Day 1 The Baement.

   Like most basements, mine is a cold, damp, dark place. It is also a plane of heat loss of my house. The walls of my basement are drafty and leaky. There is a lot of work I need to do down there. For now though I will focus on triage and attempt to fix what is needed to warm up the house above.
  There are three problem spots I worked on today.
    The first project was picking up the defunct heating grill. I took up the insolation fome and placed down insilaiton. then zipped everything back together.
    The second was around stone in the wall. I could see a lot of day-light around this stone. I filled in the gaps with a can of "great stuff".  I also notice that a suport joist rests on this stone. I will be supporting this soon. There are two of these joists that need supporting. Not today though. I am working on heat triage.
   The third project was to plug a hole that is in the sill of the house. You see a long time ago before I purchased the house one of the basement walls was knocked out then hastily rebuilt. End result the corner of the building overhangs the celar wall by a lot. I went outside and stuffed isolation in the holes inthe over hang. Then I took the skill saw out and cut a under cover of the sill out of a peice of plywood. I fastened the undercover in place, and realized I should have put plastic underneath. So I put plastic over it and duct taped the edges too the vinal. While working on this project Niki came home early from work. She had a sick Takoda with her. It turns out the school and Niki were unable to get a hold of me. I they must have called while Novalee and i were on our dump run. I felt bad I because i was not there for her. I was also annoyed at Takoda cause he did not look that sick.
   The fourth thing I did was fill the gaps around a basement window.
   The fifth thing I did was cut insulation and start applying between floor joists. Soon it was time to go to work. Work was pretty uneventful. Niki showed up with perogiesand chicken wings. I was pleasantly surprised.
  

Day 127 Bubba's Monster Inc. (GC2MZT6)

   Today was as good as yesterday was terrible. That said this is my last daily cache. I am traveling further and further away from the house. Which means I am taking more and more time hunting down the cache. Which means I have less and less time to work on the house. I have really enjoyed this project. The price of this project is getting too high. Gas is not cheap. Electricity is not cheap. Time is not cheap. If I have accomplished nothing else, I have accomplished changing geocaching from an interest into a hobby.
    Bubba's Monsters INC. Cache by, bubbabeernut,  was a .3 mile walk. Both of the children were in a great, and talkative mood. KC enjoyed himself. He had a good run. Probably the last one for a little while. We met up with 3-iorfida and his dog on our way back to the van. KC checked them out first. I was very pleased KC finally decided he should come back to me when I called. I hitched KC up.
   The children loved 3-iorfida's dog. They were fascinated by the dogs orange vest. 3-iorfida let us know it was coyote hunting season. I felt kinda of awkward and irresponsible as none of us had our hunter orange gear. I also realized that I got to pay attention to which hunting season is going on when. I would hate to have KC shot by coyote hunters. I was grateful to have received the information.

Day 126 Scoobie-Doo ! (GC2MWR1)

  A good cache on one of the worst days ever... I fell into the rabbit hole. A very bad place to be. I almost gave it all up... I didn't though and the cache brought much needed sanity to me. Thank You bubbabeernut.

Day 125 Got Reptiles & Anphibians? (GC2MXKH)

 GOT REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS? by bubbabeernut, a good cache. Nice little hike. Not such a hard cache to find. This though is a good thing, as caches can be hard to find in this winter wonderland. Novalee and KC got into character. KC enjoyed the run. Novalee enjoyed playing out side in the snow. I enjoyed signing the log book, and the drive out to the cache.

Day 124 Sarah's Toybox (GC1NC6Q)

   This Sarah's Toy Box by witchiepoo_61 and ghostfinder was exactly what we needed today. 3rd cache was the charm today. I had some business in Mt. Jewitt so I loaded the GPS with caches that were sort of in the area. It was fun to discover some new roads. It was frutrating that I did not locate two caches that seemed as they should real easy.
   I found this cache quickly. The kids made their trades I signed the log and we hoofed it out of there.

Day 123 101 Dalmations #77 (GC286AA)

    Another day another cache. This one was a good find. First and last cache atempted of the day. Well that is not entirely true. It was really the second but the first I could not park the car near so I moved on. I hunted for the cache while Novalee played in the snow and KC gnawed on some unwholesome treat he found frozen in the snow. I circled the cache location a few times before locating the cache. It was a good hide but it should not have been as hard as I made it. I happily signed the log book and headed home...

