Geogaine 2010

We took part in a world first event? The South Australian Rogaining Association put together the idea of a Rogaine with the use of a GPS, with the result of a  new event type, the GEOGAINE! In the pleasant surrounds of Victor Harbor the task was be to find as many temporary geocaches in 3 hours on foot.

Our story started in the afternoon when we picked up our Japanese homestay student from the High School around 2:30 pm. Out of the 20 students thee was one that had been sick from the airport to the school and yes it was ours.

We got him home and settled briefly, then it was time to load everyone in the car to go to Victor. It wasnt long and our Japanese friend was ill again. Turn around and drop him and Jenny at home and we were on our way again. The team had now dropped from 5 to 3 and it was now 4:30 pm. We were going to be late.

The drive was going well until about 5km out of Victor when someone decided it was fun to drive at 60kph in a 100 km zone all the way to Victor with the biggest train of cars behind him and no opportunities to pass.

We arrived at the scout hall just in time to hear 5-4-3-2-1 and this crowd of Geogainers heading out the gate. Headed in and grabbed the maps and stuff and headed out still not knowing the rules of engagement.

We decided to grab the very easy ones close then the kids wanted to go to Granite Island so it was then off to do the hard ones. On the southern side of the island, the wind was so strong it was difficult to keep your feet. After picking up all the hard ones we headed south along the coast to make a start on the next series.

Of course in all this the 13 year old daughter was properly kitted up with thongs even though she was told to wear sneakers. But you cant tell a teenager.

It was getting close to 8:00 pm so it was time to grab what we could and head back to the scout hall. It was getting dark and the GPS was telling us that it would take 18 minutes to get back and we had 15 minutes left so time to pick up the pace.

With a little gallop at the end, we made it with 10 seconds to spare to the 8:30 deadline.

With all the dramas of the day we still managed a 5th overall so we are happy. The event details are GC23AWE – Geogaine 2010

New Thompson in the Clan …

My brother Dale and his wife Trish added another Thompson to the clan yesterday and we went to visit today.

Dale’s daughter Tayla now has a new brother called “watch this space”. They haven’t come up with a name as yet but everyone in the family has been putting their 2 cents worth in on name suggestions. I guess we will find out latr in the week the name of the new Thompson.

Bubs and mum are doing well at the Ashford Hospital and will be transferred to the Hilton Hotel shortly to recuperate.

It didn’t take long for the kids to lose interest and watch the TV. They must be growing up as we left both kids said they were hungry and we only had tea 2 hours previous. So a quick stop at Cafe de Villes for some desert. 🙂

February 12 of 12 – Everywhere a Sign …

I almost forgot about todays 12 of 12 but as I was heading down Anzac Highway for some shopping for work, todays date popped up in my mind and I was already half way through the day. What was I going today. It hit me when I got to my first location – Sign Sign everywhere a sign, blocking out the scenery breaking my mind, Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign …..

So I decided that the theme for this months 12 of 12 would be signs.

First stop was Officeworks which didn’t have what I needed, so off to Ikea and more signs only bigger. They had what I needed.

It was now lunch time and the GPS was telling me there were 3 caches nearby – a sign.

First Stop was GC233JB – Prince of Thieves which was near a tennis club with signs on the fence. Next stop was GC1VMB8 – The Hex Hill Cache where there were signs on every bin telling you what to do. Third cache was GC1TX84 – Magnetcacheon where the cache itself had a little sign on it.

Enough of caching, it was time to get a feed on the way back to work – C Coffee for a Cappuccino followed by a pastie from Cafe De Villi’s.

Back at work and there was plenty of signs to keep those not wanted out. From my Office window there is signs of change with the car park across the road rising from what used to be a petrol station in a former life.

The end of the day and the end of another week, and with half the family off to a chick concert and the son having already made himself some pasta for tea, I decided to head up to Blackwood for some take away but which one did I choose?

It was then time to drop the son at Venturers for a DVC. Since I was up at Belair I put the car through the car wash so it would look its best for the Seaford Fire Station opening tomorrow. In order to dry the car off, I headed down the hill to grab a cache in Brownhill Creek – GC1XCD2 – Mitcham Quarries #1 Brownhill Creek.

For a 12 of 12 that I nearly forgot, it turned out not too bad, and remember:

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign  🙂

Oz Mega Pathtag

In anticipation of attending the Oz Mega Event at Wagga Wagga at Easter, we put together a pathtag for trade while at the event.

Well after some back and forth with the blueprint, the tag finally arrived. Am I happy – well not completely. The design has ended up OK but the colourings require a bit of imagination to even look like how it was supposed to be.

Who ever heard of an albino crow??

Blueprint to Final

You compare what it was supposed to be like!!

As it happens, I will not be attending the Oz Mega Event but travelling to Reno for a Wildland Urban Interface Conference and maybe some skiing at Tahoe. 🙂

The tags in whatever guise will be at the Mega Event by proxy with PostieGirl and Burtons.