Tag Archives: Geocaching

Africa Again…I can’t believe it either

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Africa, Geocaching, Gorillas, and One Ridiculous Side Quest

Thirteen Years in the Making

Got to make it to see the mountain gorillas of Rwanda this time. Thirteen years in the making, and another highlight in an amazing life.

Warning: this is simply my geocaching log for our trip. It’s mostly dull and boring… unless you are me.

Or my wife.

Or my mother.

Hi Mom.

And if you are someone outside geocaching who somehow found your way here, welcome to the part of the internet where grown adults walk into the woods, stare at their phones, and get very excited about tiny containers hidden under rocks.

From Campervan to Duffel Bag

I’m used to traveling by packing up my campervan and letting it lead me wherever I need to be. But this time, travel involved throwing everything I own in a duffel bag and getting on a plane for 1,000 hours to Africa.

Wifey made a plan to revisit Africa this year after a trip we had 13 years ago went somewhat awry at the end. She was there for about 10 days before me, and then I flew into Johannesburg. From there, I went to Victoria Falls, where we met up for my amazing 2+ weeks in Africa.

That sentence makes it sound simpler than it felt. Campervan Jimmy understands snacks, gas stations, and pulling over whenever he wants. International Duffel Bag Jimmy has to understand passports, layovers, airplane sleep, and why every airport is designed like a psychological experiment.

Johannesburg: Wandering With Purpose

Travel could not have been smoother from one side of our planet to the other—or, as someone told me, from the left half of our Earth plate to the right half.

I spent the night at the Johannesburg airport and made some time wandering around for the virtual and the adventure lab nearby. I also found a traditional micro in the parking lot. The log there was in disrepair, so I left a fresh one behind. Hope that’s OK.

For non-geocachers, that means I was technically doing something wholesome and organized, even if from the outside it may have looked like a jet-lagged man inspecting airport landscaping with suspicious enthusiasm.

The next morning, it was off to Victoria Falls to see my wife for the first time in a couple of weeks.

Victoria Falls: Water… Falling

A couple of days at the Victoria Falls Lodge felt like living on our own island in Africa. We did sunrise and sunset boat rides each day, a trip to Victoria Falls, and a few game drives sprinkled in between—along with some of the most fantastic food and hospitality we’ve ever experienced.

The mist and falls made visibility pretty tough that day. But when there were views, they were amazing. We did the falls stroll, taking pictures and recording nonsensical info for my silly hobby.

The Victoria Falls walk was one of my favorite things so far. I can’t believe it’s only now, today, that the word “waterfall” is finally registering why that’s the word… it is water, falling. Duh.

Water. Falling. Somehow this had been hiding in plain sight my entire life.

This is why travel is important. Sometimes it expands your mind. Other times it helps you decode extremely obvious words.

The Real Trip Begins

We had some amazing guides and experiences, but the reality is that this was just a meetup spot for me and my wife on a different continent. Our real trip started now.

After an overnight in Nairobi, we were off to the Maasai Mara for a few more nights. Through our several trips to Africa over the years, we’ve never experienced kindness and hospitality like we do here. As a silly American tourist, I’m always super grateful for how welcome the rest of the world makes me feel.

That is something I never want to get used to.

Flat Tire in a Mud Puddle

One game drive, we got a flat tire in the middle of a mud puddle. That was a unique experience. It was all I could do not to get down there and help. It’s just a flat tire, after all—I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. But once again, I was reminded that that’s not how hospitality works.

There are moments to help, moments to step back, and moments to stand there pretending you’re useful.

I nailed that last one.

Explaining Geocaching in 30 Seconds

Our second day here, I got to do one of my favorite things: tell someone who’s never heard about geocaching all about it. And by “all about it,” I mean a 30-second briefing.

But I’ve seen this so many times before, and I witnessed it again. Once I use the words scavenger hunt, treasure hunt, and hide and seek, eyes get big.

Our guide pulled up to a tree that he was surprised I knew was even there, let alone what it was called. I then showed him my phone, which said “40 feet that way.” We walked over to the tree, and I removed something that had been there for over 10 years—and he had no idea.

The excitement! Followed by: “Where’s the next one?!”

So it seems like our guide is in, and we may have zigzagged around the Maasai Mara to find a few more geocaches.

