We took a trip to Crystal River, We visited with The In laws for a while then we took off on our Caching for the day trip we had a few "seekers" with us My Mother In law and Our Nephew..The first one we went to we found fast , however there were just to many Mugglers around , so we just enjoyed the view of The Springs and left with the intentions of coming back to that one when its less busy.
Onto the Next one , walking around a Creepy Grave yard ( no offence to the Inhabitants ) we found the cache , logged it and placed it back we took a stroll around the Yard and Read some of the Headstones some mighty old ones in there, and some unique ones also...
By this time the heat of the day was upon us , be we pushed on.
So we find our self's at the ECO WALK . and let me just say this is one HECK of a WALK, of course My Dear Hubby lead us the LONG way around ...even with the GPS.. whats the saying ?"The machine is only as smart as the user" so we razed him about it at the end.
All in All it was a nice day caching , I Appreciate all the Gifts that GOD has Given us , Even the Pesky Skeeters that keep us on our toes...
This Eco walk would of been better in the Fall ( Fall in Florida?) or even the Winter.. as it was VERY HOT and we all needed a nice cool shower...

Back For More

today we ( well Hubby) decided to go and TRY to find the ones from last weekend that had Eluded us.. and low and behold he found them....I was'nt much into the Adventure today , as the weather (97) today is a wee bit harsh to be Rumaging the the woods...so i stayed in the Geotruck and waited....
On to bigger and better things...
Next week...Nature Coast!

What a Bust!

Yesterday (9-1-07) we decided to some Cacheing On the other side of Town, so we took a ride to Auburndale, everytime i go to that little town i find something new i like about it...however it was a BUST for us a cacheing, But we did get to see some of the History in this old town thanks to the owner of some of the Caches...
However there was one that we went back to twice, and still no luck, we were begining to think that it was no longer there...we shall see......

So we were'nt the only ones

As i Blogged about it yesterday, the one that had us stumped x2 turns out it had others stumped, one of the teams actually found the Cache except it was pretty far off the Posted Coords...So They posted to the owner of the Cache to fix it ...so he did....and now we can go and try to find this one .. but we won;t be the FTF but that's OK i don;t like leaving things undone !

Not so good

Well, we started of gung ho today attempting to find 4 Caches..
The First of the 4 was a Brand New Placed one as of 8/25 and there was a pretty neat first finder gift so we wanted that !..but, it didn't want us...Marc Searched for about an hour and although the GPS had it locked at Zero .. he came up with a big FAT nothing....so on to bigger and better things....
Betty Sprinkle, somewhat of a famous person i gather , here in our little town of Kissimmee, we found her sitting on the park bench, and shortly there after we found the cache, bid our farewells to Lady Sprinkle and off we went .. to the Artsy Fartsy...This one has us riding around in circles...but we managed to find all of the clues , that would eventually lead us to the Cache.
When we arrived at the Cache intended spot we had to leave , there were to many Electric Mugglers near by.. so onto the next one...Once again leading us to the Lakefront, we were off on our merry way...Wait.. Mugglers again...so we just waited around in the 90 degree heat until they Muggs left...Again this one Has us stumped.. we searched for what seemed like a freaken eternity with all intentions of seeking this one because we were not going to go out empty handed again...Once again.. it got the best of us and we decided to leave it for another Hopefully cooler day....Off to Target we went......
Then The Non giver up in our Family MARC decided nope I'm going to try and go find that one "artsy fartsy " again...still Mugglers around...so off we went to try and find the first one we tried today.. i told Marc ill give you 20 minutes ( no way was i getting out it was to far into the woods with impending weather approaching) so about 15 minutes into the hunt i picked up the Geocell and told him ...Pick it up its starting to rain over here....out of the woods he came once again empty handed....I think this one will have us and many others Stumped for a while.....

The Lighthouse

While on Vacation last week, we decided to take a trip to Ponce Inlet Lighthouse,
One) because i love lighthouse's and, Two) because there were Plenty of Caches all around the grounds of the lighthouse.
Well, we went in looked around a little , Read a little History, then off into the woods, Taking looks behind us to make sure there were no Mugglers following...
So here we are in the middle of the woods ( what Florida calls the woods), Marc has a Lock on the GPS and i say " whats this called again "? and a voice from Behind says "Lighthouse look out" i turned around to find a Gentleman standing behind me with a Garmin around his Neck, I laughed and said "ahhh you must be looking for the same thing"...so the two Men worked side by side to find the Cache, once it was found ,logged and then placed back , we all got to chatting about this New Found Fun we had just discovered....
The Experience In its self is Awesome, but even better is the wonderful People you meet....

watch out for

The poison Ivy and oak..

Marc's Ankles are Torn up from either or...not fun...
they say venturing into the deep brush that in habits some of Central Florida can be Dangerous ...and very itchy

When i hear something rustling around in the brush ,im outta there ...i leave the rest behind ( except the 5 yr old ) and run for the Hills , or at least head to the way we came in....

Oh and Let me tell you the SIZE of these "Banana" spiders .. are nothing to shake a stick at...

So,

we have only done a handful of the Geo Caching thus far but , we are hooked....there are really some interesting finds..some that we would of never encountered had we not got into this ...

there is a truly unique one in Old KOW TOWN...

Our Family Fun

First Blog:
We discovered this fun and exciting thing to do recently , Geocaching, its fun for the whole family.
WE call it "Treasure Hunting" for our 5 yr old and he gets so excited...
I guess you could call it Hide and Seek with Strangers to.
Just think we are using Million Dollar Satellites, to find Tupper ware in the woods , who would of thunk that ?....
Happy Caching !