bytemobile's Geoblog

Apr 29, 2006

Virus Alpha 1 - Rooster Comb View

By: payakoi Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Small

I parked my bike at the no bikes sign and hiked on up to the cache. I was happy that I didn't have to go any further up the trail since I wanted to get all four caches in this general area. When I got back to my bike, there was another group of hikers headed up the trail and another biker headed up the road.

Orestimba Creek

By: Woof! Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Small

This was my first cache after setting out on bicycle from a parking spot along the road about a half mile from the Orestimba Corral area. Semi-Hex parked next to me and we had a short chat before I headed out, then I saw him again on my way out, not far from this cache. I managed to get most of the way across most of the water crossings without dismounting, but a two-foot deep spot tripped my up on the way back and I took a little bath. TNLN. Thanks!

Jackrabbit Lake

By: Semi-Hex Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 4.5 Container: Regular

Lots of scouts were up here for the weekend, and I met more on the way out. I zeroed out about 50 feet higher up the hill, but the cache is quite visible, so I found it after wandering a bit. I left Bytemobile turtle #249. I came back down to the camping area and chatted with one of the dads while he set up a tent and I had my lunch. Nice area for camping!

Paradise Lost

By: dmaclach Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Regular

I didn't see any signs, but I was under the impression that this side of the creek was wilderness, so I left my bike at the creek and hiked in. The lake was quite busy, with three or four campsites. I plunked down at the cache site and changed my socks since they were soaked from all the creek crossings. The cache must have gotten very hot at some point because a candle melted and stuck several things together in the cache. I took the candle remains, a Marky & Joani CITO token and left Bytemobile turtle #248.

Tall Coe Bell

By: georgeandmary Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

I was in line for the Backcountry Weekend at 7:30 am, and this was my first stop after entry, and my first Henry Coe cache. Thanks!

Apr 24, 2006

Been Here: Pastoria

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

I spent 23 years working in a building about a block from here. At one time, that company owned ten buildings in the area, but now they lease one floor of one building. I now work about .7 mi from here, so this made a nice lunchtime walk. The cache that used to be about 20 feet from here, "Ardent Computer Corporation", was about the 12th cache I found, back in October, 2003.

Apr 22, 2006

Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

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

Wirebndr and I were hiking around town, visiting tire stores, and we spotted the likely spot for the cache from a few hundred yards away. The hide works well for this spot. Thanks!

It's a Gas

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

The log is full and it is a bit damp, so it could use a new one.

It's a Gas

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

Wirebndr and I walked over from Delray Tire, where Wirebndr was looking for a trailer tire. We didn't see anything at the cache site and Wirebndr walked around front to use the phone. When he came back, I had the cache in hand. I had seen something like this before in Mountain View, but wasn't expecting it as my first cache in Hanford. Thanks!

Just hitched!

By: Pleiades Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

Wirebnder and I were headed back to Hanford from Fresno, and had time for a few stops along the way. This was a excellent way to hide a cache in this spot. Thanks!

Here Lies Bud

By: redwoodcanoe Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

Wirebndr and I were headed back to Hanford from a trip to Fresno, and we had time for a few stops along the way. Very interesting signage. Thanks!

Park Park

By: redwoodcanoe Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Regular

The weeds have grown up so much around the roses that this was quite a project. The coordinates were excellent, so it was just a matter of time to poke around and find the cache. I was hoping for a little bit larger container to drop a travel bug that I brought from the SF Bay Area, but I dropped a signature Bytemobile turtle instead. Thanks!

Cell Tree View

By: ErnieModesto Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

Wirebndr and I were headed back to Hanford from a trip to Fresno, and we had time for a few stops. Thanks!

Cach � Cache

By: OhMyStars! (Adopted by Scooterman) Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Well that was a bold hide. I guess we missed the cache's namesake. Thanks!

The Sunshine Express

By: Great Scott! Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

Wirebndr and I stopped by here for a two-fer on our way back to where we were camped at Hanford. One of the swans was by the bank where we had a good look at it. Thanks!

