12 Nov 2004 3:30 PM Pleasanton Porto (Pleasanton, CA)
Pleasanton Porto is an interesting multi-stage cache that makes you learn a bit about port wine. To get the coordinates for the first stage I had to research a number of multiple choice questions about port. I did queries on the internet, and it was fairly simple. The derived coordinates took me to a park where I had to gather information from a couple of signs. This let me calculate the coordinates for stage 2 (the actual cache). I found stage 1 yesterday, but made a simple subtraction error and ended up being led to an obviously erroneous location. After double checking the math last night, and fixing the error, I went back today (and it seemed like the right place).
There were some moms and kids at the nearby playground and I was figuring out how to search without being conspicuous to them. Imagine my surprise when Annmarie and the kids walked over to greet me when I got out of the car. She was there with her friend Nina for a play date.
After we visited for a while, I walked over and made the find, which was easy since I used the hint.
12 Nov 2004 3:50 PM Park 3701 (Pleasanton, CA)
Park 3701 has been unnoticed by me, even though I drive by it often. It contains a Vietnam war memorial (first soldier from Pleasanton to die in Vietnam). I let the GPSr settle down, slowly moved to zero point, and there it was in plain sight.
12 Nov 2004 4:10 PM Picoides nuttallii (Pleasanton, CA)
What’s a Picoides nuttallii, you ask? It’s a Nutalls woodpecker, the common woodpecker around here with a red spot on its head. The coordinates aren’t the location of the cache. Instead they put you at home plate on a baseball diamond. Then you have to look for a suitable home for the woodpecker within 50 paces. Not too many choices, so I found it quickly.
12 Nov 2004 4:30 PM Pony Express (Pleasanton, CA)
Pony Express is along the Arroyo walking path. I was able to park quite close, but unfortunately on the wrong side of the arroyo. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, but after the recent rains there was quite a bit of water running in the arroyo. On the other side of the arroyo I couldn’t park nearly as close, but it was a fairly short walk and a quick find.
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