Pyewagon

Wahooo! After being 15 logs behind, going back to September (eegads!), this log catches me up! Just in time, too, as I'm leaving for the holidays and won't have access to technology until after the first of the year. I was afraid I'd have these yet-to-be-written logs nagging at me, but now I won't have to worry about them. Not 'til I slip up and wait too long again. 🤕

I'd seen this cache pop up earlier and mentioned it to Allanon while we drove to Sno-ho-ho-mish to do a little Christmas shopping...in the snow! It was snowing big, beautiful, fluffy flakes when we left Monroe. I was so hoping it would continue, but the closer we got to our destination, the less white it became. More on that in a moment.

We weren't bothered by any muggles at the cache site initially. As Allanon mentioned, I thought I'd found the cache, but it was either a fuel bottle for camping stoves and the like, or a water bottle. In any case, it didn't belong there, so I took it home. It's now a water bottle for my bike, and is no longer trashing the bushes in this lovely little park. In any case, I hadn't found the cache, but Allanon did. We signed the log and I dropped off the coins I'd held longer than I had planned to.

As Allanon was rehiding the container, some kids with round plastic sleds entered the park. I thought that perhaps they were just real optimists, waiting for enough snow to use their sleds, but they showed me what they had in mind. They were riding them down the twisty slide. They weren't going terribly fast, so I informed one of them about the waxed paper on the slide trick. In this day and age of computers and video games, kids don't know the secrets to embellishing their outdoor fun. I sometimes wonder if the condition the planet is in is because human beans just aren't being raised to "go out and play" any longer...they don't appreciate the earth for its natural beauty. Deep, heavy sigh.

After caching, we got our shopping done, and just as we did, the snow began to fall again. It.Was.BEAUTIFUL! There's nothing like Christmas shopping when it really looks and feels like Christmas. And the snow stayed long enough to be pretty for more than just a few hours. Yay, snow!

Oh, yeah...thanks for the cache. 🙂

Hi. My name is Pye and I'm a FTFaholic.

I honestly didn't believe it was a problem until today. It's 35 BRRRy cold degrees out there. The sun is playing hooky. There's a threat of rain, adding to the chill in the air. And what do I do? I bike my way to the cache.

After posting my note as soon as I saw the cache published last night, I honestly thought that someone might stop for this cache this morning. I thought Allanon might make a go of it, since this is so close to where we live, but I see his note (it wouldn't have been an issue). I refreshed the page many times over the course of the morning, but nope...no "found it" logs.

Well, drat...is it fair for me, setting my own hours of writing so that I have free time when I want it, to collect all these local FTFs? I seriously hoped a diehard cacher would try and keep me from this one. So, I started my laundry, then refreshed the page...nope. Did some paperwork, then refreshed...nope. Cleaned the litter box (note to self: write gushing letter of praise to the LitterMaid company), then checked the cache page again...still nothing. Threw my laundry in the dryer, still no log.

What to do, what to do? I dressed slowly, in the manner of a true Pacific Northwetter (I'm still learning); in layers. Leggings under my jeans, a thermal shirt under my hoodie, and mittens (I forgot to grab my scarf that's twice as long as I am tall to wrap around my neck and ears). I pictured in my mind's eye another cacher doing the happy FTF dance, but there was no evidence of that on the page. I went to the kitchen to brew a second pot of tea for the day...if I was going caching on my bike, I was gonna need a good, hot cuppa when I got home.

One final refresh of the cache page and I was out the door and on my bike. Pedal, pedal, pedal, past the prison. Funny, I thought this road only went to the prison, so I'd never been this way in the travels on my bike. The river has interesting bends and curves along this route; I wish I'd known about that over the summer. It would have been fun to explore. Ah, well, warm weather will make its way back, and I'll check it out then.

Wow, there are hills here. That might not even occur to you if you're driving. On a bike, when you're only just becoming comfortable on flat planes, a hill is one of those things you walk up while hanging onto your bike for stability. However comma...riding down...well, WHEEEEEEE!!! I love my bike. I love the feel of flying low to the ground while the wind whistles across my ears and turns my nose Rudolph Red in the chill.

