Odds & Ends


TrabucoBlog.com 6/2/08
This will be the last post in the Odds & Ends section of this site. Since the format is similar to a blog, I figured it makes sense to just create a blog, hence TrabucoBlog.com. If it walks like a blog and talks like a blog... Although TrabucoOutdoors is a low-traffic site, I'd like visitors to have the ability to add their thoughts & comments. Hopefully the blog will serve that purpose as well as providing the ability to organize post subjects and archive old posts. For the sake of continuity, I have included all of the Odds & Ends posts in the blog. A number of visitors have emailed me privately, and I appreciate them all. If you've ever emailed me and haven't received a reply, I either never received it, or my reply is in your spam folder. In any case, I appreciate any contribution to the blog!

This will be the last post in the Odds & Ends section of this site. Since the format is similar to a blog, I figured it makes sense to just create a blog, hence TrabucoBlog.com. If it walks like a blog and talks like a blog...

Although TrabucoOutdoors is a low-traffic site, I'd like visitors to have the ability to add their thoughts & comments. Hopefully the blog will serve that purpose as well as providing the ability to organize post subjects and archive old posts. For the sake of continuity, I have included all of the Odds & Ends posts in the blog. A number of visitors have emailed me privately, and I appreciate them all. If you've ever emailed me and haven't received a reply, I either never received it, or my reply is in your spam folder.

In any case, I appreciate any contribution to the blog!


Early morning on the plateau - 5/25/08
It's never easy for me to get up at 3am. It got a lot easier though anticipating a fantastic sunrise on the Santa Rosa Plateau. I started at the Vernal Pool Trailhead and continued past the now almost dry pools. I was decending toward the old adobes when the sun rose above the horizon. When the horizon is perfectly clear, there seems to be about a 2 minute window when the entire landscape is bathed in a soft warm glow. Although I didn't feel like I had a great composition for a photo, I did get a couple of quick shots. Of course, no matter where you happen to be, you wonder if another location would have been a little better. I no longer stress over not being in the right location for a strong photo composition when there is perfect light. It's foolish to waste a moment as rare as this. It's more important to just enjoy the sunrise.

Early morning on the plateau - 5/25/08

It's never easy for me to get up at 3am. It got a lot easier though anticipating a fantastic sunrise on the Santa Rosa Plateau. I started at the Vernal Pool Trailhead and continued past the now almost dry pools. I was decending toward the old adobes when the sun rose above the horizon. When the horizon is perfectly clear, there seems to be about a 2 minute window when the entire landscape is bathed in a soft warm glow. Although I didn't feel like I had a great composition for a photo, I did get a couple of quick shots. Of course, no matter where you happen to be, you wonder if another location would have been a little better. I no longer stress over not being in the right location for a strong photo composition when there is perfect light. It's foolish to waste a moment as rare as this. It's more important to just enjoy the sunrise.


One of the rarest: Santiago Peak Phacelia - 5/17/08
Until yesterday, only about a half-dozen currently living people had ever seen the Santiago Peak phacelia. There were only two known photographs of this fire-following phacelia until Botanist and nature photographer Bob Allen discovered a small population of them in the Santa Ana Mountains in the vicinity of Modjeska Peak. Bob brought back a few of the flowers (using the "over 20 rule": there must be at least 20 specimens in a location or else you should not remove any) for us see and photograph before taking them to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. The flower is much smaller than this macro view would indicate, probably 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. The Santiago Peak phacelia is the Holy Grail of the Santa Ana Mountains. Thanks Bob!

One of the rarest: Santiago Peak Phacelia - 5/17/08

Until yesterday, only about a half-dozen currently living people had ever seen the Santiago Peak phacelia. There were only two known photographs of this fire-following phacelia until Botanist and nature photographer Bob Allen discovered a small population of them in the Santa Ana Mountains in the vicinity of Modjeska Peak. Bob brought back a few of the flowers (using the "over 20 rule": there must be at least 20 specimens in a location or else you should not remove any) for us see and photograph before taking them to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. The flower is much smaller than this macro view would indicate, probably 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. The Santiago Peak phacelia is the Holy Grail of the Santa Ana Mountains. Thanks Bob!


Parasite of the chaparral 5/4/08
You can't help but notice the dodder draped over the chaparral shrubs this time of the year. Dodder, also called witch's hair, is a member of the morning-glory family and is a native parasite. In the above photo, the dodder has completely overtaken some California buckwheat. Since it a parasite, it has no ability to create chlorophyll as evidenced by its yellow-orange rather than green color.


