RantMedia Independent Cell: WA
Last Saturday, I took a train into Seattle to meet up with some of the members of RantMedia’s Washington cell. In attendance were OneeyedElf1, SideSlide, HatterOfMaddnesz, Avagdu, myself, and another who I will dub PlantGirl.
OneeyedElf1 was the first to arrive at Bauhaus Books & Coffee. I got in a bit past noon, after walking the few blocks from the train station. Neither of us had seen or met SideSlide yet, but, soon thereafter, a fellow walked in with a Maxpedition Versipack and we figured that must be him. OneeyedElf1 and I were both sporting our Rant 10th Anniversary shirts, which attracted SideSlide to our place at the bar. He introduced us to PlantGirl, who was not familiar with RantMedia but had consented to joining us on our exploits, and we moved to a table upstairs.
We talked about the various things that people like us talk about and SideSlide prepared for the day’s main activity: geocaching. SideSlide was the most experienced geocacher in our group – and the most prepared – so he took the lead.
After a while of sitting around, OneeyedElf1 managed to contact Avagdu, who informed us that he would be late (some nonsense about not realizing about what day it was). None of us had contact information for HatterOfMaddnesz, but we thought that there was a good chance that he would be carpooling with Avagdu, so we decided to start the adventures without them. SideSlide selected the first target.
Outside the coffee shop, SideSlide, PlantGirl, and myself waited for OneeyedElf1 to move his car before we all took off.
We knew this first cache was near REI, so we headed in that direction. As we got close, SideSlide consulted his GPS.
The GPS indicated that the cache was probably somewhere in the bushes, so we all dived in. PlantGirl was the one who found it. This first cache was a micro, which is very small. Inside, was a list of those who had previously located the cache.
We all signed our names and returned the cache, after which we ventured into REI to inspect the gear. They didn’t have what I was looking for, so I left empty-handed. SideSlide bought an MSR Dromlite bag and PlantGirl picked up one of those CamelBak water bottles.
While inside REI, OneeyedElf1 and I discovered that we both have Atwood Tactical Whistles on our keychains (though his is titanium, while I have one of the older stainless steel models).
At the checkout stand, we had another obligatory wog moment when I noticed what SideSlide was paying out of. “Hey, is that a Spec-Ops wallet,” I asked, while brandishing my own for him to see. (If this doesn’t happen, you’re not at a RantMeet.)
Back outside, we located the next target and set off.
This cache was in the neighboring community garden and was located by SideSlide.
Before heading to the next cache, SideSlide used the public restroom. When he returned, he digged into his bag, revealing that all important piece of kit: baby wipes.
After this, we heading back across i-5 in search of the third cache. It was more difficult to find, as it was a nano cache, which is very, very small.
Rolled up inside was a piece of appropriately small paper. We signed our names and moved on.
The fourth cache was just down the hill from the previous one, but was the most difficult yet to locate. The GPS first insisted that it was almost right on i-5, so we looked there first.
But it soon became apparent that the cache was actually located on the other side of the street in some rocks. We searched for a while but remained unsuccessful, so SideSlide decoded the hint.
This didn’t help much. We continued to search unsuccessfully until OneeyedElf1 pulled out his phone and found a picture of where the cache was hidden.
Finally, we found the cache (in a place that we had previously looked). It was in an old ziploc bag which we replaced with a new one and returned to its hiding spot.
During all of this, Avagdu had called OneeyedElf1 to inform him that he was in town. We didn’t know how to direct him to where we were, so we decided to walk back to Bauhaus and meet him there. When we arrived, we found both Avagdu and HatterOfMaddnesz sipping coffee.
We talked a bit and in a few minutes, the table was cluttered with multiple GPS systems, compasses, knifes, and lighters.
After HatterOfMaddnesz finished his drink, we decided to go in search of food. Our first attempt proved futile, as the place was not serving food for another hour, so we ventured on in search of another restaurant.
Eventually we found a bar that served pizza, which was good enough for our tastes. We ordered two larges and spent about an hour discussing various subjects and sharing more gear. Most of the excitement occurred on Avagdu’s part. He passed his fire making kit to SideSlide for inspection, which SideSlide promptly dropped directly into his beer. Luckily, Avagdu’s kit was waterproof. A while later, Avagdu reached for a slice of pizza. When he lifted the piece, all the toppings fell off onto the plate. This was dubbed Pizza Fail.
As we left the bar, Avagdu borrowed PlantGirl’s purse for a glamour shot and to demonstrate the latest fashion in tactical EDC bags.
After a quick trip into a drugstore in search of batteries for the GPS, we started to walk down the hill, in the direction of Avagdu’s car and the next cache.
Avagdu had to plug the meter at his parking spot. When we reached his car, we spotted a flyer on the windshield that appeared to be a ticket, but, upon closer inspection, proved to be an advertisement.
After plugging the meter, we went off in search of the next cache. This one proved to be the most difficult to find, but it was eventually found by PlantGirl. After finally locating it, the sun was almost set and we began to head downtown in an attempt to locate the final cache. We did not have coordinates for this final cache, but instead had been provided with a series of puzzles to crack. I had to start the trek back to the train station before we could solve all the puzzles and locate the cache, so I don’t know if that search was successful.
All my photos from the meet are on flickr. Feel free to remix.