"Road Trippin"

 Harrison Hot Springs

Went to Harrison Hot Springs for the Fraser Valley Magic Company Annual Picnic, and wanted to get at least one cache. There is Virtual out there that is called "searching for sasquatch"

I've been out to Harrison several times and don't recall seeing this cache, even though it has been there since 2022. So this time I really wanted to get it. The requirements to logging the cache was to take a picture with one of the many Sasquatch statues, or items depicting Sasquatch on it in town, BUT you can't use the three prominent carvings in town. 

These are the one when you come into town at the town sign, the one downtown on a bench that you can sit beside, and the one at the Sasquatch Museum in town.

 (Yes there is a sasquatch museum) Located in Harrison Hot Springs (about 120 km east of Vancouver), this facility is Canada's only museum specifically dedicated to the Sasquatch.

There are several other sasquatch figures, statues, or paintings of him around town but you have to search. 

I didn't have time to search as I went straight to the house of one of our club members where we were having the Picnic at, but I did see one on the way thru town and thought I can stop by on the way out of town. They have a beautiful property, with lots of cool signs in the two covered outside area's as you can see in the picture.

As I was looking around, I spotted something that would help me be able to log the cache.

I was able to use this photo to log the Virtual, and I bet no other Geocacher will find this Sasquatch wall as it's on private property!!!

A great big thank you to the Host's Dave and Cathie for opening up thier home for us as well!!

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!!!

Whistler trip

I headed out to Whistler as I had a show out there and on the way there, I did some Caching to complete the Geochallenge of the month for July. (I found out about it early as I am a Patreon of "The Geocaching Vlogger") The objective was to find at least three different icons in the same day. I ended up finding five different icons. (Virtual, Adventure Lab, Traditional, Multi, and Letterbox)

I found a virtual cache which was right at the same area as my Adventure Lab that I own out that way in Squamish.

This cool art instalation is called "Welcome Gate" and is actually also one of the stages of my Adventure lab called "SP'AKW'US Feather Park"

 I also found a traditional cache in the area, and then in Whistler Village I did a 4 stage multi cache.

Loved this cool sign I spotted on my walk for the Multi cache

After my show on the way home, I stopped just off the highway and grabbed a letterbox cache, which was actually up in a tree. (Make sure you read the hint first)

I did not know that, but luckily, I always carry my extendible pole in the back of my car.

Ice Cream Event

Headed out with Susan (Caching name is Sansue) for a geocaching event called "7th annual sunday sundaes"

Its always a well attended event. 

We grabbed 3 caches before the event as well. 

Large group of cachers made this a great event. Check out the Logbook!! 

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!!!

States Caching

Headed down to the States as I booked a wedding gig down in Edmonds, Washington.

We stopped in Blaine do do some Adventure Labs, as there is a new series of AL's being made at the border that is geoart, and will spell out CAN/USA 

As you can see from the pic, it is not quite finished

I got a total of 228 stages at the border. If you recall a couple months ago in my blog I talked about the AL Geoart I was part of over in Victoria on the Island. That one has a total of 124 AL's and the one here at the border will have 76 AL's when completed.

We then headed to Arlington, Wash. to get a cache I did on my last trip to the states. It was called "the Switchboard", which was a really cool gadget cache, so I decided to take Susan to it. 

In fact I revisited 4 caches that I had aready done, so she could see them as they were very cool. 

We stopped at the Library in Edmonds to get this cache.

It was called "Signals story-Edmonds library"

We got several more in Edmonds. I got 5 traditional's and 2 Multi caches 

I found a total of 7 caches and 2 AL's in Edmonds bringing my total for the day counting all  the AL Stages in Blaine to 237 finds for the day

 

 

(Technically that is the most finds I have found in one day, but I won't count it as it is mostly made up of Adventure Labs)

It was a beautiful day in Edmonds, and awesome for caching, and walking the pier. 

We tryed to get a cache that was inside a metal tub in a bench but my telescopic magnet that I brought specifically for this cache was to wide to fit between the boards of the seat. We did another cache nearby and in it was a small pin with a magnet on it. I took it and we went back to the cache. I hooked part of the cache(a small metal chain) and as I brought it up the magnet 

and chain connected to the metal tube. Leaving me with no cache in hand...oooops. Oh well, next time we are there I will be more prepared.

Next month I will be heading to Penticton, Kelowna, and Vegas, so I will be grabbing some select caches.....But more about that in Next months Blog....

