The Rats - Geocaching

2012-02-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

Ask me when I found my first geocache whether I’d be still playing the game 10 years later and I would have laughed at you, but that’s what happened on the 27th January 2012.

When I found my first geocache “Trainspotting GCDFF” I wouldn’t have predicted that I would got so addicted to finding tupperware boxes, ammo tins or the like, but geocaching has become part of my life and to a degree part of my family’s life. This world-wide game has taken us to some amazing places, leads us on some crazy adventures and introduced us to great friends. I don’t know what I did before geocaching but I rarely leave home now without packing the gps and at every opportunity I’m on the hunt for my next find.

As our 10 year anniversary drew close I could see it was starting to line up with another milestone, our 6000th find was nearing so what better way to celebrate than to combine both. Some close friends wanted to the occasion with me so a geocaching event was organised.

The Rats 10 Year Anniversary / 6000th cache GC3AR0A was held on the 29th Jan not far from where I found my first cache. The day was well attended with many of our caching friends travelling great distances to share the event with us. The Stanwell Park picnic area provided a great backdrop as many of the attendees got to do a variety of new local caches. The day was topped off with a very unique logbook – a signed certificate commemorating the achievement.

Reflecting on our 10 years, the game has grown in leaps and bounds while the principle has remained relatively unchanged. The cache containers have changed, the cache density has increased, the cache hides have become harder and my love for this sport has remained. I hope in another 10 years I can boast another 6000 finds and still love this game.

Thanks to my close friends and family who made my 10 year event such a memorable day.

The Final Cut & Lost World

2011-11-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

As luck would have it, I was able to complete two of Sydney’s better caches last week. These 2 caches, The Final Cut and the Lost World have been on my to-do list for many years.

On Thursday 27th Oct I teamed up with Big Matt and Farmer-Frentzen to tackle The Final Cut. This cache sits at the bottom of a 100m cliff at Diamond Bay, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Getting to the cache is the tricky part and on 2 previous occasions I’ve had to abort my attempt due to various factors. Today however, with the tides right and the weather on our side we headed towards GZ.

As we approached the waters edge the towering cliffs and roar of the waves certainly plays tricks on your mind. Then you lay eyes on the infamous ladder that must be scaled to continue your journey. Normally this wouldn’t bother too many but the ladder stops a few rungs short and the decaying safety lines do little to put your mind at rest. Big Matt was the first up the ladder, which suited us as he was our heaviest member. We were soon all up the ladder and traversing the narrow fisherman’s path towards GZ. This old trail has seen better days and in parts little remains to be seen.

Arriving at GZ we searched in earnest for the cache but for a while the prize alluded us, that was until a keen eye spied this strange container. After completing the log requirements we headed back along the fisherman’s path. The roar and crashing waves were a constant reminded of how fierce Mother Nature can be.
Negotiating the narrow ledge and rickety ladder seemed much easier on our return and we were soon at the base of the cliffs with only the gorge to climb out. Back on top we rejoiced in our feat with a few more photos of the surrounding cliffs.

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On Friday 28th Oct I set off in search of the Lost World cache. This cache had been on my to-do list for some time now as it filled a hole on my well-rounded cacher matrix.

Camping at Martins Lookout overnight I set off early in the morning hoping to complete most of the walk before the heat of the day had time to impact on the area. Not far from the car I got my first glimpse of the task ahead, a 200m descent/ascent across a valley to a white cross that sits prominently on the neighbouring cliff. A well-defined walking trail leads you down into the steep valley where pockets of fog covered the way. Reaching the bottom, rock cairns and signposts ensure your path. Crossing Glenbrook Ck was a breath of fresh as the noise of birds and running water filled the air.

From the creek crossing it was straight up a steep spur, but once again a well-defined track was easily followed and at numerous spots I stopped to take photos of the morning sun filling the valley. While the vista was amazing a constant drone from the western highway was a reminder that civilisation wasn’t too far away.

Once on top I was soon arriving at Bunyan Lookout where some breathtaking views of the sun glistening city and my surrounding area were soaked up. With still a kilometre to go it was back into the bush and onwards to the Lost World. As you near the destination an old signpost ensures the route and minutes later I popped out at another lookout where the white memorial cross sits high above the valley floor. From here the cache was soon in hand. I took the opportunity to sit at the cliff edge while completing the log.

As much as I would have liked to remain at the vantage point I had to get back. My return route was a much more direct as I cut off a good kilometre of the walk by heading off track and down the nearby spur. Keeping an on the map I was soon re-joining the track close to the creek crossing. By now the sun had filled the valley and a warm uphill walk back to the car was ahead of me. Some 2½ hours after starting I was back at the car.

In the space of two days I had been rewarded with two of Sydney’s better caches. Thanks to my caching buddies and the cache owners.

Bendigo Bonanza

2011-08-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

As the name suggests, the Gangsters were off on another caching spree. However this time we wanted something different. The big cities had their appeal but so much had been said about the Bendigo/Ballarat area that we were keen to give this area a go.

A 4-day road trip was suggested and with that, planning commenced. Road trips certainly offer a continual change of scenery and a new destination each night which had its appeal. So on the 17th Aug after work, the Gangsters met at Sutton Forest for a gruelling road trip towards Bendigo. The weather had already taken a turn for the worse but that did little to dampen our enthusiasm as we headed down the Hume Hwy.

As the hours ticked by, the rain continued and so did the highway caches. Much of the drive was done with the wipers on full. As Thursday dawned, we driven beyond the rain but the evidence of its harshness was clear, many creeks and rivers had broken their banks resulting in localised flooding.

Our destination of Bendigo was reached and so the plethora of caches began. Our numbers quickly swelled as we made our way around the suburbs. The rain was never far away and at times it slowed our progress. As we moved into the afternoon we’d decided that the wet weather was conducive to camping and we sort the shelter of a cabin for the night. Food and grog were quickly consumed and weary bodies soon littered the cabin.

Friday greeted us with clear skies and a refreshed enthusiasm. We were soon on the road collecting the few remaining caches in Bendigo. From here we chose to head north towards Echuca and along the way we made many detours to pick up nearby caches. It was one of these detours that proved to rather eventful. As Jason crested a small rise on one particular dirt road, the recent rains had turned the already slick road into a skid pan. Our forward movement quickly became our sideways slide. Upon coming to a stop we realised that our extrication from this spot would be severely hampered due to a lack of traction. Help was sort from a nearby farm and any passing highway motorist. It was the later that proved successful and very nice guy pulled our car out of its bog.

On the road again and the caches kept coming. Echuca offered a great variety of tricky and well-constructed hides, but no sooner did we arrive and it was time to move on. Shepparton was to be our destination for the night, but there was still plenty of caching to be done before we’d reach there. Once again the soft option was chosen and we took the comfort of a cabin over the cold night air in a tent.

Saturday morning and after a good nights sleep we were on the road again. We were heading towards Wangaratta via various back roads, which looked spectacular, covered in flowering canola. Once in Wangaratta the caching density picked up and the finds flowed quickly. We opted to do two nearby mini power trails. These two runs resulted in 30+ finds in little over 2 hours and culminated in dinner and some exceptional backpackers.

