Been Doing Some Caching, Some Loafing and..........

generally piddling time away. Larry placed a series of 9 caches in the desert about 2 miles south of us and it turned into a mad rush for that First To Find. You had to visit all the caches to gain information to find the final one. I got there late; but, still managed to get one FTF. I met up with Billybe and group and we pooled our information to search for the final cache. We were missing one number but thought we could still find the cache as others were searching in the area we thought it was hidden. I did find a "cute" tarantula ambling through the desert. First one I have seen down here. In the end, Judy made the final find so we could all sign the log and call it a day.

One of the local cachers we affectionately call the "Queen of Mean" because she comes up with some really difficult to find caches. I came up with the idea of placing a cache as a tribute to the "Queen". Larry did the "artwork" and I finished and placed the cache about 2 1/2 miles from where we park in the Foothills. A lot of other gung ho cachers live in the same area and it's always a race to get there "First". The QofM cache was no exception. I submitted it and about 3 hours later it was published. The race was on.

The cache was published, I grabbed my camera and headed out the door. I was the closests and on my way through the desert I had to pull over and let the others pass me and shower me with rocks. Jim and Linda (Linda is the QofM) passed me first, then I was passed by Skibum1 and both cars arrived at the cache at about the same time. It was a race over and through the rocks and the QofM barely nosed out Skibum1 and made the first to find.

Here's pictures of the race and mini event that transpired. Linda, the Queen of Mean is in the center of the collage. Had quite a few comments on how much resemblance there was!! (Now I never said that...........her husband did).......

Larry lives a considerable distance away and was the last one to arrive as the rest of us were leaving the area. He discovered why Linda got there first............he found her broom which she had forgotten and left laying under a tree.

Larry and Audrey picked me up for lunch yesterday and we went to Ligurta for one of the best burgers in the area. Just before we left nine new caches were published. They had been placed on the bombing range. We mulled over going to hunt them but the quest for burgers proved stronger. After lunch Audrey drove herself home and Larry and I took the Suzy to go look for the caches. Sam and Sandy had just completed all the FTFs when we arrived. We shot the breeze briefly and then we figured out it was going to be about a mile and a half to walk to all the caches. Larry and I started off............two cripples in the desert who didn't know any better. By the time we got half way through we had to continue because it was about the same distance back to the car as it would be to complete the string of caches. We finished the string and staggered back to the car and met some other cachers arriving. On the way out we met Third Times the Charm and Andy just getting started. Also we were stopped by a deputy sheriff who was looking for some illegal border crossers............he said if we see anyone........."Don't Stop!" We thanked him and drove on. Looks like it might be time to start "carrying" as illegal activity has been increasing along the border.

So ends the last few days. Today I made a stop at Wally World, Swap Meet, got a haircut, visited the new Marine Corps Exchange which just opened on the base and then I drove out to the "Q" casino to get my $10.00 birthday present. I parlayed their $10.00 to $23.00 and left.

Cooked up a steak for dinner and now settled back to watch the tube. W