San Francisco Caching

August 15^th, my birthday, and I was in San Francisco.  Of course, I studied in advance the maps on geocaching.com to scope out my caches for the trip. Can’t travel without knowing what caches are in the area!  In my studies I noticed that there were several caches along the cable car lines.  That gave me an idea for a perfect birthday present to me, from me.  Cable car caching! 

Turning the Cable Car Arouind

I got up early on my birthday, not just in anticipation of my big event, but also to avoid the big crowds that cram the cable cars starting mid-morning.  At about 6:00 AM I walked the three tenths of a mile to my first cache and to my first cable car stop at California and Van Ness.  The first cache of the day was to be “S.F. Cable Car - California & Van Ness” (GCX98GV).  This cache is a 1.5/1.5 so I was certain I could easily make this find.  Ten minutes passed with no smiley and my cable car was here!  Darn!

I hopped onto the cable car and off we went in search of my next cache and hopefully, my first smiley of the day.  I rode the car to the junction of Powell and California streets.  I hopped off the car to find “S.F. Cable Car – Crossroads” (GCX8ZN).  This cache is a 2.5/1.5, but I managed to make the find before the next cable car came along.  I jumped onto the Powell/Hyde Beach car and rode it to its turnaround.

Off the car I went and down the street for about a block where I quickly scooped up “Will You ***** Me?” (GC3CBMW).  This cache has a fun history as it was used by its CO to ask his girlfriend to marry him! 

I trotted back to the cable car and managed to board it just after it turned around.  Headed back to the hotel to pick up M&A and Mona and to do more cable car caching!

Sea Lions at Pier 39

We went back to “S.F. Cable Car - California & Van Ness” and my wife quickly made the find and got the smiley.  Then off we went on the cable cars to find more caches at Pier 39!

Pier 39, shops, sea lions, street performers and tourists...thousands of tourists....and a couple of geocachers.  There were two caches that I really wanted to get.  The first was on the plaza in front of the pier.  The cache description said you'd sit to the right of the cache, slip your hand down and pull out the cache.  Did that, and found a wedge-shaped black box.  But, the darned thing was soo hard to open.  I kept struggling with it and trying to be discreet but it just wouldn't open!  Then just as I opened it, Monte walked up and said, "That looks like a rat trap!"  It was.  Luckily no rat.  Talk about hand washing and sanitizer!!!!  (Oh, by the way, a millisecond later Mona found the actual cache 20 feet away.)

Mona at the Web Cam

Next, we wandered the Pier.  As I said, Pier 39 is crowded with shops, restaurants and people.  Not only that, but just outside the pier are sea lions.  After the 1989 earthquake, sea lions took over part of the marina adjacent to Pier 39.  They lay and play on the boatdocks within 50 feet of the pier.  They are so much fun to watch!  Better yet, there's a webcam geocache there, too!  You position yourself so that the web camera can see you with your GPSr (Global Positioning Satellite Receiver) and then you snap a pic.  You control the positioning of the web camera through your smartphone.  So cool!  Just as I had snapped our web pic, I heard a shriek from Mona.  A sea bird had bombed her with poo!  It was a direct hit on her white sweater and her iPhone!  Yet another side trip for sanitizing and washing, washing, washing!

Mona feeding seagull after the Pier 39 incident.
Note the change in attire!

Mona took it in stride...just another part of the experience.  She soon had purchased a new blouse and some scarves.  Once again geocaching had provided her with an excuse to shop!