After dinner we headed towards Rutherglen, stopping at a very comical cache which required us to walk a tightrope of planks suspended over water to the cache marooned on an island. Thankfully we all remained dry and were soon moving onto a winery series around Rutherglen which concluded with our first night in our tents.

The final day of our road trip was spent trucking up the Hume Hwy. Some short pit stops along the way resulted in a few more caches to the tally. After some 2500kms we returned home with an impressive 210 finds.

Thanks to my fellow Gangsters for a great road trip.

Bonnum Pic - GC2XQF5

2011-08-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

I will start by saying; this is what “The Rats” love about geocaching. The remote locations and hiking experiences we have had as a result of geocaching is what I love about this sport. So when Hoojar placed this remote cache at Bonnum Pic I was eager for another hike into the wilderness.

For those that don’t know, Bonnum Pic is just under 100km SW of Sydney in the Nattai National Park. It sits high above the Wollondilly River and offers amazing 360deg views with the Blue Mountains wilderness and Warragamba catchment to the north. The Pic is a narrow rocky ridgeline that protrudes out into the abyss. It’s a 16km round trip walk from the nearest parking spot.

On the 2nd Aug I left Wollongong ready for a hard days walk. The southern highlands had turned on a magnificent day, fog filled the valleys while a cool breeze filled the higher ridgelines. Leaving the Wombeyan Caves Rd I crossed a few acres of private property before parking at the National Park boundary. From this point there is very little signage identifying the route to Bonnum Pic. Numerous walkers over time have left a plethora of rock cairns which ensure you’re never too far off the beaten track.

The early stages of my walk hugged the nearby property and it was here that I seen the strangest sight of my walk. A ring-tailed possum had made the barb-wire fence its resting place for the day. Initially I though the possum was dead or stuck but he soon woke, checked me out before nodding back off to sleep.

Recent strong winds that had battered the region made my walk at times very difficult, large branches and fallen trees littered the ridgeline. My first glimpse of the Pic and the valley below certainly put the scale of this walk into perspective. 150m cliffs line the narrow ridge, which constantly reminding you of the perils around you. As you get closer to the Pic there are a few up and down climbs and a bit of boulder hopping. It is only when you are 130m from the end that the real rock scrambling starts. There is a short, very exposed climb down that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Not being a good rock climber I opted for the safety line and was soon belaying myself down this tricky section.

Soon afterwards I had reached the end of the Pic and the vista from here was beautiful. Miles and miles of wilderness lay before me, it was magical. Having enjoyed the moment I set about retrieving the geocache and was glad to find a blank logbook.

My return route was back over the same country. The exposed climb seemed so much easier when climbing up and for every difficult boulder hopping route I faced there was always an easier path found upon inspection. Some 5½ hours after starting I had returned to the car, pleased with my walk and the FTF.

Thanks Hoojar for the cache.

A long day caching

2011-06-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

When we first floated the idea of having a geocaching flashmob at 3am to coincide with the U.S equivalent we didn’t think that we’d couple it with a days caching in Canberra, but that what we did on the 5th June.

The WWFM VIII in Wollongong was held at Stuart Park at 3.00am where a good crowd gathered for a crazy breakfast theme-caching event. After our 15min of fame Steeba and I headed off on a 2 drive to Canberra for a days caching.

Arriving in Canberra at 6.00am we were greeted by zero deg. Temperatures and a very good frost, but let it be said “the weather never stops a good days caching”. A day of climbing hills was planned and we quickly set off up Mt Tuggeranong where we grabbed a handful of caches. We then weaved our around the southern suburbs collecting an array of puzzle, multi and traditional caches.

Late in the afternoon as the weather cooled and the breeze came up we headed up our 2nd big hill for the day. Mt Taylor is an impressive hill in the middle of Canberra, which offers sweeping views of the suburbs and another handful of caches.

By days end, we had accumulated 80 finds for our 12 hours caching in Canberra. As we headed for home a few more highway caches added icing to the cake for a great long days caching.

5000 Finds

2011-03-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

After 9 years of caching and accumulating thousands of finds, we finally racked up our 5000th find on the 27th Feb 2011.

As with all our milestone finds we have gone outside the box to undertake a unique cache that we would remember and this milestone was no exception. The “In Extremis” GC2HYPF series of caches placed by Hoojar was to be our goal. This series of caches has 11 caches placed in a 160km radius from Wollongong on various main roads that head out from Sydney. Each cache has a number contained within which once all numbers are collected can be used to find the coordinates to the final cache.

Over a period of approximately 3 months I slowly found all the caches in the series. Sometimes going to extreme lengths to obtain the find. On one occasion Steeba and I did a 500km round trip effectively for 2 finds. Some might say I’m crazy, but well worth it for the ultimate prize.

With all the preliminary caches found and GZ worked out, Steeba and myself set off to complete my 5000th find. The cache page had warned us of the dangers but had also highlighted the views that would be seen at GZ. As we approached GZ neither aspect was under estimated. The Illawarra’s 80m escarpment cliffs and spectacular views of the coastline awaited us.

After rigging the necessary ropes etc I abseiled down to the awaiting cache where I claimed my 5000th find. Jubilation and triumph run through my body as with all my milestone finds. Steeba had joined me at GZ where we both shared in this memorable cache. I left my usual milestone coin in the cache for all that venture after me to find.

It was then time to return to the top where once again we re-lived the joy of my 5000th find.

Thanks to Steeba for joining me on this adventure and thanks to Hoojar for providing a memorable 5000th find cache.

Mirror Ball cache - GCX5TV

2011-01-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

I had been eyeing off this cache ever since it’d been published way back in 2006. When a recent invite passed my way I couldn’t refuse the opportunity to tackle this cache as its certainly not one that I’d tackle by myself.

With a group of experienced abseilers gathered a date was locked in. The 22nd Jan would hopefully provide clear skies and a perfect opportunity. Sure enough, as the day dawned we couldn’t have asked for more perfect conditions. Having spent the night over at Mt Wilson we made our way to Pierces Pass carpark for an early start.

By 8am we were heading off towards “Walls Lookout”. Just before the lookout a small track branches off while leads down into the gully and out onto the halfway ledge. Prior to turning off we took time out to check out the view from Walls Lookout. The views of the Grose Valley and its towering sandstone cliffs were spectacular but reminded us of the adventure that lye ahead. From our vantage point the halfway ledge looked rather narrow and at no point did we feel keen to continue.

Swallowing all emotions and fear we started don the side trail and out onto the halfway ledge. The vegetation obscured our view of the 110m cliff just metres to our right. In what only seemed like minutes we had reached the point where it was time to don our equipment. After some gear checks we proceeded out to the first abseil point. It was here that we were pleasantly surprised to be joined by some climbers who were out on the face for a day of climbing.

