Photos From Paradise

     Thanks to Lookin Good, I have some great photos from Paradise Bakery, Scottsdale, Arizona.  This was the early morning meeting place for local geocachers wanting to celebrate International Geocaching Day.  Since I am waiting for reports on events from other parts of the world, Dave Coombs' group who did some geocaching and kite flying near Horsham, and Sam Petre who did the Inside Out Pants On Your Head Flash Mob in Maidstone Town.  As of now, it sounds like Sam had way too much fun. 

For now, I'll just make this a total photo album post.

 

Shirley and Mark

 

 

One quick note here -

did you notice how many kids were in attendance?  It is so nice to see this be a true family affair.  

Thanks again to Lookin Good for sharing such neat photos and to our fantastic hosts - Mark and Shirley.

IGD - Destination - Scottsdale, Arizona

     My first destination for International Geocaching Day was Scottsdale, Arizona.  This early morning event was super.   Our hosts, Mark (markj57) and Shirley kept things on time and moving right along.  I believe that there were almost 100 people in attendance.

 

People were coming and going but mostly, just hangin' out with fellow cachers.  Here are a few pics from the event

 

Looks like some serious business going on here

 

The TB bike

 

Making plans to find the new caches

Philbeer and Mike

 

 

No sign of the Raven but his shirt made it

 I have asked permission to borrow more photos to post at a later date.  Check back for more celebration photos, from Mesa, Arizona, states far away and countries even farther away.

Cool Muggles and Ingot

     I don't know about you but I believe that 'sometimes', geocachers are like a bunch of teenage girls.  We like to talk about what we hear from other cachers, who's got the most caches this week, who's dating who, where's the best puzzle, what will it take to get a FTF, etc..  This can be happening over coffee or beer, on the way to work or on the drive home in the wee hours of the morning, or just through Facebook or a forum.  There is never an end to the conversation between cachers.  Thus - the comparison with teenage girls.  And it doesn't hurt we are all (I believe) very young at heart and refuse to grow up.  Life is too short for that, right?

     Back to where I was going with this - I caught wind of a TB that had made it to a very exciting location.  Exciting sounding for a TB at least.  I don't know how long I would enjoy this place, except for the locals; I would love them.  Anyway - This TB is affiliated with Mark Johnston.  He is the proud owner of Ingot.  And proud he should be.  It is beautiful.
 
     So I asked Mark to share a bit about this and he did. Before the story arrived I was thinking - "That sounds really neat"  Once I received the post, along with photos, I changed my mind.  This isn't just neat, it is remarkable.  Total 'awhhh' factor.   I'll let you read for yourself.

A virtual visit to the coldest continent

                by markj57

In my business I’ve traveled all over the world: Europe, Asia and Australia dozens of times, South America 4 times, and once to Africa. But the one continent that has eluded me is Antarctica.  After I got into geocaching I wondered if I could make the virtual trip by sending a travel bug there.  So, on January 10, 2011 I placed my "Golden Travel Ingot" into a local cache in Scottsdale Arizona, with the stated intent to travel to Antarctica and return safely to the US.

It spent the first couple of months wandering Arizona, then some time in California, before finding itself in late April 2011 in Cancun Mexico.   Three months pass.  It gets picked up by someone whose parents are going to Antarctica 9 months later, who promises to ensure it gets there.  Months and months pass with no word.  Will I ever see it again?  

Suddenly on March 9, 2012, I am notified it was logged at “Econelson”, a cache in Antarctica, complete with photos!  Woohoo! 

2 months later it surfaces safely back in Texas, and has since wandered to Louisiana. I’m hoping it makes it home west to Scottsdale again, and am gratified to the caching community that helped it achieve its goal.

     Thanks Mark for sharing this story.  I am lovin' the muggles and the whole story.  Good luck to Ingot making it back to the warm sunny days of Scottsdale.