My First GPS Stash Hunt Adventure (gulp) !
Dave Ulmer
--
A week after starting the GPS Stash Hunt project even after placing a couple
of stashes myself, I venture off to my first visit of stashes placed by
someone else...
Its a blustery rainy day, dark and forboding, severe rain showers blinding my
view as I drive the 60 gps miles (as a crow flies) to the area of Stash #2
and Stash #3. After surviving the blinding freeway spray heading up
Interstate 5, I turn off at Woodland for 20 miles of twisting roads, near
Cougar the gps pointer says turn left up into the hills. Now I start climbing
up some altitude, boy is it nice to see the gps reading altitude correctly!
Cruising near a big lake I notice a beautiful waterfall on the right, now
This is Beautiful Country! The rain slacks off but then I hit FOG as I gain
in altitude, Jesus! I find myself driving along a narrow winding road with a
super steep drop-off to the right, the fog is so dense I can hardly see where
I am going... 3.71 miles to go!
Soon the gps changes from reading miles to reading feet, 434 feet, now its
time to find a place to park the car.. hmmm no wide spot.. guess I'll stop
partly on the road. Now this IS remote country, no traffic around here!! Its
sprinkling rain again, I get my raingear on and head for Stash #3. What's
this? A big pile of rocks near the road, hmmm how do I get around them? OK,
there is a way. Stumble over some rotten logs onto some pretty moss covered
rocks, hmmm what is this? Its friggin LAVA Rocks covered with moss ! What the
hell, 197ft to go... Hey, this place is weird, how did he find this place!
Damn there are cracks and fissures going 20feet deep in this lava bed!
Stumbling around a lava bed watching the tiny screen of my gps, pointer arrow
misleading, had to go by distance alone 122ft,, 70ft,, 31ft, 25ft, hey! I see
the Stash! Hooray! I Found it!! Stuck in a crevice near the top of a lava
mound, I find my first gps stash, what a day!
I check the contents of the stash box. Hmm.. GPS2000, hmmm beer, hmmm music
CD's, haven't heard of either artist, hmmm other stuff, ok, check the
logbook. Logbook says there are batteries for the GPS2000 and some other
coordinates, hmmm sure don't need another GPS2000 batteries or not. OK, I'll
take one of the CD's and leave a small electronic wind gauge. Write my report
in the log book and put the stash back in its crevice.
Surveying the area before I leave Stash #3, I notice how lucky I was to
approach the stash from an angle where the box caught my eye. I look around
some more. Wow, if I had approached from the other direction I wouldn't have
seen the stash and would have been looking down into a large deep crevasse in
the lava. I would have thought it was down there. Glad I didn't do that!! OK,
this is an interesting place to visit, thanks to the stasher.
Off to Stash #2, set in the waypoint, only three or so miles to go. Now its
really starting to pour down rain, a regular flood indeed. Rain and fog now,
and one mile to go, .44miles, 0.1mi, hard right trun, 500ft, 300ft, stop the
car. Out in the rain, stumbling through the brush, 200ft, 100ft, 50ft, oops
what's that hole in the ground? Oh My, this area is prone to sink holes! Its
ontop a old lahar or mud flow from the volcano, when trees under the mud
rotted out the ground sinks, hmmm. 20ft. Oh, there it is, stashed under a
log. I found it!!
Pouring rain, I decide to take the stash box back to the car so everything
won't get wet. Hmmm, beer, gliders, lighter, batteries. Cool, batteries are a
nice thing to share with a gps user. I take the Beer!! Leave some
firestarter. That will go well with the lighter if someone needs to build a
fire. Write in the logbook and warn of the Man Trap, sinkholes in the area...
I follow a unique scenic highway back towards home that I had never been on.
Up to 3200 ft where it started to snow instead of rain. Watched some
interesting switchbacks play out on the screen of my gps as I drove. Down to
Carson where I place Stash #5 near the Columbia river, easy to get to and
safe.
Now, Mike, old stasher, old buddy, here's the rub!! Stash#2 and #3 are just
too dangerous!! When that lavabed gets covered with snow and ice, a person
could get killed in there!! Those crevasses in the lava are killers! We don't
need to be viewing the remains of previous stash hunters while we are
searching. I'm sorry, but I have to recommend you move them..
Dave...
