Cold, Blustery Afternoon in the Columbia River Gorge, Dec. 26th

Kimberly, Christopher, Catherine and I decided to travel the Columbia River Gorge on a very cold, blustery afternoon. The sun was shining. There were white caps on the Columbia River. We stopped at Lacamas Park in Camas, Washington to replace a cache. We traveled east on Hwy 14, stopping briefly at Cape Horn for the spectacular view. We stopped at Skamania Lodge to look at the view from the huge windows. A couple of us had steaming cups of hot chocolate. We crossed the Bridge of the Gods into Oregon. Kimberly and Catherine found a cache and benchmark by the bridge. We traveled west on I-84, stopping at the parking lot to view Multnomah Falls. Kimberly, Christopher and Catherine found the cache at Dalton Point. We found the cache (third try) at a cemetery in Troutdale.

10 Years of Geocaching

It has been almost ten years since May 3, 2000 when Dave Ulman of Oregon City, Oregon and Mike Teague of Vancouver, Washington -- independently stashed several five-gallon buckets and posted their locations to the Web. Then on May 30, 2000 Matt Stum, one of the original Stash Hunters, coined the name "Geocache" and offered it in place of the term Geostash which had negative connotations and the rest is history.

Afternoon Tea at Pomeroy Living History Farm, Yacolt, December 16th

My daugher, Kimberly, and I had Afternoon Tea at Pomeroy Living History Farm in Yacolt on Wednesday, December 16, 2009. We had Savory Cucumber Sandwiches, Cranberry Chutney and Pecan Sandwiches, and Bacon and Tomato Tea Sandwiches. We also had Scones with Devonshire Style Cream and two kinds of Jam. We had Peppermint Chocolate Nut Torte, Raspberry Tarts and Individual Trifle for desert. We drove along the Lewis River to the falls and then explored a couple antique stores in Battle Ground on our way back to Vancouver.

“Portland Holiday Sampler: A Northwest Christmas”

I attended “Portland Holiday Sampler: A Northwest Christmas” Exploritas (formerly Elderhostel) program from Saturday, December 12th to Wednesday, December 16th at a hotel near the Lloyd Center. On Saturday we had check-in & registration, dinner at the hotel and program orientation by our on-site group leader.

Following breakfast at the hotel on Sunday morning, we had a walking tour of Portland led by Peter Chaus, lunch at Southpark Restaurant, guided visit of Powell’s Books including the rare book room, dinner at hotel and a field trip to the Oregon Zoo for "Zoo lights" where we rode in the caboose of the Zoo Train.

On Monday we had a coffee tour and tasting after breakfast and visited Pittock Mansion nicely decorated for the holiday season. We had lunch on our own so Pat (from nearby Scappoose) and I ate lunch at Ram’s Head on NW Hoyt St. Afterwards the group did a tour and tasting at a micro-brewery and had dinner and sightseeing cruise on the Portland Spirit on the Willamette joining a parade of lighted boats.

After breakfast on Tuesday, we departed for Mt. Hood and a guided visit of Timberline Lodge on the snowy slopes. We visited Multnomah Falls which was partly frozen. After dinner in the hotel, we visited Pix Patisseries where we made individual desserts. Tomorrow I will have breakfast at the hotel and turn in my evaluation form.

SAGA Holiday Event, December 5, 2009

Christopher, Kimberly and I went to the SAGA Holiday Event yesterday. We signed the log for the Alphabet District Tour in Portland. Kimberly did the “Boone There Done That” cache in Wilsonville as Christopher and I had already “been there, done that.” We found three geocaches and two benchmarks (bronze statue w/gold leaf finish of Pioneer Man at State Capitol Bldg) in Salem before the SAGA Holiday Event from 4–6pm at the Anderson Meeting Room in Salem Public Library.

I brought homemade ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corp) biscuits which we call cookies. I came across these biscuits (cookies) at the ANZAC Tearoom while geocaching in The Dalles recently with Kimberly. We had a great time at the SAGA Holiday Event. Good food esp. the Monkey Bread, good company, fun White Elephant Gift Exchange ending the Event with a group search for "I've Got Standards!" geocache in the Library.

Geocaching on a sunny day in December

My eldest daughter, Kimberly, and I went geocaching today along Hwy 99 and I-5 from Vancouver to Salem and Eugene and then southeast to Fall Creek/Lowell area. I found 12 caches. Kimberly found a couple more that I had already found. My favorite caches for the day were “Dead Governors,” Ducks on Parade, “Eugene’s Letter” and the two covered bridges – Pengra and Lowell.

