Thursday, March 28, 2013

Geo caching

Now I am officially finished all the geo caches in Squamish. There are seven more at the Chief that involves going up - which I might try later in late April or May - Stawamus Chief. Elevation, 702 m (2,303 ft). Prominence, 417 m (1,368 ft). Location, British Columbia, Canada ... but that is very hard on my legs - knees.
Three more are on my watch list - they are missing - once they are replaced or found I will be alerted and I will go look for them. So where does that leave me -- I must travel towards Vancouver 52 km = 32 miles. There are some closer but I have already found these. I have found 100 caches. Not bad considering I only started 10 Feb.
Whistler is about the same distance - and on the way there are caches - but that area is still in the grips of winter- I won't think about this area till June or July.


Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Strata - flaring up again

26 March Tonight was strata council meeting – I haven't written much about this in a long time. The reason being – it has been pretty quiet. Last month one person resigned – then another person resigned because he sold his unit – only owners can be on council. Tonight one member just walked out after ten minutes into the meeting and then near the end another person resigned. So we are down to three council members from seven. That is the minim number to have a qumran – but tonight was our last meeting before our AGM. I wonder if I will be on council next year???

Going to the Zoo, zoo, zoo ...

Tuesday, March 26, 2013           Zoo

Now that we spent an afternoon at the Aquarium - walking along the pier and going up and down to and from Pike's Public Market it was time to do something else exciting before we headed back to Canada. I like zoo's - Noni at first was not too interested - but that did change as we entered the Woodland Park Zoo. The sun was out in full force and the temperature was perfect not to hot - not too cold. I would recommend this a s stop for any one who reads this blog. Some animals were still hiding - a little cold for tropical hot loving creatures - but many were out and I took some good shots with the camera. One suggestion I would make for the zoo people - lots of the animals had their asses pointed at the public viewing - (me) as they ate their food - maybe they should arrange the feeders in such a way so that we get a facial view instead..... Lions tigers and bears and the elephants and many more...












Seattle USA


Monday, March 25, 2013

What a great weekend in Seattle / Bellingham. Like I said we got across the border quite fast with little hassle. Went to Costco as it closed - but first used the facilities then took a walk around the area and found a geo cache in the dark and then checked into a near by hotel. Had a good soaking in the whirl pool - woke up early and went back to search for more caches but could not find the one I was seeking. I wanted to get to Seattle early to begin the searching and to show Noni the famous Pikes Market and to see the Seattle Aquarium so we left Bellingham with the intentions to come back the next day to shop and search for more caches.
I think over all we hiked up and down two or three times those stairs from the water front to the market. Then there were all those side streets looking for caches. I found several but all so small - nanos -- how do you hide TB in that size. You can't.

Hungry - so we ate at the Crab Pot



Pikes Market


Seattle Aquarium








USA here I am

USA here I am

Friday, March 22, 2013

Just a quick blog posting - Noni and I are traveling to Seattle to do some geo caching.
We took Dalhouise to the doggie sitter - headed to the border - as always we were pulled over - my wife travels with an Indonesian passport so we need special visas to enter the USA. The good thing today is the border crossing took only a five minute wait and then another 5 - 10 minute processing in side the office.
Stopping for the night in Bellingham - our hotel has a large whir pool tub    :)
I made one stop to find a cache - my first one in the USA and first find in the dark too - starting off well.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Otak Otak - Indonesian dish

Saturday, March 16, 2013









Noni was making this dish - one of my favorite Indonesia dishes - but she doesn't what to clean the fish so I had to do this - she wrapped the fishy ingredients and then I BBQ

