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Jul 25 GeoKid12 WBCB
The heat was on during the 'Red, White, Blue, Stars, Stripes and Flags' month of Adventure Awaits, and SLAGA's repeat winner was no stranger to conquering that heat and the challenge. Robert Klemme, aka GeoKid12, aka original FTF events and Family Game Night host, SLAGA board V.P., and current Father Cachemas is the July 2025 winner. His qualifying geocaches for his win include: 

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Cache 1: GCB7KX4 Starry Penguin Event

Cache 2: GCB9NH4 Red Stripe, Blue Flag, White Stars 

Cache 3: GCB7KXD Red, white, and blue Penguin event

Cache 4: GCB9V1N Tougher Kids Come in Many Stripes Too - Challenge

Event Cache: GCB99BC NoCo Game Night Pre-Summer Picnic Edition

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When he last won in December 2023, Robert had just over 10,800 geocache finds.  Currently he has nearly 14,400! That's due partially to his daily caching streak of 2121 consecutive days since 10/26/2019.  It is also due to his numerous caching trips to various events around the country, including this year's MOGA in Abilene, KS in March, where he placed in the individual and 2-person team competitions, and his first GIGA attendance at GeoWoodstock XXI in Morgantown, West Virgina in May.  Besides these two high cache-count events plus a county run in Mississippi ealier this year, where he completed the state, some of his recent and future plans are upping his finds numbers significantly as well.

Jul25 Geokid12 MOGAPIC   Jul 25 Geokid12 NA counties

From the last week in July continuing through September, Robert's calendar includes Geocaching trips every other week.

  • MWGB July 23rd - 27th
  • West Bend Cache Ba$h August 7th - 10th
  • New England County Run August 19th - 24th
  • Grand Canyon & 4 Corners August 30th - September 7th
As of this win, he has already succeeded in acquiring his first block party icon, and will continue to accomplish goals of obtaining caches in many new counties, new states, and one new province, as well as finding 18 Cache Odyssey Caches by the end of his travels this year. 
 
When Robert provided pictures for this article, during his interview for the July win, one particular one stood out with that OMG factor!  This journalist, knowing he enjoys camping during his geotravels, had to get this story. 
 
Jul 25 GeoKid12 WI camp flood
 
"It's Saturday night after everything has wound down from the West Bend $1000 Cache Ba$h 2025 event, and it's looking like rain is moving in, so I decide to turn in early. I'm hanging out in my tent and eventually the rain does start. No problem, I've been up here when it's rained before. With that I go to sleep. At some point overnight my camping fan, hanging overhead, ran out of power.  I moved it to my bucket seat and plugged it in to the electric box at the rear of the site with a green extension cord, so I could continue using it. Early in the morning I'm awoken by the fan tipping over. Curious as to why, I looked over and saw my bucket seat was at a slight angle, having been raised up on one side by a water bubble underneath the tent. Checking on the conditions of everything else, I discovered a few inches of water in the corner of my tent. Taking a peek out the window I was immediately alerted as to why! Turns out I was actually surrounded by water, since it had rained around 10" overnight. Fortunately I had packed up the majority of my stuff last night so there was nothing directly on the floor of my tent...except for the electrical power strip, yikes!  Glad I got that de-energized before it was submerged. Everything else I consolidated onto my cot as I threw on my shower shoes and began the process of packing up while slogging through over a foot of water. Oh and it's still raining. Some things ended up quite waterlogged by the end, but ultimately it was all in the car and I could begin my journey home where they could be set out to dry off later."
 
So glad Robert didn't heat up himself during that 'electrifying' experience. But congratulations from all of SLAGAland to GeoKid12 for his July 2025 win.  Adventure Awaits on every geotrip he plans.  
 