3 years of photography - 4/25/08
The photo above is the oldest I can find in my photo files from my DSLR. I bought the camera in April 2005 and this photo was shot on 4/25/05. I had decided to buy a Canon 20D. I remember the salesperson at Samy's Camera handing me a 17-40 lens and saying "take off that kit lens and see how you like the 17-40." Now I faced a dilemma. Not wanting him to know I was a complete rookie, I had no idea how to take a lens off a camera and replace it with another. I fumbled around with it for a few seconds before he grabbed the camera, pushed the button and twisted the lens off and said "these work the same as film 35 mm cameras." To which I replied "oh, they are pretty much the same, aren't they?"

3 years of photography - 4/25/08

The photo above is the oldest I can find in my photo files from my DSLR. I bought the camera in April 2005 and this photo was shot on 4/25/05. I had decided to buy a Canon 20D. I remember the salesperson at Samy's Camera handing me a 17-40 lens and saying "take off that kit lens and see how you like the 17-40." Now I faced a dilemma. Not wanting him to know I was a complete rookie, I had no idea how to take a lens off a camera and replace it with another. I fumbled around with it for a few seconds before he grabbed the camera, pushed the button and twisted the lens off and said "these work the same as film 35 mm cameras." To which I replied "oh, they are pretty much the same, aren't they?"

	xxxx
Uncommon Shelton Violet flower near Modjeska Peak		No, we didn't find a crop of skunkweed. This is the now-infamous poodle-dog bush.

John Kaiser is dwarfed by antennas on Santiago Peak		Under cast approaching Modjeska.

Santiago Peak - 4/19/08
Debra Clarke of the US Forest Service was able to get special permission for SAMNHA, the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society, and Bob Allen's Bio 179 class to caravan up through the burn area and on to the summit of Santiago Peak. Bob Allen stopped the caravan in various spots to describe the botany as we made the climb from the riparian areas of Maple Springs, through the chaparral areas and finally up to the conifer forest including the area ravaged by the October '07 fire. Bob also spotted the uncommon Shelton Violet (click on photo above). After finally reaching Santiago Peak, we were able to see the poodle-dog bush which was the subject of a recent article in the Orange County Register. Somehow we escaped unscathed.

Santiago Peak - 4/19/08

Debra Clarke of the US Forest Service was able to get special permission for SAMNHA, the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society, and Bob Allen's Bio 179 class to caravan up through the burn area and on to the summit of Santiago Peak. Bob Allen stopped the caravan in various spots to describe the botany as we made the climb from the riparian areas of Maple Springs, through the chaparral areas and finally up to the conifer forest including the area ravaged by the October '07 fire. Bob also spotted the uncommon Shelton Violet (click on photo above). After finally reaching Santiago Peak, we were able to see the poodle-dog bush which was the subject of a recent article in the Orange County Register. Somehow we escaped unscathed.


Wildlife highway 4/14/08
I took Dick Newell and Don Millar's excellent (and free) animal behavior and tracking class on Saturday morning. Dick and Don are naturalists with extensive experience in animal tracking and behavior in the Santa Ana Mountains. Identifying animals by their tracks is similar to plant identification. You can do basic identification by using guide books, but there is nothing like looking at the actual tracks with someone who knows what they are doing. It also shares some similarities with bird identification. Honestly, I can't tell a bush tit from a yellow-bellied sap sucker. But those who can use several of the bird's attributes to identify them including obviously their appearance, but also their song, their movements in the trees, travel patterns, etc. Similarly, trackers look at the animal's print, its print pattern and the pressure release. Certainly you won't be a tracker after a 5-hour class, but you will come away with a good frame of reference on how to track animals, and with a good basis to learn more. And, as Dick promised at the beginning of his class, you will never look at the ground the same way again. This class was sponsored by SAMNHA. SAMNHA also organizes hikes in the Santa Ana Mountains which are often led by "ologists" including biologists, entomologist, geologists and other experts.

