Hotspur.us

Day 1 – The Drive
Caravan (do two vehicles count as a caravan? I’ve asked before and no one has answered) to Charleston to pick up Knight Who Says Ni. It was supposed to be awesome weather but my topless jeep had already been stormed upon before I was even out of Morgantown city limits. Luckily I was getting gasoline and thus safe under canopy. In Charleston while waiting for KWSN the sky again opens up and WHOOMP! rain. Thanks Mother Nature. Appreciate it.

Once KWSN arrived we jammed her stuff in the Jeep and headed out. God what a boring drive. And long. Very long. We hit Louisville around 8, unpacked, ate and collapsed. Tomorrow morning was going to come awfully early.

Day 2 – Belle of Louisville
Knight Who Says Ni, Aquacache & I had tickets for the Belle of Louisville cruise. We had to be at the dock to collect our passes no later than 9:00. So being the hyper paranoid cacher that I am, I had all three of us there by 8:45 am. Which was really stupid because it was already 90+ degrees, there was no shade to be found and it took maybe all of 15 minutes to get our tickets. Which meant that we got to stand around on extremely hot concrete with 900 other people and wait.

One thing I learned once we set said, paddle wheel boats do not go fast enough to generate any sort of breeze. Help. I’m melting.

Once re-docked (I’m sure that isn’t a real word) the three of us headed up to Joe’s Crab Shack for delicious air conditioned NOMs. Oh the glorious air conditioning. Also, the food was good and the drinks were ice cold and very very large.

Our mission after that was 1. Not to die of heat exhaustion or sunstroke and 2. Meet up with the rest of the MAGPI gang once they hit town. We were doing a pretty poor job of #1 since it was still 90+ degrees and there was no air movement. And I’m pretty sure it was 300% humidity judging by the sweat stains on my clothes. The three of us were in the middle of a thicket of trees in a park searching for a micro when lo and behold, MAGPI reinforcements. And what’s the first thing they tell us? “You guys scared up a copperhead, we saw it on the path.” Yep, I was done poking around there. Thanks.

Day 3 – Geowoodstock X
It dawned hotter than Hades again, clearly already above 80 something by the time we MAGPI Assembled and headed out to Sellersburg, Indiana. Or rather, by the time we headed out to get in line with the other cachers who were (maybe) patiently blocking up the entire town of Sellersburg trying to get to the park. Have I mentioned at any point that my little black jeep didn’t have working air conditioning? Well it didn’t. I think KWSN would have preferred to ride with someone else today!

Our group split, formed, re-split and so on until it was just too much and we decided to leave early and head back to the hotels. All I wanted was to dunk myself in the hotel pool and hope to get my body back to a normal temperature. Or die. Either would have worked at that point.

And here comes the fun part. MAGPI Decides Where to Have Dinner. KWSNI, Aquacache & I had already learned that Sellersburg really had not much in the way of proper food opportunity, although there was a Dairy Queen right by our hotel. When Bump learned that the three of us had feasted at Joe’s Crab Shack and that it was “nearby” guess where he wanted to NOM? Oh yeah. Back in Louisville. God help us. We (wvhunter, wvcoalcat, Rock_Rat, the Bumps, KWSN & I) were the furthest away. Greenie333 & SnowXRacer were at Churchill Downs watching (and photographing) the ponies. Aquacache was really, really, really close to Joe’s Crab Shack because he didn’t like us and so stayed in a fancy hotel near the River. So he was drafted to go put our name in for a table. Meanwhile the rest of us attempted to assemble.

Stupidly I let wvhunter’s Oregon tell us how to get to Joe’s. That was stupid, because KWSN, Aquacache and I had already learned that the area was crazy town regarding the parking and the traffic. Let’s just say I almost ended up smashed between wvhunter’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and pbump’s Jeep and then I may or may not have yelled something nasty at wvhunter loud enough that pbump could hear me. (Note to self: when you have no top on your vehicle, people can hear you.) That would have been when I said, I’m taking lead and we’re parking in that parking garage right there. Everyone shut up! I’m hot! I’m tired! I’m Hungry! (well maybe I didn’t say it but I was thinking it).

Summation of the evening.
Joe’s Crab Shack: Nom
Really Cool Fossil Falls: really, stinkin’ cool
Dairy Queen for Dessert: NOM
Late to Bed, gonna be an early morning.

Day 4 – Road Trip
Where the Bumps & I go crazy and drive in and through: Indiana (our start), Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Dear God. And this was my idea. And I’m driving a Jeep with no air conditioning. And I’ve got no passenger. And I’m bored to freakin’ tears. Still, new states colored in on my caching map. And we got to eat at Marlow’s BBQ place which was awesome.