Day 122 Haney's Jack O'Lantern Cache (GC2J261)

   Haney's Jack O' Lantern Cache by  bubbabeernut was a nice cache. This is definitely one for the kids. Unfortunately I was doing this cache solo +1. We can't forget KC can we. This would have been an easy cache and go sort of day if this had been my first cache attempt. As it was this was my third. The snow is pretty thick in this area? The caches are well hidden? My geo sense is off?
   My first cache attempt was half harted at best. The location to be searched was on a side road just off Glenn Hazel road called Kilgore road. The cache was called Old Rocky Top Cache, by PAWINGERS . Once I arrived within 300 feet of the cache and saw that the cache was out across a river, I decided to read some of the other cacher's logs. It seemed as though the other geo cacher's lucky enough to have located this cache had had to wade through the river to get to the cache. I scouted around for a bridge of some sort while trying to ignore KC's constant whine. I was not about to unleash him here. There was a near by house with some very vocal dogs. We got back into van after our little scouting mission failed to produce a bridge.
   The second cache attempt was further along Glen Hazel road. The cache location on the St Mary's Jones Town line near some state game lands. I searched for Jones TWP Welcomes You, by j&bs with out KC. I got very close to the cache and dug through the snow. I uncovered logs and stumps. I felt like an impatient archaeologist. Eventually though I conceded defeat once again.
   Third times the charm. I like Haney hill.  There are very nice views on the crest of the hill.  This cache was before the crest though. The cache description indicated a Halloween theme. The coordinates lead me to a well done mock up of a grave sight. On the way to this sight my feet slipped over and along some strange terrain. Upon looking down I noted I uncovered a pumpkin or two. Very kewl. I did not damage the pumpkins but decided to be a little more careful.
   Once I paid my respects at the Grave and admired the wickedly kewl painted tree knot that over looked it. I started looking for the cache proper. I found it quickly. had my children been with me they would have been excited by the swag. I however was enthralled by the haunted drama that surrounded every bit of this cache. In the log book there was even a news paper clipping and a caption explaining that a lot of pumpkins showed up in this area every Halloween for the last 10 years. I love traditions and I look forward to me and my family becoming part of this one.... I signed the log book. Looked around one more time. I needed this cache. It reminded me why I loved this geo caching interest enough o make it a hobby.

Day 121 First PA Game Land (GCQJRH)

    Just KC and me today. We decided to tackle First PA Game Land by GeneP, a fine little cache and dash. This was a good area for dog walking. The cache itself left me following in another's foot steps. The cache had been found recently by another.  I did not mind though as the temp was hovering around -12 degrees. I signed the log quickly and we headed home.

Day 120 99 Bottles of Brrt on the Wall Cache (GC1QRU6)

   The 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall cache by Goingthreesixtys was a quick cache and go. We picked the cache up on the way too Lakewood for Novalee's 4th birthday celebration. We were able to park near the cache. I got out and was drawn pretty much right to the cache do to the foot prints that lead right up to it. Surprise surprise, it seems there are some advantages to winter caching...
   I quickly signed the log and hopped back into the van. Zoom zoom...

Day 119 Haney's Vista Revisited (GC1636P)

 How very nice.  Haney's Vista Revisited by PAWINGERS,was a nice quick cache and go. We stopped snapped a few pictures.  Then it was over the ban-ken. I located the cache fast. Brought it back to the car. When I opened up the cache container so as I could sign the log book. The kids were disappointed that there was no trade items inside. Say lah V... I signed the log and returned the cache to it's hiding place. This was a fun cache location.

Day 118 Guarding the Mountain (GC24QM4)

   Ah, at last! We found a cache we could find. By the time I decided to settle on a cache and go I had dragged the kids and KC through an hour and a half of geo-caching. Most of said time was spent searching for the Wilcox Cache. We got so close to the cache... So close. The view was bueatiful. We were on a mountain top cemetery over looking the little town of Wilcox. Once known I've been told as the Town of Bueno Vista. The cold sharp wind drove us out of the cemetery not finding the cache. None of us were comfortable.
  Next up, a cache and go. But wait the first two were not what they seemed. After turning the van around more then a few times I settled on Guarding The Mountain, by j&bs. The roads shoulders were wide, making the parking situation very nice. We pulled off.  Right nest to the cache. I left the kids and KC in the nice warm van. They were very pleased with this, as they were still recovering from the Wilcox chill. I signed the log and aimed the van for home. 

Day 117 Marienville Fire Tower Cache (GC1HJWW)

  The Marrienville Fire Tower Cache by DevinC was pretty straight forward.  Parking was good. This part of route 66 has very wide shoulders. Wide shoulders, good! We parked the van, and all of us piled out. Originally I was going to let KC explore. Which I did until he decided he wanted to explore on rte 66 itself. There was no near disasters. I just did not like it so I called our brilliant dog to me and hooked him on his leash.
   Novalee and I walked past the cash, turned around and I saw it. I pulled the cache container out of it's hiding place and signed the log. I had, had the log signed and was putting it back in the container as Novalee was saying "you found the cache already dad? Maybe tomorrow we can find a big cache?" I looked at her smiled. "Ok Babs, ok" After that we headed across the road where there was an ATV trail. There we let KC run. Then we were off to explore the area...