That moment—when someone realizes there are hidden treasures in places they already know—is one of my favorite things about this silly hobby.

Almost Seeing a Kill

Another day, we witnessed the closest we’ve ever come to seeing a kill on safari so far. Three lions were stalking a herd. But unfortunately, the herd got tipped off—or fortunately for their families.

Bad for tourists. Great for the animals.

Hidden Treasures in the Mara Triangle

Another morning, we were out for five hours with the intention of showing us every animal imaginable, as well as looking for hidden treasures in the Mara Triangle. We were successful at one and unsuccessful at another.

But the joy of knowing that there were hidden treasures right inside his homeland made Stephen so happy that it made me even happier.

We were able to find one at the campsite and unable to find another, even though he offered to lend me his shovel to dig deeper below the mudhole at GZ. I told him that was not necessary, but I have a feeling he goes back without me.

Nairobi to Nakuru

After the safari in the Mara, it was back to Nairobi and then immediately on to Nakuru for an overnight. The drive from Nairobi to Nakuru was a ridgeline drive that I will never forget. A scenic beauty that is not replicated in many places.

The next day in Nakuru, we got an early start to visit the equator and the Rift Valley. The closer we got, and the more he understood what we were doing, the more Richard got excited—for me and for him. By the time we parted ways, he had the app downloaded on his phone and said he wanted to play hide and seek too. Another convert to our silly hobby, I hope.

Rift Valley: The Highlight

The Rift Valley was the geocaching highlight of this trip, and the day I asked my wife to let me carve out for my selfishness. I did not hitchhike here, like one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met, but I did make it on my own two feet.

Our guide, Richard, was unbelievably kind, patient, and accommodating. Having the assistance of a local had to have made the difference in whether I got here or not.

The funniest part about all of this was trying to explain to people why exactly I wanted to stand on this particular spot on Earth. I told my stupid story so many times that I don’t even understand it anymore.

The Equator Moment

We got to witness the water swirl test at the equator. While I’ve known about this my entire life, seeing the water spin in different directions—and stand still—all within 20 feet blew my mind.

It is one thing to know something.

It is another thing entirely to stand there and watch it happen.

The Side Quest

Once on the plantation property, a few people helped us get in touch with Raza. After a few minutes, they put me on the phone with him, and he told me we might not be able to get too close by car—but we were welcome, and he thanked us for visiting.

When wifey told me we were going back to Africa again—specifically Kenya—I begged for a day to throw in my own ridiculous side quest request: to stand at an arbitrary spot in the middle of private property on our planet.

Because she is the best, it has now happened.

The $10 Story

Side story about Richard: he was almost the subject of extortion by roadside police. They pulled him over, and he stood his ground. We had to sit there for about 20 minutes, but nobody got a bribe from him.

He was pissed and said when you’re not guilty, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Having only heard stories like this about police extortion in other countries, it was an exciting experience to live through firsthand.

The sentence, “You are traveling with 2 white people and don’t have $10 to make this go away?” will forever bounce around in my head with great laughter.

Rwanda: The Moment

After Kenya, it was on to Rwanda for the highlight of this trip. We tried this 13 years ago, but sadly it did not happen. This time, we got to visit and trek with the mountain gorillas. I also got to swing on vines with—and like—the silverbacks. Highlight.

The drive from Kigali up to the mountains was one of the most awe-inspiring scenic views I’ve ever seen. I never imagined that this is what the country would look like. I’m very glad I was not driving and got to take it all in. Farms and homes were scattered across every hillside around every corner we turned.

The utter beauty, greenness, and lushness was mind-boggling.

Gorillas and Golden Monkeys

Seeing the gorillas and the golden monkeys is an unquestionable highlight of our lives together. I already wrote a song about it.

Of course I did.

Germany and the Way Home

From Rwanda, we started our journey back home. Three-plus weeks for her and two for me. It felt like an entire lifetime lived.

We had a few layovers. Germany was the most exciting. I had five hours to kill, so I just wandered… and then wandered some more. Security never said anything until I was at the checkpoint to get back inside.

He asked me why I wandered around aimlessly so much. I always have a built-in excuse. I told him I was lost, looking for the way out to McDonald’s.

I finally found a nice officer who told me how to get there. I also had an old friend with a long layover—we were meeting up. His name is Gio.

