Easter Weekend - Maple Syrup & Geocaching

We hiked by one sugar camp operation to get to where we wanted to go.

 
 

 

3 Generations of Trites' have operated this Sugar Camp

How fast is the sap running?

Taffy on a stick anyone?  All you can eat - YUMMY

Molds with the maple sugared "Maple Leaf" .

Taking photos

We watched these kids playing, then he watched us.

 

 

The way it was.

In addition to being able to tramp around the forest and look at the operation that makes maple sugar and maple syrup, you can  have all the pancakes and syrup we could eat in the rustic restaurant.  We just ate
off of the sticks

Then, we headed back to the car and to some Geocahing and a quick stop at the Spring for some water.



Just sitting here at my computer

 

 

 

 

 

Let's see, maybe I will begin with this one - GC####
Happy hunting not mater if it's for eggs
or Geocaches! 



Love Exploring

 

 

I share with you often the fact that

I don't ever feel that I have gotten 'lost'

that I am just onto somewhere new.

 

Well, here we are again.

I was travelling back from Fredericton

(the back way) and seems to others,

that I took an incorrect turn.

 

 

 

You see, according to them,

I should have taken 2 hours to reach

my destination.  But, I took much less,

saw lots and found this too!

But, they were closed that day.

 

So, on a return trip through, I

got hubby to stop so we could check it out.

 

 

9J

Centrally located in the scenic Village of Cambridge-Narrows

on the Washedemoak Lake, the 9J is a wonderfully

stocked and beautifully displayed Shop with

lovely old antiques that are

seamlessly blended.

 

Black Rose was so excited to have found

 

Do you know what it once was? We would love to know.

We are still searching.

 

I have been searching for one of these

for my laundry area for a long time.

Not the best photo, will do another once it's "in place".

 

I think it will fit in well with these

which are on the shelf nearby.  (The lightbulbs are salt/pepper).

The bowl, towel and rolling pin all belonged to my Gram.

 

 

This greets you at the bottom the the stairway

 



Capturing the Bay in New Brunswick

 

 

You may remember awhile back

my post Capturing the Bay by zipline.

 

Well,

 

We got our Capturing the Bay Geocaching Coin. *smiles*  
We had to go to the Bay Of Fundy's Top Four Attractions - Hopewell Rocks, Fundy Trail Parkway, Cape Enrage and Fundy National Park.
 We  had to take a specific photo of the iconic vista within each location, have our passport stamped, and return it to the necessary location upon completion.
The first 150 particpants to complete the challenge received one of these trackable geocaching coins Thank you again Robyn & Ken (Rev Slippery) for this event. 

Exploration along the St. John River

 

I know how I have said before that geocaching

takes us to many places.

Here's another beautiful Church

along the 'geotrail' that we took

this weekend on a return visit

from the Capital.  

Mr Potato Head!

Corn maze - follow the path between the pumpkins to enter.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1846

A heritage site in Lower St. Mary's. This old church was built in 1846 to commemorate the arrival of the first Anglican bishop to Fredericton, John Medley. The distinctive cruciform plan of this church is unique to New Brunswick.

 

Interstingly, the door is on the 'back side'.

Perhaps this is related to river travel of the past?

The River runs along behind.

 

Just one of many stones.

The 'scenic route' back.....

 

 

It seems that I took a 'wrong turn'

after my visit to the historical area in the previous post.

 

But, as with many

'wrong turns' this one turned

out to be yet another interesting

'drive in the country'. 



The photo below

is just a small portion of the rock. 

 

So I took some cordinates

with the GPSr

because I wanted to come back with

Black Rose and hubby.

 

AND,

Just knew when I got home,

that these places would

have a 'cache' nearby.
 

 

 Suprise! Turns out there was at each

of these locations.

So that means that I HAVE to go back. 

*smiles*

Christ Church was built in 1811 and originally stood in the Graveyard on one side of the road.
It was moved to its present location in about 1828 where it was finished.