Day 116 Kennedy Spring Micro (GCM860)

   Sad, we have driven by this dried up spring many times on our way to Bradford. Each time I had wondered what, if any back story there was behind the ruined spring. The Kennedy Springs Micro, by fitzy, gave us a great excuse to check it out.
   When we arrived at Kennedy Spring, we found the cache quickly. The container pretty much came apart in my hands. We replaced the container, signed the log book then headed out.

Day 115 Leapin" Lizards (GC1X61K)

I think I found the Cache.... Yay!

   I was in "The Land of the Lost", with  witchiepoo_61 and ghostfinder's "Leapin" Lizards".  Novalee, KC and I tackled this cache together. I really thought we had found the cache location right off. I was so confident that this was the right spot that I took a picture of Novalee near the suspected location. Fourty Five minutes later I located the cache in the suspected area... So I took the second picture near the uncovered cache. I was off my game with this one. Thank goodness the cold was not as bitter as yesterday... I signed the log and we headed home...

45 Minutes later.... We found the cache. Yay!

Day 114 Fire House Station 21 (GCZ4JP)

   Fire House Station 21, by Mikey Mouse was our second cache choice today. Our first choice was Bridge View Cemetary in Mt. Jewitt. We did manage to take  a great picture of the Kinzua Viaduct... The picture was a good consolation prize, as we did not find that cache. It was a cold 8 degrees out side. When we gave up on this cache, we decided to seek out a cache and go.
  FHS 21 fit the bill.  We came. We found. We logged. We headed home. Thank you Mikey Mouse...

Day 113 Club Cache (GC1ACZZ)

 This was the tale of the 3 little caches. Two caches were not meant to be. The first the path was too treacherous. We chose not to pursue it. The second we pursued to no avail. The third was a dandy of a hunt that challenged our geo sense and our thresh hold for discomfort. We found it though, and that was good.
   We had a lot on our plate today, so we left for the geo cache hunt early. I was hoping to have it done and be home before 10am. I should not plan for such things. By the time we got to the Club Cache, by Rem 74 we sorta just wanted to go home. I thought this was going to be a cache and go. Turns out it was in wooded area 300 feet from the parking area in a hole that was covered by 2 feet of snow.
   When geo cacheing in this hostile type environment GPS accuracy is every thing. There are no tell tale signs as to where the cache might be. The snow smooths over every thing. My GPS is any thing but accurate. We managed to arrive with in zero feet of the cache. We searched a 20 foot radius digging and poking all around. We looked like neolithic farmers trying to plow a field with sticks. Yeah it was fun. Niki nearly poked her eye out with a thorn bush. Takoda and Novalee were just having fun playing in the snow.
   It was when we were ready to give up that I finally poked in the right place. Success. I signed the log book and let the kids work on the trade....

Day 112 Hoffman Run (GC1QEG5)

     Hoffman Run, by Dahoga equals long walk for Stash Hound and his family. We parked near the gate, 9 tenths of a mile away from the cache. The unplowed road was rutted and tricky to walk on. The lay of the land up this way is very nice though. I enjoyed seeing the land change as we slowly walked by. KC was having a lot of fun running up and down the hills. Takoda and Novalee got sick of the ruts on the trail quickly. Niki started out walking with Novalee. I walked with Takoda. Takoda and i talked. We talked about his favorite cartoons. The places we lived, and many other things that are very important to a 6 year old. I was really enjoying this. We led the way on the road and eventually we stopped letting Niki and Novalee catch up. I suggested Niki and I switch children. I figured Takoda was being so low maintenance that Niki could use a break. Some times... Not often though Niki has less patience with Novalee then I.
    We switched and I began to entwine Novalee in conversation as Niki and Takoda pulled away. Novalee and I listened to the sounds out in the woods, and shared what we heard with each other. The brook, The dry rustling leaves still hanging in the trees. Natures wind chimes. A jet plane slicing through the sky. The crunch of snow under our boots. We even heard Takoda constantly complaining about his trek too Niki. We talked allot and this too was a pleasure.
    At some point Niki and Takoda decided to wait up for Novalee and I. When it was ready to move again. I was holding both of the kids hands. Novalee listened as Takoda and I talked. Every now and then I would attempt to draw her back in the conversation. She was content to listen though. Niki, GPS in hand trudged on up ahead scouting for our little party. I asked the kids if they had ever seen "The Wizard of Ozz" They said no. I told them the story. Takoda was familiar with the story though. Seems as though to days cartoons are heavily inspired by our old stories. The kids were happy with my version though and was pleased to fill in the holes that I may have left out of the story.
    We walked for nearly a mile into the wilderness in the snowing 10 degree  weather.  The walk though did not seem too long. Good conversation has a way of making time pass quickly. Before we knew it we were catching up to Niki who waited on the road facing the woods. Wen we got close enough Niki pointed. "65 feet that way. We are going in" 
     Looking for caches in the winter can be tricky. This cache for instance was billed a cache and go. It would have been too if there was no snow and the ground and if it was any other season. We would have driven withing 60 feet of the cache. Hopped out of the van, then quickly find the cache. It being winter made this cache a little more challenging. The walk was fun. Looking for the cache was fun too. We almost gave up though. We looked, and we looked and we looked. Thankfully the kids kept themselves busy, and were happy. After a little while Niki and I agreed to head back to the van empty handed. As we made our self back out to the road we both looked at and around every tree.  Niki was almost on the road when I shouted I found it....
    They all made their way back to me. The cache was still hidden, allowing the children to both find the cache. They were very pleased with them selves. Niki and I were relieved. I signed the log while the kids looked through the cache container. We make no trades, and began the journey back to the van...

