Beach Tube Hide

This was a fun way to hide a beach tube in the woods.

Completing The Ohio State Parks Geocache Challenge

We earned our souvenir for International Geocaching Day. We hope you were able to enjoy a little caching too.

When the Ohio State Park Geocache Challenge was published in 2011, it became part of our geocaching bucket list. We had a good start through the state parks' twenty cache series, but reaching 55 was a six-plus year journey. Today was wet and at times frustrating. It was sunny on the way here, but grey by the time we arrived.

Ali spotted a rainbow while we were at the marina.

We spent a while watching the rain through the windshield.

Eventually, we gave up and hit the trail. This was almost a six-hour round trip driving to reach the park so missing the main event would have been frustrating.

We tried three different trails that missed getting us to the cache, We did get to see the end of the rain at one of the dead ends.

The ammo can was still dry when we found the cache, and we were able to enjoy the setting sun as the rain moved on.

These are just a few of the new state parks we explored after publication of this challenge.

July 2012 Harrison Lake State Park

October 2013 Barkcamp State Park

April 2014 Burr Oak State Park

July 2016 Scioto Lake State Park

July 2016 Paint Creek State Park

Our Virtual Has Been Published

Time is growing short for the Virtual Rewards to be submitted and published. As reviewers, we were granted one to place. I could say we love to procrastinate, but that would only be partially true. We were actually torn between where to place the virtual. One side of us said Northeast Ohio is our home, and it should be there. We also thought of placing one near our home in Pennsylvania. It has been a place of rest and refuge for us. We also thought of places we both consider special with great memories. In the end, we thought about...

Northeast Ohio

For Northeast Ohio, we considered resurrecting an old virtual which was archived when the subject moved. The Lawless Politician was a good subject for a virtual in the past. In the end, we decided to let a the former virtual remain a former virtual ans create a different experience for cachers.

Warren County Pennsylvania

We thought about placing a cache in the Hearts Content Scenic area. It is a place we have enjoyed for many years. As a scenic area, placing a physical cache requires permission. It has been granted once while we have been caching.

Sheldon Marsh along the Lake Erie shore

Sheldon Marsh is a special place for us. It is a place of peace for us and a place we have retreated in time of concern and uncertainty. It is a place we visit at least once every spring. As a State Nature Preserve, there is no chance of a physical cache being granted permission.

Franklin Mineral Museum (New Jersey)

I think the Franklin Mineral Museum was the first choice for both of us. It required a trip back to New Jersey. It has been a long time since we enjoyed a couple amazing vacations in the state. It was a great time to go back. It wasn't going to happen with my schedule this year. :(

And the winner is... Sheldon Marsh! We're hoping visitors enjoy this virtual as much as we have through the years.