Personal Log of the Captain – Stardate 100826

Usually I am not about numbers. Well, I am. Sort of. Every week I generate statistics of my finds. I love comparing my statistics with other and chimping about who is better and such. I also try to keep my found traditionals below 85% of my total finds and fill my cache matrix.

But usually I don’t write about numbers. I prefer to write about special finds, great hides, views, locations or whatever else I stumble upon while geocaching.

This find combines both. It is a very special find for me and a number of finds one can be proud to achieve.

My 900th found cache was placed by my best friend. We started out geocaching together two years ago when Steffi and I visited them. Back then it was a great excuse to buy the GPS, but in the few days Mike, Lee, Abi, Steffi and I cached together, we realized it was more.

Now we visited Mike and his family again. We had a great time, cached together, but somehow our numbers did not raise as much as we thought they would.

On our last planned evening in the area we tried to go for it, but had bad luck. We had a lot of DNF’s, it got dark, it got late and it was our last planned day in the area. I was very sad and should have spent the time with the family, instead to go for a number.

Next day Steffi went really ill. We wanted to drive to Washington DC, but she had to see a doctor. After that we asked if we could extend our stay with them for one day to give Steffi some rest. Gladly Mike and Lee agreed. Thank you so much for your support!

So we skipped our visit to Washington DC. Steffi went to bed and I went on a mission.

I had 6 caches to find for #900. It was a hot day again. Pretty humid. My wife was sick and sleeping. But I was on a mission. I was a Federation Captain. I was no weakling. I ignored everything the Klingons said about me that way. I would succeed.

I took the rented cache shuttle to several caches. Waited at some for what felt like an eternity. Searched. Did not find some. Found others pretty fast. Took detours as our rented navigation system had maps from 2005 (5 years old!).

It took me the whole afternoon. The sun was already setting. It was a beautiful evening. And then, on a highway, I had marked my 900th find! (Actually find number 899 was one of Mike’s caches too.) It was a hard bit of work, but it was all worth it!

Now this is where the statistics come in. This find will be forever on the board of my milestone finds. It will be displayed on the stats forever. And this makes me proud!

As my Klingon friend General Huntar would say: Qapla!

Captain Robert Donovan
CO, USS Trailblazer
Ambassador to the Staunton Sector Group

Adventuring in Charlottesville

Something that is important for me is making sure that my family have glorious adventures together.

I use the word “glorious” with special care as what I am really saying is that I want us to make memories.

To often these days, we see families that actually do very little together and so are left wondering later in life why they have drifted so far apart.

Originally, we had wanted to venture towards Richmond but that trip fell through with us selecting a trip to Charlottesville as the replacement alternative.

Our first destination of the day was the downtown mall and the Virginia Discovery Museum located there.

Although I have not stepped foot on the mall in a couple of years, I actually knew my way around a bit thanks to adventuring with friends from Germany a couple of weeks ago helping me find my way and actually locate a decent parking spot much quicker than I expected.

The temperature and overall weather were very pleasant with the time simply walking on the bricked walkways of the mall something in itself to enjoy … that and listening to the various street musicians along the way.

Outside the museum, we found a carousel powered with good ole merry-go-round pushing power.

Inside the museum, 3-year-old Abi became fixated on the various activities involving balls of all sizes, types and colors.

She used them to knock down pins, sent them traveling through tubes, let them loose in mazes and much more.

Because she had so much fun with this, it took a bit of time before we were able to make ourselves to the back gallery where we were surprised to find a small (and safely contained) hive of bees.

The hive itself was a treat to observe as a tube gave the inhabitants access from hive to the outside world.

All three of us were fascinated with watching the colony at work.

So many things were there to enjoy at the museum that we left for lunch and returned afterwards for more adventuring within.

Finally when we did leave, we went looking for geocache “Belmont Park” which was not far away.

Although it was one found by my friends a couple of weeks ago when I was adventuring with them, I chose to remain in the car at the time so as to save the joy of finding it for later.

You see, a sad fact for us in this area is that the number of caches are not quite as high as we would like.

For me, this means spreading out the finds and not going for them all at one time helps keep the enjoyment of the hunt going over the long haul.

This is the reason my family and I concentrate on savoring the adventures themselves as for us … it truly is not about the numbers.

We found the cache we ease but more than this were able to explore a small park that easily accessible of which Abi can have a lot of fun while burning off a bit of her energy.

I can honestly say that even though we left these adventurous places behind on this particular day, we will most definitely return a few more times in the near future.

More so because one of us had so much fun that she fell asleep in her mother’s arms when we returned home.

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

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“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

VICTORY AT LAST!

The quest for geocache “The Glorious Cause” has been one that my wife and I have had in our hearts for some time.

In fact, my wife says quite quickly that it was trying to solve this mystery the first time that caused her to want to take up the sport.

As a person who works with science each day in the lab at the local hospital, she enjoys the challenge of mysteries and unraveling those mysterious.

The first time we went looking for this one, it was when we first entered the sport and were much less experienced.

So the time finally came for us to take up this challenge once more.

On our way to the cache location at Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton, Lee reviewed the information at some length — especially the hint.

She felt there was likely more meaning in the hint than what one first sees as surface value.

Her line of thought caused me to realize where the cache was hidden and on our arrival … I immediately found it.

However, I chose to say nothing at the time as I wanted my wife the chance to work her way to its hiding spot on her own.

As Lee began her search, I took time to follow our 3-year-old, Abi, around the cemetery as she found acorns and placed them in a basket she brought with her.

Going back to the beginning of the puzzle, she solved the puzzle yet again and began her search anew.

One searching for the cache location using the new coordinates from the solved puzzle, she followed the compass of the GPS back and forth as it bounced around off the trees.