Having rigged our ropes, doubled checked our gear and knots it was time to descend our first abseil. Its at this point, regardless of how well you’re trained and how confident you are that you have to have a lot of faith in your gear cause there’s only a piece of rope which holds you from certain death. Overcoming these fears it was soon my turn and I was soon dangling off a rope 100+m above the valley floor.

No sooner had I started down the rock-face and I was touching down atop the Mirrorball pinnacle and half of my abseiling adventure was complete. From this vantage point you feel so dwarfed by your surroundings, but that is quickly forgotten as you take in the views and orra of this place.

Once we were all on the pinnacle our top rope was retrieved and a short search revealed the next set of coordinates, which were for GZ. We then set about rigging ropes to do it all again and thus reach the bottom. The next abseil is a little bit more difficult pitch and you quickly end up in a chimney/slot where you’re bounced from one wall to the other before touching down on terra firma.

By the time I’d reached the bottom, the goal of our expedition had been retrieved and it was a simple matter of me adding my name to the log. After basking in our achievements we re-hid the cache and set off to complete the next stage of our adventure – the walk out.

Various logs on this cache talk about heading down to the creek V’s staying up against the base of the cliff. We chose to head downwards and while we were confronted with some of the worst lawyer vine and abrasive vegetation I believe it was the right way. After a 30min hard slog we were in a nice cool creek enjoying some lunch. Setting off again it was a short trek to the spur where we picked up the Hungerfords track and a seemingly easier way out to the car.

5½ hours after setting off we made it back to the cars. Our adventure was complete. Its certainly a memorable, but not one for everybody. Thanks to my fellow cachers for allowing me to tag-along and thanks to Foundem, the cache owner.

Caching the Blue Mts

2010-12-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

This is a blog I should have started many years ago but after doing a few caches in the mid mountains area last week I thought it’d be good share my experiences with all of you.

Having lived in the Blue Mts for most of my life I’d done pretty much all of the walks, seen all the lookouts and the like when I was dragged along as a young kid with my parents. Since Geocaching I have been back to quite a few spots that have rekindled those memories and other new spots have been simply awesome.

Whether you agree with the geocaching guidelines or not, some of the geocaching hides in the Blue Mts have you trekking to some very spectacular locations, I have listed a few caches that I feel are a must.

My caches
In the loop – Is a full days off track walk which takes you into the heart of the mountains. The cache is perched high above Wentworth Ck

Hay, Hay Its – Is an easy trail walk out to Mt Hay. The last 500m is off trail. At GZ there are magnificent views into the Grose Valley

Kedumba – At the site of a monument for those who helped build the road into the valley below. Its an easy fire-trail walk with magical views at GZ.

Hanging Rock – The Baltzer Lookout is breathtaking while being extremely dangerous. Views into the Grose Valley are amazing but no fences protect you from the huge drop. It’s a trail walk to reach GZ

Wild Dogs – Is a full days walk or an easy overnight hike into Wild Dog Mtn Range. Splendour Rock is an old ANZAC monument for fallen bushwalkers.

Found Caches
The Gorge – Is a lower mountains cache with a bit of adventure. It highlights the Nepean River and Glenbrook Gorge.

Florabella Series – These 2 caches I did at night but I thoroughly enjoyed the walk down into the valley floor. Both caches are not far off a walking trail.

Real Cache – Is an easy walk from the car along trails. GZ offers great views to the NE out of Castlereagh

Den Fenella Track – Is an earthcache that offers great views over the Jamieson valley while being an educational experience.

Valley of the Waters – Is one of the more picturesque waterfalls in the mountains. It’s a downhill walk to GZ but spectacular views await those who venture.

Sublime – Is one of those spots where you can just sit and watch the world go by. I look the vista from this location.

Daylight – An adventure cache in an old mine. Getting to the start of the mine can be a little difficult, but the adventure underground is worth the experience.

Point to Sister – Is not a cache for everyone, it requires a bit of fitness, but those that do it will be in awe of the views and the feats of pioneering walkers. The Furber Stairs are incredible.

Laughing Waters – A waterfall that is rarely visited but is worth the walk along a formed trail. GZ offers nice views into this small enclosed valley.

Solo Man Reloaded – is situated on Mt Solitary. This messa is viewed from every lookout around Katoomba. It’s a good steep half day walk which wont suit all, but is worth the effort.

Drop Dead Gorgeous – Is another adrenalin cache, which you need to abseil into. Its not that high but is a lot of fun. Nearby there are some great views into Megalong Valley.

Pilcher – Is a spot that offers magical views into the upper Grose valley. Its well worth the bumpy road to drive out to GZ.

Mount York – Is at the western end of the Blue Mts and offers views further west. Sitting here to watch the sun set is a must for all who come out this way.

View3-52 Darling – Is along the Darling causeway and offers fantastic views down towards the Grose Valley. This is an easy drive-by cache.

Du Faur ROCKS – Tucked away on the way out to Mount Wilson is this hidden gem. Canyoners and climbers know this area very well. The cache offers great views into the Wollangambe area.

Shrouded in Mist – Is located in the shadows of Mt Banks, which is the highest mountain within the Blue Mts. While the view at GZ isn't that spectacular. This area offers a few vantage points to the amazing cliff walls nearby.

Mirror Ball - This multi-cache requires the finder to abseil 110m into the Grose Valley. The area offers spectacular views and is a true adrenalin rush, but its only for the experienced. See my seperate report on this cache.

Caches on my “to do list”
Above the Dappled valley
Lost World
Point of No regard
Scooter on the Oaks
Scooter on the Andersons
Lockley Story – Earthcache
Cliffhanger

This list will be an ongoing project and while you may find others that are better, these are my picks of the Blue Mts caches. I hope you enjoy.

Gangsters invade Port Stephens

2010-11-25T19:30:00.000-08:00

The gangsters have been at it again, this time invading the Port Stephens region. However it wasn’t without some variation, cause this time one of the gangsters lives in the Port Stephens region. So regrettably for Big Matt his find count for the weekend was minimal.

Unlike other raids, we didn’t really spend too much time on the planning phase of this trip. The usual, leave Friday back Sunday was a given. That was until we decided to have a crack at the NSW one-day record for finds in a single day. A route around the region was quickly put together and schedule of the days active was drawn up.

Big Matt & Shell played host to us for the weekend and after arriving at their place on the Friday night we shared a few stories before retiring for an early night.
Saturday dawned very early for us, we were out the door at 3.15am leaving Matt & Shell to enjoy a sleep-in. By 3.30am we were finding our first cache on the outskirts of Raymond Terrace, from then on the finds fell reasonably quickly for the 3 of us. We were averaging 7 finds an hour and by breakfast we had already accumulated 40 finds.

As the day progressed we swept through various towns leaving very few unfound before eventually making our way out to Nelsons Bay. Those that have been here before would know the cache density out here is ripe. Plenty of finds in easily accessible locations quickly improved our cache count. However the beauty of the area is often a cacher’s downfall as many muggles also frequent the area making some finds near impossible.

As the daylight hours faded for the day we came upon a cache called “Million Dollar Views”. This particular spot was the highlight for me, with its sweeping views of the area. It was just magnificent.