I will pay for this

Monday, March 18, 2013

Another day back in the big city of Vancouver. Drove my mother back to Metrotown to buy the bed sheets she didn't buy on Friday and my wife bought a purse she had looked at. Next stop was the food court - where Noni and I shared a huge plate of westernize Chinese food. Loaded with salt and who knows what.... Then we took my mother into Penningtons to shop - I had gave her a gift card for Christmas from there and she had money back from her income tax - she is very happy she bought several items that she really did need. --- I left her in that store and went walking with Noni - I had no desire to hang around a clothing store for large people so out I went just to walk around...I always eat to much when I go shopping - and then there was the Costco hot dog.. Later my mother tried to get me to go purchase some pizza - I drew the line there - NO!
I had already to many bad foods for the day. I ate a piece of mango fruit and drank water instead. Then I accused my mother of trying to keep me large....
So most the day I was on my feet walking - that is a good thing - but so much chemical enriched process foods - I will pay for that - you just wait and see.
Finally it was my turn to indulge in some fun for me. I drove to Horseshoe to do some geocaching. First one was part of a puzzle (didn't realize this at first- so wasted some time looking). Gave up on this one and went searching for a second one near by -- I was so close but do you think I can find it - NO success.
OK - I gave up on this one and went looking for a third cache. I went to the coordinates - sat on a rock and wondered what was going on - there is no way the cache is at this location. So I reread the description and hint. OK this is the right coordinates but from here I must go down - OK there are stairs going down to the ocean - I head down - taking the clues from the hint - I go under the pier - and look where I think it should be - not there. I go a few feet to a spot I can stand up straight and just look around - and there it is in plane sight. I sign the log book - happy to have found at least one today.
Then it is time to drive home - I am very tired..

A dull day

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I was right - all day I was not feeling so well. I had a relaxing day at home. Well kind of.
I took Dalhouise for his walk at Alice Lake Provincial park - reset the coordinates of a cache I placed - they were off 60 feet.. and then I went back to the area where I want to hide another cache. I think I have the right coordinates for that one - and so I have submitted this to be published.
Watching TV - just taking it easy. The phone rings - on the other end is a panicky voice telling me to come down to the font door right away. --- I am the president of the strata council - Someone has almost ran into the building with their car. A tow truck is there when I go down - the building is safe but the car's front tire is twisted and bent very much out of shape. Ah just a little bit of excitement for the day.
No one was hurt - I think the driver is a new driver and hit the gas petal instead of the break.. I feel sorry for her -- consequences will follow,,, - and years later she will be reminded of this event --


Sunday, March 17, 2013

St. Patric day

A no rain day - this is always a good thing after so many days of hard - hard rain. So early this morning I walk Dalhouise for 45 minutes - he must be getting soft again for he had a hard time keeping up. Came home woke up my wife - hurriedly we ate breakfast and headed out the door to attend church. Meal day - I love these days and the were serving my favorite - BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs. I was good I only ate one of each - not two or three like the past normal eating habit. I had a little bit of salad - coleslaw and macaroni. I know I am way over the calorie range - but what the heck had to be social.
When we finally came home - I told Noni lets go for a walk at Alic Lake Provincial Park - she was all for this so changing our clothes out the door we went for a two hour hike in the woods. I must inform you that the route we took was not a level plateau - but we climbed a very steep trail - switch back (loops back on it self because it is so steep) -- hearts were pounding and legs were burning. Up we went - we only went to the top to go to Edith Lake to check on my cache - it is right where I placed it - I am still looking for the original ground zero - still remains a mystery. Spent some time there searching for ground zero - no luck so back down we go - did not hike the Four lakes trail today - but went back down to Alice Lake and walked around this. I plan on creating another Geocache - I found the perfect hiding place - set a waypoint - will later try to input this into geocahing .com. Just for the heck of it I went searching for a cache that I have not been able to find in the past -I am sure it has been muggled (stolen) -- but low and behold- I found it.
I do not believe it... I have been searching on the wrong side of the trail. What is with the GPS ???- one day it has me on the far side of the trail - another time farther up the trail - once it even told me while I was standing in the middle of the parking lot I had arrived. Today after I found it - it said I still had to go 4metres more... Oh well success today is all that matters - I have one more happy face on my geocaching home page.

 

Friday, March 15, 2013

Preliminarily pre season preparations



Spring Time is really upon me now. I have 30 days before I start working again as the camp chef. Long days - short nights and so much food to be order - prepared - served. I have already began the preliminarily pre season preparations. Yesterday I did my first ever interview with a potential staff member - today I did my first ever calling of references -- as far as I am concern I will hire this person. I have submitted this request into the office / owner and now wait for the approval. I have finished planning the ten day menu cycle - waiting for approval. I just finished going over last years invoices and guest lists to total up meals serve verse food order -- not sure why this was my responsibility to do so - but the owner requested this so I am doing it.
Next I have to put in writing a job description for my wife who is the baker and the salad queen..
not to mention I must also create job descriptions for the dishroom crew. I have check lists of their responsibilities - which is a great start - but I think the owner wants me to write out my expectations. So this is my task to do tomorrow..
It is a good thing I am going on vacation before I begin work......... My wife and I are going to go to Mexico the week before we start our six months seasonal job.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Doctors and Geocaching

