The Big Blue Switch took a long journey. But now it’s rested, “tanned,” and ready to hit the road again!
I met the Big Blue Switch in Oregon, at the tribute cache commemorating the very first Original Stash. In its 10 years of travel it had seen some abuse and at the time we met, it could more accurately have been described as the Big Black and Blue Switch. Outward appearances notwithstanding, it seemed ready for adventure, so I let it hitch a ride!
I was in the midst of a six-week, cross-country, 10,500-mile motorcycle trip. The Switch was about to gain some mileage.
Since the Big Blue Switch seemed like it might be a history buff, we went and visited GC12 and GC17. It’s logs got a bit mixed up, but it took a quick trip to Washington State on July 4th and then came back to spend more time in Oregon, after which it visited a number of caches in Idaho, Utah and Colorado (including some cool dinosaur fossil and earthcaches) before reaching Kansas, where it had a chance to visit Mingo, the oldest surviving cache!
In Missouri it visited the confluence of the Kansas (Kaw) and Missouri Rivers and Missouri’s first State Capital. Then, it wended its way through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Although it didn’t stop to do any caching, it also passed through Maryland and Virginia before coming to Washington DC on July 14. Fifteen jurisdictions in all.
Since it’s owner had commented on its rather worn appearance, I promised the Switch a “beauty day.” It emerged in a lighter shade of blue, but it’s roots are all covered again, and it’s ready to hit the road!
It is considering going to a mega event in NJ this weekend. Perhaps we’ll cache in some more states on the way, but then I think it will be time for us to part, so it can light up some other cacher’s logs.
(It look a bit gray in the photo, but in natural light it’s more of a cornflower blue.).