23 December 2015 Hudson Parks Series

We had just about completed the Hudson Parks annual series on the prior weekend when I started feeling ill. Since it was getting late and I had some time off available, we agreed to head out today for a relaxing afternoon to finish the series. We started on a bike/hike trail which runs alongside the highway. We usually see a few Christmas trees decorated along trails each season. This section of the trail has homes on the side opposite the highway. It looked like one of the locals added a little holiday color to the tree nearest the cache.

Other than an intense grey day, it looked more like watercraft season than winter and Christmas time.

We were hoping for ducks...

When we arrived at the park, a girl was playing with her puppy teaching it to slide down the slide. On the way back to parking, the palyground was empty so I decided to give the slide a try with Lizzie. She went down not once but twice!

19 December 2015 Bath Nature Preserve

The walk at Bath Nature Preserve was much better than the caches. The majority are either missing or in need of owner attention.

We have been here multiple times, but hadn't noticed the old jumping stiles before.

18 December 2015 Goodbye Subie

Today was the day for Subie to head to her new home. I had hoped to put our three Foresters together somewhere great like a nearby park, but unexpected surgery in the morning meant the whole day was a little off. They got together for a few last images before it was time for Subie to move on.

Left to right Zeffi ... Ariel ... Subie

Foresters have grown much in the twelve years since we purchased Subie.

Goodbye faithful friend. Thank you for always being there.

Hello Zeffi, you have big shoes to fill.

13 December 2015 Tree Day

We've found Sunday morning to be a good time for picking out a Christmas Tree. After breakfast we went to a nearby farm market to make our choice.

After the tree was dropped at the house, we headed off with the dogs for some nearby caching. Our first stop was Geauga Park District's Eldon Russell Park. We took a walk through the fields and made a quick find near an old home site. It felt almost springlike with a sighting of vinca in bloom near where the old home stood.

We finished our afternoon with a long walk around Punderson State Park. It was our first visit to find caches placed in the fall for an event. We had saved these for short days. This was a perfect day to start. The dogs had fun, but Phineas will never be a sled dog. ;)

12 December 2015 New Camera

After many years of Fuji digital cameras, I finally switched from Fuji to Nikon. I've always liked being able to use rechargeable AA batteries with Fuji and was used to the functions. Early in the spring we met another person at Akely Swamp taking bird images. She was shooting with a Nikon and had some wonderful shots. For my birthday, Ali gave me a P610. I've seen what the camera can do, now the pressure is on. ;) It got a chance to do things today with a distant pair of mallards along Tinkers Creek.

4 December 2015 Cache Maintenance

We needed to check a few caches, and I needed some walking so I stopped at Sulphur Springs. The trails around Sulphur Springs are some of the most scenic in Cleveland Metroparks. My visit was topped off by a close-up sighting of a red-tailed hawk.

2 December 2015 South Chagrin

We were hosting a December geocaching event and decided to hide a few new caches. Most years few attendees venture out for these because it is cold and our caches usually require some walking to reach. It was a treat to be hiding these caches in much better weather than northeast Ohio usually sees.

We were hiding a container with new for us camo. We had found another cache with the camo before and thought it improved the hide. The image below is not the hide location.

The tape extensions keep the cache from blowing in the wind. They also may break the camo pattern while the container is hidden. I'm not sure it is better, but it has gotten favorable comments. Can you spot the container in the image below?

Eventually, cachers will walk out and find the caches we hid. It was great to have pleasant weather to hide them.

29 November 2015 Subie's Last Trip

I never really named cars before geocaching. Since trackable window decals became available, our vehicles have all had names. The Mazda 3 is Threeble. The newer Forester is Ariel. Subie was our first Forester. She came home 11 1/2 years ago. She has served us well and faithfully, but with 205,000 miles on her and a new company vehicle, Zeffi, replacing Ariel, it is time for her road days to end. Departing from our cars is always a sad event. They all have taken part in wonderful memories and great visits to new and favorite places. Five of our dogs have ridden with us in Subie for happy hiking trips in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Subie is going to a good home with a co-worker. He is excited at the thought of bringing a vehicle to possibly 300K and happy for the extra two wheels of drive for northeast Ohio. It was strange bringing Subie home alone for the last time, but Ali was headed home with Ariel to see her family. Ride long Subie. Thanks for the faithful service and amazing memories.

28 November 2015 Hatch Run Again

We usually spend Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania and often struggle with where to be on the trail. While not hunters, we both respect the rights of hunters and want to give them time in the woods during deer gun season. It's full gun season in New York so trips to the state to the north are out. We avoid state gamelands and the national forest as well since many of the persons in the area for deer season will be out early to tune their guns for the Monday start of deer season. The big series in Hatch Run gave us a better chance than usual to cache and hike a bit. The streams were pleasing today and the wet trail was inviting.

There are few hunters in Hatch Run searching for small game, but we are always prepared with plenty of orange in the fall.

Tiny partridge berries were plentiful today.

27 November 2015 Revisiting Cornplanter's Cave

We were two days shy of one year from our last visit to Rimrock and the Cornplanter's Cave multi. There was no ice this year leaving much better footing. The weather was also slightly warmer so we were set for adventure and the last stage of this multi.

When you see a lot of bear poop,

and the cave area smells a bit of bear urine,

It may not be the smartest idea to go in.

Then again, it is a great location with some interesting views.

With the final container of a multi.

I made my exit through the back of the cave. Lizzie and Phineas were happy to see me.

Later on, we made a last shopping visit to the local grocery store, Bi-Lo. We've shopped here on our stays for fifteen years. Warren is not a very diverse town so we were happy to be able to buy all our grocery needs here with the exception of a few specialty items we brought from Ohio. The store's fate was sealed with the arrival of a Wal-Mart. Wally's offerings met the needs of most locals so the in town store slowly withered. It won't close. It is being rebranded as Topps. We will still be able to avoid shopping at Wally World, but Topps quality and the variety of the offerings at a Topps are a weak substitute for what we have come to rely on. It was a bittersweet visit. Everything changes... usually not for the better.

26 November 2015 Gameland Bird Watching

We stopped at what's become our favorite location to look for eagles and hawks. There were no hawks on this sunny holiday, but an eagle was perched on a distant tree. We were also treated to the sight of pairs of ring-necked ducks in the pond.