where the wind blows, new york edition

Our adventures on March 28th started early in the morning. The GPSs juice had run dry so we needed to stop home and recharge it. During this time we got some lunch and also picked up my brother, since we planned to do more caching once the GPS began cooperating again.

Wave to Grandpa and Grandma!
The first stop of our second time out today was in West Chazy. The cache's was called Wave to Grandpa and Grandma because the cache owner's grandparents lived across the river by the cache. Just as before the wind was blowing pretty hard so the kids and Colette stayed in the car while Justin and I went searching. I followed the GPS to the coordinates and we began looking. After ten minutes of searching and readjusting our location I noticed a block that seemed out of place. Lo and behold there was the cache, hiding under it. I signed the log, put it back, then we cut across the courtyard back to the car.

Bee Cottage at the Sign of the Frog
This stop resulted in a did not find. We pulled up right next to the garden that is suppose to be home to the cache and all took turns looking around. This was the first time that we had stopped to a cache that was on private property. The cache's description mentioned that the Bee Cottage is a bed and breakfast, but that it also was not open at the time that we stopped by. We decided to move on for now and come back when the place is actually open. I hope that caches being on private property are not a theme, it was very unsettling!

Forever Grateful 2
In Beekmantown, which is south of West Chazy, there is a memorial trail that was built by eagle scouts. On this trail there are plaques that offer information about various wars our country has been a part of. The intention of the trail is to pay respect to those that died or were assumed dead. The trail is beautiful and very well maintained and also leads to the Beekmantown Rec Park. The tree coverage there was also sufficient enough so that the kids could enjoy the trail as well. Oh! I almost forgot to mention, there's also a cache here! :) About half way through the trail the GPS had us enter the woods and Justin found the ammo canister cache. Inside we found our very first travel bug. Travel bugs are similar to geocoins in that they're tracked online. The difference though is that they are like dog tags that you attach to something important or interesting to you, like a toy or a souvenir. Some people give them missions or stories, to make them even more fun. The one that we got was a pig that we would later find out was named Mademoiselle COCHONNE which in english is Miss Piggy! We plan on helping her find her Kermie in due time!

IN BETWEEN (Tt-06)
This marks our third attempt to find this painfully cleverly hidden cache. Justin and I both took a look but we were unable to locate it, yet again. My GPS had a habit of bouncing around a lot near the buildings, which I believe made things even more difficult.

this weather blows, literally!

We planned the 28th to be a geocaching day earlier in the week. As with all plans we ran into a few snags. The first snag was that we (re: I) forgot to charge our various rechargeables, such as the cameras and especially the GPS. So we figured we would let them charge and get some breakfast. During the trip to and from breakfast we noticed they very strong winds. Not to be discouraged we continued on without hesitation. On this day we tried our luck with more caches in Vermont. 


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!

Fishing Frenzy

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!

Lest We Forget #1 and Lest We Forget #2

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.

50 States = 50 Micros - South Dakota and Missisquoi River Cache II

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.

Missisquoi River Cache

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!

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!