18 May 2013 ASP Geobash

I'm not a fan of most Mega Events. To me, they are so large that you usually miss seeing many friends who are attending the same event. They also tend to be at venues which don't really interest me. ASP Geobash is the exception. It's the perfect Mega event. The main part of the event covers about three hours of people hanging around a tent and a few buildings, followed by a group picture, and a chance to eat if you wish. If you can't spot friends here and make a few new ones, you're not trying.

After the social part comes the real treat. A state park packed with caches everywhere. There's easy ones. There's high terrain ones. There's lots of ammo cans with the whole day to just enjoy an amazing place. It's impossible to not meet a new cacher or two on the trail. With my work I don't get many days to just let loose and hit the trail caching. I try to set this day apart so we can have a great day outdoors.

I was really happy this year to see that sponsorship banners gone. Garmin's tagging along to get their image on an event page was cheap and showed how far they have fallen. In general, show me the corporate sponsor that actually does something physical to make an event a reality, and I will hold their banner during a picture. ASP Geobash is a no frills event. The event photo deserves to be taken without cheap corporate splashes.

We met new cachers on the way up to this cache. They had gotten part way to the top and given up the hunt. It was a long, long walk up, but we enjoyed the smiley. It was strange today. We had multiple cachers ask us if we were up to doing high terrain caches. It seemed a bit ironic since we have more high terrain finds than most cachers.

We met a caching group from Ontario here on our way to a cache.

Streamside near dusk

This cache was a perfect way to end the day. We stopped for this hide at the edge of the reservoir just as light dropped away. A few quiet boats made there way past us as the day ended.