Camp Udari, Kuwait

In the Fall of 2003, orders were going out that our company 1174th Transportation and other companies within Camp Cedar II were being relieved by civilian truck drivers from KBR. However, all the companies were required to go through the marksmanship training offered by retired special forces soldiers and we found the training to be very different than what we were used to at a weapon's range.

We spent the first half of the day learning close quarters marksmanship. Previous training involved shooting from a foxhole with targets ranging from 50 to 300 meters. However, our enemies have learned that they can not go toe to toe with American firepower and have evolved their tactics to be close to American forces and negate the use of artillery and air power. The training consisted of shooting at targets within 20 meters, learning to stand, move and shoot on the move. The stance used is similar to a martial arts stance with neither foot ahead of the other. Elbows are in, holding the weapon in closer to the body instead of out. The idea is to be a smaller target to the enemy and if taking an incoming round, the round will hit the frontal body armor and should not be a fatal wound. There is not firing from the hip, the weapon is raised, releasing the safety for aimed and controlled fire. The fire is controlled pairs, also known as double-tap. The training was interesting and an incident where the training was useful will be discussed later in this blog.

The next training was shooting from a truck. Our job in Iraq was to haul fuel from one location to another. However, prior to deployment, we didn't train for engaging an enemy from a moving vehicle. The second half of the first day of training, we simulated being in a convoy and were shooting from a stationary truck. The driver cradled his M-16 and due to Laws of War could only fire in the semi-auto function. Fire was not aimed, fire from the driver's position was for suppression. The passenger could fire from the 3-round burst mode and if using a M-249, the weapon would be used in full-auto mode. Gun truck crew received training to use the M-2 heavy machine gun. The role of a gun truck to go after and engage the enemy with heavy fire, while the freight trucks pass through.

The following day, we actually went on a road march and put the new training into practice shooting pop targets from a moving vehicle. It was interesting to see the .50 caliber machine guns tear up the targets. Training was intense and real, on one occasion I did hear the 'zing' from a passing friendly round.

A few weeks after the training, our unit began redeployment back to the United States and pulled back to Kuwait. Bear in mind, in 2003 the Iraq War was different that what it became. IED's were not as common, insurgents mainly used small arms, RPG's and mortars to attack our convoys.

A couple of months returning home from the war, I would use the tactics learned at Camp Udari. 11:30 pm on a Sunday night, my wife said that someone was in our drive way. Living in a rural area, I figured that they were using the drive way to turn around. I watched the car came up the drive way and shutting off the headlights. We immediately called 911 and I grabbed a semi-automatic rifle and went outside to greet my uninvited guests. I have the opinion that a visitor coming by my house that late at night is someone in trouble, or someone looking for trouble. I stood in the combat stance with the rifle in a ready position, never aiming the weapon; the people in the car must have seen me and decided it would be best to leave. We gave a description of the car and would hear the police looking for the car on the scanner.

Fallen from the Sky

Having missed the Walls of Jericho adventure, I debated what I wanted to do today. Not much I could do around the yard, the goat seems to be taking care of the overgrowth in my yard, I wanted to cache somewhere.

I attended the RVG Birthday event completing a couple of micros on the way. While there, I spoke to RVG member who reminded me about Fallen from the Sky and he said it was a neat location. Since I didn't bring anything for the dirty Santa game, I went out to grab a couple of caches on the way home. I selected Fallen from the Sky as the first. I was not disappointed in the cache and really liked the memorial placed in honor of the deceased B-29 crewmen who perished when the plane crashed near the memorial's location.

Abandon Hope

I have been browsing the discussion on the GOWT forums of the Abandon Hope group cache run, but only just reading. Dalls called me up and asked if I wanted to attend and thought more seriously about it. I saw some advantages. One being it's a 5/5 cache and this opportunity will not present itself very often. Second, being about 10 or so miles, it would be a prelude to test my equipment, conditioning and my knee for the Walls of Jericho cache run that I hope to be apart of this month. I met with with Dalls at the JEA customer service center on Vann Drive, parked my truck there and he left his JEA hat on my dash. We dashed onto the starting point, a Lowes Home Improvement Store and met up with the rest of the crew, endoriders, tinksdad01, Mindless Focus, itcomagic and Hoot Owl. After gathering out gear and group photo; we headed off. We covered just over 9 miles of total hiking, I did reset my GPS as we were headed to the posted coordinates. I had a memorable time and feel like I could write more, but that could give away the number of stages and hide techniques. This was an adventure that I won't forget and the conversations that took place on the trail.

As for the prelude to Walls of Jericho, I found my knee did not give me any pain, taking Motrin (Ranger Candy) prior and during prevented any knee pain. However, Abandon Hope was on soft terrain, Walls of Jericho will be rocky and far more elevation changes. This week I have also begun taking Glucosamine and that should help my knee. I took along 76 oz. of water and had about 16 oz. left at the end of the hike. Temps did reach into the 70's. If temps reach into the 70's at Walls of Jericho, I might be in trouble, maybe I should take water purification tablets with me so I can re-fill on the trail?

This was the only smiley for me on this cache run but that was OK with me. After the hike, Dalls drove on back to Jackson, stopping at Backyard Burger for a pit stop along the way.

Caching in Cape

Over the last few months I have been looking for new places to cache. This past year, I did cache in Canada, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Louisiana, and a little deeper into Mississippi. Pharmd93 called me and wanted to go caching this past Saturday. We decided to target Cape Girardeau, MO. I had been through the city a few times on the way to and from St. Louis to see the Cardinals play baseball. But that was over 15 years ago and I had no recollection of Cape Giradeau. I have thought about caching the city, but knew nothing about the caches with exception of the virtual Cape Rock. Even though Cape Girardeau is within the River Valley Geocaching group, caches in Cape have not been discussed, to my disappointment.

Pharmd93 and myself went to Cape Giradeau and were not disappointed with our trip. Most of the caches we found were quality and in interesting areas and do plan to return. Few of the caches were of the Park and Grab variety and some we did have thrilling views of the Mississippi River. About half of our finds required some walking, a couple needed a degree of hiking from the truck. Consideration in terrain was also required, thankfully, the area was not rocky.

After concluding caching in Cape, we headed south along I-55 and grabbed two caches in small Missouri towns and last, we avenged a DNF in Sikeston.

Hear that Harmonica

Hear that Harmonica by dalls is one of the must do caches near Jackson, Tennessee. Cache is located in a cemetery where Sonny Boy Williamson is buried. Sonny was a famous blues recording artist.

I found the cache on March 10, 2006 while passing through the area. At the time, I had begun to use a Garmin 60cs and was getting used to the auto-routing feature. I pulled onto the road where the cemetery is located and stopped to change the auto-routing to the off-road feature when a local noticed me. Knowing that I didn't belong there, he asked if everything was OK, I asked if a cemetery is nearby and he pointed me in the right direction and found the cache easily.

Reaching for number 2,000 (Last One Standing)

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I found my 2,000th geocache. I reserved a much talked about geocache called Last One Standing in the Land Between the Lakes area. The cache is near an old Catholic church that has been restored. The LBL was once settled area until 1963 and made into a National Recreation area. I picked Last One Standing due to its interesting location and was not let down.
I saw Friday after Thanksgiving would work out for me and planned to go alone when other cachers were unable to their schedules free. Weather turned out to be great. Minnie Mouse didn't want to go caching but didn't want to spend the day with her grandmother and so opted to go with me. I adjusted to what I wanted to go after and limit caches that required a lot of hiking. We begun with a park and grab in Mayfield, then onto Draffenville for three caches in a park. Being that another park and grab was unavailable in Mayfield; we went a sure thing at Confederate Cemetery Cache and then backtracked to Grand Rivers and found 2 of 3 caches just off I-24. I didn't go after a micro since it required a mile of hiking round trip. We hit the LBL and quickly found KL Overlook and then went after the most difficult cache Night Rider Spring. Night Rider Spring proved to be the most physical and a hunter's camp was very close by. We went east towards Last One Standing seeing many deer hunters along the way. As we approached Last One Standing, driving about a mile on a one lane dirt road, a deer hunter was at the church. He told me he was scouting the area, I told him we were caching, and he asked why I was wearing orange. He told me the deer season begins the following day. Since I didn't know if the deer season was on, I wore orange so I wouldn't be shot geocaching. He mentioned that was a good idea.
Found the cache and took some pictures of the area and thankful I chose this cache to by my 2K milestone.

