Midwest GeoBash 2014 - 10 Years of Goodness!

GeoBash happened over 3 weeks ago, but life when topsy-turvy upon a return so I'm late in logging this awesome adventure!

This pictorial essay picks up where On the Read to GeoBash ended: the arrival and enjoyment at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, Ohio!  This was the 10th Midwest GeoBash, running from July 24th - July 27th.

Although there was some coming and goings due to Scout camp and work, many of the Team Free Range Lobsters "usual suspects" were able to attend.

3inaTree, scrapcat, TaGeez, WikidKriket, SnakeyLicks
Caching Fire around the team banner

My first time camping in 36 years, and it was a hoot!
Couldn't have enjoyed it without TaGeez

This year's Bash included 10
Winter Wonderland-themed LAB caches

Up very early Thursday morning, TaGeez
trying to get Rudolph out of the chimney

Kriket and Fire playing with Trippy's balls

3inaTree and theGrundalows joined in!

Funny how Peppermint Stick stumped so many!

10 for 10 LAB caches!

Friday morning also brings Poker Run!  You take this card to 7 locations around Wauseon and environs.  At each stop you get a sticker for the back of the card.  Return to the fairgrounds by 3pms to see if you have a 'winning poker hand'.  We never do, but we enjoy the adventure.  Because of work, only 3inaTree, scrapcat and TaGeez were able to enjoy this year's excursion.

1st stop: TaGeez and 3inaTree at the Historic Museum

In-laws bonding 

MamaTree made a friend

Lunchtime at Mom's Diner in Archibald

So much to see and good eats!

scrapcat hamming it up!

TaGeez and scrapcat

After each excursion (Poker Run and Treasure Hunt), TaGeez and I would explore the local countryside completing several challenges including the Old Timers of Fulton County (visiting rural cemeteries) and the local Wauseon challenges (found on the Wabash Cannonball Trail).

We weren't expecting donkeys to stare us down at the cemetery

Love the Wabash Cannonball Trail
We spent many peaceful hours there.

Grabbing some caches in town

Late Friday evening brought great joy...er... or my sister and brother-in-law.   Gang all together, and we grabbed the night cache on Friday and were able to spend most of Saturday up to the closing ceremonies together. 

Traditional banner picture at the front gates

Fire is loving Christmas in July

We ran into many friends on the Midway before the Treasure Hunt.

DarrylW4, Fire, RayQix, GeoBirdie,
WikidKriket and Snakeylicks outside the store

Never met these people before, but they were
new cachers and thrilled to meet Fire

The Geocaching Vlogger met Caching Fire!
His son and DarrylW4 having a good time, too.

TaGeez finding his trackable during the Treasure Hunt at the
Horse Rink. Kriket is digging it out for him.

 Each evening was spent grabbing some of the 30+ geocaches around the Fulton County Fairgrounds.  This run was especially fun as the gang was all together.

There was no cache here, but SnakeyLicks and MamaTree
couldn't resist the traditional climb!

Can't go to GeoBash without a visit to Area 51.  As expected,  we were tripping over friends!

Snakey, TaGeez, RayQix and afishoutawater

A2Queen, Snakey, afishoutawater, and RayQix

TaGeez with A2Queen's Dad

MSU Couple in the house!

We were a little slow-moving, breaking camp Sunday morning.  Even so, WikidKriket and TaGeez were game to grab the last few caches in the wooded area.  The humidity and the skeeters were horrendous!

Kriket and Snakey

TaGeez and I had no set plans for the drive home.  Exhaustion and humidity were a deterrent.  We decided to forgo a list of Virtual caches to save as the basis for next year's adventure.  We did stop at the Swan Creek Candle Company in Swanton, OH. Afterwards, 1 last Virtual and 1 puzzle final.

Virtual - Just Ducky GC9DC1

We rolled into Michigan just as a major thunderstorm hit the Midwest.  As with the whole weekend, timing was everything!

We returned home with major swag, too!  We each had a complete set of event path tags, a lackey's tag, the t-shirt from the Treasure Hunt, the event coin and a MWGB ornament!

 

The final, unofficial count came out to:

• 7 Free Range Lobsters
• 82 caches found including
• 12 cemetery caches
• 10 LAB caches
• 8 challenges completed
• 8 Virtuals
• 1 Jasmer filler
• 1 Night Cache
• 1 Poker Run
• 1 Treasure Hunt

We're already making plans for next year!