BREWMAKER GETS TO 6000!

Four and half years ago I was introduced to geocaching by some friends while staying in the Blue Mountains. I signed up as a basic member and then made my first find with a regular sistema in a park around Leura (Leura GC & TB Exchange 3). We then found two more around Wentworth Falls (an ammo can and a mint tin) and I was hooked! Upon my return to Sydney, I checked the map and saw there were quite few around my local area in The Sutherland Shire. The next morning I headed off on my pushbike and proceeded to find a few more, starting with Take a Punt by Pipes_down_under. Little did I know at the time that PDU would become one of my regular caching buddies!

Then a few more the next day, and then some on my way home from work and well the rest is geohistory as I started to clear out my local area. Slowly I built up the number of finds reaching milestones such as 100 finds, then 1000, then 2000, ..... and here I am about to reach 6000 finds. The number of places I had never heard of before that Geocaching has taken me to is amazing. The wealth of knowledge, interesting facts and unknown history I have learned, not to mention how it incorporates with my love of Mathematics, that I have discovered in so many out of the way places, is why I enjoy this hobby. From the dreaded nanos and mint tins to ammo cans and bison tubes, I have seen a variety of hides in so many different places.

Initially I went out on my own, slowly adding local smileys to my tally. Then I started attending events. My first event was the 2015 GIFF hosted by now good geobuddy Seemyshell. Who knew a year later I would have a part in one of the 2016 GIFF Finalists [Spitting The Dummy]? Soon after I attended my first Sutherland Shire Cachers Christmas M & G event, where I met the many local cachers from my area, as well as my new German caching buddy in Diddyhonda, whom I stayed with on a trip OS a couple of years ago, and cache with whenever he visits his daughter in Sydney. As I attended more and more events I was introduced to more and more cachers, making new friends and began clearing out places further and further afield. So any excuse to find a new cache became an excuse to travel far and wide. My youngest son's driving lessons were often the reason to go and grab a cache! While he logged his driving hours, I was logging FOUND IT. I have been on many caching road trips and day trips to clear out a trail or any area that has an abundance of hides. Any holiday, be it in Australia or overseas is now planned to detour to find any cache that may be in the vicinity. Even muggle mates have allowed me to get my "one cache per day limit" when on road trips around Australia.

I quickly discovered the competiveness of the FTF hound! And are there plenty of them out there. It's amazing how far some of them travel to get the pleasure of FTF. I remember the thrill of my first ever FTF, even beating some of the more experienced locals such as The Hancock Clan, aires44 (now duo) and delloro. Along with PDU and SMS, our little gang of six soon became known as Socks and Sandals thanks to MrsH. We have certainly had some good laughs at each others expense on the many outings we have undertaken.

I soon started placing my own hides, with Gorillas In The Midst my first one. Since then I have gone on to place over 70 hides around Sydney and NSW. And it is still growing! A mixture of trads, multis and puzzles, in a variety of sizes and D/T ratings. Though you won't see too many nano hides from Brew!

But the best part of geocaching has to be all the many different people from all walks of life I have met. Many of them have become good friends, who will use any excuse to get out and about and share this fantastic hobby. Or discuss puzzle solving. Or plan the next outing. Or have a yarn about our adventures. I have learnt so much from you guys. And I even now have a new nickname that muggle friends have no idea why I get called Brew!

So thank-you to Chef Petar for introducing me to Geocaching. Ironically, he doesn't do it anymore! My addiction was far stronger than his it seems. And thank-you all for the good times I have had with amazing people such as: EverestHigh, The Bebes, PelDroedGwin, MaxAdventurer, GeodudeAU, delloro, Seemyshell, Pipes_down_under, aries44duo, The Hancock Clan, AlphaDeltaIndigo, BoogieRogue, JordsAU, oldmorty, FrazeyDaze, Diddyhonda, marj01 (or is it marj+01 now?), ziggiau, Team Canary, coastblue, PurpleCacheEater, Calypso62, crash2079, Purplepeopleater, TravelingGeek (from USA), AussiePam, Martin cousins, Nana Nel, wazza9, tronador, Frazelle, Ash_kate, Jackscruff, GathererHade, bella@waggy, vk2df ....... There are so many I have met at events or cached alongside or have been their PAF! I apologise if I have left anyone out.

So come along and help Brew celebrate this milestone with a brew! And why not have it at a brewery of course. This is an open invititation to all geocachers to come along and join us with tales of your geocaching experiences, swap TBs and have a few laughs. Any OS visitors staying in Sydney at the time are more than welcome. There is no obligation to stay and have a brew, but there are plenty to choose from if you wish. Or stay and enjoy a meal. A logbook will be available for you to sign.

Details:

Location: The Batch Brewing Company

Address: 44 Sydenham Road, MARRICKVILLE (nearest train station is Sydenham)

Date: Wednesday, 18th December, 2019

Time: 5:30pm to 7:30pm

Parking: Available in the street.

Dress: Casual. Socks and sandals are optional footwear.

Catering: There is a pop-up van on site for meals or you can bring food in from local stores. Of course, there are many, many variety of brews to choose from for those over 18.

I’m looking forward to seeing you there. I hope you can come along and help me celebrate my 6000th find. 

Brewmaker (himself)