Pyewagon

I'm not a morning person. Nosiree, not me. I suppose this fact should point to the fact that maybe, just maybe, I do have an affinity for FTFs, because here I was, up early (for me) deliberating going after a cache. Don't get me wrong, I'm tickled for others when they're able to log them, but maybe that's because I know how delightful it feels to do so.

I saw the cache pop up in my email inbox and thought to myself, "Self, why not ask Allanon if he'd like to go on a short cache jaunt?" Knowing that he's an early riser, I didn't think I'd have much hesitation on his part.

When Allanon and I go caching together, he drives. I've offered, but my van isn't exactly conducive to offering comfort to front-seat passengers. It's a bit embarrassing, knowing that it's just a given that he will drive. I don't take it for granted, though...I'm grateful to have a friend who is willing to cache spontaneously, and is gracious enough to pay for the gas. Thanks, Allanon. You are valiant, knight, and true. 😁

So, after I've had an adequate amount of tea and Allanon was ready, we headed out for a spi...spid...creep-crawly thing hunt. Now, I'm surprised I'm as avid a cacher as I am, having a mortal fear of...well, those things. I was bitten by a Brown Recluse when I was 15 and have been scared of their kind ever since. When I'm caching, I really have to make an effort not to think about them.

One thing I'm finding that helps overcome my fear, strange as it sounds, is the knowledge of Buddhism I've gained in this past year. I've actually picked these creatures up on a piece of paper and released them outside, not wanting to harm any sentient being. There was a time not so long ago when I'd have sooner smooshed them (better yet, had someone else smoosh them for me) than making sure they were safe. My, how things change when your whole outlook changes. But, I digress. I do that a lot...sorry, J.

We arrived at the cache site early enough that we had the little park to ourselves. I've ridden by here many times, ut never took the time to scope out a spot for a cache, so I hadn't even seen how nice this little section is. Nice place for a cache hunt on a Sunday morning in the autumn. The FTF bragging right goes to Allanon on this one, as he had the cache in his hand while I was still looking elsewhere. As usual, this is a clever hide, prviding the fun factor accompanied by A&F caches.

Thanks for the time you take to think out such entertaining ways to hide treasure. Just as there are Hershey's chocolate and Lindor Truffles, there are caches and A&F caches. 🙂

RecDiver contacted Allanon and me, asking if we'd be interested in seeing the show at the planetarium. Would we?!? Okay, I would, anyhow, and knowing that Allanon used to volunteer at the planetarium, he was game, too. Yay! I'd never been to a planetarium.

Once we arrived at BCC, Allanon told me there was a cache hidden in the vicinity. What could be better...a planetarium show and a cache? Wahooo! Life is good, and the simple things really are the most important; they're the things that take up more time than what we consider to be the bigger, more memorable moments. We'd all be so much better off if we would put an end to stopping the living our lives in between those "take your breath away" occasions, waiting for something happy, or special, or big, or memorable, or lucky to happen. All of those elements are present in the small moments, but if we're not looking for them, aren't aware of them, we may miss them altogether.

RecDiver, Talks2Animals, their daughter HearsaWho, Allanon, and I made our way to the cache at a leisurely pace, (four of us are pretty gimpy) catching up on conversation. As we approached, we saw where the cache was likely to be hidden. At least, we saw the structure where it was likely. It was the strangest, most exhilarating thing...not unlike deja vu, when I just reached out, expecting to manifest the cache into the palm of my hand...and did. I didn't have to look for it, I just knew where it would be, reached for it, curled my fingers around it and retrieved it with what was probably a very goofy smile on my face.

My life is full of these coincidences and fortuitous happenstances. I've learned to live my life in the aforementioned manner, and it's amazed me what peace and happiness is possible when you just refuse to live a life that's not worth getting out of bed for in the morning. Claiming such an awareness of life not only creates an abiding sense of calm, it also puts caches right in your hand...ya don't even have to look for 'em.

The planetarium show was very nice...thank you, Rec, for the gracious invitation. T2A, it was nice to see you again, and HearsAWho, it was very nice to finally meet you.

Thanks for the cache,Poodleranch. It really felt like a magical moment, just expecting to find what I was looking for and it showing up. Poof Just like that. Life is good. 🙂

This was such a nice cache to top off a day of caching with Allanon and Fraggle. After attending the event Allanon threw in honor of Fraggle's visit, unbeknownst to Fraggle and me, we had one more stop to make.

