Curb Your Addiction (GC16A5Q)

So Julie asked me to go to the store to pickup a few things. I ask her to double check to make sure she has everything... I figured as long as I was here I would try to find this cache. I really wanted to reach 50 finds. I walked by the cache and thought I knew where it was but I thought I needed my magnet tool to get it so I figured I it would have to wait for another day.

I get home and sure enough she forgot the eggs, back to the store I go. This time with my magnet tool. There was a car parked in the spot with a Dad and kids waiting in the car so I figured I would hit it on the way out. I looked in the spot I thought and no luck. I almost gave up but I looked again and found it.

Great cammo I am very impressed.

--Tom

The Bum's Pants (GC1GMXN)

Jchaager and his kids had already found this one but since it was just a short walk from the previous cache we decided to go. Plus it's right by the river and the kids like the water.

This was an easy find once we convinced the kids to find the cache and not throw rocks into the river.

I dropped off the Spread the Holiday Cheer geocoin.

After we found the cache we had to cross a little bridge over this water way. The kids had to stop to play pooh sticks (a few times).

4 of 4 caches on our trip with Jchaager.

--Tom

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P.S. Oliver after we got home from caching.

Live Soldiers Near Dead Ones (GC179D4)

At first we thought this cache was in the woods on a trail that was a little overgrown. After bushwacking our way down the trail we came the end and realized it wasn't there. We check behind every tree on the way out and just as we were back and the begining of the trail we made the find. This cache was a larger cache so the kids had fun trading swag.

3 of 4 caches on our trip with Jchaager.

--Tom

First City Want Ads (GCHH85)

This cache is a Mystery cache which means it could be anything but there is usually a puzzle to solve to get the final coordinates.

For this cache the description is the puzzle. The description is written in Klingon (from Star Trek) and you have to translate it to find the correct coordinates. Here is the original description:

So the translated description reads:

4 sale

slightly used warship

needs some repairs

6,000,000 OBO

must see

at

N 47° 09.887

W 122° 01.645

For anyone that is interested here is a link to the Klington alphabet.

We looked all over the "warship" and then started reading the recent logs on the cache. It seems multiple people have been unable to find this cache. The cache owner is going to go check on it to make sure it's still there. If it is there I will have to go back and find it.  2 of 4 caches on our trip with Jchaager.

--Tom

Update: July 13, 2010

I finally found it.  I have looked for this one a couple of times with no luck.  Sean emailed me last night and confirmed it was there so today I took the boys determined to find it.  When we got to the area there were lost of muggles so the boys and I walked over to Wally's for dinner to let everyone else clear out.  After dinner we quickly found the cache.  The problem was I forgot my pen in the car.  So I walked over to the car and signed the log.  Just as I was about to head back over to rehide it 2 teenage girls sat down right on top of where the cache was hidden.

Great I figured I could wait them out, so the boys and I headed to the park and played while we waited.  After 30 minutes they were still just sitting there talking, at 45 minutes I was about to walk over there and just act crazy until they left but another Dad showed up with 2 boys about my kids age so I figured it wouldn't look to good for me to go crazy on these teenage girls.  After an hour I was really ready to head home.  Finally the girls left and the other Dad was leaving so I was able to rehide the cache and head home.

--Tom 

Link to Geocaching Page

Sit and Rest (2) (GCTMBV)

Today we met up with Jchaager and his 3 kids. It wasn't really raining but it was a heavy drizzle. We decided to go find some cache in Buckley becasue the boys and I have only found one in Buckley and there is a nice trail to walk along.

Or first stop was Sit and Rest (2). John had already found this one back in July but it was on the way to another cache we wanted to find. At first John was letting me find without any help. Then when I couldn't find this 1 star (Difficulty) he took a look and he couldn't find it.

I am pretty sure it's gone missing.

1 of 4 caches on our trip with Jchaager.

--Tom

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UPDATE: September 16, 2009

I finally had the chance to take the boys back out for this one. We were able to easy find the cache this time.

--Tom

Urban Oases: Magnolias to Murals (GCTHG9)

This was a two day find. I wanted to find a muli-cache downtown during my lunch break. It's only about 2 blocks from works and it's all about downtown artwork so I figured it wouldn't take too long and I might learn something. Finding the final coordinates didn't take long at all. But I didn't count on all the muggles out at lunch time so I couldn't make the grab.

Today, I took an early lunch figuring it wouldn't be so busy. I walked by the cache twice both times there were people sitting on the bench where the cache is located. I was about to give up and plan on finding it before work at 5:50am figuring there is no way someone would be sitting on the bench at 5 in the morning. Luckily the third time is the charm, no one was there so I was able to quick grab the cache and sign the log.