Another day to drive to Vancouver in the pouring rain - then it stopped for a tiny bit - then it began again.
My mother had doctors appointments in the "big city" and I was designated as the driver. OK check out the geocache map and input caches into my GPS, that are near her doctors. My wife takes her to the doctors office and I go park the car. Not planned but it worked out perfectly for me - there are two caches so close to where I parked the car, so even before I enter into the doctors office I was able to find my first cache of the day. I go to the office - check in to make sure my Mom is OK - she has to wait for a while so Noni and I go search for the second cache. I find the location fast - but do you think I can find the hidden cache itself. No - NO - no.
I was checking out a garbage container when this lady shows up and says excuse me I need to use this - and drops a doggie bag of poo into the container., The hint said 4m from the statute - and is magnetic. So using my learned experiences I check all over the place it should be looking for what I have found in the past. Finally I had to stop and return to get my mother. From this doctor office we go to another doctors office - and once again I go to try one more search of the area. Success -- almost right away I found it by pure luck - Yes I re looked everywhere I looked before - no it is not there- then I just happened to look at a sign magnetically stuck on a metal box - no it can't be ! - I move it and I found it. I am so happy...
Back to pick up my mother - then off to do a job interview with a potential staff for camp this up coming season. Success - I think she would be perfect for the job... must check her references..
But before this - we walk past a place that sales - rents wheel chairs. My mother needs a push wheel chair - she has this huge power one - but this prevents her from going with us when ever we do day trips - it won't fit in the car... so now she buys a used one - we can take her with us to our favorite mall and other places - I have been trying to get her to do this for two years now.. Success...
The rains begin again -


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

A day away form Home


Driving -rain - clearing - geocaching - shopping - eating- more driving - more rain.
That sums up the day.
Noni and I drove to Richmond BC in the pouring heavy rain to have it clear as we arrived in Steveston. We had Dalhouise with us so at this place I took him for a walk while Noni was in browsing a quaint little shop. While I was walking Dalhouise I found two micro caches - the GPS led me right to the spot. One was so cool being part of a birdhouse. Later on after we ate lunch we went for another walk and I found two more caches. We stopped in a few more stores - spent money then headed home. Then the rains began again.
I guess this is a sign of age - or is it because of the car accident? I am now more nervous about driving in the rain - before I would not had given it a second thought, but now I feel the stress. At lease because of the time change I was not driving home in the dark - it was still light as we pulled into our parking spot.








Sunday, March 10, 2013

Placing a new chache


Not much to report about life today.
Went to church - took my wife out for lunch at a restaurant.
Went home - left her there and I took the dog for a drive to camp - picked up my summer tires and then went to the location I am hiding a cache.
I have been planning this since I started geocaching and since I now know how to do it - this is the day.
I own empty bee hives - I had a mass wasp attack that killed over 60,000 bees a year ago. It was just horrid - I am still grieved over the massacre.






Saturday, March 9, 2013

A honey to do list

Honey to do list

Saturday, March 09, 2013

What a waste - or a good use of time. I guess it depends on your attitude.
The sun is out - warm - a perfect spring day - yet I could not go geocaching or any long hikes.
I had to go to the laundry mat to wash the bed coverings, my wife has been complaining that our car is filthy and so I had to go get it vacuumed and wash the inside. I did not wash the outside because it is going to rain for the next week. I also must mention I had to do some organizing of "my" corner - I can get messy and lately I have not picked up after myself - today was the day.
Surprising how time flies when you are having fun!
But do you really think I could go a day without some kind of geocaching? I took Dalhouise out for two decent walks - stopping in the woods near the pond - I have decided to place my first cache in a tree along this route. I stopped and created a waypoint on my GPS and then continued home. Later I took the dog again for a walk and reconfirmed the waypoint. Returned home and logged on the Geocaching home page and setup a new cache listing. This was a learning process -- but finally it was done and in the last step was to check the box if it was already in place. I had read on some forums that you should check it off to get it approved - so I did. That meant I had to create a cache container and place all the trinkets - log book - information paper in it and go outside to hide it. Done. now I wait for approval.

