bytemobile's Geoblog

Jul 30, 2004

Secret Trailhead #18 - Skyline Trail

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I was initially puzzled by the empty log since I hadn't seen such a thing before. I thought maybe some pages had fallen out. I finally realized that this was my first FTF! The camo was done very nicely and I tried to replicate it as best I could.

Secret Trailhead #17 - Skyline Gateway

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

Stopped by after starting my fun down the road from here. I used the hint and found it quickly.

Mindego Trail Cache

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

I had the place pretty much to my self today. Found this one quickly.

Ridge Trail View # 2

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

Dropped California Geocoin #219 and picked up Zoo Key travel bug.

Ridge Trail View # 1

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

Pretty nice views along here today. Found it for what I thought was a pretty good hide.

Foothills OSP Gateway

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Wow, my first ever FTF was this morning, and now I found another at the end of the day. Used the hint and found it quickly.

The Fun Starts Here

By: Thefogheads Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

My GPSr started me on the wrong side of the road, but I closed in fairly quickly. Took the Jeep T.B.

Stones Throw From the Pond

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Micro

This was a very nice camo job. I probably wouldn't have seen it without the hint.

Monte Bello Open Space Preserve ~ MROSD

By: MROSD (adopted from workerofwood) Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

My first thought upon arriving in the vicinity of the cache was that the hint meant that it was in a patch of poison oak, but all soon became clear. I dropped the Zoo Key travel bug.

PMAX - Page Mill Animal Exchange

By: javrach Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I got a bad start by taking the first little trail I found, but soon corrected, and found the cache fairly quickly.

On the way to the Pond

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

I was by at 8:00 am and dropped the Army of the 12 Monkeys #3.

Bob's Bench

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

Fairly breezy this afternoon. There were others picnicing at the pullout, but Bob's Bench was empty.

Foothills OSP

By: darrenk13 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

The views were amazingly wide up here. Thanks for a nice little hike.

Boulter's Rule #28 of Geocaching in the Bay Area

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

8:10 am - Spotted the spot before the GPSr zeroed in.

Between Two Spaces

By: Marky & Joani & Woof! Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

I almost made a bad mistake here. I zeroed out on the road, and went to the wrong side and over the fence to investigate an old stump and log. As I was rummaging around in a big rotten space under the log, I heard a noise that eventually registered somewhere down the preservation part of my brain. I haven't heard the sound in the wild before, but it was unmistakeably the sound of a rattlesnake giving its last warning. I straightened up and shot a look at my legs, and they were both clear and the sound stopped. I looked again under the log, and there was a little rattler ready to do battle. I made my apologies and excused myself to go find the cache on the other side of the road.

Secret Trailhead #3 - Sanborn Park

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

I came by months ago, found the hint, but evidently the cache was missing. Today was a piece of cake with the cache actually there.

Jul 28, 2004

Along the De Anza Trail 5 - Mountain View

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

I've seen one of these markers before -- in Los Altos. I was geocaching at the time, of course.

Castro Park

By: sammydee Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I haven't been down this street in a while. I lived in an apartment a few blocks away about 30 years ago.

Border Patrol #1

By: DavidT21 & Fisherwoman Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I stopped by on my lunch hour a few weeks ago, and the place was packed, so I moved on. After work today, there were still plenty of folks here, but I made a good guess on the cache location, and casually grabbed it.

Jul 26, 2004

Middlefield Field

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

This was my third stop on a noontime run down Middlefield. Found it without much trouble.

San Veron Park

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

I plunked down on the grass, spotted it, and grabbed when the nearby maintenance workers weren't watching.

Whisman Park

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I hadn't been to this park before and it is surprisingly large. I plunked down where I thought the cache would be and grabbed it.

What A Crock!

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

Came by for a quick noontime grab, and had a look at the sculpture.

Slobinovich

By: The Rat Difficulty: 4.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

The first part is now straightforward with the partially filled-in worksheet. I thought I knew how the remainder should be solved, but it didn't work until I tried a variation this evening. I may make my own puzzle based on how I thought the last part should work.

