The main event would be a geo-meet to celebrate the engagement of a couple of catchers who go by the names of Harry the Furry Squid and Optomist on the Run. I don’t know their real names but I think the the Squid’s could be Liz.
The event was to be held in the village hall in Shenstone, just outside of Lichfield.
We slowly got ready but were still a bit early so diverted to Lichfield to tie up a couple of loose ends from my excursion to the city a few weeks past.
Luckily, we managed to park in the Bird Street car park from which a short walk took us to Stowe Pool and the loose ends.
The first was a bonus cache to one of the AdLabs I’d completed (nano under a fence) followed by another nano under a bench. Last time a couple of old dears had taken up residence on the bench and showed no signs of moving. No sitters today.
Loose ends tied up, we took a little stroll around the city before heading out to Shenstone.
We parked up and entered the venue to be greeted by some old acquaintances, coffee and cake.
To celebrate the event, the hosts had hidden seventeen new caches around Shenstone as well as an Adventure Lab.
In addition, a group from next year’s Severn Mega, who had set up a stall, had also laid on an indoor AdLab with questions which gave info about the upcoming event.
After our fill of coffee and cake, we ventured outside for an AdLab and a few caches.
The AdLab took us around the village with a SideTracked cache en route.
After completing the AdLab we came upon H+O PTM #17 – WE make a fine pair (GCAWHZ2). This was a multi and the first part relied on finding some numbers on the post box.
After a little number crunching, we were heading back towards the hall for part two.
Rather nastily, the instructions at part two sent us back to the fine pair with the hint along the lines of “discover how to organise a flash event”.
Instead of walking back, we took the car and parking in the nearby Tesco’s car park meandered to the phone box which no longer being a serviceable box had become a library.
After checking the boxes for the obvious it dawned that we must be looking for a book – but which one.
Whilst searching, we were joined by another geocaching group and we took turns standing in the box scrutinising the titles.
Eventually, someone reaches up and pulls down a book about the computer programming language FLASH.
Inside the hollowed out volume was the log book.
Very clever and worthy of a Favourite Point.
We purchased a few snacks from Tesco before picking up a few more of the seventeen H+O caches that could be got as a drive by.
One that stands out had the hint “bottom of post”.
The hint was correct but it was at the bottom of the INSIDE of the tubular post, dangling on a length of fishing line. Another FP.
We concluded out outing by calling in at The Griffin before home and a fish and chip supper.
kevbaldry