Cheeky Geocaching
In order to retrieve my good mood in regards to the long winter ahead, I decided that I would take the kids out to do some geocaching in our area. I found a park that had two caches, as well as clues to a few other caches in a park nearby. So I printed out the coordinates, and then we clambered into the van and took off.
The first cache wasn't as easy as I had thought...and about 10 minutes after our arrival at the park, my fingers were numb and the Snoog was whimpering about being cold. It was at this time I realized that no one had had a potty break before leaving the house...and the park restrooms were closed for the winter. I knew I was working on borrowed time.
I brought the camera in hopes to get one good shot to document our little adventure, but the GPS decided that its batteries were low, so I had to make an executive decision. Camera or GPS. Without the GPS there was really little point in us being out there freezing our patooties off, so the camera took one for the team
We fervently looked for our prize, which was a micro cache, and happened to be a clue to finding a cache in another park...different coordinates. We logged the information, and then made our way back to the van. After warming up a bit, we decided to see if we could find the second cache in this park. I admit....I cheated. I drove around until I came fairly close to the coordinates in which the cache was hidden.
But with a three year old who may have to go pee at any second...I was all about doing what I could to make it fast and simple. Thankfully it worked. I ended up finding a parking spot about 100 yards from where the cache was hidden.
As my son fished the tupperware container out of the base of a hollow tree, the Snoog suddenly knocked her knees together and exclaimed that she had to GOOOO PEEEEE PEEEE MA MA!!!
Here we are, out in the middle of a wooded area at a popular park in our home town...no potty in sight. The trees and bramble stretched out before me indicating there would be no way I could make it to the nearest restaurant in time. I did what I had to. I sat her over the edge of an old stump. The poor child got initiated in the out door potty experience in 28 degree weather. Suffice it to say her top cheeks and her bottom cheeks were the same color within a matter of seconds.
After we put the container back in the tree, with our pieces of treasure added, I decided that we should hold off on the other park...and headed straight for the cafe for some hot cocoa. The Snoog had been a trooper throughout the whole experience, not crying once, and in fact informing me that she likes treasure hunting. Even if her cheeks do get a little pink.
I'm sure that when she is 15 she will appreciate that I didn't have a working camera on hand.
posted by Kassi Gilbert @ 7:07 PM
5 Comments:
Okay. What is geocaching?? You didn't really say what it is and I'm intrigued. Never heard of it before. Do tell!
Geocaching is a world wide game where individuals use their GPS units to locate "treasures" hidden by other players. You lock in to the coordinates that are given on the website to find what has been hidden (in a hollow tree trun, under a rock, in a small cave..etc.). If you ever go to a local park, it is very likely that there is a hidden cache (or more) there waiting to be found. You just have to get the longitude/latitude coordinates and use your GPS to find where it is.
You are brave for even going outside. I despise the cold, and whine and throw tantrums if I have to go outside. Not always, but still...its COLD.
I'm glad you defined what that was, as I was clueless also.
I am a newly initiated cacher (just blogged about it, actually), and I was tickled pink reading your account of this particular adventure. I've been caching in the rain for a week and a half now, so pictures are mostly eschewed in favor of hightailing it back to the car before I'm totally soaked.
Nice covert peeing maneuver, though--very important skill.
Thanks Kassi, just read it. My error and I apologize. Now I want to do it!! Okay. GPS on my list of things to get. lol.
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