Had mom / grand mom out for a walk.....a long walk....

Question: What do you get when you put a passenger seat from a ‘93 Jeep Wrangler into a garden cart?

Answer: A mom/grand mom wagon buggy.

On my post of 04/18/2006 I talked about this really beautiful area with the lakes and there are some pictures of it on Flick’r. Well I managed to talk Tracie and kids into going for a walk / picnic on the same trail. I wanted to get mom back there to see the lake as it is such a pretty peaceful area. So I was thinking about how to do that being it is a 3.5 mile walk to the picnic area each way. I was getting a drink of water one morning and looked up at my garden cart and said to myself why not. Measured out the Jeep seat and it would fit, a piece of steel bar and about 1 hour and the buggy was ready. Well, today 08/05/2006 Tracie and kids came up and we packed a lunch into a cooler and went for the walk. When I had packed the cooler (mom did not know about the buggy arrangement) she had said something about the weight and carrying it that far in and out. I just told her not to worry and get ready. I had loaded the buggy in the truck the night before so that mom would not see until we got to the trail. She did not want to go at first being such a long walk and I just old her that if she wanted to go not to worry about the walk. I think she knew something was up and decided to go. For the most part going in Josh and Madie had fun pulling the cart and taking turns riding. Now for the really IMPORTANT part, mom walked a whole 3 MILES before getting into the cart for the final ½ mile to the picnic area. Seen some butterflies along the way, well, a lot of butterflies actually. The walk in took about 3 hours, but the weather was really nice and it just made for a peaceful relaxing walk. Had lunch at the “A” Frame Cottage that is there. Josh and Madie feed the fish some bread while mom and Tracie sat on the bench and talked. The walk out went a lot faster, only took about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Mom rode for the most part of it and thought that it was way too cool. Kept saying something about feeling like a queen in her chariot. She did however walk about another ¼ mile on the way out, in three separate little walks. Both Tracie and I had a really good workout, but mom had a great time and that is what mattered. We even got Josh and Madie to do a little pulling on the flats. The sun was coming across the trail on the way out and was heating us up from behind. At least on the way in for the most part it was nice and shady. All in all it turned out to be a nice day and a fun time. Now I get to add some more quarters to my exercise jar.

Old Railroad Fishing Bridge...

I put out my first cache today. I had gotten a Jeep Travel Bug game piece to put out and decided that is was time for my own cache. The cache is a welding rod container covered in camo vinyl. I decided to place it just off the old railroad bed about 50 feet, covered up by some of the flood debris. So it really blends in great. I have another place already picked out, just need to get the final coordinates for it, going to be placed in Sunny Brook Park.

Trip to Tina & Rick

Went to see Tina and Rick on 7/22 & 23. While there Rick and I managed to get out and go caching. We were 3 for 5 for the day. We found the two in Berlin Park and in an old sand quarry pit. The quarry pit was interesting with a neat view, and the wash out was cool looking. We tried to find one by the New Freedom electric switching station. We could hear the hum in the electrical lines as we walked under them, just a little rainy. It was about a 1/2 mile walk back the trail to the cache, a rather enjoyable walk. Except for the mosquitos. When we got to the area of the cache it required a little bush wacking which was not too bad. When we got within a few feet and started looking the mosquitos were unreal, before they started talking about eating us there or taking us back to share, we left. Got back to the Liberty and the mosquitos were just sworming around it. Oh well, maybe in the fall. Tried for one more in Winslow Township Park but it was a multi stage and we could not find the first stage.

Travel bug Chiquita is off on a journey of her own right now. It seems that the flooding during the end of June, she decided to take the cache on a journey of it's own. Hence she and the cache are currently missing somewhere along the Susquehanna River. So in a few weeks I am going to put together "Chiquita II" and try again. Maybe with any luck she will show up somewhere, who knows she might even make it to Tobie and Ang on the bay. :)

Switched to Google Groups

I switched to Google Groups for getting changes out to anyone who wants to be on the email list. The other company just was not working like I wanted it too. If you want to be included on the list you will need to click on the subcribe link and add your email address. Sorry for the confusion.

Took mom caching...

Today I took mom out geocaching, found a nice easy to walk to place and decided to drag her out of the house to get some fresh air. We went to Brair Creek Lake Park outside of Berwick. I had seen that there was a TB there and the listing said it was a nice easy walk. Even seen a baby bunny along the way, mom had to talk to it and it put it's little ears down. Mom sort of reminded me of a dog that just had to stop and sniff all the flowers and plants. I also sent Chiquita's Travels TB on it's way, finally found the pic that I had been looking for. Going through the cache she found a little girl doll which she decided to keep. She was going to name it "Little Squirt" but I convinced her to name her Shrimp instead. Shrimp is going to be Honey Ann's little friend.



Also found my first White Jeep TB.

Geocaching todate....

This post is going to bring you up todate on my geocaching...

12/17/2005...My first trip out caching, Tracie, Josh, Maddie and myself went to Keller Field to find "Keller Field Micro" and "Keller Field Famous Citizen's". There was about 6 inches of snow on the ground with a fresh ice storm the night before. My first time out with my GPS unit and had just a few bugs it figuring it out. We found the micro but could not find "Citizen's". Had a workout walking through the snow, kept breaking through the ice cover. It was a sunny but cold day out, but had fun.

04/15/2006...Been a while since I was out caching. Was at Tracie's for Easter. Rick and I went out to find "Keller Field Famous Citizen's". Rick had just got a GPS unit and we went out to play. We got to the area where the cache should be, but a group of kid's were swimming in the creek. We left and went to "Hummels Nature Trail" and "Boris the Spider". Found both of them okay, Boris was a bird house with the bottom part being the cache. Another nice day out.

