December Caching

Kamloops caching

Went to Kamloops for a corporate event and was able to grab a cool cache called "Locks of Hope"

It was a gimmiked lock attached to the structure.

You first had to find the right lock, I walked around it a couple of times before finding it. 

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

Once found, It was easy to get into the cache inside.

Just by pushing the lock housing together, you are able to access the cache log.

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!!!

I was invited to be on Geocache Talk Network for the "7th Annual Podcast of Hope"
You can check out the show at this "Link"

I was on during the first hour of the 8 hour broadcast.

New Westminster Adventure Labs

Sansue and I went and worked on a few AL's in New Westminster

Lots of cool tile mosaic works showing the history of New Westminster.

This guy was moving slow. lolVery cool art with branches

Whistler Trip

I had 2 Christmas shows in Whistler, so I headed there early so I could grab a cache or 2. 

This is the Stawamus Chief.

On the way to the Stawamus Chief (normally referred to just as "The Chief") from Vancouver you will pass Brittania Beach, which is a former mining town and now home to the BC Museum of Mining. The mining operations here ceased in 1974. Since then the area has been plagued with environmental concerns but is now becoming a rejuvenated community with an influx of interest from developers that could turn it into a popular place to live along this scenic coastline.

I also stopped in Porteau Cove for the first time on this trip to grab a stage of an Adventure Lab. A very cool place that is a Divers paradise as their are many cool items that have been placed underwater for divers to locate. 

It was really windy here today, and it was also icy cold.

This sign board showed some of the statues and stuff that made up the underwater reef.

Have a Happy New Year!!!

Well that's it for this month and 2022!!

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

October and November Adventures

Day Trip to Blaine and Semiahmoo Park 

Susan and I went across the border one day to spend the day grabbing some caches. I got 31 caches that day including one FTF as we left the house, before heading south across the border.

This large piece of driftwood looked like a dragon. And yes there was a cache hidden within. (Spoiler)

A large water tower stands on the spit to this day. It is not being used anymore, but was used back when the fisheries and Salmon cannery was running.

The huge one that is the iconic Semiahmoo Water Tower landmark of the Semiahmoo spit. Most people look at it without a thought to how it came to be, but this one was probably built between 1900-1920

It stands tall and not used, amid the scenic backdrop of mountains and ocean.

This was my 6666th cache. I got this one on the spit, and just like when I got my 5555th cache, thought it was worth mentioning.

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!!!

Be BEAR Aware!!!

We live in Bear country here, so you always have to be Bear aware when out caching, but you also have to be aware of them crossing the street. lolThis is a normal site near where I live. This is about the fourth time I have watched a bear cross the road in front of my car, just down the street from where I live. I almost hit one once as he came running out of the bush and across in front of me. I have even had bears come into my yard and knock over the compost and garbage bins. Please be Careful out there.

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

International Geocaching Day

This year International Geocaching Day was held on October 8th and 9th. That's right, 2 days to find an earthcache and receive a souvenir. 

We decided to got to grab "Maplewood Mudflats Earthcache"

There was several other caches and 2 Adventure Labs as well. The house on stilts you see in the picture is not a full size house. It is a miniature version of the houses that used to be here. By the 1940's, an informal but cohesive community of squatters was living in the ramshackle cabins that lined the area's intertidal zone.

Maplewood Flats in North Vancouver is a 311-acre conservation area managed by the Wild Bird Trust of B.C. Maplewood Flats contains over 3 km of trails lining a beautiful and peaceful tidal marsh. It is a serene birding, nature observation, and walking area.

Merritt trip

I had a show in Merritt, so of course on route I grabbed a few caches. I had to wait for this guy to cross the road to go further down the road for a cache. lol

This is one of the bridges that was washed out last year during the storms.

Stopped at this very old cemetery to grab a cache

Found this Library cache also.I actually got this one purely accidentally. I was doing another local puzzle cache called "Murals of Merritt." It has 7 small pictures from a part of different murals and you have to go to them. The description said if you are having troubles finding all the murals to ask the locals or go to the library for help. I assumed they had a book with all the murals listed and where in town they are.

I stopped by the library to ask as there were a couple I could just not find. The librarian said there is actually a cache in the library. Wow, I assumed this was the final to the puzzle I was working on. I said could I have it for a few minutes and she led me back to the bookshelves and passed me this book. When I opened it, I realized it had a different name on it, then the cache I was doing. So I was able to log it without completing the puzzle. lol

"I AM GROOT"

Well that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Going APE!!!

