We Hide & Seek

So things happen when the gang gets together anymore. We're older and have responsibilities and our together-time changes. We don't stay up as late, we don't drink as much and we have kids or pets that alter our schedules. It's just all about working with the circumstances.

Take this last Saturday. Morty and I had already done our hour of spinning and the girls were getting cabin fever, just sitting around yakking and knitting. They wanted to get out. And Ripley needed a walk, but it doesn't really take four folks to walk a dog, does it?

But what if you threw something else in the mix to make it more interesting? Geocaching.

As the sight says: Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.
Admittedly, until the day before, I had never even heard of this 'phenomenon'. Clearly, everyone else has. And when I say "everyone", I mean the house-guests and Denton. Probably Ripley too.

The ravine right next to our house apparently has dozens of Geocached treasures. And of course I mean, film-like canisters with a log to sign your name...and possibly a trinket inside. But the ravine, especially this time of year, is treacherous to maneuver without falling 40-80 feet to your death. Hardly worth it.

But Lake View Cemetery also has a quite a few as well, they are pet-friendly and about two miles from the house. Away we went.

I can't say we were horribly successful. I mean, if it were a math test, we would have gotten a 20-25%. I base this on that we looked for four or five hidden gems and found but one.

Here is Mort digging into, what I think was not so much a drainage pipe, but some kind of water supply to keep the grass green. However, it was filled with melted snow and leaves. But being committed to the search, he dug in.

This was our last attempt and only success. Becky found the peanut butter canister wrapped in camouflage duct tape. In it were a few plastic army men and the log. Becca left her RTA pass in there as some kind of pay-it-forward gift.

I hate to say it, but when I was originally told about Geocache the day before, the idea seemed somewhat lame. But you know, anything that gets you outdoors and stimulates the brain isn't all bad. I think it really should be done with friends and not in some weird Ted Kaczynski kind of way. There is always something to be said for competition.

That being said, naturally we Morty came up with the idea that we should hide something ourselves, instead of just searching them out. To be a community, it can't be all seekers, someone has to do the hiding - am I right?

So Mort thought it would be funny to get one of those cans of mixed nuts that has springy snakes that shoot out of the can when you open them. I don't think anyone truly convinced anyone that we'd be the first people to think of it......but it got a kind of laugh. ....and then we went and bought a few cans of mixed nuts that has springy snakes in them. I think Becca has them all and she'll put camo duct tape on them and stash them out in the showiness of nature.

I actually had fun doing this, but knowing my behaviour, it could be a bit time consuming and I don't have a lot of time to obsess about this - as my obsession schedule is already quite booked.


Song by: Alison Krauss + Union Station