Bridle Trails and Lake Sammamish State Park

I could not attend Nickey's bridal shower or her bachelorette party so I asked if she was available to hang out during the week on her days off.  She said Tuesday would work and asked what I had planned.  I told her it was going to be somewhat of a nice day and asked if she has been to Bridal Trails or Lake Sammamish State Park, she said not that she could remember.  She said she might have been to Lake Sammamish a few times for her mom's work picnics when she was a kid.  I said okay, how would you like to go geocaching with me?  She actually got excited and said yes.  I told her I would be there around one after I got off work.  She said that works perfectly.

I read up on the two caches.  I checked the logs, when they were last found, what trails they were located on, I looked at photos and the hints.  It was worth the extra time so I didn't show up without knowing what I was doing.

I wrote down her address and the two caches just in case something went weird.  I also packed some extra clothes so I could change when I got there after work.

I went to work, it was busy and then I left immediately at 11:30 to head up to Kirkland.  Surprisingly traffic wasn't that bad but I did expect it to be horrible on the way back towards home.  I got to their apartment complex around one.  I had no idea what her apartment number was so I texted and called her.  I got no response for a few minutes.  She called me back and I couldn't hear her.  She said she got crappy service in her apartment.  She came down a few seconds later and escorted me upstairs.  They were on the third floor and I was greeted by their one-eyed dog Piper.  She barked at me majority of the time I was there.  Nickey was getting ready so I talked to Nick about the stuff that was going on in their lives including the upcoming wedding.

I got the quick tour of the apartment and then I used the restroom and changed my clothes.  We got into the Escape and I put coords into the GPS and we were on our way to WaStatePks100: Bridle Trails (GC4AX95) just up the street.

The parking area was very large and there were people actually getting ready to get on their horse to ride some of the trails.  I put in the coordinates and checked my phone to make sure we were taking the correct set of trails.  I read the hint allowed and we were on our way.  We chatted about several things along the way.  When we got to ground zero, or near ground zero, we started looking.  We looked in the area for about ten minutes and then I read some of the logs stating there was another trail and the coordinates were somewhat off.  Nick and Nickey found that trail and I heard "FOUND IT!" very excitedly.  She was stoked that she was the first to find it without the GPS.  Then I heard, "I FOUND MY VERY FIRST GEOCACHE!"  I caught up with them and we pulled it out of its hiding spot to sign the log book and to see what kind of swag was inside the ammo can.

We walked back to the Escape and put in the coordinates for Issaquah and WaStatePks100: Lake Sammamish (GC4A6CY).  Traffic was a little bit more heavy on the interchange of 405 and I-90 but we managed.  Nickey told me that the lake was closed due to a parasite outbreak.  We weren't going anywhere near the lake so we were all good.  We parked at the parking coords and walked to the cache location.  It took us near the soccer fields in kind of a grove/orchard area next to some trees and shrubs.  There was also a bench near the cache site. We started looking and I knew where it was but they didn't.  Nickey made it to where it was and saw evidence of someone using the bathroom near it she refused to get the container.  I wandered over to the spot, grabbed the cache and set it on the bench. 

We signed it and put it back where we found it.  We walked back to the Escape.  It was around 4:30 and they had some more stuff to take care of, plus Nickey had fastpitch later that evening, so we headed back up to Kirkland to drop them off.  It was about 5 when we got back to the apartment.  I used the restroom one more time, told them it was great hanging out with them and that I will see them at the wedding in September.  She said they had fun and to see me then as well and to drive safe home.

I knew traffic would be horrible but this was awful.  It was stop and go through Bellevue, the interchange to 167 and most of 167 through Auburn.  I had an idea.  I called Trish to see when she was leaving for work and if she wanted to have dinner.  I told her I was in traffic and that I would probably be in Puyallup around 6 to 6:30.  She said to keep her posted.  I got into Puyallup around that time and hung out with her upstairs of Korum until we decided on where we wanted to go do dinner.  She suggested the Powerhouse Restaurant and Brewery.  We both had beer, the Powerhouse IPA, I had a burger and she had the fish and chips.  We chatted for an hour and then decided we had to go home.  It was fun chatting and doing something different.  We don't get to see Trish very often and we are trying to see her more.

I got home around 9, got ready for bed and passed out.  The last week has been very busy.

Next Adventure:  Another Trip to Bordeaux and Caching