Grandpa Ladybug back east in New York state is a serious Yankees fan and enjoys geocaching. He thought it would be fun to establish a baseball themed geocache in Alaska, where baseball can be played twenty-four hours per day during the summer.
Many of the players are collegiate stars looking to impress talent scouts who can give them the chance to show their stuff in professional baseball. Past and current stars such as Barry Bonds, Dave Windfield, and Tom Seaver played ball under the midnight sun, so Goldpanner baseball gives you a chance to see the future's stars in action today.
The Goldpanners play a busy summer schedule against ABL teams Anchorage Anchorage Bucs, Glacier Pilots, Kenai Oilers, Mat-Su Miners, and Athletes in Action-Alaska. Noteworthy in 2006 will be the 100th Anniversary Midnight Sun Game, which will be held on June 21, beginning at 10:30 p.m. without lights.
The cache is hidden out of sight of the stadium, but still close enough you can hear the "ping" of the aluminum bats used in this league. There are several access points to the cache location, but the page's waypoint tells you where you can park and avoid attracting the attention of the nearby residents. To avoid the worst of the arctic primrose bushes, walk around the east side of the volleyball courts and find a wide trail that heads east into the woods. Lots of kids play in the woods, so please take care to keep a low profile when the cache is exposed and rehide the ammo can completely out of sight.
Initial trading goods include Yankee and New York State souvenirs, Alaskan souvenirs, and a few things for the younger set.
The cache is about 1.5 miles from downtown hotels and less than 0.5 mile from Pioneer Park/Alaskaland, so it can serve as an alternative to the Fairbanks Travel Bug Drop Box near the airport. I did choose to shrink it to a decon container after losing my third ammo can to the neighborhood kids.
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 : H14132
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