I’m still not quite back in the geocaching mood but when the phone buzzed with the notification GC2MH9K Pasta 6 – Basil, Tomato and Feta (Auckland) which mentioned Kevs Team in the description, Kev wouldn’t take no for an answer and off we went.  The cache was in my childhood neighbourhood and when we arrived at GZ parking we noticed a car with a travel bug on it – not a good sign.  We quickly went down the path and found the newbies Merlins_Beard.  Kev quickly asked if they had put the cache back, and since they hadn’t he proudly said it was a joint FTF.  Lucky for us they didn’t have a pen so that went in our favour too!  As we walked back we were quickly joined by two other newbie geocachers, FriwiNZ and Geomatt123.  After a friendly chat and discovering Merlins Beard car travel bug, Catch me if you can, we went back home. 

I was in the shower when the local cache GC2MJT2 Moa Mountain.  This cache is just a quick drive from our home so the two Kev’s went off and claimed the FTF.

Not a bad nights effort!

*** Caching Cath ***

Happy New Years everyone!  For me the exciting part of the day was knowing we didn’t need to get a cache but a flurry of publications changed my mind.

The first cache we went to was GC2938N Welcome to Te Atatu (Auckland).  I think there should be a new acronym, FTC – first to cache.  We arrived at GZ a good five minutes until Mrs Kiwicouple turned up but as usual, we didn’t find it.  With her finding skills we were able to claim a joint FTF for the 1/1/11.

While we were searching for this cache, finally our GC2K5EM I Want An Iphone (Auckland) was published.  On our way home we decided to drive by to see if anyone was there.  We waited and waited and no one turned up, and just as we decided to go home to the family New Years Day BBQ, we received the notification for GC2KTJV Treated to fit 4 (Auckland) which was a quick drive away.

We easily found GZ but a couple of muggles were nearby.  Kev and I slowly moved over and they left.  Kev spotted the cache from afar so he was able to go in discretely and get it out.

Totally starving we started to go home when I said let’s just go check out our cache to see if anyone was there.  We arrived to the car park to see a couple of cars, including a familiar Mrs Kiwicouple truck.  The other cachers who were there was ssgbme and Kwassie, a family of cachers.  They all shared a joint FTF. 

We then went home to enjoy the BBQ.  Later in the evening our phone went again and Kev shouted it was another cache up the road, GC2KWGW Treated to fit 5 (Auckland).  I didn’t have the energy to go so told him to take Dad and don’t forget the picture.  They zoomed off and once again managed to find the cache quickly and the empty log book.  As they were returning kiwicouple approached – no joint FTF this time!  And yes they forgot to take the pic so Kev took one of Kev Snr in the car.

Now we are busy packing the car for tomorrow’s big caching road trip down to Taupo then Palmerstone North.

Have a great 2011 caching year everyone!

A correction on the quick summary post, we didn’t find 29 caches that day, we found 30!!!  I forgot to log one of our finds, thankfully I found my mistake!

Kai_gotti arrived at our house around 10.20am.  We left and decided to start finding caches once we were over the Bombay hills.  The first cache we went to was a church,  GC1BCB4 Love, Peace & Harmony (Auckland).  After a few minute search Kai came up with the goods.  Actually, most of the day Kai found most of them!

Not too far away was GC1VFTB XC’s Bombay Quick Stop (Auckland).  Not only was this a quick stop, this was a quick find for Kai.  It’s a lovely little park with beautiful trees and a monument to the nearby school St Stephens.

Now the next cache GC285EM Pokeno Park I retrieved, but Kai isn’t letting me claim it as he said he knew it was there – I don’t know, it was in my hand first… lol

Last week I was pretty good at finding the caches, today I was feeling I was going to be beaten every time!  I quickly jumped out of the car to  GC1J62W Mercer: Rio Vista. (Waikato), which also had some travel bugs in it.  I read the hint and looked in all the obvious spots, but guess where it was – in Kai’s hand!  To top it off, he got to get the beautiful geocoin and I got to take Hi Ho Hi Ho its off to WORK I go.  I left the geocoin Canada 2007 Geocoin.

Once again Kai got the next one GC1RBV7 Coal, Steam, Electricity! (Waikato) To be honest, I had hardly got out of the car when he came up with it!

And here is Driver Kev doing what he likes most, drinking coffee!

One of the few caches I found today was GC1RB2Q Meremere’s Missing Monocable (Waikato).  It’s not really a tourist spot, so it was quickly in and quickly out!

And back to Kai taking the lead with GC2K3WB Rangiriri Lookout (Waikato).  A quick walk up the hill and over the fence, and before I knew it, he had it.  Kev was down in the car taking our pic.

My turn to find one with GC1C4E2 Mum’s Day Cache (Waikato).  The most difficult part of this cache was crossing SH1 (Huntly main road).  We are not particularly fond of cemetery caches and only go for caches that in the description seem respectable, i.e. no random headstones.  This was the cachers great granparents, and was so out in the open it didn’t look out of place – which was good as we don’t want to be moving around people’s plants and flowers etc.  I retrieved the travel bug Kiwi Friend which I dropped off at the event.

Further down the road and thankfully the right side of the road, was the GC2KCXG Sh1 three tress (Waikato) which was just published the day before, damn no chance for a FTF!.  Kai found again, I posed for pictures lol.

We needed to cross the busy road again for GC2JK5B Stop over (Waikato).  We searched a little wee while for this away and after no luck decided to expand the search area.  I came up with the lucky find!  The GPS was out about 13m’s but the clue helped a lot.

Our first DNF was GC2EZEC D.E.K.A. (Waikato).  This area was full of rubbish and Kai and I didn’t feel like putting our hands here, there and everywhere.  After an extensive search we gave up.  Later at the event, we found out that other people had found it after us!  We did look in the area it was but apparently not good enough!  Will go for this one when we return.  Here I am engrossed in the search!

Once again Kai spotted the next cache GC22X00 What a coal veiw (Waikato).  I searched the wrong one, but I did retrieved it.  It was a quiet Saturday afternoon (well it is Huntly so it might always be quiet?), so getting it was no big deal.  Oh and here’s a picture of Kev just to remind you what he looks like (hehe).

Kai and I continued walking down the street to get the next cache GC2EZEQ South End of Main (Waikato).  Once again I choose the wrong area to search and Kai came up with the goods.  On our way out we met fellow geocachers AotearoaForever.

A quick drive lead us to GC2J9KC Old baby factory (Waikato).  I haven’t found any for awhile so I jumped out of the car to retrieve this cache – a nice easy magnetic.  Surprise, I choose the wrong end again and Kai found it!

As we approached GC2450Q 10, 9, 8,7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….Blast off(Waikato) we noticed a few people at the suspected location.  On the way down to Hamilton there were a few familiar Auckland names logging finds for the day, so we thought we would eventually bump into them.  Just as we walked all the way over there it was AotearoaForever who was replacing the cache back into it’s hiding spot, hence it didn’t take us too long to find it!

The next cache GC2452Y Loose Screws, Lost Marbles (Waikato) was in a very public location, a little bit, well no, a lot really, in the open!  It was a big cache, but did we find it instantly, no!  A good few minutes and Kai got it.  I left the travel bug Quinty.

Now we went to a nice little park with the river at it’s side for GC20HFX Rotund – As… in Ngaruawahia (Waikato).  It was also a welcomed toilet break!  I won’t bother telling you who found it, but I was there to sign the log! Here is Kev again, standing behind the beautiful Heritage Trail sign.

I will tell you who found GC2KCAF Bridge over Waipa River (Waikato) because it was me!  Nice quick find with no major dramas.

Time was running out before the event started and we had now approached Hamilton, which must be cache capital of NZ!  Our first one was GCZYTD Welcome to Hamiltron (Waikato), a quick find for Kai.  I left the travel bug FC Arsenal.

The next cache GC27RTM A cracked nut (Waikato)  was our second DNF.  We all searched, including Kev, all over but just no luck.  The one further down the road, GC2AEQ3 A bright Spark (Waikato) was no problem for Kai who found it before I managed to get out of the car (I was too tired to move!)

As we were approaching the event location, our GPS kept showing us all the caches which were so close, but due to the time, we went for two quickies within the shopping area.  GC2150H Gone But Not Forgotten was such a big cache for a very public area, well hidden!  Kai zoomed off and here I am signalling Kev to take my pic lol. 

The next cache GC2AEPZ The Base (Waikato) was another cleverly hidden cache.  It looks like Hamilton is going to be a great destination for geocachers!

We finally arrived to GC2HWZN Twelve Days of Christmas (Hamilton South, Waikato).  We had such a great time – thanks to Butterfly lady for hosting this event at her home, providing the food and a majority of the presents.  Here is Kev with the present we choose on our way out.

While at the event a few of us did two nearby mystery caches – and thank goodness for that as Kev and I don’t do too well with these types!

The first one was GC13MVW Avoid Wires (Waikato).  A walk down the road from this cache gave us the final co-ordinations for the next mystery one, GC1M8WV Harald’s Hide (Waikato) which we picked up after the event and Gyro27 (Bill and Amy) joined us for this and a few more caches.

We were losing day light so we needed to add some pace when we went searching.  This cache GC2EDDG Even more fitzroy fun!! (Waikato) was a easy find once we got there – one of those cases when you could have gone to the location much quicker and easier, in this case, we could have driven basically not that far from it!

Since we were in the walking mood, we walked another 200+ metres to look for GC22P9R Fitzroy Fun (Waikato).  The three of us (Kai, Bill and I) had a very extensive look, but there seems to be work recently done in the area and a few other people couldn’t find it, so we added our third DNF for the day.

This cache GC235EX Not a native tree? (Waikato), Gyro27 had found earlier in the day.  With a guided walk to the cache proximity I found the cute cache container quickly.

Up the road to the next cache GC2J4A7 Resthill Warrior (Waikato).  Kai spotted it as we approached, and it was actually something from our geocaching shop! (Kev just commented to me how nice it was to see one of our products.)

We needed to get a move on, so decided to do one more cache before a dinner stop in the city.  Gyro27 also previously found GC2EDCW Haere Mai Hamilton (Waikato) and he helped me by telling me I was on the wrong side (been doing it all day!)  Once in the right direction it was a quick find – by me I think, but I could be wrong!

On our way to dinner Kai kept saying “there’s one there, and another” lol so we stopped for one more GC15T5C Dracula’s drop (Waikato).  It must have been a sign to stop as we had no luck, our fourth DNF for the day.

We drove in the city and everywhere was packed, so we ended up going to Burger King.  After dinner we said our goodbye’s to Bill and Amy who were staying the night so they could do some more caching in the morning and on the way home – what a great idea! 

On our way home we decided to try out luck at GC2KD1T Kids bus stop. (Waikato) which was one of three published in Huntly when we were at the event – thanks psychrn for bringing it to our attention!.  We arrived in the dark and Kai found the cache and a blank log!  Yay a FTF!  Last week the same thing happened, on the way home from an event we got a FTF.

We were a little excited as there were two new caches just up the road, and we felt pretty lucky!  As we parked at GC2KD3F Te Whare Taonga (Waikato) someone was at the building with a torch.  I though it was a security guard, but no, it was funkymunkyzone!  He just bet us for the FTF.  Kai and I went over with our torches to find the cache and had to shout out for a few tips from fmz.  We found it and returned to the cars for a chitchat when another car slowly approached asking if we needed help.  We nodded along saying we were find when they asked if we found it – phew not a protective local but the cache owner eyespyben. 

After another chit chat and confirmation fmz had also found the third new cache, we said our goodbyes and all went home.

We arrived back home about 11.20pm – 13 hours later, 30 caches, and 365 km’s.  Another great numbers weekend!

Day Eighteen of Month Challenge – tick!

13 days to go…

Like last Sunday, today was a BIG DAY!  A quick run down on the numbers…

13 hours (10.20am to 11.20pm)

365 kms

29 found caches – including 1 event, 1 joint FTF, 2 mystery’s – just like last weeks!

4 DNF’s – just like last weeks!

2 meals – a light lunch, snacks at the event and dinner at Burger King with kai_gotti and gryro27

and 3 very tired geocachers!

Will do a proper blog tomorrow night hopefully!

Cup of tea and bed

Cath

PS – kiwifamily over took us during the week, and now we are back in front!

Today was the big geocaching day.  We met up with kai_gotti, 8am at Altura Albany for a coffee and breakfast before going out East Auckland to get the big numbers.  We needed 28 caches to reach 400 finds.

The first one was GC1HYRM Glen House (Auckland).  I didn’t know it then but most of the caches for that day would mean walking down a lot of hills and hence, walking right back up them!  Kev was designated driver for the day so Kai and I jumped out of the car and went searching.  I came up with the first find – yay me!  I left the travel bug WBL-Race ’10 – HoGiPoGi – Zwerg. Here’s Kai and me walking back up hill number one.

