Home through Brachina Gorge …

June 20, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

This morning was spent with more workshop sessions and after lunch it was time to head home. I decided to take an alternative route through the Brachina Gorge.

The Brachina Gorge is a step back through geological time with a number of different features that are Earthcaches.

An Earthcache site is a place that people can visit to learn about a unique geoscience feature or aspect of our Earth. Visitors to EarthCache sites can see how our planet has been shaped by geological processes, how we manage the resources and how scientists gather evidence to learn about the Earth.

I decided it was time to take the plunge and place an Earthcache myself at the Slippery Dip or Brachina Formation. The process for an earthcache is more involved than hiding a normal cache and the process takes more than a month. My listing is GC2B2R0 – Slippery Dip anyone ….

Another big day of caches on the way home with 26 finds but no FTF’s this time.

And now for the kangaroo story. Just after leaving Carrieton, I spotted a kangaroo on the side of the road in the distance. Unsure of which way it was going to jump, I started slowing down and of course as I came up on it it jumped my way. Quickly on the brakes but the roo went under the front of the car. Once I stopped, it picked itself up and jumped off. The only damage I could see was a dented number plate.

I later found that I had a oil leak as well which was easily fixed at the next car service 🙂

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Scott at Work, Work Life

Bonding on Sky Trek ….

June 19, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

The first activity for Saturday Morning was to drive part of the famous 4WD route called “Sky Trek“.

The Sky Trek took us through the Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby Preservation Association Bunkers Conservation Reserve, culminating in reaching the summit of Mt Caernarvon ( 921 metres above sea level ), the highest point of vehicle access in the Flinders Ranges with spectacular views towards Wilpena Pound.

It wasn’t all about enjoying the views, but there were also a number of activities undertaken along the way to bond the crews in each vehicle as well as stops along the way for group strategic activities.

After the mornings activities, it was back to Willow Springs for more Strategic workshops until late in the night ……

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Geocaching, Scott at Work, Work Life

Caching my way to the Flinders …

June 18, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

I had the opportunity to attend the CFS “Operation Compass” Strategic weekend as the MFS Representative. This was held at Willow Springs Station (NE of Wilpena Pound). It is a trip of 477km from home and it allowed the finding a few Geocaches along the way.

A couple of days ago there were a number of caches hidden around Hawker that hadn’t been found yet so there was a chance of some “First to Finds” (FTF’s).

It was a productive trip with 27 finds and 4 FTF’s.

I arrived at dusk with a number of kangaroos on the side of the road making driving interesting but didn’t hit any (yet …)

First to Finds:

GC2A9JN – Alone or Lonely (Gordon)

GC2A9J3 – Alone or Lonely (Kanyaka Hotel)

GC2A9HZ – Alone or Lonely (Yappla Waters Station / McDill )

GC2A9JE – Garden Gate

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Family Life, Geocaching

Game On Jamestown …

June 13, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

After another cold night, it was up early for the usual Event Breakfast of bacon and eggs – well for me at least as the girls were too late getting out of bed and were still in their PJ’s for the Group Photo.

After the group photo, the keen teams were off. We were a little later away as I had to wait for the girls to get ready. Once on the road it was a great day with great team work of me navigating and driving and the girls jumping out and grabbing the caches. For the caches further away, it was perfect walking weather and the countryside was just right for walking.

We didn’t do too bad with getting all but 2 caches in the time limit, a bonus medal, bonus magnetic TB and retrieving our temporary cache as well. There were only 3 permanent caches left to find in the area today and got a find on them as well.

Tonight was the Funny Hat and Red Faces Presentation Night. There was a lot of effort by many to be part of it and some very good acts for Red Faces. Rachael and Emma got up and did an act but the standout was Kath & Kim followed by the Kettles. Overall we came equal 7th with Shonky Post – not bad for a late start.

Permanent caches for the day:

GC9A2 – Bundaleer Fun

GC29HXA – Bundaleer Gardens

GCH1VV – Watch That Rock

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12 of 12, Family Life, Geocaching

Jolly Jamestown Jaunt June Long Weekend 12 of 12 …..

June 12, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

For the past 8 years, cachers of South Australia have travelled to a country town for a 3 day Geocaching fun event. This year it was time for the Jolly Jamestown Jaunt on June LWE 2010. This is our second June event having had fun in the mud last year for the Heart of Yorke Maitland event.

Saturday of the event was also the 12th of the month so time for the “12 of 12”. Today was spent going around the town precinct finding 26 locations for the quiz as well as going further afield to hide an event cache.

Each team hides one temporary cache for the weekend with Sunday spent finding all the temporary caches. The further the walk from a roadway, the greater the points for the find.

We also spent the day doing the local permanent caches grabbing 2 FTF’s on some newly published caches. Our temporary cache will become a permanent following the event – GC2A864 – Official GPS Mail Only II. Our cache overlooks the Hallett Wind Farm.

On returning back to the Showgrounds base, we were provided with a spectacular double rainbow to the east. Time for a shower and get ready for the event Dinner – GC29403 – Jolly Jamestown Junket Geocaching Dinner – even though no junket was consumed during the dinner. Another great event within the event with 120 sitting down at the local Commercial Hotel for the meal. The placemat was made up of avatars from the many cachers present including ours.

Back to the showgrounds for some more merriment before some sleep in preparation for the Sunday Find Day.

Cache find for the day:

GC2A2RA – Could it be a Maze? – FTF

GC2A1FK – Jolly aMAZEing Jamestown – FTF

GC29J5B – Wheres the Station?

GC21538 – Reginald’s Story

GC29J4H – Stop, Wait, Go

GC21533 – Reginald’s School

GC298RJ – The New Forest

GC1ZHC8 – Bundaleer: Sounds of the Forest

$Where\'s the Station Cache$

$Reginald\'s Story Cache$

$Reginald\'s School Cache$

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Family Life, Geocaching

Let’s go to Jamestown ….

June 11, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

Today was travel day to the Jolly Jamestown Jaunt on June LWE 2010. I was taking Rachael and her friend Emma up for the weekend. Bradley and Jenny were off to the block at Sedan with the Bleden Venturers for a motorbike weekend.

We left a couple of hours later than expected but what can you expect when waiting for a couple of 13 year old girls.

Eventually we headed north doing some caches on the way. At Auburn, we met up with some friends from Dimboola who were also heading to the Geocaching Event. We cached our way up to Jamestown with rain for the last 50km.

Setting up in the rain and of course once we had finished, the rain stopped.

Tonight was spent catching up with all the early teams that had set up at the Jamestown Showgrounds with us. There were a lot of old familiar faces and quite a lot of new faces and families.

Caches found on the way:

GC1GEB4 – Auburn River Walk

GC62D2 – Riesling

GC1DZYJ – The Clare Valley Travel Bug Transit Lounge

GC28VXG – A Day at the Races

GC26MR6 – ROYGreenBIV

GC28Y38 – Euromina School

GC28Y3B – Old & New

GC28Y32 – Little Toot Toot

GC113J8 – All A-Ford

GC28WCV – Let’s Foot It ….