CO-FTF on an Early Morning Night Time Cache Hunt

When you know that there are several very competitive FTF hounds in your area the urge to be first can be very compelling. For me, depending on where I am during the day and where the newly published geocache actually is will tell me who I am up against and how drastic of measures I need to take to achieve "clean sheetz".

For example, the posting to a particular geocache went live at 9:30 last night. It was about ten miles away and so I actually debated whether I just go out and get it or wait until morning after I drop my daughter off for school. After contemplating the effort that would need to be taken to tell my wife I was going out geocaching - again - or getting a good nights sleep in an actual bed. I decided morning would be best.

After booting my child out of the car and speeding into the night..., err, after waiting for the school bus to arrive and pick up my child from the bus stop I carefully and safely merged into traffic on my way to the geocache site.

Upon arrival I realized that it was still pitch black out and this would be a night hunt. Fortunately the area did not have anyone around so I was free to search undisturbed, or at least that was what I thought at the time. After taking my flashlight and blackberry with me I stumbled in the dark hoping for a quick grab and go. Unfortunately this was not the case and the geocache was well hidden in an area of multiple hiding spots. About ten minutes of searching and I see a car pull up and park behind mine. I was pretty sure it was not the police and I suspected a high probability that it would be my FTF nemesis Ikraynak.

"Ian, is that you", I called into the darkness. The return snickering told me that my suspicions were correct.

We combined forces and began searching the rather large, target rich geocache site. Another five or so minutes go by and I spot the geocache.

"Found it", says I.

Ian retrieved the small geocache and we looked to see if our efforts were in vain or not. We were not disappointed this time and the FTF was ours.

After a short chit-chat it was time for both of us to head off for work. Funny how we both get so much enjoyment trying to beat each other out in being first. That I personally had even more fun looking together with a common goal. Well okay I technically DID find it first anyways but that is not the point... TeeHEE... Until the next time.

Meet-Ups With Fellow Geocaching Seekers

I was out on my day off trying to get a couple of FTFs that were near my house.

As I approached the geocache ground zero in a gas station parking lot I noticed another car just sort of sitting there. Well I have a game plan today and wanted to head out to another hunting ground so I took a chance to see if I could actually find this cache without raising too much attention.

As I exited my vehicle I was greeted by a big smile and a question that I immediately knew that I was in the company of friends.

"Is your Geocache Navigator working?", he said with a grin.

"Now how would he know that I had...", thought I and then he told me.

"I saw some of your videos", he said.

I introduced myself and he told me his Geocaching handle was Ikraynak.

I looked down at my BlackBerry and it seemed to be working just fine. I stated that since mine is working to give it a shot and find this cache. We looked at the description and had a pretty good clue the area to search. My first choice came up empty but Ian hit it on his first try. As we were signing the log we talked more about our sudden dependence on Geocache Navigator and how it has made geocaching so much easier.

It was great to talk with Ikraynak and to meet up with his very nice four legged caching buddy. It just goes to show you never know who you are going to meet up with and I am so glad that I do. Being able to put a handshake and a face with a name makes geocaching so much more fun.

Oh and a "Curse You" (clenched fist to the air) to Cachuman for beating us to the FTF. What you sleeping on your monitor lately? ;)