Wildlife highway 4/14/08

I took Dick Newell and Don Millar's excellent (and free) animal behavior and tracking class on Saturday morning. Dick and Don are naturalists with extensive experience in animal tracking and behavior in the Santa Ana Mountains. Identifying animals by their tracks is similar to plant identification. You can do basic identification by using guide books, but there is nothing like looking at the actual tracks with someone who knows what they are doing. It also shares some similarities with bird identification. Honestly, I can't tell a bush tit from a yellow-bellied sap sucker. But those who can use several of the bird's attributes to identify them including obviously their appearance, but also their song, their movements in the trees, travel patterns, etc. Similarly, trackers look at the animal's print, its print pattern and the pressure release. Certainly you won't be a tracker after a 5-hour class, but you will come away with a good frame of reference on how to track animals, and with a good basis to learn more. And, as Dick promised at the beginning of his class, you will never look at the ground the same way again.

This class was sponsored by SAMNHA. SAMNHA also organizes hikes in the Santa Ana Mountains which are often led by "ologists" including biologists, entomologist, geologists and other experts.


Remembering Sam Porter 4/7/08
If you lived in the Robinson Ranch area in the 1980s and 1990s, you probably remember Sam Porter. This memorial is located a a hundred yards or so north of the Bell View Trail. Depending on who you talk to, the then-retired cement contractor was either a salty old curmudgeon who created the shanty town commonly known as Porterville (before OC code enforcement shut it down), or he was a provider of affordable housing for the most disadvantaged members of our society - the hispanic immigrants. He and William Lyon traded lawsuits resulting from the Robinson Ranch residential developments land-locking his 230 acres. He suffered a major stroke in the mid 1990s and passed away in 1996.

Remembering Sam Porter 4/7/08

If you lived in the Robinson Ranch area in the 1980s and 1990s, you probably remember Sam Porter. This memorial is located a a hundred yards or so north of the Bell View Trail. Depending on who you talk to, the then-retired cement contractor was either a salty old curmudgeon who created the shanty town commonly known as Porterville (before OC code enforcement shut it down), or he was a provider of affordable housing for the most disadvantaged members of our society - the hispanic immigrants. He and William Lyon traded lawsuits resulting from the Robinson Ranch residential developments land-locking his 230 acres. He suffered a major stroke in the mid 1990s and passed away in 1996.


Poison oak - 4/6/08
Everyone who spends time in the outdoors recognizes poison oak leaves. Unfortunately, not only is it tougher to identify without the leaves, it is still potent. Until it was pointed out by Bob Allen, I didn't realize the 7-8 feet tall shrub on the right was poison oak. Maybe that's how I ended up with a bad case of poison oak a couple of years ago while in Falls Canyon. I was looking down low and not paying attention to the shrubs I had to climb over. Click on the photo for a closer look and make sure you don't make any assumptions about this unassuming shrub.

Poison oak - 4/6/08

Everyone who spends time in the outdoors recognizes poison oak leaves. Unfortunately, not only is it tougher to identify without the leaves, it is still potent. Until it was pointed out by Bob Allen, I didn't realize the 7-8 feet tall shrub on the right was poison oak. Maybe that's how I ended up with a bad case of poison oak a couple of years ago while in Falls Canyon. I was looking down low and not paying attention to the shrubs I had to climb over. Click on the photo for a closer look and make sure you don't make any assumptions about this unassuming shrub.


Don't you hate when that happens? 3/24/08
I don't often do abstracts, but I did feel compelled to take this photo of a chaparral yucca stalk last Saturday. It wasn't until I processed the photo later that night I noticed the major flaw in the photo due to my carelessness. Oh well, maybe next time.


Rock wall at the old adobes - Santa Rosa Plateau Photo by Gregg Adams
This photo was taken the same morning I made the short hike to the vernal pools (see below). I met Gregg briefly on the Vernal Pool Trail. As I stayed near the vernal pools, Gregg continued hiking to the old adobes which are about a mile from and a few hundred feet lower than the vernal pools. I asked him to send me photos, and here is one of them. I want to include other people's photographs in TrabucoOutdoors.com since one person's vision will get monotonous. I like the composition with the rock wall and horizon forming a "Z" with the wind mill in the background. The cloud level must have remained above the adobes, but just below the elevation of the vernal pools. Thanks for the contribution Gregg!

