Sunday, May 29, 2011

Who Are These People?

This morning my husband, Brad, woke me up by asking, "Do you want to get up, get ready, and go geocaching?"  My reply was to dash out of bed and into the shower. 

We were trying to decide where we should go that would only take about half of our day.  Brad works for an ambulance company so he was looking forward to getting a little more familiar with some of the smaller towns outside of Bangor.  After pulling up the maps on the geocaching website we decided to head toward Dixmont.
  
After turning onto Moosehead Trail, an old green building came quickly into view on the right.  We pulled over across the road at a small turn off.  At the turn off, you can see a small "fountain" with a dedication plaque to Benjamin Bussey.  Mr. Bussey has an interesting history.  He was originally a merchant from Boston who made a nice fortune trading to England.  He acquired vast amounts of land between Boston and Bangor which he used for farming and agriculture.  His interests in these areas led Harvard to create the Bussey Institution which focused on agriculture and horticulture.  The Arnold Arboretum has a nice article for further information.

Brad and I tracked around in the bushes for a few minutes, even walking through what Brad thought might have been poison ivy.  Knowing that this geocache was a micro, meaning it was about the size of a film canister, I had a feeling we were a bit off.  After stopping to think about where a cache would likely be hidden, we quickly located its whereabouts and signed the log. 




Down the road a piece is a narrow dirt road not suitable for a Kia to be driving on.  Brad parked the car near the end of the road and I followed my compass to a small intersection of two dirt roads.  The path on the right was marked with a sign and happened to be the direction in which my compass was pointing.  I followed the path and my needle down the path and into the bushes.  I was so focused on my compass that when I looked up, I was startled to see a single gravestone sitting in the middle of the overgrown trees and grass.  I couldn't make out the name but the description of the geocache says it belongs to Thomas Luce.  Without being disrespectful, I walked around his grave and found the geocache.  It was a bit eerie doing so with "company" watching me. 
 
Thomas Luce


I think on our trips through Dixmont and Brooks we saw more cows and horses than we did people and homes.  One horse actually watched quite attentively as I looked for and signed the log for a guard rail cache.  One of the best things about geocaching is that you never know who or what you'll run into while on a hunt. 

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Nature Walk


Today was a great day for geocaching.  My friend Derek and I headed out to find a few that required a walk.  Since today was such a nice day, we were hoping to get out and enjoy the sun.  Today was the first day I've worn shorts this year! 


Derek and I both discovered a place we'd never been to before: Fields Pond Nature Center.  We loved hearing the sounds of the birds and frogs chirping from the woods.  We started down the appropriately named Frog Path but had to turn back quickly because of the mud and water that got onto our shoes.  Thankfully, when we backtracked and took the Ravine Trail, we came across a stream where we were able to wash away some of the mud. 


Continuing across the stream, we climbed a set of stones that acted as stairs leading to an elevated path through the trees.  Being the only ones on the path, we could clearly hear the echoes of the birds calling back and forth to each other.  We stopped to admire the stream rushing by below.  This path is on a bit of an incline so some travelers should plan for breaks or not to take this route. 


We quickly found the geocache just off the trail near a fallen tree.  One of the items in the cache was a washcloth, which we joked about taking so we could use it to clean off our shoes.  In the end we traded some sports cards for golf balls.  I'm not sure if it was the stopping or the moving of the tree bark, but as we were examining the contents of the cache, a swarm of mosquitoes started to cloud around us.  We made a rapid exchange and headed back toward the trail. 

I would highly recommend visiting this area on a dry, summer day.  Fields Pond has 192 beautiful acres and many groomed paths for walking.  You can take these trails yourself or participate in a guided tour.  Many of the paths are perfect for families who practice geocaching together.  One path even goes down to a small boat launch where another geocache can be found. 

"Along the Waters Edge"
In the two short hours that we spent geocaching, we made seven finds.  The ones at Fields Pond were definitely the favorites of the day.  With the awesome scenery and variety of trails, the Fields Pond trails are a nice addition to the systems in the area including the Bangor City Forest and Orono Trails. 

