Play "Around" and This is Vermont: Isle La Motte
There is a cluster of geocaches near Swanton that we hadn't tried yet so that seemed as good as place as any to start. On our way there we stopped just north of Isle La Motte in search of the Play "Around" cache. This cache's clever name is due to the fact that it is set not far from a golf course. The parking was very close to the lake and the wind was causing the waves to crash into the shore.
I ventured out solo, the wind would be too much for our little adventurers. Fortunately it didn't take long for me to the find the cache. Colette is holding the cache in the photo because we forgot to snap a picture of it the first time and this was our return visit; I was determined to get pictures of our finds! Not surprisingly there were several golf balls which we traded for one of. We decided to leave the second geocoin we found since it was such a great spot and we had promised that it would be going to Vermont.
Just down the street from the first cache is This is Vermont: Isle La Motte. The "This is Vermont" series is an attempt to bring caches to each town in Vermont. Each of the caches have information about the location they are set in. The spot where this cache is located is a memorial and would be a great spot to visit in better weather. Both Colette and I took turns searching over the course of 20 minutes but were unable to find it. On the plus side we got some really cool pictures. The lake/wind combination was cold enough to leave ice on the shoreline!
After our Isle La Motte sidetrack we headed toward Swanton. We passed by several caches in Alburgh that run along a trail (not the recreation trail from the previous posts) and the wind was just too much for the kids. Fortunately the bridge leading out of Alburgh shielded us from the wind enough that we could make a second attempt at Fishing Frenzy. Armed with the knowledge I had gained by actually reading the log entry, Colette sat with the kids on the pier and I made my way into the rocks around the base of the bridge. By shear luck I found the cache, which was very well hidden using magnets. Colette signed the log and I returned the micro to it's proper place. I can safely say one of my favorite things is finding a cache we missed before!
Both Colette and myself are fans of caches that have a theme. So it was only natural that we worked on the first two Lest We Forget caches. As I mentioned before, the caches are dedicated to those who came before us. To show respect to people who may not have a place in history, but affected our lives today. Like the the third, both of these caches are micros that are hidden near a cemetery. We got to where the GPS pointed us for the first cache and I had to do some creative parking so that Colette could try and find it. The road that the graveyard is on has no shoulders and deep ditches. After a few moments I noticed an entrance to the field that was behind the cemetery and did a little off-roading to get to where we needed to be. Suffice to say my muddy Baja adventure took longer than it took Colette to locate the well placed micro. She signed the log and ran back to the car.
I decided to try for the second cache. The cemetery where this cache was located is a very large and well maintained one. Unfortunately I didn't pay attention to where Colette had found the previous cache, so it took me longer to figure out where this one was. But ultimately I did find it and signed it's little log book.
These were two fairly quick micros. During our stop and search for the first cache Colette tried to find it but was unable. As she was returning to the car two teenage boys road up on bicycles and stopped right next to where I was sure the cache was located. I watched as one pulled something small and black out of his pocket, quickly check it, then return it. I thought maybe they were geocaching as well, but this was not the case. Neither of them had any idea what I was talking about, but did offer some insight into popular sightseeing locations. After we parted ways I quickly snatched up the cache and signed it.
The next stop resulted in another quick find. Co mentioned reading that others found it quickly during the winter. I figured it you could find it in snow it must be an odd color. As soon as I looked forward I spotted the small micro in a tree knot. Colette signed it and we continued our quest.
As we moved into Swanton we followed the GPS to a small park/boat launch by the river that runs through it. Colette and I were discussing the large amount of broken trees and driftwood that was blocking the launch when I noticed what turned out to be what was left of a deer. As a result the kids were once again forced to stay inside the car while one of us ventured out in search of the cache. This was very unfortunate, as the surrounding houses and trees cut the wind down to almost nothing. The path that lead to the cache was also very nice. I Signed the log and we swapped a monster with a little pink character. Colette and I both commented that we would like to visit this place again in the summer, hopefully sans-decaying wild life!
Part two of todays adventure will be available soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment