GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right? HeadHardHat's Geocaching Insights

HeadHardHat's Award Winning Geocaching Blog is a geocache treasure trove of geocaching information. Years of searchable geocaching insights await you here. HeadHardHat's GeoSnippits Geocaching Videos series can be seen on You Tube. You can also find him on his new GeoSnippits Reboot Podcast series and the Geocaching Podcast. Geocaching the outdoor treasure-hunting game which the participants use a GPS receiver to hide and seek containers called "geocaches" or "caches" anywhere in the world

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

International Geocaching Day 2015 - Go Find A Rock

This last Sunday on October 11th, 2015 was International Earthcache Day. For not only geocachers but all folks that are into Earth Science and different geological processes. This is a great excuse to get out and give our planet a good look see.

That being said, Wife Amy and myself went out on a beautiful fall day and explored a wondrous park not too far from our home. I had been saving this particular earthcache for about a year now and it turned out to be amazing.

Within the park is an whole series of trails to enjoy. The one we were interested in was a "Rock Trail" which included "talking rocks". Now my folks were rock hounds and we as a family traveled all over the place finding minerals, gems and collectible stones. In all my travels I never encountered a talking rock, so I was intrigued with this adventure. Of course we had to actually find the correct trail first.

The main issue was the way-point getting to the trail head was a bit misleading. You came up to a map that showed a very high level map of the trail systems. They all intertwined and one was given choices from which to pick a trail and go. Unfortunately the park did not have clear markers there saying "Yellow Trail this way" or a yellow marker to go here... Instead it had one sign showing to the left telling about the Forest Tree Trail and The Rock Trail. So off we went thinking that the rock trail would be down this path. So we walked and walked and walked, learning about the different trees in the area but nothing about the rocks. Wife Amy and I figured we must somehow be on the wrong trail. The trail markers were not the right color and we were looking for yellow trail markers. So we headed back.

Back at the starting point which actually was an information center. Amy and I looked at the other trail-heads and she had mentioned something of which I did not hear nor pay attention to. A minute later we bumped into a father with several of his children. I asked if he knew where the Rock Trail was and he said he was heading there as well. So off we went on the same trail we walked figuring we just did not go far enough. So we walked and walked and walked. Then off to the left of us was once again the now familiar Information Center. We had taken a nice hike in the form of a circle. The father apologized and said we must have taken the wrong trail. Ugh,

That was when wife Amy states that we should have taken the trail to the right and not the trail to the left like she originally said. Again that was the part that I wasn't listening and completely ignored any content that may have been relevant. Like 100 feet down that trail was a yellow trail marker. I was so happy to see it I didn't question her about not mentioning it before...

NOW we could do the earthcache, Yay!

Luckily for us the trail itself was only about a mile long because the sun was on it's way down. We traveled the trail and finally came upon a talking rock. See the little video below:

Because these were educational trails the park had recorded messages at key points of interest. Push the button and learn what that particular station was about. I think this was awesome, especially for kids or those who can't read signs.

Our particular earthcache had several questions that needed to be answered to gain the find. You had to go through the entire trail to gain the information and answer the questions. It was really a lot of fun. Here are some of the photos we took on the trail. No spoilers here just showing off the scenery.

Headhardhat doing a woodsy selfie

Nice place for a traditional geocache

Was amazed at how many large rock specimens they had on this trail.

Nice stream running through.

Beautiful

Headhardhat and Wife Amy

So as we wound up the nature hike and collected our International Earthcache Day 2015 souvenir. I could not help but bring back up the fact that Amy did suggest we go right instead of left on the trail.
"Why did you not say to go that way?", stated I.
"I did, you weren't listening - again." stated Wife Amy.
"Huh?" stated I.
"Exactly." stated Wife Amy.

And on we went to go find the car. We did mark where we parked the car, right?

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