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Rock and Art

This weekend was a busy one.  Yesterday my husband and I traveled to Ellsworth for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary party.  We celebrated at Jasper's Restaurant, my grandparents' favorite.  It was nice to see all of our family and friends gathered together in one place socializing. 

While my husband drove toward home, I changed from my dress clothes into an outfit more suitable for geocaching.  We made a stop at the Rock and Art store located just outside of Ellsworth.  The store was closed but I was lucky enough to meet one of the owners recently and was excited to hear that she is bringing her work to Downtown Bangor.  Outside of the store is the entrance to a nature trail. 


My hubby sat in the car geohovering, a term he and his uncle would like to coin.  It's similar to what men do while their wives go shopping.  As I entered the nature trail, a gentlemen asked me if I was there geocaching.  I was surprised but said yes and asked if he was doing the same.  He explained that he was out planting trees.  He chatted with me as I looked for the container and seemed happy to watch as I looked under and behind anything as I sought the treasure. 

I was distracted momentarily from looking for the actual geocache because of the interesting surroundings.  There were some very interesting mini art exhibits to admire and take pictures of.  The Rock and Art website explains that these are temporary exhibits made by local artists and will change periodically throughout the summer.  My favorite display was the unique chess pieces lined up like soldiers surrounding a metal chair. 


After finishing my shutterbug duties, I quickly found the cache.  The man asked if I could contact the owner of the geocache as he noticed how wet the log was and that the container was a bit damaged.  I noted these things in my log and hopefully the owner will get a chance to perform some maintenance here.  I would love to see this geocache be a long lasting one. 

Luckily, this geocache is located on the route I travel to visit my family.  I plan on stopping in here over the summer to check out what will no doubt be more interesting exhibits.  The store is easy to get to and is on a busy route that runs between Bangor and Ellsworth.  I hope you can stop by and enjoy the show!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Little Red Schoolhouse

After school, a coworker and I made plans to go visit another school in town.  This school hadn't been used as an educational institution in over 85 years.  The Webber's Mill School, or The Little Red Schoolhouse as it is now known, was built in 1890.  This petite building has quite an interesting history and has been in many locations and used for many purposes. 

After being built in 1890, The Little Red Schoolhouse has been moved six times to different locations around town.  It has been used as a schoolhouse, a grocery store, and was also owned by the Credit Union.  Bonnie, my fellow geocacher, said that the school was moved to its current location across from the town library during a parade. 

Peering in the windows you can see old-fashioned desks, each with their own chalkboards, an abacus, a wood stove, and many other antiquities.  The grounds are meticulously maintained by the Lincoln Historical Society.  We saw beautiful flowers and rows of greenery as we searched for the geocache hidden here.  Visitors can stop by anytime and sit on the benches or walk among the plants.  To see the inside of the schoolhouse, come through town in July during Homecoming or visit the website to make an appointment.  The website also has information and interesting pictures of The Little Red Schoolhouse.  Stop by and enjoy!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Careful Caching

An oddly popular place for geocachers to hide their treasures is in cemeteries.  Generally, hiding caches in a cemetery is allowed if you have permission to do so.  These geocaches are typically hidden on the edges of the cemetery or on the fence around the perimeter.  These locations make for some very interesting finds.  It is generally NOT good geocaching etiquette to put geocaches in a place that would add foot traffic on the graves or if the geocache is on the headstone.  That being said, here are some of the cemeteries that I have visited.


Most recently, my friend Nick and I took advantage of one of the dry days in our stretch of rainy ones and went in search of "At the Feet of the Dead."  We parked and walked carefully through the paths leading down toward a small stream that cuts the cemetery in half.  We had little trouble crossing and followed the path until we reached a low rock wall.  The rock wall runs perpendicular to the Kenduskeag Stream which we could hear and see rushing between the banks. The cache was in a large ammo box and was in excellent condition.  Nick picked up his first Travel Bug here and left one of his own. 


One of my favorite geocaches is in a tucked away cemetery in Lincoln.  The cache is part of the Sherwood Forest series and is dedicated to Guy of Gisborne.  In the story, Guy suffers a particularly gruesome death.  How fitting that this would be located in a cemetery.  What makes this cache particularly interesting isn't the location but the container.  I've also been able to locate Gwyn in a nice clearing near Bucksport.  I'm looking forward to discovering other characters such as Little John and Friar Tuck.  Searchers, beware!

