Have you ever Waymo'd to a Cache before?

I’m in Phoenix for an Engagement Summit, and I arrived with a baggie of trackables. Unfortunately, there are no sizeable caches near my hotel, so I started looking further out…

Wait! What’s this? Is this… a Waymo?! 

OMG! A driverless car???? Saw this on CBS Sunday morning, but we don’t have these in the (currently) frozen tundra of Michigan! WOW! That made heading out for a cache even more irresistible! Where can I go and when can I find time to get there? 

Searching "nearby", I spy the Bookworm's Haven about 6 miles from downtown. OK, so that makes this a double puzzle cache because you can’t plug coordinates into the Waymo app, so I had to solve that first. Luckily the CO confirmed the address for my peace of mind.

Thursday afternoon arrives, and I found free time during a quiet lunch to head on out! What a hoot! LOVED the ride! And Waymo’ing to a cache should be a square on a geo-Bingo card!

I arrived within 16 minutes to the cache, and then I watched as my car just drove away... I could've booked this as a stopover in the Waymo app, but it would've only stopped for 5 minutes, and I didn't know how long it would take me to solve the puzzle to unlock the cache.

 Residential caches are always awkward, but me, in business casual, standing alone with a Ziploc full of trackables? Luckily, the container was obvious, and the puzzle was quick.

This was a fun, well-maintained cache! I enjoyed it immensely. I signed the log, swapped trackables, and left a path tag for the CO.

❤️ Fave point for such a nice cache and fun puzzle.

Then I had to stand around for another awkward 8 minutes until a new Waymo could arrive. I love to drive, but I really want a driverless car now!

Happy Birthday, Team TaCat

 TaGeez and I received these fun birthday trackables at Syfun’s NOMAD event. It’s great timing as TaGeez and I were preparing to embark on our birthday weekend! Our birthdays are just 2 days apart.

scrapcat and TaGeez

As we typically spend our birthdays on a Great Lake, the trackable missions are to visit caches near lakes!

Party Blower	Party Balloons
Scrapcat	TaGeez
TBAZ3KZ	TBAZ4GJ

It's almost time to make more TaCat tags. Yes, we are still optimists - we hope these trackables go far!

July 2023 - Murder in the Snag-The-Tag Mansion

 Have you heard of Snag the Tag? 

Join a game. Get there first. Find the tag. Redeem for a prize.

Fourth of July weekend, TaGeez and I received notification that someone had hid a Murder in the STT Mansion tag in downtown Detroit! What? We're normally the hiders so it was a thrill to go on the run!

First to find the tag can claim the bigger associated Geocoin, and the Major Gold tag was up for grabs!

WOW! What a downpour! Streets were flooding, lights were out, but we made it to the posted coordinates in good time. The frustration of finding parking! To our surprise, there was both a Major Gold and a Mrs Garnet tag waiting us! We each scored this round!

Once you find and log the tag, we received instructions to claim the main geocoin. Look how cool these magnifying glasses are! And heavy, too!

Keep an eye on the site for the next game coming to a town hear you!

TaCat Tagging Along

If you cache in Southeastern Michigan, you don't often see "Scrapcat" or "TaGeez" on a log unless it's a challenge. Most often, for brevity, we sign as TaCat (TAgeez and scrapCAT - funny how often we are asked this).

When we were at GeoBash this year, (sadly) GXProxy was selling off their inventory. I loved ordering from them, and it broke my heart.

Looking at their clearance I found these blank disks and grabbed a handful. When we win promotional trackables we like to attach something personal to them before sending out. We used to add TravelFleas, but the last batch we ordered was a little disappointing - their name was much more apparent than ours on the customized tags.

Returning home, I hit on the idea to order some vinyl labels from Etsy to add a more personal touch to these blanks. What do you think? I'm geeked! We'll either used these as travelers in trackables or can send them out as proxies.

Ready to travel!

New Geocoin Storage

Happy Early Birthday to Me!

TaGeez knows his way to a girl's heart! He knows I've been frustrated because my geocoin collection is spread all over the house, and I couldn't find a practical, affordable solution online. He found these Ridgid cases at Home Depot for my birthday!

They are perfect! Geocoins can be heavy. They lockable cases have reinforced front handles, side handles to carry them upright, configurable larger compartments.

I went to town on with my label maker and compiled around 8 piles of trackables into one space.

Travelers Risen from the Dead!

