The start of the long awaited trip 9 day trip

Almost a year ago we started planning our trip to GeoWoodstock13.  Once the hotel reservations were made we slowly started the planning.  Which caches or series would we attempt and so forth.

Slowly the trip evolved from a long weekend trip and it eventually topped out at 11 days.  Eventually that 11 days would be trimmed to 9 due to family tradition but we, Nana & I, planned to have one heck of a week enjoying this tremendous hobby called geocaching.

Log for the main event

Slowly the list of major targets caches filled up until we were sure we had more than we could actually accomplish.

Log for the Early Arrival Event

The plan was simple:
1) One day travel to Hagerstown, caching along the way.
2) One day before GeoWoodstock to cache around the area and attend pre-events.
3) GeoWoodstock13 on day 3
4) Days 4 through 9 for 6 main targets caching to each target, around, and then to the next target.

Muggles at a cache

DAY 1
As luck would have it, it was a steady rain the morning we left Suffolk but by noon the rain had decreased to a drizzle and shortly thereafter the sun slowly peeked through the clouds.  The rain had slowed us down but we eventually made in the Berkeley County West Virginia.  WVTim and his friends, both cachers and county officials, had created another great caching series in Berkeley County.

Nana and I spent the spent the rest of the daylight hours finding cache after cache but failed to complete the series before it was time to check in at the hotel for the weekend and then find us a nice place for dinner.

At the end of Day 1 we had 15 finds including 1 event, 1 earthcache, 2 puzzle caches and 11 traditional caches.  Not bad for a day with almost 7 hours of rain!

DAY 2
We started early and our first stop was one of the many events on the day.  We then headed back towards West Virginia to attempt to get the rest of the series and we did accomplish all but the final - that we were saving for tomorrow!

Through the day we completed two other nice series, The Road to GWS which obviously was near the upcoming party sight and Strolling down the Pike which was a little west of the same road.

Finishing off the day with the Early Arrivals Meet n Greet before heading back to find a nice place to eat before turning in for the night.

The Day 2 totals gave us another 41 finds including 3 events, a Multi, an earthcache, a puzzle cache and 35 traditional caches.

DAY 3
After grabbing a quick bite of breakfast it was off to the event site.  GeoWoodstock13!!!  Our first GeoWoodstock.  What can I say other than WOW!!!

Vendors, speakers, games, historical information, more vendors, more speakers, food and last but not least... more vendors!!!

We finished up the Lab Caches, visited all the vendors one more time, listened to just one more speaker then decided to head out of the event area and grab some more caches including the final to the Villages of Berkeley County series.

GCHR group pic

GeoWoodstock13 was a great event with more than enough to do to keep you busy most of the day.  The volunteers and planners for this event did a fantastic job.

Another muggle at a cache

 The Day 3 totals added another 32 finds including a CITO, an event, a Multi, 10 Lab Caches, an earthcache, 4 puzzle caches, 9 traditional caches and of course the Mega Event.

Our next blog will cover DAY 4, the target cache and the other caches that made up the day!

As Always - Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!

Suffolk Nana & Papa - - - or - - - SNAP!!!

Washington County Maryland GeoTrail (WCG)

Saturday September 14th the Geocachers of Washington County (MD) in association with the Hagerstown Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau kicked off with a morning event the Washington County Maryland GeoTrail.   The really interesting and educational trail consists of thirty-five (35) geocaches placed at points of interest all over the County.  Caches can be found in National, State, County and Town parks as well as at Museums, Wineries, Historical sites and places of natural beauty.  You can also earn a trackable geocoin which will be awarded to the first 500 geocachers that complete the WCG and submit their passports of completion.

1

What made our trip up to this area even more special (other than being with Jim & Lynne of jtmlam59) was an unanticipated coincidence.  Without really planning it, this trail opened on the same weekend as most of Washington County Maryland was having a major reenactment weekend.  Not only did we get to tour a really gorgeous part of Maryland we also got to visit numerous historical sites with characters of all sorts manning each and every site, dressed in uniforms, dresses, etc of the 1860's.  Everywhere we went we were approached by ladies or soldiers offering assistance and ready to answer any and all questions we had.  Thank goodness the temperatures were in the lower 70's as I cannot imagine being in those wool uniforms of huge southern dresses if the temperatures had been in the 80's or 90's.