Red Room

By: georgeandmary Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

Thanks for the dessert. Wirebnder came up with this one while I searched nearby. Thanks!

Fresno Tower Trek

By: Trellan Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Virtual

Wirebndr and I came up from where we were camped at Hanford to pick up a special trailer tire. After that was accomplished, we decided to take the Tower District tour. We saw some very nice old Fresno homes, and finally parked at the final. We were hoping for a plaque on the outside of the building or even something inside. We asked one employee with no luck, then hit the jackpot with the manager who gave us the history of the place.

Dragon Breath

By: scooterman Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

This is kind of a neat area for our second Hanford cache. We read the plaque at the Hand Laundry, looked through the window, and were amazed that it looked like it was still in business. I read the hint and Wirebndr had the cache in his hand a few minutes later. Thanks!

Sad Caf � Happy Again

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

Those are two very competent dogs. The owner was there too, but he was behind the cafe, so I just grabbed the cache and took it back to the truck to sign, then took it back.

Thirsty?

By: redwoodcanoe Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

At Carroll's Tire we found that their Fresno store had the special trailer tire that Wirebnder needed. We decided to hike up the street for one more cache before getting on the road. Thanks!

Another Dussie for FRESGO

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

Wirebndr and I stopped by after taking the Fresno Tower Trek. Wirebndr hadn't seen this type of hide before, but it didn't take us too long to spot it. Thanks!

Scales of Justice

By: crew416 Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

Wirebndr and I were skunked on a nearby cache. We decided to hike over to this one before hopping back into the truck. Thanks!

Finch's IRA

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

Wirebndr found the cache in its nest. The container isn't waterproof, so I was surprised that the log wasn't soggy. I guess the ventilation allows it to dry out. Thanks!

Apr 20, 2006

Ow data matches

By: Team Shadow Cat Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

The dogs must have been snoozing at lunchtime today. I came out for a short walk and a quick find. Thanks!

Middle of the Street

By: budd-rdc Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I tried finding this many months ago and was looking for the typical guardrail hide. Today I was more thorough and had some success. Thanks!

LAH Pathways: Foothill College Bridge

By: budd-rdc Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

This is quite a strange bridge. I think it should come with a users manual. I was able to avoid mud and PO on a lunchtime tour today. Thanks!

Sunnyvale Rough Too

By: alpharomero.com Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

7:00 am -- I decided to come by before work and have a look for the new cache. The guy who sleeps here in his pickup was just pulling out, so I had the area to myself. Thanks!

Apr 19, 2006

241HT1416

By: budd-rdc Difficulty: 3.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Not chosen

I came out at lunchtime for this and another puzzle like it. I contemplated the hint and thought I would have come back with ropes and rubber boots, but I finally figured out a much easier possibility.

241HT1619

By: budd-rdc Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Other

I didn't get this the first time I looked at it, then it slowly dawned on me what this might be about. Found the cache quickly with the hint.

Apr 18, 2006

Half Dome in the Park

By: Antfugue Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

I have been to the top of Half Dome -- in the spring before the cables are put up on posts. We had to grab the cables as they lay on the rock. I think I must have lost some arm strength since then, but I did finally manage to get to the top of this one and claim the cache. Thanks!

Pioneers R.I.P.?

By: alpharomero.com Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I came out for a little lunchtime caching and this was the first stop. I used the hint for an easy find. I took niradw's sigitem.

Apr 17, 2006

Doctor Emmett Brown

By: triplep220 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I hiked through the park after finding Biff Tannen, and the trails were a bit slippery for my walking shoes. I came out the other side and found the Dr. after a short search.

Biff Tannen

By: triplep220 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

I took the triplep220 lunchtime tour today and this was the first stop. I had to peek at the hint to get a better idea of what I was looking for after my initial look around failed to turn up anything.

