bytemobile's Geoblog

Sep 30, 2012

Enlightenment on the Zen Trail

By: Evil Zen Pie Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

This was my last cache of the day. It was time to head on to my father-in-law's place to check out the lift. Thanks!

Dharma on the Zen Trail

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

When there is a perfectly good trail nearby, I prefer that to hiking up the creek, but I made my way here, and don't regret the hike. Thanks!

Meditation on the Zen Trail

By: Evil Zen Pie Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

I planned to come over the hill from San Jose this morning to work on my father-in-law's new lift for entering his home. I didn't want to get there too early, so I made a stop here first to go for a little hike and pick up a few geocaches. I found this one right where it was advertised. Thanks!

A State of Zen on the Zen Trail

By: DarkZen Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

Another good hint left no doubt about where to look for the cache. I was surprised that so many people come hiking back here. Thanks!

Ascetic on the Zen Trail

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

I found this with no problem due to the good hint, and headed on up to the trail. Thanks!

Sep 21, 2012

Oh my, Amaya!

By: alpharomero.com Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Micro

This was not a bad hike from Amaya Little Nuts. I got an early start from Highland Ave (a group of three cyclists just beat me) and got here about 9 am. Now ... what to do for the rest of the day? Thanks!

Amaya Little Nuts?

By: alpharomero.com Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Micro

This was my every-other-Friday off so I planned a significant bike/hike. Getting here was no problem. I just coasted down from Highland Ave, then started pushing my bike up to Amaya. I quickly gave that up, ditched the bike and hiked the mile or so here. The return to Highland took a little longer with my wet noodle legs. I managed to skip Amaya Big Tease? so I had to get it on the way out. Thanks!

Demo Rest Stop

By: Geokashers Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

My GZ was in the opposite direction from the information sign, but the hint made it clear where to look. I dodged the PO, and made the find. Note that the hide is probably a little different than the original. Thanks!

Amaya Big Tease?

By: alpharomero.com Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Micro

I picked this up on my way back to my bike. I missed looking for it on my way in somehow. After I got back to my bike and back to the main road I met up with a logging truck. It's easy to tell one coming from the noise they make. I found a spot and pulled well off the road to let it pass. This entry was edited by bytemobile on Wednesday, 03 October 2012 at 15:13:44 UTC.

What have I done?

By: alpharomero.com Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Micro

At Amaya Little Nuts? there was a fork and a sign for Amaya Pond Rd. It wasn't on my map, but it seemed to be heading the right direction. I followed it until the road ended in a clearing and a little path headed out the other side. This path turned out to go straight to the cache. I was glad I still had my bike stashed. Thanks!

Between a rock and Long Ridge Road

By: alpharomero.com Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Micro

I have been going after a few yofoghorn caches in Nisene Marks the last few weeks, so this trek didn't bother me. Some logging vehicle was headed down Long Ridge Rd while I was back here, so it was clear where the road was. I could also hear the buzzing of a chain saw, then the thunderous crash of the tree, repeated several times during my hike. Thanks!

Demo, Baby! Saw Pit

By: justbob Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

This was my last cache of the day, as I slowly biked back up the hill to Highlands Ave. I heard the roaring of a logging truck, but he evidently wasn't coming up here. Thanks!

Braille

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

I don't include puzzles in pocket queries before I head out on a hike, but I saw this while I was planning the bike/hike, and it looked pretty reasonable. The solution put it right on my route this morning, and I made it my first stop. Cobwebs and forest duff concealed the cache well, but I dug it out without much problem. The log looked like it had been damp at one time, but it was pretty dry now. People have been signing on random pages, so I chose a page and signed. Thanks!

Sep 16, 2012

Monte Vista #2 Townsite

By: yofoghorn Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Regular

I was a little puzzled and a little off when I started searching. Fortunately, the coordinates were amazing good for me and I figured out at least part of the hint before finding the cache. Just before I started searching, I met another hiker on the trail. I was initially surprised since you don't expect to see many folks back here. Thanks!

Eat Prey, Love

By: DarkZen and ECP Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Regular

Before I headed out, I printed out spoiler photos for three caches along here. Unfortunately, I was thinking of the photo for a different cache when I started searching. I stopped, read the hint, and I was back on track. Thanks!

Eagle's Rest

By: yofoghorn Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Small

This was my turn around point today. I wanted to be home in San Jose by 4 pm, and it was nearly 1 pm when I found the cache. I got it after a short search. I turned left when I got up to the top of the ridge, and it was slightly to the right. Thanks!

Love Stinks

By: DarkZen and ECP Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Small

The Aptos Creek Trail was open this weekend, so I decided to head out on a Sunday morning since my Saturday was taken up with washer & dryer delivery and gardening. I remembered the spoiler photo, so I knew when I was there. Thanks!

