Geocaching Across America
While we were in AZ earlier this year, the "Geocaching Bug" bit me. I had found (with Dan's help) about 12 caches in CO and decided my goal was to get 100 while in AZ. I ended up with over 200 and decided on a new goal: to geocache in every state (except Alaska) this year. At this point I had caches from : CO and AZ. While in AZ we cached in CA and NV. On the way back home we picked up a cache in NM. HI was next. (geocached with the kids and grandkids).
Nebraska Geocache
A geocache was hidden near this "Quilt Garden" which was being planted along the Heritage Trail in Northern IN.
Dan remembers a container similar to this red one in the barn where his dad called square dances.
It is always fun to find an unusual type of cache.
It was "raining" green leaves at this rest stop in IN
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Sightseeing in IN included the Amish Country and the Dime Store in Wakarusa
This bison tube, attached to the red and white float, was inside this black pipe and floated up to the top when we added 40 ounces of water. Since two holes had been drilled into the sides of the black PVC pipe, we had to be quick when adding the water so we could grab the float. We signed the log, which was inside the bison tube, and placed it back into the black pipe.
Gemini Spacecraft mock-up
While we were in Wapakoneta,OH we spent a day geocaching and our first hunt was at the Neil Armstrong Space Museum. The above picture is the type of craft that carried Neil Armstrong and David Scott into space in 1966.
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We decided to try a 5 star difficulty geocache which is a puzzle called Mocopulence, that has 190 favorites and is in the yard of artist Jim Bowsher. We found clues to 12 different questions and then did some math to figure out the location of the geocache. It was a fun/frustrating afternoon.
It took 18 years to build the" Temple of Tolerance" and its satellite shrines occupy all of the space behind the artist's. home. It is like a maze back there. It is open free to the public 24 hours a day.
Ohio
We arrived in Ohio in time for Tyler's graduation party.
Next stop was Kentucky. In between rain storms I walked over to the geocache close to the KOA where we spent the night.
Kentucky has many beautiful trees, but there were only 4 in our campsite.
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While Carl and Dan golfed one day, Sara and I went geocaching and found several in the area. The picture below was the cache named "Cut to the Chase"
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Beautiful West Virginia!
On one of our geocaching hunts, we crossed this bridge and walked a short distance to locate our treasure.
We spent one night in Virginia on our way to SC. The KOA in Wytheville has lots of fun activities for everyone.
Funding for the plantings of these bursts of colorful beds comes from the sale of personalized and specialty license plates. These flowers greeted us soon after we crossed the border into North Carolina.
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This spider was hidden in a hole(1 of 16 holes) in an underpass not far from our campground. Attached to the spider is a bison tube which contains the log to sign to prove that we found it. Finding an unusual geocache sure makes it fun for the hunters.
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I stopped to take a picture of this water tower and Sara and I found the geocache hidden in the woods behind this giant peach. A NJ artist, Peter Freudenberg, painted the sphere after studying local peaches for many hours. It took 50 gallons of paint in 20 colors. SC is the biggest peach producer in the South.
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The peach fried pie from Abbot Farm's Bakery was yummy, but not as delicious as the ones that Helen Cartwright used to make.
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Ryder and Noah, young geocacher grandsons, were so happy to have found a "travel bug" in a geocache while camping at Horse Tooth Lake in CO. The goal of this TB is to travel back to Oklahoma. They will need to place it in another geocache container.
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park
This 1886 Turbine Mill, located in the National Park, ground corn into meal and wheat into flour for 50 years for the mountain community of Mingus Creek. We found a "Virtual Cache" at this location. Since it had 140 "favorites," we decided to check it out. We had to find answers to questions posted on the geocache page and then email the answers to the "owner" to get credit for this one. It was well worth our time to stop to see this historical structure.
Tennessee
Our next stop on this geocaching RV trip was Arkansas where we spent a few minutes looking for the cache in the rest area. Quick Geocaching in AR, WI, MN, SD, WY and ND.
South Dakota
This spot (right next to my seat) is where Sara rides in the RV.
This geocache was called "write/right."
This rest area in SD has educational displays about Lewis and Clark.
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North Dakota
Picnic at Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Montana
While in Bozeman at Sharon and Ralph's we enjoyed laughing, remembering, toasting, eating, card playing, walking, exercising, golfing, shopping , touring, and geocaching.
This delightful little church is located outside of the town of Martinsdale, MT.
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Sharon and Ralph took us on a beautiful drive to Martinsdale where we stopped to see the Bair Family Museum. We toured the family house where we saw many antiques.
This table of hats was by the Bair's front door. When visitors came a knocking, the one opening the door would have a hat on and would say, "I'm just getting home," if it was someone they welcomed. If not, the visitor would be greeted with, "I'm just leaving," and they would get into their car and drive into town until they were sure the visitor was gone.
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Bud and the horses keep Wally and Mary busy.
Washington
Our lunch break at this overlook was breathtaking.
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Mary was the first to spot the geocache hidden on this sculpture.
Diablo in North Cascades National Park
Steve and Veronica are friends we met 10 years ago in Mexico. It was wonderful to catch up and see their home in La Conner, WA. What a beautiful view!
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What a fun spot for a geocache in Grand Coulee, WA!
We spent an afternoon at the Geocaching HQ in the Seattle area and met several of the staff and Brian, who is one of the founders of geocaching. Later we found a couple of unique caches. Our GPS led us to this pay phone, then we had to dial a certain number so that the box where the log was would open.
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This troll was a popular tourist attraction in this Fremont neighborhood. The geocache was off to the side hidden under a rock which was under a tree.
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This was my geocaching backpack that I took to Alaska for my day in Sitka. Since we had lots of mileage points from our trip to Hawaii this spring, we decided that this was the time to fly from Seattle to Sitka. What a fun day! Our goal to geocache in 49 of the states this calendar year has changed to all 50 states!
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Sitka Alaska
The black cod tips (from the cheek of the cod) were served over rice topped with chopped up chives and kale, YUM.
This nice couple from Michigan happened to be on the hill while I was searching for the tiny micro cache, which was hidden in the ceiling of the structure behind them. I had to climb up on the rock formation in order to retrieve the cache.
While enjoying the totem poles on this trail, I found this hunk of wood. Great piece for yard art! Loved spending the day in Sitka.
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As a small community, Sitka is easy to navigate on foot. My first stop was behind the fire station to find a geocache. Next, I climbed a nearby hill to the Russian Blockhouse to find the second geocache.
Sitka National Historical Park has 11 totem poles along the trail.
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