Matt Stum
[...]
> Now, Mike, old stasher, old buddy, here's the rub!! Stash#2 and #3 are just
> too dangerous!! When that lavabed gets covered with snow and ice, a person
> could get killed in there!! Those crevasses in the lava are killers! We don't
> need to be viewing the remains of previous stash hunters while we are
> searching. I'm sorry, but I have to recommend you move them..
I myself would prefer the more challenging stashes... I would find it no
fun to look for one 3 ft from a sidewalk in someone's front yard.
I've been thinking about how the webpage should be laid out, etc. and I
think it would be nice to come up with a voluntary rating system
describing
the difficulty of the terrain, etc. Not only would this warn those who
don't like the danger, but it would also keep those of us who do from
wasting
our time with the garden variety stashes.
Don't get me wrong... I see a need/desire for all sorts of stashes so
that
everyone can play.
---
Matt Stum
http://www.42nd-dimension.com/
Mike Teague
rating for each stash would be wise.. The criteria I was using was #1 find
an open area (not many trees) so people can get a good satellite lock, and
#2 away from where non-involved passerby's would be traveling...
I didn't think they were THAT hard to get to.. Its not like I put em at the
top of the mountain or anything ;)
.
Dont worry, my next ones will be easier, down here closer to home.. In the
meantime I'll put a warning on the webpage about them two stashes ;)
Dave Ulmer wrote in message ...
>Now, Mike, old stasher, old buddy, here's the rub!! Stash#2 and #3 are just
>too dangerous!! When that lavabed gets covered with snow and ice, a person
>could get killed in there!! Those crevasses in the lava are killers! We
don't
>need to be viewing the remains of previous stash hunters while we are
>searching. I'm sorry, but I have to recommend you move them..
>
>Dave...
>
Dave Ulmer
Worlds Most Dangerous Stashes... so far!!
Dave...
"Matt Stum" <ma...@nospam.42nd-dimension.com> wrote in message
news:39192615...@nospam.42nd-dimension.com...
> Dave Ulmer wrote:
> [...]
> > Now, Mike, old stasher, old buddy, here's the rub!! Stash#2 and #3 are
just
> > too dangerous!! When that lavabed gets covered with snow and ice, a
person
> > could get killed in there!! Those crevasses in the lava are killers! We
don't
> > need to be viewing the remains of previous stash hunters while we are
> > searching. I'm sorry, but I have to recommend you move them..
>
Peter McKellar
think I might go out and be the first to set up a stash in this country.
I looked at the map and I see there is a really challenging divine stash
site near here S 38 00 00 E176 00 00, I might go and set one up in there.
But might try an easier one first.
Great game guys...keep up the stories.
"Dave Ulmer" <news...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ngaS4.631$qu....@sea-read.news.verio.net...
> Now, Mike, old stasher, old buddy, here's the rub!! Stash#2 and #3 are
just
> too dangerous!! When that lavabed gets covered with snow and ice, a person
> could get killed in there!! Those crevasses in the lava are killers! We
don't
> need to be viewing the remains of previous stash hunters while we are
> searching. I'm sorry, but I have to recommend you move them..
>
> Dave...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Chris A. Epler
> Now, Mike, old stasher, old buddy, here's the rub!! Stash#2 and #3 are just
> too dangerous!! When that lavabed gets covered with snow and ice, a person
> could get killed in there!! Those crevasses in the lava are killers! We don't
> need to be viewing the remains of previous stash hunters while we are
> searching. I'm sorry, but I have to recommend you move them..
Thanks for sharing your experiences! :) It has me interested in placing a
stash..Might do that before I head out to California... (I'm in Virginia)
How about a difficulty rating system for the stashes? Something that
indicates some basics about the stash...car accessable, some walking, some
hiking, moderate hiking, major hiking (you brought a tent and food, right),
4WD accessable etc... :)
=============================================================================
Chris A. Epler | PGP Key: (KeyID: 0xB8E31E25)
Network Administrator | http://www.stormhaven.org/pgp-keys.html
Broadband Network Services| C902 7B0F 6368 887A 443B 67DB 311D BC05 B8E3 1E25
GSW
someones death while seaching for some stash??? You guys have good
lawyers lined up?
