Went out geocaching yesterday late afternoon around Racoon River, Iowa. What I thought was going to be a 2 mile hike turned into a 6 mile hike. Yeah. Sometimes that happens. ha! I started out on the path and went out the very edge of one peninsula only to find that I still had a ways to go to the cache spot when there was nothing in front of my but a lake of ice:

So, I hike all the way back to the fork in the path and go on to the right, figuring it will lead around eventually to that area I need to get to across the ice. Um, yeah, I went too far and as soon as I came around then bend in the path, I noticed – Hey, it’s over on that other penisula! Urgh!

Again, nothing but a lake of ice between me and the treasure! So, I start hiking back around the bend to the tiny entrance to that penisula where the telephone poles are.

I’m getting close, I can feel it! GPS is reading 450ft and closing…..hey, what’s a few spiked branches, I’m getting that cache after 4 miles of hiking! There it is in the thicket nestled in those trees!

Open it, open it, open it!

Ah, avast ye – now that’s some great treasure:

Left the Jeep Sweepstakes Travel Bug, swag items of a P-51 Mustang toy airplane and a bootable Linux distro cd (Dynebolic version). Took the pirate home with me since it reminded me of good times at the Pirate and Princess Party 08. See, and now he’s my little geocaching buddy fully in charge of the gps:

Hiked back 3 miles, since now I know where I’m going enjoying the relaxed sense of accomplishment that determination and an indominable spirit breed: