Maintenance Run

I recently adopted several caches from +D Watkins (Watuckey) as he is moving away for a time for work. He has some pretty good caches (one or two are outstanding). I say this because I don't want him to get a big head for one and the reason I really adopted them is that we are in a cache poor section of the state anyway. South Carolina has a lot of caches, but here in our section either some aren't technologically inclined or just haven't heard of geocaching.

We try. We put out the good word everywhere. We have CITOs, although this has slacked off in the last several years, whether due to the economy or the fact that real life just gets in the way sometimes I don't know. It just seems to me that there are fewer cachers here, and that bothers me.

We have a few new ones running around, but they haven't made it out to my neck of the woods yet (I almost wrote neighborhood, maybe I'm spending too much time on G+.) We don't have neighborhoods here. We have communities. LOL And we go over yonder.

I recently added a new piece to my tech bag, a Samsung Chromebook which I am writing on now, sitting here at Huddle House enjoying a plate of hashbrowns and a glass of sweet iced tea. The Chromebook has lived up to my expectations and more. It's basically a netbook, scaled down. I can access the net and write and search to my hearts content, stay abreast of what's up on G+, and take care of the bills. I am sure there's much more I can do, but right now I am happy with what I have.

But back to the caching, I have pulled all my caches except for one out of Lancaster county and have decided on populating Kershaw county. This wasn't just due to my cache thief, this was a decision I made some time ago in conjunction with leaving the BoC. One of my friends is getting asked a lot of questions about me leaving the group I started and I feel for them because this is exactly the reason I don't want to belong to a group anymore.

Start rant.

YOU PEOPLE ARE IN OTHER FOLKS BUSINESS TOO MUCH!

There. I said it and I am not ashamed I did. If I want people to know, I will tell them. It started with a few texting me right after I left, wanting to know what was going on. Funny, I never hear from you when something hasn't changed. And yes, this is exactly why I didn't text you back when you asked the question. If we aren't good enough friends to talk on a daily basis when things aren't changing then you don't need to be in my business. Not trying to be mean or anything, but I feel closer to a couple of people on G+ than I do to some of you that I've know for years. And it's a sad state. I know I'm not the best guy to be around sometimes. I get grumpy, mad, and I am very defensive. But hell! I'm also forty-four and have two kids and a wife. I got a mortgage. I got things that have to be taken care of. You think just cause you stay home with the kids a few days a week or wash the dishes, take out the trash, etc. that you're doing a lot? Trust me, you aren't. I mean it's nice of you and all, don't get me wrong. But there's more to me than what you see in caching.

End rant.

So I think I'm going to do this solo for awhile. It's how I started caching ten years ago. There is an allure to that. Just me and the caches on the trail. Sort of Kerouackish. Me, on the road. Yeah, that's probably best. People aggravate me. I am old and set in my ways. Maybe it's just me.

Maybe I'm an a-hole.

But I doubt it.

I have cut ties with a couple of friends this year, one that I will probably regret for the rest of my life. One friend is moving away. I still have +Wally Turbeville to kick around though, me and him will probably meet right here at this table. And +Chris Decker who I hang out with quite a bit and cache with a lot. Well, we say we're caching. We actually end up exploring more than caching, but that's okay. To me that's what caching is all about in the first place. And I guess I need a Canadian in here so I will add +Dave DeBaeremaeker , who I had an awesome time caching with last Saturday.

I only need a few people, I've gotten by on none. But a life without friends isn't much of a life.

Anyway, I got more maintenance to do. I will publish this later.

S.


One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple. - J. Kerouac