Music and Numbers

Since we are heading for our first geocache event, and we are heading to a new milestone number we decided to try and find the Music and Numbers series just across the border in Belgium. A series of 8 mystery caches where for each cache a band name containing a number must be found. With this number the cache location can be defined. All 8 caches are in walking distance making a round of about 5 KM. Not to bad for a Friday afternoon.
The first one (GC1K2MD - Music & Numbers - 1)
Log-time 14:25, number 142

The second one (GC1K2N7 - Music & Numbers - 2)
Log-time 14:40, number 143

The third one (GC1K2QT - Music & Numbers - 3)
Log-time 14:55, number 144

The fourth one (GC1K2RC - Music & Numbers - 4)
Log-time 15:10, number 145

The fifth one (GC1K31Y - Music & Numbers - 5)
Log-time 15:15, number 146

The sixth one (GC1K322 - Music & Numbers - 6)
Log-time 15:30, number 147

The seventh one we couldn't find, considering the search marks that were out there we weren't the only one. We decided to try and calculate the location of the bonus-cache and give it a try.
And the bonus cache (GC1K32E - Music & Numbers - BONUS) we were able to discover.
Log-time 16:30, number 148

Inside we found a TB that we exchanged with one we brought with us.

Flet-caches

When searching for an interesting puzzle cache to do I stumbled across the (GCV1F9 - Hersendeler) cache and noticed that it will archived real soon. We decided to go for it. It was not to hard to resolve.

Log-time 12:45, number 131

Inside we discovered a TB that we exchanged with a TB we had in our possession.

Since we had to travel a bit for this one we decided to combine this with some other caches in that neighbourhood. They are all placed by the same team (Flet) so we made it a Flet-afternoon :-).
Since we like to do the multi-caches the next one would be (GCXMYR - Typisch Hollands), but to get the start coordinates we had to find the traditional (GCXMYK - Lokkertje) first.

Log-time 13:20, number 132

So with the start-coordinates towards (GCXMYR - Typisch Hollands)
This was a mystery multi-cache for which we had to find answers to a number of questions that we had to use on the different way-points. Real fun to do, we enjoyed it a lot.
Log-time 15:30, number 133

Next we went for a couple of traditionals in the area. The Flet team has hidden a series of 50 traditionals in 17 of them a certain figure is inside, and in 8 others there is a little challenge to do. With the results of those 25 caches the bonus cache can be found.
We did a couple of the series of 50 today the first being (GC12PHA - Rondje Bernheze 10: Zevenbergen)
Log-time 16:05, number 134

The next (GC12M7J - Rondje Bernheze 23: Holletje) for this one the hint was a split tree, I first looked at the wrong one.

Log-time 16:20, number 135.

Then up to (GC12KTF - Rondje Bernheze 19: De Hooge Vorssel), this one was discovered immediate despite the hint "Berk tree" since it was hidden in a Berk tree forest :-)
Log-time 16:30, number 136

Then we went for a marsh area where three of the series are hidden:
(GC12MEP - Rondje Bernheze 27: Heide 1)
Log-time 16:45, number 137

(GC12N2X - Rondje Bernheze 31: Heide 3)
Log-time 16:55, number 138

(GC12MVY - Rondje Bernheze 47: Heide 2)
Log-time 17:05, number 139

Then we went for the (GC12KV8 - Rondje Bernheze 21: Ontworteld) in this one a puzzle was hidden for the bonus-cache.
Log-time 17:40, number 140

And the last of the day (GC12H75 - Rondje Bernheze 01: Monument)
Log-time 18:00, number 141

After this we drove homeward with a new record "most in one days" of 11 pieces.

Oerle

This afternoon we visited two caches that are hidden in the beautiful small village Oerle / Zandoerle.

The first one (GCHZVW - Oers) was a multi where we had to find way-points and at each way-point the coordinates of the next were given.

We passed by different animals a long the way.

