Leakage from a Cluttered Mind

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.

10 Nov 2004 3:15 PM: Tooling Down Doolan (Livermore, CA)
I’ve lived here for over 35 years and I’ve never driven on Doolan Road. What a pleasant little valley. Tooling Down Doolan is just a couple of miles from the freeway, but the transition into a little ranching valley is remarkable. I’m learning the search techniques, so I found this one quickly.

10 Nov 2004 3:30 PM: Tri Valley Travel Bug Hotel (Dublin, CA)
Tri Valley Travel Bug Hotel is just off 580 and just for travel bugs. Since I needed to get light_my_way_2, which I had picked up in Del Valle Regional Park, on its way, this was an appropriate find. I parked within a couple of feet, but thought the cache was cleverly placed.

10 Nov 2004 3:50 PM: Hidden Meadow (Pleasanton, CA)
After eating at On the Border last night, Karen and I looked for Hidden Meadow last night. It was hard to see, even with flashlights, and we had a dog walker at the other end of the park who probably thought we were up to no good. Today it was much easier, even though it was well hidden. Perhaps I was lucky.

10 Nov 2004 4:30 PM: Pat’s Bench (Pleasanton, CA)
Pat’s Bench is a two-stage multi-cache that I first attempted a couple of weeks ago. I couldn’t find the first stage. Today with a bit of experience it was easy to find stage 1. Stage 2 was close by, and close to Pat’s Bench, which is a very interesting and unique mosaic tile bench and I also found that one pretty quickly.

10 Nov 2004 4:50 PM: LPFD #1 (Pleasanton, CA)
LPFD #1 is close by a new fire station. Lots of people were quitting work and driving by, but I just sat at the picnic table while I took stock of things. I used the hint, and I’m glad I did. I think this was seriously hidden.