Greetings,

You ever have one of those days out on the trail?
Today was one of those days for us.

The day started off well. Got an early start, good
weather, good coffee. The trail is a couple hundred
yards from our house. We've been meaning to plant on
it for months. Finally carved the stamp last night. We
planned on planting two today, to make it to PFX 300.

We park at the trailhead, which is in the middle of
the trail, and head out downriver. The trail runs
along a flood dike. Which makes for very poor cover,
and virtually nowhere to hide a box. And the only
place we found that was likely the stupid box didn't
fit under. We quickly turned back to the van, and
drove to another end of the trail.

The trail ends, on the upriver side, near a nice park
right along the river. Again, we find no place to hide
the stupid box. Beginning to think we should have
gotten a smaller tupperware, we drive to the other end
of the trail, about 1.5 miles across town.

Guess what we didn't find at the other end of the
trail? That's the kind of day we're having. At this
point, between all the walking around, scouting and
driving, we've been out on this trail for about three
hours. You'd think it would be hard to spend three
hours on less than two miles of trail. Apparantly not.

Naturally enough, my wife thinks this is hillarious.
She seems to think that me jumping up and down and
swearing at the trail is funny. I failed to appreciate
the humor at the time.

We eventually end up back at the parking lot. At this
point, we've checked under a railroad bridge, numerous
rocks and logs, and found nowhere to plant. We walk
along the trail again, to where a nature trail is
supposed to be. There is one, sort of. In an area that
floods every year.

Back to the parking lot.

We decide, on a last minute whim, to walk the trail
again from the parking lot, and go just a tad bit
farther than the first time. And we finally find it.
The perfect spot.

And it's nearly three, almost four hours later, and
we've got to go pick up the kids at school.

Back to the car, pick up the boys, and back to the
hiding spot. Finally plant it. Four hours after we
started. Thankfully, the second plant went much more
smoothly, and we made our goal before dark.

So you people better like this box, or so help me....

Mike
P30 F238 X32 E1 V6 A10

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Stupid Orcs. Stupid Ring. Stupid Quest.....

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