Day 111 The Old Dahoga Cache (GC1BNAM)

  The Old Dahoga Cache, by Dahoga is another in a series of caches in and around the Twin Lakes. If you were to read Dahoga's cache description you would learn some interesting things about the area. As for me, I have lived in the area for two summers and have come to appreciate Twin Lakes, and it is nice learning a little more about the area.
    Novalee, KC and I worked this cache over. We parked within 300 feet of the cache. The Twins Lakes road is not regularily winter maintained, however the  light fluffy snow was about two inches deep. The van ate it up steady and slow.  Parking was easily accessible.
    We had to bush whack from the start. Off the road and into the woods. We had to circumnavigate a few thickets of thorny trees. These whicked thorns were very sharp and over an inch long. It was not long before the woods swallowed us up. I held Novalee's hand. I was her anchor,  her guide, and her safety rope. We moved steadily, slowly closing the distance between us and the cache. So many things were going through my mind. Bush whacking in 15 degree weather, while trudgeing through shin deep snow can be challenging for a little girl. I was trying to help Novalee as much as I could. That and I am always alert for strange sounds in the forest. Moving shadows in the distance. Strange animal tracks. I was not seeing the forest for the trees. Until I looked up.

    When I took the time to really look around I realized that we could have been transported to "Narnia", (C.S. Lewis)  Simply amazing this frozen land was as chill as it was beautiful. Then what was that I saw in the distance. It was not a lamp post in the middle of no where but it seemed almost as odd to me. It was a chair sitting out amongst the trees

A Chair in the Middle of the woods.

I was releived that it was snow that sat in the chair and not some mythical talking creature. I looked at Novalee for a moment. Who would she be if she was one the characters from the novel. No I don't think she would be a Lucy.
   We moved on. I spotted another artifact burried in the snow. It was a screen less TV set. We must be in Dahoga now.
   It was sad seeing these relics of the not so distant past. This was a community. A place filled with memories. I can not imagine having memories of a place that is no more. All the neighborhoods and most of the houses I have lived in or near, I can go back to them.  Your house. The one you grew up in in Dahoga is never more. Was it a dream. Growing up. The house. Moms kitchen. The Dining room. The home cooked family meals. The living room. Was I walking in some ones back yard.
   My wandering mind was brought back into focus as i realized the GPS was not counting down. I waited. I powered down the GPS and powered it back up. I was closer to the cache then the GPS had let on... It was 67 feet away. The GPS froze again. I started looking around for likely hiding places. The GPS hint said the cache was between two rocks. Novalee and I checked out a likely spot and suddenly we were 90 feet away.
    Novalee got upset. She started crying.  It seems nature was knocking on her door. Unfortunately this is how she reacts when she decides she has had enough of the hunt. She gets mad. Niki and I figured out that some of it is a act a while ago. So we never know when it is or is not an emergency. I brushed off a rock, "Novalee you can sit their until you are done crying. I'm going go over there" I pointed "and see if the cache is over there. When you are done crying I will give you a hand." Luck would have it I found the cache.
I steped back and took a picture of it then finished

The Cache!

digging it out. I looked over to Novalee, "I found the cache Babs. Do you want to trade for something?" She replied her voice thick with tears."I want to go Pee!" "Stop crying and come to me I will help you." She did as I requested, and I did as I promised. She explored the contents of the ammo box as I signed the log. She made a trade, and was tickled with her new dolls purse. I Snappped another pictured. We re- hid the cache and headed back to the Van.