You won't believe the emails I received today from Geocaching HQ. Not one but TWO of my duckie trackables have risen from the dead! 

"Good news! Your original duckie has resurfaced! Apparently it was retrieved from Dinosaur Train Corythosaurus Cache on 10 August 2012 and was never logged online. It has been returned to Geocaching HQ. I see you have an active proxy for this TB traveling now, so what would you like to see happen with the original?"

Both Drake-o Malfoy and Moby Duck we're in races against WikidKriket's ducks, with a goal of reaching Tacoma, WA. Both of my duckies arrived within 18 miles of Tacoma within the first week! And then POOF! They went missing! And now they are back 7 years later!

UPDATE: I posted this online and several others had the same experience today! Did HQ get their hands on a super secret stash?!?

LEGO Trackable Fun

Our crew is down in Ohio on a bit of a joy ride, when we stopped at a pretty creepy, highly favorited TB hotel GC5RMA6.

We dropped off a few trackables and grabbed some new ones including these LEGO bricks. Aren't they a hoot? Sitting in our hotel room, we made a BBQ Smoker! Hook it up to the trailer hitch, TaGeez!

#DucktalesCache Trackable Promotion

IT'S HERE!

Even if you receive one of the coveted emails, it doesn't necessarily mean you will receive your free promotional trackable. 

So when I received my emails for the geocaching.com/Ducktales promotion, I crossed my fingers and waited with bated breath!

Not only did I score one, but so did TaGeez and B-Rat! Between us we have...

Huey, Louie AND Dewey!

Two original trackables plus their proxies

As we know how trackables fare, we made a few proxies to send out into the wild. Pretty fun, eh?

Top: Original front and back
Bottom: backside of the proxies

I'm excited that each proxy (Huey, Louie, Dewey and Webby) have their own unique trackable icon. They are already in a cache and ready to go!

FTF Magazine TB Post

Hey look! FTF Magazine used 2 of my photos for this month's Trackable feature! Nice surprise!

Shout out to Cachly!

In all honestly, I have not been the biggest Cachly fan in the past. Geocaching Classic and Geosphere were instrumental in my 2000+ day cache-a-day streak.  My two biggest criticisms of Cachly is the response time (C'mon! Open! Open! Open!) and the pale interface (the poor font does not stand out from the background - yes, I just had my eyes checked and my eyesight is deemed perfect).

Periodically, I will give Cachly another chance (especially with rumor that GeoSphere will die with the next iOS update) so when I had - not one but two - AHA moments, I have to share in all fairness.

FTF Flag

The Frito Bandito said he was on a road trip and opened the app in his hotel. The nearest cache had an FTF Flag, and he was able to nab a first-to-find in a new state. When TaGeez and I went on an FTF fun last month, I opened the app for a looksie. There it was! That's not found in the other iPhone apps!

Log a Trackable

Ok, the ability to log a trackable in a cache is nothing new. But in the Cachly app, you can log a trackable into a cache without having to log a Note on the geocache first! Why is this remarkable? Before I send a trackable out into the world, I will dip it into my nearby Fantastic Ferndale cache to start the mileage. Now I can dip it into there without adding yet another "TB Drop" note to the cache page!

This ability is found under the Options menu (three dots in the upper right corner) and selecting Log a Trackable. I know ShelleyJean is going to appreciate this!

Two cheers for Cachly! Now, can we discuss your font selection and coloring?

Bash Bling

Once again, Designer Chris Mackey did a phenomenal job on swag for Midwest Geobash. He did the signage, the t-shirts and the swag. The theme this year was Sci-Fi and the mascot was the penguin.

This was my haul for this year:

6 event path tags - 1 event geocoin
1 Treasure Hunt trackable t-shirt - 1 lackey tag - 1 special event path tag

All of this fits perfectly in the swag pouches WikidKriket makes us each year.

Mountain Warehouse Trackables

Speaking of free trackables... look what we have!

Moose Willis, Meryl Sheep, and Jimmy Talon

The fabulous ShelleyJean and I made our way across Canada recently (that tale is coming soon to these pages), and we found ourselves crossing paths with several outlet malls. We decided on a whim to see if the Mountain Warehouses in Ontario and Niagara had any promotional trackables left (our own local store never received their shipment). To our shock and joy, we were able to collect one of each for one complete set! TaGeez loves his souvenir from our road trip.