World Record Attempt

 

Geocachers all over the world came together to collectively try and set a new record for the most cachers caching on a single day. (NOT Caches found in a single day) 

That day was International Geocaching Day on August 20/22. This was the 11th anniversary of International Geocaching day. It was started in 2011. The previous Record of cachers out caching in a single day was Aug 11/2013 when a total of 126,833 cachers logged at least one cache that day.

Cachers everywhere went out to seek at least one cache on Aug. 20th to hopefully set a new record, but unfortunately we came up short with only 112,477 cachers logging in. No one is sure why there was lots of cachers out on the record day of Aug. 11/2013

Groundspeak still awarded those that went out that day with a cool virtual souvenir!!!

Going APE and the Snoqualmie Tunnel

The Snoqualmie Tunnel is a former railroad tunnel near Snoqualmie Pass in the U.S. state of Washington, located east of Seattle. The tunnel crosses the Cascade Range about three miles (5 km) south of the pass, which is used by Interstate 90, on the border between King County and Kittitas County. It is 11,894 feet (2.253 mi; 3.625 km) long and is at an approximate elevation of 2,600 feet (790 m) above sea level, just north of Keechelus Lake. Its east portal is at Hyak.

The tunnel was originally constructed for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in the early 1910s and was abandoned in 1980. It now serves as part of a rail trail in Iron Horse State Park, known officially as the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. The trail was formerly known as the John Wayne Pioneer Trail and commonly called the Iron Horse Trail.  A major renovation to the walls, ceiling, and path were completed in July 2011 after a two-year closure.

What the heck is an APE cache? Check it out: Mission 9: Tunnel of Light. Originally placed in conjunction with the release of the Planet of the Ape's movie back in July 2001, 14 caches were placed with a unique icon. 

Alas, our beloved APE cache was stolen and archived in 2011. A tribute cache was placed called Mission 9: Tunnel of Light Reclaimed.

Due to the concerted efforts of a small band of cachers the original container was found about 300 feet down the hill and abandoned in the bushes, with some of the original swag still inside. With Groundspeak's blessing and the input of the community, the last Ape cache in North America was unarchived and reinstated in its place of honor in time for you to once again find the unique icon. At the time of writing this, the APE cache has 6916 finds and 2814 Favorite points!!! It was first placed here on July 18/2001

Seattle Bound!!

On the way down to Seattle we grabbed a few caches. One was called "Crazy Monkey Monopod", which I tried to get several years ago on a different trip. It was up in a tree, but my extendable pole would be of no use. I had to make the climb. 

The first part of the Tree of about 8 feet, there was no branches or anything to grab onto. We brought down a 3 step ladder to get me high enough to grab something to pull myself up. That was our TOTT of the day. lol. 

Here I am retrieving the cache.

Our next stop was Seattle to do a webcam cache, a couple of vituals, an AL and grab some gum. lol

 

We visited Pike Place Market, it was the evening so a lot of stuff was shut down, but that just made it easier to grab the caches and Adventure Labs we needed to get.

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!!!

There is a cool Virtual at the Market, which takes you to some cool spots, including the First ever Starbucks.

No visit to Seattle and Pikes Place Market is complete unless you visit the famous Gum Wall. The fact that there is a cache there also helps. lol. I found the original cache that was there years ago, but this is a new cache. This one was easier to find.

We even bought some gum, and each left a piece on the wall. Cause that's what you do!!!

Here we are getting a rare Webcam cache, that many have not been able to get as the camera changes from North to south view quite often, and you need to get it when it is pointing South!! That is us at the corner just to the right and Susan is wearing a pink hoodie as you can see in other pics of us this evening at Pikes place Market, and the gum wall!!

After wandering around the area and visiting the pier to grab another Virtual called "BIG WHEEL" we decided to call it a night.

We then headed to the hotel as we planned on getting up early for the next days adventures!!

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

The next morning we headed towards the event, but were able to grab a gadget cache, a couple of traditionals, a TB Hotel and a Virtual along the way. We went to another gadget cache called "It Takes THREE" but we couldn't do it as you needed between 3 and 6 people to access the cache box. We couldn't do it so we thought we will come back thru here anyway after the event and hopefully some people will be here, so it can be done. 

Can you see the cache?? Tricky part was getting it open, as you need at least three people.(PS it's not the port a potty)

WSGA's Going Ape XI

We made it to the event and then went and signed in.
This is the log sheet for the "Going APE XI" event. He was only the first of 4 creatures we would see today.

