Geocaching In Three States!

For those of you who don't know, Geocaching is a world-wide scavenger hunt using a handheld GPS unit to locate specific landmarks or hidden containers which have a logbook to sign, and treasures to discover, move on, or exchange.  You then share your experiences with others via the Geocaching web site at http://www.geocaching.com/

We cached today in three States: California, Nevada and Arizona.  Wow, I don't think we've ever cached in three States in one day before!   However, since we are currently in Laughlin, NV, it was easier than it would first seem.

Our first cache took us to California, this cache took us to a landmark which was a marker for the California/Nevada dividing line.  This marker commemorates the iron column erected in 1873 at the southernmost tip of the boundary survey line run by Allexey W. Von Schmidt, U.S. astronomer and surveyor. The line dividing Nevada and California was based on preliminary geodetic work by Lieutenant Joseph Christmas Ives. Ives determined the Colorado River end of the proposed oblique California-Nevada boundary. Von Schmidt calculated and ran the first complete survey of the boundary. His solar observations erred slightly -- the actual line now being 3/4 mile to the North.

Our second cache took us to Nevada, which was a very short distance.  The hardest thing was finding the right road to take!  We ended up on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere and praying for a spot big enough to turn around.  It was an adventure to say the least.  I warned Paul to be aware of scorpions and rattlesnakes as we were caching in the desert.  Paul even grabbed a cache that took him down next to the Colorado River.  He climbed down the rocky slope using his walking stick for support.  This was no small feat considering this one is better grabbed by boat!

After doing a cache that took us over the river to Arizona, we saw a sign pointing to Oatman!  Well, I've heard stories of Oatman where the burros wander the town streets.  So ... off we go, heading to Oatman.  We even found two geocaches on Oatman Main Street.  That made it all worth while!  We also watched a gun battled on that same Main Street and had lunch in a nearby saloon

Baby burro nursing on the streets of Oatman, Arizona

Heading back to Laughlin, Paul (typical, reckless, Paul) decided to take a back road and grab a couple more caches.  Well, the road we drove was nothing more taen rock and gravel with enough room for a single lane.  As we drove we discovered a few interesting places.  One was a memorial of crosses set up on a small cliff and another was a Korean War memorial with a pair of snake-skin boots enclosed in glass.

Arriving home, the empty RV lot behind ours was filled with blackbirds.  If I had just watched Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" I wouldn't have got out of the car.  There were hundreds!

Thank you for sharing our day!
Jo


If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work. - Thich Nhat Hanh