--Tom

"Pay Toll To The Troll" (GC13X98)

Since the multi-cache didn't take very long I figured we could find this one right around the corner. It's a "toll" cache but he bridge isn't exactly what I was thinking it was. The road was way to busy so I wouldn't let the boys out of the car. I quickly grabbed the cache and brought it back to the car so I could open it with the boys.

I found Spread the Holiday Cheer Geocoin it's mission is to travel & spread Christmas cheer with other geocachers. I will be sure to pass it along soon.

--Tom

The Pathfinder's March (GC1WFMR)

After dinner the boys asked if we could go out caching again. I have been wanting to do more multi-caches but I wasn't sure how the boys would do with me spending time figuring out the clues.

This caches looked easy but I wasn't sure how it would go. It didn't take me long to figure out the clues and find the cache.

I found Speeding Element's USA Geocoin #2 (a.k.a. Clickety-Clack) it's mission is a race to visit all the counties in Washington State. It should be a good excuse to do a little caching in down by my Grandparents in Mason county.

--Tom

Buckley Trail (GCPNY0)

Today, I picked the boys up from daycare. On the way home they asked if we were going to go geocaching today. I knew of a nice easy cache on the way so we stopped. It only took us a few minutes to find the cache. The boys really like the larger caches so they can trade swag. We must have had great timing because they were no muggles around at the time.

--Tom

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UPDATE: September 12, 2009

Out caching with Jchaager, MysticCedars, & RJBroxton and kids on an all day trip to find all the Evil (C)ammo series.

The boys and I had already found this one but it was new for the rest of the group. It was on the way to zntargvp meets Evil (C)ammo so we find it while on a bathroom break.

7 of 10 caches for the day.

--Tom

Map of our Trip

Just Because..??? (GC1333K)

Julie had Brenda's boys over to play at our house today. So we had to take them home tonight, on the way back to our house I saw this cache so we stopped to find it. This was my first LPC (Lamp Post Cache). While I found it intriguing I can see how people quickly grow tired of them.

--Tom

Welcome to Copperfield (GC1XADV)

So I just found this one and since it's only a minute from the house I asked the boys and they said they wanted to found another one tonight. It was just a quick park and grab but Oliver dropped of the coin he made.

--Tom

Evil (C)ammo 8 (GC1J2JC)

I took the boys out to dinner tonight. On the way home we decided find a geocache. I have been wanting to find this one for a while now.

The kids always love finding ammo can because of the swag.




I must say a big thank you to follow cacher, tomison - the Mr., for the great camouflage.

--Tom

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UPDATE: September 12, 2009

Out caching with Jchaager, MysticCedars, & RJBroxton and kids on an all day trip to find all the Evil (C)ammo series.

The boys and I had already found this one but it was new for the rest of the group.

9 of 10 caches for the day.

--Tom

Map of our Trip

Urban Oasis - Beaver Tower (GCTYHT)

Out for a quick find during lunch today. This cache is only a block from my work. What a cool view of the city.

--Tom

Skystone (GCMY5Z)

On the way home from our bike ride Ethan and I stopped to buy some ice cream. Ethan said he wanted to find about cache so I knew the skystone cache was on the way home.

We stopped and easily found the Skystone rock. For more information on the Skystone check out this Skystone Article.

Right by the rock is a nice little neighborhood park for the kids. So Ethan would help for a little look for a little while then he would go play. We looked for awhile and then ran into another geocaching family looking for the cache.

We looked and looked but we couldn't find the cache. I am pretty sure it's gone. No one has found the cache in a while. I contacted the cache owner if they confirm it's still there we will go back and look for it again.

--Tom

The Foothills of Puyallup (GC18WTW)

I took Ethan out for a bike ride this afternoon and on the way back we decided to find a geocache. This is the first Multi-Cache I have found.

In order to discover the cache location you must first find two plaques that were dedicated to Jan Wolcott and Ernie Bay. Using the dedication date from one and the years of service from the other the cache location is revealed.









Once we knew where to look it didn't take us long to find the geocache. We put a little carabiner in the cache.

This is a great trail for walking or riding a bike.

--Tom

Sumner Train Station (GCZRYR)

I have wanted to do this one for sometime since I ride the sounder train everyday. the problem is there are always a ton of people around just before and after the train arrives.

Today I decided to wait them out and see just how long it took for the mugles to clear out. I was surprised when after about 15 minutes I was alone.

The cammo was great but once we look around it's easy to spot.

--Tom

To Honor and To Educate (GC19Q46)

So at lunch today I decided to try to find a geocache downtown. This was the smallest nano geocache I had ever tried to find.

While finding the geocache was a little difficult believe or not it was harder to get the log out of the container then it was to find the cache. I was on my lunch break and I didn't really have any tools with me. I had to go across the street and get a plastic fork to get the log out.