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 Summer25 Group photoshop

More than 45 St. Louis area geocachers attended the SLAGA Summer Picnic this past weekend. As is typical for the weather in SLAGAland, the morning started overcast but already 84*F, then a 15 min downpour briefly cooled the air slightly. After the rain, that miserable Missouri humidity hit and the sun heated the air making the afternoon feel like a sauna, with bugs! Although many picnickers were sweaty and sticky in the latter part of the day, the portable fans set up in the shelter made lunch and gathering a bit more tolerable.  The SLAGA Summer Picnic 2025 and Community Celebration Event was hosted by SWAseeker and was held on July 19th at the beautiful Klondike Park in the shelter adjacent to the lake.  

Summer25 Klondike lake

With over 4 miles of walking trails, a few shelters, a playground and a campground onsite, Klondike park is a must-see place near St. Louis. The lake with its rocky shores and white sandy beach areas was once a silica sand quarry and is popular for catch and release fishing, sunbathing on the shore, and even some non-motor water sports at times, but no swimming or wading is allowed.  The park also offers a visitors and meeting facility and a boat ramp to acces the river.  The park bluff Overlook, above the visitors center, offers views of the Missouri River.  The Katy Trail can be accessed from the park and runs along the river shore down below the Klondike park bluffs. 

The SLAGA "bring your own lunch," meet and greet type summer picnic delivered a fun social atmosphere and beautiful scenery, but also a new 'customizable' milestone/FIND # sign introduced by the SLAGA board.  As simple as it was, this was an enjoyable new addition for geocaching fun.  Speaking of geocaching, five recently published geocaches, by RecklessYeti, had most attendees traversing the park gathering these new smileys too. While the Yeti was not spotted, some think it was in disguise at the picnic.

Summer25 Find sign

For all those that came out, including stregazahra and husband who attended their first SLAGA event, the picnic host and SLAGA board extend their many thanks for the time to meet, chat, cache, and picnic with you all.  The next big SLAGA event will be the Fall Picnic usually held in October, so keep a look out for information on that event and plan to attend.  As for now, stay hydrated and as cool as possible in the St. Louis summer sauna, until we meet again. 

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June in Slaga-Land brought unseasonably warm weather especially during the second half of the month where temperatures were above 90*F nearly everyday.  But this did not deter Treasure Isle, Susan Adams, from getting outdoors and geocaching with friends. Her efforts won her the Adventure Awaits Challenge for the month! 

A A June 25 Treasure Isle 1

(Photo from a road trip last summer 2024 with JanS03 and jasjaq)

Susan has been participating in the Monthly Challenge incentive since it's inception in October 2023.  Since she enjoys and finds numerous 'challenge' caches, Susan considers Adventure Awaits another type of challenge. She mentioned her qualifying F-A-T-H-E-R geocaches in reply, when asked why she chose the particular caches this month. "I found two of the caches, Fire Truck (GCB0XDM) and Hope (GC3X36X), on a day trip with swelgus and JanS03 to initially find a cache there with a D/T rating that I needed to complete my second fizzy grid.  But these two caches were in the area and I knew they would help me qualify for Adventure Awaits.  I found the 'A' cache, Abandoned (GCAA35H), in Barnhart because it was celebrating its second birthday, and I've been doing birthday caches for several years now.  Trek to the Top of the Hill (GCB7QRN) cache was a new puzzle cache for which I was fortunate enough to be the first to find.  And I try to make the events at Bobby's Place, because it's fairly close to home and I can get there quickly, so my event cache was SW STL Happy Hour - Hello June Edition (GCB7CEB).  I usually only stay briefly, but it gives me the opportunity to catch up a bit with many caching friends."  

Susan began geocaching while on a family vacation in Berlin, Germany in 2012.  Her caching sister, kusunflower, invited her to join in a cache hunt near their hotel, then obviously had to explain the game of geocaching to Susan.  And guess who made the find?  As it often goes, the first-time cacher spotted the container. So now Susan was encouraged to sign up and choose a geocaching name.  That's when Treasure Isle was 'born.'  But Susan wasn't sold on the game yet and was a faily desultory cacher finding four or five caches a year, as she only cached when she was with her sister who lives in Virginia. But in 2019, after retiring from her pediatric practice, the HQ Mystery of the Museum game posted and it piqued her interest.  After that...she was hooked!