Well that's it for this month!!

Off to Kelowna, Penticton and VEGAS BABY!!!

Keep on Caching

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Bothell and Edmonton Trips

Quick trip to Bothell, Washington

Booked a show down in the states in Bothell, Washington. Headed down early so I could grab some caches along the way.

Stopped at a rest area and grabbed an Adventure Lab to begin with. I thought I had all the caches and adventure labs at all these rest areas on the way down here, but obviously I did not see this one until this trip. 
Headed further down the road and swung into Mount Vernon to grab a virtual and a library cache. 

Didn't have to look to hard as this book was in plain view when I got to the right section of the library.

Just remember if you are looking for a cache in a library, the Dewey Decimal for Geocaching is 796.587

This is the fake book opened, lots of swag!!

Right across the road from the Library was the virtual cache, so I got that as well.

Did a super cool Gadget cache in Arlington called "The Switchboard" 

This was such a cool cache, with over 250 Favorite Points, check out my video I did of it on Youtube, at:

"The Switchboard"

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

Once you got all five plugs in the right spot, the cache door would open. (Check out the pic above)

Found a total of 9 Traditional's, 1 Multicache, 1 Adventure Lab, and 1 Virtual cache while across the border.

Caching in Edmonton

Went to Edmonton, Alberta for 5 days to visit some family. Decided to grab a few caches while here. I like looking for a different cache type other than a traditional cache when I travel.

Did a cool AL while there called "Canada Packers Chimney Stack"

It is now all thats left standing from the packing plant that has quite a history here in Edmonton including :

The Gainers Strike (1986): One of the longest and most infamous strikes in Alberta history. Over 1,000 workers at the Gainers meatpacking plant (located on Yellowhead Trail and 66th Street) walked out on June 1, 1986, protesting wage rollbacks and pension cuts. The six-and-a-half-month standoff included massive picketing and clashes with replacement workers.

June 9, 1986 a battle rages on the Gainers picket line:Thirty years ago, one of the most violent labour disputes in Edmonton's history occured. It was sparked in the summer of 1986 when the unionized workers of the Gainers meat-packing plant in Edmonton walked off the job. Plant managers hired replacement workers to keep the operation going, but were met with violent opposition. As tensions mounted Edmonton police, in full riot gear, acted as security guards trying to keep the peace but failed. Steve Andrusiak captured graphic footage of the clash in this Newsday report from June 9, 1986. It remains in the minds of many long-time Edmontonians as they drive by what was then the Gainers meatpacking plant on 66th street.

After doing the five stages of the Adventure Lab, you got coordinates to search for the bonus cache.

Check out the wall of rocks where there was a hidden Fake Rock which held the caches. I am glad I found it quite quick.

Ended up finding 1 Traditional Cache, 5 Wherigo caches, 8 stages of Adventure Labs, and 3 Puzzle caches, and one of them was a challenge cache. I also found my "8888th Cache" during this trip!! It was "#6-pigpen cipher puzzle geocache" which I solved before coming on the trip.

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!!!

Next month, I have shows and trips all over, Including heading to Harrison Lake for a magical picnic, Whistler and down to Edmonds Washington for shows, so will be grabbing some select caches.....But more about that in Next months Blog....

Well that's it for this month!!

Keep on Caching

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Caching and Adventure Labs

Lower Mainland Cache Bache #9

For the last several years there is a cache bash, that takes place in BC. For 8 years it was known as the Fraser Valley Cache Bash, and spread from Pitt Meadows to Hope, This year they extended it to Horseshoe bay and now its the Lower mainland Cache Bash. I didn't plan on doing any this year, but then noticed there was one close to home, so I made my way over there. I was already looking when I saw some familiar faces walking into the woods. We finally found it as the co-ords were off.

We shared the FTF and I headed back home, as they headed for more caches.

Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred, and Eighty Eight!!

Coming up to getting 8888 finds!! As you may have seen in past blog's I like to mark wierd numbers. Even though I do enjoy finding round numbers and milestones such as 5000, 6000, etc., I like to mark my 5555th, etc. as you can see in part of the list from my Geocaching profile page:

5000th cache Ensconcement Interchange March 17/20 Richmond, BC
5555th cache Two Posts from Blue White March 7/21 Delta, BC
6000th cache BC Spirit Quest #30: Murray's Corners Oct. 26/21 Murrayville, BC

6565th cache Cynthia Street Cache Aug. 11/22 Saskatoon, Sask.
6666th cache DHL9 - The North West Necklace Sept. 25/22 Semiahmoo, Wash.