Novalee and KC coming to see the cache

Novalee with her trade item

Day 110 Route 255 and Taft Road travel Bug and Coin Hotel (GC1R5AE)

   Novalee looked up at me with pleading brown eyes, "I want the dragon." Who am I to deny my youngest daughter a dragon. I wave my hand with an air of benevolence go ahead Babs the dragon is yours. I have just made her day. Her smile has made mine.
    We chose Route 255 and Taft Road travel Bug and Coin Hotel, by J&Bs. Today was a good day for grocery shopping so we decided to do the cache on the way to Walmart in St Marys. We found quick and easy parking within 60 feet of the cache. Also there was a nice close by trail, a great place to walk KC.
   We started out bush whacking. Closed in on the cache quickly, and started digging in the snow. Umm? It became quickly aparent that we were digging in the wrong area. Niki and I looked around for another likely place the cache might be hidden.  I walked over to a fallen log. On the way I tripped over a stump. Novalee started building a snow castle. Niki and I poked away at the fallen log. I kicked up a stick and decided to use it to poke around into the snow. Wow! My first poke and i poke into the cache. Was it geo sense or luck. I have know idea.
    As I sign the log book Novalee finds the dragon. We make a fair trade for it. Hey, and why not. What is one more little monster in our house :)

Day 109 The Old School of Dahoga Cache (GC1BN9J)

    Like Rocky Balboa (Sylvesta Stalone) running to the top of the stairs in front of the art museum in Philadelphia. This was Niki who after running to the top of a very large snow covered hill has her arms up in the Air. Her hands palmed up in victory fists. Yeah that's my girl Niki. "Getting strong now." This was a good beginning. Unfortunately after a 900 feet walk up hill there was no cache to be found... We hunted high and low before giving up, and heading back down the hill.
    Back at the van I checked the GPS for the next closest cache. To my surprise the nearest cache at 300 feet away was The Old School of Dahoga, by Dahoga.  We would have done the closer cache first had I noticed it in the GPS earlier.
    Niki, Novalee KC, and I got back out of the van and headed in the indicated direction. We got within 100 feet away from the cache. There was a very wide stream between us and the cache location. I picked up Novalee and tucked her under my arm and leaped over the stream... Niki lets out a "Oh my God!"  impressed by my jumping skills. .Niki says the heck with it and trudged through the stream. She was lucky. I have been told by an avid hunter of the area that there are places here that if you step  wrong you can sink up too your hip. She didn't though so that was good.
    After clearing the stream we walked up hill too the cache location and located the cache quickly. I signed the log. Novalee made a trade. In this case round two made us all winners... "Adrian!"
  

Day 108 Yup, It's Up There (GC2A1KD)

 Ha. Ha. I threw the baby. I through the baby off an enormous boulder in the middle of the forest. It landed near Novalee in a crumpled up ball. Novalee looked up at me with adoring eyes. KC, who was racing around the boulder in  worried bewilderment at how his master had risen to such heights stoped near Novalee and sniffed the still baby. The baby was our trophy. Ours to do as we pleased. This is one of the perks of GeoCacheing. The trade. I traded  three items for the baby.  It was worth it to see Novalees adoring smile. I could not climb back down with baby in hand so I tossed it to her.
   The, "Yup, It's Up There" cache, by Stray Poet was aptly named. Niki and I got off to a late start. I've been watching and taking notes on interesting Good Eats shows. I'm studying soup right now. Check out the  like the hat videos http://www.youtube.com/user/LikeTheHat#p/search/7/35HEDof1Jxo. Needless to say this is why we were off to a late start.
   We were heading west on route 6 where their are plenty of caches from my house within 6 miles. Unfortunately after our first failed cacheing attempt at  'Wetmore Springs", we ran into our old snow induced nemesis parking issues. We just could not get close enough to a cache to make it feasable. All out of options we settled on Yup It's Up there. The cache has a 5/5 rating!
    We parked the Van at the Wild Cat Park entrance and started up the hill with great trepidation. KC and I lead the way. I was hoping to scout out the area and find out why it was a 5/5. The cache was a mere 500 feet from where we parked. The terrain did not seem to bad. Nope not at all, that is until I got within 50 feet of the cache, and realized that it was hidden on one of three massive boulders. Yikes!
    As I was scouting around the boulder Niki and Novalee  caught up to me. I looked at the largest of the three boulders and pointed, "It is up there babes." She smiled and looked at me with laughing eyes, "Yup it's Up there" she said. "Yeah, doesn't look like any easy ways up. I'm going to have to climb it." Niki stayed neutral. I could not tell if she thought climbing this massive 15 foot tall snow covered boulder was a good idea or not.  As for me, I thought it was a terrible idea.  That of course did not stop me. I needed the cache for the day. We had steadily run out of time and this was it. I needed the cache and truth be said I love climbing. I through common sense but not caution to the wind found a likely place to start climbing. Got half way up and decided that it was a no go, and came back down.
   Niki called to me. "I think this is a good place to start." I checked it out. She was right of course. Again I got half way up. This time however  I saw a chance. There was a healthy tree above me growing out of the rock. I took KC's leash from my pocket and through the heavy end up and around the base of the tree. I then put the hitch part of the leash through the leashes hand hold createing a sturdy noose around the tree trunk. Ah! Now I had leverage. The rest of the climb was easy. I found the cache quickly. Signed the log. Traded for the Baby Doll and through down to Novalee.  This was a fun and exhilerating cache. Filled with just enough danger to get my blood flowing. I loved it...

