Rice Canyon

This week, I elected to explore a canyon that I’ve known about since I started geocaching. Some new geocaches popped up, and now I had some bread crumbs to follow.
East/Rice Junction

Right near the trail head is a horse ranch:

The old gates nearby would have some good stories to tell, I imagine, if they could:

Unfortunately, one of the caches has gotten completely blocked off by poison oak:
photo
Toadstump

The spring vegetation has gotten quick thick, so I had to watch for stickers, and thistles as well.

Although it’s called sticky monkey, this flowering plant is just pretty, and poses no danger:

The trail has several creek crossings, adding to the adventure, and I look forward to a return visit to see what’s further out than I hiked this time.
Feather Rock
Rice Walnut

The Invisible Evil

Ah, February – ’tis the season of Super Bowl Sunday, glorious weather, and the first wildflowers

Super Bowl Cachers

First Poppies

California #51?

… but there are more evils lurking out there besides the diabolical hides that have appeared locally of late:

Surgeon's Touch–Intern Version

It’s the season for baby rattlesnakes – look out where you step!! – and the INVISIBLE poison oak. I got some photos of it in it’s larval stage.

It looks like sticks:

It may have oily budding leaves:

It may have full, lovely green leaves:

All stages can get you. Darn it. All hail Zanfel and Cortaid.

Cat Scratch Fever? NO! Poison Oak!

Oh, woe is me! I just got my first case of the dreaded p.o. and my luxurious lack of reaction to the stuff is over. Wow. When it first appeared, I thought it was a cat scratch. Was I ever wrong! This is one nasty, itchy, painful rash, and I never want to get it again. I encourage ALL cachers to review information on it (or poison ivy, if that’s what’s in your area).

Know what it looks like in all seasons and where it is likely to grow.

It’s sometimes hard to tell where it will manifest, but never plant a cache in or near it, and post warnings if you notice it near one or on a trail to one.

I’ve got it all over my arms and starting on my face – ew – and got a couple of photos in the doctor’s office as I waited to get a prescription for Prednisone. My case is fairly mild, too… I know f0t0m0m got it on half his body and face last go around…. Horrors!

DRUGS

Feel free to comment with your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions about poison oak/ivy – and may you NEVER get it!

Oh, and here is my token cache find in Washington D.C. today. It’s the closest one to my hotel, and I least wanted to grab one, wishing I had time for more and to see more sights in the city. I’m opting to rest up for my performance tonight, though, and to write this for y’all…
Manifest Destiny

Some NICE photos of DC on a perfect spring day:

And one of Mt. Shasta from my parents’ house.

I was up there for their 51st anniversary party, and had time for one cache in Medford, OR, near the Harry and David:
Here’s to You,PEANUTHEAD!

Until next week…. happy, rashless caching!

A Hike and a Flash Mob

I took a lovely hike with f0t0m0m on Friday, in the hills near Whittier. We found these caches:
Rue Bourbon
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
Heart Attack Hill Bypass
Shaken not Stirred
Dirt Track Date
Buddha’s Feast
WestwardHo’s Booty Cache find #15,700!
Godzilla vs Creosote
Hansel & Gretel This was my favorite of the day, as we had to follow a trail of small white stones to the gingerbread ammo can!
Pixie Stix
Marzipan Alligator Krewe
South Specific

Legless Muggle (NO rattles):

The Buddha greets us:

The weeds are THIS tall!

Purple thistle, golden sticky monkey flower, and – yikes! – a big bush of poison oak with berries:

On Saturday, I hosted one of 167 concurrent World Wide Flash Mob Events:
Worldwide Flash Mob with a view! (WWFM)
I’ll let the photos tell the tale…

The View:

The Mob:

There are many more photos on the event page.

My next report will be of Ottawa (Ontario), Charlottesville (VA), and Washington (DC).