The Search Jaunt

Today is my birthday. My wife wanted to celebrate this with X-mas shopping. I didn’t find the most exciting day I could imagine on my birthday so I went for a caching day instead. After being a roadie for my son, who was giving a concert on his (music) keyboard for his classmates on the last day school of the year, I headed to my first cache. I was really near the parking place of my first cache, I need to stop for a post van, blocking the narrow street. It was a peaceful and nice day, I didn’t hoot and waited patiently until he departed. Then suddenly, the van moved speedily backwards. Bang, on my car. I didn’t have the time to hoot anymore. Result, nearly 2 months after my previous accident the front of my car is damaged again . Caching seems to be a dangerous sport. After a delay of 45 minutes I could tackle my first cache of the day. At least, almost. I had nearly a new accident on the same road only 50 meters further away from the previous one. The drivers of a van of the local council discovered that  their vehicle couldn’t pass under the bridge and decided to drive backwards too. Luckily, they noticed my hooting. Anyway, I could finally start my caching journey:

• “E40 Exit 25″ GC12CVC. Very nice environment near a cycle track which used to be an old railway. I could spot the nice packaging right away.
• “De oude watermolen” GC1589X was a bit further. The old watermill is (partly) reconditioned and is a nice start to walk further. After I’ve logged, I met a bird watcher wanting to know if I was there also for spotting birds. I mentioned that I was just enjoying the landscape and I started about my post van experiences.
• I was familiar with the environment of “Net over de grens…” GCWRG2 but never stopped at this chapel. Sadly I found a dead puss on my way and also a box for another game called Ciste. And I thought that geocaching was the only one. Nice cache and view.
• I had also a very nice view near “A tree with a view” GC158A4 and discovered a cache which had a very special packaging. I did similar ways of hiding on blogs and forums, but I had never seen one IRL. I’m a bit worried if it’ll survive a next winter and I will warn the author about the state of of it.
• The last stage of this forenoon is the chapel of “View Hoegaarden ” GC1DC5Y. When you go up a few stairs you could see al the towns in the neighbourhood. I could also spot the place where the stash probably was. Nice camouflage technique btw.

After these five, I went to the garage in order to assess the damage and make an appointment for getting it repaired. After that I went home for a bite and since the wife wasn’t home yet, I continued my caching journey. The theme of this afternoon  could be called second attempts:

• After the fuss about my motel. I created a new one, this time with a content of 8 litres. I guess nobody will complain about that anymore. The side effect is that it can’t stay at the same place anymore and the hotel needs to be relocated. It’s now a full blown hotel in a little wood a little bit further. After changing the cache page, I wanted to update the coordinates but the system wouldn’t let me. It seems that it consider the +/-150 meter as distance too long and thus needs to be approved by a reviewer. I’ve sent him a message and I hope it’ll be on line soon. I hope find this a better place for the cache.
• After this, I went to “Kessel” GC64CD for a second attempt. The first time (somewhat 1.5 months ago) wasn’t very successful. This could be caused by the fact the coordinates aren’t in the direct neighbourhood of the stash, the fact that there two places in the neighbourhood which have 2 birches or my inexperience at the time. Anyway, after some communication with previous loggers I could retrieve it rather smoothly. Looking back at the cache description, things make more sense this time.
• I had some time left to have a second try on “A – Eugene Vanhorebeke Speelplein” GC174BC. As mentioned in this blog, I didn’t read the essential maintenance log yesterday. I did read it today and thus it was rather easy to find it this time.

Looking back, it was a particular day. It didn’t start well with the car accident. At the other end, I’ve logged 7 caches, which is a day record. I’ve also relocated my hotel. Oh well, things could be worse. Today ends without a government again (for the X-th time in 1.5 years). But that isn’t as bad as Homeless Mothers, the theme by the Red Cross Flanders for Music for life (in Dutch). This is a campaign where 3 radio djs are locked in a gals houses without food for 6 days and only music on demand in exchange for money.

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