whether the weather...

It had been almost ten days since we had been caching. The weather decided to take a turn for the worst. After having almost a week of 60 degree weather that weekend it snowed. The urge to find more caches was greater than our fear of the cold, so on March 26th we tried again!

Lest We Forget #3 Greenwoods
The first cache that popped up on our radar once we got to Vermont was part of mcgillz' Lest We Forget series. His purpose behind them was to show respect to those that came before us, regardless of how famous they were. #3 is located in a very rural area on a small stretch of road with just a few houses on it. The ride there was very nice and scenic.

Colette decided that this time she would be brave and venture into the cemetery that this cache called home. After a few minutes of looking she found the micro, signed it, and ran back to the car to get away from the cold. Unfortunately for her she neglected to get a picture of her find, so I had her march back out there and get it again!

Hill Top Monument
After facing the cold coming from the lake we thought it best to avoid caching for today and find a place for the kids to enjoy themselves. One of the McDonalds in Plattsburgh has an indoor playroom so made our way toward there for some fun and lunch. Colette felt bad about our short time caching today so she found one that was on the way to McDonalds. Hill Top Monument is named as such because it is hidden in a monument that is on a hill. This is another monument places by scouts, as was the cache.

After reading the logs for the cache we found that the coordinates were a bit off. The coordinates lead you right to the monument itself, where the cache is not located. Since Colette had found a cache in a stone wall before she decided to start looking there. I checked the nearby bushes for rock formations, but there were none to be found. Then I noticed an area that would be perfect to hide a cache... bingo! Two caches for the day isn't too bad, onward to Micky D's. We enjoyed our lunches and the kids got to play with others in the playroom.

super dunk motel
Once the fun at McDs came to and end we headed home. Colette fired up the GPS one last time to grab a cache that was on the way out of the city. This little micro is called super dunk motel because it is situated between the Super 8 Motel and Dunkin Donuts. The hiding spot for this one was very similar to Right on Target so Colette made short work of it. Being that it was a micro there wasn't much room in the cache, but we were able to leave one of the coins that we found in Cumberland Head.

more cachers = more fun

March 17th was the second time we went geocaching. With the previous day's victories fresh in our minds we decided to take advantage of another fine day. This time my brother and my mother accompanied us! We started out later in the day this time, due to the fact that Colette had to work this morning. We had plenty of light left so we were off to adventure.

Right on Target
Our first cache of the day is situated next to Champlain Centre, just outside Target. Once you know that it's outside Target the cache's name makes more sense. This cache, like others before it, was a micro cache hiding in plain sight. To think that people drive by it all day long and no one even knows. Kudos to the cache owner! After a little bit of searching we came upon the cache. Colette signed the log and we made our way back to the cars.

Papa's Penny and Geocache
After a failed attempt to get near another cache in the city we decided to move away from the more traffic heavy areas and started toward Cumberland Head. During the trip there the GPSr starting chiming at us so we decided to see what was nearby. We soon discovered that there were two caches hidden near the Crete Center. This first of which was near a dog park that use to be a mini putt. The cache was named as such after the cache owner's grandfather's dog Penny. Fortunately for the kids there were several dogs enjoying the social time so they got to watch them run around. Once I read the log I relayed to everyone that we were looking for a nano cache. As you can imagine, nano caches are even smaller than micro caches. Once I got everyone looking in the proper area Colette was able to find this very, very tiny cache. She carefully unrolled the very tiny log and started to sign it while we all sat back amazed that she even saw it. Unfortunately I neglected to get a picture of the cache, but it was roughly the size of two, maybe three round cell batteries stacked on top of each other.

The second of two caches we found here was situated at the end of the parking area outside the Crete Center. We put Zaiden in his stroller and started our walk toward it, still talking about the previous find. When we arrived at it's location Colette and I pulled out our patented "check there" move and she found it. Sadly, like one of the caches we had found the day before this one was water logged. The log itself was safe inside a zip lock bag, but most of the treasures were moist. As with the previous one we just signed the log and made sure to report our find later. During this process Zoey discovered some racquetballs in some nearby discarded materials, so she still got her treasure!

