I met the three members of team Rojeel recently at a geocaching event, and they were kind enough to answer a few questions for Today’s Cacher about their caching way of life:

1. Describe yourself/your team? We are a family of three; Ron, Jean, and Elizabeth = rojeel.

2. How long have you been geocaching? Just over a year, starting May 31, 2004.

3. How did you hear about geocaching? Roger Fulton met us on the trail in Wellesley Island and told us about geocaching.

4. Why do you like geocaching; what do you like most about it/least about it? It gets us out of the house. I have bad knees and am recovering from a broken back; Jean likes the outdoors and hiking but was not comfortable with going alone, and my daughter loves animals. Now I have a goal of finding that little box hidden in the woods, Jean gets to go hiking and see the outdoors and Elizabeth gets to see animals, trade items from the cache and play in an environment she may have missed. The only downside is finding a cache in an area that has nothing else to see but the cache (like a screw attached to a pole in the middle of town). Geocaching takes me many places I probably wouldn't have gone to before. We have found many spots near our home that we didn't even know were there, and we have lived here for 10 years.

5. What type of cache do you enjoy hunting (easy vs. hard, difficulty vs. terrain, big vs. small) and why? We stick mainly to the easier ones. We really like the ones that give us a great view or experience. Mount Jo was probably the best view we have seen so far. Yes, that was difficult to do, but the view from the top made me forget the pain of the climb. And showed we could do it if we took our time and focused on the goal. The best caches are ones that make themselves an afterthought. If we spend three hours climbing a mountain to get to a cache and then once we get to the top are distracted by the view, serenity, etc. and only look for the cache after we take in the scenery to mark the occasion, that is a great cache. Chimney Mountain ranks second to Mt Jo. Chimney Mountain cache had spectacular views but was full of junk (business cards and advertisements) so we didn't make a decent trade (I emailed the owner to let him know).

6. What trade items do you like finding in a cache (or dislike finding in a cache)? Trade items on a great cache are secondary. I like finding something useful that I can trade at the next cache. Jean only trades if there is something she really wants (the hike is the reason she goes with us). Elizabeth loves cats and trades for any stuffed animal she finds. Her nicest find was a glass cat figurine.

7. Which cache do you remember most clearly and why? Three come to mind. Our first cache was Home is Where the Army Sends You. It is in a park less than a half mile from our house. I chose this one to learn how the GPSr worked and in case we got lost it wasn't far to get home. The greatest ones were Mt. Jo and Chimney Mtn. Mt. Jo was done last July. I made a few miscalculations on that one as I will explain. We were headed towards Lake Placid to extend our area. I selected several caches as possible finds. On the way we did Panther Mtn. It was .6 miles one way, which sounded easy, but it was a little harder than we planned. Jean wanted to do Mt. Jo; I don't remember the reason, but I know it was her choice. About halfway up the mountain I realized I had not refilled my Camelbak with water after Panther Mtn. I was very tired, in a lot of pain, out of water and last in line going up. I stopped to catch my breath, looked up and realized they were still climbing and out of sight. Of course I had the GPSr and I had to ensure they were safe, so I had to keep climbing. I caught up to them near the top (they stopped to wait for me). When we got to the top, I forgot all about the cache and saw the most spectacular view I have ever seen. We sat up there for nearly an hour before deciding to find the cache and head down. It was going to get dark soon and we didn't have any flashlights. On the way home, we were treated to a fireworks show in Saranac Lake. It took me about four days to recover from that trip, but I won't forget the view or the lessons, bring enough water, resupply as needed and carry a flashlight in case it takes longer than you anticipated. The views from Chimney Mtn were really nice, rock ledges, valleys, and some small caves to explore. We did that one last September.

8. Is there a type of cache you are particularly eager to find (or hide)? We are looking forward to more scenic caches. I recently set a series of caches that gives the cacher a tour of the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center on Wellesley Island. This gives you a chance to see nearly the whole trail system. One finder wrote, "Now I can tell anyone every detail about the Nature Center, and have a map of the Wellesley Island State Park trail system burned into my mind."-Callaway Cadets. I hope to do more like that one.

9. What are your geocaching goals for the next month, six months and one year? I would like to set out another series within the next year. We would also like to maintain an average of 50 finds per year. Our 52nd find was the weekend of our first Geocaching Anniversary.

10. What piece, or pieces, of equipment have you found through experience to be an unexpected necessity for geocaching? Hiking poles are a must for me. Jean and Elizabeth don't usually use them. They like the small backpacks we use for carrying water and snacks. The hiking pole helps get up and down when climbing or walking long distances. It takes weight off my knees. An unexpected and fortunate use of a hiking pole occurred on July 9th when I was attempting to find Geocacher's First-Aid Station by NFA. It was only .2 miles from the White Jeep Travel Bug Event, so I said why not. (I didn't know it was a 4-star terrain when I started.) As I approached the area where I thought the cache was, I slipped while climbing over a rock on some wet leaves. I fell about 10 feet and somehow planted my hiking stick in the wet ground. This was the only time the wet ground was to my advantage on the hike. The pole planted and bent, but kept me from sliding farther. About five more feet and I would have dropped over a rock face and straight down 10-15 more feet (if that had happened I might not be writing this now). I escaped with a gash on my knee, torn pants, a few extra scrapes and totally soaked and dirty clothes. Oh yeah, I was in the wrong area. After sitting about 30 minutes and getting my bearings back, and the pain to subside somewhat, I re-oriented and located the cache about 150 feet from where I fell. I have replaced the hiking pole, but the pole that saved me is still in the car to remind me every time I go for a hike that a hiking pole is a necessity.