Rock wall at the old adobes - Santa Rosa Plateau
Photo by Gregg Adams

This photo was taken the same morning I made the short hike to the vernal pools (see below). I met Gregg briefly on the Vernal Pool Trail. As I stayed near the vernal pools, Gregg continued hiking to the old adobes which are about a mile from and a few hundred feet lower than the vernal pools. I asked him to send me photos, and here is one of them. I want to include other people's photographs in TrabucoOutdoors.com since one person's vision will get monotonous. I like the composition with the rock wall and horizon forming a "Z" with the wind mill in the background. The cloud level must have remained above the adobes, but just below the elevation of the vernal pools. Thanks for the contribution Gregg!


Santa Rosa Plateau - 3/18/08
I had a chance to check out the Santa Rosa Plateau last Saturday for the first time since last year. Unfortunately, I had to leave at just past 8:15am. With sunrise at 7, that gave me less than an hour and a half on the plateau. I decided to do the short hike to the vernal pools which are just now starting to recede (although the pools are still almost full). Here's a photo of the large pool. The fog never did lift while I was there, which is fine with me. There were a number of wildflowers in bloom along the vernal pool trail including shooting stars, California poppy and lupine and school bells (I'm going to take naturalist Bob Allen's advise and use the common name school bells rather than the currently predominate and goofy name blue dicks). It looks like the shooting stars are past peak and the lupine are not yet at peak. I read in Tom Chester's web site that there was a recent article in the Press Enterprise about the vernal pools which created more visitors on Sunday the 16th. As I mentioned in my page on hiking the Santa Rosa Plateau, I suggest starting out early in the morning (i.e. sunrise), or going late in the afternoon. Most people visit in the middle of the day when there less attractive and harsher light (at least on sunny days), more crowds and less chance of seeing wildlife.

Santa Rosa Plateau - 3/18/08

I had a chance to check out the Santa Rosa Plateau last Saturday for the first time since last year. Unfortunately, I had to leave at just past 8:15am. With sunrise at 7, that gave me less than an hour and a half on the plateau. I decided to do the short hike to the vernal pools which are just now starting to recede (although the pools are still almost full). Here's a photo of the large pool. The fog never did lift while I was there, which is fine with me. There were a number of wildflowers in bloom along the vernal pool trail including shooting stars, California poppy and lupine and school bells (I'm going to take naturalist Bob Allen's advise and use the common name school bells rather than the currently predominate and goofy name blue dicks). It looks like the shooting stars are past peak and the lupine are not yet at peak. I read in Tom Chester's web site that there was a recent article in the Press Enterprise about the vernal pools which created more visitors on Sunday the 16th. As I mentioned in my page on hiking the Santa Rosa Plateau, I suggest starting out early in the morning (i.e. sunrise), or going late in the afternoon. Most people visit in the middle of the day when there less attractive and harsher light (at least on sunny days), more crowds and less chance of seeing wildlife.


Storm over Trabuco Canyon - 3/16/08
Although we didn't get much rain in this storm, there was plenty of lightning and thunder. We received just .04 inches at my house in Robinson Ranch. There was definitely more than that where I had to abandon my hike for a while due to the proximity of the lightning. When I returned, I did get a shot of this cumulonimbus with the mamma cloud form from Bell View Trail. Localized downdrafts bring cool air into warmer air where it condenses and forms this interesting appearance. There are a number of wildflowers in bloom on the Bell Ridge Trail right now including paintbrush, California poppy, Parry's phacelia, chia, wishbone bush, blue dicks, and lupine, and several others I couldn't identify. The ceanothus is starting to flower as well.

Storm over Trabuco Canyon - 3/16/08

Although we didn't get much rain in this storm, there was plenty of lightning and thunder. We received just .04 inches at my house in Robinson Ranch. There was definitely more than that where I had to abandon my hike for a while due to the proximity of the lightning. When I returned, I did get a shot of this cumulonimbus with the mamma cloud form from Bell View Trail. Localized downdrafts bring cool air into warmer air where it condenses and forms this interesting appearance. There are a number of wildflowers in bloom on the Bell Ridge Trail right now including paintbrush, California poppy, Parry's phacelia, chia, wishbone bush, blue dicks, and lupine, and several others I couldn't identify. The ceanothus is starting to flower as well.


Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park 3/8/08
My daughter Kelsi and I hiked Caspers Park this afternoon. There was a good wildflower bloom at the northern area of the park on the east side of the Bell Canyon drainage. The California poppies, blue dicks and phacelia are in full bloom, and it looks like the shooting stars are past prime, at least where we hiked. We also saw two deer and a coyote in this afternoon hike. Here are a couple of more wildflower photos from this afternoon.

Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park 3/8/08

My daughter Kelsi and I hiked Caspers Park this afternoon. There was a good wildflower bloom at the northern area of the park on the east side of the Bell Canyon drainage. The California poppies, blue dicks and phacelia are in full bloom, and it looks like the shooting stars are past prime, at least where we hiked. We also saw two deer and a coyote in this afternoon hike. Here are a couple of more wildflower photos from this afternoon.


Don't put that camera away! 3/2/08
Once the sun drops below the horizon, the inclination is to put away the camera. Sometimes that's not a good idea. This photo was taken at 6:17pm this evening, 28 minutes after the 5:49 sunset. Although not a standout photo, it does demonstrate the sensor's ability to absorb light and saturate color well after sunset. No saturation was added in the photo processing. The interesting cloud formation in the background had lost its bright orange glow seen in this earlier photo which was taken 10 minutes prior. Sunset had already occurred at the time the earlier photo was taken, but not at cloud level. The photo above was a 4 second exposure at f/5 so if you forget your tripod, don't bother.

Don't put that camera away! 3/2/08

Once the sun drops below the horizon, the inclination is to put away the camera. Sometimes that's not a good idea. This photo was taken at 6:17pm this evening, 28 minutes after the 5:49 sunset. Although not a standout photo, it does demonstrate the sensor's ability to absorb light and saturate color well after sunset. No saturation was added in the photo processing. The interesting cloud formation in the background had lost its bright orange glow seen in this earlier photo which was taken 10 minutes prior. Sunset had already occurred at the time the earlier photo was taken, but not at cloud level. The photo above was a 4 second exposure at f/5 so if you forget your tripod, don't bother.


Early season wildflowers 2/25/08
I noticed the blue dicks (wild hyacinth) are starting to flower in the local hills. These perennials typically grow on stalks from 1-2 feet tall. Like most wildflowers, they are tough to photograph on windy days (which it was when I took this photo on Saturday). My 12 year old daughter saw this photograph on the computer screen and asked me what kind of wildflower it was. I told her and she giggled.

Early season wildflowers 2/25/08

I noticed the blue dicks (wild hyacinth) are starting to flower in the local hills. These perennials typically grow on stalks from 1-2 feet tall. Like most wildflowers, they are tough to photograph on windy days (which it was when I took this photo on Saturday). My 12 year old daughter saw this photograph on the computer screen and asked me what kind of wildflower it was. I told her and she giggled.


Flying the canyon 2/23/08
What a nice way to see the canyon. I watched these two powered parachutes while hiking the Bell Ridge Trail today. It reminded me of a guy who used to hike up to the 2,500 foot level of Bell Ridge Trail and para glide down to a field at the base of the hill near Robinson Ranch Road. I would occasionally ride my mountain bike up there and watch him launch. He would wait until there was just the right amount of westerly wind before launching. Too much wind and he would be at risk of getting blown back toward the hills; too little wind and he would not be able to get the canopy fully extended before he ran out of real estate at the small launch area. That was about 15 years ago. Eventually his LZ was replaced by a new tract of homes and I never saw him again. The powered parachutes seem like they would be a lot of fun. I wonder what my wife would say if I told her I was buying a powered parachute.

Flying the canyon 2/23/08

What a nice way to see the canyon. I watched these two powered parachutes while hiking the Bell Ridge Trail today. It reminded me of a guy who used to hike up to the 2,500 foot level of Bell Ridge Trail and para glide down to a field at the base of the hill near Robinson Ranch Road. I would occasionally ride my mountain bike up there and watch him launch. He would wait until there was just the right amount of westerly wind before launching. Too much wind and he would be at risk of getting blown back toward the hills; too little wind and he would not be able to get the canopy fully extended before he ran out of real estate at the small launch area. That was about 15 years ago. Eventually his LZ was replaced by a new tract of homes and I never saw him again. The powered parachutes seem like they would be a lot of fun. I wonder what my wife would say if I told her I was buying a powered parachute.


Thistle City 2/13/08
These non-native thistles can overtake hillsides as seen above. This photo was taken in July 2006 on the hillside just east of Robinson Ranch Road in Trabuco Canyon. I believe the eradication efforts in the Starr Ranch Sanctuary just south of here have been largely successful. Not all of the thistles in the foothills are non-native, but the native thistles won't crowd out the other native vegetation as these have.