Afternoon Tea and Geocaching

My daughters, Catherine and Kimberly, and I had Afternoon Tea at Myrtle’s Tearoom in Ridgefield, Washington. We had a selection of tea sandwiches, cup of soup, scones, fresh fruit and delectable sweets with Earl Grey tea. Afterwards we went Geocaching in Ridgefield, La Center and Woodland.

Geocaching in Camas and Washougal, Nov. 25th

My eldest daughter, Kimberly, and I did several errands in Vancouver. Afterwards we drove to Camas and Washougal to look for geocaches and a benchmark. I stopped at the Georgia-Pacific Paper Mill in Camas to inquire about the water source for the mill. It still comes from Lacamas Lake and Round Lake via the Mill Ditch, and Deep Wells. We had lunch at Quiznos. The sun shone part of the afternoon which made it very pleasurable. The last cache was our best find: Washougal’s Quietest Neighbors. It was hidden in this very unusual tree.

Geocaching and The Anzac Tea Parlour, The Dalles, OR

I went geocaching with my eldest daughter, Kimberly (kimmykat), so she could get The Dalles-Dash Geocoin. Afterwards we drove just north of Dufur to find a cache and then east on fifteen mile road to find a cache and a Virtual.

We enjoyed Australian afternoon tea at The Anzac Tea Parlour in a historic house in The Dalles. The Wollongong Two-Course Tea included delicious Chicken Almond Tea Sandwiches, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Olive Rolls, Sun-dried Tomato Quiches, Chocolate-dipped Strawberries, Petite ANZAC Biscuits and red grapes with a large, shared pot of Earl Grey tea with Bergamot. We also had a second course of Bev's freshly-baked Scones with Devonshire Cream and two kinds of Jam. We saved our Chocolate-dipped Strawberries and Petite ANZAC Biscuits for late afternoon snack.

Afterwards we found the remains of two NGS benchmarks at a viewpoint a couple miles east of Mosier, drank hot chocolate and ate our Chocolate-dipped Strawberries and Petite ANZAC Biscuits in front of the fireplace at Skamania Lodge and then drove back to Vancouver via I-84 in the pouring rain.

Pumpkin Afternoon Tea at Pomeroy Farm, Yacolt

My eldest daughter, Kimberly, and I went to Pomeroy Farm in Yacolt to have Pumpkin Afternoon Tea on Wednesday, November 18th. I took a couple photos of the table setting before we sat down. It was a lovely tea. We had Cucumber and Garlic Butter Sandwiches, Carrot and Cheddar Sandwiches and Turkey Tea Sandwiches; Scones with Devonshire Style Cream and Strawberry and Blackberry Jam; and for desert Eggnog Cake, Lemon Tarts and Chocolate Cheese Cake.

Afterwards we took the scenic drive through Yacolt and Amboy to Woodland. We stopped at the Cedar Creek Grist Mill to find a cache that we were unable to find on our last visit. We watched large fish trying to get upstream over the falls. There was a lot of water from the recent rain storms. We drove back through Woodland and then south on I-5 to Vancouver.

Molalla, Oregon Geocoin Challenge, November 14, 2009

On Saturday afternoon, November 14th, my eldest daughter, Kimberly, #2 son, Christopher, and I went to Molalla to do the 1st Molalla Geocoin Challenge. Near one of the caches the street sign had Christopher's name.

We found nine of 10 caches however we were unable to find the “Images of Molalla” cache. We were there about 3:15 in the afternoon. We searched for about a half hour and then walked back to the car meaning to go into Mollala to get our geocoins as we had found all the rest of the geocaches. Two couples drove in so we went with them back to the cache area. We all searched for about 15 minutes. No cache. No code word.

We drove into Mollala to get our geocoins arriving minutes before closing. The Executive Director of the Molalla Area Chamber of Commerce told us where the cache was located. We had already searched that area. We drove back anyway and searched for another 20 minutes or so. We used hiking sticks to drive into the ground hopeing to find the large metal ammo can. It got dark so we left. And of course we never got the code word.

It was a great Geocoin Challenge. We saw several very interesting places in and around Molalla, Oregon. It would have been better if it was not so very cold though. And dark too soon.

Geocaching and Benchmarking in the Columbia River Gorge, November 4, 2009

My eldest daughter, Kimberly, and I went geocaching and benchmarking in the Columbia River Gorge. We left Vancouver, WA about 7:00am, traveling across the I-205 bridge and east on I-84 to Troutdale. It was very chilly and windy. After finding several geocaches in Troutdale, we traveled along the old Columbia River Highway finding geocaches and benchmarks along the way. At Crown Point the wind was blowing so strong that we had trouble standing upright!

