Geocaching on Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles in 2025.

I contacted Cosmos/Globus last week and signed up for their Route 66 trip from Chicago to Los Angeles in 2025.  It will be more expensive than Road Scholar Trips but Road Scholar does not offer a Route 66 Trip.  Cosmos motels/hotels are not centrally located but that is what Lyfts are for.  I have requested six library books from FVRL.  I have already started my Geocaching List - mostly Virtuals. 

Cachly App for Geocaching

I have an iPhone 11 Pro.  I prefer and use the Cachly app.  Cachly is a simple and powerful Geocaching app for iOS that includes many advanced features.

What went wrong on The Fall Foliage Trip October 2024:

The lock on my overhead garage door wouldn't lock at 3:00am. 

My suitcase was delayed on the flight from PDX/SEA to Boston Logan.  I didn't get it until 3:20am.

The Lyft/Uber area was mass confusion at Logan Airport!  My first Lyft driver drove off.  I got the second Lyft driver only because the kindness of a stranger.

Someone made a $350(estimate) reservation for me the night before I arrived without my knowledge so my current reservation was cancelled because I had failed to show up the day before. 

The television set up was super complicated so I missed watching my television show on Wednesday evening except for the last 10 minutes.

I couldn't get the shower to turn on and then when I finally did I couldn't get it to shut off.  The next morning I washed my hair under tub faucet and then couldn't get the shower to turn on.

The television remote would not work in one hotel.  I was told it was fresh out of the box and had not been reset.

The phones did not work in two hotels.

I was not called for my wake-up call.

I lost my gloves that I wore on Mount Washington.

My cheeseburger and fries lunch was taken so it was cooked separately.  I finished eating it on the motorcoach.

The Inn music played so loud in my room the second night of my stay that I couldn't sleep.

I had ordered Pan Seared Tuna for dinner not realizing that the tuna would be raw!  I had a salad and dinner roll with butter for dinner.

I absolutely dislike salads made with spiky and stiff lettuce.  And food stacked on top of each other.  

I missed my connecting flight in Seattle so I was booked on the next flight.  I didn't get home until 1:30am.

My trip started badly and ended badly.

The Fall Foliage Trip in New England October 2024

Monday, October 14 - It was 3:00am.  My trip started badly and ended badly.  Actually the entire trip was one problem after another.  As I left the house to take the cab to PDX the garage door wouldn't lock properly.  I caught the 5:05am Alaska Airline flight to Seattle.  I caught the 7:00am flight to Boston however my suitcase did not make the flight.  I was given 2,500 Miles for Bag Delay.  I was told to go to the wrong area to catch a Lyft.  Shear chaos!  The first driver drove away.  I waved my walking stick in the air.  I finally got the second Lyft with the help of a man who used my IPhone to talk to the Lyft driver.  

I took the Lyft to the Hyatt Regency Boston.  Someone had made a hotel reservation for me for the previous day without my knowledge.  So my reservation was cancelled.  Argh.  I got it straightened out.   I found Road Scholar registration and then went to Orientation.  The Welcome dinner was at nearby Back Deck.  The deluge of messages from Alaska Airlines began.  The delivery driver finally called me at 3:00am   I signed for the suitcase at 3:29am in the hotel lobby.  I got a couple hours sleep.

Tuesday, October 15 - Following breakfast the Road Scholar group walked part way on the fabled Freedom Trail with a local expert.  Been there, done that.  So I took Lyft to the Paul Revere House (1680) where I got the photo and the answers for a Virtual Geocache (GC7B7AZ).  I went to the restaurant way too early so I went to The Old North Church to get the photo and answers for a Virtual Geocache (GC7B8EN).  I walked back to the restaurant (Cantina Italian) to have lunch with the group.  We toured the Old North Church.  I took a Lyft back to the Hyatt Regency Boston.  The hotel front desk staff gave me a Blue Bunny Vanilla Ice Cream cup and a Blue Ribbon Chocolate Eclair Ice Cream Bar.  I enjoyed two bottles of complimentary water during my stay.  We had dinner at The Merchant. 

Wednesday, October 16 - Following breakfast, our luggage was collected and we checked out of the Hyatt Regency Boston.  We boarded the motorcoach and departed Boston for Salem, Massachusetts.  We drove past the historic Ropes Mansion in Salem also known to "Hocus Pocus" fans as Allison's House. We had lunch at Airfield Cafe.  We explored the sights and landmarks of Old York by motorcoach with a stop at scenic Nubble Lighthouse (Cape Neddick).  We then continued north to Ogunquit, Maine and checked into the Colonial Inn (1886).   We had dinner at Jonathan's.  I had clam chowder, salad, pasta primavera and dessert.   The television setup was a nightmare.  I caught the last ten minutes of "Survivor." 

Thursday, October 17 - We had breakfast at the Colonial Inn.  We visited the Ogunquit Museum of American Art and the Ogunquit Heritage Museum. I took a photo of the framed "Rules for Teachers 1872."  The one-hour boat trip to learn about lobster fishing was cancelled.  I had a peanut butter sandwich for a light dinner.

Friday, October 18 - Following breakfast, our bags were collected and we boarded the motorcoach.  I found the Portland Head Lighthouse (the oldest lighthouse in Maine - 1791) Virtual (GCAJJPA) and A Piece of History (the Berlin Wall) Virtual (GCAJK65).  Last year I found The Director Virtual (GC47EB).  I had lunch with the group at Old Port Sea Grill in Portland, Maine of Haddock Fish and Chips with coleslaw and french fries.  Mid afternoon we departed for the Grand Summit Attitash Hotel in Bartlett, NH.  We briefly visited N Conway where I found a Virtual geocache (GCC9C0).  We had dinner at the hotel.  We had a lecture: The Ecology of the North Woods. 

Saturday, October 19 - Following breakfast, we departed on the motorcoach for Mount Washington Cog Railway.  We rode the historic Cog Train to the Summit.  I sat in Seat 14 on the left side - the last seat on the way up and the first seat on the way down.  I took a photo for the Mount Washington Webcam (GCN32T).  I was so absorbed in taking the webcam photo that I never looked up! I found The Rock Pile Earthcache (GC8E7ZH).  A bit tricky walking on the snow and ice.   Back down the mountain we departed for the Appalachian Mountain Club where we had lunch.  After lunch, we headed to the Rocks Estate in Bethlehem, NH to learn how maple syrup is produced.  I purchased a Maple Leaf refrigerator magnet.  We had dinner at Abenaki Trail.

Sunday, October 20 - As we left the Grand Summit Attit6ash Hotel, we traveled the scenic Kancamagus Highway.  We visited the White Mountain National Forest Covered Bridge (1858).  We had lunch at Shiloh's restaurant.  I had a delicious Rhuben sandwich.   Crossing into Vermont, we headed to the mountains of the Mad River Valley.  We went on a boat ride on the beautiful Lake Champlain.  We checked into the Courtyard Burlington Harbor Hotel.  We had dinner at Guild Tavern.  I had New York Cheesecake for dessert.

Monday, October 21 - I watched a spectacular sunrise from my hotel room. After breakfast we departed for Shelburne Farms.  We sampled several Cheddar cheeses.  We had boxed lunch at the Farm Barn Courtyard at picnic tables.  I had a delicious Ham, Dijon, Cabot Swiss cheese, pickles and greens sandwich.  The box lunch came with kettle chips, apple and cookie with a soft drink.  We returned to the hotel.  I read "To Collect in Ernest - The Life and Work of Electra Havemeyer Webb" by lauren B. Hewes and published by Shelburne Museum Vermont.  Fascinating book.

Tuesday, October 22 - During breakfast our luggage was collected.  We departed Burlington at 10:00am.  We traveled south on the motorcoach through the stunning center of Vermont, taking in the rural autumn landscapes and tiny villages along Route 100.  We visited Cold Hollow Cider Mill.  We had a chaotic lunch at Doc's Tavern in a quaint Vermont village.  My burger with American cheese, lettuce and tomato with hand cut fries was delicious. We checked into the Grafton Inn.  I had the Ulysses S. Grant room.  Complimentary Carr's Table Water Crackers and a 4 oz. of 1 Year Aged Cheddar Cheese.  We had dinner at the hotel.  I had tossed green salad and Greek veggie pasta. 

Wednesday, October 23 - Following breakfast at the Grafton Inn, the group took a walking tour of Grafton. We departed at 10:45am for the Scott Farm in Dummerston, Vermont.  We learned as we tasted about organic heirloom apple varieties.  We had lunch at the Scott Farm with delicious apple pies for dessert.  Field Trip: The Stone Trust.  We stopped briefly at Dummerston Covered Bridge.  I stayed on motorcoach.  Big mistake!  I did not realize there was a geocache at the bridge (GC667ZH). 

As we returned to the hotel, we got a great view of Naulakha (1892), also known as The Rudyard Kipling House. It is a Shingle Style home where author Rudyard Kipling wrote "Captains Courageous."  Kipling also wrote "The Jungle Books", "A Day's Work", and "The Seven Seas", and did work on "Kim" and "The Just So Stories" here.  Kipling had named the house after the Naulakha Pavilion, situated inside Lahore Fort.  Next to the house was Kipling's Carriage House (1895).  Located on eleven acres off a town road, at the edge of a forest above, the estate overlooks a meadow and valley views.

We had a Farewell Dinner at the Grafton Inn.  I had Pan Seared Tuna which I didn't eat.  I don't eat raw seafood.  I had a complimentary glass of port.

The Inn music played so loud in my room the second night of my stay that I couldn't sleep.

Thursday, October 24 - The baggage was collected at 7:00am.  Breakfast buffet.  We checked out at 8:00am.  I was dropped off at Terminal B/Alaska at Boston Logan International Airport.  I had to wait until almost 2:00pm to check in for my flight.  After I checked in for my flight, I had lunch of Burger and Sweet Potato Fries sitting along the cafe railing so I could people watch.  I missed my flight in Seattle to PDX so I was rebooked on the next flight.  I arrived at PDX around midnight, retrieved my suitcase, caught a Lyft and was home about 1:30am.  It was an interesting trip but I was glad to be home.  

I found five Virtuals, a Webcam and an Earthcache.  As usual they were one of my high points of my trip.  During my 20 years of Geocaching I have seen things and done things that except for Geocaching I would not have seen or done.

20 Years of Geocaching!

My 20th Anniversary of Geocaching came and went without my notice.  It all began at Ash Grove on 10/2/2004.  I visited Ash Grove, an 18th-century plantation house in Fairfax County, Virginia.  In 1790, Bryan Fairfax built Ash Grove on Leesburg Pike, two miles west of present-day Tysons Corner, for his son Thomas Fairfax. The Ash Grove Bug Hotel (GCHF7Q) was created by Tim M CPA on 1/6/2004. I was inspired by the Ash Grove Geocache to create historical Geocaches when I returned home.

How To Puzzle Cache by Author: Cully Long

Faced With A Map Full Of Blue Question Marks And No Idea Where To Start? Geocaching novices and pros alike are often daunted by puzzle and mystery caches. Ciphers, enigmatic photos, nonsensical text, or just a blank page -- it often isn't clear what the Co wants or expects you to do, and even less clear how any of it will lead you to a cache. This Book Will Help You Ask -- And Answer -- All The Right Questions. 300 pages of lessons, tips, tricks and hints for dealing with even the trickiest puzzle caches, plus step-by-step techniques that start with examining the cache page and lead you through codes, ciphers, steganography, math, music, and dozens of other common puzzle cache types will have you on the trail in no time.

Reading about Geocaching

Gillin, Paul; Gillin, Dana (2010). The Joy of Geocaching. Fresno, California: Quill Driver Books. ISBN 978-1884956997.

Mike Dyer (2004). The Essential Guide to Geocaching. Fulcrum Publishing. ISBN 978-1555915223.

Jack W. Peters (2004). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching. Indianapolis: Alpha Books. ISBN 1-59257-235-9.

Joel McNamara (2004). Geocaching For Dummies. For Dummies. ISBN 978-0764575716.

Erik Sherman (2004). Geocaching: Hike and Seek with Your GPS. Apress. ISBN 978-1590591222.

Cameron, Layne; Ulmer, Dave (2004). The Geocaching Handbook (Falcon Guide). Falcon. ISBN 978-0-7627-3044-5.

John McKinney (2008). Let's Go Geocaching. DK Publishing. ISBN 978-0756637170.

CQ Products (2007). It's a Treasure Hunt! Geocaching & Letterboxing. G & R. ISBN 978-1563832680.