Day 5 – Go East, Pony Girl
The Bumps and I split ways. I head EAST. My goal is to get as close to Myrtle Beach, SC as I am capable so I can pick up Chad in the morning at Myrtle Beach airport. Good

[Show as slideshow]

After about 12 hours on the road. I give up. Myrtle Beach was within a few hours of me. I was done.

Day 6 – Geowoodstock Trip Ends
And vacation begins. Pick up sidekick at 8:30 am at Myrtle Beach airport. Give him a hug and a kiss and hand him the keys.

I’m heading to the big geocaching geek-fest known as Geowoodstock X this week. And as typical I’ve been pretty slow getting my stuff together. Oh sure I have a list, but seriously, having a list and using the list are two completely different things.

In addition I’m trying to squeeze in a few extra things, you know, just for good measure.  So on Monday I found myself emailing to Purple Monkey Dishwasher, who knows me and my level of un-preparedness oh so well. So yes, instead of actually doing something, you know…proactive, such as packing, I was sitting there with my laptop, my list and a hi-liter.

Me to PMD around 5:00 pm Monday, May 21

So Thursday I leave for geowoodstock.

Tomorrow I have the suite for the Washington Wild Things – minor league baseball. Wednesday we have MAGPI beer and wings.

I have not loaded maps on my Garmins yet. Have to check and make sure all appropriate state maps are loaded on the DeLorme. Also I now have a nuvi and I need to figure out how to put caches on it. Bump said he would show me Wednesday.

Also I have not begun to pack. But I do have a nice list.

And to cap things off….I’m not coming home from geowoodstock. Instead I am going to grab caches in Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi with the Bumps then drive East and pick Chad up at Myrtle Beach airport. We will then go to Wilmington and hang out.  I pity Uncle BJ who will be stuck with the neediest cats in America. And also one very spoiled ferret.

I’m very ready for vacation. But not so much for the prep that is required.

Me to PMD about 1 hour later.

Step 1: Load some maps to Garmins. I say some because I do not have the patience to load all the maps I’ll need. Also I don’t know how I am getting from GW to wherever exactly. I’ll figure that out later.

Step 2: Ask Chad what maps need to be loaded to DeLorme.

Step 3: well I’m not here yet. I’m working on it. but not yet.

Also I’m sitting on the sofa with my laptop and I have on one shoe and the other is off. I figure this is how it’s going to be for a bit.

(Interlude where PMD suggests I stop emailing her and get around to the business getting something done for this trip. I typically listen to PMD, so I did eventually leave the sofa.)

Me to PMD about another hour and a half later (clearly I take her “stop messing around & stop emailing me” advice to heart)

Step 3: Freak out because I can not find my SPOT device. Search each car twice. Search drawer where it typically resides AND all surrounding drawers – TWICE. Remember I saw it in the attic this morning.

Step 4: Begin to assemble clothes. Try on bathing suits to ensure they fit – they do. Spend additional time trying to pair shirts with skirts/shorts. Also, mutter a lot.

Step 5: Go for a walk.

Me about an hour later (I’ve stopped emailing PMD because I figure maybe staying away from the computer would make me more productive.)

Step 6: Put clothes in suitcase. Realize that’s a lot of clothes. Also realize I might need a secondary suitcase for the “stuff” that I need.

Step 7:  Throw “stuff” in clothes basket, lay clothes basket on top of suitcase, decide to deal with it later.

Me Tuesday, May 22

Attend Washington Wild Things game (very fun, excellent fireworks).

Go home, go to bed.

Me Wednesday, May 23

MAGPI Beer & Wings. Sweet.

So our friend Aquacache brought home a new Jeep. A completely stock Rubicon. And since we didn’t have anything to do the next day (yes the day after he bought it) and since there was an 89SC cache with nary a find on it, sidekick and I piled in and off the three of us went for Between the Falls (GC3HFGX). Oh sure there had been rain. And sure last time we (3_Dogs, Aquacache, Gentleman-Carpenter & I) were out this way the water got the best of me, but who am I to learn from prior experiences. After all, I was still pretty sure 89SC was not trying to kill me…pretty sure.

We arrived no problem. And that was pretty much that. The water was running EXTREMELY fast and EXTREMELY high and while Aquacache decided to give it a go, sidekick and I stayed on the banks and hoped he didn’t get washed over – after all, he was the only one with keys to the new Geocache Command Center.

I’ll let the photos tell the story. Which ended in FAIL. Although we did have a little redemption at Douglas Falls Cache (also an 89SC placement) and a random cache or two between here and there.

Enjoy.

[Show as slideshow]

Happy 8th Birthday, Orlando!

[Show as slideshow]