Since that transitional phase in her geocaching history, Susan has found over 7000 caches, has completed a double Fizzy grid and a triple 366-day Calendar grid, mostly because she enjoys finding 'birthday caches.' Currently she has found 1134 birthdays on 366 days of the year. Her Jasmer grid is well within reach too, as she only needs a September 2000 cache to qualify. (How's that for a suggested geotrip incentive, Susan?)  As mentioned, Susan also loves challenge caches and delights in working puzzles. She's cached in 37 United States already, as well as in 11 other countries.  And for those that enjoy caching streaks, Susan  accomplished an impressive 500-day find streak between May '23 and Sept. '24!

When asked about any memorable geocachng experience, Susan shared that, "Definitely the scariest experience while geocaching occurred last fall.  I was driving down IL-3 and slowing down to go into a nature area when a truck behind me plowed into the back of my car at full speed.  There were skid marks for about 10 feet, so I'm sure he was on his phone or paying no attention to the road for some other reason.  My car took out a guardrail and was totaled, but my passenger and I were able to walk away essentially unscathed."  The SLAGA family is awfully happy to hear that Susan and friend were unharmed.   

Some other interesting and fun information that Susan shared for this interview is that besides being a retired pediatrician, she is also a talented musician.  She plays the oboe and English horn in two performing groups - the St. Louis Wind Symphony and the University City Summer Band, as well as occasionally subbing in other bands. Besides performing herself, and because she very much enjoys the arts, she attends performances of the symphony, the Great Artist series at Washington University, and Opera Theater of St. Louis from time to time. Susan is also quite the Cardinals fan, and enjoys watching her team play but says, "some years are more "painful" than others."  While obvious from her Geo-stats, Susan confirmed her love for travel and commented that she has been fortunate enough to take one or two major trips each year since retirement.
 
A A June 25 Treasure Isle 2
 (Treasure Isle finding a cache at Ta Prohm in Siem Reap, Cambodia 2019)
 

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The 2025 TB Race is underway! It's very early on but here are the current standings on how things shake up.

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Best of SLAGA, Favorite Caches Placed in 2025

Of the 97 new caches published in the 100 mile radius SLAGA territory in the first half of 2025, these are the top caches, as determined by % of favorite points awarded. As you can see we are missing some types and we are down from last year's count. Let's have a banner 2nd half of 2025 for SLAGA land cache hides!

By cache type
 Traditional   The Saber in the Stump   ice_mermaid & HiddenCrazy   GCB7XXG 
 Unknown   Welcome to Neon Park   2roadtrippers   GCB3FF2 
 Multicache   Text-Book Cache   2roadtrippers   GCB2Z0R 
 Multicache   To Honor   Strider   GCB3B29 
 Virtual   Historic Daniel Boone Home   vorlon40   GCAJJ8J 
 Earth          
 Letterbox          
  Wherigo           

 

By overall % of favorite points awarded
 75   Traditional   The Saber in the Stump   ice_mermaid & HiddenCrazy   GCB7XXG 
 73   Traditional   Stumped in Tower Grove Park   ToeFur9er   GCB6QHA 
 63   Traditional   My First Find   stevendede   GCB7GAR 
 61   Traditional   Pinecone Alley   arabbit&ubuck   GCB2Y3M 
 60   Traditional   Bueller?....Bueller? - The Return   logullo   GCB6EJW 
 43   Traditional   Stately Entrance   arabbit&ubuck and ToeFur9er   GCB2Y39 
 43   Traditional   Waddle becomes the Raft   Fraudzilla   GCB7RXV 
 41   Unknown   Welcome to Neon Park   2roadtrippers   GCB3FF2 
 40   Traditional   A River Runs By It   NGRREC   GCB6ZZ8 
 39   Traditional   King Buddy   Strider   GCB2R5Y 

 

Congrats and thanks to the Cache Owners and everyone else who continues to create and support quality caches in the St. Louis area! Hiders!

