Tuesday, May 10, 2011

MOTHER'S DAY GEOCACHE

Yes, I know. Geocaching is Mike’s thing, and so we did Mike’s thing on Mother’s Day. But you know – that didn’t even cross my mind until I sat down to write this post. Given that our children all reside too far away to visit in person, we decided to go to the farm. And what better way to take in some sights along the way than to geocache. 

OLD HIGHWAY 12 BETWEEN ARROW AND SPALDING –
This area still feels so familiar to me. Hard to believe it’s been 40 years since we regularly traversed this old section of road. About 1970 they improved our route by building a bridge at a place called Arrow and sending us down the other side of the Clearwater River.



 COTTONWOOD CREEK --
This cache was an experience. The description said our mission was to find the easiest way to the cache and recommended it was best not to disturb the locals. Not perceiving that as a warning, Mike let Nellie out. It turned out “the locals” were bees. The first thing Nellie did was to check out those boxes. The bees immediate took umbrage and came after not only Nellie but the two of us. We made a quick retreat and put Nellie back into the pick-up. Then giving the bees wide berth, Mike and I climbed a trail on a rock outcropping where the view was rather spectacular. The picture is of Highway 12 where Cottonwood Creek flows into the Clearwater.

OROFINO FROM GILBERT GRADE
We seldom stop on Gilbert Grade to enjoy the view, though there are some turn-outs for that purpose on this narrow winding road. So, when Mike stopped to look for a cache, I spent the time taking pictures. This is beautiful country – and unless you live in that narrow valley – it just seems vast. 
 



TALKING TO HALLIE
So – I was describing my day to Hallie over the phone. “We found some caches on the old highway after we crossed the bridge at Arrow,” I told her. 

“Arrow?” she queried. "That's not a real place is it?"

“Then we stopped at Cottonwood Creek,” I said. “You know where that is, right?”

 She allowed that she didn’t know where Cottonwood Creek is. “Well, it’s just this side of Cherry Lane,” I explained. “You know where Cherry Lane is, right?”

Long pause, after which Hallie said, “This sounds like Elf. ‘I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel.’”

And I just had to think that in all the times we drove from Lewiston to the farm, I really neglected this girl’s education. KW

4 comments:

drMolly, the BeanQueen said...

Sometimes is is just nice to "go the old way". It helps one to remember things from the past that one wants to remember :~).

Chris said...

Oh, this made me laugh!! I think I'm like you--I just assume the kids know all the old names because I do. Too funny, and I love Hallie's reference to Elf. :-)

Hallie said...

Things in the pictures are starting to look green. Spring IS coming! You probably did educate me but it's hard to remember things unless there's more context around them. I know about Pink House, Myrtle Beach, and Lenore. :)

Kathy said...

We have had so much rain that our environment can't help but be green.

And Peck. Don't forget about Peck. Cottonwood Creek is just around the bend from Myrtle Beach. Our landmarks do change, though. There's a place called Agatha on the railroad. Mother said she could still hear the conductor calling "A-ga-tha!" Occasionally a historian will talk about Agatha, but for the most part we don't recall that location.

Hallie seems to have a facility for recalling quotes from movies.