Pressing on, the finds continued to mount as we meandered around the various bays, which including Salamander, Nelsons, Fingal and finally Anna Bay. Many of the time muggles shared the area with us as they too soaked up the beautiful day. Just on sunset we drove around to the Stockton Sand Dunes where we completed the nearby earthcache.

As the clock ticked over 8.30pm we finally reached the end of our intended route. We had just completed a 17-hour caching run finding 124 finds which was a very impressive days work. Back and Matt & Shell’s we shared in the spoils of our good day as we enjoyed a great night eating, drinking, singing and being merry. However the nights activities came at a cost on Sunday morning. Most of us were suffering bad hangovers none worse than mine, which seemed to get worse as the day got longer.

After a slow start we finally were capable of driving and thus headed off in search of more caches. The days pace was relevant to the way we felt – very slow. We headed south towards Swansea/Belmont where grabbed a few finds before wrapping up the weekend with us taking the old Pacific Hwy home to grab a few of those nuisance caches that just sit off the main thorough-fare.

Thanks to my fellow gangsters for another top weekend.

GC7D45 – Breathe

2010-10-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

The sign of a good cache is one that can withstand the test of time, GC7D45 – Breathe is one of those caches. Back in Aug 2002 Team Chaos had this fantastic idea to hide a cache unaware that some 8 years later it’d be still going strong.

The concept is simple, find the Cuckoo, find the cache. But it’s the Cuckoo that makes this cache unique. Team Chaos hid a cache somewhere in the Sydney Metro area but posted a set of bogus coordinates on the cache page. To find the actual coordinates, the finder has to find the “Cuckoo” which resides in various other caches across Sydney.

Back in Oct 2007 I stumbled upon the Cuckoo as it rested in southern Sydney cache. You can imagine my surprise upon finding the Cuckoo as it can be in any cache as long as it remains in the Sydney metro area. Not wanting to disclose to surprise to others I carefully worded my logs and rehid the Cuckoo somewhere far away.

Last month, some 3 years after getting the coords I finally went out and found the actual cache. Not to give anything a way, I can tell you that a pleasant walk with fantastic views awaits the finders of Breathe. At GZ I sat and took pleasure in reading the logs of past finders and their experiences of finding the Cuckoo.

For a simple concept, this is of NSW more memorable caches.

Second coming - Brisbane

2010-08-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

These caching trips have become a semi regular event for the Gangsters. This time we headed back to one of our earlier haunts in an attempt to clear out another section of town. Brisbane was the destination for this 4-day juggernaut.

While Farmer Frentzen planned a family holiday to include a days caching with us, the rest of us drove up to Brisbane with one thing in mind – caching. Leaving Sydney on Wednesday night we soon had our complement of gangsters and were making good time up the Pacific Highway. We stopped along the way to grab a few highway caches but by 6am Thursday we were sitting down to breakfast on the Gold Coast.

With minimal sleep we spent a slow first day hovering around the Gold Coast and its surrounding suburbs picking off caches. As the day progressed we made our way northwards, stopping off at the “World Famous – Yatala Pies”. The gangsters will tell you that these are some of the best pies around, so be sure to stop. By days end we’d amassed 70 finds.

Booking into our accommodation we met up with our 4th gangster. After a few drinks it was off to bed for a well-earned rest, tomorrow was planned as our biggest day of the trip.
4.30am and the team was back together, the 4 gangsters were on the road in search of our first find. We used the dead of night to grab a few inner city caches, which I must say, “I love”. As dawn turned to day we found ourselves weaving a path down through Indooroopilly and onto Jindalee. Along the way we managed to grab a few of those unique caches like a “whereigo, a virtual and an earthcache”. While the finds throughout the day didn’t offer too much we did have a few fun moments as we witnessed a hit n run car accident, an early morning moment with a security guard, some inspiring "backpackers", the usual verbal slanging from all the gangsters, a “slips” catch which nearly proved very costly, a trip down a bus tunnel and way too many encounters with barking dogs.

As darkness fell we took time out for a hearty dinner, which always works a treat to recharge our enthusiasm and we were soon out finding more caches. By the time our caching spree drew to a close we’d cracked 100 finds for the day and were happy to finish on such a milestone.

Day 3 of our trip started slowly. Farmer Frentzen headed off on the next adventure of their holiday, while Steeba, Big Matt and myself went out in search of a few more caches. For a change of scenery we headed towards the coast where we found various pockets of caches and picked off the finds regularly. One of the highlights was the cache contained within Banyan Fig Tree. These trees have an amazing root system, which made for a great hide. The day finished rather early with us sharing a few drinks back at our campsite.
As Sunday dawned we were already on our way home. Our first stop was breakfast with Mum & Dad, who put on a great spread. We grabbed a few local caches before hitting the autopilot for home. Just before Port Macquarie we took a short detour in search of a cache, it was here that we noticed the car bonnet had come loose. Upon inspection we realised the locking eye had sheered right off. With an unsecured bonnet we limped into Port Macquarie and the question of “what to do” became an agonising wait as countless phone calls ensued. Some 6 hours after the breakage we were finally heading south again, all be it in the cab of a tow-truck with Matt’s car on the back.
Around 9pm we got back to Matts place, the tow-truck driver had done a great job, but our trip was far from done. Steeba and I still had 3 hours ahead of us and just after midnight we finally crawling into our own beds. What a hell of a trip home.

Thanks to my caching buddies (Big Matt, Steeba & Farmer Frentzen) for another great caching adventure. 200+ finds in approx’ 4 days.

Gong Shuttle Bus event

2010-06-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

I had a crazy idea about using the free Wollongong Shuttle bus to host a unique caching event. The plan was to get fellow geocachers to join us for a lap on the bus as it made its way around Wollongong. The idea had never been tried before and wasn’t likely to see the light of day but with an understanding approver I was pleasantly surprised to see the cache approved.

On Sat 12th Jun at 2pm nearly 20 other caching teams joined us at Wollongong Uni (posted coords) for the “Wheels on the Bus go round n round” event cache. Some caching teams had travelled along way, most using the beautiful winter’s day to have a days caching in the Illawarra.

The free green shuttle bus takes its passengers on a loop around the local attractions of Wollongong. People can hop on and off as they please. Most of the time, Uni students use the bus to easily get around town. Today however we unofficially hijacked the bus for a lap of geocaching fun. As the lap unfolded the singing and stories flowed. Many of us hadn’t been on a bus for years, but the combination of a caching event with a free ride around town had everyone enjoying themselves.

The only regret for the day was that it was all over way too quickly.

Oz Mega Event

2010-04-12T23:18:00.000-07:00

After 18 months in the pipeline, the first Mega Event held in the southern hemisphere has just concluded at Wagga Wagga. A group of enthusiastic cachers came together to form the Riverina Caching Committee. They spent countless hours methodically planning and re-planning what turned out to a fantastic gathering.

The ICC (Illawarra Caching Community) was well represented at the 4-day event with many local caching families making the trek south. We all camped together, which made for a friendly warm atmosphere.