Battle Site
Onward to Cumberland Head! It had been quite a while since I have been this way and I had forgotten how beautiful the area was!

Our next stop was at a memorial for Colonel McDonough that was made by an Eagle Scout Troop. The cache was also put there by scouts. All of our family members were searching the small park for the cache, but ultimately I found it. It was a very nice cache that seem to be well maintained. This was the first time we encountered a geocoin! Geocoins are coins that come in various sizes and styles and each have a unique number. You can use this number to track it's movements from cache to cache at the geocaching website. This particular coin had traveled all over Quebec before making its way to New York.

Old Fort Road

Our last stop of the night was on the other side of Cumberland Head. This cache is named Old Fort Road due to the fact that it's rests not far from the remains of a fort that was used during the War of 1812. Fortunately for the gentlemen stationed there the fort never saw any action. From the road you can't tell that there use to be a fort there! The road we stopped on was busy so Colette stayed in the car with the kids while my mother, brother and myself went searching. I had barely mumbled "it should be here" when my mother darted toward and uncovered the cache. This was the first time we encountered an ammo container cache. These, so far, are my favorite style of cache container. They're designed to be water proof so the contents are always dry, and there's plenty of room to hold larger trade items. As of this writing this is also the oldest cache that we've seen.

We discovered another geocoin from Canada that we traded a critter for, then we were off to dinner!

Stay tuned for more, newer adventures!

and so the adventure begins...

March 16th was the first time we went geocaching. For those who have been directed here or have stumbled upon it and do not know what geocaching is, please visit the geocaching website. There is a fantastic video on their main page that really makes sense of everything. On this excursion my brother Justin accompanied us.

Welcome to New York

Our very first cache find was titled Welcome to New York. It is called that because it is located on I89 in the New York welcoming center. This was our second attempt to find this cache. The first time we had tried to locate it we weren't very prepared. Fortunately for today the weather was fantastic and we had all day to search if we had to. Lucky for us it didn't take too long to find it. This was the largest cache we would see all day. As far as I can tell it is one of the larger containers that someone would use. Unfortunately we didn't have anything to leave behind, so we just signed the log book and put it back where we found it. We all got back into the car and enjoyed the high from our first find!

Sam's Choice

After stopping to the local mall to get some lunch as well as some new footwear better suited to our new outdoor hobby I turned the GPS back on to find that we weren't too far from another cache! This cache is named Sam's Choice because it is located right nearby Sam's Club in Plattsburgh. When we got there Zaiden was sleeping so just Justin and myself went looking for this one. During our search was the first time that I thought to myself "where would I hide a container?". We had read the cache's log before leaving the car so we knew we were looking for a micro cache, which is typically only big enough to hold a log book. We both thoroughly looking around the area and I happened upon our first tiny find. I signed the log book and snapped a picture of Justin holding the cache and we were on our way to the next location.

Last Chance

When we first set out this fine and fantastic day we decided that we would focus on caching in Vermont rather than in New York. I'm not sure exactly why, but I think it might be because we had already tried to find a cache that is located on the bridge leading to Vermont. It may have also been that we don't know Vermont all that well and it would have been more of an adventure. Anyway, our next stop was at the rest stop that was opposite of the one that held Welcome to New York. This cache is titled Last Chance due to the fact that it is the last rest stop before you reach Canada. The cache was cleverly hidden, much farther away from the actual rest stop than the previous was. This was also the first time that we searched for an alternate way of getting closer to the cache, rather than attempting to bushwhack our way to it. After just a few minutes of searching Colette spotted it. Justin was sitting in the car with an unconscious Zaiden so Zoey accompanied us. This time we came prepared and were able to leave some stickers behind and take a super ball. While we were walking back to the car Zoey was shouting to her uncle Justin about her new found treasure.