In article <ngaS4.631$qu....@sea-read.news.verio.net>,
>Now, Mike, old stasher, old buddy, here's the rub!! Stash#2 and #3 are just
>too dangerous!! When that lavabed gets covered with snow and ice, a person
>could get killed in there!! Those crevasses in the lava are killers! We don't
>need to be viewing the remains of previous stash hunters while we are
>searching. I'm sorry, but I have to recommend you move them..
>
>Dave...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Mike Teague
I noticed the letterboxers have a disclaimer on their site... maybe we
should investigate that..
GSW wrote in message ...
Alan Hennessy
stash hunt site at http://www.braveheart.com.au. I am also not paranoid but
some idiot is sure to break a leg and see dollar signs.
Good luck !!!
Alan
Mike Teague <yng...@triax.com> wrote in message
news:MicU4.36130$sf6.5...@news-west.usenetserver.com...
Oliver Fleming
I am in Australia, on my way to the airport to catch a plane to
participate in a stash hunt in the USA (americans have the most money) I was
hurt.
Whom should I sue?
After all I was on the way to a stash hunt, whomever left the stash must be
responsible for my injuries.
Must be some smart lawyers out there that can get a quid for a poor
australian.
<g>
Perhaps the stasher put a disclaimer in the stash and in the announcment of
the stash placement.
Cheers
Oliver Fleming
"Alan Hennessy" <al...@braveheart.com.au> wrote in message
news:3922...@occy.pnc.com.au...
nzK2blader
"Peter McKellar" <Peter.M...@rdc.govt.nz> wrote:
> I am watching your great stash hunt with interest here in New
Zealand. I
> think I might go out and be the first to set up a stash in this
country.
>
> I looked at the map and I see there is a really challenging divine
stash
> site near here S 38 00 00 E176 00 00, I might go and set one up in
there.
> But might try an easier one first.
Peter, I too am watching the stash hunt with interest, and when I get
my new GPS this weekend I will set up one here in Auckland (or
thereabouts). Will be in Rotorua area later this year so will
definately visit the stash and make a deposit (if i can find it)
Glenn
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Andreas H. Koenig
[really cool desciption of search for stash snipped]
As far as I got it, your down there in .au. Is there something like your stash
hunt also in countries, where I would not have to use a plane to get to (e.g.
Austria, Germany, middle europe)?
greetings,
Andreas
--
Dipl.-Ing. Andreas H. Koenig
Tiani Medgraph GmbH Vienna University of Technology
A 01 304, Campus 21 Institute of Computer Graphics
2345 Brunn am Gebirge Karlsplatz 13/186/2 A-1040 Vienna
Tel: 0043-2236/3077 +43-01/58801 18631
Fax: 0043-2236/3077 +43-01/58801 18698
Andreas...@tiani.com koe...@cg.tuwien.ac.at
Besuchen Sie uns auf dem 81. Deutschen Röntgenkongress in der Halle 10
(Rhein-Main-Hallen) in Wiesbaden. Die Industrieausstellung findet vom 1. -
3. Juni 2000 statt.
We would be glad to welcome you at our booth located in hall 10 at the 81st
German Congress of Radiology in Wiesbaden. The industrial exhibition takes place
from the 1st to the 3rd of June 2000.
Mike Teague
nobody's set one up in europe yet, you can be the first!
Mike Teague - http://www.triax.com/yngwie
GPS Stash Hunt Homepage - http://www.triax.com/yngwie/gps.html
Andreas H. Koenig wrote in message <392BCAE3...@cg.tuwien.ac.at>...
Alan Hennessy
The variety of places and terrains in Europe is no differenet to any other
part of the world. That's what makes the entire Stash Hunt experience so
enjoyable, both as the planter and the hunter.
Visit Mike's page at http://www.triax.com/yngwie and also mine (in
Australia, with linkks to Mike's as wellas NZ and Chile) at
http://www.braveheart.com.au
Be the first in Europe, Andreas !!
Alan
Andreas H. Koenig <koe...@cg.tuwien.ac.at> wrote in message
news:392BCAE3...@cg.tuwien.ac.at...
> Hi *!
>
> [really cool desciption of search for stash snipped]
>
> As far as I got it, your down there in .au. Is there something like your
stash
> hunt also in countries, where I would not have to use a plane to get to
(e.g.
> Austria, Germany, middle europe)?
>