After arriving on Easter Friday we set-up camp and took in the many activities on offer. If we weren’t out caching, we were swapping pathtags or catching up with old friends. As the first day drew to an end a huge bonfire had the kids mesmerised and soon ready for bed.

Saturday started with more socialising before we took a trip into Wagga and the surrounding district. Once back at camp the kids couldn’t wait to swap more pathtags before heading out to enjoy the live band and fireworks.

Easter Sunday dawned with the Easter bunny delivering his bundle of goodies for the kids. If this wasn’t enough a huge egg hunt saw the kids grab many more chocolate eggs. It was then the parents turn as we participated in a mad scramble for sponges which were dropped from a helicopter.
A lazy afternoon wrapped up the daylight activities. By night it was back for more live music, which included audience participation which our kids loved. Another bonfire and speeches concluded the nights entertainment.

Monday and it was pack up time. Many families chose to make an early start while we didn’t leave till approx’ lunchtime. A CITO event helped ensure the campground was left neat and tidy.

What a great way to celebrate Australia’s 1st Mega Event GC1YJ5R. Thanks to the organisers for exceeding my wildest expectations.

Numbers in Melbourne

2010-03-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

As the 1st Australian Mega Event rolls around I thought it’d be nice to coincide a milestone find with the attendance at the Mega Event.

For this to happen I needed to rack up some quick finds. To achieve this I planned a flying visit to Melbourne. As luck would have it I managed to get some cheap $28 flights to Melbourne, some accommodation with the relo’s with the biggest expense being the hiring of a car for a few days.

Arriving in Melbourne late at night I quickly set about finding caches. With a few finds under my belt I grabbed a few hours sleep. The next morning I headed to Geelong, last time I was here I was taken by the picturesque scenery. This time was no different, I headed out towards Queenscliff and Port Lonsdale where I grabbed a few caches and took in the vista. Eventually I ran out of time, but not before I grabbed a few of the “Mad Max” series of caches.

That night I caught up with family who I hadn’t seen in ages.

The next day and there was more caching to be done. I took the opportunity to grab a rare “Webcam” cache as I cached my way around the bay. I managed to find all the healthy suburbs and seen how the other half live. My days caching finished with my tally on 85 finds. The day culminated with dinner and drinks at a nice Italian eatery.

My final day in Melbourne and I headed straight for the city where I grabbed a few unusual finds. A couple of “Earthcahes” and “Virtuals” added to the tally. I also had time to duck over to Brighton where I not only found a cache but I had time to look at the beach huts, which are quiet, amazing.

My 3-day trip ended with 95 finds, a greater appreciation of Melbourne scenery and me sitting comfort to achieve my 4000th find in Wagga.

Dual Event Weekend

2010-02-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

You could never argue that we weren't a social bunch of geocachers in NSW. The past weekend has highlighted that. On Saturday we hosted our 4th Annual Illawarra/Sth Coast Get-together. As always, it was a great day. Some 27 caching teams turned up to bask in the sun, catch up with friends and to par-take in the games.

While on Sunday we attended the 2nd Annual Hills Event. This was our first time at this event, which is hosted by Aussiecacher and is held in the food court of the Rouse Hill shopping centre. It was a very hot day but that didnt stop 26 teams turning up for breakfast and a coffee.

Both events were a great way to meet other cachers and to swap a story or 2. I'm looking forward to the Mega Event in April.

Wagga - again

2010-02-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

It was time for another invasion, this time we headed back to an old haunt in an attempt to clear an area of caches before the upcoming Mega Event, that’s right we went back to Wagga.

This trip was to be very short by our standards. To Wagga and back in only 24 hours. We left after work on Friday 29th Jan, meeting Big Matt and Farmer Frentzen along the way. We had a small detour around Gundagai before proceeding into Wagga.

It wasn’t long before the caches were rolling in, however it wasn’t without incident. Of course we had to have the customary visit by the Police who are always curious to our movements.

Anyway it was well after midnight when we called it stumps for the night. We chose to camp up on Pommy hill.

Saturday morning and very quickly the caches were mounting up. Small pockets were being cleaned out very quickly. We then started on the ‘Fred’ caches. These caches, specifically the Rubiks Tube series are a fantastic bunch of caches, Fred puts a lot of effort into his hides and he constantly had us admiring his handy work.

The day was extremely hot and this took its toll on us, but not before we’d cleaned out Wagga of all its caches. Late in the afternoon it was time to head for home, but not before we took a look at the site for the upcoming Mega Event.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning we arrived home. Some of us had found over 100 caches while the minimum was 50+. Thanks to Steeba, Big Matt, Farmer Frentzen and Gribbly for sharing the experience with me.

'View3' series of Caches

2009-12-01T15:18:00.000-08:00

I recently had the fortune to have a go at the new series of caches that is sweeping the upper Blue Mountains area. The cacher, Rogerw3 has hidden 20+ caches around Lithgow, which offer some spectacular views of various vistas.

The series is called ‘View3’ plus a sequential number and is predominantly located on the Lithgow plateau. The caches are hidden so they offer great views over the township of Lithgow or out over the pagoda country of the Wolgan Valley.

Nearly all the caches are less than 100m from where you park the car and with a bit of care all of them are geokid friendly.

Congratulations to Roger for providing such a great series of caches and I thoroughly recommend them to anyone who is in the area.

Adelaide Invasion - One day record attempt

2009-11-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

Our invasions on major cities had been getting bigger and bigger with each assault so it was only natural that we’d have a crack at another capital city. It just so happened that Adelaide has the highest caching density in Australia and with this in mind we started to plan for an attempt on the one-day caching record.

Our planning started some six months ago as we slowly worked through solving various cache puzzles, optimising different routes, transport, accommodation & meals were all discussed. No stone was left unturned.

In mid October with all our planning complete, we flew into Adelaide for a 5-day caching blitz. In the back of my mind I was sceptical to whether we could amass 195+ finds and thus beat the old record, time would tell. On our arrival we quickly settled in before heading out in search of our first cache. Adelaide has a few remaining old Webcam and Virtual caches so these were a must!

Our first few days were spent finding caches that one or more us had previously found, as these couldn’t be part of our record attempt. In the darkness of Saturday 17th Oct we set off on what would be a memorable 24hr-caching blitz. At 3.30am we found our first of many many finds for the day. From that point on the day flowed along surprisingly smoothly. We found our caches in regulation and those that presented a problem we simply moved on. The rule was that if we hadn’t found it with 5min we had to move. To have a shot at ‘the record’ we would have to find a cache every 7min for the entire 24hr period, which no easy task.
By daylight, things were progressing well. We’d had our 5min break for coffee and food and as the sun got higher so did our find count. We were actually in front of the desired numbers, but no sooner did we seem to be cruising then we’d have a few DNF’s which reminded us of the task still ahead. While I wont elaborate too much on our route I will say that we got to see most of Adelaide and it’s surrounding suburbs.

