HAPPY NEW YEAR!

One of the highlights of our year 2012 was getting involved in Geocaching.  Sue's and my good friends, Mark and Nancy Meinzer, were responsible for introducing us to that delightful activity.  So, today's blog is our way of saying "Thank You" to Mark and Nancy by sharing with them, and you, one of my last geocaching experiences of last year.

Here is a little string of three caches I enjoyed finding one afternoon just before Christmas.  Geocachers could find these and enjoy a very nice ride in the country in about an hour or two from the greater Mansfield area.

Here's the first one entitled "Little Girl's Treasure Box at Sandridge".  It's Geocaching number is GC2760F.

This cache was hidden along the perimeter in the delightful solitude of this country cemetery. It was hidden by a family's 4 and 5 year old daughters and celebrates the lives of relatives buried there.  It was a small, food storage-like container which held things little girls would enjoying trading.

I took a peek then just signed the log with appreciation for this family and their participation in our hobby.  As you might imagine, a gentle walk through this burial ground was pleasing to the soul.

Just a few miles down the road, generally south of the Mohican State Forest, I came across this cache site named "Brothers Don't Shake Hands, Brothers Gotta Hug."  It's number is GC3Y77Q.  These numbers, by the way, will be meaningful only to Mark and Nancy and other Geocachers and is the means by which they are cataloged on-line.

Here is where I found that cache:

It was a small, magnetic container hidden somewhere in this photo.  To reveal its location would spoil the fun for Mark and Nancy.  The cache name came from two brothers who placed it while noting they did not get to enjoy as much time together as they wished.  I could imagine their pleasurable, hug-able, outing while the splashing stream continued my soul-soothing afternoon.

Just a few miles further along I found a cache simply entitled "Castle" and numbered GCXBER.  Imagine driving around in hilly, forested, wilderness-like area then coming across this:

It's like taking a detour into a fairy tale.  Of course, locals know this as Landoll's Mohican Castle, an exquisite dining and lodging facility deep in the hills south of Loudonville.

In this case the cache was hidden in the woods up over the hill to the left, with permission of the owners, of course, and just downhill from another unnamed country cemetery.

So, this has been an unrehearsed sample of what can happen when you put your usual, more mundane amusements aside, grab your Smartphone or GPS and go Geocaching.  You never know what you might find around the next corner.

Speaking of the next corner we have a bunch of those ahead of us as we soon trundle our way to another winter of southern snow-birding.  We're not sure when we will next visit via the blog but it's not likely to be too far in the future.

We hope you will stay tuned.