Geocaching

Geocaching has its roots in Letterboxing, where small boxes (caches) are placed throughout the countryside, and you discover caches other people hid by following clues.  Geocaches are pretty much the same thing, only you use a GPS to find the location of the cache.  (A GPS is an electronic navigational aid that uses satellites to help locate you.  You can enter a location into your GPS (like the location of this geocache), and your GPS will help you find it.)

In the box will be trinkets left behind by others, and there's usually a log book.  There may also be a special stamp, and you stamp your book with the stamp in the box to indicate that you found the cache.  You also stamp their log book with your stamp, write something in the log book, and maybe leave a trinket.  We left a GONewEngland business card in the geocache we found.

This geocache was labeled "Double Trouble Part 1 - Sarah's surprise".  Is this familiar to anyone?  And where's "Part 2"?  And who is this Sarah?  Many mysteries in the woods of the Boxford State Forest...

Pam, Shadow, and Susan

Jan G., Sue, Shadow, and I walked the approximately 2.5 miles to the trail, stopping on the way at the coffee shop for beverages and pastry, which makes the walk more enjoyable. The weather was pleasant---not too cold.

A stream along the way

Most snow and ice has long melted except on the mountain, but we found some slippery spots on the way up---nothing major.

After having a pleasant lunch on the top of the mountain, we headed down. Going back down was another story. The icy spots that weren't bad on the way up slowed us on the way down. We took side trips off the trail to avoid icy patches. It was a balancing act, and the new waist leash I have for Shadow actually helped my balance. Next hike here will most likely be on snowshoes.

Susan and Jan on the way down
(the first time - we took the wrong trail back)

L:  Susan might avoid the ice way over there,
but her foot found a big stick!
R:  Susan slipped on the ice on the way back up

L:  Good thing we went back up - Jan forgot the picture from the top
L:  It's the real trail home

Jan and Randy

Randy and I headed down to Jamestown, RI to join several hundred other courageous but crazy people for the Penguin Plunge at noontime on January 1. Air temperature: high 20's. Wind chill: yes! Water temperature: 41.

View North

By the time we arrived at 10:30 am, beach parking was nearly full. You would have thought we were at a football game with all the tailgate parties and, shall we say, colorful people. We milled around, talked to people, and gawked at some of the more outrageous characters.

The Fur Guy, the Fat Patriot,
and the Painted People

A few minutes before noon, we peeled down to our bathing suits and joined about 600 people to run down a chute into the water. I'd say spectators outnumbered us about 3 to 1.

Waiting in line

By the time we actually began to move, I had lost the feeling in my hands, though we were all jumping up and down, running in place, screaming, etc. The water was warmer than the air, but it quickly became apparent that no matter how far I ran in, the water never rose above my knees, and I think ice balls were beginning to form inside my shoes. At that point, I just threw myself in so I could get the heck out! I lost sight of Randy before long. I hear he swam all the way out to the Coast Guard cutter and back ;-)

Randy and Jan ----- all wet!

We met up again on the beach and discovered that we really did not feel too chilled. However, it felt great to dry off and get those warm clothes back on again!

After lunch in Jamestown, we headed home. Randy and I agree this should be an annual GONewEngland event. Not only did we survive, we had a ton of fun.

Our New Year's Day hike was met with beautiful sunny skies, a small breeze, and temps that were a tad on the chilly side but were helped by the sun.