Didn't we just see this guy at Geowoodstock up in BC, Canada?? He sure does get around!!!

And then it was time to head thru the Tunnel to the APE cache!!!

 You could feel the temperature drop as you got about 200 metres before the tunnel. And it was like entering a whole new world. Such a cool feeling.

Inside the tunnel on the ceiling there are icicle shaped formations hanging from the roof. These are called "Speleothem's." There are similar to the Stalactites, you would find in a cave.We saw a lot of these. Very Cool, and it was also part of an earthcache that I did not get when thru the tunnel last time.

In the middle of the Tunnel there is a cache. It has been here since 2004 and the CO comes here for the event, dresses up like a werewolf and hangs out at the cache to scare cachers and other passerby's. 

I got my picture with him in 2013 when I walked thru the tunnel for the first time. Had to get one this time as well!!

We came out of the 3.625 KM long tunnel and headed up the trail to the coveted APE cache, grabbing other caches as well. While there we got a picture with Sasquatch.

One of the caches we got called "The Iron Horse Express", while here, had this posted on the Cache page:

 July 22nd 2011. 5 or 6 of the caches along the Iron Horse Trail were vandalized / stolen, including this one and the A.P.E. Cache. 

So it wasn't just one cache that was targeted to be destroyed or stolen. We met one of the cachers who organized the hunt for the APE cache, and he showed us where they found the original cache container. Here is the story: "Long Lost APE cache is Found"

Here is a picture of Susan and I, just above where the APE cache was tossed, and 5 years later found, a mere 300 feet from it's original hiding spot. 

Once we spent a bit of time and chatted with others, on this side of the tunnel, we decided to head back thru the Tunnel and to the parking lot. 

We put on our headlamps and off we went.

On the other side of the tunnel we finished up the last of the Adventure Labs that were placed for the event. Next stop would be back to "It takes THREE" to grab it this time. There were several cachers there, so finding it was easy. (We had a plan if no one else was there, that involved tape....shhhh) We then grabbed some gadget caches on the way back to BC.

There are several gadget caches in the Seattle area that were placed by a cacher named "Bouncebounce."

If you get the chance to grab any of his caches, I highly recommend it. The next three caches we grabbed on the way back north, were his and they did not disappoint. Here are some pics of them, but without seeing them in person, you don't get the same feeling.

This one had 100 feet of chain that you had to pull out of the pipe to get the cache at the end of it.

"Super heroes in Jeopardy" was an amazing electronic cache. We were there at least 20 minutes, to solve it, and get into the cache box.

We then headed for a couple more caches on the way back across the border, including a challenge cache and a very spooky cache, which we found in the woods just as it was getting dark.

So in total this weekend(Actually just a day and a half) we found:

35 caches

24 Adventure Lab locations

1 webcam

5 virtual caches

5 gadget caches

1 challenge cache

1 BIG Wheel

1 Gum Wall cache

1 APE cache

2 earthcaches

1 Free little Library cache

1 High Five!!

1 Tree climb

1 Letterbox

1 mega event

2 puzzles

1 multi

1 werewolf

1 Sasquatch

1 Signal the Frog

1 signboard on an Ape

1 Looooong Tunnel

Such an awesome time, looking forward to my next Geoadventure with Susan!!

Well that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

GEOWOODSTOCK XVIII

Abbotsford Geo Tour

The city of Abbotsford has a new Geo Tour for us cachers. It consists of 15 caches with a mix of Traditionals, Multi's, and a couple of Letterbox caches. 

From their website at: "Abbotsford Geocaching"

The Abbotsford GeoTour invites you to touch and taste agriculture as you explore a selection of parks, businesses and historical centres in our community. We are proud to share our rich food culture and easy access to agriculture-related events and experiences that showcase the best of what we have to offer.

Sansue and I headed out on Saturday, a week before the BIG Caching event called GeowoodstockXVIII as I assumed it would get lots of action during the event. If you find them all and send in the secret codes online, the City of Abbotsford will send you a geocoin. We wanted to make sure we got our Geotour Passport in before it got busy.

Before heading there, we attended an event in the morning over by a very old mill site.

After the event, we all headed over to a familiar place that several cachers have been but have not found the elusive cache that is there.

The cache at this spot is called "Sea Hag II" This cache is now just over 8 years old and has not yet been found. Cachers would love to find the elusive little cache and become the FTF!!! That day although about 15 of us were looking for about 2 1/2 hours, we did not come up with the find!!