6969th cache Welcome to San Juan Travel Bug Hotel Apr. 22/23 Friday Harbor, Wash.
7000th cache English Camp Apr. 22/23 San Juan Island, Wash.
7777th cache Bygone Hwy - Basking Rocks May 12/24 100 mile house, BC
8000th cache West Richmond Community Centre AL Nov. 9/24 Richmond, BC

8888th cache ???????? 

Will I make it to 8888 this month? Maybe you will you have to wait till next blog to find out??

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!!!

This month I was lucky emough to be chosen to chat on an Online call with 2 Lackey's from Groundspeak. They wanted my opinion of a new thing they are thinking of putting into the game. It's something called "Sharable's" but it's not yet been started. I am waiting to see if they launch this new feature or not!! 

Adventure Lab Geoart

I got to be a part of an adventure Lab geoart builder. It is being spearheaded by a cacher in Victoria called Benicha. When finished it will consist of 124 AL's with 5 stages each totaling 620 finds all from one spot. I did 26 AL's at the San Diego airport back in October when I was thru there, for a total of 130 finds and though that was a lot. 

My Adventure Lab which is the 6th one I have done now is about Shipwrecks around Victoria, BC

Here is the FB post that I saw, that lead me to asking to be a part of it:

I VICTORIA – GeoArt Project

We’re building a large GeoArt in the ocean off Ogden Point — and you can be part of it! We are halfway there!!

Each person creates one Adventure Lab (5 locations) that becomes a piece of the design.

Themes are extended to all of Vancouver Island

I can provide:• A theme• 5 questions• Multiple choice answers

All you need to do is: Add 5 photos Build your Adventure Lab Let me know when you’re ready

I’ll then assign your official ocean coordinate + title, and you can publish.

Bonus: Publishing your Lab may trigger another Adventure Lab credit (sometimes right away, sometimes in 3 months!)

No stress, no pressure — I’m happy to help make this easy

It looked like a fun project, so I asked if I could be part of it. And now I am!!! Mine just went live!! 

Mine is "I {heart} Victoria BC 071"

Now I am hearing they are planning on making one in and around the Kelowna area.

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!!!

Blue Switch Day

This month on May 2nd was what cachers have dubbed "Blue Switch Day"

On this day 26 years ago the decision was made to discontinue Selective Availability, ending the intentional restriction on civilian GPS accuracy and significantly improving GPS technology for public use. This date is recognized by geocachers as “Blue Switch Day.”

And this happened the very next day:

The first geocache was placed on May 3, 2000, by Dave Ulmer in the woods near Beavercreek, Oregon. He placed the container shortly after the U.S. government turned off Selective Availability for GPS satellites, creating a fun test to see if others could find a specific location using exact coordinates.

The original "stashed" cache was a black plastic bucket that contained software, books, money, and a slingshot. Today, there is an official Original Stash Tribute Plaque placed at the exact historical site.

M is for MAGIC!!!

Had a show out in Mission and stopped for a few caches along the way. 

This was a cache that I grabbed at this large Metal "M"

There used to be a cache here in the past that I got, but it must have been archived, and now there is a new one here. Plus there is one stage of an Adventure Lab here.

Next month, I will be heading to the States for a show, and then off to Edmonton to visit Family, and will also grab a few caches.....But more about that in Next months Blog....

Well that's it for this month!!

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Letterboxing Galore!!

Letterboxes Everywhere!!!

Grabbed a few caches with Susan on Easter Weekend. We found 6 caches on Saturday, not one of them was a traditional cache. We found 1 puzzle, 2 multi caches and 3 Letterbox caches. There has been many letterboxes pop up in this area, so I thought instead of targeting Traditional caches, I would make a list of a bunch of cache types that I don't always get. On Sunday, we did 9 Letterbox caches. 

One was a pretty cool box, that needed a screwdriver to retrieve the log book. 

I had to undo a total of 15 screws to get into the box. There is actually supposed to be a total of 20 screws, but several were broken as they were made from plastic.

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!!!

Tour to the States

Went to Leavenworth as I had a show on April 18th. I also had a corporate gig booked at the Tulalip Resort Casino on the 22nd. I decided instead of going home between the two dates, why not book some other shows on the dates in between. (I'm good at that)

Ended up booking shows on the 19th, 20th, and 21st to make it a five day tour!!! 