We traveled east to The Dalles on I-84 where we had Afternoon Tea at The Anzac Tea Parlour - "A Taste of Australia" in a historic house. Besides the sandwiches and savories shown in the photo we had scones with jam and cream and choice of desserts. I saved my chocolate covered strawberry and Anzac biscuit (what we would call a cookie) to have later. We were invited into the large kitchen with its blackboard slate floor, old growth beams, and collection of collectible tins.

We did some geocaching and benchmarking in The Dalles and Mosier on the way home. We took the Old Columbia River Highway via Rowena Crest. I photographed and got the coordinates to a Glacial Erratic in Mosier for a Waymark. The sunset was absolutely spectacular! There was a full Harvest Moon but it was seen dimly behind the clouds. The three outstanding caches: Co-Pilot's Log, Bridal Veil R.I.P. and Old Town Troutdale.

Cedar Creek Grist Mill, Woodland, WA, Sunday, November 1, 2009

My daughter, Kimberly, and I did some geocaching on the way to the 1876 Cedar Creek Grist Mill in Woodland, Washington and then one geocache afterwards on the way to I-5 S and back to Vancouver. At the Grist Mill we watched the grinding of two kinds of wheat into flour and cornmeal. We were given small brown bags of flour (great for scones, biscuits, pancakes) and cornmeal (great for cornbread to serve with chili). Neither of us took the bread flour as we did not make bread. We got a couple recipes also: Collins' Honey Beer Bread and Grist Mill Buttermilk Pancakes. I have the "Cedar Creek Grist Mill Favorite Recipes" Cookbook c. 1991 which has recipes for Baking Powder Biscuits and County Scones.

Geocaching Tour of Yamhill County, October 24, 2009

On Saturday, October 24th, my #1 daughter, Kimberly, and I toured Yamhill County finding about fifteen geocaches and benchmarks. We drove west on Hwy 99 W to the Glacial Erratic just west of McMinnville, then south past Dallas to Guthrie Park, back to Dallas and east to Salem and then I-5 home to Vancouver. We stopped for a late lunch at Quiznos in McMinnville. We enjoyed “The Sunset Pioneers,” “Hoover History,” “Y.V.V. Cache,” and “Guthrie Park on the Applegate Trail” geocaches.

Pumpkin Tea, Wednesday, October 21, 2009

My eldest daughter, Kimberly, and I went to the Pumpkin Tea at the Pomeroy Living History Farm on Wednesday, October 21st. We had a nice table for two. We were served Cucumber and Garlic Butter Sandwiches, Ham with Apricot Cream Cheese Sandwiches and Walnut and Swiss Cheese Sandwiches. We also had warm Scones with Strawberry Jam and Devonshire Style Cream. We had Pumpkin Cake, Chocolate Orange Tarts and Maple Butterscotch Brownies for dessert. There were two chocolates also. Kimberly and I drove east past Moulton Falls and stopped at the Cedar Creek Grist Mill near Woodland, Washington. The leaves were changing to reds and golds. It was a lovely afternoon.

GSA & IAFI, Tuesday, October 20, 2009

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009 I manned the Lower Columbia Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute (IAFI) booth at The Geological Society of America (GSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition in the Convention Center in Portland, Oregon from 9:00am to 1:30pm. I met a lot of interesting people. After my stint I wandered around the auditorium looking at the various exhibits. There was a book for sale that intrigued me – “Stories in Stone” by David B. Williams.

That evening I attended a lecture at the Museum of the Oregon Territory, 211 Tumwater Drive in Oregon City. The Lower Columbia Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute (IAFI), in conjunction with the Geological Society of America (GSA) Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon, presented noted geologists and authors Bruce Bjornstad "On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods" and Bob Carson "Where the Great River Bends." Bjornstad has created several challenging Geocaches and an Earthcache (pp. 135-137). The view from the large museum windows of Willamette Falls is spectacular. I was so exhausted I kept dozing off!!

Geocaching Tour of Washington County, October 10, 2009

My #1 daughter, Kimberly, and I toured Washington County finding about a dozen geocaches and benchmarks. Our first stop was The Old Scotch Church which was organized in 1873 by Scottish settlers from Aberdeenshire, west of Aberdeen, Scotland. This is one of the oldest continuously used churches in the state. We drove west on Hwy 26 to Hwy 6 and then southeast to Forest Grove. We stopped for a late lunch--the $5.00 special--at Subway.

