Paintball

Before I left for Iraq in 2003, I was into the sport of paintball. I got into the game in the summer of 1989, while in the US Navy stationed in Puerto Rico. I played at a field near where I lived in Fajardo and really enjoyed the game. When I returned to the United States and attending college, I took up the game and played in a small field in Gleason, TN. I quickly learned that playing paintball on the college budget and lack of spare time, this hobby would have to wait, even through I purchased a pump rifle. After returning from a combat tour in Saudi Arabia, I played sparingly at a field in Beech Bluff, TN, just outside of Jackson. Didn't play as often as I wanted, spare time and distance were enough to detour me. Thinking it was the end of the game for me, I sold all my gear, it was too expensive and not enough spare time.

After one Christmas, I had several Wal-Mart gift cards. Seeing that the prices of guns, gear and paint had really dropped since the last time I played in the mid-1990's, I bought a semi-automatic Brass Eagle gun. Used the Internet and found two places to play, one in Mercer and another in Humboldt. I started playing again. I played in Mercer several times, and really liked the game of speedball. I took the youth from First Baptist Church of Dresden to the field a few times. Later, I got word that a group played in a backyard field in Martin, TN. Got in contact with the ring leader and I was playing many weekends in Martin. I played up to the point I went on active duty in 2003. I had even upgraded my equipment with a semi-automatic Piranha. Returning from Iraq in 2004, I lost contact with the group in Martin and the field in Mercer closed. My gear gathered dust while I took up the game of geocaching.

Since my return from Iraq, I did get asked my youth on occasion about playing paintball again but the only field I found was in Memphis about 2 hours away. I was informed by a church member that a paintball field opened in Paris, TN. Place is called Adrenaline Paintball.

Yesterday, 26 youth and 2 adults from First Baptist Church of Dresden played at the field and had a great time. The field is most unusual that it is all indoors and simulates urban warfare. I found myself in the 3-dimensional battlefield. Oppose forces were above, side to side, in front and behind. The only aspect of real urban warfare missing was movement through sewers. I had to use a rental gun in that my old Piranha would not fire but enjoyed playing. I refused to play inside the building. During the safety brief and tour, the floor was very slick and I risked being injured if I went into the building.

Today, I debate whether or not to re-enter the paintball game. One of the aspects I enjoy about geocaching, I play when, where, most any weather, daylight or dark, alone or with others, at my choosing.

Maiden voyage of the kayak

With my next three weekends tied up with church activity, National Guard and vacation, I have been itching to get the kayak out on the water. I had studied this site to learn more about kayaking. Today, the temps were good, first day I have been wearing shorts, but very windy with gusts up to 31 mph. Observing the weather on the Internet, the wind advisory mentioned the wind would die down about 6 pm. I headed out to Garrett Lake, about 25 minutes away about 5 pm. The lake is run by TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) and not meant for pleasure craft. I had my fishing license and a fishing pole to please the game warden. Arrived on the south part of the lake and the wind had changed directions from the southwest to coming in from the northeast. Wind were very gusty and making small white caps. I knew that putting in the water there would not be a good idea.

I drove to the north side of the lake and the woods shielded the wind and put the kayak in the water. I used my new GPS mount to observe my speed. This was my maiden voyage with the Pelican . This is the second time playing around on this type of kayak. Last year, I used an inflatable 2-person kayak. My experience with the inflatable is that I got soaked every time I used it.

This time around, I didn't get wet and didn't touch the water. I spend about 30 minutes of so on the water seeing how fast I could go, which was 3.0 mph. The kayak can turn on the dime and was steady even with the wind kicked up. The above website mentioned never to hand onto the kayak in rough water and it was true. Let the paddle settle the boat down.

Overall, I think it was a good idea to head out today and experience the kayak in a somewhat stressful situation. I have some lessons learned. Such as not using my arms so much, rely more on torso to paddle. Also not to over paddle, this created problems with keeping a good heading. Also need to get my confidence up. Attempted to look behind me and felt the kayak loosing control. Need to overcome this problem for long geocache runs since my water/food/supplies will be in the cargo hatch in the stern.

Geocaching after a Winter Storm

Last night I watched the winter storm roll into the West Tennessee area and viewing the radar; I saw that Madison and Haywood Counties were being slammed. Facebook posts by -boatman- and EverywhereActs1:8 were verifying what I saw on the radar. After hearing a radio announcement that church was cancelled, which was not true, I decided to ready myself for two 4-star terrain geocaches on wondered how difficult they would be in the deep snow. While researching the geocaches, DHCPA29 posted on Facebook that there was little accumulation of snow in Paris, TN.

