April 2023 - Michigan Waterways Adventure COMPLETED!

Winter has come and gone so we're back on the road to complete the Michigan Stage Waterways Adventure Lab. 

To help you explore Michigan's waterways and maritime heritage, we have seven adventure labs that each feature 10 locations. The adventure lab originally kicked off as part of the 75th anniversary of the waterways program in 2022. Thanks to MiGO and Jay's Sporting Goods.

We set out on this rainy day with 6 labs completed (Southeastern, Lower Michigan - East, Lower Michigan - West, Upper Michigan) and now Lake Michigan! Off we headed to the Waterways of Allegan Ottawa!

Not too many pictures today. We're visiting beach towns along lower Lake Michigan, but it's so cold and bone-chilling drizzly. I couldn't help but take this one, though... ShelleyJean and TaGeez trying to find a final clue in Coast Guard City! I swear, SJ, that WAS a little road down there!

It didn't rain the entire time so we did snap a few pictures at the various boat access sites. These were great havens for new birds, and we added a few to our life lists including the house finch and pine warbler. 

With that, we have completed the geotrail and can claim our rewards: 1 coin and 4 path tags. It was another enjoyable Michigan geocaching adventure, and we can't wait for the next one!

Oct 2022 - Upper Michigan Waterways Adventure

Life, school and Album Archive got in they way of my blogging. Which is a shame, because TaGeez and I have had many adventures in the last year. 

ShelleyJean reminded me why I do this blog - so we can share some caching amazingness and relive our adventures. Seneca County is a case in point - we're going to do their newest geotrail, and this blog post reminded us what a jewel that area is!

So, bear with me as I do a little catch-up because we have more amazing adventures in our near future. These catch-up posts may not be text heavy, but sometimes you have to let the pictures do the talking. 

Have you heard? Michigan Waterways Adventure Labs

 The adventure is afoot, again! 

The Michigan DNR and the Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO) are at it again! 

As part of the 75th anniversary of the Michigan State Waterways Commission, the DNR has partnered with MiGO and Jay’s Sporting Goods to help you explore Michigan's waterways and maritime heritage. There are seven adventure labs located throughout the state. Each Adventure Lab has 10 locations for you to visit. [link]

Complete the designated Adventure Labs in each of the 4 regions to be awarded path tags - collect all 4 path tags to earn a commemorative Waterways 75th Celebration Geocoin. 

ShelleyJean, TaGeez and I started the series Sunday - touring from the Ohio border, up along the coast and around the thumb, landing in Bay City!

Wayne-Monroe Waterways

Each lab visits 10 sites and 10 code words for the tour passport. This first one ran from Bolles Harbor near Monroe, through Detroit, and into St. Clair Shores. Not sure what to expect, we are excited that these stops differ from the centennial tour, and included many birding habitats such as the spectacular Detroit River IWR - Strong Unit!

Detroit had four stops, including the Mariner's Church, Outdoor Adventure Center, and Milliken State Park. 

ShelleyJean, Scrapcat and TaGeez

Milliken State Park

Unfortunately, we couldn't finish this lab as the Grand Prix blocked the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. We would've been "first to log" 😞

Bay-Huron Waterway

Realizing what a lovely day for a car ride, we decided to continue onto Bay-Huron, starting with Harbor Beach (and a new Virtual). From there we headed West, where we visited two of my favorite locations on the tour: a lighthouse...

Point Aux Barques Lighthouse

and an ice cream shop! Yum for Stroh's ice cream! 

While we were stuffing our faces, SJ was becoming fast friends with an American Redstart - swoop! We added several new feathered friends to our "life lists" including the Orchard Oriole and the Black-crowned Night-Heron!

Photo credits: ShelleyJean and/or her camera 💗

We've heard criticism of this tour as it's just a bunch of remote boat access launches - this is not like the geocaching heavy centennial tour. Yes, in the 19 we completed, there were a few underwhelming locations, but most were in or next to previously-unknown-to-us nature preserves and [heavenly] Michigan waters! So looking forward to seeing where the remaining 5 bring us!

GOT THE COVER!

Hey! One of my pictures is the cover to the Michigan Geocaching Organization annual calendar! The calendar celebrates the Michigan State Parks this year! ☀️ Wow!

This is MSPCGT:Fayette HSP-Village GC801K6 - great memories with TaGeez and ShelleyJean in the U.P.! 

Michigan 83 County Challenge

Wow! Look what came today! My Michigan 83 County Challenge pin! This is fabulous! We earned it after our #mspcgt adventure in the UP.