As the day progressed there were some memorable finds, along with a few mini-series that had us laughing. Tennis courts, rail stations and parks seemed to be popular hiding spots as we headed round the traps. At one point we got a glimpse of the views from the Adelaide hills but were soon back watching the waves roll in as we hugged the coastline. Lunch and dinner came and went very quickly and so did the sunlight, it was time to grab the torches once again.

Fatigue came in waves, one minute you were full of energy and the next your teammates were dragging you along. No sooner did we see someone struggling it was a timely reminder to recharge energy levels, which we did with countless amounts of muesli bars and savoury biscuits.

As Saturday drew to a close and Sunday dawned it became apparent that we’d reach the record and at 1.35am on Sunday morning, 22hrs after we started our record attempt we found our 196th find. The one-day record was ours and it was back in the hands of the Australian’s. While we took time to celebrate it was short lived, there were still more caches to be found. We wanted to raise the bar to a new level, but in doing so fatigue was becoming a real issue. On the go for 24hrs takes it toll on the body and mind and eventually we decided to pull the pin some 30min shy of the 24hr mark. We’d amassed 210 finds, some 30+ DNF’s, had travelled over 300km in the car and walked more than 20km in our record day.

Needless to say we headed straight home to bed where we had some well overdue sleep. We could have slept all day but there was more caching to be done. Like kids addicted to chocolate we were addicted to caching and once again were out finding caches just after lunch. On the Sunday evening we attended a meet and greet event with local cachers where we basked in the spoils of our achievements. There was plenty of food and drink enjoyed while sharing much laughter and stories with those who attended.

Like everything, our invasion was coming to an end but that wasn’t before we headed out for a Monday morning blitz of the northern suburbs. By this time of the invasion, bodies are functioning on autopilot, one find seems to blend into then next and so do the suburbs, but alas that’s what an invasion is all about “big numbers in a short amount of time”. Late on Monday our 5-day invasion came to an end with us all heading in our separate directions. I’d amassed 380 finds in 96 hours.

I’d like to thank my fellow caching buddies. Big Matt & Shell, Steeba and Farmer Frentzen, along with my family who were very supportive throughout this event.

Watagans 4x4 caching Weekend

2009-09-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

It couldn’t get any better, caching, camping and 4Wdriving. That was what happened last weekend when the Rats hosted an event in the Watagans State Forest (west of Morisset). Between 10-12 vehicles made the trip to the Turpentine Campground, some making an extra long-weekend while most of us only stayed one night.

After meeting at the F3 Roadhouse (near Wyong) we made our way up into the mountains where we met up with the rest of the caching clan. After setting up camp and some friendly chat we headed out in search of the local caches. After a few hours driving we’d collected the 4 caches in close proximity to camp. It was then that we had a bit of fun exploring the numerous tracks that head off into the bush.

As the sunset, a cozzie fire was started which drew everyone like magnets to steel. We spent the night around the fire, swapping tales, tips and laughs.

As Sunday dawned we all slowly packed up, a stiff breeze had picked and after deciding to head north for a few more caches we said goodbye to a few that had opted for an alternate route.
We took in the cache at the northern end of the Watagans before dropping off the mountain and heading towards Morisset. It was here we feasted on a few more caches, some which included the caches in the disbanded Morisset mental home…. what a weird place this is!.

As it approached lunchtime it was time to bid farewell to all and head for home. Another great 4x4 caching was coming to an end. Thanks to all who made the weekend so much fun.

3000 Finds

2009-08-17T03:13:00.000-07:00

As always ‘The Rats’ try to make a milestone cache something we’ll always remember. Having been beatin’ by the elements the last time we attempted ‘Along the Stony Towers’ it was only natural that we’d have another attempt at it for our 3000th find.

I’d assembled a few close friends to accompany me for this potential find. Once again plenty of planning went into assuring we were properly prepared. As we set out from the Kanangra Walls carpark it was a welcome relief to have clear skies.

After a pleasant walk out along the plateau we headed down to Kanangra Ck, a recent fire had stripped the undergrown, which made our descent somewhat slippery. Soon enough we were crossing the creek and starting the arduous climb up Thurat Spires. The climb up to the 1st spire is almost 500m high and about 1km long, often the ridgeline is less than 2m wide with loose boulders to negotiate.
As we neared the top the climb became very steep with some exposed rock climbing/scrambling required. Often we had to scout out a new line as the direct approach wasn’t the best. Eventually and ever so slowly we finally reached the top of the 1st spire. Looking ahead, the route became more exposed and with our safety as a priority we decided to abandon our assault on the 2nd spire.

Dejected, we turned and headed for the car, which were still some hours away. Once again I had been foiled in attempt to reach ‘Along the stony towers’.

Back at the car there was no time to ponder lost opportunities I still hadn’t found my 3000th cache. One likely idea was to head back to Jenolan Caves to see if we could seek out ‘Wish you were here’. As daylight faded we arrived at the Jenolan caves top carpark. After restocking our packs we headed off for a leisurely stroll up into McKeown’s Valley. While the light faded to complete darkness we were still pleasantly surprised at how beautiful this valley was, it was flat walk in an area that is dotted with steep hills. The wildlife was in abundance and we shared the walk with many a kangaroo, possum and wombats.

After a 3km walk we arrived at the remains of the old homestead. Obviously in yester-year this was home of the landowners. Nowadays the wildlife has the run of the area with the chimney the only thing that remains. The cache was quickly found followed by some rejoicing and congratulations from Steeba. I had found my 3000th cache and only the second person in NSW to achieve this milestone. I left my achievement coin in the cache for all future finders.

After returning to the car I had time to reflect on the day’s events. I’d walked approx’ 12km round trip to Thurat Spires, I’d walked up and down the equivalent of 2.2km in elevation and then I walked another 6km to finally find my 3000th cache. Its no wonder I slept well that night.

Thanks to everyone who has a part of my 3000 cache finds.

Victorian Caching Blitz

2009-06-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

With the success of our previous caching blitz’s it was only a matter of time before we spread our wings to our next interstate expedition. Big Matt and Steeba once again joined me as we made an assault on Victoria. Our plan was simple, drive down to Victoria and cache for 3-days around the heart of Melbourne.

We headed off late Friday afternoon, making good time down the highway. With very few caches to grab along the highway it wasn’t long before we were in Albury. After another couple of caches along the Hume Hwy we were soon turning off the highway towards Sunbury. It was 3am Saturday morning when we headed into the suburbs for our first real cache for the weekend. The day rolled on without too much trouble, our biggest problem was fatigue and by mid afternoon we chose to call the day quits. That said, it was an impressive 75 finds.
After a good night sleep we were once again into it early, this was planned as our ‘big’ day. We found our first few caches before the sun was up and on past history we knew this was the best time to be in the city, thus we made quick work of the inner city caches. Moving out into the suburbs the finds quickly added up, the weather was great and plenty of people were out enjoying it. Once again by mid afternoon we seemed to slow down and our cache count ever slowly increased. A good feed and recharged energy levels soon fixed this and we once again hit the finds with repetition.

