Unbecoming Levity

Tales of Travelbugs

Abacquer — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 08:00:00 -0400

One of the fun things one can do while geocaching is take part in moving travelbugs. Travelbugs are special cache items that have official tracking numbers and specific missions. I've moved many travelbugs along in my day, and I've even made some. But the very first travelbug I ever made was a PT Cruiser matchbox car which I named "Petey Cruiser"...

Snow Falls

Abacquer — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 10:29:32 -0400

Today we stopped in at Snow Falls in Paris, ME to do a little more geocaching. Today "Team PlasteredDragon" was myself, Patty, and Lynnea. The falls were quite lovely but not exactly waterfalls. More like a natural rock sluice through which the water rushes rapidly...

Hawk Mountain -- In Search of Jimmy Buffett

Abacquer — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 11:03:56 -0400

Pat's Dad was looking for a nice hike today and so I suggested he and I go geocaching (Pat either didn't want to or wasn't able to come). We decided to do a cache on Hawk Mountain in Waterford, ME called "The Jimmy Buffet Box". Apparently the cache was on an outcrop with nice water views that is oft used as a party spot. The cache description suggested one should bring a few brews and enjoy a private "Margaritaville"...

A Coward's Contempt

Abacquer — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 23:52:01 -0400

So I was on the geocaching.com forums today responding to a harmless thread about the longest amount of time one has ever spent looking for a cache... then I noticed the signature line of the person I happened to be responding to...

Dragons in the Meadow

Abacquer — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 22:48:21 -0400

Today I finally managed to get away briefly and hide two Plastered Dragon Geocaches that I have been wanting to do for a long time.

Both were placed in the Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary in Princeton, MA... one of my all time favorite places to hike...

It's Not Easy Being Green -- A Tale of Stupidity

Abacquer — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:55:58 -0400

So as you know, I recently hid some geocaches in Coggshall Park here in Fitchburg (and they're doing well, thanks). There is however one sad, and incredibly stupid, note to this story, which I have neglected mentioning here because I was so pissed off at myself. Let me tell you what happened...

Paid in a Timely Fashion -- Shipped Fashionably Late

Abacquer — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 09:46:52 -0400

You know what I frigging hate? Asshole ebay sellers who enjoy the courtesy I offer them of an instantaneous online payment (via PayPal), and then take their sweet time getting around to shipping whatever it was I paid them for. Witness this auction...

Rained Out

Abacquer — Tue, 31 May 2005 16:50:23 -0400

Today my Dad celebrates his 64th birthday. Happy birthday Dad! Yesterday we went down to visit with him, have a little cake, a little lunch, and offer him a few gifts to commemorate the day...

Makin' Buttons

Abacquer — Sun, 29 May 2005 15:38:30 -0400

A month or so ago I purchased a Badge-A-Minit button maker. I wrote then that I would talk more about making buttons. So I guess you can consider this an informal review of the Badge-A-Minit starter kit, advice on button artwork, and a heads up about some new caches I am working on...

Culture of Fear

Abacquer — Wed, 18 May 2005 08:19:47 -0400

When he released Bowling for Columbine, many assumed Michael Moore would lay the blame for the Columbine shootings at the feet of the NRA, gun industry, and gun enthusiasts. Instead he largely pointed the finger at the culture of fear which we live in, particularly in America. He made this case by pointing out that there are other countries where the citizenry are similarly armed, and yet they don't have anything like our rate of shootings, even when adjusted for population. He pointed out that another thing which distinguished the USA from other countries is how our news media regularly scares the piss out of people to try and secure viewers and thereby ratings. A gun is a bad thing to have in the hands of a scared person. Why am I on about this? Well...

Dragons in the Park

Abacquer — Fri, 13 May 2005 01:19:17 -0400

Continuing the tale of the three dragon caches wherein it is told how the caches were hid and received by the geocaching community...

Homes for Dragons

Abacquer — Wed, 04 May 2005 11:37:22 -0400

So as y'all know I've been into geocaching for awhile now (I blame James) and I've been having a lot of fun. But now I want to be on the other end of the game, which is to say, I want to hide some caches. That has been an adventure in and of itself...

Caching Out

Abacquer — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 09:23:13 -0400

It's been a nice weekend. Me and the family got out in the wilds for a few more geocaches!

Check out the photo albums for LTS Cache, Squannie River Cache, and Ames Nowell Cache to read all about it!

Off to See a Lizard and a Guinea Pig

Abacquer — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:55:03 -0400

This past Sunday we went geocaching on some conservation land in Lunenburg, check out the Off to See the Lizard Photo Album to read about our adventure. We had lined up three caches to do, but due to some poor navigation on my part, we didn't have enough time (or energy) to try for the other two after the first one. Then after a late lunch we added a new member to our family...

Exploring Leominster State Forest

Abacquer — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 23:56:11 -0400

Today Pat, Neya, and I went exploring in and around Leominster State Forest. Our intention was to locate three geocaches in the area and just have a nice hike. It was a lovely day...

The Kissing Tree

Abacquer — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 11:49:49 -0400

Friday morning before work I decided to try and locate a cache called "The Kissing Tree". It only took about an hour to hike to the cache, find it, and hike back. It was a beautiful spot. Visit my Kissing Tree Photo Album and let me tell you the story in pictures.

Redemption Rock

Abacquer — Fri, 01 Oct 2004 18:58:37 -0400

Today after I picked Lynnea up from school we went to Princeton, Massachusetts to find a cache called "Wachusett Wilderness Redeemed". It is so named because it is hidden not far from Redemption Rock which sits northeast of Mount Wachusett and southewast of Wachusett Lake in the immediate vicinity of Mid-State Trail...

All's Well That Ends Well

Abacquer — Wed, 29 Sep 2004 23:25:10 -0400

This past weekend was a fun and busy one. My geocaching agenda was to hit three local caches all on the same conservation land between Outlook Reservoir and Falula Reservoir here in Fitchburg. The Burkes joined us on Saturday for apple picking and geocaching, and I figured on trying to pick up any caches we didn't get to on the following day...

Hartwell Bridge -- Geocaching Excursion #2

Abacquer — Fri, 24 Sep 2004 19:16:33 -0400

This morning before work I set off to find the Hartwell Bridge cache. It was a beautiful misty morning, and I was excited by the prospect of locating this cache. Be warned, if you are planning to go looking for this cache yourself, there are serious spoilers in this article...

Castle in the Trees -- Chuck Tries Geocaching

Abacquer — Thu, 23 Sep 2004 23:00:25 -0400

It's a sad truth of my life that most of my best and most interesting ideas are shamlessly stolen from my dear friend of almost 20 years, James. Back in May of 2002 James discussed the pastime of geocaching on his blog, then in August of this year he started doing it himself. Intrigued by his stories and adventures I decided to try it myself...