Next cache was a quick drive away GCJFV1 Beached Flax (Auckland).  Guess what, I made this find too!  This hill was even bigger than the first one!  To top it off, I got mostly to the top when I realised I left my hiking stick behind.  I quickly went all the way back down and ran back up the hill – phew that was tiring and it was just cache number two!

Another quick drive to the next cache GC1H7VD Power box road view.  We parked right up to it and even though Kai and I gave it a thorough search, we just couldn’t find it.  Our first DNF.

We didn’t want to spend too much time there, so went to GC20825 Tamaki River Views (East Auckland).  This was along a walking path next to the water, and there were a few caches spread apart.  This cache was straight forward and Kai quickly spotted it.  The heat is so humid by now, my glasses are off and the sweat is dripping on us all.

Further along the beautiful walking track GC252GV Snakes and ladders Park (East Auckland).  This was such a neat little park.  There was a couple of muggle families playing there but the three of us discretely searched the area.  We had a fair idea where it should have been, but no, we just couldn’t find it.  This was our second DNF for the day, and the worst thing is, a day later someone found that cache!

For the next one we had to walk another five or so minutes around the path for GC11367 Plain Sailing (Auckland).  I spotted this cache and Kai retrieved it.  We loved these quick finds, perfect for a numbers run!  This is a picture of the walking track.

The heat is getting unbearable now, so instead of a extra long walk along the track, Kai and I opt for our driver Kev to drive to a closer access point.  We quickly got to the location for GC233FF Estuary Views (East Auckland) but just couldn’t find the cache.  After reading a few of the recent logs we decided to extend our search area, and yes, another find for me!  I also retrieved the lovely geocoin Canada 2007 Geocoin.

The next cache was another park and wildlife area, GC1HHTH Pukakaranga (Auckland).  Again a few muggles away but Kai was able to find and retrieve the cache with no problems.  Here’s me and Kai walking back to the car.

This cache GC22EWZ "Open Sesame – revisited" (Auckland) was a killer!  Not only was it a bit of a walk from the car, you had to climb a rocky hill to get to the top.  We spent a good fifteen minutes searching all the nooks and crannies but no luck – Open Sesame was closed today!  It was a good walk though, have a feeling I’m going to be losing some weight today!

A little bit of a drive away brought us to GC1D1E0 Te Naupata (Auckland).  Kai was in the zone and quickly discovered this one.  Here I am at the end of the bridge.

Up the road was GC1ZD4H AMJC04 Musickally Inclined (Auckland).  I hardly ever come out to East Auckland and it is absolutely beautiful.  There are so many beautiful views and this was one of them.  It was my turn to find the cache then Kev took some time to take some photos of the scenery.

At the top of the hill was GCZ31K Musick Radio (Auckland).  Kai and I went off for the walk and take in yet some more beautiful views.  The GPS’s were going a bit crazy but I decided to have a little walk about and I spotted it.

This cache GC2JTR1 Hidden Beach (East Auckland) was the stair challenge.  We walked and walked all the way down to a beautiful secluded beach.  Kai found it even before I had a chance to look!  It’s so hot I was dying for a swim but we had to move on. 

My thighs at the top of the stair climb was screaming “ouch ouch ouch”.  My wedding is in March, so I should have really ran up those stairs!

Just down the road was GC1K2ZC Somewhere in the Domain (Auckland).  Yet again Kai and I had to walk and walk.  Once at the right spot Kai spotted the clever disguise.  Now it was time to walk all the way back to the car!

Our next cache GC11HRM Marion’s Canada Cache (Auckland) was yet another breath taking sea view location.  We took a little bit longer to find this one but Kai did it in the end.  Here is a pic of Kai’s travelling companion Ratty, with the Moose that was inside the cache.

The next cache GC298PE The Twister (Auckland) Kai had found even before I had walked across the road!

Another quick drive lead us to GC1DD1Z Eric’s cache #3 (Auckland).  I can’t remember if Kai or I found this cache, hmmm have a feeling it was Kai.  I took a picture of Kev with the beach in the background.

Kai and I went off walking again for GC222D6 Lodged in Murvale (Auckland).  He spotted it but the cache description recommended a small hand to retrieve this cache.  I don’t know how I did it, but my chunky hands managed to pull out the cache.  Here I am posing – my legs are getting skinnier as the day goes on!

