Aug232002

Categories Geocaching • Hiking

Rockin’ Fraggle Rock

Today's Geocache


    Hi, Peteygo!

    Well, I have to admit I’d never heard of this cache till last Sunday afternoon, when Rich mentioned that there was a cache we could look for during our hike on Friday. Unfortunately, the cache had been archived and we weren’t able to view the page, so we went in with only the coordinates. (It seems Rich didn’t have the energy Thursday night to dig through the pile of old cache printouts that’s balanced on top of his TV. I suppose we can forgive him this time. ) As you could probably tell from his log, searching for the cache wasn’t our major goal for the day. We mainly just wanted to take a slow hike and enjoy the views. This was a new spot for me, and I found it as totally enchanting as Rich expected I would. At times, we were so high up that we felt like we were viewing the ground from an airplane. Though the skies were gloomy, the heaviness lent a unique atmosphere to the hike. We stopped to appreciate the view at nearly every overlook; and I found plenty of dangerous-looking (though completely safe!) spots to perch upon. At the bottom of a steep, rocky slope (which seemed much longer on the way back up) we found a cool (both meanings) cave. We checked the map frequently and wondered about some of the places with strange names, like Patterson’s Pellet. When we finally reached Gertrude’s Nose, it was time for lunch. The sun started to come out as we sat there on the rocks, shoes off, eating our snacks: assorted cookies (including the somehow amusing shell cookies), honey roasted cashews (“…Oh, just give me the whole bag!”), 2-at-a-time spearmint gum, and Gatorade, which is OK to drink from a plastic container. After resting in the sunshine, we turned our attention toward the area where we expected (…or not) to find the cache. Rich detailed the hunt really well, so I won’t add much here except to say that I left GPS fuel and a new gold dollar coin (debates ensued about the proper spelling of Lewis and Clark’s guide’s name). I took the bright aluminum 3” spring link, which I promise I will not use for holding anything other than keys. We walked back the “easy way” — at least we didn’t need our flashlights, and we turned right instead of left, which in this case was good. Few things could be better than sharing this day and this great spot with a close friend. I know that I’ve seen only a tiny part of this wonderful area… I realize I have to come back… And I learned that we don’t even joke about pushing people over the edge up here. Thanks for adding yet another surprise adventure to this day filled with wonderful first experiences!

    Zhanna

    ps Capacity 10 people?!?!

    Howdy, Peteygo! To begin let me say that I’ve wanted to do this cache hunt since the day you posted it, but for well over a year I just never got the chance to make the drive out to the ‘Gunks for the hike. I’ve been to Gertrude’s Nose before (twice, a few years ago) and simply loved the entire area, so it was only natural that I strongly desired to visit there again—and with a Geocache as added incentive. In the meantime, however, I was disappointed to read your cache page note on March 29th and to learn of the cache’s possible demise. The cache waypoint has remained in my GPSr all along. Well, yesterday I finally had the chance to revisit this amazing preserve, bringing close friend and fellow Geocacher Zhanna with me to share in the adventure and experience this enchanting place (her first time to Mohonk). The trek began at the Trapps Bridge parking lot around 10:00am under skies that contained the gloomy remnants of yesterday’s passing cold front, and it followed the ridge trail to Millbrook Mountain and to Gertrude’s Nose where we lunched, marveled at even more magnificent views, and lounged in the warm sunshine (the day turned out beautifully, weatherwise). After the other hikers left the ledges the search for the cache began, albeit without holding too high an expectation for success. We began looking casually at first, and while the GPSr was continually bringing us back to the same spot we intensified our efforts. We paused briefly to contemplate our results up to this point when Zhanna pointed down and said to me, “Did you look under there?” I said “I’m pretty sure I did” and stooped down to check it again, this time poking my head further underneath for a better look … and there it was! It was nicely hidden and everything was intact. What a totally pleasant and exhilarating surprise. We celebrated with a quick high five and rushed to inspect the contents and the logbook. Total search time was about 20 minutes or less. Zhanna will surely add more to this story. I took nothing but left a green nylon webbing accessory strap and a pre-moistened towelette. Let me also point out that the coordinates I recorded were a dead-even match for the ones posted. Thanks much for helping to make this an even more superlative outing than it already was. ~Rich in NEPA~

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