Thank you, MIGO! Thank you, Stephen Fritz, for mailing it! Thank you, Ben Zhang, for telling us about it.

Michigan State Park Centennial Celebration

The Michigan State Park System made a big announcement today! Their Michigan State Park Centennial Website has gone live! 

100 YEARS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The announcement kicks off a yearlong centennial celebration for the inception of our State Park System. A year of reliving memories, centennial celebrations and even a Geotour! That's right! Scroll to the bottom of the screen because the State Parks, in conjunction with MIGO, has something special planned!

MIGO (Michigan Geocaching Organization) has been hard at work to setup Michigan's first Geotour, kicking off Memorial Weekend and spanning 3 years.

The tour will consist of 100 fun and interesting caches, 25 in each MiGO region.  Achieving 20 of 25 finds in any region will net you a nice, regional pathtag.  Achieving 20 of 25 finds in three of the four regions will net you a nice GeoCoin from the DNR.  Achieving 20 of 25 finds in all four regions will net you a special gold GeoCoin from the DNR.  Finding all 100 caches in the GeoTour will get you recognition from Geocaching HQ. [MIGO Website]

I'm SO excited to have a Geotour in state - so much so I sponsored a geocache on the tour. Plans are already underway to enjoy and conquer the tour this summer. And I'm SO impressed with the changes MIGO has made in the last year that I finally doled out for a supporting membership.

It's shaping up like an amazing year ahead!

Kneel More: Geopoly

Yippee! I messaged Neil Moore (Kneel More), the creator of the Geopoly board auctioned at the MIGO Winter Social, and received the go-ahead to share with you!

How cool is this board?!? I'm blown away by this! 

He handmade it as an auction item, and it deservedly received one of the highest bids! I spent quite a bit of time reminiscing at the different caches TaGeez and I have visited. I really wish I could've flipped through the Community Event and Mystery cards.

He made custom cards, money, and game pieces. He posted that a coworker 3D printed the smalls and ammo cans (houses and hotels) included in the set. He didn't miss a detail. 

Proceeds (real proceeds - not the phony dough below) from the auction go towards the MIGO website, scholarships and events in Michigan. What an awesome contribution!

Visit Neil Moore's Cache Tales on Youtube!

MIGO Winter Social 2017

Blue-haloo! It's winter time, and I'm suffering from cabin fever! The perfect medication is a jaunt to Lansing with ShelleyJean and afishoutawater for the 2017 MIGO Winter Social! I've been told for years this was the social event of the year so early Saturday morning we found ourselves bundled into fish's new SUV and heading west.

First stop: The Flash for Auction flash mob. WOW! Was it cold! Only insane people (and geocachers) hang out in a vacant shopping plaza in February for a group photo.

Source: Cache Page (Periwinkle128, I think)

To warm ourselves, a little caching.  Ah, the joys of caching in winter!

Luckily ShelleyJean and I found it! (Thanks, afishoutawater, for the photo!)

The coolest part is this cache (and several more to follow) were part of the North American Wildlife Series -- each their own unique diorama!

Eventually, time ran down, and we headed to the social (2017 MIGO Winter Social GC6WNBH).

Mrs Grundalow and RayQix striking the 'TaGeez Look"

In actually, Ray and Amanda may've been contemplating, "Who donated the SheWee to the auction?" I know, right? I wonder who bought it?!?

But there were two amazing contributions to the Live Auction. The first was the Geo-opoly game handcrafted by Kneel More (Neil Moore) and bought by Team TopKat. Phenomenal!

The other is the fabulous quilt made by Mrs. Goldfinch (with an assist from the Mister) and purchased by Allenite. It contains replicas of the 10 commemorative path tags from past winter socials.

The coolest part is my sister, WikidKriket's, path tag! She won a path tag design contest several years ago. Awesome!

'The GPS says we're close"

The best moment worth getting up early for was to see Othum again. He's been undergoing so many serious treatments lately and has been sorely missed from our gatherings. Love you, my friend! So glad Yeti brought you across the border and to our capital!

Othum and Signal

Ok, enough seriousness. WINNER!

Prize for Geocacher's Bingo - woot!

And then onto the caching. ShelleyJean just nailed the caches in the cemeteries! Afishoutawater and I were SO glad she nabbed this tricky puzzle final!

I loved the views and assortment of hides. I think fish was just thrilled with the automatic front gates - Every cemetery should have these! Pull up within 2 feet of the gate, and it opens automatically to let you out.

