Woman's Best Friend

Find #194 GC1N83A Woman's Best Friend

Half of GAIN Academy did not want to go to the park today. (Picture a kid walking down the path reading a book.) Once we get there, someone spots a nice place to play and goes down the path. Everyone follows. The books is put away for the rest of the day. Getting everyone out the door is the hurdle. Once you can get everyone outdoors, they're fine.

We kept thinking we would hear frogs, but it was ducks today. Many black ducks (not the American Black Duck, a mallard-like bird). "A" of GAIN suggested that they are migrating. I'll enlarge the photo I took and attempt an ID. I also have audio of its calls. Unless the water goes down and the banks are more exposed and grassy, I doubt we'll have frogs here. The island (GC15HNN NVG's Isle) is tiny. It is still early, though. We remember frogs being around in late April and early May.

Photo inspired by Sarah. Left to right: N, A, juliecache, I, and G.

Winter walk

The entire family went out to Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines today. I wore the Skippy Peanut Butter backpack. You can see the Skippy water bottle in the pocket. I think the water bottle is hard to use because I need to use two hands to drink from it. It definitely was designed for the backpack, or the backpack was designed for it. It's a perfect fit.

We attempted to reach the island, former home of a geocache called Raccoon River Island, and current home of GC15HNN, Here on NVG's Isle! My kids differ with the NVG on the name, but when they claimed the island for themselves years ago, they never let him know. In fact, I didn't even know who the NVG was back then. So Scott, we will not fight with you over the name. The island does not care what anyone calls it anyway. I think it wants everyone to create a personal name for and relationship with it.

Getting to the island would have involved six of us passing open water and slush. And five of us weigh over 100 pounds. So Mr. GAIN and I were nervous about getting there, even though I knew from past trips that the water must be shallow. "N" of GAIN was very disappointed to leave, but he was a very good sport about it. I was too lazy for months to get the FTF, STF, etc. with the boat. I figure out how to get there, though. If I used the inflatable boat, I could have launched, beached, and disembarked without a lot of difficulty.

Without the underbrush, our walk around Blue Heron Lake was awesome. Getting to the different fingers of land was a piece of cake. Walking to the bird blind was a cinch (and cool). Seeing the wind sailors and kite sailors through the trees and grass was a snap (and fun to watch). We had never made it all the way around the lake's 3.2 mile trail until today, and we were quite proud to say that we did it.

We attempted another cache, GC157YN, Down, Out, and Broke, but the gps-r said we had another 250' to go, into the river.

We also found what one of the kids called a beaver buffet line. You can see it here. We also saw a tree that the beavers had chosen to abandon, even though they gnawed it close to falling. Maybe the sap was sweeter on the other side.

On the way out of the park, I felt joy when I spotted GC13ZPR, Man in Black #4 from a distance. I cannot believe I never found this during the warm months. I must have looked at it a dozen times but didn't recognize it for what it was with all the foliage.

Spring arrives

How do I know that spring is here? Well, Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines is LOUD. That is, the call of chorus frogs is almost deafening.

The girls and I went to confirm our waypoints for an upcoming geocaching class -- we're presenting the class -- and in the parking lot, we hear constant, short creaking noises. The noise is pitched and paced somewhat like a cricket, and shorter than a bull frog croak. The closer you get to the marsh behind the parking lot, the louder the noise. A county naturalist explained it as running your thumb over a comb, and I would say that is pretty close.

After checking the waypoints (business first, of course), we explore the marsh. Without the right footwear, we give up. It was frustrating. If we were at Engeldinger Marsh, I would not hesitate to go barefoot. Here is photo from Engeldinger -- "the only marsh I [Cole] ever liked." However, the trash level at this park is rather high. I fear broken glass and metal. I've seen this marsh when it is dry. Now, to find some hip waders for rent....

On a high note, all three of us girls saw something odd on our way out of the marsh. Alex thought it looked like a strange, swollen brain. I thought it looked like a weird, yellow, plastic box. Only Ella was curious enough to call me to investigate. When she asked about it, I flipped it over with a stick. It was an old turtle shell! Later identified as an Eastern box turtle, Gabe affirmed his little sister, "That is a good find." It now resides on our front porch in our display area.