One of the things I love about geocaching is finding all the historical sites and little places you would never explore on your own! Our first cache led us to a historical marker about Elkridge and in reading the description of the cache, it gave the story of why it was called Elkridge. Little things you never knew! The OLD tractor was cool to look at too!
There were a couple "muggles" (non-geocachers) sitting on a bench right behind the tractor--so here we are--trying to look inconspicuous searching all over this tractor for a small "something". I kept taking pictures and commenting on "how interesting" it was. As I was looking at how old the tractor was, I noticed the light switch and wondered what they used it for...when the "light went off" and I realized it was our cache! The box was magnetic and inside was our log to sign! Very creative!
We found the cutest little old historic town while driving to our next cache! I can't wait to go back and explore it--there were little stores and restaurants and SO MUCH HISTORY!! Cool! Which makes up for ANOTHER guard rail cache! I guess we are getting to be old pros at the caching--because we laugh about how many guard rails and light posts caches there are--C'mon people...use some creativity! But we made the quick cache-and-dash so that was fun!
Another cache...another piece of history! This cabin was built in 1790! The cache was a small pill bottle under the front steps. One of the things we love about caching is that people walk past these every day and don't notice them! A cache could be hidden anywhere!
STARVATION...we FINALLY found supper and drinks for everyone...after a couple of wrong turns while following the GPS (we can find a film canister in the woods...but not a pizza place in a shopping plaza???) and then more problems finding a place to picnic...we got to EAT! Yummy! Pizza, sodas and for dessert...sugar cookies with patriotic sprinkles (which we then ended having a sprinkle fight with after dinner...*sigh*...will the mother ever grow up and not start these things??)
After supper...we decided to hit a couple more caches even though darkness was looming. We follow the GPS directions through a housing area and start going around the traffic circle...again...and again...and again. We are laughing that the guy on the bike probably is wondering by this time...until we see him start looking behind reflectors and in the trees. What? Another geocacher! We work together for a bit until he starts laughing and offers to trade the location of the cache for a wet wipe so his sticky hands don't stick to his bike levers. The cache is hidden down a hole concealed as a grate on the ground--you lift the grate up and there is the big container! Clever!
Off to one more cache...that's how it always goes...one more...then one more...then one more! This one is behind a bunch of businesses...we search under the picnic table, the electrical boxes (all those suspicious looking things that the security guard on the camera is probably laughing at us for) and finally UNDER the stairs, steven comes up with the cache! Another find for ZooCrew!
We have decided it is easier to cache at night with a real flashlight, however, instead of the lights on our cellphones! Kimmy is trying to convince me to buy the big floodlight at walmart--but she is going to have to be happy with the flashlight I bought for the kids to take to camp *grin* (The big flashlight would REALLY call attention to ourselves afterall! Explain that one when the cops come!)
On the way home, the kids were playing with the fireworks glasses. Stevie had picked up a cool spinning flashlight thingy as swag (stuff-we-all-get) at one of the caches (you can pick up an item if you leave an item) and wanted to see how it looked with the glasses. Of course the kids were oooohing and aaaaahing over the car lights and street lights...so dad had to try it out. (now kids...don't try this at home *grin*) I think next time we will ask the driver to please refrain from all vision-impairing activities!
On the way home, we made one last stop to drop a travel bug we had picked up at a cache called a "travel bug hotel". A travel bug is a trackable item that you log the number listed on it on a website and can see where all it goes. It's an honor system--but geocachers are pretty cool people! We have picked up several bugs...and sent them on their way elsewhere. Right now our own family travel bug has left Maryland and is in Ohio! It is a lot of fun to watch where it goes! As soon as I get some more ordered, we'll have to send some more out...who knows where they will end up!
Off to one more cache...that's how it always goes...one more...then one more...then one more! This one is behind a bunch of businesses...we search under the picnic table, the electrical boxes (all those suspicious looking things that the security guard on the camera is probably laughing at us for) and finally UNDER the stairs, steven comes up with the cache! Another find for ZooCrew!
We have decided it is easier to cache at night with a real flashlight, however, instead of the lights on our cellphones! Kimmy is trying to convince me to buy the big floodlight at walmart--but she is going to have to be happy with the flashlight I bought for the kids to take to camp *grin* (The big flashlight would REALLY call attention to ourselves afterall! Explain that one when the cops come!)
On the way home, the kids were playing with the fireworks glasses. Stevie had picked up a cool spinning flashlight thingy as swag (stuff-we-all-get) at one of the caches (you can pick up an item if you leave an item) and wanted to see how it looked with the glasses. Of course the kids were oooohing and aaaaahing over the car lights and street lights...so dad had to try it out. (now kids...don't try this at home *grin*) I think next time we will ask the driver to please refrain from all vision-impairing activities!
On the way home, we made one last stop to drop a travel bug we had picked up at a cache called a "travel bug hotel". A travel bug is a trackable item that you log the number listed on it on a website and can see where all it goes. It's an honor system--but geocachers are pretty cool people! We have picked up several bugs...and sent them on their way elsewhere. Right now our own family travel bug has left Maryland and is in Ohio! It is a lot of fun to watch where it goes! As soon as I get some more ordered, we'll have to send some more out...who knows where they will end up!
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