Tasmanian Devil

By: triplep220 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

This was my quickest find on the triplep220 lunchtime tour. Nice camo, though.

Apr 16, 2006

Secret Montalvo Trail

By: Mary & Dave Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

The rain stopped about 9 am, so I decided to do a little hike before heading for dinner with the relatives. I had been to Montalvo several times when my boys were small (and before that my wedding was here), and I made a couple more visits geocaching, but I certainly missed this trail. Thanks for the trailhead waypoint. Based on my GPSr I was sure I was on the wrong trail for the cache, and I decided to get it on the way back, but the trail finally took me where I wanted to go. After crossing the creek (more exciting on the way down after the downpour started) I came upon a sizeable slide, but getting through it was fairly easy. Great cache!

Montalvo Deathmarch

By: Mary & Dave Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Regular

This was a sweet hike up to the paved road, but after that, I was happy for my hiking boots and poles. The rain was light on the trip up, but the wind picked up when I reached the cache site and the rain became heavy shortly after. I took the chimpanzee travel bug and left Bytemobile turtle #246. The rain was flowing down the trail as I headed back down, but I never had a problem with mud -- the mountain seems to be fairly gravelly. My top was fine with a waterproof shell and cotton shirt underneath, but my jeans were wet and heavy by the time I got down. I enjoyed the hot shower when I got home!

Apr 8, 2006

Ex Post Cacho

By: Antfugue Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Small

I was in the area on a Saturday morning, so I stopped by. Lots of traffic through here. Thanks!

Chainasaurus

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

This was my second try, and I finally spotted it after about 10 minutes. Replaced exactly as found. Thanks!

Apr 7, 2006

Monte Bello Road - East

By: MotorBug Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

I also took a wrong turn which got me within 50 feet of the cache, but I eventually figured out that I was in the wrong cul-de-sac. I left turtle #243. Thanks!

PEZtacular View 2

By: WeBeDnD Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

I found this cache from memory. I dumped out a little water that the cache had accumulated and left Bytemobile turtle #241.

View Seeker-Monte Bello

By: Tonton-Ca Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Regular

I was hiking up here today and stopped by to check on this cache. I found it from memory since I didn't have the waypoint in my GPSr. This cache is still an aquarium. The log couldn't get any wetter and it isn't write-underwater paper. I decided to dump the water out of the cache and the tennis ball tube and the baggie. I left the log sitting outside the baggie in the cache.

Dark Overlook

By: PhilippeGPS (maintained by trode) Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

I was hiking up here today, and found this from memory since I didn't have the waypoint in my GPSr. The cache is in fine shape, and I left Bytemobile turtle #242.

Little Black Micro

By: Rocket Girl Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I came by earlier this week at lunchtime, and it was not a good time to find this cache. This morning, I came by after coffee at Peet's with a few cachers, and it was much easier.

Monte Bello - Birdhouse

By: cer Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Small

I was up here early afternoon, and the wind was beginning to pick up. This was my turn-around point, so I was anxious to sign the cache and get going. Thanks!

Are We There Yet? - Endless Switchbacks

By: ed777 Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

I was headed uphill, and stopped too soon, but I finally figured it out and trudged on up to the cache. I left Bytemobile turtle #245. Thanks!

TC-Monte Bello

By: popeye2 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Small

The Terrain Challenge series is my idea of a geocaching adventure and I hope to complete them all someday. I spotted four deer below me as I came down the hill, and they headed for what looked like a fairly good trail, so I followed them and got within a couple hundred feet of the cache. There were still a couple $2 bills, so I took one and left Bytemobile turtle #244. Thanks!

Village Research

By: JimmiGee Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I looked for this at lunchtime once, and my GPSr was taking me all over the place. This morning, I had a pretty good idea of where it was and I was right. Thanks!

Refrigerator

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

It was time for a break as I was headed up the hill, and this provided a fine one. Thanks!

Billy goats gruff.

