Seattle Trip

Caching for FTF's on Barnston Island

Went and grabbed a couple of FTF's with my little boy, on Barnston Island called "Barnston Island-From the Ferry" and "Barnston Island - Centre of Centre"

 We needed to take a ferry to grab these two FTF's

Have never been out here before, so it was nice to check it out. We will come back next summer.

Caching Trip to Seattle for 3 of Clubs Magic Convention

I went to Seattle for the weekend of October 19-21st for a magic convention, that I was helping organize with the FVMC and NWRF, the convention was a blast with about 100 other magicians
On my trip down I got one Virtual Cache called Suzzallo Library "Harry Potter Room". It was a very cool library on the Seattle Campus of the "University of Washington"
As you can see, I dressed up for the photos that needed to be taken to claim the Virtual. (PS dressing as a wizard was not in the requirements, I just thought it would be cool)

I also was able to grab a couple of Challenge caches on my trip, one that I had to post a note as I need one more specific cache to complete the challenge. I also grabbed a cache a the "Erratic Graffiti"

I did another cache a week before at an Erratic, but as you can see it was slightly larger!!

 Can you see me?? Zoom in and Look in the shadow, down below in the center.

NOTE: The highlighted or underlined words in my blog can be clicked on as they are links to other cool stuff!! Also if you click on any of the pictures they become bigger!!!

PS: On the right hand side of this webpage is where you can find my YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Google Plus links. Please feel free to check them out and follow or subscribe!!!

On the way home from the Convention, I gave a ride to a couple of magic friends who were also cachers. We stopped on the way home for a couple of quick grabs at a rest stop. One was pretty cool, as it was a tree growing thru a fence called "Straddling the Fence"

 

Check out the pics above and see if you can figure out how this happened?

Back home

Can you see it???

I went to look for a cache called "Stairway to Heaven" in East Vancouver, but my phone app had me going back and forth and up and down the stairs. (*Spoiler Alert: The cache is in the picture above) This cache is at a very cool set of ancient steps that also has an earthcache at it called "Hyaloclastite". I had done the earthcache over 3 years ago, and had looked for this cache also at that time but did not find it. Looked again and DNFed it once more.
I came back a few days later after my recent search, and after reading some logs and getting a bit more info, today I made the find. The good thing about DNFing this cache and then finding it, is that I am now also entered into the Geocaching Vloggers, Geochallenge of the month.

I had to pop over to Vancouver Island just for a day, and was able to grab a total of 6 caches while there. I visited Cathedral Grove, and grabbed a couple of caches while there. I was there in the early morning and it was nice and quiet. I thought about my Dad, and how much I miss him, as I visited here for the first time when I came out to my Dad's place in Port Alberni for the first time and he brought me here.

Among the Giants

Well, that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Great Trail Treasure

The Great Trail Treasure Adventure

So a new thing called the "Great Trail Treasure hunt" recently came out where Canadian Geographic has hidden 100 caches along the Trans Canada Trail. Right up a geocachers alley!!

The Great Trail Treasure Hunt is an adventure that gets Canadians exploring the longest recreational trail in the world. The Great Trail spans an unrivalled variety of landscapes and terrain — from urban to remote wilderness. It’s a national treasure we can all use and enjoy.
August 26, 2018 marks the first anniversary of the unification of this 24,000 kilometre network. To celebrate, Canadian Geographic Travel wants you, your family, and friends to get out there on the The Great Trail and win some great prizes.

 I was fortunate enough, well actually skilled enough to find one of these treasures after only 2 real clues were given. The put out a total of 5 clues for each box, the first is what section of trail(this could be upwards of 10 to 50 miles of trail), and the 5th is the coordinates, if you have not figured it out by then. I found this one as the 3rd clue came out and was first to find it, which means I will receive a $100 gift card from Mountain Equipment Co-op, and a years subscription to Canadian Geographic.

NOTE: The highlighted or underlined words in my blog can be clicked on as they are links to other cool stuff!! Also if you click on any of the pictures they become bigger!!!

PS: On the right hand side of this webpage is where you can find my YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Google Plus links. Please feel free to check them out and follow or subscribe!!!

FTF!!!
Happened to be off one day in the middle of the week and a cache that was published the night before was still not found when I checked in the morning, so I was able to head off and grab the FTF on "Quiet Smiley Stop for a Friend"!! Got another FTF a few days later also.

I was also finally able to finish my Alpha-Numeric chart when I found a cache called "6 :My Way or the Highway"

I went to Mission for a show recently and while there I noticed a cache nearby called The Big "M"
I assumed it was in the parking lot of McDonald's but when I got near, I realized it was something else.

 It was a cool huge metal Letter "M" that stood for Mission, BC 

Trip to Seattle for 3 of Clubs Magic Convention

I am heading to Seattle in a couple of weeks for the 3 of clubs Magic convention. I have already mapped out the caches I plan to get. I will not have a lot of time to cache, so I have picked out the ones of interest.

As you can see from the pics of my maps I am only after about 23 caches, that I will try to do on my way down and back. I am on the organizing committee and co-hosting the convention, so I will be busy during the time I am at the convention. 

I will let you know how my Seattle trip goes next month!!

Well, that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Virtual caching and International Geocaching day

Souvenir's and Virtuals

It was International Geocaching Day this past month on August 18, 2018

If you got a cache today (Aug. 18/18), you would get a virtual souvenir.

