Tri-Cities Geocoin Challenge June 23-25, 2017

My son, Christopher, and I left Vancouver about 9:00AM.  I traveled west on I 84.  We found several caches on the way to Kennewick.

I have attended three Tri-Cities Geocoin Challenge Mega Events (2013, 2016 and 2017) and three Tri-Cities Geocoin Challenge Events all the way back to 2010 (also 2011 and 2014). This year's Tri-Cities Geocoin Challenge was the most enjoyable for me.

I really appreciate having the GPSs loaded at the Event. It would have been great having paper printouts of the puzzle caches. I hate the new Groundspeak App and refuse to use it. I mourn the loss of my Classic Groundspeak App.

It was great to have more time to complete the challenge this year. My son is one of the slowest cachers that attempts the challenge, so we appreciate the fact that so many cachers and volunteers waited around an extra hour to give away coins and raffle prizes. We really needed that extra hour.

I enjoyed Pasco so much more than Richland or Kennewick. I hate turnarounds (traffic circles) and heavy traffic. I had to make a quick decision at a freeway junction and chose the wrong exit. I had to drive several miles to be able to head back. Lost time when we didn't realize that a second punch cache had not been found. We had not left the area so it could have been worse. And we forgot to find a cache which we did later.

I do not do well in really hot weather and hiking uphill. I am an eight year Cancer survivor (July 2009) however I still have another Cancer (low-grade lymphoma) that I have had for many years.

We stayed in an expensive Suite at the Quality Inn in Kennewick. It was the worst Choice Hotel that I have ever stayed at. The bath towels were Motel 6 quality. I gave my son the Master bedroom and I took the sofa bed in the Living Room. There was a thin skimpy twin size bed pad. There was no bedding. No bedside (sofa side) lamp. No HGTV channel. Elevator near our suite did not work during most of our stay. It is my fault for not making reservations early at my favorite Tri-Cities hotel.

We ate dinner at Costa Vida in Richland on Friday, lunch at McDonalds in Kennewick on Saturday and late dinner at Applebee near our hotel. We purchased gas at Fred Meyer in Kennewick. I drove 652 miles. Hopefully we will be back next year!

Victoria Trip June 6, 7, and 8, 2017

I caught the C-Tran bus at 6:00am for downtown Vancouver and transferred to another bus at 6:20 for Marshall Center.   We departed Marshall Center in Vancouver, Washington about 7:30AM.  We made a stop in route. We caught the Black Ball Ferry out of Port Angeles for Victoria, B. C. The ferry ride to Victoria was about 1 1/2 hours.  I  had a chicken wrap for lunch.  When we reached Victoria we rode a little harbor boat in two shift.  I was going with the second shift.  I had accidently spilled about a 1/4 of a small bottled water in my lap before we got off the shuttle bus so it gave me time to dry out in the sun.  Afterwards we went to our hotel to check in.  I was given Room 434 at the far end of the corridor.  It was a corner suite with a great view out of the bedroom window of Parliament in the distance.  We boarded the bus to return to downtown.  Carol and I walked several blocks south on Government Street.  We had dinner at the Sticky Wicket.  I had Fish 'n Chips and a glass of white wine.  Back at the hotel I watched "America's Got Talent" on television.  I had a great night's sleep.

I had a Nature Valley Bar and Apple Juice for breakfast that I got from home.  We had a self guided tour of the Craigdarrock Castle.  I much prefer Pittock Mansion in the Portland West Hill.  After the Castle we went to Buchart Gardens.  I immediately went to The Dining Room where I had a marvelous Afternoon Tea.  I did the Virtual Cache.  And then wandered around the gardens until time to leave.  We drove to downtown harbor.  Carol and I did several Virtual Caches including the one at Christ Church.  We stopped at the food carts near the Royal BC Museum where Carol got a Wild Salmon burger.  We shared a free large cup of lentil soup.  Carol and I saw the IMAX 3D film of "Beauty and the Beast".  We caught the 30 bus back to the hotel.

I watched the Comey hearing on CNN until 9:30am.  We headed for the Royal BC Museum and a self guided tour.  I got my hand stamped and immediately headed for the cafe for a lemon poppyseed muffin and cup of Earl Grey tea.  I wandered around the exhibits until time to leave.  We sat in the bus from 1:00 to 3:30 waiting to board the ferry.  Argh!  I bought some gorp from the snack machine and drank bottled Apple Juice that I bought from home.  The ferry returned us to Port Angeles where we had dinner at Kokopili Grill.  I had a marvelous slice of cheesecake.  We made a stop once again partway back to Vancouver.  We didn't get home until midnight!

Next trip I need to check out Venus Sophia.  And see the rest of the exhibits at the Royal BC Museum.  And have lunch at the Legislature.  And so much more.