You know how I love doors. 



 

This Church is in a 'flood zone'
and I have always found it interesting. 

 

 

 



GeoFreakz - GeoTrails

While planning for our Geocaching Event/Challenge to be held in conjunction with our Community Days in August, I have had a chance to chat with some interesting people. Our Community Days Committee picks a theme each year and this year’s is ‘Comics’. I was doing research on comic characters for cache names, oh oh I let that secret out of the bag on that one, I came across GeoFreakz. So being the shy person that I am, I reached out.

Yesterday we received the package with a personally written note some of which was:
“Hi  – Thanks for your interest in Geofreakz & the Parks Canada Geotrails Program. Inclosed are 2 posters outlining our parks program. If you can post these at your local organization that would be wonderful.”  For  US or CANADA residents please click on the Title to be linked to parks in your area.

POSTER:

WE WANT YOU AT

GEO FREAKZ GEOTRAILS

MAY 19 – OCTOBER 13, 2012-04-05

YOUR MISSION:

Head to the Visitor Center to rent

Your free Magellan Explorist GC

And begin your quest for

GEOFREAKZ CACHES!

Join the quest

www.geofreakz.com

So, I am here to share the information with you. We have been able to add a few GeoFreakz Trackables to that which we have already gathered for our event – so stay tuned. We are planning an evening of ‘get to know what Geocaching is’ for families and kids, of our approximately 2100 population, with some caches for practice and a Challenge for the Geocachers out there. We continue to gather prizes and hope you will come and play with us in August.

We hosted our first GeoCaching Event

We hosted our first Geocaching event on St. Patrick's Day.  We had a great turn-out and wonderful weather.  We posted 16 new caches that day to be found by our guests and find they did.  We were out hunting for some ourselves when we came to a few men who were cache hunting. 

As this was one of ours and it was confirmed missing, we replaced the cache and the guys got to sign it. A few of the Log notes read:

Cacher 1: This must be missing. I wish the cache owners were around!!

Us:After the event, we went to do Dad's caches and happened upon ............hmmm who are these folks? (see photo please) These fine gentlemen were cache hunting when we drove up while on our way to another cache location. Confirmed the container was indeed missing. It was replaced - even before Paul sent the note, he just wanted to use his IPhone App- group effort. Thanks gentlemen, cache replaced and hat that was left at the Event was returned. Wahooo that's a good day.

Cacher 1: Say what you want, it's hard to beat road side assistance when you say a cache needs maintenace. Service with a smile! Nice to see you after your awesome event today. Thanks for another smiley and another reason to smile :)

At another Cache we found:

Log note:

Here we discovered some animal bones (ahh B. was in her glory -Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology are where she's bound). 

We have met 'Cachers' from Moncton, St. John, Fredericton, Nova Scotia, Riverview, Dieppe and St. Martins, Quispamsis, Hampton, Newfoundland and others.  Addtionally, my Dad, Brother and at least 1 Uncle all 'play'. There are 3 generations of Cachers in our family and many other families do it too.    What a sport! 

People and Pets we have met while 'caching'

Here Kitty Kitty

GeoCaching - "Sunflowers are always in bloom" one for Patty

What is Geocaching? Please refer back to my blog "What is GeoCaching" or visit http://www.geocaching.com/  to further help you appreciate this 'sport'.  My family (brother and dad) as well as myself, Black Rose, her boyfriend and friend all geocache.  We have experienced many things, many places and many containers.  Geocaching has taken us to locations (such as in Newfoundland) that maybe we wouldn't have known about or gotten to see. Because one can't disclose the location of these geocaching sites, I can't tell you exactly where they are, but I will tell you about this one as a point of interest GeoCache location.   Arrow Air Flight 1285-On Thursday, December 12, 1985, the chartered DC-8 plane carrying 248 members of the 101st Airborne Division of Fort Campbell, Kentucky and 8 crew members returning home for Christmas from peace keeping duties in the Middle East, crashed during takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland. There is a beautiful memorial site and one which we visited while in Newfoundland in July.  Very humbling this location is.