Just to give you an idea of the size here is the nano container compared to a dime.

--Tom

Lost World: Jurassic Park II (GCH86C)

Since we had already found Jurassic Park - The Dock we had to find the second part. It's only a short walk from the public dock so I put Oliver on my shoulders and headed out.

It wasn't a far walk but it was a little warm out. We found the second dock and being as there is only one place to hide the cache it wasn't much of a hunt.

The view was beautiful from the dock.

--Tom

Jurassic Park - The Dock (GCXZN5)

My parent took the boys for the weekend and we met in Gig Harbor for lunch. After lunch we wanted to go for a walk on the docks. Just for fun I pulled out my iPhone to see if there were any nearby geocaches.

Since we were standing on the dock we went looking for Jurassic Park - The Dock cache. We quickly made the find. There were mugles everywhere but no one was paying attention to us.

After signing the log I noticed there was a second set of corrdinates on the front of the log. At first I thought this might be a mislabled multi-cahce but I searched my phone and found a Mystery cache linked to this one. Since neither Dad or I have ever done a Mystery cache we had to go for it.

--Tom

Sleeping Bull (GCJQXV)

I took Lindsey and our 3 boys out to the zoo for the day. After leaving the 2 younger boys fell asleep so Ethan, Lindsey, and I decided to go find a cache. My dad and I had looked this one up online months ago and I figured we would give it a try. After looking everyone Lindsey found the hole but made me go in for the grab.

--Tom

Sky Island Nature Trail? (GC15V22)

I took my sister-in-law Lindsey, 2 Nephews, 1 Niece, and my 2 boys out to find this one. I think it was too hot because my iPhone shut off just as we were closing in on the geocache and we couldn't make the find. At first I thought it was my battery but when we got back to the car I plugged my iPhone in and it was at 40% battery remaining.

I will have to go back out for this one another day.

--Tom

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UPDATE: September 17, 2009

Out for a second try with the boys. This time with a full battery. It's a beautiful walk and the boys enjoyed kicking a rock all the way to the cache. It didn't take us long to find it now that I had a little help from my GPS.

--Tom

Are There Any Travel Bug Volunteers? The Treasure! (GC1EFA5)

We took Shelly and Ryan down to my parents house for the day. We had a blast just hanging out in the pool. After dinner Dad asked if I wanted to go find this cache as it is the largest cache he has ever found. We decided to take the kids and give the girls a break.

I know this isn't the best picture but it does show the massive size of this geocache.

We quickly made the find and I was able to find a Travel Bug "Jack Skellington - The Pumpkin King" Shelly decided she wanted to take the Travel Bug home with her so she will find it a new geocache in Maryland.

--Tom

Pig In A Poke (GC1242G)

After finding Victor Falls - Revisited (GC17275) Matt and I wanted to find one more before dark. We decided to find Pig In A Poke because it was on the way home. We quickly found the cache and were back in the car just as the last of the sun was fading away.

--Tom

Fisherman's Paradise (GCYBMC)

4 of 6 for the day with Jchaager, Matt7SD and the kids.

We found this one after a short search. This cache was an ammo can so the kids we able to trade some geo-swag. I found Tuit's wooden nickle in the geocache so it was good for all of us to find a larger cache.

It was a wonderful walk and overall a good day. Being as it was Matt's first day it was nice that we found a nano, mico, and ammo can.

--Tom

Foothills Trail (GC1KRNP)

3 of 6 with Jchaager, Matt7SD and the kids.

Well it's was the 3rd geocache we looked for today. We didn't end up finding this one the bush was just too thick. We looked all around but the black berry bushes started cutting us up too bad. I will have to come back for this one without the kids.

--Tom

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UPDATE: June 12, 2010

It took me almost a year but I finally made it back out to this cache to find it and remove it from my DNF list. The boys and I went for a bike ride today, well they rode their bikes and I wanted.

--Tom
Link to Geocaching Page

Betula on the Trail (GC1NNF2)

2 of 6 with Jchaager, Matt7SD and the kids.

We decided to head over to the foothills trail and walk along to trail to find a few cache. It was just easier since didn't have to load the kids in the car each time.

Jchaager made the find after looking around a little while. The cache was very well hidden.

--Tom

Orting's Tar Pot (GC18WR3)

Today, I met up with a fellow Geocacher Jchaager. We decided to meet in Orting and go looking for a few caches. I brought my brother-in-law Matt7SD. All together we had 5 kids along for the hunt. We start with this cache in the Orting park.

It took us a little longer then I would have thought to find this one but I think it was just the first find of the day. Matt7SD made the find.

Ethan wanted to leave one of his coins in the cache. So he left this one, it's his booby trap coin. I think it's suppose to be quick sand or something.

1 of 6 for the day.

--Tom