By: Mystery Ink=Team Maniacs Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

I had a pretty windy day myself, with a storm on the way today. I was stumped for a couple minutes, then finally figured out where the cache must be. Thanks!

High Voltage

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

Nope, I didn't know there were stable in Alviso. I spotted some horse leavings on the sidewalk, so I knew I was getting close. A huge ladder truck was about a half block down the street doing some kind of exercise, but I ignored them and they ignored me. Thanks!

Apr 5, 2006

High Silver

By: Rocket Girl and DuckeyLee Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

I was in the area for a couple lunchtime caches, and decided to give this one a try since it looked like I could get it without much of a hike. Thanks!

Stroller Friendly #2: A Great Oak

By: Geo Baby and BuckyDef Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

This was my second attempt, and I had figured out the hint, so I headed straight for the cache. The rain had stopped and I barely beat the first stroller to the park. I didn't spot the cache with my eyes, so I had to use my hands, and I came up with it after a thorough search. Thanks!

Thamien Park

By: Lil Devil Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

The rain had stopped at lunchtime today, but no kids were here yet. I tried without the hint, then finally resorted to the hint and found the cache fairly quickly. Thanks!

Apr 4, 2006

Hemlock's Test Cache - April Fools!

By: Hemlock, Lil Devil & Workerofwood Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

I stopped by on the way to work to pick up the trash left by Motorbug. I decided to improved the cache a little and found a better hiding spot a short walk from the original hide. I took the Wyoming geocoin and left the key to a 1952 Corvette parked on the street nearby. The pink slip is in the glove box. Logging this for Coin Quest - cache medic, CITO, and half mile hike (I parked a long ways down the street).

Element #60

By: GeekDad Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

I came out at lunchtime for a couple of drive-ups during the rain. The camo works very nicely here. I took a magnet but there are lots of them left.

Been Here: Elko and Reamwood

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I came out at lunchtime for a couple of drive-ups during the rain. I haven't worked in this part of the valley myself.

Apr 2, 2006

Harvey West Trail Head

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

This cache has plenty of hints, but could use slightly better coordinates. Comparing notes with other cachers, the cache seemed to be a little over 100 feet from our zero point. I started searching by myself, but a group soon came by and the cache was quickly spotted.

Santa Cruz Spring Forward Get Together

By: 50sumtin, Grindylow and Pink Static Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Other

Thanks to Bud for organizing a fun event. The food, conversations, and caches were all top notch!

Runaway Alcove

By: Chickasaw of ynots4 Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

I was very close on my first try, but succeeded after getting an additional hint and a flashlight.

Under a Laying of Sticks

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Regular

I went after this with a group from the picnic. We fanned out over the area, and the cache was spotted after a short search.

Cemetery Cache

By: 50sumtin Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Micro

I came over here by myself after lunch, pondered a bit and made the find. Thanks!

Apr 1, 2006

Going Down Town?

By: CKayaks Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

This was the turn-around point for my hike this morning. The cache was a piece of cake compared to my last searh here. Thanks!

Hemlock's Test Cache - April Fools!

By: Hemlock, Lil Devil & Workerofwood Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Micro

3:45 pm FTF. Where is everybody today? Afraid to log a DNF on an April Fools cache? I saw this when it first came up, then went out to do some gardening for a couple hours. I finally concocted an errand and came by for a look. After I had been looking a little while, mfc61 showed up and joined the hunt. If you have sharp eyes and a sharp mind, you can figure out this unique and extremely clever cache. That didn't apply in my case, and I fumbled onto it by touching everything. (Blind pigs and truffles.) The FTF prize was very cool -- a one step coin quest.

Rub A Dub Dub

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

This was a clever multi and a strange structure. CKayaks, you find the most interesting stuff. I brushed a bunch of branches going in. I hope it wasn't poison oak.

Fenceline

By: Team Nazgul Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Micro

I had no trouble with this one. I was the first one up the trail this morning, so I didn't have to worry about traffic on the trail.

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