Miss Maggie did a superb job of navigating today, bless her heart of MeriGold. She pointed to a spot that looked likely, I looked, and voila..."Hi, Freddy!" Albert is such a lucky pup, having so many whimsical friends. Being the insurance claims adjuster that he is, he asked me to fill out a wee bit of paperwork, so I did. After filing it away, I thanked him for his time, then volunteered mine and picked up the trash in the area ('nother note to self: remember to pack some CITO bags on the Pyecycle so your nice grocery totes don't have to be laundered every time you go out).

While I was picking up litter, someone in a white SUV-type vehicle parked not far away and sat in his vehicle. Was that perhaps another cacher, waiting for me to leave the premises? No, I think not...he looked at a map then went his merry way. At least, I hope it was merry. Mine was. I had fun while getting my exercise and fresh air. I enjoyed seeing a place I'd never seen before. I had the opportunity to clean up a tiny portion of this tiny blue spot in a vast ocean that is our universe. I'm thankful to the cache owner for giving me a chance to be thankful for more than just a cache. Even if it is another FTF. 🙂

One log down, 13 to go, but first, a long, hot bath.

Just a note to say that FTF is no longer up for grabs; I'll write my log later. I'm about 11 logs behind and need to catch up first.
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Sorry it's taken me so long to log this. I could list a bunch of excuses, but that's all they are: excuses. Better late than never, no?

What a gorgeous day to be out, first of all. Sunny, cool, the sky is that azure blue you only see on autumn days like this. The leaves were a gazillion shades of fire and spark, ember and glow. It's days like this that, if you don't realize how good it is to be alive to witness this, you're missing something spectacular.

I rode my bike, which just added to the joy of being out here. I came here from the new A&F cache, "Things that Go Bump". I'd never been to this part of the park before and wasn't exactly certain where I was going, so I just went where Miss Maggie Merigold told me to go.

Eventually, I had to lay my bike, the Pyecycle, down and clambering up. That was a pretty big up for me, but it makes me smile with a sense of accomplishment when I push my limits and succeed.

You get a really neat perspective from up here. Though it's not far from the busyness of the road and civilization, it doesn't take long before that's behind you and you feel as you're in the middle of a great forest, with just you and Mother Earth present in the moment. It was relatively easy to fall into a pattern of walking on the ties of the abandoned track. When you're in that mode, it's easy to practice walking meditation. That affords you a hyper-awareness and appreciation of everything that's going on around you. That sense of peace is what it means when you're "in the moment". Forget about what happened yesterday, don't worry about what will come tomorrow. Just breathe and enjoy this moment where you have the opportunity to connect with everything that is in your current reality.

Okay, so you also kinda gotta watch where you're going, or you'll overshoot the cache's hidey hole. And what an evil, clever hidey hole this one is. Luckily, my day was going so well that I knew I wouldn't have a problem finding it. And I didn't. If I'd had a divining rod, it would have served as well as my GPS, I think. Actually, I have divining rods, but I didn't have them with me...lol. In any case, I was able to go right to the cache. I don't have as many finds as most cachers, but this is still one of the most well done caches I've found; cleverly staged and skillfully implemented. Kudos!

I like FTFs for the notion of just being the first...that's prize enough for me. Heck, just finding any cache, regardless of whther or not I'm first, is a prize. However comma...your FTF prize was very generous, and I was most grateful.

Maybe it's because autumn is my favorite time of the year and this was my first autumn after moving here...or maybe because this cache was just so utterly clever...or mayhaps it's because I was just out, on my bike, enjoying how miraculous our lives truly are if we allow them to be, but this cache and the experience of finding it will remain near the top of my most memorable caches. Thanks for hiding it, but more importantly, thank you for giving me a reason to take a closer look at this amazing place we call home. 🙂

Just a note to say that FTF is no longer up for grabs; I'll write my log later. I'm about ten logs behind and need to catch up. Grabbed the coins...the Froomlord likeses the preciouses.