One guy chuckled, because I tell such good stories. The other guy was extremely German about it.

Then it was home.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to everybody who helped me have the most amazing life imaginable. Hopefully something above explains how and why I visited this geocache. If not, then I am probably just lying, like I love to do.

If you look at the hint before you look for a container, are you even geocaching?

Cause half of what I say is lies, and it takes so much to keep up this disguise.

Found Alaskan Heaven thanks to an Alaskan Angel & Geocaching

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I can’t believe I get to write another story about the luckiest boy in the world going on a road trip. Once again, I packed up my favorite camPERVan, Pervvie, this time the destination is Alaska. A teenage dream is finally coming to realization. Driving from home in Maryland to Alaska. Geocaching goals are pretty limited for this road trip. I say that now yet somehow, geocaching will find its way to consume me. Probably some challenge that I don’t even know exists yet (turns out, that thing is chasing D/T’s). My top goal is my last remaining year 2000 in the USA (DONE!) . That’s in Sitka. Other than that, I hope to find all the types in each state and for each date when possible. The top 1000 favorites, I’m getting close to 70% I think. And then of course anything else awesome that catches my eye for no apparent reason. Other stupid checklist goal, playing frisbee in each state. I hope to check off a few of the northern states as I make my way across the land (also done!).

This is the story of me being visited by an Alaskan Angel named Ed. He descended upon me in an ‘87 Toyota Corolla. He first ridiculed me for my chosen location, and then directed me to a spot I was sure I could not get to. He ridiculed me for thinking that as well. What at first was a failed attempt at finding a 10 year lonely multi geocache, turned into 2 days in heaven.

This is mostly just my log from a geocache I found:

This is the story of a lonely multicache that I was excited for, then depressed over, then it changed my life forever. I’m going to start by saying that both stage 1 and 2 both look like they could have been placed yesterday. Recently at an Alaskan Event, I heard conversation that had 3 key words in it. Multi, lonely, and Star Wars…or Trek, I dunno). Multicache is what really grabbed my attention. At the end of the event, we formed a human pyramid, took some pics, and parted ways. I researched this multicache. The puzzle looked straight forward. Thankfully, my best pal Josh is just the kind of dork I needed for this puzzle. He said it took even his nerdy ass a lot of googling to come up with an answer. I took his info out to stage 1. I looked for quite a while, in all the wrong directions. Then as I hung my head with sadness, there it was. I opened it, thinking I might be the first in almost 10 years. What if the puzzle is unreadable? Nope, looks like it was put there yesterday. Amazing. Been here since 2005 I think? Wow. I did the homework and got new information. I plugged it in and started my way to the final. I got to an intersection that locals know well. I as a traveler did not. I turned back. The weather was awful, raining, dreary, just not that pleasant. I could not see 100 feet due to fog. But I was in Alaska having fun! Whatever I was feeling over this lack of multicache, let’s call it depression just for relatability, I need to get ahold of myself. Depression could also be coming from a recent retarded, yet important, loss to the universe. I pulled into a rock quarry that had 2 higher than normal DT’s. I was going to treat myself to those, a nice climb and stretch, get out of this multi-funk. I made a short loop out for those 2, great climbs, quick finds. Then I returned to the van and restrategized. As I sat catching up on real life a bit, watching a funny video my Juggalo pal sent me, and enjoying a smoke, a drunken Alaskan Angel descending upon me in an 87 Toyota Corolla. His name was Ed. He was giving me crap for having this nice van and camping out at a rock quarry. I made sure to let him know I was not doing that, told him there were geocaches here, he told me I was wrong, I told him where I wanted to go, down the road a bit. Ed then gave me hope in life and told me that even though that sign said one thing, people tow boats that 14 miles all the time. Great news! I don’t even have a boat in tow. I immediately got restarted with such a vigor. Socked in with weather almost the entire day, the clouds broke a bit for views from the top. Gorgeous. What a view. It was a loooooong search for the prize. I almost gave up. I am not used to that kind of a hide. Sounds silly now that I type it. The pressure that was released upon opening, such a sweet sound. And I am pretty sure that trackup&glacierkitten left a toot behind as a 10-year surprise. A happy dance occurred. What a great adventure, thanks for providing. Favorite point obvs.

After the multi experience I continued alone to the end of the Bennett Highway. Thanks to Ed, I knew I could. I’m in a 4wd lifted, and well-prepared sprinter. It was a tough road in for sure, not our worst. The rain made parts treacherous. At the end was by far my most amazing spot of heaven that I have been directed to yet. I have found a lot of amazing places because of GC, but this was b/c of a local, so much better, I think. Once I got there, the skies cleared completely. I had perfect blue skies, grazing wispy clouds, and a river singing to me. I could not believe it, again Alaska shows me all the weather options in a single day. It remained perfect, with just enough breeze to keep the skeeters off my peter. I could not believe my luck, and at the same time could. I do claim to be the luckiest boy in the world. I can’t wait to see how that bites me in the ass one day. I stayed there the day, overnight and half the next day. My time there I saw 3 other humans, 2 boats, and I swear to your dog, a partridge in a pear tree. When I left, I stopped for a couple other 4 year lonely hides along the Bennett Highway. I only left for other nonsense GC checklists. Believe it or not, another multi.

CAM season in Maryland again

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It is that time of year when Maryland hosts our Cache Across Maryland. They outdid themselves this year. Usually CAM consists of 10 locations scattered around Maryland. This year is a visit to all 26 Maryland counties! I have been hip deep in traveling everywhere, including zigzagging every nook and cranny of Maryland lately. I am almost done CAM, and still have a couple good road trips and hikes to look forward to. It goes without saying we had some of the best days of our lives recently. I put up a bunch of pictures, mostly the dogs, from recent CAM travels throughout Maryland HERE.

Most road trips comes to an end

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Day 89:
20,590 miles, and I will stop counting after today.
I woke up at Burke Lake in Arlington, only 2 hours from home, but still not home. And I won’t be home until 5pm. I have a 5pm arrival appointment at home with some very important people. I will see my wife and dogs for the first time in 3 months. I can’t wait to embrace her and roll on the floor with the dogs. What a long strange trip it’s been. I don’t understand why, and stopped worrying about why I am so lucky. I will just ride this wave until the rug gets ripped out from under me. That could be tomorrow. As I was pulling out of a pre-sunrise Burke Lake, the first thing I saw was frisbee baskets. I think that is a sign that my normal life is already returning. I had originally planned to play frisbees in every state I visited. Turns out I only played 1 time. It was very weird how I spent 3 months, nonstop moving and doing, and it somehow feels like I just spun my wheels in place.
My plan for the morning was to head into an empty, Sunday morning DC. I was going to ride my bike around and gather up all the fun there. I got into town, and everything was perfect, the streets were empty, and the weather was amazing. Out of nowhere, and for no reason, I decided I did not want to do that anymore. Instead, I head straight for home base. I had plenty of things I wanted to do before 5pm. Today is the first day in 3 months that I was driving without the assistance of navigation. I saw “95”, knew I could not get lost, and got a bit depressed that the interstate numbers were so high.
On the drive home I stopped by the national park at the harbor. I finished up a couple pieces of geocaching business there, that I had both started, and been unable to complete in past visits. After that it was back to my home area where I dropped off my bike for service, picked up a bunch of crap from work, visited my mother, took a few phone calls from friends welcoming me home and wishing me a happy birthday, and then finally home for a family reunion.
I guess today is the last day I will write a manifesto each day about my activities, photography options, and geocaching adventures. I hope it is not the last time ever, but even if it is, I have lived a much better life than anyone (especially me) deserves.
Thanks for the memories.

I literally just got done adding photos to the photo album HERE.

