The weather is changing and the fall is around the corner now. I look forward to the fall and what experiences are upcoming for the cooler weather. Our journey began in March, just as the warmer temps crept in so I think that caching in the fall will be welcomed, especially since the insects have diminished...thank god. On our last weekend with warm temperature, the Cache Kids headed out to Detroit's river-walk to take in the beautiful scenery, find some geocaches overlooking the Detroit River and then head across the border to help a particular trackable with it's goal to reach Canada. In recent years the river-walk in Detroit has transformed into a nice peaceful destination where many can take in the sights, sit and relax, ride their bikes, and even frolic though the new fountains. There's plenty of opportunity to take in whichever you desire.

Within yards of Detroit's Renaissance Center there was recent nano-geocache that wasn't too much trouble to find. We signed the log and proceeded with watching the kids jump in the fountain waters and people watch. Here is a link if you want to attempt to locate this nice picturesque cache.
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=0085606c-e8a8-41c4-81c0-db8aed661c4c


In Canada, we had limited time to make out way through the parks that dot the riverside. Parking was a challenge and the kids seemed to have other entertainment on their minds. How can I blame them, it was their first time in Canada (that they could remember) and it has plenty of offerings for children. People were flying their kites, playing Frisbee's, riding bikes, walking their dogs, having picnics and joggers were out in full force too. Running is a hobby of my older daughter now, which is why the mention of the joggers. After a couple of hours and a great afternoon we were able to locate a few caches, log out trackables and head back to the states for dinner at home.

Ambassador Bridge which connects Detroit and Windsor Canada

Detroit Michigan. View from Windsor Canada

 

 

Number 100!

On a recent trip to Emmett, Michigan where my family and I were camping at a nearby KOA campground, my "Cache Kids" and I stopped by to snag another milestone geocache. I searched out a few unique caches in the area before we left the campground and we came upon this heavily favorited cache to make it our 100th geocache. It didn't disappoint! The hide was a small pill bottle attached to a cylinder cap, then screwed into the spout of the decorated container you see in the photo above. The container was a replica of a "Duff" beer can made famous from the Simpson's cartoon. We all had a terrific day to mark our most memorable find to date.

In early August I attempted to locate one geocache per day, however the logistics behind such a feat is quite difficult. A quick stop to find a smiley can be challenging to say the least. Long days at work with limited places with a geocache along my route home are just some of the impeadments. I did get up to 7 days in a row before my goal was halted by the dusk of the night, which comes earlier each passing day of the summer. I've found solace in creating and maintianing my hides during this time. I now have 7 hides now. My most recent location is at the infamous "Hack House" in historic Milan, Michigan.

Historic Hack House

Fun pictures from recent finds

Near the campus of OCC in Farmington Hills, MI

Inventive geocache. Log was inside the bolt and attached to a guardrail.

First find with my Brother and his son. This was in Kentucky.

Ann Arbor, MI. Cache was in the alley to the right.

Geocaching has been such a fun new hobby that I continue to catch myself scoping out the nearest caches whenever I'm on errands or in uncharted new territory's. What so wrong with that right? Generally speaking, it should always be a fun experience and not a burden to the people you're with. My spouse has on few occasions said to me

"Honey, we are just going to the store and back right?"

"There isn't any additional stops we're making is there?"

Navigating through a hobby without succoming to the need to find a new cache can sometimes be tough to do, but I want this hobby to be something that my children as well as my wife and I, continue to enjoy for quite a long time. With that being said...time to search out the nearest and newest, lol.

The Cache Kids!

Bethlehem Cemetery in Ann Arbor Michigan

Spotted another geocache in the cemetery # 82

Can you say "NANO"?

Milestone Cache

#75 at Fifth Third Field, home of the Toledo Mudhens

On a recent trip to trip to see a ballgame at fifth third field, I had a chance to locate a cache which happened to be a milestone. Number 75 and our first cache find in the state of Ohio. To a lesser extent, it also happened to be the 8th find in the day as well, our most finds in one day. Although I was without my cache kids I made them apart of this milestone find by having my friend take this photo so that I could send it back home to them. 

Creative Microcaches

Spoiler alert!!!

More Pictures from our adventures!

Caching in Ann Arbor MI. City finds are fun too!

Launching a geocache trackable. We named it buzz.

My oldest daughter and I. 

Scenic spot for sure. #66

#67

Most often lately I've been concentrating on hiding geocaches than finding them. I try not to watch the find count as much, but here are the stats. The Cache kids at this point on June 16th 2012, we've found a total of 67 caches and I've hidden 6 all together. My hides are mostly in Milan, Mi, but there is one just outside the city's limits. I like the creativeness that comes along with making a new geocache. Several things go into creating a new hide. Finding the spot that you want people to visit, the container you'll use, the log sheets for signing, swag to start off with, prizes for the first to find and the name you want to give this new hide. Sometimes it's taken me hours to get the ball rolling. I should be more efficient, but why be when I'm having fun doing it right? 

This week, I visited one of my new spots, just as a family was finding it. I've only had the privilege of speaking with geocachers on one other occasion and I wish that I had that opportunity more often. In the near future I'm hoping to do an event cache that I can link up with people that have this as a hobby as well. 

Scenic views 

Just in case you catch a train and need a seat

Nature Park in Milan

The Cache Kids are on the hunt. They found it!

More pictures of our travels

We know where he's not

Found it!

Some are magnetic

At mill pond park in Saline

At mill pond park in Saline

pill bottle near the stop sign

Signing the log book

At mill pond park in Saline

What time is it?

Fun day at the park!

Things kind of slowed down lately, but I'm looking forward to the upcoming memorial weekend. I'm hoping to spend an entire day Sunday at the park, hopefully at Kensington metropark. As for last weekend, it had both positives and negatives. I spent several hours with my nephew Brenden which had never geocached before. He loved the experience and even spotted the first cache of the day before his uncle. I hope to do again real soon with him. While it was a great time we had several DNF's and I received my first skin reaction from climbing through the brush. :-(

The Big Oak tree which has been hit by many Lightening strikes. Over the years it hallowed out from them.

Number 50!

At the Riverwalk

While on a field trip to Lansing Michigan with my daughters class, we decided to take the opportunity to complete a milestone under our belts. We located a park nearby the capitol building to nab a quick find and log our fiftieth cache for myself and my young adventurers. We had a couple of trackable that we logged their visits and quickly moved on to another area to grab a few more before heading home for the day. Although we had some success, we had to log a DNF on a nano cache near the museum, but not for a lack of trying. UGH! Also , missed an opportunity to log our first virtual cache. We won't let that happen next time, What do you expect, we've only been geocaching since mid March. Enjoy the photos from the day. 

Capitol building in Lansing, MI

Riverwalk looking towards downtown

Riverwalk under Michigan avenue

Michigan Senate

Signal micro-coin for the First to Find

The Cache Kids now have 3 hides under our belt. Pictured above is the trackable micro-coin that was the prize for the first to find for my 3rd hide placed last week.  I named it "Scout's Honor" for the character Scout from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Our next hide is going to be a multi. Stay tuned!

Road side cache

Solo mission in Dundee, MI

small ammo box

Park and grab in Dundee, MI

Nature trail in York township (The last Dinosaur)