The bounce effect became slightly frustrating but in the end she found the cache herself as had I.

For us, this is likely one of our favorite caches with a large smiley marking a find that previously had eluded us.

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

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“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

“Mega Smiley” Denied!

“Mega Smiley” is one smiley that is currently denied for me as although I have searched and searched … it was nowhere that I could find it.

Finding ground zero was easy as there definitely is a large smiley at the spot to be found but unfortunately it is not the one that gets you credit for finding the geocache.

On two different days and occasions, I searched the location with an extensive and long search performed on the second day.

I followed every geocaching trail I thought I could see as well as sifted through all the tall grass as well as searched the strands of lights around the palm trees to see if a micro might be woven in and well camouflaged somehow.

So diligent was my search that I walked away with scratches on both arms as one of the short palm like plants to the rear of ground zero was disagreeable with the search efforts.

Knowing I had family waiting for me to return as well as fearing I would be holding them up, I finally left location and decided it must be lost and gone.

Disappointment rose in me later as when I checked after having returned to our home in the valley, I learned others had found that which I could not.

Frustration and disappointment abound as I heave a heavy sigh, wonder at how out of practice I am as well as when my almost 3-year-old will be old enough to let (and even help) me search more depth, enjoyment and easy.

I find I miss the days of old when there were fewer demands on my time … time that currently (even on vacation) hovers only slightly above zero.

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

The Norwegian Lady

As a person who loves photography, history and a good story, I loved seeking out and seeing the “Norwegian Lady.”

Having just left a neighboring arcade, our small team found her standing as she was described facing out towards the sea.

The inscription on a plaque at the site of the statue reads:

“THE PEOPLE OF MOSS, NORWAY, HAVE SENT ME TO COMMEMORATE NORWEGIAN AND AMERCAN SEAMEN WHO PERISHED TOGETHER WHEN THE NORWEGIAN BARK “DICTATOR” OF MOSS WAS WRECKED OFF THESE SHORES ON MARCH 27TH, 1891.”

The added bonus of finding this was seeing the wonderful sculptures at her back that existed as part of Naval Aviation Monument Park.

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

Quick Stop Leads To Quick Find

Heading out on a much needed vacation, my family stopped to stretch our legs at a rest stop on the eastbound side of Interstage 64 between Richmond and Williamsburg.

We were traveling to Virginia Beach where we would spend three nights.

Figuring their would be a cache hidden at the location, I performed a quick search of the net to retrieve the coordinates and then set out to find the cache.

It only took a few minutes to locate the hidden container …. accomplished after the GPS finished bouncing signals once.

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

Finding a Boy Scout Geocache

I first went looking for “SJAC of BSA” a couple of weeks ago when I was in the area to cover a Valley League baseball game.

Unfortunately at the time, I could not seem to access my paperless geocaching data nor the coordinates necessary for finding the actual cache.

So it was tabled until back in the neighborhood today.

This time, it made for a relatively easy find — an ammo can hidden in a rather traditional (but well concealed) spot.

My hat is off to the boy scout leadership for introducing their troop to the sport of geocaching as it seems a good fit for those of that organization.

Of the physical location, I have always loved the totem pole outside their building.

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

A Little Walnut Grove History

Part of a Waynesboro history series, “Walnut Grove” popped up on the geocaching radar at about the same time as “Rebel Line” of which I was first to find last week.

Unfortunately for last week, I lacked the time before now to really slip over to make a quick grab of this one.

Having driven past the historical marker for “Walnut Grove” many times, I knew the general location this cache would be hidden and so just had to find a couple of minutes to actually get this one.

And although I had driven past the marker many times, I had never stopped to actually read it so it was indeed a historical lesson for me … one that taught me of the house beside which the marker was placed.

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

Not First To Look, But First To Find

Last night, I took note when email notification came in of two new geocaches popping up over in Waynesboro.

First thought was to jump in the car and make a mad dash to the neighboring system in the hope of locating it in the dark, however, it was quickly pushed down as both wife and youngest daughter we fast asleep.

This morning, I downloaded the information and took it with me on a trip to Waynesboro while taking my daughter to the park to feed the geese.

However, the timing never felt right for searching as I believe it would have been too difficult with the wee one in tow … besides, this was father / daughter time spent doing what she wanted to do.

It did not keep me logging onto the internet several times throughout the day to see if either had been found.

The first geocache … Walnut Grove … was found in very short order.

The second … Rebel Line … remained undiscovered throughout the day — leaving me very surprised.

Why had it not been found? … I know someone had to have gone looking as we have geocachers around that race for the first-to-finds (not that I blame them!).

About an hour or so before the sun was due to set, I could resist temptation no longer and set course for the scene of the cache … which happened to place me in front of a rather unique bookstore off the downtown.

The GPS put me in the small (and very beautiful) garden out front, but the clues helped me zero in on the cache.

Let me say that I did see what looked like signs of where others had searched, such as vegetation shifted about, etc.

They were unsuccessful as the logbook remained empty.

Although I do not wish to give anything away for others who might be seeking, I will say that it is well hidden and a bit devious in how they went about it.

It was only after I sat on a bench and thought about it and then went back over areas I had already searched that I found what I was looking for

— Mike Tripp / Hunter of Stories

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

“Adventures of the Pathfinder” follows the adventures of “The-Pathfinders” (aka. Order of the Pathfinder, Klingon faction among the Ships of the Cache) of which Mike Tripp is a part as they explore the world with an adventurous spirit and a lot of fun.

Semmels123 joined us for some of the caches and we finished the weekend together at Benjamins Diner on Sunday. We had a blast at that evening. Everyone was in great mood, the Brazil soccer game was on screen and Devin served again. He is a great waiter and funny guy. Thank you all!

One of best weekends we had in a while.