After yesterday's successful day hardcore Geocaching, Kinsey23 put me onto another of his caches, GC4XMYX - Round and Round to have a go at. It hadn't been found yet and he was frustrated, as he claimed the puzzle was easy...!
I spent a few hours last night going backwards and forwards with various ideas, anything from radar patterns to rounding numbers, to roundabouts themselves! (One of these may or may not be the correct solution. ;) ) I was becoming increasingly frustrated; at one point I was so sure I had it, and the Geochecker rejected me. It was very demoralizing.
I slept on it, and had another look at it this morning. I was becoming even more frustrated with answers I felt were so close and yet seemed so far away. Talking to some caching friends, I had a nudge which suggested how to reduce the numbers I had in front of me into co-ordinates. Suddenly, I had it!
I spent a few hours last night going backwards and forwards with various ideas, anything from radar patterns to rounding numbers, to roundabouts themselves! (One of these may or may not be the correct solution. ;) ) I was becoming increasingly frustrated; at one point I was so sure I had it, and the Geochecker rejected me. It was very demoralizing.
I slept on it, and had another look at it this morning. I was becoming even more frustrated with answers I felt were so close and yet seemed so far away. Talking to some caching friends, I had a nudge which suggested how to reduce the numbers I had in front of me into co-ordinates. Suddenly, I had it!
Rang Pip_Squeek.. No, she's busy! Rang El-Woodio... No, he's at work. Looks like this FTF is a solo one for me!
On my way out, I passed GC4RGHQ A-road Anarchy: A47 Thorney bypass. Every time I've passed it recently there have been muggles at GZ, but not today. I swung by and grabbed a quick pick up while I had the chance, as it's a busy stretch of road that often has people in the layby.
On my way out, I passed GC4RGHQ A-road Anarchy: A47 Thorney bypass. Every time I've passed it recently there have been muggles at GZ, but not today. I swung by and grabbed a quick pick up while I had the chance, as it's a busy stretch of road that often has people in the layby.
Back to Round and Round. I arrived at GZ and wandered around with the GPS for a bit. It kept bringing me back to a spot that looked totally in-viable, and so I focused my attention slightly elsewhere. With the idea that geokids would not want to attempt this from the cache description, I considered where I wouldn't be happy sending my 7 and 5 year old, and quickly I had an idea. I spent some time assessing the area and decided that I could see the cache, but it would be difficult to get to. There's water all around me from recent rainfall and I had decided against wellies before I arrived...! In the end, I decide to plough on through - I didn't come this far to give up now. Eventually I have when I thought to be the cache in hand, but it turns out to be a discarded glass bottle. Sometimes, I hate caching.
I returned to the geocar. Do I give up? I went back to the cache description to check that I had transferred the co-ordinates from the geochecker to my GPS correctly, when I noticed something that looked familiar. Hmm. Back I go (I still haven't checked those co-ordinates...!!).
I searched in the wrong place initially, dislodging a giant spider (ARGH! So glad Pip_Squeek wasn't with me now!) I'm really fed up now. I search again, in a slightly different place, and still no luck. That's it. I give up. I'll come back again with Pip_Squeek (I won't tell her about the spider...) and El-Woodio and get them to help. I come away from my search area, and as I start back to the car a thought occurs to me. Within seconds, I could *see* the cache - how frustrating that I missed it before - and within minutes it was signed. (By this point my pen has been dropped in water several times and threatens not to work... I don't think so! A bit of scribbling brings it back to life!)
I returned to the geocar. Do I give up? I went back to the cache description to check that I had transferred the co-ordinates from the geochecker to my GPS correctly, when I noticed something that looked familiar. Hmm. Back I go (I still haven't checked those co-ordinates...!!).
I searched in the wrong place initially, dislodging a giant spider (ARGH! So glad Pip_Squeek wasn't with me now!) I'm really fed up now. I search again, in a slightly different place, and still no luck. That's it. I give up. I'll come back again with Pip_Squeek (I won't tell her about the spider...) and El-Woodio and get them to help. I come away from my search area, and as I start back to the car a thought occurs to me. Within seconds, I could *see* the cache - how frustrating that I missed it before - and within minutes it was signed. (By this point my pen has been dropped in water several times and threatens not to work... I don't think so! A bit of scribbling brings it back to life!)
At least I made a new friend...
I'm so pleased I managed to get that FTF - It's something I've wanted for so long!
-RFF
Total Finds Today: RFF - 2.
Total Finds to Date: RFF - 302
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