Plans for Geocaching with My Boys

Laura and Shelby had planned to meet up with some friends at English Rose Tea Room in downtown Chattanooga. I thought this would be a great opportunity have some one on one time geocaching with my boys, Dave and Nick.

They really didn’t know what they were in for when we asked them to leave their electronic devices at home.  I did bring along my GPSr and my phone, but that was it.

There just happened to be a geocache and a parking lot right across the street from the English Rose.  We dropped the ladies off and found a parking space. We paid for an hour of parking (like that would be long enough when we get on the hunt).

Brick Truck

GC646V7-Brick Truck was the closest geocache so the three of us headed over to make this easy grab (we thought). We had only be there for a minute when a van full of people pulled up and a crowd jumped out and ran toward us. A little confused, we backed away as they climbed up on the brick truck and asked if I would take their picture. It turned out they were also doing some kind of scavenger hunt, but it wasn’t geocaching. They left and we went back to the search. Within two minutes, we were surrounded by another group of strangers. I asked it they wanted me to take their picture. They did. Then they left.

As soon as they left, another couple walked up, thankfully “pillman & Pipi mom” asked if we had found it yet (Thank goodness, they’re geocachers!) We worked together for several more minutes to find the tiniest container available, called a “nano.” (Nanos are about the size of the eraser on a pencil)  There were lots of places it could be and many could not be seen with the eye.  I almost got my hand stuck in one of these un-see-able places (I don’t think your arm is suppose to bend that way!)  But I had to get my hand out, because I had the cache in it. (I kind of felt like a raccoon in a trap).  In the end, I did manage to retrieve my hand and the cache.  Dave signed the log for all of us and place it back in it hiding spot. (He’s little and his bones are still flexible!)

Hide and Seek

After grabbing the Brick Truck cache, I looked around for the next closest cache in the area I had not found yet; GC646TM – Hide and Seek was it and it was just a short walk. When we arrived at ground-zero, we had the place to ourselves (which was very nice after our experience at the brick truck). I went straight to the hiding spot, felt around, looked in all visible locations, came up empty. We spread out a little to other possible locations (there are many within 5-10 feet). I finally worked my way back around, before totally giving up. Imagine my surprise when the cache jumped out at me from the first place I looked! Grrr. Now I know why it’s called “Hide and Seek”!

So far, my day of geocaching with my boys was going great and we were having fun together without Nintendos or tablets (imagine that!)

Conventional Wisdom

I may have over extended my day of geocaching with my boys.  GC6D5N9 – Conventional Wisdom was a pretty good walk from “Hide and Seek” but I felt my boys and I were up to the task and we still had at least 30 minutes left on the parking.

We searched for this one until my wife texted that she was ready to go and then for a few more minutes (please don’t tell her) I think we must have touched every rock here, but had no luck. Finally we had to DNF this one for today. As we walked back, one of my boys said “Didn’t we just pay for an hour of parking. Hasn’t it been longer than that?” I looked at the time and said “Yep, let’s hope they aren’t checking!” The truck was still there when we got back with no tickets. It was a good day of geocaching with my boys.