Normally, I don't do puzzle caches unless I know I'm going to be in a particular area on a given day. Even then, I usually only give the cache page a cursory glance, and if it looks vaguely like math, to which I'm allergic, I skip it and look at the next closest caches. I don't have anything against puzzles, but caching, for me, is much more spontaneous. If I'm running errands, and I have the time and energy to cache, I enjoy looking.

Logic would dictate that, like the more practical cachers out there, I could try and solve the puzzles beforehand and just save the coords for later. But, noooo...that would make too much sense. Caching for me isn't about solving a problem, but just being out, following an arrow to a cache, which usually gives me more trouble than it should to begin with. Who needs puzzles when I make things harder than they have to be? 🤭

In any case, I'm certainly glad I was with someone who had the coords, because this was a clever cache, indeed! Fraggle was the one to discover it, but we were both duly impressed by the manner in which it is (was?) hidden. I've never seen one hidden like that, and don't even know if I could mimic it. Add to the find a factor of caching in the dark, something I really hadn't done much of, and it was a memorable experience.

After the log was signed and the cache rehidden, it was time for Allanon and I to return Fraggle to his muppet cave for the evening (though he told me later that he didn't stay there). I was exhausted after a very busy day of caching in the cold and wet, but I had a blast. This cache was a really nice ending to a day spent with old friends and new friends. Thanks for the hide.

Hi, guys...am I late? 😁

By the time Fraggle, Allanon and I got to the event site, I think we were all running on empty. Fraggle had to be on fumes, having biked to the Ape Cache earlier in the cold, wet, rainy morning, followed by a day of quite a few finds.

I don't think Fraggle knew how to react when he walked in the door, only to discover he already had a fan. I don't think I've ever seen Scooby move that fast, and he stuck by Fraggle's side most of the evening. Of course, Scooby's obviously a coin and TB hound of the same caliber.

Somehow, Fraggle found the energy to mingle and chat with the locals. I was so knackered that I only just found the energy to find a chair at a table in the back. I sat and waved from my resting spot for most of the event. There was some speculation as to the mysterious appearance of one Mr. Hanso (or is that Doctor, Doctor?) and I have my suspicions as to who you are...but puzzle caches aren't my thing, and I have enough mysteries of my own to solve before I can determine what you're about. 'Course, I'm so late in logging this, and not up to speed in the caching world right now, you may have been outed by now. Some day, mayhaps, I'll catch up on the back story...but for now, I need to try and find the paper with the coin you have allowed to be discovered. Normally I don't discover articles for the sake of discovering them, but the "Namaste" caught my eye, and that term is a major part of who I am.

Met a new caching mom with the most polite kids I've met in a very long time. Hope to run into you again some time, and I hope caching is all you expect it to be and more!

I know I've left out details I meant to mention, but that's what I get for logging so late. I really hope to be better in logging my finds next year, which will be here before you know it...it's December 19, not October 7. 🎱

Fraggle, it was so very nice to meet you and spend the day with you. Thank you SO much for the tea and choccy...it was such a sweet thing for you to do. Allanon, you're such a wonderful guy to just jump right in and organize not only the event, but to chauffeur Fraggle (and me) around for the day. You throw a good 'do...I had fun. Thanks.

Hey! It's raining! No, it's not just raining, it's RAINing. Pouring down that liquid fertilizer that keeps home so green and lush. Good thing I can't melt.

Allanon, Fraggle and I surely picked the worst possible time to be out looking for this. I'm not talking about a little drizzle, I'm describing a frog-drowner (or however that expression goes). Just imagine, three cachers, soaked to the skin, shoes making that funny squelchy noise when they get water-logged, in the downpour walking back and forth, back and forth, looking for the elusive cache. To make matters worse, I think the three of us walked right by and even LOOKED where the cache was before Allanon finally cried out that he'd found it.

I don't know how much time we'd spent looking for it, but our egos were just too defiant to admit defeat. It's one of those caching moments where, when you look back, you think, "What was I thinking?", smiling and laughing at the lengths we've all gone to just to find these silly hidden treasures. It's all a part of the game, isn't it? Another statistic to report when comparing tales with other cachers. "Oh, you think you got wet...this one time, we were out caching in this parking lot in the pouring rain..."

This was our last planned cache before heading to the event in Fraggle's honor (though there was to be another, spontaneous bit of fun following the event). Thanks for the soggy fun. 🙂