by Charles Britton aka GEO*Trailblazer
The lifelong process of learning happens in many ways. After school most of us keep learning from books, radio, TV and friends. Occasionally, we learn things from unusual sources, like a travel bug. Some TB’s are simple and silly—this one is not.
S.W.A.T. PRESIDENTS HONOR is part alter-ego, part historian, and part educator.
He was created and released by GEO*Trailblazer as a tribute to past presidents, and to visit historic places and documents in the US. The owner achieved recognition during his military career, and once faced the decision to become a President’s Honor Guard member or a sniper. He chose the latter “because I liked the outdoors, was trained from an early age (in) Survival Techniques in every aspect, and an Excellent Marksman… I did not like the idea of getting dressed up every day and indoors… And I liked to get dirty and hide…”
The Bug was “released” at Mile Zero (GC2E52) (Official DOT site) and Benchmark (HV1847). This is a stone monument in Washington DC which was supposed to mark the starting point for the interstate mileage system. The idea was never developed, but the roads were. Mile Zero, being a virtual cache, would not hold the TB so it visited the Library Of Congress nearby.
GEO*Trailblazer's Patents The Land Patents to my property (and everyone else's) reside inside the Library of Congress. This visit was confirmation of several documents, maps and plats, signed by Presidents Roosevelt, and Taft. …the Patent is the FEDERAL TITLE to your land and is the Highest form of title to land there is…
After meeting the SECRET SERVICE here(geocachers do attract attention…) he was on to another National Monument in Massachusetts, the oldest Military Leader of Our Country, Myles Standish. His statue is a benchmark MY3979 . This Completed the 1st Goal of the Bugs Journey. We also Traveled to Monticello,Niagra Falls,Wheeling West Virginia,St. Louis and Parts unknown and then it was on to the First Ever Ark River Geo Meet and Greet and met nyteyes, nonnipoppy, golfnutz, rich-faith and 8up.
Then came the call to action! He attended the Burlington Cache Dash Event and went into the hands of the SGT Jump Master(SGTABN82) where he visited GCHAQ4, GCHH4N, GCHH52, GCHHMC, GCHNVR, GCHNVN. Then across the ocean to GCHWM1, GCHH9P, GCHBMV, GCGXY3, GC7E5D. He has recently returned to Colorado, and will embark on the second part of his mission…
Mrs. Garrett, whom I bought my Land from, was an original Trail Of Tears Survivors Daughter, she was the one who told me the Stories and gave me the Plat Book.[Editor’s note: A plat book is an index of local land ownership—usually published by a county (plat means “a plot of land”)] …
This Plat Book has all the Property Corners and names of the Old Pioneer's that settled the Lands from the Homestead act of 1862
, which my Title goes back to.
…She was a very wise woman and I love her as my own Grandmother.
When she passed on she came back here(believe it or not), because I told her she was always welcome here even after I came into possession, we are merely caretakers of the Planet, we all have our little piece to protect and be good stewards over, if only people would realize this the world would be a better, happier healthier Planet.
So the next time you want to place a cache and someone asks “Who owns the land?” you can say, “Well, it’s a long story.”