Among the places we visited while qualifying for the Geocoin were:

Field Hospital (Pry House) [GC4EFXE] -  served dual roles during and after the bloody battle at Antietam in September of 1862.  It served both as headquarters for Union Commanding General George McClellan and Union Medical Director Dr. Jonathan Letterman.   Antietam would be McClellan's last battle command, reflected in his timid and piecemeal approach to Bobby Lee.  To Letterman's eternal credit, Antietam, and the Pry House, is arguably the birthplace of modern battlefield and emergency medicine.  It is thus appropriate that the Site, while associated with Little Mac, is today the Pry House Field Hospital Museum, a sub-site of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

Doubleday Hill [GC4EFW3] - In 1861 Civil War times, Union Major Abner Doubleday led the former Fort Sumter Battery E, 1st U.S. Artillery to Williamsport to guard the vulnerable Potomac River crossings. It was there that he built a battery at the edge of a piece of land that was, and remains the town's cemetery. It was also the highest point in Williamsport. Three siege guns were installed and Doubleday's men held the position for several months.

Devils Backbone Park [GC4EFW1] - Opened to the public in June of 1966, Devil's Backbone is the second oldest of Washington County's parks. The nine acre park includes a footbridge across the Antietam Creek, which divides the park, providing access to the"island" section of the park as well as to a nature trail which ascends to the summit of the ridge from which the park takes its names.

City Park Railroad Museum [GC4EFXZ] - Tucked away in a back corner of Hagerstown City Park, Engine#202 sits on steel rails at the City Park Railroad Museum. A 'Pacific' model, 4-6-2 combination, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, old #202 is kept company by a number of red cabooses, re-claimed and re-built trackside signals, and an active rail line just beyond the back boundary of the Park. Unlike many of her steam contemporaries, #202 did not burn coal or wood. Her tender was a tank car that carried petroleum distillates; #202 was an 'oil burner.'

Byron Memorial Park [GC4EFY0] - one of the loveliest parks in Washington County. The park is the home Concococheague Little League, the Williamsport Pool & Community Center, the local Boy Scout Troop, and Williamsport Library.

Bowman House [GC4EFVK] - the Bowman House is a two-story log structure typical of many log dwellings of the early 1800's. It is described as L-shaped, the main body being 28 feet in width and 21 in depth. The kitchen wing measures 21 by 12. Typical also is the hewed V-notch construction which is readily visible at the exterior corners.

Beaver Creek School [GC4EFVB] - is an historic two-room schoolhouse dating to 1904. The school was in operation until 1961 at which time ownership of the schoolhouse was passed on to the Washington County Historical Society.

Give 'Em All Three Barrels [GC4EFVT] - This multi-cache is located in small but well-situated Shafer Park in Boonsboro. The short stroll-about encompasses the founders, a time capsule, and artifacts of several American Wars.  The posted coordinates lead to the first of three historical monuments.

M3A1 "STUART" [GC4EFWD] - Placed with permission of the Funkstown American Legion, there is plenty of parking on site.  This site memorializes those who have served this county in uniform and those in uniform who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.

Rose Hill Cemetery [GC4EFXJ] - Founded in 1865, Rose Hill Cemetery was the first place where local residents could be buried regardless of their race or religious preferences. Many who were interred in family or church plots were moved and re-interred at Rose Hill. The names on the gravestones in the cemetery are a 'who's who' of Washington County history. Among the thousands that rest here are senators, congressmen, governors and nearly 2500 Confederate soldiers who were killed at the Battles of Antietam and South Mountain. Rose Hill has thousands of artistic and historic statuary and markers. The "Statue of Hope," the "Sacred Heart" and a marker for the dog Rollo are several of the many unusual statuary to be found there.

Wash. Monument St. Pk. [GC4EFXW] - Located atop scenic South Mountain, Washington Monument State Park is named for the first completed monument dedicated to the memory of the country's first president - George Washington. The Washington Monument is a rugged stone tower that was initially erected by the citizens of Boonsboro.

This has got to be one of our favorite geocaching trips.  The groups that coordinated in getting these caches in place did a fantastic job.  Plenty of historic sites to visit and the scenery is fantastic!!!  We will definitely be back not only to finish the rest of the geotrail, but also just to spend more time at some of the sites along the way.