Sherwood Forest: Guy of Gisborne

Recently I got a notification showing a newly posted geocache.  It's always thrilling wondering if you might be the first to find.  I searched the fence and small trees surrounding that separated the cemetery from the road with no luck.  The description of the geocache gave very little information and no hints.  The container turned out to be a small pill bottle hidden by personal belongings on top of a headstone.  This would be an example of where NOT to place a geocahe.  Later that same day, the geocache was disabled and not available for future visits.  It's a shame, too, because it was a beautiful area and there were several other places where the cache could have been hidden. 


Remember to tread lightly and always be respectful of your surroundings, especially when geocaching in cemeteries. 

Friday, May 13, 2011

Happy Trails

Yesterday was the first dry day in a series of wet ones so of course it was perfect to pick up some geocaches.  My friend Derek and I went down to where the P.A.L. Center used to be in Bangor.  It's well known by kids for its steep sledding hill.  Many injuries have occurred here!  It's also known for its walking trails.  You may see some wild life here; most likely creatures that live in the pond or birds.  Once I was lucky enough to spot a deer standing in the middle of the path. 
There were lots of folks walking their dogs or with their families.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying the blue skies and gentle breeze as much as we were.  Luckily we found the first cache without much muggle interference.  There were a few thorns guarding the spot but we made it through mostly unscathed.  Farther down the path on the same side of the trail sat another geocache.  Both of the containers and contents had recently been replaced and were ripe for the picking.  I came away with some nice treasures-a hot wheels ice pack and a pen in the shape of the Hulk. 
Essex Woods Trail #2


Geocache: 835 Feet From New Jersey
On our way out of the trees, a little boy approached and asked, "What did you see?"  He was with his mom, dad, and dog.  There weren't any flowers or animals so we just said, "Not much," and hoped it would satisfy his curiosity.  Instead, he followed us for nearly the entire way back asking us questions and directing our eyes to look at the ducks or at him as he carried a cat o' nine tails like he was leading a parade.  Finally his parents called him back and we said goodbye.  Maybe we had a chance to make a future geocacher that day but I doubt he would have stopped talking long enough to hear what we had to say :) 

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Quite the Quarry

On our way back from a Mother's Day celebration in Belfast, hubby and I set a course for a few geocaches to pick up on the way home.  We picked up a few easy park and grabs before arriving at the quarry in Frankfort. 

We parked at the gate at the bottom of the road and the compass showed a mere .33 miles to the destination.  The day was beautiful so we decided to take the short hike up the hill.  We took the wrong trail more than once but finally got back on the right track.  I might not be out of shape but I'm definitely out of condition.  Thankfully there were lots of views to stop and take in so I could catch my breath. 



When we got to the top of the hill, we quickly found the cache.  The disappointing part was that the cache was in a plastic zip bag.  The contents were completely soaked and I couldn't sign my name to the log.  Directly behind us was a small lake surrounded by high walls of granite painted with graffiti.  Oddly, the graffiti was somehow pretty.  The description of the geocache said that some of the granite used at Fort Knox was probably used from here.   Although we didn't find a great geocache, we did find some great views and learned a neat history lesson.





Friday, May 6, 2011

Micro-Managing

Micro sized geocaches, although interesting and cleverly hidden, can be a cacher's worst nightmare.  Being so small gives them the ability to be hidden inside, under, or on any sized object.  A creative hider can turn these into tricky searches that can last for hours.  I revisited two this evening that I had previously been unable to find.

 After discovering that the mini golf place we planned on going to was closed, my friends and I decided that geocaching would be a good substitute since it's outdoors and gets you moving.  Our first stop was to a geocache called Directory Assistance and was one that I had attempted to find twice before.  Believe it or not, the container is large and in plain sight.   It only took three stops and five sets of eyes to locate it. 


