This is Part III of my Sunday Vespa Ride to Fremont on Sunday, June 8, 2008.
After my encounter with the middle-aged lady in her gargantuan gas guzzler, it was time for a little recreating. In addition to this ride to find out if I could really do it on major roads with just a 150 cc engine I also came down to engage in my hobby: geocaching. And what is that?
Well basically it's like a fancy treasure hunt - using a GPS device. Millions of American do it. Info. on this sport can be found at www.geocaching.com. Basically one looks for 'caches' via coordinates found at the website and then ya hunt them down - via a road trip. The idea, after ya find the cache, is to sign a log contained in it and then go to the website, afterwards, and enter the fact ya found it and make some comments. Cache containers can be as small as a camouflaged pill bottle, a key holder, a small Tupperware box or even a bucket. The bigger ones give ya the opportunity to take a prize and leave a prize (usually little trinkets of some sort). Caches can be hidden in all kinds of places. They have to be - to keep them safe from the infamous "Muggles" - that's anyone else not involved in the sport.
Prior to leaving home I had already used the site to ascertain if there was one here at Spiegel Grove and also checked for one in Bowling Green - for the return trip. There was caches on both counts. Spiegel Grove has Rutherford's Treasure. B.G. had several, but I chose to do Oak Park Cemetery which is surrounded by the B.G.U's campus.
I proceeded with caching. I popped in the coord's off the computer print out I had. This particular cache is what we cachers call a multi -meaning a several stage cache - in which I had to find the next set of coord's by clues offered at each successive find and to get clues for final one. Well as one might guess, Rutherford's Treasure has mostly either a Civil War or martial theme. I had to wander to the Center's five gated entrances and take a clue from the historical plates posted there to get the final coord's. The final coord's took me past the final resting place of General Hayes, his wife, one of his sons and his wife. I paid my respects at the tomb of the ex-President who, along with his son were Medal of Honor winners.
Then it was just short walk where, within a few minutes, I found the cache - a camouflaged Tupperware box placed in the hollowed out part of an old tree which also appeared to double as a fox's temporary shelter from the rains (not currently occupied though the fox's aroma was clearly present). So, this short adventure was over - I signed the log - exchanged some trinkets and then walked over to the Center itself to buy a souvenir.
I was hot though, so I stopped and sat at bench to rest and enjoy the quiet. It was marvelous - so peaceful. I imagine ol' Rutherford must have loved his little constitutions around here while he lived.
The Center was not here in the early 70's - or rather it wasn't like this. Then it was a little gift shop in the old mansion which contained some memorabilia of General Hayes. Now the place was a full-fledged museum with a whole section dedicated to the General. I entered and looked around a bit for a souvenir and engaged the man and woman who manned it in a conversation regarding the nearest eateries. They gave me directions. And then I noticed the museum.
I was a bit enthralled by it and began to wonder around - totally oblivious to a sign indicating one had to pay to enter. I walked in and viewed the historical things including a section summarizing the General's life in pictures.
I came out and the woman asked if I paid - neither person remembered to charge me as my request for directions had totally distracted them. I was a bit embarrassed so I immediately paid the $5 nominal fee. I took another 10 minutes to find a souvenir - a commemorative coin of President Hayes. I purchased it. Thanked the folks and left the Center.
I made a bee-line for the Vespa and commenced mounting procedures. I opened up the trunk and saddle; got out and donned my armored jacket (whose clip on thermometer showed an air temperature of 90), goggles, leather gloves, knee pads and of course full-face helmet. I closed both the saddle and trunk. and started the Vespa - did a bit of a preflight to make sure the turn signals, brake lights, brakes and horn worked. Then stepped through the foot platform; sat down on the saddle; pushed it off its stand; looked left and right; gave one final glare at the RV/SUV combo (still chugging along with AC on full); turned the throttle back; got some momentum going; pulled in and put my feet on the platform and I was off.
After my encounter with the middle-aged lady in her gargantuan gas guzzler, it was time for a little recreating. In addition to this ride to find out if I could really do it on major roads with just a 150 cc engine I also came down to engage in my hobby: geocaching. And what is that?
Well basically it's like a fancy treasure hunt - using a GPS device. Millions of American do it. Info. on this sport can be found at www.geocaching.com. Basically one looks for 'caches' via coordinates found at the website and then ya hunt them down - via a road trip. The idea, after ya find the cache, is to sign a log contained in it and then go to the website, afterwards, and enter the fact ya found it and make some comments. Cache containers can be as small as a camouflaged pill bottle, a key holder, a small Tupperware box or even a bucket. The bigger ones give ya the opportunity to take a prize and leave a prize (usually little trinkets of some sort). Caches can be hidden in all kinds of places. They have to be - to keep them safe from the infamous "Muggles" - that's anyone else not involved in the sport.
Prior to leaving home I had already used the site to ascertain if there was one here at Spiegel Grove and also checked for one in Bowling Green - for the return trip. There was caches on both counts. Spiegel Grove has Rutherford's Treasure. B.G. had several, but I chose to do Oak Park Cemetery which is surrounded by the B.G.U's campus.
I proceeded with caching. I popped in the coord's off the computer print out I had. This particular cache is what we cachers call a multi -meaning a several stage cache - in which I had to find the next set of coord's by clues offered at each successive find and to get clues for final one. Well as one might guess, Rutherford's Treasure has mostly either a Civil War or martial theme. I had to wander to the Center's five gated entrances and take a clue from the historical plates posted there to get the final coord's. The final coord's took me past the final resting place of General Hayes, his wife, one of his sons and his wife. I paid my respects at the tomb of the ex-President who, along with his son were Medal of Honor winners.
Then it was just short walk where, within a few minutes, I found the cache - a camouflaged Tupperware box placed in the hollowed out part of an old tree which also appeared to double as a fox's temporary shelter from the rains (not currently occupied though the fox's aroma was clearly present). So, this short adventure was over - I signed the log - exchanged some trinkets and then walked over to the Center itself to buy a souvenir.
I was hot though, so I stopped and sat at bench to rest and enjoy the quiet. It was marvelous - so peaceful. I imagine ol' Rutherford must have loved his little constitutions around here while he lived.
The Center was not here in the early 70's - or rather it wasn't like this. Then it was a little gift shop in the old mansion which contained some memorabilia of General Hayes. Now the place was a full-fledged museum with a whole section dedicated to the General. I entered and looked around a bit for a souvenir and engaged the man and woman who manned it in a conversation regarding the nearest eateries. They gave me directions. And then I noticed the museum.
I was a bit enthralled by it and began to wonder around - totally oblivious to a sign indicating one had to pay to enter. I walked in and viewed the historical things including a section summarizing the General's life in pictures.
I came out and the woman asked if I paid - neither person remembered to charge me as my request for directions had totally distracted them. I was a bit embarrassed so I immediately paid the $5 nominal fee. I took another 10 minutes to find a souvenir - a commemorative coin of President Hayes. I purchased it. Thanked the folks and left the Center.
I made a bee-line for the Vespa and commenced mounting procedures. I opened up the trunk and saddle; got out and donned my armored jacket (whose clip on thermometer showed an air temperature of 90), goggles, leather gloves, knee pads and of course full-face helmet. I closed both the saddle and trunk. and started the Vespa - did a bit of a preflight to make sure the turn signals, brake lights, brakes and horn worked. Then stepped through the foot platform; sat down on the saddle; pushed it off its stand; looked left and right; gave one final glare at the RV/SUV combo (still chugging along with AC on full); turned the throttle back; got some momentum going; pulled in and put my feet on the platform and I was off.
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