04/16/2006...Why waste the weekend, Ang was given a GPS unit and for the most part Rick and I had him going it the right direction. So with Tina along we went to find the "Citizen's" again. This time no one was around and Rick found it. No wonder why on 12/17/2005 we could not find it, buried in the snow. Rick, Ang and Tina then went to find the micro that was across the field. Once that was done we headed off to find "That's F'r Enuf". This one was located in a stand of pine trees and was a green micro hanging from a tree limb. Tina took the pics that are in the album of the micro hanging there. We were looking all round for it, we I stood up to move over to another tree to look underneath when there it was. Being close by "Brownstone Ghost Train" we went on. Ang was really getting the hang of his GPS by now and managed to find the final location. Coming to find out that the Ghost Train is a multi-cache. So when started to find the rest, Rick got the next one and then Ang struck gold again. We found 3 of the five locations before deciding to call it a day. It was getting close to dinner time and did want to get into trouble being Easter Sunday, being out too long.

04/17/2006...I had to goto Washingtonville, so while I was out there I decided to find some caches, had some time to kill. Found "Troop 28 II". This one was placed by the Boy Scott Troop 28 out of Espy in PP&L's group camping area. It was a nice day out and just a bit warm. Tried to find "Clem's" in the state game lands in Millville, but no luck. THe bugs were unreal, happen to eat two of them, they were so bad. I did come across a hole which might of had the cache in it, but did not find anything to reach in there with to check and I was not about to my hand in there. Will try it again but more prepaired.

04/18/2006...Finished up a job in Kulpmont by noontime and had nothing else for the day. So to Centralia I went. Found "Smoke on the Horizon" which took me for a little walk through some of the area where the mine fire had burned through. The sulfer smell was not too bad, but it was interesting at least. I had my first Earthcache also "Centralia, The Burning Town". This one was just a matter of getting a photo in fornt of the Firehouse. I then headed to "The Cove in the Watershed", which was on my way home. This one was a 2.1 mile walk each way, but the area was so peaceful it did not matter. It was just a little warm but a nice day all in all. This cache took a little looking, it was behind this huge stump and the GPS had me about 40 feet off. The lake by the cache is so clear that there is no problem seeing the bottom. I am working on putting together a multi-cache for the area. The trail is just over 7 miles long and runs between Elysburg and Arities. On another day when I started to ge the GPS info and to pick the places, I happened to walk 12.5 miles. All in all the only part of me that hurt was the tops of my feet. I was wearing some new socks from Cabela's "Coolmax". They are to help with the sweating of my feet, they worked great but I had my boots tied too tight. Oh well, we all learn.

05/01/2006...Went to Rickett's Glen to get a pavilion for the Single Adult activity for the church. Took mom with me to get here out of the house since it was a really nice day out. Once I was done at the park office I went to find "Mountain Spring Lake Siding". Only a short 1/2 mile walk to the cache from the parking area. Mom sat in the truck relaxing while I went looking. Found my first Geocoin, "EU Geocoin". The coin is really neat and well made, found it that it's goal is to goto Europe.




05/02/2006...Had a job at a FedEx Freight location in Pocono Summit. Before I left I checked out what caches were close by. After I got done I found "God's Glorious View". Yep, a really nice view but a major hangout for the low life. Again my GPS had me about 40 feet off the cache. The area could really use a CITO day to help clean it up. I dropped off the EU Geocoin and hoped that it would be safe considering the area, but just did not have anymore time to find another cache for it. Since it is heading to Europe, it was going in the right direction.

05/10/2006...Check the log for the EU Geocoin to see if it was picked up, and it was by "jerseyjerks". "Jerseyjerks" took the coin with them to England and dropped it off, a 3465.2 mile hop.

05/12/2006...Got an email that a new cache was just setup and posted. It is out at PP&L in an area that I walk all the time. Thinking that since it was Friday morning, I might have a chance at a First to Find. But I was beat to it by about 2 hours by someone who was there about 9. Anyway it was a really nice walk since it finally rained the night before. It had been 15 days since it rained last. While I was signing the log, I had two deer come walking by looking at me like "hey what are you doing over there", but they never came any closer. I found my first Travel Bug, "Cornelius". Cornelius is a really cute Kellogg Corn Flakes Rooster. He is to go to Battle Creek, Michigan. Since I have to run out to Duboius in the coming week he will get a good start on his way. Just need to find a cache the he will fit into.




05/13/2006...New pics have been uploaded showing the EU Geocoin and Cornelius, and some of the caches and the two deer. And this bring this part up todate. I have been learning HTML code to make some changes to the blog more to my liking. Has been an interesting adventure putting this together, but fun.

My Blog

Just starting to put this together to just let family and friends know what I am up to. For starters I have started to go Geocaching. I am using a Dell Axim 51V PDA with a Gobal Sat CF GPS Unit, in a 1900 Series Otter Box, using BeeLine Geocaching GPS Software. For sorting out the pocket querys from Geocaching.com, I use GSAK.

I am also in the process of putting together a long range 6.5x284 T/C Encore pistol. The barrel is being made by On Target Tech. in Dover, N.H.. It will be 18" long before the brake which will add about 2" for a total length of 20". I am planning on putting a Burris signature 8-32X44 scope it. This setup will be a bench gun only, for shooting around 1000 yards or more mainly at paper targets.

I am planning on using this blog to keep posting information on the Geocaches that I find and my other endevers.