It is said that January is a 'magical' month to welcome the new and cherish possibilities and surprises that lie ahead. SLAGAs Adventure Awaits 2025 embraces this adage with a first time 'park-theme' for the monthly challenge, as well as their unusual pictorial method of informing this journalist of the January monthly winner.
What a surprise indeed? After having participated every month during the inaugural year of the Adventure Awaits Challenges, and after writing some very interesting articles about other geocachers that won, this journalist knew the slim chance of having her own name pulled from the many qualifying entries. While thrilled to have won, it quickly dawned on me, however, that I now had the strange task of writing an article about myself. So here goes...
As many of you know, my geo-nickname is TerriBikes+, so you've probably also guessed that a favorite hobby of mine is bicycling. I started riding a hybrid mountain bike in spring of 2012. While searching online for new and different trails to ride, I came across a review that mentioned that there were several geocaches along the trail. "What the heck is a geocache," I remember saying aloud, but it didn't take long for me to find out and soon discover a whole new world of outdoor fun!
So in July of 2012, I started caching during the few remaining warm weather months. Having little experience with this game, and not knowing many people, I assumed cold weather months were a natural hiatus, haha, so I then accrued a 118 day 'slump' before caching again. Fast-forward a year caching and experience, and I felt a driving need to continuously find daily caches until my find streak outnumbered my slump. Prompted by the 2013 HQ incentive of "31 days of August" souvenirs, I did just that and cached for the next 120 days. Since I still love bike riding, I often now blend my two favorite hobbies for an even better adventure. I am thankful my love of cycling introduced me to my new love of caching.
Obviously, I go caching in the winter months now. I've enjoyed participating monthly in SLAGAs Adventure Awaits, not only as my way of supporting this great organization, but because it gets me outdoors (often with a more defined purpose) especially in weather or at times that aren't all that convenient for me. It also encourages me to attend events and socialize more often. For this January's 'park' criteria, I could have found any cache in any park, but I challenged myself a bit more. I chose to find geocaches with the word 'park' or the name/initials of a park in the title. My qualifying caches include:
GC8H15J Just a preform in JB
GCAHFEZ Walk in the park (Drace)
GCANFPM A Walk In The (Stookey) Park
GCAW583 Queeny Park 2024 - 20 Years of Hides
GCATKRT SLAGA Winter Potluck & Cabin Fever 2025 (Jefferson Barracks).
These monthly challenge incentives are fun, but my very favorite type of geocaches are the far and few between earthcaches, of which I have found 365 to date, of my 8250 total finds. That total includes caches from all 50 of the United States and 13 other countries so far. I enjoy geocaching and especially ECs probably due to my natural love of outdoors and my degree and young adult career of Geological Engineering. But I'm an odd mix actually. I'm outdoorsy, yes, but I have a passion for theatrical arts as well. If you don't find me biking, hiking, or kayaking for a cache, you may find me wearing a costume at a Halloween geo-event or at a Mega 'Gumshoe Ball' (with my partner in crime MrsSpongy), or donning festive face glitter at a holiday Happy Hour event occasionally.
While I enjoy socializing at geoevents often, I'm not actually that social of a butterfly. I don't mind and am quite comfortable spending time alone and have trekked many a mile on solo adventures too. Don't get me wrong though....I love my caching buddies, look forward to planned outings, welcome new caching friends, and wouldn't trade a single moment of fun I've had with my friends.
Some of my favorite geocaching memories include attending the first ever USA GIGA with friends, GC5AX15 GeoWoodstock 2018, and traveling to the northwest states with my husband to experience some geocaching history, which checked off some huge geo-bucket list items. Not only did I visit GC Headquarters and the 'Original Stash Tribute Plaque,' but I thoroughly enjoyed bike riding through the long, dark Snoqualmie Tunnel in Washington to find "Mission 9: Tunnel of Light" APE Project geocache at the far end. Another memorable cache find was "Europe's Oldest GC43" when I climbed up the hill from the path along St.George's Channel near Bray, Ireland for that smiley. And still, there's a lot of world I'd like to see and geocache in, including returning to Thailand some day, I hope, as I remember that beautiful country fondly from living there for six months when I was in grade school.
I'm grateful for winning the January Adventure Awaits challenge, but feel lucky too as the month represents fresh starts and new possibilities. For me, that's exciting both personally and for new geocaching adventures in my future.