Solvang

We did a nice family outing to Solvang today.  Along with about half of Southern California.  The place was busy.  While in town, I picked up 2 caches in the town.  Then we drove a quick loop north toward Los Olivos and then back to Solvang for a few more caches.  The drive was very nice.  Picked up a few more of the Wine/Whine series.  We had very nice and relaxing day.

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Wine/Whine # 41 (Traditional Cache)

Theater View (Traditional Cache)

Lions in Solvang (Traditional Cache)

Play View (Traditional Cache)

Wine/Whine # 3 (Traditional Cache)

Rideau (Traditional Cache)

Wine/Whine # 69 (Traditional Cache)

Wine/Whine # 23 (Traditional Cache)

Sandbagging for 13.1 Miles (Traditional Cache)

Wine/Whine # 31 (Traditional Cache)

Wine/Whine # 1 (Traditional Cache)

Wine/Whine # 47 (Traditional Cache)

Camarillo

My wife had a sewing class in Camarillo today, she I drove out with her and did come geocaching while she was in class.  It was a pleasant day for caching and I had an enjoyable adventure.  Here are the caches that I did today.

Schooner Please! (Traditional Cache)

Don’t Drive Thru (Traditional Cache)

ALA VK’s (Traditional Cache)

I came from Florida (Traditional Cache)

Brown Baggin’ it ! (Traditional Cache)

Seven Hundred M/O (Traditional Cache)

Tie one on (Traditional Cache)

Not so Originals 22 (Traditional Cache)

This Ain’t No Yoke! (Traditional Cache)

Roxy’s Got Back (Traditional Cache)

MEXICO in the ‘Rio (Traditional Cache)

A Camarillo Gem? (Traditional Cache)

Camarillo TB Hotel (Traditional Cache)

Lane Ends, Merge Left (a VK remnant) (Traditional Cache)

Our Camarillo Lunch (Traditional Cache)

Go Ahead; Cache it Up (Traditional Cache)

The other Mulholland and Decker (Traditional Cache)

I planned on finishing the day at the Simi Valley geocacher pizza get-together, but didn’t make it again.  I was hoping this would be my first Event cache.  Perhaps another time.

Sandstone Peak to the Sea

The Group--Courtesy of Robb

Click on the map for a closer look.

Today the Geo-Connection did a great hike in the Santa Monica Mountains.  There were 8 of us:  Bill, Craig, Don, Elin, Jeff, Ken, Marty, and Robb.  We started by parking on PCH at Sycamore Canyon, then shuttling to the trailhead via Yerba Buena Road.  We started hiking at 8:20 a.m.  The hike begins with a 1000′ climb in about 1 mile from the parking lot to the top of Sandstone Peak.

The Santa Ana winds were blowing hard, keeping the temperature up and the humidity low.  Also, the smoke from the fire in Sylmar was blowing from Sylmar to to sea.

Sandstone Peak is the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains.  It isn’t sandstone at all, but the remnants of a volcano that is about 16 million years old.  Sandstone Peak is 3000′ high.  Back in the day, it was over 10,000 feet.

The hike was long, but a very nice one.  I appreciated the patience of the other hikers with my slow uphill speed.

There weren’t too many wildflower blooms this time of year.  The laurel sumac was starting to bud with nice coral-colored mini flowers.  While the grasses were all dried, the sumac, red shank, and scrub oak kept the hillsides green.

I picked up 20 caches along the way.  I hiked the Backbone part of the trail 18 months ago, so I have some of the caches along the trail already.  The group also placed 3 new caches that we will count after someone get the FTF.  Because I had to get to a meeting, I had to miss the last few caches along the way.  But that is just a good excuse to go back to this nice area.

Here is a list of the caches that I found today:

Sandstone Peak – The top of the Santa Monica Mtns! (Earthcache)

5 2 DANIELSON (Traditional Cache)

Buddah’s Belly? (Traditional Cache)

Out on a Ledge (Traditional Cache)

Backbone Multi-View (Traditional Cache)

Into the Gap (Traditional Cache)

Rocky Top (Traditional Cache)

HOODOO VU (Traditional Cache)

Taking it to the next level. (Traditional Cache)

Antidote to Civilization (Traditional Cache)

Boney – Serrano Junction (Traditional Cache)

HELLO SERRANO – GOODBYE SYCAMORE (Traditional Cache)

SERRANO STEPUP (Traditional Cache)

Serrano Canyon Cache (Traditional Cache)

RestingRock (Traditional Cache)

This Place Rocks (Traditional Cache)

Serrano Canyon Trail (Traditional Cache)

Sibling Rivalry (Traditional Cache)

Suspicious Bush Cache (Traditional Cache)

Three Tree Cache (Traditional Cache)

Thanks to all the participants today.  It was nice to share the trail with you.

Here are some photos that I took along the way.  It see a larger version, click on the photo.

North from Sandstone Peak

Jeff (albackore) on Sandstone Peak

Ken and Jeff along the trail

The group logging Inspiration Point

From Buddah's Belly

Along the trail

Robb Dogg

Split Rock

Split Rock--The site of Henry's Cache

Boney

Approaching Taking it to the Next Level

Entering Serrano Valley

Here are some links to some of the others blogs/photo pages:

BWidget’s Flickr set

OLdweeb’s Dweeb’s Diatribe

Robb Dogg’s SoCal Peakbagging

Las Virgenes

Click on the map for a detailed view.

I went on a great geo-hike this afternoon.  Las Virgenes Canyon has a series of new caches that I have been wanting to get, but had a hard time making the time for them.  I had Veterans Day as a holiday, so today was it.  After doing some work around the house, I was off.  I began hiking at 1:20.  14 out of 15 caches, about 8.5 miles, and 4 hours and 20 minutes later, I was back to the truck.

I wish that I could post some photos of the great oaks and sycamores, of the golden grasses, and of the beautiful sunset and moonrise, but those images are only in my memory.  My camera’s battery went south on the first attempted photo and the backup battery was in the truck.

If you are interested in visiting the canyon, but don’t want to spend 4+ hours on the trail, come for as much as you can do.  The caches are fairly straightforward hides and are quickly found.  The only DNF I had was my fault–I was looking with the info for a different cache.  The trip is fairly flat until after BWidget’s Cracklin’Oak.  Then, in some places, it can be quite steep.

Special thanks to Bill, Ken and T&A Divers for placing the caches.

Here is the list of my finds for today:

Chester’s Hideout

Bazooka Joe

Ahmanson Griswold

Hanging Out on the Trail

THREE COWGIRLS

A Bison in the Woods

See Hear & Speak No Evil

The Lesser Pillar

Friday on Thursday

Cracklin’Oak

CROWS CONVENTION

PAW TRACKS

LUCKY HORSESHOES

SHEEP CORRAL TRAIL – THE TOP