Jul 24, 2004

Indian Rock

By: workerofwood Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I wandered around a bit and found the two ant hills before finding the cache. The ants caught up to me while I was signing, and gave some urgency to the job.

Skyline Snowman

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

My GPSr was all over the woods (and I along with it). I eventually hooked up my external antenna to get a little more signal. The fact that the cache is by a tree doesn't exactly give much away here.

Indian Rock Trailhead

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

This one took a few minutes because I zeroed in on the wrong object from the hint. I picked up the California geocoin.

Upper Sanborn Park

By: Marky Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

This cache was a nice bonus after stopping by the nearby trailhead.

Sunnyvale Mtn. Trailhead

By: workerofwood Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

I had not noticed this trailhead before. It was empty this morning.

Jul 23, 2004

Murdock Park

By: stbk Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

This is close to my homebound commute, so I stopped by. The place was busy, but no one paid any attention to me.

Sniper

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 3.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

The puzzle was fun and the hide was too -- it was certainly private at 7 am this morning.

Sorta Secret Walkway - Laser Car Wash?

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Got there just as the car wash was closing this evening. Found it without too much trouble.

Convolute of the Square (a.k.a. ANTS!)

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I was just an hour behind batecher this evening. My GPSr didn't get me very close, so I relied on the hint.

Jul 21, 2004

Rengstorff Park # 4

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I got this one fairly quickly, without attracting any attention.

Rengstorff Park # 3

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I got lucky and peeked over in the exact right spot.

Rengstorff Park # 2

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Made a noontime hike through the park. It has been many years since I last visited here and there have been big changes.

Big Lady

By: nostrada (adopted by workerofwood) Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I spotted the likely location on my first visit. This time I searched more thoroughly, with a little help from my flashlight.

Agnew Park

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

A maintenance guy eats his lunch in a truck parked in front of the cache. I came back just before 7 am this morning and had the place to myself.

Jul 20, 2004

Amjitsu

By: Thefogheads Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Found it after checking the reasonable places. My GPSr pointed about 50 ft way.

Paramount Importance

By: TeamAlamo Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I've seen this hide once before, so it didn't take long.

Jul 19, 2004

San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail #1

By: bullit Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Decided to try out the new trail. Thanks for the location of the trailhead.

Got Screams?

By: bullit & mickeychopchop Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

I decided to try out the new trail with a noontime walk. Left yo-yo.

Jul 18, 2004

Coin Currency Exchange 2

By: peachey Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Found it by checking all possible spots. My GPSr had a variety of opinions. Left a penny and a 20 pence (both Great Britain).

Silly CA

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

Interesting hide. I also spotted the old sign with a trail map.

Nig on park

By: kg6mov Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

This was a drive-up one minute stop. I don't think anyone noticed.

Thirsty?

By: stbk Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I left my new travel bug, "Rusty the Puppy" here.

Dont Get Caught!

By: ~Ninja~ Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I grabbed it at 1:30 pm on a Sunday afternoon without attracting any attention.

Cry Wolfe

By: Brute-Force Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

I was in the neighborhood, shopping at Sears with Mrs. Bytemobile. We took a couple minutes to find the cache before heading on to the next store. The find turned out to be an easy one.

Jul 17, 2004

We Dig Cemeteries

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Micro

Very clever hide. There is a little sticking problem that can be overcome by using a little leverage and gravity.

Assume Nothing #3

By: workerofwood Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

Very cute! I got lucky and found it fairly quickly.

Encouragement

By: workerofwood Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I got here just before 9 am, and expected to see some other cachers headed out.

500,000 Words

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

I tried to take a picture of myself and Mt. Umunhum, but no telling if it was hit or miss.

You Can Cache!

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

I had to backtrack a little for this one. I wasn't expecting it so soon.

Cemetery Trees

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Micro

The cache guardian was great.