Just on midnight an incident occurred that I can laugh about now but at the time was quite serious. An encounter with the ‘boys in blue’ had us explaining our actions, which is very difficult when you choose to run from them. After our brief distraction we were once again on our blitz and by nights end we had amassed an impressive 108 finds for the day.
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With us having a big day on Sunday it was understandable that we had a late start to our Monday’s adventure, however it wasn’t long before we were back in our stride. Our day took us down the western side of the city before heading down to Geelong. This was an enjoyable run around Port Phillip Bay, which culminated in a BBQ on the Geelong foreshore. Eventually our night ended after a few more local finds.

Tuesday dawned with the prospect of us heading for home, but that wasn’t without a few more local finds. Alas by 10.30am we were on the highway heading north, grabbing a few highway caches in rural Victoria. Our 3-day Victorian caching spree concluded with a massive 255 finds, a new one-day record and some great ideas for new cache containers.

Thanks to my caching buddy’s, Big Matt and Steeba.

Brisbane Blitz

2008-10-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

After the success of our other caching expeditions the extended Gong Gangsters wanted to broaden our horizons. An interstate blitz was suggested and after alot of planning a date and itinerary was set.

Late on the 9th Oct, Steeba and myself flew to Brisbane for what was to be 3 days of solid caching. Big Matt was already in Brisbane and it was his hospitality that provided us with transport and a place to crash while we were all in Brisbane.

As soon as we were off the plane the thought of new caches was overwhelming and we quickly had 2 finds. Self-control prevailed and we grabbed some necessary food before making it an early night.

Friday started with all guns blazing, which included the rain which at times was relentless, but that didn’t us. Our plan was to stick around the northern suburbs of Brisbane and while there were pockets of caches our day seemed to drag along at a slow pace with us slowly but surely picked up our finds, but not at the cracking pace we’d dreamt of. As the day unfolded we met a few local cachers at various points and found some clever hides. Not long after dinner on our first day we called it quits with a disappointing 69 finds.

Saturday was a very early start, as we had to drop Shell off at the Roma St rail station by 6.00am. Soon after we were bagging our 1st inner city cache. Early morning caching means no muggles and quick finds and our numbers grew quickly with a promising day ahead. The persistent rain was still there but it didn’t slow us. By lunchtime we had already found 50 caches and with plenty more zigging and zagged across town to do we were sure to amass big numbers. The area known as ‘The Gap’ proved very fruitful for us. It seemed as though there was a cache on every corner. By the time we’d finished our days caching we had found a whopping 92 finds with 11 DNF’s. This was a new one-day record for me.

Our last of this caching blitz and with weiry bodies we started a little slower than the previous days, but we were soon back into it. The southeastern part of Brissy was to be today’s hotspot. The area offered finds similar to Friday with each cache being a little spread out. As we made our way towards the coast we were rewarded with some excellent views and a glimpse at how the other half live. By mid afternoon it was time to slowly start heading back towards the airport, but not before another 1 or 2 finds.

Eventually our caching blitz on Brisbane had o come to an end. It had been thoroughly enjoyable, good company and plenty of finds. Our weekend had resulted in a massive 205 finds.

Thanks to fellow cachers Steeba and Big Matt for a great adventure, but now the logging starts.

2000 not out!

2008-09-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Its taken six and half years but ‘The Rats’ have reached the milestone of 2000 geocaching finds, however it wasn’t without incident. On my first attempt at reaching 2000 I had to abort an attempt on the Altaire cache atop the Thurat Spires. Some 70mm of rain in the area had turned creeks into raging rapids and simply impassable.

A week later and with beautiful skies I was heading into the Grose Valley to find Bshwckr’s cache the ‘Bee Gees’. This seldom found cache suited my idea of doing a physical challenge for a milestone. After only 45min I was down the bottom and approaching GZ. The cache was soon in hand and the formalities completed. A bit of exploring was done before it was time to head back out.

As I made my way up up and up I was pleasantly surprised to come across 2 young foxes playing on the track. They soon disappeared allowing me to continue on my way. Eventually I was back on top where the spectacular view was captured on film. This is truly a spectacular spot with its towering cliffs and huge eucalypt trees making up the forest floor.

With 2000 finds now, its time to move onto 3000.

Geocaching - Wagga Endurance weekend

2008-05-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

After the success of the Gong gangsters assault on Bathurst back in November talk was of where we could go for our next assault. Based on a very technical formula, which I can’t explain we decided Wagga was the likely spot. We recruited a new member in Big Matt to our team and after months of planning we picked a suitable weekend. Coincidental it just happened to be the same weekend others from around the state had also decided to ascend on Wagga. An official event was organised to mark the special occasion, thus another find.
As the weekend of the 24-25th May drew near our plan was simple. Get as many traditional caches as possible between Friday night and Sunday afternoon. As our adventure unfolded we made good time down the highway bagging everything along the way. Work restraints meant we had to catch up with Steeba and Big Matt just outside Wagga, but once all together we continued zigging and zagging our way into Wagga. Just after midnight we wisely decided to make camp for the night. The thought of pressing on was tempting but the burnout factor also ran high.

A good nights sleep on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River was broken by the sounds of thousands of galahs singing in the trees. Nevertheless there was caching to be done and no time for sleep-ins. Into Wagga for the first time and we quickly picked up from the previous night. 1 then 2 then 3 and so on, reaching double figures was very quick. After car-pooling it wasn’t long before the little memorable moments began to happen. A chat with the station master here, the donning of a mask there, the drive-by caches, a game of AFL also, it all added to the fun as we headed out of town for a big loop which took us to the ‘The Rock' and through ‘Livingstone N.P’

On our return to Wagga we bagged a few very unique caches. Someone in town had put a lot of work and pride into their caching containers. These containers and hide techniques remain the highlight of my trip…. Simply they were awesome. Occasionally we’d bump into a few of the other teams that had come to Wagga, but it wasn’t till dinnertime when we got to meet the locals and others from a field. Dinner was at the local sportsman’s club and apart from the long wait it was great to meet and catch up with other cachers. While sharing a story was fun we all agreed there was a whole heap more caches to be found so it was back on the road. A few more good hides and a practical joke on the Canberra cachers all made for a good night.

Eventually the time had come where part of our team had to bid us farewell and head for home. Farewell to them and more caching for us. The city was alive with drunks and young people having fun, which often made cache hunting difficult. With our hit/miss ratio not very good we chose to abandon our nights caching.

Sunday morning dawned and it felt like I’d been hit with a sledgehammer. A massive migraine was brewing, the head and stomach were working against one another, but it takes more than that to slow me down. By 7.00am we were off in search of more caches, just at a slower pace this time. By mid morning we had pretty much cleared out all of the traditional caches in Wagga and started for home. However a cacher can never just head home, there is always one more to find and so it was that we chose to come home via the Olympic Way. Not the most direct route but very fruitful for Hoojar and myself as we nabbed another 25 caches along this road.