Mount Hope Cemetery

This was my favorite oddity for the day - a fire call box in the middle of the cemetery. As you get closer you realize it's a memorial for the fallen fire fighters.

And then we wrapped the day with a stop at the Cracker Barrel. 

Yes, a very good day.

Thank you, afishoutawater, for driving.

Thank you, ShelleyJean, for finding.

Thank you, MIGO Members, for two fun events.

Crosswind Marshland Meanders: a mid-Michigan Adventure!

Often we are asked where is a good place to take the family caching.  I have a new favorite answer: Crosswinds Marshland, a part of the Wayne County Park System!

Crosswinds Marsh is one of the largest man-made wetlands in the country. It was built to replace the wetlands that were paved over to expand Wayne County's Detroit Metro Airport (the McNamara terminal). Wayne County, together with Sumpter Township, purchased over 900 acres of farmland that believe it or not, was once wetland that had been converted into farm fields by draining the land...in a process that took over a year.   They flooded former farm fields, planted new wetland plants and transplanted endangered species from metro Airport.

 

There have been over 240 species of birds identified at the marsh. Additionally there are nesting bald eagles visible thru-out the year. Boardwalks were built to give the visitors an intimate view of life in the wetlands. The marsh offers year-round activities including trails for hiking (over 6 miles), horseback riding and cross-country skiing, and areas for picnicking and fishing.  [From the event cache page]

How did we happen here? After work Friday night I told TaGeez I needed a long walk - preferably a caching adventure.  We saw an event/potluck posted for the Crosswinds Marshland Meander  GC6XH86 and plans were made.  The event was part of the Crosswinds Marshland "Hobby Days" and hosted by Hooked On U, Stan&Ruth, and the Seed Spreaders.

What a hoot!  The moment we arrived Mrs. HOU said seven new caches had just pub'd in the park!  HOU had released them, hoping to draw more geocachers to the event.  Luckily, however, TaGeez and I were already there.  Grabbing KathieH63 and her grandson, Gavin, we headed out to try out luck!

Two fist-to-finds! Gavin, KathieH63, and TaGeez

At the first cache, a Multi, we saw DougPeterson and clan heading North so we decided to target the West caches.  Score!  First to find on a Multi and a Traditional!  Best part?  On the way to Eagles and Beavers and Caches OH MY! GC60HJR, we spotted an eagle flying overhead! He was leading the way!

Gavin and KathieH63

Time for the actual event.  Boy, this was well-thought out.  There was a raffle to claim FTFs on the 12 additional caches publishing in the park.  Although exciting to claim an FTF, there's a downside to winning one.  Normally you have to take off in the middle of the event, hoping to grab it before the rest of the pack is set loose.  This time, however, the FTF was guaranteed.  If you won, you could stay and enjoy the potluck. Then, at your leisure, you could claim your prize while caching the rest of the park.  TaGeez and I each won one!

June17, TaGeez, scrapcat and Freckles

After socializing over hot dogs, grapes, and chips, we plugged in the coordinates and headed out.  

TIP: When I realized there was no GPS loading at the event, I created 12 dummy caches in my Geosphere app.  When we received the very well done handout, all I had to do was edit the coordinates and off we went!  Later, when the caches published, I updated the GC code and uploaded my logs.  Piece of cake! 

This time when TaGeez and I took to the horse trails we were joined by June17 and afishoutofwater.

PRONG!

June 17 and TaGeez

TaGeez and afishoutawater and one LARGE duck

We lost count of all the wildlife.  Over a dozen swans, redwinged blackbirds, sparrows (with baby birds peering over their nests in the eaves of the pavillion), a blue heron and that glorious Eagle.  Dragonflies, butterflies, toads, and snakes.  Wildflowers, lily pads, and cattails.  

It was a lovely day with 24 finds including 3 FTFs over 6+ miles along well-tended trails and beautiful boardwalks.  To celebrate our success, dinner!  All-around perfect day!

TaGeez, scrapcat, June17 and afishoutawater
Roundhouse BBQ in Trenton

You might be a geocacher if... this bugs the daylights out of you!  Doh!  We knew we were leaving one behind - it was off the beaten trails, high terrain and buggy.  Hooked On U said they're hiding more caches in the park, and we will avenge it when we come back!

A thank you to Hooked On U, the Seed Spreaders, Stan & Ruth, and the Wayne County Park System for such a fabulous day!