Frog Rock

By: WalruZ Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

By golly, it does look like a frog.

Miner's Junk

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

Thanks for a great and productive walk up Woods Rd.

Treasure Rock

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

I wasn't up for climbing the rock, but found the cache fairly quickly.

Tick House

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

Looks like a house for some other creature. I don't think the ticks found me.

BTC

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Small

Well, this is efficient -- 5th find in 30 minutes.

No N.U.T.S. Here!

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Small

I'm getting used to the cache spacing along here. As long as I don't have to spend too much time searching, I don't mind the frequent stops.

High Ridge

By: Nankoweap Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Regular

My path up was a little circuitous, but not too bad. The return was easier.

Not Cinnabar

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

The cache title is right on.

Snowman in July

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

I say he's wearing a fireman's hat, which is out of character for a snowman.

It's a Gas

By: TeamAlamo Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

There were 8 or 10 cyclists congregated here, but I just sideled up to it, had a look, and made the grab.

Shady Vista

By: Leeloo & Nasir Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

The path to this cache is pretty well worn.

Jul 16, 2004

Earth Filters

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

This one took me a few minutes. After I looked at my GPSr instead of going where I thought it was, I found it quickly.

Adobe Slough Bridge

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

The cache was basically empty, so I dropped a travel bug.

The Cave Of The Cache

By: smellythestupidslave Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

This was my first trip to the park and gardens, and it is quite a nice area.

Plug Ugly? 3

By: Mr. Ranger Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Regular

Yup, one ugly plug, but a beautifully camouflaged container.

Jul 12, 2004

Boulter

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I've been here a number of times. This visit was short since I already had lunch and I got lucky spotting the cache.

Mercy Mercy Me

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

12:30 pm - The Jeep TB was gone less than three hours after it was dropped. [:(]

Jul 11, 2004

Los Altos Station

By: workerofwood Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Mrs. Bytemobile and I were here for the Arts and Wine Festival, and I got to do a cache along the way.

Great Masters

By: cth+js Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Great school! Mrs. Bytemobile was out and about with me today and she helped answer the questions and spotted the cache.

Jul 10, 2004

Arastradero Path

By: DavidT21 & Fisherwoman Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

I definitely want to come back here with my bike sometime.

Water You Looking For?

By: Woof! and kablooey Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

I made sure my water bottle was full before heading out for this one. Thanks for the puzzle.

Elk's Charter

By: digitalfish Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

This is an interesting area. I just hope I won't need the tick remover when I get home.

Ammo Box Cache

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Regular

I wasn't looking forward to heading up this trail again, but I was out here for a couple other caches, so I slogged on up the trail.

Cache with a View!

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

This one was placed shortly after my last Rancho San Antonio hike so it has been on my list for a while.

Pass Over Art

By: PhilippeGPS (Adopted by MotorBug) Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Lots of traffic by here for the Art and Wine Festival. I commend Kablooey on a fine job of re-hiding. He must have long arms.

Redwood Preserve

By: PhilippeGPS (Maintained by MotorBug) Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Small

I had zeroed out the location from the other side of the fence a few days ago. I found the front door today.

Noble Steed

By: cth+js Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

Great idea for a cache and a great hide. I couldn't quite make out the little numbers on the shed, so I hopped over to have a closer look.

Old Page Mill

By: DavidT21 & Fisherwoman Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Other

Lots of bikers and hikers by here today.

Border Patrol #3

By: DavidT21 & Fisherwoman Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

This took me a while. I misread the last digit of the year listed for the freedom tree and wandered around, then finally re-checked it.

Jul 8, 2004

Orange Lincoln

By: mharrigan Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I couldn't park near Shoup Park since the Rotary Club meets there on Thursdays at noon, so I came by here instead.

Jul 6, 2004

Wizard Walnut Huller

By: rib Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I walked around and had a look at the displays. The caterpiller tractor has an interesting reaction when you walk by it.

Jul 5, 2004

Plug Ugly? 2

By: Mr. Ranger Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

Had a little extra time today, and decided on a drive up Aldercroft Heights Rd.