If we thought that walk was long, we were off for a hike for GC1KM4H Box o’ Books (Auckland).  Again we walked all the way down, down, down.  Once down, we had to walk inside the bush for quite a few minutes.  I located this massive cache.  The idea behind it is to swap books – a clever idea.  We walked most of the way back and I had just started the big stair climb when we realised another cache was a few extra minutes along the path.  So we walk all the way back and beyond for GC2FANM Prope Phyllostachys (East Auckland).  This was one of those caches that could have been a long search, but I was lucky and spotted it rather quickly.  Now it was time to walk all the way back and up yet another step an stair laden hill climb!  This is an exhausted me, at the top of the hill and back at the car (Kev was waiting inside with air conditioning!).

We had been hard out for a few good hours now, so needed a quick lunch break.  And it was just quick, we had plenty more numbers to go!  Here is Kev making us some lunch.

With our tummies nourished (it didn’t need much as it was so hot and tiring to eat!) we went to GC2CPQ9 Look Out To Cockle Bay (Auckland).  Guess what – it was another steep climb down then back up!  I found this cache and I left the travel bug Ireland 2007 Geocoin.

Down the road was GC2JGT4 C.B.D (Auckland).  This was a bush with plenty of good hiding spots but Kai and I couldn’t find the cache even after a good fifteen minutes searching!  It has now been disable and the owner is going to check up on it.

Here we go again for GC2HPMF Cockle Bay (East Auckland), a lengthy steep hill to climb down then right back up again!  There has been some recent work in the area but the cache was fine when I had discovered it.  Here is a picture of the lovely Cockle Bay.

The time was running out before the event, so on our way there we made just one more stop for GC2132N Sommerville Workout (Auckland).  It took us a fair few minutes but Kai finally came up with the find.  Here’s a picture of our driver.  Kev’s been a bit sick all week so dedicated himself to driving and it really makes a big difference as it doesn’t wear out the search team.

The main event of the day was GC2GBM1 Tramper Ted’s Christmas Campaign (Auckland).  We all had a great time catching up with old and new friends.  We really enjoyed watching the cache throwing contest even though none of us had the energy to compete.

We stayed for about an hour then had to move on to get more caches!  For a bit of a change we went to the top of One Tree Hill for the virtual cache GCB5A9 Auckland’s Panoramic Paradise.  Nice and easy and took some beautiful photos of our city.

We then travelled down the road to GC2J4YA Fishing in Greenlane (Auckland) and met up with tmann421 who was also at the event.  I made the find; I’ve done rather well today!

Slowly we were reaching 400.  We were so tired we wanted just quick drivebys.  GC17KP0 Rose ? (Auckland) was exactly that and I found the cache in no time.

This cache GC2K4GC Chicken Cache (Auckland) was a chirp, our second one to do.  Kai took charge of this one and found it with ease.  I took the travel bug FC Arsenal.

On the way to drop Kai off home, we stopped in the City at GC22PCT A Saint to be sure (Auckland).  Kev tried getting this cache last week but with no luck.  Kai pointed us to the general direction and the cache was glaring at us!  We took the travel bug Quinty.

It was time to drop Kai off home and Kev and I were going to do just a few more caches to get us over 400.  On the way home some cache notifications came though.  We couldn’t resist the cache in Glenfield, GC2JYR7 View From The Top.  I took charge of the search and after ten or so minutes searching Kev yelled to us that we should be up higher as the title is “View from the Top”.  Rolling my eyes at my basic mistake wondering if I lost the FTF for us, we went up to the top level and started the search again.  Kai came up with the find – and best of all, a blank log!  A joint FTF, yay!

We had dropped Kai off and decided to get some close by caches.  The first one was GCN9W6 Bringing Power to the People (Auckland).  This cache just happens to be in the backyard of my friend.  She wasn’t home as I walked past her place, but I didn’t have time to stop and chat, it was getting late and we needed two more caches to match kiwifamily’s 401 finds.  With my mind back on the cache, I quickly found it – our 400th cache!!!

One more cache to go, and this one was just a few roads across.  GC2AEVP Hanging out in the Wharf Rd Mangroves (Akld) was meant to be a easy find but took me a bit longer but I wasn’t leaving until I found it!  With the cache in my hand I could smile and relax, we have finally caught up with kiwifamily! Here is Kev using the iPad to log in our final cache.

It was now 8pm, Kev and I have been out since 8am in the morning.  We travelled 133kms, found 29 and had a DNF list of four – a great day!!!  We have another big cache run next Saturday in Hamilton for Twelve Days of Christmas (Hamilton South, Waikato).

