Musings from the Roost: Geocaching: Toro Hall of Fame

The Shire - Rangitikei ( GC4B4AR)

I have written about my favorite hobby, geocaching, before. Many times!* Most of those simply described fun outings when we had fun finding fun caches and going on fun hikes. The pleasure of the hunt. Enjoyment of clever containers. Discovering people's favorite spots in their local area that an outsider would likely never stumble upon otherwise. For me, geocaching is the best guidebook, by far. A few years ago we explored much of New Zealand by geocache, finding some awesomely memorable spots in the process.

But this weekend was different, as we—finally!—completed a challenge that we began (unknowingly) in 2008, when we first went out seeking caches in a local regional park, Toro. It's a big park: 4,756 acres (7.4 sq. mi.), with over 20 miles of hiking trails. Of which we have now, I believe, traversed every blessed inch. And then some. The highest peak is Simas at 2,139 feet, but what with all the ups and downs of the rugged backcountry, you end up climbing 3,500 feet or more on a normal long outing.

On the geocaching map, near the park's entrance, is a bold blue question mark that kept nagging at me, whenever I'd go to plan a day's excursion: a challenge cache called Toro Hall of Fame. It involves finding all of the hundred caches that were extant when the challenge was posted, on August 25, 2008. Here's the map:

It doesn't really look like all that much, but . . . believe me, it is. Especially when you consider how many of them aren't really on any kind of trail at all—the "byway" and "layover" and "bushwhacking" caches. Not to mention the ones that, okay, are on a trail, but are a bazillion miles from any kind of trailhead.

One day a couple of years ago, when I was planning another day's outing, it occurred to me that much of my Toro Park map was already filled with yellow smiley faces, indicating finds. Perhaps it was time to give the Hall of Fame page a serious look at last, and see just what was involved. After a bit of study, I realized that we only had to find about 35 more caches for the "final" to be ours. No problem!

It quickly became a quest. Or, better: obsession.

Most of our trips were pretty civilized: walking on pleasant dirt ranch roads, occasionally veering up a hillside to locate a hide. But this last year has been a minor version of hell, as we went after the gnarliest of gnarlies. One day in particular (which turned into two): looking for the Airplane to Simas Layover cache. Here are my and David (aka FifiBonacci)'s logs for that one, starting with 2/24/18:

[Me] Hotshoe, thegirlsfromPA, and I were within .2 mile from this one today, crashing unhappily through the brush, while FifiBonacci—who'd gotten separated from us—was happily signing the log. The gentleman he is, he says he'll come back with me, since I still need it for the Toro Hall of Fame (dammit). We might come at it from above next time. Then again, I was so close... maybe from below. I don't know. This is the most out-in-the-middle-of-rotten-nowhere cache I've ever run across.

[David] Whew! I found this one, on a caching adventure with annevoi (& geodog Milo), thegirlsfromPA, and hotshoe. However, after we found Simas to Airplane trail, we took what seemed like a good trail back, but it took us down and sideways, not where we wanted to be. Milo & I chose to go straight up the hillside, then the others informed me they would follow a cow trail instead. Well, I couldn't get through the thick undergrowth to the ridge, so I went sideways, and basically got completely lost, with brave Milo tagging along. Eventually annevoi called me (thank goodness for cell reception!), and we agreed to just meet up at the next (this) cache. As it happened, I was only 270' away from it, and it was downhill from the impenetrable brush! So M & I quickly got there and, after a little searching, I found the cache! It is in fine shape! (And thanks for the pencil, since I somehow lost my pen on the way.) [The others were coming to join me, but turned back after the bushwhacking got too unpleasant.] The trail out was rather sketchy, and once up on the ridge we could not find any trail at all. But finally we all reunited and headed back down to Harper Canyon. TFT out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere C!

And yes, since David is such a gentleman, we returned, on 3/11/18. Here are our logs for that day:

[Me] Woot! Did things more sensibly this time, including bringing the Garmin with the downloaded track. The trail is replete with PO. But... find it I had to. I will never come back here again, that I am sure of. The things we do for geocaching (and I include you wacky COs when I say that)........ TFTH.

[David] I accompanied annevoi on this return trip. Boy, following the trail (following the GPS track), even overgrown with PO everywhere, was so much easier than the ridiculous way I went the first time! Bonus: I found the pen I lost there last time!

In May, we set out to find the last four that we needed, though it involved a long trip—and the temperatures were climbing into the eighties. As it turned out, we found two, but the heat, and all the climbing, slayed me: I barely made it back to the car, never mind an additional mile, up hill and down dale, to the remaining caches. My physical malaise actually kind of scared me. I've always been so strong. But I guess age, and perhaps a lack of nourishing snacks, got the better of me.

Since May, we've been waiting for a more moderate day. And yesterday was it. I was a little nervous as we set out, since it would be a long hike, fairly rigorous, and we were often on exposed trails. We decided on the lower approach, though, which meant some good shade. And we had a .gpx track that would take us up the ridge to the first cache along a discernible "trail." And we had plenty of water, and snacks. And our goofy boy Milo for amusement. (Though we worried a bit about him too, since he's recently been diagnosed with arthritis. But he was a total trouper.)

The main concern about the first cache was whether, since it hadn't been logged in almost five years, it would be fully buried under oak duff. It took us a few minutes, but soon I noticed a careful "laying of sticks," and sure enough: it was in hand! The second find was quick, once we figured out how to access it. And then it was just the three-mile slog back to the blue question mark. Which cache we found, signed, and declared this wretched challenge OVER WITH.

In the end, we found 81 of the 100 caches originally posted (some were retired before we really got going, and some that we found have since been retired), but we found a few more that were placed since 2008. Our total count: 91, 92, somewhere around there. A good haul. And a good great adventure. We never need to go to Toro Park again! But we probably will...

Here are some photos I took yesterday. Including a screen shot of beautifully yellow Toro Park, all smileys!