Tag Archives: geocaching

Chunn’s Burying Ground Oak Glenn Cemetery Fox River Grove

Chunn’s Burying Ground also known as Oak Glenn Cemetery in Fox River Grove, Illinois is one of the oldest cemeteries in McHenry County according to McHenry County Historic Preservation Commission. The cemetery named after local business man T.R. Chunn, a pioneer in the area who owned the property and buried there. Several websites say the site is an old Indian burial ground.

Chunn's Burying Ground Oak Glenn Cemetery Fox River Grove Nestled in a wooded area at the top of a hill,  the historic cemetery on Algonquin-River Road next to Algonquin Road School. Over the years the cemetery became overgrown with weeds and brush. Arnett Lines, a local historian, inventoried and transcribed the gravestones in 1944. The remaining headstones were relocated to a raised bed under a stand of trees for protection. In 2008, the cemetery was rededicated and designated a historic site. A bronze plaque on boulder at the cemetery entrance notes the historic status.

Gravestones at Chunn's Burying Ground Oak Glenn Cemetery Fox River Grove

Today the site is well maintained quiet park lined with a wooden rail fence. A sign outside the cemetery stays “Chunn’s Burying Ground Oak Glenn Cemetery.” As we walked through the park, we came upon a well-marked geocache. Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game where players try to find hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online. We logged our find at the geocache and online.

HIstoric Chunn's Burying Ground Oak Glenn Cemetery Fox River Grove

The next time you are on Algonquin Road, take a few moments to visit Chunn’s Burying Ground Oak Glenn Cemetery in Fox River Grove. The peaceful setting is perfect for a few minutes of quiet reflection. You can log an easy geocache while you are there.

Saving Falls of Clyde Iron Hulled Tall Ship Honolulu Hawaii

I first heard of and saw the “Falls of Clyde” when we were geocaching on the Honolulu waterfront in February 2009.  Geocaching is treasure hunting with a GPS unit. We found the hidden container and logged cache #GCZ9D4 then toured the Bishop Museum’s Maritime Museum.

The Falls of Clyde is the only surviving iron-hulled four-masted full rigged ship in the world. During our visit to Scottish Fest in Kapiolani Park, Honolulu we met Jeanette Ainlay, one of the Friends of Falls of Clyde. She has volunteered to restore this ship for the past 20 years. The team blogs about their work on the ship.

This summer they plan to move the ship to dry dock for major repairs and rehab. I look forward to seeing her sail again.

Thank you Jeanette and the Friends of Clyde for keeping history alive. Click on the image below to view this episode of “Where Are You Today?”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Great Pacific Garbage Patch

While many of us just recently learned of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch floating 1000 miles off the California coast in the North Pacific Gyre, scientists tell us it has been growing steadily since the 1950’s. Birds and animals get entangled in the trash and ingest tempting looking pieces of plastic causing a high concentration of chemicals in our food chain.

Weight is estimated at over 100 million tons spanning an area twice the size of the state of Texas. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch even has its own Wikipedia entry. Experts believe 80% of the plastic comes from land based sources while 20% comes from ships.

I delighted in taking my kids snorkeling in Hanauma Bay in Hawaii this month. They were wide-eyed as they watched the colorful tropical fish swim arms length away. At all the beaches we visited in Hawaii we found plastic bags and other trash on the shore and in the water. It’s not just Hawaii beaches. We find garbage everywhere we go. While out hiking or geocaching, we take a bag to collect garbage. In fact, the other week I had to buy a tactical backpack to carry our hiking snacks/water in one compartment while filling up the others with beach trash. Cache in – Trash out.

Hanauma Bay in Hawaii

Hanauma Bay in Hawaii

Plastic is 100% non biodegradable. It never breaks down.

What do you do about this growing problem? Start locally.
* Bring reusable bags with you when you go shopping. It’s an easy step.
* Pick up trash you find on your walks
* Reduce your waste. Can you fix it? Repurpose? Do without?

Only humans are to blame for this disaster and we are the only ones who can resolve the situation.

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The Thrill of the Hunt Geocaching in Hawaii

Have you heard about geocaching?

I discovered I could incorporate several activities I enjoy within a single hobby. I like spending time with my family and friends, solving puzzles, seeking out new adventures, exercising and being environmentally “green”. Geocaching is treasure hunting with a GPS receiver. You can search for geocaches online by zip code and download the coordinates into your hand held GPS unit. You seek out hidden geocaches based on longitude and latitude.

Sometimes the jackpot is as small as a prescription pill container with a piece of paper rolled up inside so you can log your visit. Some containers are so tiny; you need to bring your own pencil. Other containers are as large as a Tupperware food saver or an army surplus ammunition box filled with trinkets. Our geocaching equipment includes a bag of tchotchkes that we swap based on the theme of the geocache.

For me though, the fun is not in finding the treasure, but the thrill of the hunt. We geocache while in Hawaii as an activity to challenge our brain and seek out new adventures.

This is a hobby the both family and friends can participate in. My husband and I often take others with us to introduce them to the hobby. We took keiki with us to the Honolulu Zoo to find their first cache. When we return to the island, their first question for us is “Are you going to go geocaching?” Other times we need subject matter expertise. One of the geocaches in the North Shore, Hawaii required solving a puzzle to figure out the coordinates. Ten car logos were pictured from different auto manufactures around the world. After identifying the car model and country of origin, the digits of the location could be determined. I recruited a couple of world traveling gear heads to help figure out that one out.

Williams Family geocaching at the Honolulu Zoo

Williams Family geocaching at the Honolulu Zoo

While geocaching we learn about local history. A geocache is hidden on the estate of the last reigning Hawaiian monarch, Queen Lydia Liliuokalani. The site overlooks the drainage canal built to convert water logged taro fields into dry land becoming Waikiki.

A multi-stage geocache requires several stops. At each site you visit, you find clues to identify the next location. We learned about local leaders during a 5 stage history tour to five statues along Waikiki. Each statue had a plaque which told a story. There is Father Damien, who came from Belgium, to Hawaii in 1864. He devoted the rest of his life to the leper settlement on the island of Molokai before succumbing to the disease himself. He has been nominated for sainthood. During the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy led by U.S. business men, Princess Kaiulani spearheaded a campaign to restore the throne. Beloved native son, Duke Kahanamoku, born of Hawaiian royalty, was a swimming sensation earning Five Olympic medals. “The Duke”, starred in Hollywood movies and is known as “The father of modern surfing.”

You can get a good workout in a day hiking up Diamond Head, the extinct volcano which stands at the east end of Waikiki. If you have comfy shoes, cache your way around the volcano on foot enjoying a heart healthy work out and spectacular views of the Pacific, Waikiki and downtown Honolulu.

Get away from the crowds and cache in Kailua. There are finds along both the busy and the quiet parts of the beach. Don’t forget your sunscreen and snorkel gear. You’ll be hungry after a day of swimming and caching. Check out the yummy handmade cookie store in town for a snack.

When you are on Oahu, you don’t have to go far to find these treasures. There are hundreds of local finds. From the crowded pedestrian malls of Chinatown to the top of Diamond Head to the shores of Kailua, there is a cache for every interest and ability.

While we are getting our exercise, learning about the area and catching up with friends and family, we also pick up trash. We carry in a couple of empty garbage bags to snatch up any litter we spy while we are out. This is referred to as “cache in, trash out”.

You can learn more about the hobby at geocaching.com. I enjoy the opportunity to combine time with my family, brain exercise, and physical activity all in one hobby. If you like history, culture and the great outdoors, you should give geocaching a try.

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