Island Geo Cache.

[George-CT]

Well, with the temps being in the teens I went after that island cache again today. Really sunny, but cold. I hiked out to the island and searched all over it at where I though it would be. I had the GPS with me, but heck who needs it. The island is small enough should be easy. WRONG on my part. After a good search of every tree on it from the hint, nada. Back car. Hey lets check out the GPS and see if I can pin point it, perhaps its been there to long as it has not been found since last October. Up comes the GPS, 11 birds I might add, so this will be dead on. Hmmmm, it says its over the other way. Compass must need to be calibrated so I do that, 2 turns around in calibrate mode and all set. It still over this way... I follow it to other side of the point I'm on and low and behold, there is another island I never notice. But, there is water all around it. Its the only section in the lake where the water runs around both sides of this island fast enough to keep it ice free. Even though I call it a lake, its really a large moving river that is behind a dam used for flood control. So that cache is out of reach until I can get my canoe in the water. But I enjoyed the walk, found a island I never noticed before and the cache is pretty much out of reach for anyone. Next week, I'll set my sites on caches along the coastline where its snow and ice free right now.

I grabbed a quick shot of the island I did get to. I was trying to do this with out the GPS and though sure this was the right island.

Geo-CT

 

[Ron J]

n/t

 

[Larry (IL)]

That is one hobby that I haven't tried.....yet.

 

[VT Dave]

n/t

 

[George-CT]

detecting it opens up lots of new areas to hunt. You will find sites locally that you may have never found. Sure good exercise. If you get interested, long on to http://www.geocaching.com and type in your zip code. Then look at whats next to you and you keep keep gong out just jumping from page to page.... Some you may be able to find without a GPS if it sounds familiar. Then again, that didn't work for me yesterday...

Geo-CT

 

[George-CT]

It seemed in my work world, no matter how fast you went, they always wanted it yesterday, or hurry and get the steel up, and get rid of the crane.= saved $$$$$..... Then you man handle the small stuff for 2 weeks. This retirement pace took some getting used to, but I think I got the hang of it now.

Geo

 

[Larry (IL)]

How interesting George. I typed in my zip and got 820 hits. You were right about detecting ideas, some of the cache hunts take you through historic tours of the county and other places of historic interests. I have a MD'ing hunting buddy who is big on this when not hunting coins, arrowheads and the like. He is the kind of guy who only uses the the shelter of a home to sleep in and prefers the great outdoors. I'll have to give that a try.

 

[George-CT]

or something to do with fishing. Lot of trout, bass and pike here. Nice park and about 2 miles from me. They say one of the most under used state parks in the state. Locals use it for hiking, caches, fishing, cross country skying, boating. We get RC boat racers and planes in the the summer there. Nice place. The lake was and old farm way back when, then they built the dam and put it all underwater.

Geo

 

[Wayne in BC]

did you wear skis or pull a toboggan? I guess i did way to many dumb things on ice when i was younger and still grateful to be here

 

[George-CT]

mounted with big gas driven ice drills. I'm used to them so never took a picture. My wife was back at the car and was asking why I didn't take pictures of them... Stupidity on my part as there was this older couple on a huge 4 wheeled bike pedaling all over with a sled in tow. I'll try and get there tomorrow for pictures. Its old ice so had alot of air in it from snows etc. New ice is usually clear there and a lot stronger. Thats actually a river so the ice gets big cracks in it as it drains daily so drops and cracks. You can see the ice slanted up along the shore. #3 rivers feed this area behind a big flood control dam.

Here is a shot of one of the 3 rivers that feed it from the old stone mill....

Geo

 

[Larry (IL)]

Gorgeous countryside!

 

[Wayne in BC]

n/t

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

n/t

 

[George-CT]

are out there. This was 2 weeks ago on a 1 week thaw. You can seem them towards the shoreline. I was on the other side of lake so used the zoom. These are the coves in this area. The main stream flow stays open most of the time and to me, at best is not safe to walk on. The coves like this will have 6 to 8 inches of ice.

Geo

 

[Sunny]

where to come back to now. Gosh, I'm kinda like Rob, that ice scares me! You be careful and let someone know where your GPS is taking you! Let us know what is in the cache!

 

[Sunny]

n/t

 

[Sunny]

to get it. Sometimes, I will just take a whole day, .....no phone, nothing, and do something I have wanted to do for a long time. I love not having to be anywhere at any particular time, because we deserve it! I had rather be 100% healthy enjoying this, but I can make do with what I have! The very thought of going to my office just gives me the creeps! I got tired being the boss, at least going to the office part each day. I still have a say in how our business is run, but I am loving doing this from home! Stay busy, I think that is the key!

 

[George-CT]

system for myself when out Geocaching. I usually go alone and like to go after the ones deep in the woods. I decided that no one would find me as I don't travel the obvious paths. That takes the fun out of it for me. I prefer to go cross country as the crow flys, and how the GPS points. So I go on Geocaching.com and as I go to each cache, I capture the URL. I make a list of all of them and leave them in an email. All they have to do is click on it and the cache comes up, with a map where it is etc. If my car is there, I'm out there somewhere between the car and the cache. I do take a cellphone also after my wife got on my case. I really don't like phones with me. The woods are my private time, but it makes her happy so I started doing it at least in the winter time when a night out could put you in trouble this time of year. You mentioned you had a GPS. Read some of the caches near your area and pick one that is only a short distance, usually they tell you if its a close one. Parking areas usually have them also or shopping areas. So are hidden pretty well in malls. The last one I found at one, they had a plastic like horse fence all around the mall. Looked like 4x4 post. I kept getting to where it should be but no sign of it. Finally I got real nosey and found I could lift off the cap on the post and there it was hanging on a string. It was a nylon match stick holder you buy in Wal-marts for a $1.00 water proof and all with a small log book in it. Pretty good hide. Those type you just get to sign the log book for proof you found it. Seldom anything in those, I prefer the normal size caches as I like tosee the goodies in them. I collect Key chains since I started this hobby and bring some to trade. I'm getting quite a collection of those. The best part is the walk out, and finding the hidden cache.

Geo-CT

 

[George-CT]

n/t

 

[Sunny]

have a cell phone too, but if I am busy, at least it tells me who is calling and I decide if I want to use it or not. I can see why your wife wants you to have one. I should have known you were taking care of yourself. I may try the geocaching thing real soon. It sounds fun. I think I will try my zip code and just see what is around me. Trouble is, we got a NEW zipcode the latter part of last year. I may have to use the old one too. I'll let your know what I find out!