Tujunga Wash

On the way home from work today, I decided to do the new caches in the Tujunga Wash.  With only a couple of days left of Daylight Saving Time, today is probably the last chance I have to do some geo-hiking after work.

This is the second series of caches to be placed in the Wash.  fotomom placed a fine series of caches here at the end of 2004.  I found all of them during several outings.  The most memorable trip was the time that I attempted to jump the stream on the south side of the Wash.  I looked for a place that was narrow enough to leap across.  I found a place with a log on the opposite side that I could reach with a good jump.  When my foot hit the log, the log just collapsed under my foot.  No problem.  I just to a step backward into the creek.  It was only a foot deep.  Then another step backward.  This time, the foot-deep creek became the 5-feet-deep stream.  I was in water up to my armpits.  Than was the end of that day’s geo-adventure!

Since most of fotomom’s caches have been archived, OLdweeb led a group of geocachers on October 11th and placed 10 new caches in the area.

Today, I started with the first cache (Orcas Park / Tujunga Wash trailhead) at 4:15.  The straight loop is supposed to be about 3.5 miles long.   With all the zigging and zagging, I ended up hiking 4.0 miles.  Of the 10 new caches, I got 8, with 2 DNFs.  I called for help at both of them, but still came up empty.

Since it is a river bottom, most of the trails are sandy.  So hiking the loop is like doing a 5K at the beach in the dry sand.  The other fun challenge of the area are the yucca and the cactus.  I did OK until I brushed against a yucca and got poked.  At least I thought I was just poked.  After a few minutes, my leg really started hurting.  After a few minutes, I had to stop.  I dropped my pants and found a yucca spine struck in my leg.  The barbs on the spine were working it deeper into my leg.

With the two DNFs adding extra time to the walk, I didn’t finish until after dark.  It was a nice way to finish Daylight Saving Time.  I’ll need to watch the 2 DNF caches to see if others find them.  Perhaps they aren’t there.  If they are found, I’ll need to go back to finish off the series.

Obsessed?

I found my first two caches on May 6, 2001.  My son, Michael, came with me on the first find.  My daughter, Stacy, and Oreo, the GeoDog joined us for the second one.  Stacy just found a picture of her, Michael, and Oreo at the second find and posted it on her blog, Piece of Mind.

Seven and a half years and 4085 caches later, I’m still enjoying it.  I’ve found caches in about 25 states and one in Canada.

Stacy claims that I’m obsessed with geocaching.  I don’t think so.  Maybe once, but not now.  I can go for days without feeling the need to go caching.  I’m really in complete control.  Really, I am.