Ghost Town

The Ghost Town cache came out at the end of summer of 2011 and since then it's been a buzz.  Just about everyone in the area that has found it told me I really needed to do it.  I waited and waited and waited.  I figure no one is going to go with me (either they didn't have the time or they already got it) so I might as well find a day and go for it.  I chose today to run out and go get it.  I know there are several others nearby but because of this streak I am doing, I get to come back three more times.

After our catered Panara Bread staff meeting, gas, a few things at the store, I was on my way out to the Capitol Forest via Littlerock.  As I got closer to the forest the mist started up.  I hope my pictures I planned on taking weren't going to be ruined by the rain...

I parked at the first pull out, turned the car off and looked at the GPS, I was 500 feet from the cache.  I changed my clothes into some of my hiking khaki's and got out of my good shoes and into my hiking shoes.  I put my bags into the trunk and all the other "steal-ables" out of view since I was leaving my car.  I made sure I had my keys, my phone, my pen and my GPS and I locked the door.  I had my camera and tripod in tote as I found the trail head.

The first 100 feet brought me to a very slick bridge over the Mima Creek.

The area was even better than described to me from other fellow cachers who have been there before.  I just wished that it wasn't winter when I decided to do it.  Oh well.  I tried to imagine what the area looked like in its heyday.  It was hard because of all the brush, trees and the paved roads.

I followed the GPS down a couple of muddy trails and over a few downed trees.  This area would be awesome just before fall.  I so need to come back here.  I continued down the trail and around the corner to some old grown over structures.  They were actually hard to see because everything around it was green and brown and so were the structures.  I actually wasn't that far from the road.  I was stoked.  This area was awesome!

I found the cache first, which took a few minutes to locate just because of the tree cover, it made the coords bounce slightly.  I was within about 15 feet when I made the discovery.  It was a film canister hiding amongst the brick facade.

Let the photo taking begin!

I was out there for about 45 minutes taking it all in.  I love exploring cool stuff in the woods.  I have a list of other stuff like this for future mini adventures.  I just have to plan them.

I gathered my camera and headed back to the car.  A volkswagon bug with Oregon plates pulled in to the pull out, they shut the car off and got out.  A guy and a girl got out.  They were about my age maybe younger and they said hi and I asked if they were here to look at the ruins.  They said yeah, they were here to explore the area.  Someone they knew told them about it.  I told them about geocaching for a few minutes then we went our separate ways.

What a great way to spend a Valentine's Day right?

Here is some history about the area:

www.darkroastedblend.com/2012/09/ghost-towns-of-pacific-northwest.html

www.ghosttownsofwashington.com./Bordeaux_Washington.html

Next Adventure:  Eatonville, Wash.