Souvenirs are virtual pieces of art that you can discover and display on your geocaching profile page. They are associated with a particular location, particular date, and may also be bound by time, or some challenge.

NOTE: The highlighted or underlined words in my blog can be clicked on as they are links to other cool stuff!! Also if you click on any of the pictures they become bigger!!!

PS: On the right hand side of this webpage is where you can find my YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Google Plus links. Please feel free to check them out and follow or subscribe!!!

 I Was First to find this Earthcache in Port Moody, close to home at Port Moody Park. I Just happened to be passing by the area when it was published.

Trip to Vancouver Island

 The 49th Parallel

Grabbed a Virtual while passing thru Ladysmith, on my way up to Port Alberni, to see my dad one last time, before his passing. This is the town I moved to when I left Alberta, to move to Vancouver Island. Used to love fishing with my dad here. 

I was able to get a First to Find(FTF) on this virtual in Port Alberni while there. The cache was a monument of part of BC's paper making history, these mill stones represent an early start of the history of the Alberni Valley and paper making in British Columbia, which is where my father worked in the nearby mill for over 30 years.

 This was a cool earthcache that is out in the middle of the Salish Sea, also known as the Straight of Georgia. It was called the Fraser River Plume

 I just happened to swing by to grab a cache off my path on the way to Port Alberni, and as it happens I was able to use it for the monthly Geocaching challenge.

This is a FB page by the Geocaching Vlogger Joshua Johnson. Each month there is a different challenge to complete. If your submission is one of the three chosen that month, you will receive a cool Geocaching Vlogger geocoin. I came in third a few months back for my submission in July. Each month is a different challenge. This month's was to use a TOTT (Tool of The Trade) to retrieve a cache.

As you can see by the picture, the cache was down a hole in a rock, and I needed my telescoping magnet to retrieve it. Lucky I had it with me.

Can you see the cache??

Another cool cache I found while on the island, that I needed to use a TOTT to reach it. This time however it was just a combination of a pen and my keys, that helped me retrieve the cache.

(I'm like McGyver)

                   

How about now??

Well, that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Souvineer's and Vegas trip

Slaying the Dragon

Recently some new Virtual souvenir's came out for finding up to 100 caches in a months time. 13 in total. I decided I would shoot for 50 caches, and would get all but one souvineer. I was 8 short of the 50 goal I had set by the last day. So I went on a bike ride after work one evening down the Boundary Bay Dyke Trail. It was nice to get out and get some fresh air. Just grabbing enough caches to get my Dragon Souvenir. If you read my last months Blog you will see what happened the last time I went for a bike ride. lol, always an adventure!!!
On this bike trip my front tire started getting low, after about 3 caches, and many times I thought about turning back and then kept saying, no I will get just one more. lol. by the 8th cache the tire was flat, and I thought, made it, got the Dragon!!!! Oh crap gotta pedal back with a flat. lol

NOTE: The highlighted or underlined words in my blog can be clicked on as they are links to other cool stuff!! Also if you click on any of the pictures they become bigger!!!

PS: On the right hand side of this webpage is where you can find my YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Google Plus links. Please feel free to check them out and follow or subscribe!!!

VEGAS BABY!!!

So I headed to Las Vegas for Magic Live again this year on August 2nd, and it was just part of my magical trip. I also headed to Bakersfield, California, and then off to Hollywood California. Most of the trip will be for magic conventions and Magic related fun, but I was sure I would find some time to grab some select caches along the way.

Here is a recap of my trip:
Day 1 (Aug. 2nd)
Drive to Bellingham, and flew to Las Vegas. Went out to a Magic show that evening.
Didn't do any caches!!

Day 2
Went to the strip and a cirque du soleil show in the evening
No Caches!!

Day 3
Went to 2 magic shows on the strip
Checked into registration for the convention
Had the FVMC Magic Live Party
No caching!!

Day 4
Went to the Stratosphere to do the Skyjump (Click on the link to see the video)

Later that evening was the Magic Live kick off!!
Still NO Caches!!

Day 7
Last day in Vegas, finally grabbed a cache....YAY!!! It was just a simple micro, but I was glad to get one before leaving Las Vegas.

Day 8
Traveled to Bakersfield, California, and stopped in Baker at the Alien Store, where I was able to grab a cache.

Also grabbed a virtual in the town of Boron, CA

Day 9

Today I got up early and went out to get 2 traditional caches and 2 Virtual caches. One of the traditional caches was inside a restaurant. Pretty Cool!!

 Later in the afternoon when we had a break from the PCAM Magic convention I went and grabbed another virtual with some other magicians including a magician/cacher friend Brian(razemania) from California.

Day 10

Got up early today and went and did the nearby Wherigo at Centennial Plaza where they had some cool art work and sculptures, in Bakersfield.

Day 11
We traveled to Hollywood,

today and although I would not do anymore caches on this trip we still had some fun and adventure as we went to the Magic Castle twice while here.

Day 12
Went to Universal Studios today for some fun and adventure!!

 A cool time exploring at Hogwarts!! (Loved this place) Lots of cool things to do and see.

 A huge direction compass at Universal Studios.

 All fun times must come to an end and today we Fly home, but we made a quick trip to Santee Alley, in the Fashion District, where I purchased a couple of new suit jackets.

Well, that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65