Our first trek with the GPS, and boy are we learning some things. I for one, seem to like using the satellite map view and cannot figure out the GPS, good thing that's Ted's dept! LOL. We went on a huge multi-cache hike. I think there are like 17 or 19 caches.
Well we literally followed the GPS line. Whether there was a path or not we pushed through straight toward our goal. At one point we had to cross a river and there was a fallen log on a small offshoot for us to take. But we brought the dog and she couldn't get past a spot where there was a big chuck of tree limb blocking the way. So I had to carry her across the log! :) We broke through to find a path! LOL. We could have just followed this trail (that we didn't know about) the whole way. When we finally found the cache our GPS was off by 50 feet! How are we supposed to find these things with an error of 50ft in any direction? Good grief.
Well we literally followed the GPS line. Whether there was a path or not we pushed through straight toward our goal. At one point we had to cross a river and there was a fallen log on a small offshoot for us to take. But we brought the dog and she couldn't get past a spot where there was a big chuck of tree limb blocking the way. So I had to carry her across the log! :) We broke through to find a path! LOL. We could have just followed this trail (that we didn't know about) the whole way. When we finally found the cache our GPS was off by 50 feet! How are we supposed to find these things with an error of 50ft in any direction? Good grief.
We took off for the next one after finding the coordinates inisde the first cache. Down the path, but now the path is veering the wrong way. We must have to go straight again right? And, the GPS is being a huge pain because it doesn't want to orient to the way we are going, it only wants to show the view from North. It was horrible.
So off we trek through the woods some more. The dog, who NEVER leaves our sight in all of the years we have had her wandered off three times so we had to leash her. Ever try to break through vines and scrub and brush and climb over palmetto and logs with a dog on a leash? Ugh, she's not coming along next time. This way and that way, through WAY too many spider webs, we wandered and wandered trying to follow our little purple line. At one point a banana spider began lowering itself from the side of my hat. Apparently it was taking a ride! *shudder*.
I'm glad we all wore our camel paks because it was hot and a long hike. The GPS kept saying we were getting closer, but I didn't believe it. After two hours we saw a hill. Now, where we live in FL hills are few and far between. I just kept thinking, PLEASE let that path be at the top of the hill. Or a road, or some sort of civilization...a landmark, SOMETHING besides vines and spiders and palmettos. Our legs and arms were bloody from the thorny vines, and we raced up the hill to find a path. I dropped to my knees and kissed the ground, literally. I was so happy to see it. We followed the GPS down the path to the next point, but didn't see anything. We checked every little tree and bush, nothing. And after all, if it was 50ft off the first time, how would we possibly know where to look? We tried all of the places that would be good for a cache, and even the places that wouldn't. But we really weren't sure how far off the unit was.
So after 4 hours we made it back to the car. We had found ONE little cache out of 17/19. We almost lost the dog. We were bloody and dirty. I'm sure we'll go back again soon! LOL. We did see a wild pig, 2 armadillo (one that wanted to follow us, very cute!), a gazillion spiders, a turtle (or tortoise?) and a beagle :) .
So off we trek through the woods some more. The dog, who NEVER leaves our sight in all of the years we have had her wandered off three times so we had to leash her. Ever try to break through vines and scrub and brush and climb over palmetto and logs with a dog on a leash? Ugh, she's not coming along next time. This way and that way, through WAY too many spider webs, we wandered and wandered trying to follow our little purple line. At one point a banana spider began lowering itself from the side of my hat. Apparently it was taking a ride! *shudder*.
I'm glad we all wore our camel paks because it was hot and a long hike. The GPS kept saying we were getting closer, but I didn't believe it. After two hours we saw a hill. Now, where we live in FL hills are few and far between. I just kept thinking, PLEASE let that path be at the top of the hill. Or a road, or some sort of civilization...a landmark, SOMETHING besides vines and spiders and palmettos. Our legs and arms were bloody from the thorny vines, and we raced up the hill to find a path. I dropped to my knees and kissed the ground, literally. I was so happy to see it. We followed the GPS down the path to the next point, but didn't see anything. We checked every little tree and bush, nothing. And after all, if it was 50ft off the first time, how would we possibly know where to look? We tried all of the places that would be good for a cache, and even the places that wouldn't. But we really weren't sure how far off the unit was.
So after 4 hours we made it back to the car. We had found ONE little cache out of 17/19. We almost lost the dog. We were bloody and dirty. I'm sure we'll go back again soon! LOL. We did see a wild pig, 2 armadillo (one that wanted to follow us, very cute!), a gazillion spiders, a turtle (or tortoise?) and a beagle :) .
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