Day Twelve of Month Challenge – tick!

19 days to go…

Today was a BIG DAY!  A quick run down on the numbers…

12 hours (8am to 8pm)

133 kms

29 found caches – including 1 event, 1 joint FTF, 1 virtual, 1 mystery (chirp)

4 DNF’s

1 meal – a lovely breakfast at Altura courtesy of kai_gotti, and the rest of the day was about numbers so just had a quick snack, including at the event

and 3 tired geocachers!

Will do a proper blog tomorrow night hopefully!

Dinner, shower and bed!

Cath

PS – biggest news of all, not only have we now found over 400 caches, we are equal with kiwifamily!

Today was a absolutely beautiful day – the sun was out and it felt like summer.  Unfortunately it is a busy time of year so Kev and I didn’t have a chance to go geocaching today… or so we thought.  We had just finished up at Kev’s work Christmas party and was on the way home.  As we were driving along the motorway  our iPhone beeped with the notification of GC2JRMC Radio Waves (Auckland).  It was going the wrong direction but as we read the description and noted the cache was dedicated to us by our friends Kiwifamily, we knew we had to be on the FTF hunt (by the way, Kev was over the moon!).

With the radio up high and one of our favourite AC/DC songs playing (Thunderstuck) we quickly arrived at the destination and parked right up to the cache.  I zoomed in and squished my fingers between the rocks and hard metal base – ouch!  Kev was in no mood to soothe my aching fingers and he went on his hand and knees and search for the micro (note that Kev hardly searches, so it was the FTF adrenalin that was pumping in his veins).  Kev quickly found it, but just as quickly dropped it!  Now it was truly lost!  Kev was laying on the rocks and pulling them out searching to no avail.  I had another go and just couldn’t find that teny tiny black magnetic nano.  We were about to give up when I tried one more time and yes I found it! Best of all, we were the FTF!  Kev quickly posed for the photo with his beloved coffee which was part of the dedication for the cache.

We had a tiny bit of light left so decided to get the cache just down the road GC2J5H4 Hingaia Reserve (Auckland).  My GPS took me straight to the prime suspect and I started to search.  The search took a little longer than I thought but luckily Kev had brought the torch.  After tramping along on my hands and knees I found the cache – our second for the night!

Sunday we are again busy so won’t be able to get in any caching but for the month of December Kevs_Team is trying for a cache every day of the month so we can get some more achievement badges from BadgeGen and hopefully will hit 400 caches by the new year!

Cache you later! (that’s the best signing off phrase I could come up with – bet it’s used elsewhere even though it is so lame lol)

Cath

Saturday 16th October 2010

We were out in the Bays to collect some Trade Me purchases and decided to see if there were any nearby caches, and of course there was one just nearby, GC1YE90 Duncan Found It First!! (Auckland).  It was a quick walk from the car park, and once the neighbours stopped looking in our directory I made a quick find.  We left the TB Sextant Manhonho.  Another cache was just a little up the road, but unfortunately a group of skateboarding boys were congregating nearby so we had to leave it.  We went further up the road to the next one, another park.  My ankle was sore and I didn’t feel like walking too far, and Kev had no interest in going himself, so we had a Mr Whippy ice-cream instead before going off to Long Bay to eat a take-out dinner at the beach.

Later that night our iPhone beep telling us there was a new cache published in Greenhithe GC2ERC8 The Family Cache (Greenhithe, Ackl).  This is our friends Trav007’s 50th hide, and we really wanted a FTF.  We quickly got into the car and took off.  We approached the area, found somewhere to park, and walked around in a daze trying to get our GPS’s to lock onto something.  After wasting a few minutes we ended up going in the right direction.  It was the corner of a street, a very flash street, with a wooden area.  I wasn’t too sure if it was private property of not, but assuming it was public, so went through the trees.  Our GPS was pointed down the hill, not something me and Kev wanted to do!  We went back on the footpath and walked down the road a little.  As walking I noticed torchlight in the trees – was it another geocacher or had we scared the neighbours?  As usual, we approached a path leading into the trees – the correct way in!  We heard a familiar voice, it was kiwicouple and thankfully they hadn’t found the cache.  After a few minutes searching Mr kiwicouple found it, but we could log it as a joint FTF – better than 2nd!  Another great cache from Trav.

