11,000 - Not What I Expected

If you know anything about me, you know that I love to travel, to be outdoors, and to geocache. In the Geocaching world we like to mark auspicious stages in our finds. Last year I marked 10,000 at

the oldest cache in New York. It was a half mile hike alone in the woods with a lot of downhill trekking (and back uphill) but so worth it. Amazing that one short year later I made it another thousand. It needed to be something special. Then I saw it. A group hike at Picacho Peak. Just 2.7 miles to the top. And I would be with a group. So much better. Plus there was an event that afternoon in the campground with a 4.5 terrain rating.

So there I was at the trailhead 6:30 Saturday morning meeting my group. Knee brace - check. Walking sticks - check. Camelback - check. Gloves for gripping the rocks, handholds, and the ladder near the peak - check. What am I doing here?  And so we started. Right from the start the trail was tough. Seldom did it get better. But I did get to the first cache appropriately named Grandma needs a rest. While the group was hunting the cache a woman slipped and fell a little ways. Nothing serious but it got me to thinking that making it to the top was only half the journey. Getting back to the bottom would be just as treacherous, so I agreed to accompany my bloody and bruised hike mate back down the trail. Feeling somewhat defeated yet somehow wise we carefully descended back to the parking area. After resting, having some water and a snack I decided to hike the slightly less hazardous Calloway Trail. One more regular cache and one earthcache complete. 10,999.

Knowing that my only option was to attend the campground event for my big one. I was feeling a little dejected as I wandered into the campsite and took a seat with the others who had turned down the big adventure to the top. But as we sat around talking I remembered it was just another number. No big deal. And while we were talking my decision to turn back suddenly became very smart. The whomp whomp sound of helicopter blades roared over the peak behind us.

  We all watched anxiously and wondered about the six cachers who had continued on to the peak. Finally, as we watched the basket dangle below the chopper a text came through from the group. They were all ok but held up near the saddle while the medical evacuation was completed.

After the excitement was over I started to realize how tired I was. Most were camping in the park but I had only a twenty minute drive back to my campsite and there was a hot tub there which my suddenly aching knees and arms were crying out for. I walked over to my backpack and pulled out my homemade sign (another geocacher tradition) and ask if someone would take my picture. Suddenly they were all around congratulating me and taking pix. It reminded me of what I love about this sport. New friends. Supportive people.

Exhausted by now I drug my tired body home. Too tired to even walk over to the hot tub I just went to bed. Laying down on that mattress was better than a mountain peak.