Made a list of 32 42 49 53 caches. 1 of which I had already found last year on my birthday when Susan and I went down to Wenatchee for a gig, but it's a cache at one of the locations where they filmed "Harry and the Hendersons" 

Harry and the Hendersons is a 1987 American fantasy comedy film directed and produced by William Dear and starring John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Don Ameche, David Suchet, Margaret Langrick, Joshua Rudoy, Lainie Kazan, and Kevin Peter Hall. Steven Spielberg served as its uncredited executive producer, while Rick Baker provided the makeup and the creature designs for Harry. The film tells the story of a Seattle family's encounter with the cryptozoological creature Bigfoot, partially inspired by the numerous claims of sightings in the Pacific Northwest, California, and other parts of both the United States and Canada over three centuries. In conjunction with the film's setting, shooting took place at several locations in the Cascade Range of Washington state near Interstate 90 and the town of Index near US 2, as well as Seattle's Wallingford, Ballard and Beacon Hill neighborhoods and other locations in or around Seattle.

Harry and the Hendersons grossed $50 million worldwide. It won an Oscar for Best Makeup at the 60th Academy Awards, and inspired a television spin-off of the same name. In the United Kingdom, the film was originally released as Bigfoot and the Hendersons, though the television series retained the American title. The DVD and all current showings of the film in the UK now refer to the film by its original title.

My trip will take me to Leavenworth, then to Everett, then to Monroe, Then to Lake Stevens, and finaly to Tulalip. As you can see by the number of caches in my list, I kept adding more as my tour grew.

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!!!

I headed out on day 1 of my tour towards Leavenworth, I was trying to make sure I got at least one cache that was in plain sight. The Geochallenge of the month was to find a cache in Plain Sight!! I had a few on my list that said that in the description.  

This one was actually hanging up in a tree, and I needed my extendable pole to retrieve it.

This one was also in plain but it was a wherigo, and you had to stop at a monument to get some info to figure out where it was.

On day 2, I headed back towards Everett and I was able to grab 5 Traditionals, 1 Virtual, and 1 puzzle cache. 

Susan and I stopped at this little church last year while thru here for 1 stage of an Adventure Lab. Now there is a Virtual cache there as well as a Traditional Cache

This was also a cool church I saw on the way thru a little town called Gold Bar. 

It had 3 large skeleton's climbing the building and 2 skeleton's, 1 of which I am sure was meant to be Elvis Presley in the front seat of the car parked here. lol

I found a very unique cache at a Free Library called "secret stash library cache"

It wasn't just inside the Little Library, there was a lock box on the backside, and you had the code to it on the cache page. Inside the lock box was a special tool to find the cache container and retrieve the logbook. Watch my video "Here"

Day 3 my show was in Monroe, but, I was spending the night at the same motel in Everett, so I did some caching in Everett and the Monroe area. 

One of the Puzzle caches I did, started by having to complete a Kakuro Puzzle. It is not that easy, and this one was quite a larger puzzle then some of the one's I do. I do Suduko, kenduko's, Kakuro's and other math type puzzles all the time. But this one took me about a week to finish, before leaving on my trip.

Day 4, was a short trip to Lake Stevens and strangly enough, I found caches at 2 different little free library's today. Seems to be a theme happening. lol

dtregaer

Day 5, I woke up and it was raining this morning. After checking out of my hotel, I went around the corner to a nearby multi called "wa state covid-19; 1st case in US"

One of the paragraphs read: 

Washington State had the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. (not counting later retroactive research that may have uprooted earlier cases).  On January 19, 2020, a 35-year-old man who had returned to the U.S. four days earlier after traveling to visit family in Wuhan, China, checked into an urgent care clinic and tested positive for COVID-19. He had a 4-day history of cough and fever, wore a mask in the waiting room, and eventually recovered.

I found a few more caches on the way to Marysville, where I checked into the Tulalip Casino and Resort. 

The following morning after checking out and grabbing some breakfast I headed back towards the border and grabbed several more caches.

On my trip I found 13 Traditional's, 1 Virtual, 3 Wherigo's, 3 Letterboxes, 2 multi's, and 9 Puzzles, A total of 31 only, but definatly some cool caches.

Next month, I have shows all over, so will be grabbing some select caches.....But more about that in Next months Blog....

Well that's it for this month!!

Keep on SAScaching!! LOL

Chris Yuill

Magicman65