Sep 7, 2012

The White Lagoon

By: mayela mingi Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Small

This was my last cache of the day. I came from the Outhouse Tree, and my bike was parked just down the trail. I was ready for a lot of coasting back down to my car. Thanks!

Pearl Pureheart

By: C2C cachers Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Regular

This was a nice waypoint cache to get going on the trail out to Nisene Hideout. It was the faintest of trails, with little markers tied to the vegetation here and there. I guess there was some preliminary work done for putting a real trail here. I dropped off the Unnecessary Bushwacking geocoin. Thanks!

The Nisene Tree Climb

By: mayela mingi Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 4.5 Container: Small

This wasn't too bad. The trick was getting up to the first branches. I got here about 9:30 am and shot a picture in the morning light. Thanks!

The Perilous Spire

By: yofoghorn Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Regular

I've been by here before, but never took the time to notice this tree. I was pedaling up to White's Lagoon to start a hike, but made a quick stop here. Thanks for the good hint. I got going early this morning, and was here about 8 am. I dropped off the Ma's Hawaii TB. Thanks!

switchback ram cache

By: smiglees Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Regular

The hint and the coordinates worked out great for me. I got rid of my old computers last year, so I passed on the ram. It was just after noon, so I had a seat here and had my snack. Thanks!

Oil Can Harry

By: C2C cachers Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Regular

This was another nice waypoint that kept me on the straight and narrow heading out to Nisene Hideout. The cache was pretty well concealed by redwood duff. The cache was in good shape, but it really looked like it hadn't been touched in a couple years. Thanks! Edit: I used a bit of the hand sanitizer in the cache to clean off the sap on my hands from the Nisene Tree Climb. It was nice seeing this here! This entry was edited by bytemobile on Saturday, 08 September 2012 at 01:44:02 UTC.

Little Nobody

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

It was the fourth stump for me. My GZ was on the other side of the trail, but that is to be expected in this sort of terrain. Thanks!

Out House Tree: Virgin Redwood

By: yofoghorn Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Regular

I came from the Little Nobody cache. I noticed that at least on the Nisene Marks map I had, that an elevation contour could sort of be followed over to the Out House Tree. That proved not to be the case, but I made it over anyway. My route back over to White's Lagoon worked out better, but it could probably be improved. The road that goes past the fallen down cabin seems to disappear in a gully. Thanks for the adventure!

Nisene Hideout

By: mayela mingi Difficulty: 3.5 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Regular

This is a really remote part of Nisene Marks SP. After wandering around a bit I saw a suspicious shape and poked at it with one of my hiking poles. I heard the nice thunk of an ammo can. A couple years worth of forest duff had concealed it pretty well. Looking around up here, I saw something that was purple in color. I walked over to investigate, and found the remains of a Mylar party balloon. I guess that when they get away, they have to come down somewhere. Thanks!

Sep 1, 2012

Big Stump Flats

By: yofoghorn Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 5.0 Container: Regular

Hmm. I just noticed the five-star terrain rating on this one. Yup, I guess that's what it was. My usual mode of operation is load up the GPS, jump in the bytemobile, and read about caches on the trail. I came from above, so getting back up was my main worry. The cache was about a third full of water, and the inner plastic bag was closed, but full of water. Black mold was growing on everything. The cache container and lid were intact, but at one time there must have been water flowing through the hidey-hole that contained the cache. I emptied out the water and replaced the cache upside down to give things a chance to drain and dry out. I took the Ma's Hawaii travel bug home to clean off the black mold. Thanksl

S.S. Stop

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

This was my last stop of the day as I headed out from a hike at Nisene Marks. Thanks!

One Sick Puppy

By: skypoodle Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

I went for a hike today in Nisene Marks, and made a quick stop here on the way out. Thanks!

Grecian Urn

By: El Greco(w) Pie Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Small

This was my first cache this morning as I headed for the top side of Nisene Marks. Thanks!

Old Growth Poison Oak Grove

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

Well, I got this off my bucket list. I paid homage to the cradle of PO, and headed on my way. Thanks!

Hidden Lagoon

By: yofoghorn Difficulty: 2.5 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Regular

After looking around a little, I read mayela mingi's log and I was discouraged. I didn't have an hour to spend here. I was anxious to start heading back up the hill. I decided to look around a little more, and a hunch worked out. The cache was in great shape. I would say that the cache write-up could a little more in the way of a hint to make this more findable. Thanks!

Reiterated Giant: Virgin Redwood

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

I parked on Buzzard Lagoon Rd., so this was just a short walk on a packed trail. Once I started looking up, there was no mistaking this redwood, and from the hint, the cache came quickly. Thanks!

Split Tree: Virgin Redwood

By: yofoghorn Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 3.0 Container: Not chosen

When I prepared for this jaunt, I saw a line of caches proceeding from this one. I didn't see a trail going by here, but I expected that there must be an abandoned trail that I would find near here. Silly me. I need to spend a little more time reading about caches before heading out. Thanks!

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