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M-O-T-H-E-R, MAY I Win the Adventure Awaits Monthly Challenge? 

Yes, DrPengper, you may!

Adv Aw DrPengper May 25
SLAGA extends congratulations to Sara Christy on her May win and gift card award.  She spelled 'Mother' with the allowance of a wildcard entry with these qualifying caches:  

 M: GCAQ3PA “Make Art Not War” 5/4/25

 O: GC5EBJ4 “On the Way Out” 5/4/25

 T: GC4T2YK “Trolling Around St. Vincent” 5/4/25

 H: GC3YZM5 “Heckel” 5/5/25

 E: GCB6EGF E-vent!! "FTF XXII: Catch 22" (wildcard letter) 5/30/25

 R: GC4OJ2D “Ronald’s Cache” 5/7/2025 

Sara commented that, "This month's challenge was not difficult, as we were able to get out and about quite a bit this month, with the help of some nice weather and some vacation time, that my husband, Ricky, (geoname Her Assistant) had.  This was my first Adventure Awaits challenge.  I participated because Michael yelled at us, haha, just kidding.  I am always up for a challenge."   
 
The three caches on May 4th were for the specific reason to spell MOTHER, and then "Trolling..." was a redemption find for Sara. The 'H' and 'R' caches were found at her husband's hometown.  Ironically, "Ronald's Cache" was located at a local McDonalds where her mother-in-law worked post-retirement for many years. 
 Adv Aw DrPengper and Her Assistant May 26

Sara found out about this fun hobby on International Geocaching Day, August 20, 2022, and started caching shortly thereafter. She said, "I was intrigued, so I looked into it, and geocaching sounded like so much fun...I love looking for treasures!"  She shared, however, that her caching journey had been on a slower track, as she was caring for her ill mother for many years.  Sadly her mother passed away a few days after Mother's Day this year. Our condolences Sara. But as she puts it, "I do believe I won this month for a reason."
 
As with so many cachers, spending time outdoors for this recreational activity has therapeutic value and brings joy.  And sure enough, Sara is now more actively pursuing her geocaching adventures and attending more events.  Currently she has cached in four US states, and recieved her 500th find recognition and coin at the SLAGA spring picnic in April.
 
When asked, Sara related her worst geocaching experience so far. "When I sat down in the woods to sign a cache in the summer (not recommended), I was bitten by what must have been a million chiggers!  I am now quite diligent about bug spray and not sitting in any vegetation."  
 
A fun fact about Sara is that she likes to bowl, but says she is not great at it.  Also, she not only enjoys finding geocaching treasures, but searches out interesting rocks, artifacts, plants and animals.  Being an animal lover, Sara often brings along her four-legged muggles, Feona (white) and Aine (brown), to assist with her geocaching fun.  Sara mentioned also that she, "loves transportion-related things, like trains, planes and automobiles.  I especially enjoy caching near airports. That being said, I don't drive and I've only flown twice."  
Adv Aw DrPengper dogs May 25
It's wonderful to get to know DrPengper a little bit better. SLAGA is thrilled and congratulates her again on her May 2025 Adventure Awaits Win!  Everyone remember that June is all about F-A-T-H-E-R, and everyday is a good day to get outdoors and smile(y).   
  1. A WILD AND WONDERFUL TIME!
  2. NOT A Very Taxing Challenge
  3. SPRING IN SLAGA-LAND 2025
  4. March Unfurls a New Adventure Awaits Winner
  5. TB RACE 2025!
  6. February’s Repeat Adventure Awaits Winner
  7. Adventure Awaits this New Year!
  8. Winter Potluck 2025-SLAGA Style
  9. Check out the SLAGA Apparel Store!
  10. Best of SLAGA 2024