Our next stop was to a guard rail on the way to Hampden.   The heavy traffic gave an added sense of pressure to find this cache quickly.  Normally, a guard rail cache is located in the same place each time.  But not this nasty little bugger.  Again, the five of us spread out along the rail and began searching high and low for the little container.  Who knows what the passing drivers were thinking, but our minds were only concerned with one thing.  This micro was located quicker than Directory Assistance.  The trick was to turn a wooden plank upside down.  On the underside was a small hollow with a metal container inside.  Quite devious but much more interesting than the typical guard rail cache.  A big thanks to allagash, the creator of this thoughtful hide.

The last micro of the night was located at an old armory in Bangor.  The armory was home to B-52s, B-47s, and their weapons.  There is a mysterious feel about the place as you approach.  On the exterior walls are smashed electrical boxes and giant rusted doors.  The roof is covered with grass, which was intentionally done as an effort to camouflage the building.  It was hard to concentrate on finding the cache as there is a definite urge to explore this old military site.  Admittedly, I have never been very interested in history but I do enjoy learning about the past life of any geocaching location.  Thanks to Fins2right for the brief but interesting lesson tonight. 

I love bringing my muggle friends along to help me with any micro that I've logged as a did not find.  Seeing them jump and scream with excitement makes me as happy as if I would have found it myself.  Sounds like it might be the teacher in my showing a little bit. 

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Witch's Leg, Bucksport, ME

This past weekend I decided to take a field trip to a nearby coastal area to find some geocaches in what I hoped would be picturesque locations.  My expectations were met with beautiful blue skies mirroring the sparkling blue ocean.  The day started off with a extreme wind but turned into a mild and pleasant day. 

My first set of geocaches were in the ocean side town of Bucksport.  Here I set out to find my first virtual cache.  A virtual cache is where the hider expects you to visit a location and answer a question or accomplish a task; there is no actual container to find. 

Upon arriving at the coordinates for Witch's Leg, the seeker finds a small and weathered cemetery.  After taking the stairs up to the viewing platform, I found a large monument with the name Buck etched into it.  To the left is a plaque explaining the significance of the monument.  The story goes something like this:

Jonathan Buck, founder of Bucksport and war hero, accused a woman of practicing witchcraft.  She was condemned to death by burning.  While she her body was going up in flames, her body started to disassemble.  Her son, a social outcast, ran up to the body and grabbed her leg from the ashes.  He ran into the woods with the leg.  Buck eventually died and had an ordinary stone placed to mark his grave.  Many years after his death, a new monument was erected to honor him.  One morning, passersby noticed a blemish on the stone in the shape of a leg.  The monument has been polished although it has not helped remove the outline.  The plaque also notes that there were executions due to witch craft and that stone tends to have blemishes.  What do you think?

I shared this story with my fourth grade students and asked them same question.  Some believed it was a curse and other attributed the mark to imperfections in the stone.  They had fun sharing ghost stories of their own, many of them more unbelievable than Buck's. 




Monday, May 2, 2011

Introduction

Greetings and thanks for stopping by!

I've always wanted to give blogging a try but never really had much to say.  I finally decided to start penning (or typing) about my new favorite hobby-geocaching.

For folks who aren't familiar with geocaching, let me try to give you an idea of what it's all about.  Basically you are treasure hunting with the help of a hand held GPS. The basic tools you need for this hobby are a handheld GPS and something to write with.  The "treasures" are located by searching a for set of GPS coordinates.  Once you load the coordinates into your GPS, the hunt begins.  You could be looking for a container ranging in size from a dime to a five gallon bucket.  The contents of the containers also differ.  The smaller ones usually contain just a log where you sign your name and the larger ones can contain trinkets or items for you to take.  It's proper etiquette to leave something if you find something to take.  And that's about it! 

Geocaching has helped me to explore my own area as well as the different places I have traveled to.  One of the best things about this hobby is the breathtaking sights you will behold.  It is my intention to describe my experiences and also show them to you with photos I take along the way. 

If you are interested in geocaching or would like to start your own hunting adventures, head on over to www.geocaching.com and create an account.  It's simple and easy!  Please feel free to leave comments about your own experiences or questions about anything you see here.  I look forward to sharing with you!