We followed Hwy 47 to Hwy 210 where we traveled east (more or less). We ended our tour at Petrich General Store (AKA the North Shore). A general store has operated in the community since the 1890s, and was purchased by the Petrich family in 1964. The original Petrich General Store burned down in 1994 and was rebuilt by the community. We followed Hwy 210 back to Hwy 217 and then I-5 home to Vancouver. We enjoyed "ODD's are 1 in 44," "Banks Tour" (except for the cache location) and "The General Still Stands" geocaches.

Geocaching in Columbia County, Wednesday, October 7th

My daughter, Kimberly, and I found 17 geocaches and three NGS benchmarks in a tour of Columbia County. We left Vancouver at 8:00am, drove south on I-5 and 405 to Hwy 26, and traveled west to Hwy 47. We found two benchmarks at or near the intersection of Hwy 26 and Hwy 47. The park at Buxton was quite interesting as was the Clatskanie Park. The leaves had turned gold and red. Two trees on a farm had plastic pumpkins hanging from the branches. We stopped at Subway for lunch and later Dairy Queen for ice cream. We got back to Vancouver about 8:00pm. Tired but pleased that we did so well. Only two DNFs.

Lincoln City Geocaching Event, September 26, 2009

Christopher, Catherine and I went to the Lincon City Geocaching Event on Saturday, September 26th. We picked up our answer sheets at 2:00pm at the Lincoln City Community Center and then set forth to find the answers to the 17 questions (basically it was virtual caches). I never saw so many flags before in one location for the first question!! We ate lunch at Subway and got delicious take out pizza at Gallucci's which we ate in our motel room overlooking the ocean. We especially enjoyed the hike around Spring Lake (GC1HP54) on Sunday morning. Besides the Geocaching Event we found 11 geocaches. We had lunch at 60s Cafe before heading home. We turned off Hwy 18 and somehow missed our next turn and ended up traveling a one lane forest road to the top of Cougar Mountain. Really broke in my 2010 Subaru Forester. All in all it was a great weekend.

11th Annual Harvest Celebration Tour

I went with a college friend, Connie Dees, on the 11th Annual Harvest Celebration Tour showcasing the bounty and variety of agriculture in Clark County from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. We visited six farms and a winery: Kunze Farm, Clark County 78th Street Farm, Northwest Organic Farm, Wynneshire Farm (incredible dahlias), Rusty Grape Vineyards (great wines; movie nights), Half Moon Farm and Bi-Zi Farm (one of the best). We stopped by Costco so Connie could shop for a few things. I sampled foods at the tables along the aisles finishing with cookies with chocolate centers and pumpkin bread samples. The weather was perfect with lots of clouds in a blue sky and temperature in the 70s.

2010 Camellia Red Subaru Forester Travel Bug

I purchased a 2010 Camellia Red Subaru Forester 4 DR X AT last Tuesday. The S.F. shown is 2009 as I could not find a photo of the 2010 model. Besides the basic model I got Auto dimming mirror/compass, Cargo tray, Luggage compartment cover, Bike carrier, Trailer hitch, extra Floor mats, Rear bumper cover and Splash guard kit. I was also able to get two Cargo organizers with my accumulated points. Included in the price was Sales tax, License & Title, Service Contract and Documentary Service Fee. I plan to purchase a Vehicle Static Cling Travel Bug to place on the rear window.

Lemonade Social 2009, August 30th

On Sunday August 30th, my daughter Kimberly, my son Christopher and I attended the Lemonade Social 2009 at beautiful Hillendale Park in Oregon City for an afternoon Meet & Greet of fellow geocachers. We played eight games of Bingo. We guessed geocachers names from a picture chart “Who Are They??” which I enjoyed doing. There were hot dogs, lemonade and cookies. There was a Door Prize drawing at the end of the afternoon. Afterwards Kimberly, Christopher and I went geocaching and benchmarking in Oregon City. We saw five deer in a cemetery. Three of the deer were eating the flowers and wreaths at the gravesites.

The Missoula Ice Age Floods Trip, August 29th

On Saturday, August 29th, I went on a field trip of the Columbia River Gorge Chapter of Ice Age Floods Institute from Mosier to Arlington, Oregon. We met at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Hood River.

I rode the shotgun seat with the group leader, Terry Hurd, driving and a geologist in the rather small back seat. The others were in two cars. One of the cars was a Prius which I later “ruined” according to the car owner – a man with control issues -- by removing the car ignition key after the car had been stopped about 5-10 minutes. The husband and wife were arguing about removing the ignition key as it was ringing. She wanted to sit in the back seat in the shade with the door open to catch the breezes while he went for a hike with the others. I just got tired of listening to them so I removed the ignition key and, of course, the ringing stopped. He was furious!!

We had planned to stop to view the Ice Age Flood Glacial Erratic in the midst of the ODOT gravel pit but the road was closed because of the “Microwave fire” (I went back a couple days later past “Road Closed Ahead” sign and saw the erratic). The 6'x8'x12' erratic is quartz monzonite with large 1/4" to 2" crystals.

We traveled east on the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH) (Hwy 30) to Rowena Crest. Looking across the Columbia River to the Washington side of the Gorge, you can see that where the land was stripped by the floods below about 950 ft. elevation. A large eddy bar underlies most of the town of Lyle. Far below us near the river we could see a kolk lake and several Mima mounds.

We took Hwy 197 briefly at The Dalles. We saw both pillow and columnar basalt at a road cut. We traveled east on Fifteen Mile Road, turning left on Old Moody Road. I was told where I would find the Pathfinder Marker (Virtual Geocache) further up Fifteen Mile Road. We stopped at couple overlooks including Celilo Falls Overlook. Before the gates closed at The Dalles Dam in 1956, one had a magnificent view of the roaring Celilo Falls from here. The Dalles Dam drowned Five Mile Rapids and Celilo Falls. We stopped at Heritage Landing at the Deschutes River for the restrooms which left a LOT to be desired.

We got lunch at Subway to take with us. Traveled on I-84 past the John Day Dam to Exit 123 where we ascended Philippi Canyon. We had lunch at a winery – Wheatridge in the Nook. I had a glass of Chardonnay with my Subway sandwich. We saw a small glacial flood erratic at about 1060 ft. elevation and several geologic features in Blalock Canyon and Alkali Canyon. We stopped in Arlington for restrooms. We entered Interstate 84 westbound, arriving back in Hood River late about 5:30PM.

Clark County Fair 2009

Last Friday morning I drove to Vancouver Mall where I caught a C-Tran bus to the Clark County Fairgrounds. The ride and the entrance to the fair were free. I walked to the end of the free pancake breakfast line which moved rather quickly. I had a pancake, sausages and yogurt drink. I should have chosen the milk or orange juice. After breakfast, I wandered through the aisles of the commercial buildings. I won a 101KUFO keychain at one of the booths. I walked across the amusement rides area to the Lolly Swing ride. The Lolly Swing ride came from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. It was ridden by Michael Jackson and thousands of others through the years. I rode the C-Tran bus back to Vancouver Mall and my car.

Geocaching on the Central Oregon Coast

Christopher and I went to the Oregon Coast yesterday. We traveled to Exit 228 and took the highway 34 to Walport. Incredible scenery! We drove south to Yachats to begin our search for the answers to the Sight Visit Requirements for the Lincoln Counties “Town and County” Geocaching Exploration. I had already done the Online Portion at home. It was great being at the Oregon Coast as Portland temperature reached 106 degrees!

We stopped in Yachats to view the Sea Lion sculpture, visited the New Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center (great public restrooms), stopped at Seal Rock to read the Lincoln County Historical Society signboard, visited the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse (should have visited instead the nearby 93 feet tall Yaquina Head Lighthouse (44 40’ 36.4”N 124 04’45.9”W), also known early in its existence as the Cape Foulweather Lighthouse, located near the mouth of the Yaquina River near Newport at Yaquina Head), saw a steam locomotive formerly used in logging, watched the ocean waves churn in the Devil’s Punch Bowl (unfortunately it was low tide) and a whale offshore, saw a seafaring monument, and took photos of a interesting sculpture at Lincoln City. We stopped by Lincoln City Parks and Recreation to pick up our geocoins. Great geocoin!!

Afterwards Christopher and I found 11 geocaches and three benchmarks. We stayed overnight in Lincoln City. We got up at 6:30AM, had breakfast (I had apple juice and English Breakfast tea) and drove home via Hwy 18 and Hwy 99W. It was warm already at 10:00AM!

Silver Falls State Park Event

Christopher and I attended the Event at Silver Falls State Park on Tuesday, July 21st. I found 18 geocaches and benchmarks before and after the Event including the fountain (Virtual) at Mt Angel. Christopher found 21. We had chips, cookies and drinks at the Event. Interesting conversations. Christopher found two nearby Geocaches. We had "dinner" at Quiznos in Wilsonville for the third time in the last few days.

Mt. Hood Territory Challenge, July 13 - 15, 2009

Christopher and I divided the Mt. Hood Territory Challenge into three parts. On Monday, July 13 we found a few benchmarks and one letterbox in addition to several caches including Mt. Hood Territory Challenge Geocaches.

Although we only found five geocaches we found ten benchmarks on Tuesday, July 14. Three of the benchmarks were located on a concrete bridge over the Salmon River. We also visited several Waymarks - "Laurel Hill," "Summit Meadow Pioneer Cemetery Barlow Road," "Summit Prairie, Barlow Trail, Oregon," "Pioneer Woman's Grave, Barlow Road, Oregon," "Sam Barlow Wagon Trail, Oregon," "First - Road Built Over Cascade Range, Oregon," and "Barlow Road Tollgate, Mount Hood, Oregon."

On Wednesday, July 15 Christopher and I did the eight Short Rail Series in Lake Oswego, three caches, and five Mt. Hood Territory Challenges. Afterwards we took Hwy 35 north to Hood River and then I-84 west. Christopher had never been on northbound Hwy 35. We stopped to view the sunset at Panorama Point near Hood River. Christopher and I covered about 450 miles in three days!!

We picked up our Mt. Hood Territory Challenge Geocoins in Wilsonville. Afterwards we did ten benchmarks/geocaches in the Wilsonville area.

Geocaching in Molalla and Aurora, Oregon

My #2 son, Christopher, and I had a great time at the "Mosey Back to Molalla" Event yesterday afternoon. I thought that the Sun Chips was a great addition to the hot dog and drink. We had fun geocaching on the premises. Christopher won a "Survey Team" Tshirt in the raffle. I enjoyed seeing geocachers that I know and meeting new geocachers. We found 11 Geocaches, three Benchmarks and a time capsule for a Waymark along Hwy 211 and in Molalla and Aurora. I took the photo of Christopher at the Elk Farm near Molalla. I took Christopher home and then I got home at 9:30PM.

4th of July Fireworks

I watched the 4th of July Fireworks above the rock quarry at 192nd in East Vancouver. Great location except for the bright street lights. The fireworks were truly spectacular!

Canby Geocoin Hunt, Canby, Oregon

My #2 son, Christopher, and I did the Canby Geocoin Hunt in Canby, Oregon. I had 17 finds for the day. Christopher also found two Geocaches that I did not search for making it 19 finds for him. Great weather. We found one benchmark and several more geocaches after we picked up the Canby Geocoin just before noon. We had mighty tasty Pepper Bacon Cheeseburgers at Burgerville for lunch. This was definitely one of the best Geocoin Hunts that we have done!!

8th Annual Columbia River Gorge Geocachers Potluck, North Bonneville, Washington

My #2 son, Christopher, and I attended the 8th Annual Columbia River Gorge Geocachers Potluck on Saturday afternoon, June 20th. There was good food, good company, and good geocaching "stuff" in a nice park in North Bonneville, Washington. There was lots of good raffle prizes to be won. I won an incredible Brahean Geocoin. It was a bit on the chilly side but we had a great time. Christopher and I did some benchmarking and geocaching before and after the Event. Beautiful sunset as we drove back into Portland.

The Grant County Fair Geocoin Hunt, June 12, 2009

My #2 son, Christopher, and I traveled to Pendleton Thursday afternoon staying overnight in a suite at the Red Lion. We found a few geocaches along I-84 and in Pendleton.

We did The Grant County Fair Geocoin Hunt Friday with some benchmarking and geocaching along the way. We began the hunt just before noon at a historic building in Long Creek and completed it about 9:41pm in a cemetery with four or five? graves on a dark hill near Canyon City. We had delicious homemade sandwiches with pickle from the South Fork Mini Market in Dayville which we ate at the nearby park along the river.

After staying overnight in John Day in a suite at the Best Western, we picked up the geocoin at the John Day True Value Hardware on Main Street. This was by far one of the best Geocoin Hunts/Challenges that we have done. We did benchmarking and geocaching in the morning in the area and then traveled back to Portland/Vancouver via Hwy 19 and I-8 doing more benchmarking and geocaching in the afternoon.

We stopped again for delicious homemade sandwiches with pickle at the South Fork Mini Market in Dayville which we ate at the table. We saved half our sandwiches for later. I purchased a bag of Lays BBQ chips and drink at Thrifty Food Center to go with our half sandwiches for a picnic lunch at the park gazebo in Arlington.

We had really great weather -- cool and a bit rainy sometimes. Thunder and lighting in the distance a few times. I had never seen Central Oregon so green!! There were wildflowers in profusion. We saw several deer even in front yards. Birds sang and crickets chirped loudly.

Attended the Willamette Stone - 150 Event

I had a great time at the Willamette Stone - Oregon 150 Event. About 10:00AM my #2 son, Christopher, and I walked downhill to the Willamette Stone. Stonework and three benches have been added since my last visit. Bill Glenn (PLS 609) gave a fascinating talk and Jeanne helped with the demonstration of the very early Young & Sons, Philadelphia solar compass. About 10:45 Christopher and I walked up the path to the parking area where we listened to the program until 11:40 when I took him to work. I returned for the rest of the program. I took photos of the three cakes -- a white cake, chocolate cake and a carrot cake -- with three different decorations. I had several interesting conversations with geocachers especially about the upcoming Grant County Geocoin Challenge.

Willamette Stone - Oregon 150, Saturday, May 30, 2009

On Saturday, May 30th, there will be a celebration of the Oregon 150th Birthday and the 50th Anniversary of the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon - part of the National Society of Professional Surveyors geocache program.

Come celebrate Oregon's 150th birthday and the start of a new series of caches about the Surveying history of Oregon. There will be historical surveying re-enactments, survey history presentations, geocaching presentation to kick off the cache series and celebration of the improvements to one of Oregon's most historically significant state parks. Limited edition collector coin. Come join the fun from 10am-2pm.

Geocaching and Benchmarking in Oregon

On Saturday, May 16th, my #2 son, Christopher, and I spent the day geocaching and benchmarking. We found several NGS benchmarks and several traditional caches in the morning. We saw the Southern Pacific Steam Engine 1785 on display in Woodland, Oregon near a benchmark. When we were on an overpass looking for benchmarks a policeman pulled up behind my parked car and walked up to question me as someone reported that we were stealing guard rails (luckily he had heard about geocaching!). By far the most interesting part of the day was spent exploring the area around the former Chemawa Indian School and the Chemawa Cemetery. In the afternoon we did a Virtual in Keizer, Oregon before heading back.

On the Mend

While my leg was healing, I finished reading “Home Below Hell’s Canyon” by Grace Jordan. I read “A Walk Across America” by Peter Jenkins and “The Walk West – A Walk Across America” by Peter and Barbara Jenkins. I read John Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charley.” Steinbeck's book really illustrates the fact that you cannot get to know people and places while riding in a vehicle. I am presently reading Michael Crichton’s “Travels.”

Reading Books While Housebound

Since I fractured the small bone (fibula) my left leg, I have been doing a lot of reading: "The Land of Dead Giants" by Greg Guirard, "The Everglades River of Grass" by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, "A Land Remembered" by Patrick D. Smith, "Up For Grabs" by John Rothchild about Florida, "The Yearling" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, "The Cannibal Queen" by Stephen Coonts, and Sarah Vowell's "Assassination Vacation." I am presently reading "Home Below Hell's Canyon" by Grace Jordan who lived with her husband and children in the Snake River gorge just below Hell's Canyon during the depression years of the early 1930s.

Bruce Bjornstad's Missoula Ice Age Floods Geocache Sites

In his book "On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods" (pp. 135-137) Bruce Bjornstad talks about and lists his special Ice Age Floods Geocaches. He has created about a dozen geocaches and one earthcache in the floods' terrain of the Mid-Columbia Basin. For more information on these geocaches visit www.geocaching.com.

Lecture by Noted Local Ice Age Floods expert Rick Thompson

"Willamette Valley: Evidence of Cataclysmic Missoula Ice Age Floods"
Museum of the Oregon Territory, Oregon City
211 Tumwater Drive, Oregon City, 3rd floor

The Lower Columbia Floods Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute invites you to a lecture at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, April 22 by noted local Geologist Rick Thompson. Rick Thompson has extensively studied and mapped features in the Willamette Valley left by the Cataclysmic Missoula Ice Age Floods.

The lecture will explore the unique geology between West Linn and Salem. Features will be presented related to a remarkable history of Quaternary flooding (Cataclysmic Missoula Ice Age Floods) that occurred 15,000 - 18,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age.

Oops!

Guess what? You can walk on a broken leg. I found out this morning that I fractured the small bone (fibula) in my left leg and sprained both ankles on Saturday afternoon when I fell as I was descending the concrete stairs from Nordstrom to the Lloyd Center parking structure. Christopher and I went to the SAGA Meeting anyway in Keizer, OR (thanks to an automatic shift and cruise control). I will have a boot on my leg for a month and then take it easy for another two to four weeks. Argh!!

Amtrak to Seattle, Washington 2009

On Friday, March 27, 2009 my #2 son, Christopher, and I traveled from Portland, Oregon to Seattle via Business Class Amtrak Cascades. Arriving just after noon, we caught a bus to Union & 3rd and walked to the 5th Avenue Red Lion. We left our luggage in our room and walked to Groundspeak Headquarters. There were a lot of cachers visiting that afternoon. We signed the log book, took photos and had a tour of the “lily pad.” We each received a Groundspeak Lackey 2009 Geocoin.

Christopher and I walked to Seattle Center where we ate lunch at Starbucks. We did the Olympic Sculpture Park Walk (Multi-cache). It was cloudy but not raining. We got Subway sandwiches that we ate in our room while watching television. The beds were extremely comfortable however the room was across the hall from a noisy elevator and someone had the television on loud for several hours after midnight.

On Saturday, March 28, 2009 Christopher and I had a complimentary breakfast at the hotel which left something to be desired. We rode the monorail to Seattle Center. There was a LOT of cachers at the GPS Adventures Maze Event. We each received a Groundspeak Lackey 2009 Geocoin. I saw several cachers that I knew and met new ones that I only knew by name. I purchased two rather expensive Pacific Science Center GPS Adventures Maze Series 04 Geocoins only to discover later that there were NO Activation Codes!! Afterwards we walked several blocks to catch a bus in the Free Zone. We should have ridden back on the Monorail!!

We went to Pike Place Market for Frecky’s Architecture and Design Adventure cache. The Twilight shop had moved to a new location. I had already found the cache so Christopher fount it. We ate lunch at a nearby Starbucks. We caught a bus to Pioneer Square. We watched glassblowing for a bit and then went to the Klondike Gold Rush Museum to look at the exhibits. We took a bus back to the hotel to get our luggage. Then we took a bus back to the King Street Station where we took the train back to Portland.

Visit to Groundspeak HQ

On Friday, March 20, 2009, I went to Groundspeak HQ at 2:00pm where I met Annie, Jessica and Jeremy. I was disappointed that the big wall monitor was broken - not physically but internally. Three members of the Clackamas Geocaching Association were also visiting along with their friend from Camas. I signed the log book and placed a Travel Bug in the huge cache box. We saw a bit of the “lily pad.” A travel bug decal was attached to the front window.

GPS Adventures Maze Exhibit Meet and Greet Event

My #2 son, Christopher, and I plan to attend the GPS Adventures Maze Exhibit Meet and Greet event on March 28, 2009 from 10 am – Noon at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington.

This geocaching meet and greet event is free. Event attendees will be able to enter via a private entrance at the North Gate of the Pacific Science Center. There will be refreshments available for all attendees.

Lecture on J. Harlen Bretz and the Ice Age Flood

This evening I attended a lecture on J. Harlen Bretz and the Ice Age Flood by author and historian John Soennichsen at Museum of the Oregon Territory, 211 Tumwater Drive in Oregon City at 7:00 PM. It was interesting but I did not learn anything new.

Portland Classical Chinese Garden and Old Town

I traveled on MAX light rail from Delta Park to the Rose Quarter where I transferred to the Blue Line. They were stringing the electric wires for the new Green Line so MAX trains were on different routes and buses were shuttling people.

I left MAX at Chinatown and walked two blocks west to the Chinese Garden. I watched the Lion Dance from the Painted Boat in Misty Rain. I had Emperors Gold tea and Five Treasure Come Knocking (a New Years treat) in the Tower of Cosmic Reflections. Afterwards I saw another Lion Dance and then Traditional Chinese Dances.

I went on a walking tour of part of Old Town. While the sun was warm the wind was cold so I left the rest of the Old Town walking tour for another day. I traveled on MAX light rail back to Delta Park where I left my car.

Walking Tour of Chinatown

I rode the MAX light rail to Skidmore Fountain/Burnside. I walked to the Chinatown Gateway at Burnside and NW 4th Avenue to begin my exploration of Chinatown. As I wandered through the streets lined with twin ornamental street lights, painted red and gold, with bilingual street signs in Chinese calligraphy, and Asian Flowering Cherry trees yet to bloom, I felt that Springtime was not far away. I visited the Portland Classical Chinese Garden and took the guided tour. I stopped briefly to watch a Chinese Tea Ceremony in the Hall of Brocade Clouds. I had Emperor’s Gold Tea and Almond Cookies at the tea room in the Tower of Cosmic Reflections. Afterwards I finished my walking tour of Chinatown.

Geocaching along Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway

My #2 son, Christopher, and I hiked two sections of the Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway this afternoon. We were bundled in several layers of clothing. We found four geocaches and did not find three geocaches--one was flooded and two were likely missing. The tall grasses and blackberry bushes had been mowed to stubble. The trees and shrubs were barren of leaves. Patches of the wetlands had thin layers of shattered ice. We saw a heron, many ducks--both male and female and a little brown mouse. The far hills were covered in snow under a cloudy grey sky. As we walked back to the car, the cold east wind began to blow and the snow fell increasingly thicker.