Day 107 Tree Frog Cache (GC13T0F)

   Wow what a glorious day. The sun shines. The temp out side is about 20 degrees. Novalee and I are bundled up against the cold and KC is running around with mad delight. Ha, ha, does it get any better then this. I think not. We trod along slowly in the ANF admiring natures master piece. The white fluffy snow that has been building up on the upper branches of the tree slowly ride wind currents down to the ground. It is snow fall in sunlight magnified, and yet the snow does not fall as much as it drifts in a mosh pit of gentle breezes. Enough though I could describe this all day and still not re capture the feeling and awe I felt as we slowly trundled along the trail that would lead us to the Tree Frog Cache, by chucklesmd86 & Goingthreesixtys.
    To be fair though the cache really belongs too a child who recieved it as part of what sounds like a very fun birthday party. The child and the father hid the cache out here and Novalee and I father and daughter have ventured fourth to seek it out.
    We walk on a  unmaintained road that branches off from Wetmore rd. Because of a late December thaw the snow is not too deep. That and there are tire tracks that have compacted the fluffy white snow. The going is good. The GPS steadily counts down the 900 feet that is between us and the cache.
   KC has found something bony, and organic. He is carrying it around like a trophy daring me deprive him of his prize. Novalee is kinda up set about it. I figure I should let him have it for a bit. As long as he does not bring it into the van. Soon enough we were within 90 feet of the cache, and it was time for some bush whacking.
    I carried Novalee up a steep bankend and through some pricker bushes then set her down safely. We were now within 65 feet of the cache, and surrounded by trees. :)  We milled around a bit and found ourselves within  20 feet of the cache. I found a big piece of bark leaning against a stump that looked like a royal chair. A throne in the middle of the woods. I looked under the bark. The cache was not there. Novalee however  lit up when she saw the bark. I began to head towards the next likely hiding spot for the cache. Novalee who was fallowing me piped up, "Look dadda a boat. I have a boat." The little thing how cute was that she was dragging the bark behind her. It was her boat. I smiled down at her and continues on my way towards where I thought the cache was. Novalee was saying something about the bark being a sled now :) "I'm going to ride it down the hill." I was poking around in what looked like a fine place to hide a cache. I looked back, "Ok babs" It was then my probing hands had located the cache. It was frozen in place so I dug it out. It looked like a neat container. It had some sort of a plastic stump attached to the top. Then on top of that some sort of a broken mechanical contraption.  Unfortunately water had made its way inside the cache container destroying the log book. I found a piece of paper in my pocket, signed and dated it. Then sealed it in the cache container. I re hid the cache.Novalee, KC, and I headed back to the van

Day 106 National Trails Day Cache (GCP70B)

