Ranger Fox: Ironically, this cache has been alone for nine and a half years. During that time, the nearby highway has been completed and some signs discouraging access have been put up.
Unfortunately, Rodan, that DNF you had at the first stage was a real one. I've attached photos of my finding the first stage. That area has really changed! I remember when there were downed trees every which way and it was difficult to maneuver in there.
So, what stayed the same since 10K? Well, I still didn't like crossing that pipe for this cache.
What about the theme of not being alone? Well, I david&diana and I began caching most weekends. I'm thankful for that. As for travel caching, I bounced around with different groups. I went on a few runs with one group, but the members eventually retired from the game. Later, I thought I found a good group, but they began doing divide and conquer style caching, and I just couldn't play that way. So the past couple major runs have, once again, been solo. I'm trying to arrange the next run to be with someone. I hope it works out.
Looking ahead is 100K and the bucket list project. Once the pandemic is over, I'll take two weeks and rack up around 4K, which will put me very close or over, depending on how long the pandemic lasts. As for the bucket list project, it's a list of things I've wanted to do but geocaching got in the way of doing. I've never traveled anywhere except for geocaching, so I want to use this as a way to break out from that and do something for the experience and not the caches. I'll choose one item from the list and I'll solicit community feedback on a second item. But I will not do those trips alone because it'll be so easy to fall back to just doing caching the entire time I'm there. (Or, perhaps, it won't if I'm tired of caching by then.)
Anyway, I'm usually alone, so it's a treat to do things with other people. You know, I started geocaching as a way to meet people and make friendships. The early involuntary competition I was drawn into made that very difficult. And I guess I'm a difficult person to approach or contact because I've had so many times where I'd go out caching with someone once or twice and not hear from them again. I wonder why? Don't know.
Anyway, the cache has been retrieved and will now fulfill its original purpose as a rain gauge at my place.