As I bagged my last cache in Goulburn some impressive stats were collated. From Friday night till Sunday afternoon I had amassed 133 finds, travelled some 1450km and was sporting a migraine from hell, but it was all worth it. To my fellow Gong Gangsters, thanks to all of you for another great endurance weekend. Where to next!

Caching in Sydney

2008-03-13T14:51:00.000-07:00

I was long overdue for some series caching, its like a drug to me. A cache here and there only wets my appetite for a dose of series caching. So with that said, I had been busy leading up to the 13th March organising fellow cachers for a day of series caching in Sydney.

It was 4.30am when we left the Illawarra, heading towards our first find for the day. The weather had been kind, actually it was probably a little too hot, but for someone who loves the heat I can’t complain. For today I had teamed up with my fellow caching mates Hoojar and Gribbly. Both of which were as keen as I was for a big day in Sydney.

Right on 6.00am we bagged our first find. The sun hadn’t showed itself as yet which was a pity as most of the places we went were thick with spider’s webs. It didn’t take long and our cache finds steadily climbed. We had started in Sydney’s west and had made a circular arc northeast. By lunchtime we had made it to Olympic park where with everyone else we soaked up the beautiful day.

There was no time for lunch, geocachers don’t stop for trivial things such as lunch. As we pressed on we made our way around the northern foreshore of Parramatta River and then up towards the Lane Cover River. Our day eventually finished at Macquarie University, I had personally bagged 34 caches in approx’ 10 hours. Not a bad days work.

2nd Annual Illawarra Caching Get-together

2008-03-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

Update:
With fine weather greeting us, the 2nd annual caching get-together was held yesterday at Blackbutt reserve, Shellharbour. After arriving early with the hope of securing the undercover table n chairs it was disappointing to see that I wasn't early enough to achieve this.

That aside we still had a beautiful spot in the parkland. Teams started arriving from about 10.30am onwards, many bringing family and food for a great picnic day. Plenty of people took in the customary time trial which had teams doing a 'word association' around the park. Later in the day we had the 20m measurement game which has teams testing their GPS & skill to accurately measure 20m. Congrats to Big Matt & Shell & USAT31 for winner the 2 games.

As the day progressed there were countless caching stories shared and hints told. Nearly 100 travel bugs and geocoins were exchanged with everyone managed to grab 2 or 3. A real picnic atmosphere was enjoyed by all, the kids played happily in the playground while we soaked up the sun.
Eventually the day come to an end, cachers logs from the event can be found here. Until next years event, happy caching all.

The Rats are hosting the 2nd Annual Illawarra Get-together once again. With the success of last years event we have decided to make this an annual event. Its at the same place and same coords. More details on the event can be found at the cache listing. I look forward to seeing everyone there.

This post will be regularly updated

Geocaching - Bathurst Endurance weekend

2007-11-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

I think the name says it all, the Bathurst Cachers recently hosted a caching event with the theme being endurance. This seemed to attract alot of interest from other cachers all over the state (including the ACT).

Along with myself, a few other Wollongong cachers formed the 'Gong Gangsters' in attempt to find as many caches as possible within the 24hr period. As the weekend drew near our excitment was heightened with the idea of a big weekend.

Friday afternoon we headed off to Bathurst via Goulburn, Taralga & Oberon. Obviously not the most direct route for us but this way gave us more caching opportunities. We quickly had 1, then 2 & 3 & 4 caches. By the time we got to Oberon we already had 10 finds. A quick loop around Oberon and we departed with another 10 or so finds. The weather leading up to the weekend hadn't been too good and as we gained altitude we were reminded how cold it can be on the central tablelands as rain and wind belted us at times. As the night went on, up went our count. We passed through some pretty small towns picking up caches here and there. At about 2am we decided to camp for the night next to the Fish River, just outside of Bathurst.

The few hours sleep went someway to recharging the batteries, but not fully as it was only 6.30am and we already had our first find for the day. As the morning went on we kept our tally ticking over and on que we arrived at the event cache where we mingled with fellow cachers, caught up on some caching tales and took in the atmosphere.

We'd decided not to play the event game, instead we chose to do local caches and as everyone set off so did we. Our plan was a clockwise arc around the southern and western region of Bathurst coupled with a trip out to Orange. This went extremely well and our route was pushed out further to include Blayney and Carcoar. Here we stopped in to check-out the impressive wind farm.

As night fell we headed back into Bathurst for a well deserved meal and more urban type caches. While the locals enjoyed a night on the town we quickly blended in and snapped up the inner town caches. A short loop around the outskirts bagged us a few more finds before our lack of sleep finally caught up with us and we returned to the event hideout for a well earned sleep.

Sunday dawned with more blue skies and the prospect of more finds. After sharing the hospitality of the Bathurst crew we were back at it again. This time with larger loops of the town planned. By now the caching had turned into a blur, but the scenery always seemed to change. If we weren't down on the river we were up in the hills or visiting an historic home or church or even getting a lap or 2 in around the race track.

Eventually with the weekend coming to an end and still the long drive ahead of us we chose to complete our chapter on Bathurst caches and head for home. Not that this was the end of our caching as we still had some highway caches to get as headed over the mountains. Another half dozen finds along the highway completed our trip. We'd been gone for 48hrs, had amassed some 1300kms and found personally 132 caches. Hoojar found 141 and Steeba 143.

Thanks to my caching buddies for a great weekend. I can't wait to do it again at the next big town.

Caching in Canberra

2007-09-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

With the APEC summit giving some of us a day off last week I took the opportunity to do a bit of geocaching. After chatting with another local cacher (Hoojar) a plan was made to head down to Canberra and grab some of their local caches.

We left Thursday (6th Sept) afternoon for what was built as a 24hr caching stint around the northern suburbs of Canberra. Hoojar had previously done some caches around Canberra so our cache selection was made to ensure optimuin count for both of us. We knabbed our first cache at 3.30pm on the outskirts of Goulburn. Quickly our count grew, 1 then 2, 3 and and so on. Before we knew it we were up in double figures and it wasn't even sunset.

Night caching has always appealed to me, it throws a whole new dimmension into this crazy sport and caching around Canberra of a night was no different. Theres always the obvious differences, like harder to find and the unwanted and sometimes hostile muggles but overall the experience is very rewarding. With most of Canberra's caches on hills, the night views were very rewarding.

Just after midnight we opted for a few hours sleep, the 30 caches we'd already found was catching up with us and we needed to recharge our batteries.... A cool start to Friday but we were quickly back into finding caches, our first find being 6.30am. As people headed to work, we headed to our next cache and so on and our cache count quickly rose. Throughout the day the weather had taken a turn for the worse, showers had become more constant rain but this didn't stop us.

We found one of Canberra's earth caches on our travels. This involved identifying some very interesting fossils. I also got to release my latest geocoin in Canberra. Late on Friday afternoon I got to do my very first letterbox cache, this an interesting twist on geocaching and after 6 years of caching I pleased to have found my first one.

As the day come to an end we headed for home very pleased with our caching efforts. Hoojar had found 65 caches while I'd managed to bag 74 caches. All this in 24 hours.