     The National Trails Day Cache, by Kcepenn was our choice for our 106th cache. We left the house early hopping to find the cache and be home before the foot ball games began. We loaded up the van and headed down route 6 thinking we could park at the North Country Trail pull off on route 6. When we arrived at the parking area the GPS indicated that the cache was 3 tenths of a mile away. I looked at the map on the GPS and realized that we could get much closer to the cache via the car if we headed up route 6 and turned off on Wetmore road. When Geo Cacheing with the Fam I like to get as close to the cache as possible. Especially on these cold snowy mornings.  I suggested that we drive on. Niki pulled back out on to route 6. We found Wetmore road and were able to park within 800 feet of the cache. Funny thing is later on in the day I read the cache description and it suggested that we could park off Wetmore road. I am glad to know my Geo Sense was working.
     Eight hundred feet away from the cache, no problem... We headed to the North Country Trail head marker which was down the road. KC ran free. I walked with Takoda, Niki walked with Novalee. Just past the trail marker we saw snow covered stairs, and a well defined path. I confidently started down the stairs and stepped into snow up to my waist. Takoda came along for the ride, as I tried stablelizing him. He smiled wildly happy to be surrounded by snow. I was wondering where those steps were. Niki pointed down and said I see something under the snow and she and Novalee came down and they walked past me. I investigated the artifact under the snow Niki pointed out and realized it was a metal colvert. We were all now standing in a ditch... Oi! We were not where we needed to be. Takoda charged ahead along the ditch. Niki and Novalee followed him. I started looking for a way to get out of this deep ditch.  I knew eventually we would come to a steep  grade and we would all be in a bit of falling danger. I found a spot where we could all get out of the ditch. I called the Fam to me, and helped them all up the steep bankened one by one.
   Once out of the ditch we spotted blue trail markers and were more then glad to follow them for a bit. The trail switch backed back and fourth making the steady down hill  the journey easy going.  Eventually we found our selves 80 feet away from the cache. It was time to leave the trail and bush whack. The snow was not to deep under the cover of the trees, however even a little snow cover can bog down the little ones. So the going was slow. I did not mind though because the forest was fresh, snow fresh! Every think looked so new, and nice.
   The GPS coordinates were dead on. We found the cache quickly. Um.. Niki found it quickly :) It took a little bit of work freeing the cache box from the ice. Once free the kids eagerly searched through the cache box. I signed the log book. I really love these trail caches. Niki marked the cache as found in the GPS, and we headed back to the van.

Day 105 Bring Your Fishing Pole (GCNANF)

   Hah... hah... another traditional cache, and I am loving it. I got up this morning and we were pretty much like lets go, lets go, lets go. I helped the kids gear up. Let Takoda work some negativity out of his system. It did not take long and we were gone.
  The Bring Your Fishing Pole cache, by Pegasis  is just off the North Country trail. This is a big trail. If you were to follow it from on en too the other you would end up in either the Dakotas, or the Vermont boarder... I may take this walk too Vermont some day.... It might be fun. Er, well at least it might be a pretty neat adventure.
   The North Country trail was in good shape. The foot deep fresh blanket of snow did not pose much of a problem. Though the stair that are part of the trail was very slippery. We crossed over a little foot bridge that a tree had fallen on to. Once on the other side I un hooked KC so he could run. Novalee began to pine about having to go pee. She sounded pretty serious so I handed the GPS to Niki and  helped Novalee while Niki and Takoda hunted down and found the cache. I helped Novalee bundle back up and we joined Niki and Takoda at the cache container. They already had the cache box open and were hunting the tradable items.  I signed the log and we worked our way back out and to the van.

Day 104 Crooked Tree Cache (GCNJ43)

 Thank you Pegasis. This was a great little cache. Niki, Novalee, KC, and I  hunted down the cache. We had a great walk in the woods. There was a fresh blanket of snow on everything. We played with KC as we made the uphill trek along the trail. We had parked 800 feet from the cache. So yes at last tackled a real cache.
   When we were 120 feet from the cache when we decided to bush whack. The GPS was behaving very well, so we found our selves near the cache quickly. Niki and I both saw an interesting group of trees. Two of em connected creating a natural bench. We thought the cache was hidden here so we belined it to this tree. The cache was not there but it was close. I found another similar tree and spotted the hidden cache under a light blanket of snow.
    We played the game with Novalee.... "I wonder where the cache is.?" Niki exposed the cache and Novalee excitedly exclaimed, "I found the cache!" The next trick was digging the ammo box out of the ice. Novalee was excited, and slightly impatient. It took some work but I broke the ammo box loose from the ice. I opened up the ammo box and let Novalee dig through cache as I signed the log...

Day 103, 101 dalmations #32 (GC1Y4T3)

     The 101 Dalmations #32 cache, by Mat-Kat+1 was the 3rd 101 dalmations cache I've found. I really like these caches. The puppy statuette was very cute, Novalee held it while I signed the cache. We had a lot of fun.  I found a nice place to pull over and park the car 300 feet from the cache. Novalee KC and me made short work of the this distance. We found the cache quickly. I really did not intend to do a cache and go. It just sort of worked out this way. Yep this was a very good morning....