8 of Hearts and Pheonix

These two caches were both located that the same rest stop on the Vermont side of the New York to Vermont bridge. Pheonix was the cache that we had attempted at an earlier date. 8 of Hearts was another micro cache and as soon as I saw where we were headed I knew exactly where to look. On our way to the second cache a car with two gentlemen parked not far where we suspected the cache would be located. I mentioned to Colette the notion of meeting more geocachers on our first day out. Unfortunately for us they were just regular fishermen, trying to take advantage of the gorgeous weather. After a few moments of searching under nearby rocks and holes in the side of the bridge area I pointed to an area that I thought looked suspicious. Colette searched the spot and sure enough that is where the cache was located. This would become sort of a theme as we spent more time caching. I typically am holding the GPSr and I point Colette in the right direction!

This is Vermont: Alburgh

This was a very cool cache. Not only was the log full of great information about Alburgh, it was also our first cache that was hidden in a cemetery! Colette decided that she was too weirded out by the notion of searching for a small, hidden box in the last resting place of those who came before us, so she stayed in the car with the kids while Justin and I went searching.

I of course payed respects to the citizens of this fine and well maintained cemetery by reading headstones and audibly apologizing for any inconvenience as we enjoyed our hobby. This was the first cache that would ultimately result in Justin getting the nickname "The Treeman". It was very well hidden and camouflaged but it was no match for his woodsman-like skill! I had to venture back to the car to get something to leave behind as well as a pen, from now on we'd make sure to avoid delays like that!

3 Toed Slimey Monster

This is a tale of preparation. This is also a tale of potential failure, but with perseverance, one can ultimately take a bad situation and turn it into a good one. We came upon this cache after attempting to find another cache. The cache we were after is known as a multicache. We didn't know then that a multicache is named that because it typically contains multiple stages or locations that are all part of the same cache. The cache we had followed was located on the Alburgh Recreational Rail Trail, so named because it was located on a path that use to be a train track. Along this beautiful and well made trail there are remains of the past which were part of the multicache. Unfortunately for us the trail is 3.5 miles long. Our day was going quite well, so we didn't let it get use down. We decided to continue and enjoy at least part of the trail, all the while taking pictures of the area. 

When we came to where the trail had to cross the road we decided to head back. But, wait a minute! What's this? Could it be another cache?! A cache that we just just passed on the trail to our current location! We started back and not too far came upon the location of our next geocaching success! The cache had seen better days, it's lid was missing and some of the contents has gotten wet. We decided to sign the log (which was in a zip lock bag) and not take or leave anything. Later that night we alerted the cache owner that it was in need of some maintenance. 

Fishing Frenzy

After finally getting back to the car we decided that it was getting late and we were all hungry. As a result we decided to visit St Albans and enjoy the Pizza Hut located there. During our drive to St Albans our GPSr was chiming every so often as it came within distance of more caches. This went on for a few more minutes until the temptation for another find was just too great. We stopped just after the bridge between Alburgh and Swanton and decided to try for the cached named Fishing Frenzy. It was called that because it is located on what was left of the previous bridge. This short pier-like remains would be a great fishing spot. Colette and I searched for about 10 minutes but were unable to find the cache. We swore that one day we would return when the light was greater and find it. Also, I later found out that had we read the log for the cache we probably would have found it. Live and learn!

Grape Drape

Our last cache of the night was another cache located close to the road that lead to the interstate. This well places, convenient, but ultimately quick find is named as such because of the shape of the tree that it is hidden in. Once the Treeman made short work of the cache. We signed the log and were on our way to pizza delight!

Thanks for reading about our adventures! There's more to come very soon!

-Jeremy

first, a moment to apologize.

I apologize to anyone who had read our previous blog, the Adventures of Zoey and Zaiden. Colette and I had decided after a few days of discussing it that we didn't like the way the blog was presenting our stories. By showing our "kill shots" (picture of the actual cache) we were giving away possible spoilers to anyone that was interested in reading of our exploits but also may want to find the caches for themselves. We decided to instead put links to the actual kill shots and spice up the blog entries with pictures of the areas that we visit.

Unfortunately in my attempt to copy the blog to this new blog and adjust it for this new focus I deleted everything and have to start from scratch. Fortunately though I have tomorrow off and should have everything up to speed by tomorrow night.

Once again, sorry for any inconvenience and I hope you continue to enjoy our family's adventures!