geocaching ... strike 1

Updated 5/30 with photos from GetoutLV's facebook page.

Today was the Treasure Hunt Walk with Get Out Lehigh Valley. The hook? Geocaching.

I've always wanted to learn this game, so I downloaded the free version of the app for my phone. (Yes, I know,it's a miracle I downloaded an app. My smart phone is nearly as dumb as my dumb phone was.)

It was at the Jordan Creek Greenway. A county park and a place I never heard about. This is the first 2 mile section. Only 51.3 miles to go to reach the AT, and then off to Maine. If you dare. More importantly it will connect with the trail system at Trexler Nature Preserve (aka Game Preserve. Game, I guess, is politically incorrect.). Exciting. Probably 50 people came to this event.

Since it was near Lydia's, I picked her up and drug her along.

At this event they always take a group photo and it becomes the facebook cover image. If you look to the left, I am the third yellow shirt in the row.

Because it was a large group, they broke us in two. Three, actually. One group just hiked.  The second group didn't have the app on their phone and they were lent GPS units. I should have went with that group. The GPS units were great. They seemed to work well.

Our group, the third group,  did have phones, but it did us little good. The "caches" on this trail were in the paid-for version. We could only do the ones the Wildland's conservatory "planted" for the day.

This is number 2. The first one was really obvious. They call this sport Tupperware Hide And Seek because everyone uses airtight and water resistant plastic containers. They need to be labeled so people don't think they are trash. Inside could be a clue. Generally a log book. Or could be some trinket to trade. These had clues to take you to the next spot.

The next spot was under some stairs. Another was in a faux log. (That's called a camo cache.) Inside was a test tube with a screw lid, and inside that, another clue.

The last one was bright pink and in a rotting tree stump. I turned around and there it was. So I went to collect it. Are my knees really this ugly?

When it was opened it had patches and stickers and things, as well as the log book. Had I known someone was taking pics I would not have used my gut for a table.

Walking back we found this bird's nest inside the handrail of a bridge over the creek. Mama wasn't home so we could take a pix.

There was a single uni-sex stall bathroom at the park. It was old, but clean. And there was running water and soap. I'd give it an I-3.5

We decided to find one on our own, near this historic grist mill. Even with the aid of the volunteer who knew where it was, we couldn't find it.

So the day was pretty much a bust. But I  am still tempted. The tween is going to get a work out this summer looking for caches in Wilson with me. After we try a couple more times, I'll decide if I want to upgrade or delete the app.