RVG Meet & Greet Event, LBL Night Cache Run

I have been wanting to complete the night caches in the LBL for quite some time. I had seen that KTAG (Kentucky-Tennessee Area Geocachers) has had 3 Ghost Chase cache runs with good success. With fall approaching and the fall back with the clock in early November, I chose November 8th to be the date. A good cache run would also help me with the disappointment felt on the evening of November 4th.

Held the RVG Meet & Greet at Martha's Restaurant and I expected 15-20 cachers to be in attendance. Using the Will Attend logs has my guide. I had called Martha's the day before to let them know who many to expect. I arrived about 10 minutes before the event to see a full parking lot. Went inside and staff told me of the long table and one booth for the RVG guests. Well, over 40 cachers from many different parts arrived and I was extremely happy with the turn out. Cachers from Central Kentucky, Indiana, Jackson, TN, several cachers from Memphis, TN and a host of cachers from the local area of Murray, Mayfield, Paducah in Kentucky and from Paris and Hollowrock in Tennessee. Cachers were from many groups to include River Valley Geocachers, Geocachers of West Tennessee and Jackson Area Geocachers. After dinner and door prizes, we headed outside to form up to caravan to the LBL.

Our first cache was By the Eflin Moon, in which a huge mob descended onto the cache. Cache proved to elusive and quick study by pcsenn, the cache was found. Going after this cache was nice in the fading light and being able to see the lake from the hills. Next, on the list was Pass the Troll-Night Cache. This was a fun walk in the woods but the part I remember most was -boatman- losing his dog, we waited around for his dog to return. Some of the cachers took the opportunity to hunt the nearby multi Hurricane Andrew.

After -boatman-'s dog returned the caravan headed towards Midnight Cow Night Cache. Parking was difficult but thankfully, no one parked in the ditch. After this cache, a few cachers took the opportunity to head home. The next cache was Double Barrel, it as short hike and we were off to the next cache Crickhollow-Night Cache. What I remember the most of this cache was the caravan driving past the cache and to turn around again to be heading in the right direction. Bitbrain, driving Tiger130's truck became stuck, JAG members, Dalls and Leprecon Jr jumped out of their car and muscled the truck back onto the road.

Later, we headed over to the most difficult night cache Midnight Maze. Being that I had already found this cache, I took the opportunity to rest and watch the hunt. I could tell the hunt was not going well, turned out that the cache needed maintenance after storm damage and covered some of the reflectors. Bitbrain and Tiger130 returned and noticing Tiger130 was not feeling well and needed to return to her truck, Solarwib, Kodiak62 and myself escorted Tiger130 back to her truck. Tiger130 recovered and everyone headed to the next cache, Flashlight Required. By this time I was beginning to tire and didn't intend to go along. When I told Pcsenn about the micro on the way to the starting point, he didn't have it in his GPS and I went along. Found the micro and we along with a small group to the starting point. By this time, we were no longer hunting the cache in a large, but divided into small groups. While chatting, we passed the starting point by over 500 feet and walked back. I didn't recall the long hike it was for this cache. Turned out to be about a mile of walking all together. I was in the last group to find the cache, heading back to the parking area, a grandfather to one of the cachers met us and was concerned about his grandson and his friend Turns out both boys were some distance behind us but we could see their lights.

At this point, the difficult caches were completed and went after Dead Fulks Night Cache. This was the most remote of all the caches on a one-lane road. Going down the road, I was really concerned we would met groups heading out. We arrived to see a few vehicles at the starting location but much less than starting out the night. I think Flashlight Required took out the energy from some of the cachers and it was getting late. I knew this cache was not very long and had already found it, I stayed back in the parking lot and rested. The group in front of us had turned out their lights in an attempt to play a prank on the last group.

The last cache was A Creepy Place, which was a short hike and quick find. All of us were exhausted by this time and the group was now to about a dozen cachers. It was a fun night and a night that I will remember for a long time.