Caching A,B,Z's

Since the GOWT re-organized and came back online a topic was brought up called the Fizzy Challenge. I looked at it and knowing that many of the requirements of 4 and 5 star caches will elude me, I lost my interest. But the topic of Geocaching A through Z did grab my attention. The basis to log that cache is to first find 26 caches for each letter of the alphabet. Forum conversation continued. One day, I was going through my all finds query on GSAK and noticed I have met the requirement. Went back onto the forum and asked for the GC# of the cache. Informed the cache was not ready yet and Tinksdad01 put out the cache a few days later.

Sprout wsa FTF and some cachers have descended onto the new cache. I delayed my business trip to Memphis to await this cache and later for the rain to pass through.

After my visit in Southhaven, MS, I had nRoute take me to the park for Caching A,B,Z's. Found the first stage after some looking. Seen this type of hide before but not at this type of location. Completed a multi More Fun than a Barrel Full of Monkeys, and waded through one foot of water. Then made the 1/2 mile hike to the final stage of Caching A,B,Z's. I had the trail all to myself, I could not ask for better. Found the cache and was very impressed with what I found. Took me some time to coordinate all the blocks. I did have the misfortune to develop a long caching name (Titansfan) in which I log micros with the simple TF and date. After taking the required pictures, I went back to the truck and ended my caching day. Two good caches in the same park and had fun.

Caching in Southeast Missouri

If one looks at my profile, it shows well over 1,000 finds in Tennessee, Kentucky is next with over 200 finds, followed by Mississippi with over 30 finds. After that, the other states have less than a dozen finds and Missouri with one find. A hurry-up and get the cache for the state in Caruthersville, just across the Mississippi River from Dyersburg, Tennessee.

Pharmd93 called about making a cache run on Sunday, March 9. We agreed on working Southeast Missouri to improve on the stats and not show just one find in a state about 50 miles from our home area.

We had to cross the rivers at Cairo, IL; crossing the Ohio and then Mississippi Rivers on a narrow two-lane bridge. Neither bridges make my most favorite bridge list, with both being so narrow. We began our first cache at Mounds in New Madrid. This marked my first ever visit to New Madrid, MO. New Madrid is just 50 miles from Dresden, but a river separates the two. New Madrid is also famous for the early 1800's massive earthquake. The cache location was unusual, a very high mound in a very flat part of the country. Cache was well stocked.

Next cache was Swift Ditch Access, the only hiking cache of the day, about 1,200 feet from parking. This cache had very good camo using the modern military pixel design. The cache was well stocked and information page in plastic attached to the ammo can. One of the most professional caches I have ever found. Area was interesting too, follow the hill from the cache and there was a river.

I found seven caches on that run, but want to highlight another cache, Airport Park (Veteran's Park). Even with the cold wind gusting, we enjoyed looking for the final stage of this multi and viewing the military displays. One of the displays was a US Navy F-4, an fighter-bomber that I used to see during my time in the US Navy from 1985-1989.

Old Salem Church Cemetery/Battlefield

Before I begun geocaching I had heard of the battle fought near Jackson, Tennessee in December of 1862. I had read about the engagement in a book written by Dr. Lonnie Manass, a history professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, called "The Untutored Genius" a book about the military career of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

On May 6, 2005, I had business in the Jackson area and found a few caches on that day and my last find prior to meeting the wife and kids at Pringles Park for a baseball game was Old Salem Church Cemetery/Battlefield by -boatman-. I had saved the best for last. It was a little warm that day and the briers was my biggest challenging in finding that cache. In fact, the briers were so bad, I ended up stomping around and my foot found the cache. That was before I used a hiking stick to poke around.

Found the cache and having some time to kill prior to the baseball game, I walked around admiring the cemetery/battlefield and appreciated that a game that I had found just a few months prior led me to such a great location. I consider this cache one of the best in Madison County. Won't place it in my forgotten cache series; it has been found nearly 100 times. However, I do think the cache should be on more cachers 'to do' list and it does have easy access from Highway 70 and Interstate 40.

Since finding the cache, I met Dr. Manass at a Sons of Confederate Veterans meeting and told him about geocaching taking me to Civil War locations. During the meeting, I purchased Dr. Manass' new book "Lighting Warfare" Forrest's First West Tennessee Campaign December 1862. The new book had in depth information about the battle at Old Salem Church.