We logged it at 15:30.

Because we still had some time left we went for another one nearby (GC19QNZ - Molenvelden), this was also a short multi where we had to use multiple type of navigation techniques to reach the different way-points.

Here the boys are climbing on one of the way-points where we had to find some answers needed to continue with the trip.

We walked through an area called Molenvelden, which explains the cache name :-)

And here the picture of the bears on top of the rock.

We logged this one at 17:30 making our total founds 130.

Inside we found the next coin that we exchanged with a TB we brought with us.

Night cache continued

This afternoon we walked through our notes from the night cache that we started last night and everything seamed to be OK and we could go back to finish the cache.
First we went for one of the oldest caches in the Netherlands (GC1B73 - Loonse en Drunense Duinen a.k.a. Dutch Sahara) a very beautiful cache area where the dogs could even run of the leash in the beginning of the walk and at the end of the walk.

After a tough walk through the sand dunes of something less than 2 KM we discovered the cache container.

We logged it at 16:50 and we exchanged a TB.

Next we drove to the night cache location but on our way there passed by another cache (GCZQ4D - d'n Unent renewed 2), the second one of a serie that we found the first one of last night. We logged this one at 17:50.

And then arriving at the cache (GC1JTBB - Tilburg Moderne Industriestad) at the location where we finished the night before, we could find the first way-point quickly and continued until we discovered the cache container at 19:30 while it was raining cats and dogs.

Inside we discovered a lot of TB's and a coin. We exchanged three of them and left the other ones behind.

We drove home with a good feeling, finding this cache without help. What a fun hobby indeed.

Valentines Day

I planned a night cache for us to do on Valentines Day Evening.
But because the bears need to walk also during daylight we decided to do the last two remaining of a series of 7 short caches near chapels.
At the first location we first did a mystery cache (GC1F074 - Het halve werk is een goed begin) One half of the coordinate I could calculate from home for the other half we had to find some answers nearby the chapel. Once we got all the answers we could go to our calculated cache location to discover the cache container. We logged it at 12:20 as our # 119.

We traded a TB with the next TB.

Then we went for the multi-cache near that started at the chapel as well (GC1DCKH - POK - Vessem).

For this one we had to walk a spiderweb route through a forest that brought us to 3 different locations where we had to find a tag with a number on it.
With these three numbers we could calculate the final coordinates, we found it and logged it at 13:20.

Then on to the next chapel cache (GC1DB1M - POK - Zandoerle). The chapel is located in a very old market place of a small historical village.
Here the sign that explains this all.

The cache container that we discovered at 14:15.

The logbook where we wrote our name.

With the information gathered at the seven chapels we could calculate the coordinates of the bonus cache of this series (GCN9QR - POK - Langs 's Heeren Wegen) and what seamed to be the case. This cache wasn't to far from the current location, so went for this one also.
The boys standing guard while I log the cache.

We logged it at 14:30 as our number 122.

Inside we discovered two TB's and one coin, that we exchanged with some TB's that we brought with us.

Than when it was dark it up to the night-cache but first we had to pick-up a traditional nearby the night cache that will be archived real soon, so had to pick that up whilst still possible. (GCNNGQ - Carpooling cache), for this one we had to make a photograph with at least two people on it, this wasn't easy to do in the dark. But we managed to do that we logged at 18:50. Inside a micro-coin was hidden that we took with us.

Then we started with our night cache adventure. On the parking lot a couple of cars were already present. It was a great tour, that brought us to very well figured out way-points. While walking around for this cache we passed by two other caches. The (GCZVGK - d'n Unent renewed 3) which we logged at 21:00.

And the cache (GC12AA7 - Zwaluwsestraat) that we logged at 23:30 as our number 125.

It was really a lot of fun, but at a certain point we were tired and cold and weren't sure that we on the right track, it was already Sunday, and we decided to drive home, get warm and come back another time.