Playing in Western Maryland to end an epic Roadtrip

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Day 88:
20,370 miles and counting.
I woke up this morning in western Maryland, at the high rocks trailhead, the bottom of the hill from the 2001 geocaching hide. I took sunset pics until late, so made camp there.
I never would have dreamed in a million years that I would finish a 90-day road trip by doing one of my favorite things. Playing in the autumn-colored woods of western Maryland, looking for ammunition boxes. I don’t know that life gets a whole lot better than this. I temporarily moved from my country-wide checklist to my Maryland checklist. For some reason I made it my purpose to find every active CAM cache. It’s something I’ve been chipping away at for a couple years. Now that I am done caching across America, it is time to cache across Maryland. I will get back to America tomorrow.
This morning I went straight to Dans state park where I didn’t see another human being at all, on a beautiful fall Saturday. Today’s weather was perfect. Blue skies, lots of clouds passing, 50° maybe 55 in the sun. After a quick stop first thing this morning at Dan‘s mountain I then went to Rocky Gap State Park, where I spent most of my day. I didn’t plan to be there as long as I did, but either this bridge being out is fairly new, or I did some of the poorest route planning of my life. In the end it just resulted in me walking a bunch more miles through the autumn-colored forest in western Maryland. I ended up being there about 4 hours and covered 7-8 miles. Rocky Gap was a two-fer. There was 2 in there I wanted. Then I went to Green Ridge Forest and then Orleans. Those 3 stops were very aggressive, and I thought I might run out of daylight. I made out fine, and still had time to drive to Burke Lake in VA. It was a very long day, and possibly one of my most productive.
There is one more piece of Geocaching business left, if I complete it then I will have had the most successful circle of the country I could imagine.
Wow, I created a very aggressive geocaching wish list map when I left. I never imagined getting so much fun stuff done. I made Burke parking lot my home for the night. Tomorrow at 5pm is when I will see my wife and dogs for the first time in 3 months! I am very excited. I am not sure how I will fill tomorrow. I might spend the morning around DC. Maybe Sunday morning is empty, and I can get some fun stuff done?

I have added a lot lately to the photo album HERE.

Western Maryland Welcomes Me Home

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Day 87:
19,850 miles and counting
This morning I left cabin 9 at Table Rock State Park after an amazing couple of days. I’ve been on the road for over 80 days, living alone, eating alone, and mostly being alone, doing everything alone. It’s been the most amazing adventure of my life and I couldn’t be more grateful for it. The last two days have been spent with some of my closest friends at a celebration of a wedding for two beautiful people. I could not be happier for them. I also could not be more thrilled to have been included in their beautiful day. They brought me somewhere I may have never come on my own, Table Rock State Park and the Pretty Place. I got on the road just before sunrise, and I believe I’m just heading to Western Maryland for the day. I should be able to get there before sunset and find somewhere to take some pictures and camp out for the night. But the day is early and my plans typically change 100 times before I get where I’m going.
I turned over the 20,000th mile of this road trip just after crossing into Virginia on I-81, heading towards home over the next couple days. I spent most of the day speeding north, back to my home turf of Maryland. In a surprising plot twist, my wife asked me not to get home until Sunday, a full 48 hours from now. Either there’s a live-in boyfriend situation that needs to be cleaned out before I get home, or she has something to surprise me with when I get home, and wants to be there because it’s my birthday as well. Truth be told, I want her to be there when I get home too. The best way to ensure that is schedule my arrival around her busy life. I did not stop forward momentum today too much. Mainly for feeding Pervvie her delicious liquids, and a few pictures and tinkle stops. I made it to the firetower trailhead in western Maryland that leads to High Rocks. I was a bit later than anticipated, and I had to jog most of the way up. I made it in plenty of time to see an amazing sunset, get some great pics, and find the really old geocache from 2001. This trailhead is the perfect spot to call home for the night. After a headlamp hike back down the mountain in the pitch black, I made some dinner and settled in for the night with some music and junk food. Tomorrow I will kill a day hiking around western Maryland, and then hopefully head toward Arlington for 1 piece of unfinished business. After that, I will have successfully completed the most unrealistic, impossible, satisfying checklist of my life.
When I take these type of pictures of myself, I have always been able to say I was completely safe. I always use a shutter release. I forgot my remote in the van. The van was a mile away, straight downhill. For these pics I used the built in, 10-second camera timer. I had to sprint into this position. I almost tumbled to my death each and every time. I said each and every time was the last time, but then the light kept getting better. Thankfully I did not die this time, but I will have to die sometime soon. Hopefully while failing at doing something awesome like this.

I have added a lot lately to the photo album HERE.

Road Trip Show Ending Wedding

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Just like every good TV show, this road trip has come to an end with a wedding. A lovely union of 2 very fun people.