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Sorry for just now logging my find. I don't think I can get much more behinder...but I really need to get these cough15cough caches logged before I leave for the holidays. I won't have access to a computer. Or a phone. No GPS. No tv. No books, no bike, no radio. No pen and paper, no talking. And I'm looking forward to this?!? Yeah, I guess I'm about as nutty as people probably think I am.

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Anyway...back to the cache. It was an absolutely GORGEOUS autumn day! Perfect day for a ride, too, and with not only one, but two new caches (Buck Island) to find, no one was going to stop me.

I don't know the trails back here well, so I started off waaay out of the way. Instead of taking the easiest approach, I started out behind "Happy Birthday, Bugsy". This means, of course, that I had quite a bit of riding on rough, rocky terrain instead of finding my way in from the smoother trails that lead to the cache. It also means that I crossed Lewis, walked my bike down that steep hill by Allanon's Lewis Street Park cache, just to get started on my way to your cache.

It also means that, again, because I don't know the trails here very well, that I decided this trail wasn't going the direction Miss Maggie was telling me to go. So, I decided to explore a way to the cache off the trail. Ya know what? Ya can't get there from here! I didn't find that out until I'd gotten pretty wet and muddy and, oh, yeah, the nettles still had some sting.

Back to the trail and back on my bike, and whaddya know...the trail turns. Leave it to me to make it harder than it has to be. One would think I'd have learned to explore the easy way first...or at least check for an easy way, but nooooo. I guess I need an "easy button".

I found the coords to be quite a bit off, too, as it took me a few minutes to determine just which area needed to be searched. Luckily, this part was easier than getting here, and I soon had the cache in hand. I never know what to expect when looking for an A&F cache, other than to expect to be surprised at the creativity. The manner in which this one was hidden was just wonderful, as were the surprise elements. I'll remember this type of hidey hole and do my best to copy it in a future hide.

I took the adorable FTF prize, a miniature Albert of my very own! He's proudly displayed on my Yamaha keyboard, which I play often, so I see Albert and think of what a lovely day I had on this gorgeous Autumn day. Thanks for the cache. 🙂

I come from a very long line of military family members. My father spent four years in the Marines before joining the Air Force. He put in his 20 years, and I'm grateful to him for not only serving his country, but his family. I was fortunate enough to be raised in three countries and have an appreciation for diversity and cultures that are foreign to those found here in the states.

I loved being a brat...so much so that I approved of my ex joining the Navy when the older of my two sons was just a baby. My kidlets were raised as brats...it's a good way to grow up. My oldest son, shown here, spent four years in the Air Force and often wishes he had stayed in. It wouldn't surprise me if he joins the service again. It can be a good life.

My husband in South Carolina also spent 20 years in the Air Force, as did his father. I can't find their pics in uniform, else I'd post them. My brother just retired after 28 years in the service, starting in the Air Force, then later joining the Coast Guard.

Let's see...Dad, brother, ex, husband, FIL, son...and that's just immediate family. Onto the cache.

This time, it was Allanon's turn to ask me if I wanted to try for FTF on another fine A&F cache. Sure...why not? I fed Miss Maggie the coords and off we went.

During an earlier conversation, Albert's friend had told me she planned to hide a cache in a traveler's park in Monroe. I still feel like I'm new here (when does it start to feel like you're a resident?), so I wasn't sure where she meant until we approached the cache site. Aha...this was where you were talking about. It is a nice place for a cache, and especially a tribute cache, since it is, indeed, dedicated to veterans.

I thought Allanon was right behind me; I didn't know he was getting his GPSr out of the back of his vehicle, so I didn't wait for him. Miss Maggie whispered to me where I was to go, and following her lead, I only had to do a wee bit of peering to find the cache.

I took one of the dogtags, and would like to dedicate it to those mentioned above. While I more and more frequently disagree with the way the military is being run, I appreciate those who serve. I know that their valor and integrity is based on selfless acts and a willingness to do the right thing for humanity.

After signing the log, the cache was replaced for the next finder. Thanks for taking the time to remember those who have given more than some of us can imagine...and for taking the time to give us pause to rememebr, too.