Day 102 Just because I like to fish (GC1CGYT)

  Day 102 out of my 365 days of geocaching. I am back on second shift again. I love those mid week shift changes. This was good though cause I did not have to race the setting sun in order to get the cache. The "Just because I like to fish" cache bye Glendorn was a pretty neat cache. It was a micro cache with good parking near by. A cache and go for sure.
    The 12 mile trip out to the cache was nice. The skies were blue with traces of clouds. Niki and I chatted all the way to the cache site. I like rides like that. It does not seem that we usually get  lost in conversation when at home. There are too many things to distract us. Get us in the car though and suddenly we are all about each other and how are time went when we were off doing our owne things. While either at work or home, or what ever. It was nice, and the ride was quick.
   When we pulled in 100 feet from the cache. I got out thinking I knew where the cache would be. This despite the GPS indicating that I was seriously mistaken. I ignored the GPS and probed around. When Niki realized that this cache might take some time to find she hopped out of the van. Then she headed for where she thought the cache might be. I figured she was on to something, as the GPS agreed with her and I headed in that direction. She found a spot where she thought it was. Because it was iced over I hoped she was wrong.  I probed around some more and then laughed out loud as I spotted the cache. It was very appropriate. Niki got a kick out of it also. I opened up the container and discovered that water had gotten inside the container and frozen solid. I brought the container to the van and slowly worked the icy log out of the film container(cache container). Then I gently pulled the cache out of both sealed zip lock bags. No good the log was totally soaked. I tore off a piece of envelope signed my name and dated it, Then I rapped the paper around the soggy cache log and put everything back together. We re-hid the cache and headed off to find a great spot to exorcise KC

Day 101 Looking for the Lost (GC1CGYF)

    I was Looking for the Lost, by Glendorn. The sky's were over cast. Snow danced in the lightless night. Visibility was low. I was by myself hunting for the cache in front of a former nut house in Hazelhurst. It was kind of spooky. Traffic was light but it seemed every time I crossed the road in search of the cache a distant head light would appear. I walked in many circles. The GPS could not pin down where it thought the cache was. Eventually I nailed it down. I found the cache. I signed the log and traveled home slowly in low visibility

Day 100 Sawmill (GCXDZJ)

    Day 100 people. Very impressive. I'm still working hard to improve the quality of my blog. Pictures would be nice. I think I will add pictures. Maybe I will try a double paragraph guarantee. Nah. It is what it is. We decided on the Saw Mill today by Mabeane.
   It has been a relatively nice day weather wise. Puffy white clouds in a blue sky. We were kind of pressed for time as this was the second cache we attempted today. The days are getting longer but they are still short. The first cache was in one of the awkward places that Niki and I would rather not search. I met a weird old guy that was trying to tell my that I had just missed a well endowed woman who had come out of the Post Office. I politely excused myself and Niki and I decided to move on. That is after we pulled a stale do-nut out of the van and fed it too some ducks. The kids liked that.
  We headed 8 miles down the road. Drove to within 150 feet of the cache. The Saw mill cache was along a back road. This was great for KC. The walk for the Niki the Kids and I was pretty nice. I am we did this one in the winter. The trail would have been very wet in any other season. Today we had ice instead of mud and puddles. KC kept racing up and down a bankened. We couldn't  figure out what he was up to. I guess he was happy to be back in PA, and maybe back into his routine. I sure the last few days had been stressful for him. He traveled well though and now he was able to enjoy his family on his terms.
    It was not long before the GPS indicated that I was within 6 feet of the cache. I looked around, and then told Niki I was within 6 feet of the cache.... We looked around there was nowhere the cache could have been hidden within 6 feet. I moved off the trail and walked over to a tree. It was as good a guess as any. I found the cache just as Niki and the kids were catching up to me. I signed the log and we headed home.

Day 99 Cachin' & Dashin' (GC2A7B9)

   We grabbed  cache #99, Cachin' & Dashin' by Cache-Ew- Nut on our way back home from NH. It was 7:30 pm. and dark. Lucky for Niki and I there was plenty of light. The cache lived up to its name. I think we took more time signing the log and re hiding the cache, than it took us to find it. This was a good thing though because we were travel weary and just wanted to go home. I have not missed a cache a day yet. Stashhound rides on.... TFTC http://ibotenicus.blogspot.com/

Day 98 Jumanji (GCQ587)

My 98th cache was in Keene NH. Virginia and I decided to tackle the Jumanji cache, by 1Naturemom. My eldest daughter Virginia and I, thought it might be fun to do a cache near a filming site. It is very kewl that a prop is left over in the area. I was pretty excited when I spotted it. The cache was in a park. We met a fellow pet owner and our dogs took some time to say hi. This was pleasant. Afterward we went back to hunting for the cache. We were puzzled by this one until we read an earlier post to the web site. A light bulb switched on in my head and found the cache quickly after that. I signed the log and we moved on.