Not all geocaches are easy to find or open to get to the log. Some people that hide the caches have devious minds and want you to have to work hard for it to get to the log to sign. I've come across a few of them in my travels.
My first difficult cache stumped me a few times. There was a cache hidden on a road that I drove on a few times a week at the entrance to an industrial park. At ground zero there was a small grassy mound with two small trees, a chain-link fence, and a small business sign/directory.
I searched through the two trees very thoroughly, as by then I had learned that many caches are put in trees or nestled down in the roots. No luck there. I looked all over the fence to see if there was anything unusual attached to it, and on the ground by the posts. Still nothing. I looked all over the sign and couldn't find anything either. I ended up logging a "did not find" on the app and vowed to try again on another day.
Over the course of the next three months I went back four more times and still was coming up empty handed. At this point I was frustrated but more determined than ever to solve the mystery of this cache. Looking at other people's logs on the website, I could see that others were finding it so it definitely wasn't missing.
On a day off from work I went out hunting for caches again and decided that on this particular day I was going to find that damn cache and sign the log. I get there and go through my usual routine of searching and still having no luck. I sat down on the grass and started reading other people's logs hoping for a clue that would help.
Suddenly, a car pulled up and a man stepped out with a smile. He didn't appear threatening and my gut told me this was another geocacher. He sat down on the grass beside me and wrapped his hands around his knees. "Have you found it yet?" he asks. I tell him that no, I haven't and that I've been here a few times now and that I'm still a relative noob in the geocaching field. Still amused, he gave me a small hint and let me think about it. Then another hint...and another...LOL.
I eventually found it with his help. It was a small Ziploc bag with just a log in it, hidden behind a magnet. Hooray for me! First time I had seen that. All of my other finds so far had been containers of some type. I won't be fooled by that type of hide again.
The absolute most difficult find I've looked for to date was clever and deviously hidden. I think I went back to this one 7 or 8 times before I found it. I didn't feel quite so bad about this one because many other people were having trouble finding it too and the cache owner warned in his description that it was an evil hide. The difficulty rating was a solid 5.
This cache was hidden at a cemetery that I drive by very frequently. It was placed at the edge of the cemetery where there were lots of trees and an old wooden birdhouse. I spent hours and hours looking for this over the course of the summer. Nobody came to help me find this one.
I eventually read through the logs and one of them stated that if it hadn't been for the light shining just right, he never would have found it. I decided that I had to go back and investigate the trees more closely. I was still not having any luck and getting frustrated again when something caught my eye.
Found it!!
See what I mean? And it was so tiny...
I have a few other hides that I had to work hard for, but those can wait for another blog post.
If you would like to know more about geocaching or want to try it yourself, go to their website listed below. You can find millions of caches for free. There is also a premium plan that gives you access to even more caches. I do not get any affiliate or referral bonus. I just want to encourage others to give it a try and join in on the fun.