Friday, March 8, 2013

More of Geocaching

More of geocaching

Friday, March 08, 2013

I am so tired - going to bed very soon - and it is only 8:45pm. This morning I was out geocaching just after 7am came home at 10. I trying to located a brand new cache that was posted last night - the first to find (FTF) is a privilege - and as being the FTF - I got a two dollar coin. Of course this meant I did lots of walking - I even went back to the place I was yesterday and beyond -- but this time I found my cache. Home for about an hour then out the door again to meet up with my mother and did some walking around downtown with her. Ate lunch at a popular restaurant - and then more walking with my mother -then home. Shortly after we arrived home Noni and I and Dalhouise went to Alice lake Provincial park to place a new cache that I have adopted last night. I was contacted by an owner who did not want his caches anymore - I offered to take them over - he agreed and so today I went to their locations. One was missing for over a year so I totally replaced that one. The other one I changed the log book and some of it s contents - making it a little more appealing. Tomorrow the forecast is warm and sunny and so I wanted to make sure my new caches are up and ready for visitors on the weekend. I am assuming there will be people out geocaching on the weekend. Early this morning I went to the dollar shop while I was out walking to pick up some Easter and Saint Patric items to place in caches to celebrate the upcoming holidays.












Thursday, March 7, 2013

Determination

Determination

Thursday, March 07, 2013

I love spring like weather. This morning I was out geocaching for three hours. I found my first cache within minutes of beginning the search. My second cache - well once again I started on a wrong trail - climb a large boulder - trail ended with me looking down both at the GPS arrow and the end of a path on top of the rock. I had to find away around the huge rock - so I back track and try walking the wrong way around it with the GPS telling me I was off course.. Ah -- I go back to the parking lot to get into the open to have a clear satellite reading when I noticed a trail headed into the woods - so I begin following this path and the GPS says I am on the right course.. I hike into the woods to the edge of this rock where I was standing before - keep going climbing up more hills. I found my cache with a little more circling - this is a popular climbing / bouldering rock I am next too and there are many little paths that lead to the rock and away from my hidden cache. I go here and there - eventually I find it.
Third cache I seek - so frustrated again. More so because I did not find it. First problem - finding the right trail - I went on many goose chases onto trails that just ended up on a high cliff. I wandered for a very long time in the middle of no where.... When I did find a path that the GPS said I should follow and I was getting closer I came to a fork in the trail one going up the cliff and one going along the bottom - I chose to go up - the GPS never said I was off course - why would it I was paralleling the lower trail - up - up I went - scarey - slippery - determined to find it. I climb a manage to get to a top of this gigantic hill. After walking about up there I decided it must be on the lower trail so down I go. But first to stop and admire the scenery - the view was awesome. Going back down to the fork in the trail I take the lower road - (trail) . The GPS is telling me I am good - distance is getting lower and I am remaining in the zone. I get to the spot where I think the cache should be because of a hint given - but the GPS is off by 150 meters so I keep going - The Morning is getting late - my wife will be worrying about me - I know I have to stop and go home - but I keep searching. I get within 50 meters - walk in circles - never found ground zero - came to another rock pile that was described in the hint - NO luck - but I know I must return home - I have spend hours searching for this cache - THREE hours to be exact. I force myself to stop and return home- I am hungry - I am wet from all the undergrowth I had passed through and my legs hurt from all those false trails and climbing up little mountains











and I was correct - my wife was worried about meas I returned home just after 11am - left the house7:30am

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Life awakens

Life awakens

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

This morning the rain was holding off so out the door I went again to Alice Lake Provincial Park. I left my good camera at home because the forecast says heavy rain... Well I was at the gates to the park just after they were opened - I had the park all to my self I do believe as I had the only car in the parking lot. Yes I was there to find a cache and to do some walking to get my 10,000 steps in before the rains did fall. I found my cache more or less quickly and continue to walk around the lake. I had a large choir of birds singing in the trees on one side of me and Golden Eye ducks splashing in the water on the other. I wished I had my good camera - several other song birds were close enough and sitting still long enough for a good picture - but NO I did not bring it with me. Among the bird song I heard the chirping of an angry squirrel and then later at two different times squirrels were scrounging just a few feet in front of me.
I must return there one more time to find one more cache and I hope it will be a clear - sunny day so I can bring the better camera and just maybe take some good pictures of the wildlife and plant life that is waking up as spring approaches.