Thanks again (to all) for putting this geotrail together!!!

As Always - Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!

SNAP!!! - Suffolk Nana & Papa

:)

Last minute geocaching trips are sometimes “THE BEST”

As I pulled into the driveway from work Friday evening, Nana met me at the door (oh-oh!!!).   She pulls me aside and says she had an idea - "Let's take off and go geocaching!  I’ve had a week full of kids and it’s time to go off by ourselves!  The car is full of gas and I have everything ready to pack, let’s go caching!"  (Whew!)

 

After talking about it for a few minutes, we decided to leave early in the morning and head to the Eastern Shore.  I think she had her heart set on Greensville, NC but by the end of the weekend I think she was more than happy with our quick weekend trip up to Assateague and then into Maryland and back home again.  We ended up finding 34 caches on Saturday including and 25 on Sunday!!!

It had been almost 3 years since we had cached on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and I was anxious to go back and see some more of the history of the area.

Some of the highlights of our trip were:

Cape Charles, VA - 2 nice caches right on the waterfront.  One of them is an earthcache:  Chesapeake Bay Bolide

Indiantown Recreation Park - a beautiful little park located just east of Eastville, VA - we found 5 of the even caches in the park!

Onacock, VA has a series of six caches which tour the quaint old town and visit some of the historic sights

Makemie Monument Park, located on the Chesapeake side of the Eastern shore is a little park way out in the middle of no-where-ville.  Unfortunately we were unable to make the find here but the park sure had some great scenery.

Chincoteague has plenty of caches spread around the fishing community and nearby Assateague Island has an Earthcache and a Virtual.

Favorite points were awarded to the following caches over the two days of Caching:

GC3FTT1 – The Bunker – hidden by Banshee74 - located in the Virginia Eastern Shore Wildlife Refuge the cache is located at the site of old Fort John Custis.  The bunker used to house 16 inch guns used to protect the naval bases and shipyards located in the Hampton Roads area. There were about 800 soldiers stationed to defend the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay.

GC3CGX9 – CJS – Cape Charles Historic Dictrict – part of the Captain John Smith series.

GC38V65 – What a wreck! – hidden by Kivotos – located down a small trail there was apparently a meteorological tower here long ago.

GC33T6B – Another bank in the red – hidden by Kivotos – lovely scenery near a public boat ramp

GC3PQK5 – Nursery Keeper (Micro) – hidden by TeamMedlock – located in a small park which was commemorated to a local Nursery owner.

GC2YRB8 – The Healing Garden – hidden by Banshee74 – a tricky little cache in a lovely memorial garden

GC3CGZ8 – CJS – Onancock #2 Ker Place – another of the Captain John Smith series – a beautiful old house and garden.

GCHN4C – guard the beach – hidden by volks-man – a very nice stroll down the beach and then inland a little – guarantee you will remember this location for quite some time!

GC39Z63 – Farewell to Sassy – hidden by Run&Hike – antoher scenic location and a great story to go with the cache.

GC1BPNK – Chincoteague Bay Earthcache – hidden by Run&Hike – located near the above cache, the scenery here is to be remembered.

GC17D0C – Crossing the Wagram – this cache had been on our DNF list since the last time we were up this way.  Almost three years later we redeem ourselves by making the find!  Hope the cache owner doesn’t mind if I steal this idea for our own version.

GC16XED – You get a line, I’ll get a pole! – hidden by Run&Hike – another great cache idea we might steal for our own version!

Winners of the “COVETED” SNAP!!! Cache of the Day were:

Saturday – GCBBF7 – Assateague Lighthouse – hidden by lidar0101 – A virtual cache full of history!

Sunday – GC2WVGV – Ahoy Mate, Curtis Merritt Harbor – the location was great but the cache container was even better.  Nana & I have almost 5000 finds and had never seen this before!!!

The view from our room!

When we made it back home late Sunday we totaled up the finds.  1 Virtual, 1 Puzzle, 1 Letterbox, 4 Earthcaches and 52 Traditional caches – plus I got to do them all with my great caching partner – NANA - not bad for a last minute trip!!!!

As Always – Stay Safe & Keep Caching!!!

SNAP!!! – Suffolk Nana & Papa