This afternoon on the way home from work, FBS67 asked if I wanted to do Monocacy Madness So say I, "Of course"... (When have you known me to turn down a cache?)
In case you're not familiar with this cache, it sits near the Monacacy River in Frederick, Md. "Today," you ask? "After all that rain last night?" (We'd had torrential rain pour throughout the night prior.)
Of course, what could be more fun? So, we park; one of us can't get satellites and we head off anyway. Madness -- that's the truth. We cross the river, knowing that the cache is back on the other side. After checking the cache page, and checking out the options, we decide to bushwhack from the bridge rather than cross the swollen stream. Good choice!
However, 280 feet from the cache, I spot what looked like rolled up scrolls. Could they be from the cache? Naw, just junk. FBS67 decides to take a closer look. Hmmm, PVC pipes, blocked on one end w/silicone caulk, a screen type substance covering a hole in the middle, black powdery stuff spilling out, wrapped in plastic on one end, need I go on? Let your imagination run here for a minute.
So he picks them up (w/gloves on) and brings them along. We find the cache, do our duty -- let me interject that it's now getting dark and the bushwhacking involved walking along vertical mud sliding hills. I innocently ask if FBS67 thinks we can cross at the nearby log, knowing at the other end is a gap between the tree trunk and the ground, with water running through, not to mention quite a leap. I don't want to bushwhack in the dark, by headlamp.
So I go across first and FBS67 follows. When I got to the other side, I climb up the mud-encrusted roots only to realize there is no way this short person is making that leap. So FBS67 climbs up beside me and we form a plan. He throws the plastic pipe off into the bank. You go first; no YOU go first. So much for a plan.
FBS67 leaps off holding onto me as an anchor. After he landed safely, I take my leap of faith, believing that he can help me. Not bad, only one foot landed in the muddy water. So we hike out to the parking area while FBS67 calls a friend who is a police officer.
The friend advised FBS67 to call the local police and report our findings. So, FBS67 calls it in. The dispatcher asks, "You were out doing what when you found them? I've heard a lot of terms, but that's a new one!" The Maryland state police respond and after several calls and 30 minutes, they show up explaining that the bomb squad is on the way.
While we were waiting, FBS67 discussed which member in the Maryland Geocaching Society would come to our aid and be most believable to the judge when we called from jail. So, when the officers showed up, we told them that we were out geocaching when we found the items. We had to explain to them what geocaching is. It took about 10 minutes to decide the things were harmless and call off the bomb squad. An additional 40 minutes was spent discussing geocaching.
They both thought it was really neat. I introduced myself, then as the Secretary of the Maryland Geocaching Society and explained some of our goals. Both of them had ideas about using geocaching in their profession. They mentioned team building activities and informational talks for educating other officers about caching. FBS67 and I offered to take them caching anytime. I also explained the event cache, Maryland Geocaching Society's March Meet & Greet hosted by rthwrm , FBS67 and DaisyChain in Frederick, MD and told them the place and time.
Looks like we may have some guests if they're not on duty. Maryland's Finest.
