Can you get lost while using a GPS? I can, well maybe not lost but definitely off track. This was on of those occasions. I started on the path to one geocache and ended up on another lol. We, that is Niki, Novalee, KC and I ended up walking in a horseshoe pattern. This is how it went down.
I woke up hearing the rain. I wondered if Niki would still want to come with me. She did, so we all geared up and headed out. I fired up the GPS found that 12 Cubed was the closest cache. Saw that it was not to far away from where we had found Homeward Bound yesterday. I was eager to begin. I figured this cache was going to be quick and easy. Novalee decided that her hood would be enough to fend off the rain. Niki brought an umbrella. I of course wore my fedora. We walked in the rain. I was playing with the GPS and somewhere between here and 12 Cubed I accidentally switched to the Kane Travel bug Motel. Unfortunately I did not realize this until we had almost arrived at the Kane Travel Bug Motel cache. I was puzzled too. I could not figure out why we weren't routed through a quicker route. I was mentioning this to Niki when she asked if maybe we were heading to the Kane Travel Bug Motel cache again. "Thats impossible." I was saying when I stopped in sudden realization that she was right, "Sun of a" I exclaimed. I smiled at her sheepishly as the rain soaked into us. I was kind of torn between decisions. Niki was dry, Novalee was wet but in good spirits, but poor KC was done for. He does not like the rain. I was thinking real fast now. I knew I wanted to get a cache in today. Should I send them home while I continued? No, Niki had an appointment in St. Marys scheduled for a little later on. I was to look after Novalee when she left. So that was not an option. Should we back track the 3 tenths of a mile to 12 Cubed? How could I have messed this up? I usually have personal protocols in place to keep me on track. I hate to look foolish. I actually fear loosing the respect of loved ones. Leading them astray like this kind of hits me below the belt. Self Sabotage strikes again. Can I recover, get my daily cache, and save the day? Hmm I search the GPS for an answer. Yes there is yet another cache near by. It is the Evergreen Cache Micro II, it is only .2 miles away. Score!, and the route home from it is very quick. Double Score! I tell the GPS to reroute us. Then I look up from the GPS and smile with confidence and address Niki "We can either go back .3 miles or go ahead .2. I've located another cache site in Evergreen Park." Niki smiles at me. This makes me glad as she is not upset. I don't want her to stop geocaching with me. I really like her company. She says well we are close to Evergreen." "I know," I said, and "This way." I start walking. Sorry 12 cubed but you will have to wait anothe day. On track now, we continued on past Kane Bug Motel which of course is on Greeves St. Exited onto N. Frailey St. Walked along N. Fraley St. for a bit crossed at a crosswalk near Choice a tobacco store with a big yellow sign. This put us on Chestnut St. and across from Evegreen Park. We crossed Chestnut and entered into the park through a very nice war memorial area. I stopped to look at the stones honoring the sons of Kane who died in conflicts abroad. On the move again the GPS counting down feet as we near our destination. Once we are within 13 feet of the cache I begin to read the cache description. As I finish reading Niki cries, "uuiii I found it." Wow she is good! I encourage her with a smile and a, "wow, I can't believe it" We spend a few minutes talking about her triumph. "I am glad you are with me I tell her." and confide that I actually am not that good at finding caches. "Yes you are she says." "No I'm not" I argue, "I used to call David Hawk Eye, because he actually found most of the caches we had hunted down years ago." David is my oldest child. He is 20. Niki nodded, whether she believes me or not I can feel she has confidence in me, and this warms me to the core. The rain is picking up. I rummage through my pack for a pencil so I can add my name to the log book. Once logged we place the cache back in its hiding place. KC eagerly leads us home. Off track as we were all worked out very well.
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