Many of you have been reading my blog for a long time now and have known of our experience with Wilsons Disease.   We recently placed a GEO'cache' in honor of Patty - below is the description as well as the hint on where to find this 35mm film cannister that GeoCachers use to log their 'find'.   We have recently placed a puzzle cache (or first) using her stone and the information from within to get the cordinates for another cache location.

"Sunflowers are always in bloom"
A cache by NB   Hidden : 10/04/2011 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: Size: (Micro)
Description:
Remember when you used to run barefoot through the grass? Or jumped into a pile of leaves in the fall? Or enjoyed Sunflowers as the birds came by for seeds? Sunflowers are always in bloom is placed in memory of Patty. Patty loved Sunflowers! Patty, like this area, was a yet to be discovered 'gem'. She was attending University to become a Teacher when she became unable to continue with her education as a result of Wilson’s Disease. She would have loved this area – children can run and play, adults can sit and watch or walk the various short paths while still being able to see them. Or maybe head down by the river and look for minnows as we did when we were kids. Bring a picnic and stay a spell. Please bring a writing stick.

Additional Hints (Encrypt)
needles are no fun

Dangers in GeoCaching - yes there are some...............

Well, I have really gone and done it now. I poked my eye with a tree branch (again), sad part is I didn't see the branch! Well, obviously or I might not have gotten myself in the eye. I spent 5.5 hours in Emergency Friday..........

They asked me to step back to the wall and read the eye chart covering my left eye and begin reading the letters on the 3rd row from the bottom. I have to tell you that my right eye is "normally" my "bad" eye vision-wise.

Okay now cover my right eye and read from the same...........I took one look at that blurry wall and read the FIRST 2 lines and part of the 3rd before I told her I couldn't see further to read them correctly and that I had guessed at some as it was.

In comes the Doctor and examines my eye,asks me a bunch of questions, freezes it, checks the pressure in my eye and says.. put these drops in every 2 hours that I am awake for the first 2 days and then 4 times a day for the next 5 days. Also to return here (to the EMERGENCY Department) 2 days from now to see an Ophthalmologist and here's the time to come on Sunday.

Let me tell you right here and now, once I can see better I am headed to Princess Auto or Canadian Tire and getting myself some welding safety glasses to wear in the woods when I geocache.

The good news is that it's not 'ulcerated' but does have a bad infection. They are adding a steroid drop to be taken with the other drops I already have. I have to return to see him in 10 days………they will call to set up the appointment. May or may not be related to being poked with the branch as it didn't appear to rip my contact - possible red herring there. He explained it like a scratched windshield and I added 'that's foggy'.

So, for now - I wait and keep putting in these drops like a good girl and no contacts.

Beaver Harbour/Black's Harbour

Well, it only took us 2 days to get to Beaver Harbour.  It was only 99 kms away

from our starting point.   But we had a great time,  we enjoyed our

side-bar visits to St. George (Lake Utopia) and St. Andrews.

Thank you to those that enabled us to do that!! 

We met some interesting folks while touring that part of the Province, some of which met us at the door.

We found Beaver Harbour and were met there by the hightide. So, we explored down the way a bit in Black's Harbour and waited for the tides to turn.

Harbour Seals at play.

SeaGulls fighting of the 'post'. 

When we thought enough time had passed, we headed back to Beaver Harbour.

We travelled a total of 463 Km (instead of the 198 we had planned) over the 2 days and much enjoyed each other's company, seeing the coast from another location, gathering glass, geo-caching and visiting.

Thanks again Sue for inviting us to stay. It allowed us to visit Minister's Island (because of the tide schedule we had missed it the first day) and to enjoy the extra leisure for travel time.

This time next year, Black Rose will be in University so this road-trip was extra

special for me.  Thank again everyone for sharing.