If you see one in the wild, take a picture with it and upload to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest using #MWGeoTrail #contest 

---

UPDATE - And it looks like lady luck is on our side. Received this email too:

Congratulations, your name was randomly selected out of thousands of entries to receive a Hurtigruten trackable in the mail! You should expect to receive it within the next couple of weeks.

Looks like we have quite a few trackable tags to activate and release this summer!

A Pirate Life for Me!

So much to share because it's been an epic geocaching 10 days, but I'm exhausted. Watch this space for recent adventures that include famous waterfalls, mind-numbing cemetery puzzles, a multi-state road trip, and, of course, Midwest GeoBash. 

To give you a taste of my excitement, here's a quick share: GeoBash ended this morning, but it was not a quick trip home. TaGeez and I (plus about 40 other hearty soles) made our way from the Fulton County Fairgrounds to Ford Field Park in Dearborn to meet Captain Rodney and crew!

Originating from Tennessee, Captain Rodney's is a family business that sells Barbecue sauces, jams and jellies, and one of the owners happens to be a geocaching reviewer called Monkeybrad. To give back to the community and (let's face it) promote the family product (the coffee barbecue sauce looked amazing), Monkeybrad and crew have teamed up with Geocaching.com for the Great American Treasure Hunt trackable promotion. The crew is traveling the lower 48 states, hosting events and giving away free Captain Rodney's trackables.

Everyone who attended received one (to do as they will - yours to keep, sell, release). And they have a photo contest, too! 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Captain Rodney’s treasure hunt without a little something extra, so we are hosting a contest to win Captain Rodney’s prizes! All you need to do is carry a Captain Rodney’s trackable geocaching anywhere in the world and snap a photo of it to share your adventure. Post the photo on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtags #CachingWithCaptainRodneys #contest to enter. On October 31, 2017, we will pick 25 of the coolest pictures, the ones that truly capture Geocaching, Captain Rodney’s and our shared spirit of adventure to win Captain Rodney’s prize packs!

Monkeybrad and friends were pretty nice guys. After the event they headed off to The Henry Ford (because, when in Dearborn, that's what you do). And tomorrow they are heading to southern Ohio for the Butler County Donut Tour - yum! 

They must've made quite an impression on TaGeez, too. As tired as he is, he's sitting on the other loveseat shopping for their sauces and Googling recipes. Looks like a very tasty summer indeed!

Dream Big Trackable - Free!

I admit - I'm in the winter doldrums. It's a wet Winter in Michigan. My Love and geocaching Yang to my Yin has broken his leg, and our newest buddy was off having fun in Chicago. So there hasn't been much to write about... until today!

ShelleyJean messaged about the latest free trackable promotion:

The Dream Big Catch-M trackable. You have just 13 more days to enter for one of 1,400 free trackables.

Geocachers are invited to join the Dream Big movement. With a CATCH-M trackable, a magical character from the book, share your “big geocaching smiles” on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtags #GeocachersDreamBIG #contest. From February to October 2017, three photos that best capture smiley geocaching adventures will be selected each month to win an autographed 1st Edition of Dream Big. Those winners will also be entered to win the Grand Prize of $1,000 cash and three additional autographed 1st Editions of Dream Big. The Grand Prize winner will be announced on World Smile Day, October 6, 2017.

Heck! I want a trackable, but I wouldn't mind a copy of the book, too. Good luck, everyone!

Pssst! Shoes Off!

Urban Adventures Trackable - Got One!

WE GOT ONE! 

We got one of the free trackables! It arrived in TaGeez's mailbox on Monday. Now, what to attach it to? And where to drop it?

From the trackables page:

Urban Adventures shows travelers the stuff that only locals know in more than 150 destinations around the globe. From stuffing your face with the best street food to discovering the coolest underground street art, Urban Adventures is about finding the fun local spots, the fascinating local culture, and the friendly local people that make every city unique. Show off your own local knowledge by leaving this trackable luggage in a hidden corner of your own city –– or show your ultra-caching skills by planting it in an Urban Adventures city anywhere in the world! 

Be sure to snap a photo with your favorite spots, and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #localsknowgeocaching. Urban Adventures will pick the 25 most intriguing snaps to win a free tour anywhere in the world! 

And They're Off! Prepping Trackables for Release

And they are off!

Naughty McDuck and Greedy McDuck are on the move in the HQ Duck Dash! TaGeez and I prepped them and will drop them on our way to Midwest GeoBash tomorrow.