NOTE: The following day some cachers from Oregon in town for the Big event found the Sea Hag!!!

I guess we just didn't look good enough???

Saskatoon Caching

Was pretty busy while in Saskatoon doing shows and didn't get much chance to grab caches. I did get one in between events. The first morning after arriving, I went to CTV studio to go on air and do some magic to promote the shows.

You can check out the TV spot "Here"

I had fun, showing some Magic to the host of the morning show at CTV.

I went from there over to the Ronald McDonald house with 2 other magicians (Norden and Gordon) to perform some Magic for the kids that could not make the shows later in the day.

Later we did 2 shows at a huge venue, and lots of people in attendance. 

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!!!

GEOWOODSTOCK XVIII

It's Finally HERE!!!!!

Such an amazing time this whole weekend was...there was caching, events, GPS adventure maze, BC parks Mascot "Jerry the Moose", Geocaching mascot "Signal the Frog", Icon hunting, special talks, special guests, vendor booths, a magic show, extra activities, close up magic, awesome food, Adventure Labs, TB's everywhere, old friends, new friends, and of course the main reason to be there....The GeowoodstockXVIII Giga event!!!

Friday I got to perform some close up walkaround Magic for the thousands of people waiting in line for early registration and the GPS adventure maze. Saw some old friends and made some new ones. Such a fun time getting to do what I love.

The BIG Day!!

On Saturday Aug. 13, we got up early and on the way to GeowoodstockXVIII we grabbed a Wherigo, a Letterbox cache, a puzzle cache, a Multi cache, a traditional, a Virtual cache, and an Earthcache. When we got to the fairgrounds we were able to log a few more traditional's, and an Adventure lab(Actually 4 different ones that day). We then logged the GIGA event, and after my show we went and did the GPS Adventure Maze. We also logged a Locationless cache(Picture with Signal the Mascot) and to top it off we logged the Midnight Madness event(I was one of the MC's) Total of different icons for the day was 12, my past previous record of most icons in a day was 9 just a few weeks ago!!

Here are the caches we grabbed to complete our 12 Icon day. The Adventure labs we did are not on this list as they are on a different app.

 

Such a fun time from the planning and working on 12 different icon's to grab in one day!! We had no DNF's and found all caches with ease, including a few extra traditionals that were on the Exhibition grounds. So awesome when a plan comes together!!

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

Susan and I at an Earthcache called "Fishtrap park Stormwater Retention Pond" and our 7th cache icon of the day by 9am!!

We got to meet "Jerry the Moose"

He is BC's Park Mascot

And of course "Signal" was there. He is the Geocaching mascot. For finding him, you could log a special Icon called a locationless cache.

The opening ceremony began with a talk from the organizer's and other special guests.

I got a pic with Bryan Roth. He is the Co-Founder of Geocaching. I have met him a couple times in the past at other events also.

The Logbook for the event was a large wooden Canada Flag. How awesome is that??

Signing the logbook in style!!!

Got a pic of our signing, before it got full.

At noon I got to perform on stage and had time for a quick photo with Signal again, while in my suit this time.

GeowoodstockXVIII has a lot of records, as it was Canada's First Giga Event, it was also the First Geowoodstock outside of the USA. It was Canada's First Geowoodstock, and also the Most Northern and Most Western Geowoodstock so far!!

This pic is from one of the stages to an Adventure Lab at the event. You did not even have to do any walking as all 5 stages opened up without leaving the event area. The questions were all about past Geowoodstock events. We also did another 5 stage AL that is about Abbotsford Exhibition Park, and was here before the event, a 10 stage AL created for the GIGA event, and a One stage night cache AL also.

The Awesome day coming to an end!!

A quick pic taken up the hill at the BMX track,  with GeowoodstockXVIII GIGA event in the background

Midnight Madness!!

One last event to end the awesome day. There was raffles, games, food, prizes, coin and pathtag trading, GIFF screening, and much more!!

(Geocaching International Film Festival)

The whole day was awesome from 6:30am when we headed out of the house, until Midnight when it was all over. A long day, but so fun!! Looking forward to the next Geocaching event!!

The next day I went thru all the stuff I got from the event.

This is the SWAG I got from the event. Lots of cool geocoins, pins, patch, lanyard, souvenir's, water bottle, and a dry pack

In September we are planning a trip to the "WSGA's Going Ape XI" event. We will also walk through the "Snoqualmie Tunnel" to go to the "Mission 9: Tunnel of Light" A.P.E. Cache. But more about this in next month's Blog!!

Well that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65