Sunday 19 February 2012

CacheWalker Butcher's Bash 2012

Due to issues with the blog, you can only watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W59tQZp3pSw    Sorry for any issues this causes!


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Hello, bonjour, hola!

Today was the day - CacheWalker day :)

After months (more than a year) of waiting, the day had finally come. After months of discussion on our forum, tarmacjohn volunteering, planning a quiz and a overview film (watch it on YouTube, link above) and staring at the clock, I had high expectations.

I was picked up by Walk Tall, and we made our way through heavy snow (yes - you heard me) to Mickleton for the event, where we were greeted by many, already set to leave for the CacheWalker group walk. Once everyone had arrived, we were off for the brand new caches, hidden for the event, and what a series it was. Yes, tarmacjohn, I'm gonna review it:

Meon Hill - By tarmacjohn. 22 caches, 7 miles


The series started off in the village, and the first cache was past a park. Not my thing really at the start, I like them out in the countryside, but before too long my dreams came true, and it felt like a real group walk - the sun was out, I was putting faces to names, and the views were spectacular! I loved the walk around Meon Hill, more great views, and of course the CacheWalker company made it even better!

The was a good variation in terrrain on the series, which made it even better, and a variation in containers, putting a smile on everyones faces. There was mud, but, then again, it's a walk - you're bound to get mud! I actually enjoyed the mud, and hearing Mrs Grizzly sing "Mud Glorious Mud" [:D]

Even better views towards the end, it was an amazing walk, I can't really put it into words, other than the final cache will get a GGGF (Golden Griff Grof Favorite) as it was an amazing walk, wow wow wow - hats off to tarmacjohn, it was worth every step!

The event - The Butcher's Arms, Mickleton 


Things just kept on getting better and better, sat at the Wrighties table and enjoyed a yummy lasagna, before handing out the quizzes - glad to see that you, too, all hate X Factor! I had a feeling, so chose that question on purpose - I mean, CacheWalker's have lives.

The fanfare was sung by Walk Tall as the guest of honour arrived - Mel!!! (bikermel76) Yep, the mother, and admin, of CacheWalker made a guest appearance, it was great to finally meet you at last - I'm over the moon to help pass on your legacy!

More trackable swapping/spotting, and....

 ~CONGRATULATIONS TO WRIGHTY ON HITTING HIS 3000TH FIND ON THE EVENT!~


All in all, a good event... sorry, I have to be honest, it wasn't good at all... IT WAS GREAT, AMAZING, FANTASTIC, EPIC, AWESOME, FUN, SURPRISING, ENTERTAINING and... well, I'm lost for words... hmm... Griff Grof lost for words - you must have done something right, well done, and hats of to tarmacjohn! More praise coming in my logs for you [:)]

Looking forward to the next one on Snowdon (yes - you heard me again)

What's that? Am I forgetting something? Oh yeah, the film! It went great, I was filming the event and the group walk all day, and managed to gather 7 minutes of good footage - enjoy,(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W59tQZp3pSw) Sorry, I couldn't work out how to get it on the blog! 

See you at the next one! Go CacheWalker... CacheWalker forever!

Griff Grof

Wednesday 15 February 2012

QBS series and a cache underground!

Hello, I'm back caching!

I was invited by Wrighty to do some caches in the Vale of the White Horse. We decided to set off and try the QBS series by the K9 Crew, and also try a few others afterwards. It seemed like a good plan, and had a great drive of 30 miles geo-chatting along the way.

Before too long, we had arrived, and parked in the National Trust car park for White Horse Hill. We had a nice stroll along the Ridgeway, picking up a great Wombles cache, and one from the "birds" series, before joining up with #10 on QBS, and enjoying the views, before we bid farewell to Mrs Wrighty, who decided to have a walk around the hill for now instead.

An enjoyable walk round, with nice views, plenty of hills, variation in terrain, and nice containers - though they were all the regular sort, and easy finds, so not quite sure why some of them have 20+ favorite points? Enjoyed finding a "large" sized cache for once, and swapping/spotting the trackables nestling inside it. All in all, a great walk and fab series with good quality caches, though, after BEEline to Wentnor, I felt let down not to find a single ammo box [:D] (after finding 7 on BEEline) Would recommend, and like the fact that we were "on a quest". Interesting history about the area, so yes, a good loop.

Once we had arrived at #11 (After 22 finds) we decided to join Mrs Wrighty on her wander on the hill, bagging a trigpoint, and collecting clues for the nearby multi "The Dragons Egg". We didn't understand one of the clues, so put together a rough estimate on the coordinates, and after lunch, decided to search on our drive back down the hill. It was purely by luck that I spotted the container up a bank while looking out of the car window, and giving a favorite on this one, for the great spot (Lovely scenery and views) and also for a good cache. Still don't understand the hint though, Wrighty was expecting it to be hidden differently according to the hint itself.

To end the day, Wrighty offered to drive me to a nearby nuclear bunker, of which he had found a cache a few months back. Never been in one before, so felt a bit scared as I climbed down step by step, but at the same time was fascinated by the history side of it, and all that must have gone on in there. Didn't really look for the cache, Wrighty kindly pointed it out to me, while I posed for some photos. Giving another favorite here, for a unique, memorable hide, in a good spot - and also 5 red kites put on quite a show for us, with the views behind them, quite amazing, never seen so many in one go.



So, all in all, a SUPERB days caching, in the great company of Wrighty, nice to see him again, and swap some more stories. Remember, as always, to read my logs on Geocaching.com for more on each cache on the series.

Griff Grof

Friday 3 February 2012

Snowshill Scramble

Hello,

My new series is now live, and is called Snowshill Scramble and currently consists of 24 caches, and soon to be 25, but not yet due to a permission issue.

Hope you can go out and find it, and I hope I can find some caches myself this weekend, though perhaps not due to the freezing temperatures here in the UK


Griff Grof