Attached to our travelers are:

* 7 Deadly Sins Duck Trackable Tags

* Trackable Info sheets with clear missions (Ok, TaGeez's a little vague)

* GeoFleaz personalized tags

* On a ball chain with a soldered clasp (TaGeez uses liquid solder)

The Info Sheets are located in the upper right corner of the trackable page on geocaching.com. Sending this along with the trackable gives it a better chance of success. Now, I don't particularly like the format of it, so I copy/paste the Info Sheet into Word and add my own edits. One feature is a clear tracking code for easier logging.

After I tweak it, I print them and have them laminated. It's super cheap at Office Max. Bring it home, trim it up, and punch a hole. Several bits of advice:

1. Punch in the clear plastic and not through the paper. If you punch through the paper all you are doing is unsealing the plastic, making it no longer waterproof.
2. If you feel the need to strengthen the hole, you can use a grommet.
3. I like to use a scrapbooking corner punch to round the corners. Otherwise the sharp edges can tear plastic bags or cause a paper cut. 

Just remember the main rule about releasing trackables into the wild: Don't send anything out you aren't willing to lose. Trackables go missing all the time, but, sometimes there are great success stories that make it all worthwhile.

See you at the finish line!

Our Ducks in a Row

Look! We have all our ducks in a row for the HQ Duck Dash!

Our ducks represent 3 of the 7 sins: greed, lust and wrath! 

Click the blog link and check out the details!

The Great DC Adventure: The Trackables

A major part of this adventure that can't be overlooked is the trackables. They definitely added a layer of fun to our road trip!

They are called 'Travelers' 

One of our first stops on the first day was WVTim's TB Hotel Extraordinaire where we dropped off almost a dozen visitors from Detroit. Safe travels!

Can't forget this little guy!

This little ghost has traveled with me to all the Virtuals over the last few years. Funny thing is? This is not actually the geocoin. The original coin is now a Virtual coin lost behind a Virtual in Cleveland, OH. Lucky I found this replica pin to take its place.

Jug Bridge GCGCRN

Can you spot the geocoin?

As one of my only souvenirs of the trip, I bought this Zero Milestone geocoin. It's sole mission was to visit the very cool Zero Milestone Benchmark, located between the White House and the Washington Monument. Every time I hold it I will remember TaGeez's warm hand in mine and the rain wetting our faces. Can you spot it?

Mile Zero GC2E52

A toast to Capital Hill

Right before our trip, both TaGeez and I received our Tin Cup Trackables in the mail. Mine took a trip to DC and back and is now in Germany. TaGeez said whiskey is one way to make politicians more palatable.

Capital View GCDE1

Also in my pouch is my United States Capital Benchmarks Geocoin.  On one side is Freedom, the lovely lady adorning the Capital dome. I dipped this coin at each geocache on this adventure!

On the back are three of the most well-known benchmarks on the Hill. This one is HV2019, located at the Southeast corner of the building. We searched and searched (under the increasingly watchful eyes of the local constabulary) but couldn't find it. The coordinates led us near the sidewalk, but the description made it seem as if it was closer to the building. 

Finally, we approached the Capital police, guarding this corner, and asked if we could take a peak near the steps. They were nice but very watchful. Imagine their surprise when we found it tucked between the wall and the steps. All the years they've guarded they never knew it existed! They even pointed it out to others! Watchful, eh? 

On an adventure of their own!

Not wanting this adventure to end, TaGeez and I brought personal trackables to DC for release. His, obviously, wants to visit  military Memorials and Monuments around the world.

Uncommon Valor TB6D331

He bought the keychain at Arlington National Cemetery and released his trackable to a newer cacher we ran into at the Delaware border. 

Mine wants to visit state capitals and capitals around the world.

Our Nation's Capital - DC Adventure TB4WX87

And I released it at the Burke Park Stash GC175 to new geocaching friends we met there. Safe travels!

Mission completed!

And speaking of trackables with missions, this was the sweetest of all!

Travel Bug Origins - United States had a mission to visit an Honest Man. CITOcacher, a Detroit friend, knew we were heading to DC so she made sure we had it in hand. It was fun stopping for pictures along the way. This was the first trackable mission we helped to complete! Honest Abe is exploring Philadelphia now!

View of an "Honest Man" GCEB2

There are a million trackables in the world, each with a story to tell... I'm glad we were part of their stories!