Plug ugly?

By: Mr. Ranger Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

Looks like the end of the road. Thanks for a nice drive.

Twin Troll House Bug Rest Stop

By: Mr. Ranger Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

This was my first drive up this road. I suppose the railroad tracks used to run along here, headed for the summit tunnel.

Memorial Point

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

Busy day today. Waited for the table nearest the cache to clear before completing the deal.

Jul 3, 2004

Santa Cruz Art Tour

By: Chickasaw Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Micro

Thanks for the downtown tour, the parking location, and a very neat cache location. We were camped at Seacliff Beach for the weekend, and this was a nice outing to the city.

Kyra's Cache

By: HoundGrrls Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

Did a little bit of unnessary clomping on the ice plant, but spotted it eventually.

Yacka Splash Cache

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

The ocean was fairly quiet this morning, but the joggers and dog walkers were out in force. Had to wait for a break in traffic to retrieve the cache and put it back.

Cliffhanger Jog & Log Micro

By: 2LuknF8 Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

The jogger traffic was heavy this Saturday morning, but found it and signed the log without too much problem. I'm not sure the cache is in its original location since there seems to be some velcro on the outside.

S.C. Birdwalk Cache

By: grumpybear and jtkcacher Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

This is a great spot that I had no idea was here. Next time, I'll bring my wife, who is more of a bird watcher than I am.

Jul 2, 2004

Magnificent Mill

By: Seacliff Troll Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

This was my first stop, at 8:45 am, on a biking trip through the park. I thought the coordinates were a bit off, but the hint makes the find straightforward.

Cliff or Beach

By: ~del Mar~ Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

We're camped at Seacliff Beach for the holiday weekend, and this is a new one since we were here on Memorial Day. Found it after a little wandering around.

Secret Trailhead #11 - Nisene Marks

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

It took me nearly three hours of pedaling up the road through Nissene Marks. I would have turned around at "Between Overlooks", but I wanted to find out (what the hint for this cache says).

Sand Point Overlook

By: Pedaler Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Other

I spent nearly a hour and a half of pedaling and pushing my bike up from the mill site. The cache is well hidden behind the vegetation.

Between Overlooks

By: Pedalman Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Regular

This cache serves as an incentive to keep pedaling instead of turning around at Sand Point Overlook. Found it fairly quickly, and it is in good shape.

Cobalt Blue Vier

By: Iron Chef Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I hiked down the beach, and came back via the tracks. The finding took me up and down the bluff a couple times.

Rollin Down the Highway One Blues

By: Just a Short Walk & Along for the Ride! Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

After reading the logs, I had crossed this one off my list, but it was still in my GPSr, and I ended up stopping. If you take the indirect route to the cache via the well beaten path, watch out for the poison oak and stinging nettles.

Den 8 No #1

By: Pack 566, Den 8 Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Regular

As I was making a B-line from where I parked to the cache location, I went near the camp host site. The camp host came out and asked if he could help me, then spotted my GPSr, and said "Oh, you're one of those GPS guys. There was one by here yesterday".

Jul 1, 2004

Soquel Convergence

By: sk8guru Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

After "Blue Ball Park", I should have just hiked up the hill, but I let my GPSr autoroute me around for a while first. The plaques in the grass around the edge of the ball field are worth a look.

wbp

By: Ashelin (adopted by DarkZen) Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

As I was signing the log, someone came over the footbridge, and said hello and said he knew what I was up to and knew the cache owner.

TreeTop Flying

By: G A-DayTrippers Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

My first plan was to start from the small trailhead purported to be at N 37 00.339 W 121 58.949. I let my GPSr autoroute me there and ended up on Paul Sweet Rd, and the trailhead location is about 150 feet off the road, well after it becomes a private road. Finally, I drove around the the "old neighborhood", hiked in and found it fairly quickly.

Blue Ball Park

By: Marky & Joani Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

It took a little poking around and staring, but I finally spotted it.

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