With the mission a "GO", I went out and crossed the river at Paris Landing to go after the most difficult, The River is Wide. After crossing the river, I turned south on a gravel road. I had been down this way before, summer before last to scout an area to view the 4th of July fireworks. I parked below the cache and looked up the monster of a hill to climb. Just as DHCPA29 reported on Facebook, there was little snow on the ground. I took off after the cache stopping about every 40 feet to catch my breath. Elevation change was just over 150 feet and was very steep. I climbed to the top of the ridge, again for a breather. Looked at my GPS'r and saw I was within 10 feet. Looked to my left and there it was; the ammo can covered in leaves. Signed the log and headed down the hill. My left knee began to give me some problems, thinking I need to take more Glucosamine, but made to the bottom and onto the next geocache.

Next geocache was Lost Creek Cache V2.0. There was a cache on the ridge a long time ago, I found it during my first LBL cache run in October 2005. My military training has benefited me to read a topographical map and I knew where to park to make this cache easy. I parked onto of the ridge line and strolled the .20 mile to the cache. It was a nice and relaxing walking in the woods and enjoyed finding this cache as much as finding the first Lost Creek cache.

I'm ready for Spring!

During the 2008 Geocaching year, I changed my tactic somewhat doing after more difficult terrain caches including caches requiring a watercraft of some type. I purchased a inflatable kayak and did find a cache using the two-person boat. However, I found the kayak is not designed for what I really want; in that I want the caches on Lake Graham, Wolf River and Cumberland River. Last year I missed the Ghost River event due to schedule problems and lack of a boat. The Cumberland River event fit my schedule but didn't want to arrive needing a ride (or float). A recent visit to Gander Mountain in Jackson, TN; I found exactly a kayak that will suit me. It's a one person, Pelican Pursuit 100. I had a few gift cards and the 10% military discount aided me greatly.

Now, I look forward to a warm Saturday and go after the Lake Graham caches. Also on my radar screen are the two 5-star terrain caches on Lake Barkley.

Great Chase

Had a trip to Chattanooga this weekend and while researching the geocaches in the city, I thought that finding the virtual geocache The Great Chase #3, would be the most interesting. I would not be disappointed. The geocache is in reference to the Great Locomotive Chase a daring raid to cut Confederate communications between Atlanta and Chattanooga. The virtual is placed within the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Upon reaching the posted coordinates I saw that some of the Union men were buried near the monument and after later research, couple of the soldiers were the first recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. All the men, that included two civilians whom are buried near the monument were executed by the Confederate government as spies, since none were wearing uniforms.

Columbus-Belmont State Park

As a teenager, I visited Columbus-Belmont State Park but didn't really grasp the history at the time. When I took up geocaching in 2005, I wondered if my geocaching adventure will take me to the park again. The Columbus Bluff Earthcache was established and on October 25, 2008, I took my girls to the park before winter set in to see the park and do the earthcache. We had a great time that day and didn't find many caches. My girls took advantage of seeing the bluffs and I explained how the position was good for defensive warfare and why Gen. Grant chose an easier target of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. Thus with the later capture of Fort Donelson, the position at Columbus has to be abandoned by Confederate forces. We toured the little museum and took a picture with a Confederate Battleflag over looking the Mississippi River. The earthcache was my youngest daughter's 300th geocache find. We spend the reminder of the day, watching my youngest daughter playing.

Now that my blog is reaching a far larger audience with it imported to Facebook, some my notice some geocaching pictures using the CSA battleflag. My personal opinion, the flag does not represent hate or oppression but a symbol of southern heritage. I am a member of the Camp 323 Col. Jeffery Forrest Camp Sons of Confederate Veterans and we are proud of my ancestor, Pvt. John Hudson Goodwyn's service to the Confederate Army.

The Charge

When I developed this blog I didn't have the intentions of writing about my own geocaches. However, in the last couple of months I have become very involved in facebook and found out very recently that I can import my blog notes onto my facebook profile and see that many non-geocachers from my home county are also reading my notes.

On a trip to western Kentucky, I passed through Dukedom, Tennessee and noticed the roadside structure had been rebuilt. I stopped to few the remodeled job and took some pictures and also jotted down contact information. I have wanted to place a geocache here to link Mayfield and Dresden and most of all due to its interesting location. I called one of the phone numbers that I found and spoke to the commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans camp of Mayfield. I told the commander that I am also a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 323 (Col. Jeffery Forrest) in Dresden. We spoke about geocaching and that having a geocache at the building will draw visitors. The commander gave me the go-ahead and I immediatly set out for Dukedom to place the geocache.

The geocache (The Charge) is placed and been found by two geocachers. I don't figure to get a lot of hits due to the remote location, but anticipate when western Kentucky digs out of the recent ice storm, the Kentucky geocachers will descend upon it.