A peek at the REAL Thumbster

Bummer

Shoot. I feel like writing today but I don't have much time. Actually there's several things I'd like to write.

I happened to see a pic of somebody at her port here recently. It was taken of her outdoors somewhere and the caption talked about her love of "geocaching". I never heard of this before but it sounded very interesting to me. Basically it's a hobby/sport where you hunt for "treasure". The treasure can be anywhere almost, indoors or out, but usually outside as far as I can gather. The treasure locations are posted at the geo site, and consist of almost anything, from useless junk to actual money and valuable items. It all depends on how generous and imaginative the treasure hider is. These folks use GPS (global positioning something or others), thingys to track the actual treasure locations once they've gone to the initial treasure location posted on the site. You're welcome to take what you want from the treasure stash but they ask you replace it with some other item(s) for the next geo cacher treasure hunter. They also ask you sign the log book that's usually left in each treasure weather tight container. I guess part of the fun is hiding the treasure either right out in the open under lots of people's noses or in some out of the way, beautiful or meaningful spot...and of course finding something hidden and not knowing what it's going to contain.

I think I'd really like to try my hand at this, but the reason I mentioned this is because I went to their geo site and just for the fun of it typed in my postal code. I was SHOCKED to see just how many of those geo-cache treasure sites there were around where I live! 30+ easily, most within a short 10 mile drive or so. I found at least 3 within walking distance of my house. One of the treasure sites is where I used to walk my dog to and where we go swimming. It's just up the road from here. Wanna see? (Someone posted a pic)

http://img.groundspeak.com/cache/a0ba2a5f-e7a8-4eaf-ad38-e22b807efdff.jpg

I hope that works. (I miss not being able to post photos here) It was really interesting reading the 20 or so posts from the geo cashers commenting on how much they liked that spot. It just goes to show that tourists admire what the locals sometimes take for granted.

So...about this snapshot. I understand it was snapped at the turn of the last century, (early 1900s). It's of an old lumbermill that's now gone, but the cement foundations and some of the machinery are still there. The actual terrian is basically unchanged though. I recognize the cliff and the pool where we've swam for instance. It must have been taken during the summer during a drought because most of the rocks are underwater in the spring. there are some pretty waterfalls in that area. (There's a nice one that's out of the frame to the left in this pic. The river at this point is a series of "steps" with a waterfall flowing into a pool...waterfall...pool...etc as it flows down a rather deep gorge)

Here's a list of what the original treasure was when it was left there Sept 25/2004

The original cache contents were as follows:
Foam Snafooz puzzle (picked up in Hawaii)
Fountain pen and ink cartridge
Rainbow fridge magnet
Blue felt tip marker
Old wallet
Floating foam keychain
Louisiana lottery ticket scratcher & Cajun key chain
Address book
Tacky cuff links and tie clip
Flight safety stickers
Centennial of Flight cloth badge
RCAF 75th anniversary cloth badge
Canvass sling
Bicycle reflector
Bicycle computer
Rubber gloves
Golf ball
Plastic bead bracelet
Typhoon eurofighter metal badge
Foam ear plugs
Miniature lock and keys
RCAF 75 lapel pin
AIP P3C lapel pin
North Bay lapel pin
Nylon rope
Plastic trowel
2 blank diskettes
Battleships computer game CD
2 fishing flies
Bulldog clip
French coin (10F)
Squirt/spray bottle (makes good water pistol)

That photo makes it seem like I live out in the sticks...well yes and no. It really is like that with lots of forests and some farmland but I'm also within walking distance of the largest (Canadian) mall east of Montreal, (so I understand). There's plenty of people in this area but also lots of unspoiled wilderness too.

I don't have time to finish this entry right now. I'll be back later gators.

I'm back, but now the urge to finish this entry has gone. Bummer. Don't worry though. You didn't miss much. I was gonna tell the story of how my dog and I climbed up that 200 foot cliff (near where the old mill photo was taken), and how I almost fell and killed myself...but as I obviously didn't die it doesn't seem like much of a story afterall. Come to think of it, I didn't die in any of my other stories either. Sorry.

I think I'll start another entry coz there's other non geo or dying stuff I'd like to write.

me





"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor
"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor
"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor
"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor