Better Maps

On my drive home through Vidalia, I noticed a strange colored Toyota Sienna parked on the Main Street. With huge lettering on the back window, "We're mapping your world", I thought to myself...

"Self, I wonder if this is the van that take the photos for Google Maps' Street View?"

I make my way to the nearest side street in order to get a better look. Inside the van was a young man, laptop mounted where the passenger would normally sit.

His mission was to re-map various new and revised streets and roads in Georgia. Not only does Tele Atlas take the photos for Street View, but they sell the update info to Mapquest, Yahoo Maps, Microsoft MapPoint (which includes Streets and Trips) and the mapping software for the GPSr and auto navigation companies.

With the One Way Pairing in Vidalia make steady progress, what was once two ways streets are now One Way. If I were to hook up the laptop and start Streets and Trips, I would get an "Off Route" notice for the west bound portion of my journey home from McDonald's to the Twin Ponds.

A Cheerios Meet

It has been said, “Cheerios Meets are the Best” – well, they are!!!

Even when the circumstances are not the greatest.

Tee (Pyewacket) made a slight detour from the normal route that one would take from Central South Carolina to San Antonio, Texas. She had open reservations at the Rainbow Inn. Saturday night around 7:45, she landed on our doorstep. Tired and road weary, she rested and refreshed after 279 miles (the first leg of her journey).

Pippin (her 110 pound German Shepherd) and Tetley (her calico cat) were her travel companions. Wasn’t anyone going to bother Tee with those sentries on duty.

Tea was given as gifts and tea was shared. We had one of the green teas from Taiwan that I received during my Asian trip last November/December. After some announcements in Cheers and Wheypoint, we called it a night and turned in for the evening.

Sunday morning was busy!!! As we prepared ourselves for church, Tee attempted to load new maps into her GPSr. Metro kept her company during Sunday morning worship time. Later, Tee would unloaded her wheel chair and visit with Molly, Sugar and Spice. Molly was not real happy with a huge dog barking so close to her kids.

When we arrived back home, Tee asked me to check the electrical connection on the driver’s seat. With a disconnect of the negative battery terminal for safety and three inches of electrical tape, the wiring was as good as new!

I went caching with Tee… REPEAT, PRN!

We traveled the 0.10 miles to Double Rainbow Cache. Unable to reach the actual cache herself, she pointed out the likely hiding spot and I retrieved the bright yellow First Aid Kit for her. She left a couple of crafty kits, a miniature cowbell


(“We need more COWBELL”)

...and a rainbow plushie that never actually went into cache container. The multi-color critter rode home with us on the golf cart. From the cache, she retrieved “Little Tree” (a HoppingCrow travel bug) and one of the bead Angels. They served as reminder of those who were thinking and praying for her as she traveled.

When we got back to the carport, I told Tee of my plans to order a Geocaching clingy sticker like the one on her windshield. She immediately ripped it off and handed it to me. It now resides on the back glass of my pickup truck.

Then it was time for phase two of the expedition. With a sweep through the house to make sure nothing was left behind, Tee and Pippin (Tetley never really got out of the van) loaded up and with hugs all around, we said our ‘goodbyes and safe travels’.

240 miles later, Tee stopped for the evening south of Montgomery, Alabama.

Monday – someone lit a fire under her behind!!! 780 miles and around 8:00 CST she arrived at her son’s house.

We had followed her progress via the Pyewacket Sighting Network, with many prayers and good thoughts surrounding her. I couldn’t have been any more tired and worn if I had driven the miles myself.

How long to hold a Travel Bug?

Well, like many a Geocacher, sometimes too long!

From May to October is much too long.


Yorkie has finally been placed into one of my caches -
How Sweet (Onions). It will be "sit" there for Pipnella to grab when it reaches NW Ohio via the USPS. Then it will be delivered to another YO-YO to travel around Arizona!

Now, I really need to go caching for real!

Week Two, Month of May

Okay, so much for trying to get caught up!

Week Two of the World Luggage Tour 2006!

Day One...

Another early rise to make the Airport in Atlanta, I think I must have walked 2 miles to get to the terminal. No shuttle service that early in the morning, and the only parking space was on the far end of the lot!

Atlanta to Washington, D.C.

D.C to Boston
Boston was having heavy rain, and we sat on the tarmac for 45 minutes before taking off. Then we were delayed even more as we circled over Rhode Island for an additional 25 minutes. I only have an 90 minutes on the ground in Boston. As I get to the gate, they are starting to board.

Boston to Pittsburgh
I make it to Pittsburgh on time. But there is a problem!!! NO LUGGAGE! I waste about an hour. And the hotel doesn't have shuttle service. :snear: TAXI!!!
I make it to the hotel and check in. No need going to the room, all I have is my backpack. I go to the restroom in the lobby and then outside to wait for The Leprechauns. The door barely closes behind me.

A familar face says, "Are you looking for the Leprechauns?"

My jaw drops to my knees! I studder out, "Peachy!?!" - Lep is grinning a "got ya" ear to ear smile!

Nine caches that evening with Lep, Little Lep, PeachyPA and E=Mc2!!! :smile:

74 years later...

Today is the day... 74 years ago, George Perry hooked on the most infamous Large Mouth Bass in History! I had to be here, to relive a small part of south Georgia folklore and to enjoy the peace and quite along the banks of the Ocmulgee River. A couple of pickups with boat trailer were park in the area when I got to the first stage, and another one was arriving as I was leaving. Busy little place today.
I also dropped off a TB - Gone Fishing Travel Bug is now at Montgomery Lake, one of the most Famous Fishing Hole there is!

All is well and stage one and two are just where they should be!!! :snicker:

Day Three of Week One

More airports... Oh, I loss 3 buck in the slot machine in Las Vegas!

But the highlight of the whole week came on Wednesday night! Cheerios Meet in Seattle! YAY!!!

Several of the PNW locals and I had dinner at Sharp's Roaster & Ale House. The food was good, but not as good as the company! :big grin:

We then drove over to The Jester Doesn't Play With A Full Deck cache. I did three caches in the dark this week. Two in Tennessee and one in Washington!

Day Two of Week One

Nothing but airports and hotels. The one highlight of the evening was listening to the Jazz Trio in the hotel lounge. Webfooting Cheers, Diet Coke with Lemon and Jazz. Ahhhhh, and a little sleep!

Day One of Week One

I got to visit with my sister (PandaSRO). While it was much to short, we were able to do a couple of caches in Smyrna. We visited with Rick and Debbie and I am so glad we did. Debbie's time on this earth is very short. Hospice has taken over her care and she has grown weaker and weaker. That ugly, ugly word: Cancer!

So what happened to April???

Well, frankly I'm not sure!?!? Maybe I can hit the high points.

Of course Easter was in April this year. The Sunrise service was beautiful. The Easter breakfast was delicious and the time of Worship was wonderful. Our Easter cantata was nearly perfect. I believe that everyone was in prefect pitch and we blended together to "make a joyful noise".
I finally got the Royal Ambassador class started on Wednesday nights. Tommy is my Adult helper and we have 9 young men that are so willing to learn. I am looking forward to helping these boys in understanding more about the Father and about nature. We will be camping, fishing and exploring the wonders our world have to teach us. And I say us, because it will be a learning experience for me also.

Sarah and I faced some difficult decisions regarding her back. The decision whether to actually to have the surgery itself was actual very easy. The tough part was the impact the recover time would have on Mama. We will have less time to do for her and be with her. But there are others (folks from church) ready to step in and help.

Spring has brought a time of renewal to the brown of winter. Possible one of the prettiest, blooming springs I can remember. Dogwood, wisteria, iris, daisy, oxalis, azalea, even the china berry trees were the most beautiful of my lifetime. Or did I just take the time to notice??

I have been super busy at jbex, several projects were started and finished. The one not started, that I must work on very soon, is the Repair Video Project. The thing that is causing delays in getting started is I must depend on others to assist me with the project. And our schedules have conflicted many times. Now we gotta just make time to work on it. But, I must be doing something right, I recieved the best raise (percentage) since I have been jbex-ing at Tumi. And my bonus this year was equal to two months salary. What a blessing!!!

We have new fowl family members: Marty, Mark, Maggie, Martha, Melissa and Melinda have joined us on the farm. Molly the Goat has been a bit jealous, but now I think she enjoys sharing her pen with the chickens.

Oh!!! and then there's geocaching - I was able to get a FTF!!! And that's a rare treat around here! Off You Rocker -- Dublin hidden by ParentsofSAM (a freshman Cherrios). So that made it a double WooHoo moment!

GGA March 2006 Event Cache

What a great Day... Dustin and I found 7 caches plus the Event Cache...

I got a Mtn-Man and Monster Puppy GeoCoin and a Puzzle Cache Geo-Coin also!

Woo Hoo... Going Caching Tomorrow!!!

7 Caches planned for tomorrow... along with the March GGA Event Cache!!

Got "it" on eBay

Yay!!!

PandaSRO (Sherry) Got her MeriGold today!!!

YAY, FTF !!!

Woo Hoo!!! a FTF today!!!


Buck Rubbed Cedar


Also got the closest cache to me off my 'Not Found' list:


Corridor Cache

Birthday Avatars

When two Cheerios have the same birthday...there are many birthday wishes and some great Avatars... Happy Birthday, Jim!!!

Happy Birthday to Me (and WZK)!!!

Yesterday was my 49th birthday... And how does a geocacher celebrate his birthday?

By caching of course!!!

I hid a devious little multi-cache near Montgomery Lake - the place where the World Record Large Mouth Bass was caught over 73 years ago.

Size Matters...When Fishing


So who will be first to find, and how many clues will they need to solve the mystery???

Woo Hoo... it has been found!!!

First to Find

BCHunter ~
2/11/2006

Reaching New Heights

With the Hiding of "Reaching New Heights" - Sherry and I have provided a way to share some of the memories of Mom and Dad with the world of Geocachers.



Reaching New Heights

First to Find

GeoNuttz ~
1/28/2006


The first day that it was searchable, four cachers found and logged the Cache!