Coo Coo Ca Choo

It’s been a little while since the last time I had been Geocaching – so it’s only natural that yesterday’s trek was nothing but bliss. At the time, I had not really planned to go Geocaching. AIt’s been a little while since the last time I had been Geocaching – so it’s only natural that yesterday’s trek was nothing but bliss. At the time, I had not really planned to go Geocaching. After a long day, I was actually taking a nap when I received an email about a new cache in the area. It was really just instinctual that I should go out and hunt for it; claim that first-to-find. Once at the site, I quickly had the container in hand and felt good under the early evening sun. At this point, I knew I couldn’t stop with just this one cache; I had to have another.

I then quickly jumped into my car and drove to the base of a site that I’ve been eyeing for the past year or so. I knew at the top of his mountain was a locating beacon for the airport below, as well as the infamous cache I had been pining over. Without too much thought, I started to climb the mountain and had to bushwhack the entire way as there weren’t any trails to follow.

After about thirty to forty minutes of climbing, I had finally reached the top. I felt amazing being up there; the view was clear, the air was fresh, and it was also absolutely silent: it was peaceful. Next to the beacon’s mast rested a wooden helicopter pad that served as a nice deck to lay upon. I transitioned from laying to sitting multiple times as I soaked up the moment. Once the sun had started to set, I realized that I would be running out of daylight soon and was entirely unprepared for any climbing or hiking in the dark. With this in the back of my head, I jumped up and began to hastily search for this Geocache.

I had looked what seemed like everywhere thrice and was about to abandon my search because of the sinking sunlight that was just barely making its way over the adjacent mountain peak. I realized that I’d have to log a did-not-find and have to make my way back up again another day. I looked back at the sunlight left and decided that I had already run out of light to make it all the way down. I figured it wouldn’t make much difference if I left right away then, so I continued my search. Luckily for me, I was able to find it a few minutes later, and I was then able to start the hike down the mountain after the sun had already completely set.

It got dark real fast; I had forgotten how black and how quickly it changes out here. After a few close calls with some vertical drops, I had finally made my way back to the bottom. Even though the last leg of my trip didn’t turn out the way I had planned (or lack thereof), it was a lot of fun! I’m glad I got out there to explore and Geocache again; it’s going to make me miss this place.