Day 85:
I woke up in my van at Sassafras Mountain, South Carolina’s highest point. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and rainy and there was no sunrise to be seen. This is probably only the second or third time I have seen rain in three months. I actually enjoyed it. I opened up all the windows, let the fresh rain air in, let it get freezing cold, and climbed under a blanket. I just did nothing for a little while and enjoyed the mountain rain song. Now it was time to go see friends for the first time in 3 months! I drove down the mountain to Table Rock. A whole bunch of us are renting the cabins for a wedding. I spent today with 2 of my bestest friends from home. It was the first time in 3 months that I have been a passenger in anyway. I have driven 20k miles in a row, over 3 months, since the last time I was a passenger. We visited a couple waterfalls and a dead end tunnel. We had a great time, caught up, and enjoyed being in nature. That evening there was a rehearsal dinner. I was invited and uninvited to that dinner twice, that has to be a societal record. I was on my own for the evening, where I did nothing. After the rehearsal dinner a bunch of us got together, around the campfire, to make fun of the rest of us that did not show up at that campfire. Then it was off to a very uncomfortable bed. I thought about sleeping in the van, but I did pay for this uncomfortable bed.

Day 86:
I woke up in cabin 9 in Table Rock State Park. I really might sleep in the van tonight. Billy and Jen called first thing to go back out exploring again. The wedding was at 2, so we had the morning. We caught breakfast, and then over to the mill and petroglyphs. Here I ran into a very interesting couple, and family. Visually they stood out, and they knew it. I knew I had seen this man before. He was too unique and colorful to mix up with some other bum. So I asked him, where I might have seen him. Just then it clicked, sunset at Sassafras Mountain the other night. We get to chatting about travel and picture things, and then parted to both explore the mill with our respective families. About 30 minutes later I look and see there is an actual geocache at this mill. I tell my friends I am with, and it was only 100 feet away. I look, and wouldn’t you know it, that same family was rummaging through an ammo box, and signing their fake internet name on litter. How fun is that?! That sparked up another 10 minute conversation that would bore any non-geocacher to tears. Billy is a good sport, he hung in there and feigned interest. What an unexpected fun addition right at the end of my roadtrip.
Today is the wedding, it is at the Pretty Place, which I hear is spectacular. I also hear that the internet ruined it for the locals. Thanks internet.
The wedding ceremony at the Pretty Place and reception back at Table Rock were a highlight of my trip. The weather was perfect, the wedding was a ton of fun, and seeing loved ones for the first time in 3 months was great. Tomorrow I will start a slow drive back home, arriving and ending my roadtrip later this weekend.

I have added a lot lately to the photo album HERE.

The Highest Point in South Carolina is Sassafras Mountain

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And you can drive right to it.

Day 84:
19,500 miles and counting.
I woke up at the Holiday Inn Express in Logan, WV. Shortly after waking up I was called to perform an emergency surgery. Thanks, HIE!
I rented a UTV from Bobby yesterday. After that I spent the day at the hotel catching up on real life stuff. I also spent most of this morning chipping away with that kind of nonsense. Today I will leave and head back south to South Carolina, for a wedding in Table Rock park.
I left the Holiday Inn express with a couple of quick detours. I had about a 5 hour drive to get back to table rock State Park in South Carolina. I should have plenty of daylight, even factoring in all the needless and random stops I will probably make.
There’s a possibility that I may see some of my closest friends tonight, for the first time in over 3 months. I’m going back to South Carolina for a wedding on Thursday, and a bunch of my friends from home in Maryland are traveling to it as well. I am excited for this time, to see some friends and people I love for the first time in months. And to see them in such an amazing place like the mountains of South Carolina! That’s just a bonus.
I spent the day getting to South Carolina’s highest point, Sassafras Mountain, as fast as I could, hopefully before sunset. I had hoped to meet some friends there, but they did not make it here until very late. I made it in plenty of time and watched an amazing sunset with a bunch of fun strangers, now new friends. I got to talking to a local retired couple. Turns out they lived in the town I grew up in for a long time. What a small world this actually is. Either that or nothing is actually real. After the sun was gone, and the conversation dwindled, it was time to retire to my van. I made that my home for the night in hopes of catching the sunrise in the morning. Sadly it rained all night, overnight, and into the morning. There was no sunrise to speak of. 

I have added a lot lately to the photo album HERE.

I love when I run into pro photographers in the wild. I take pride capturing as many groups in a single photo as possible. This is 3 groups in 1 shot, my record is 4 wedding parties in 1 photo in Glacier.