In 2004 and 2005, the (now legendary) geocaching team Timberline Echoes taught another couple about the sport of geocaching. In 2006, that couple created thier own account, and called themselves... Trekkin' and Birdin'. Over the next few years, T&B became legends in their own right, and in November of 2015, they logged thier 20,000 cache find.
Not being content to just find caches placed by others, Trekkin' and Birdin' also have placed over 150 caches of various types, several EarthCaches, and have hosted more than 15 events (as of mid-December 2015).
They are always hot on the trail of a newly listed cache and leave great logs that are always a joy to read.
If there is the slightest possibility that there is an issue with one of the caches they own, they check on it immediately, and are willing to offer helpful hints on any of thier puzzles that may have you stumped.
In other words, they are great geo-role models!
When searching for thier caches, they might have you watching classic westerns, jumping away from snakes (or cursing the cacher who told you to open the container), bushwhacking through wild parsnip, looking up records from the 60's and 70's, learning "foreign" languages...almost always to a place with a great view, and often to a place you wou wouldn't have ventured had thier cache not been there.
********
When placing this tribute cache, I thought about what would be appropriate. So I decided on a nice hike into a good area for birding. Since there doesn't seem to be a standard color to paint an ammo can celebrating one's 20,000th find (as most of us can only dream of getting even close to that number), I opted to paint it in a similar color to an egg, and place it in a nest. But what kind of bird should I use? When scouting the area for potential beacons, I frightened off a small group of birds and had my answer. The cache is resting in a small version of what a local bird might use for nesting.
My advice for the approach is to park at the main Hixon trailhead and take the Bicentennial trail past the golf course expansion, through the Lower Log Loop, and go straight up the Upper Log Loop (do not cross the bridge). Just before heading up the final hill to the loop's turnaround, take the creek (which may or may not be dry) to get to GZ. I also strongly advise you to wear jeans or thick pants, long sleeves, and bring gloves. There are a LOT of thorny plants if you take the wrong pathway, and there are more thorns near GZ. Also, take a little rest near the cache, you've earned it; just enjoy a rarely-visited part of Hixon, listening to the birds and any other sounds of nature that you may hear.
When logging your find, please feel free to tell a Trekkin' and Birdin' related story. Your favorite find of thiers, your favorite log they've submitted, or a time you met while out on the bike trail.
Original contents include both trekkin' and birdin' related swag that the kids will especially enjoy.
Congrats to Trekkin' and Birdin' - here's to 20,000 and many, many more to come!