Sunday 17th October 2010

Today was our first Cache In Trash Out Event, GC2F87T Orpheus Refreshed – CITO Event (Auckland).  As we were leaving it started to rain, so a quick stop at The Warehouse, I was able to purchase a poncho.  We arrived for the 11am start and I was dressed and ready.  I think most people wish they had come as prepared as me, I had a picker-upper stick!

I’m glad they were not orange jackets, people would have thought we were PD workers!

Here is the group of us at our briefing, note Kev’s absent, he didn’t want to hurt his knee or back so stayed in the warm, dry car!

And here I am at work.

It was a great event, two hours picking up all the rubbish.  We ended up with at least 20 or more rubbish bags!  And while we were there, a few of us went to go get GC1QA72 Orpheus (Auckland).  A great disguise and the end of a geocaching day – time for lunch and rest!

As for Kev, he could have helped with the clean-up as he ended up hurting his knee anyway!  And to top things off, it was his normally good knee!  I couldn’t resist and had to take a video of him, ps the language is R18 lol.

I was getting ready for bed when the phone alerted us there was a new cache published in Albany.  Kev was keen to go so I sent him out with Kev Snr to GC2BXFD Naughty Naughty (Albany,akld).  They rushed off and quickly found it – but were the second to sign the log!  Oh well – lucky I was snuggled up in bed!

Today we headed out for some geocaching hunting with our friend kai_gotti.  We decided to go to Herald Island to get trav004’s caches which alluded us last week.

First one was GC2AJNX In plane view (Auckland).  Since trying last week a hint was added, so today was a nice easy find.

Hoping the next one will be just as easy this time around, we headed straight to GC2ARCE Herald hide’a'way (Auckland).  Like last week, this cache had kai_gotti and I going around in circles!  We spent a good 30 minutes searching absolutely everywhere and decided to give up.  Just as we were leaving kai_gotti spotted something and decided to have a look – and yipee, we found it! 

GC16K4F Welcome to Herald Island ! (Auckland) had us going up and down looking everywhere.  Luckily we had kai_gotti with us who once again made the lucky find!  Another fantastic hide of glyn’s.

After kai_gotti finished finding the rest of Herald Island’s caches we went straight over to Hobsonville.  One Kev and I always wanted to do but never got around to it was GC16Z6P Wreck Bay (Auckland).  After Kev and kai_gotti went hunting in the wrong direction, I went off with kai and we went the right way this time!  Lots of houses being built in this area so not too sure how much time people will have to easily access this cache – but no worries for us as we found it!

Next one was another one Kev and I couldn’t find before GC2A7QC Bluefin Bush (Auckland).  On the way there we bumped into gadget-tron and had a nice chat.  This time it didn’t take too long to find, not sure how we missed it last attempt!

Time to hit Greenhithe, starting with GC1PT1F When The Tigers Broke Free (Auckland).  Kev and I couldn’t find this one on a previous attempt so we asked for some “guidance” from someone who had done it before – great information as we found it quickly.  The next one just down the road we couldn’t find, even with the inside information, so we reckon it is MIA – GC1TC9V North Camp’s Bomb Bunker(Auckland).

Our next cache was one of the few I found (with kai_gotti finding the majority!) – GC2AJ2K Greenhithe house of mystery (Auckland) – nice and easy.  Kev found the next one, his first of the day GC27VM7 Greenhithe cammo (Greenhithe,Auckland).  A wonderful cache and easily found as the tree was leafless. 

The next cache kai_gotti had already found GC29ZWV Mission ‘Wainoni’ (Greenhithe, Auckland).  He guided us in the right direction so we were able to find it – without his help we would have added it to our DNF list!

The last one before a coffee break was GC2AW28 Why Wainoni (Ackld).  Not too much of a hunt to get this one.

After refuelling with coffee and food we decided just to do a few more caches before calling it a day.  Next one was GC2AMBH Call the Plumber (Auckland).  Kai_gotti and I did the walk to the location and spent a good 5+ minutes looking and looking.  Kai_gotti naturally found it – what a great disguise!  The final one before heading back home was GC1RQZR All Quiet on the Western Front! (Auckland).  Easily found but tricky to get the cache out.  Headed back to our place to have another coffee and thank kai_gotti for a great day’s geocaching.

Later that night we had a FTF alert in the nearby neighbourhood so we quickly went out the door.  We were the first to arrive but naturally couldn’t find the cache GC2B57P Hiding @ The Marina (Auckland).  Wasn’t long before we were joined by the usual FTF teams and we all eventually found it for a four-way FTF effort!