Thistle City 2/13/08

These non-native thistles can overtake hillsides as seen above. This photo was taken in July 2006 on the hillside just east of Robinson Ranch Road in Trabuco Canyon. I believe the eradication efforts in the Starr Ranch Sanctuary just south of here have been largely successful. Not all of the thistles in the foothills are non-native, but the native thistles won't crowd out the other native vegetation as these have.


Where have all the bobcats gone? 2/6/08
I was on on a ridge line about 1,500 feet away, and 500 feet above this bobcat when I first noticed it (with binoculars). I decided to hike down and see if I could get a closer look. The cat spotted me at about the spot I took this photo. I was too far away to get an interesting photo, and when I tried to get closer the bobcat appeared to be uncomfortable, so I decided to forego the shot and just take this "record" shot. This was in December 2005. From late April through the end of 2005 I spotted 7 bobcats; five in the Bell View/Bell Ridge area and two near Trabuco Creek. I haven't seen any since, although I do see their tracks and scat. I'm not sure why. 2005 was a wet year and I tend to see more wildlife in wet years. With the above-average rainfall in 2008, maybe I'll start seeing them again.

Where have all the bobcats gone?
2/6/08

I was on on a ridge line about 1,500 feet away, and 500 feet above this bobcat when I first noticed it (with binoculars). I decided to hike down and see if I could get a closer look. The cat spotted me at about the spot I took this photo. I was too far away to get an interesting photo, and when I tried to get closer the bobcat appeared to be uncomfortable, so I decided to forego the shot and just take this "record" shot. This was in December 2005. From late April through the end of 2005 I spotted 7 bobcats; five in the Bell View/Bell Ridge area and two near Trabuco Creek. I haven't seen any since, although I do see their tracks and scat. I'm not sure why. 2005 was a wet year and I tend to see more wildlife in wet years. With the above-average rainfall in 2008, maybe I'll start seeing them again.


Clear Air 1/26/08
It's not unusual for the visibility to be good enough to see Catalina Island from Bell Ridge Trail. But I can count on the fingers of one hand the days in a year it is clear enough to see not only Catalina, but also the city of Avalon (with binoculars unless you have perfect vision). Today is one of those days. With binoculars you could clearly make out the casino, and could see the buildings in Avalon. Typically it is this clear only after a storm. Although Santa Ana winds blow out most of the smog and all of the onshore moisture, they bring dust particles of their own. In the case of today, we are between two storm systems .You can see the rain between the coastline and Catalina in the photo above.

Clear Air
1/26/08

It's not unusual for the visibility to be good enough to see Catalina Island from Bell Ridge Trail. But I can count on the fingers of one hand the days in a year it is clear enough to see not only Catalina, but also the city of Avalon (with binoculars unless you have perfect vision). Today is one of those days. With binoculars you could clearly make out the casino, and could see the buildings in Avalon. Typically it is this clear only after a storm. Although Santa Ana winds blow out most of the smog and all of the onshore moisture, they bring dust particles of their own. In the case of today, we are between two storm systems .You can see the rain between the coastline and Catalina in the photo above.


Geocaching 1/5/08
I don't know much about geocaching, but if you do much hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains and you are the curious type, you will run across geocaches. I have stumbled across four of them on a 1.5 mile loop hike on Bell Ridge/Bell View trails. Apparently, a geocacher hides a small container (see photo) containing trinkets and a small log and a pencil or pen. Other geocachers go to a web site with the GPS locations of these geocaches. They plug the coordinates into the GPS and head out to the trail to find the geocache. The coordinates will get them to the general location, but even with the impressive precision of the modern GPS (WAAS ability, etc.), some searching is still required. Once found, the geocacher takes out one trinket and leaves one of their own. They also write down the date and any comments they have about the hike into the log. It is interesting that this outdoor activity has been around only 10 years or so, and could not have existed 20 years ago. I wonder what outdoor activities will be common in 20 years that couldn't exist with today's technology. www.geocaching.com

Geocaching
1/5/08

I don't know much about geocaching, but if you do much hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains and you are the curious type, you will run across geocaches. I have stumbled across four of them on a 1.5 mile loop hike on Bell Ridge/Bell View trails. Apparently, a geocacher hides a small container (see photo) containing trinkets and a small log and a pencil or pen. Other geocachers go to a web site with the GPS locations of these geocaches. They plug the coordinates into the GPS and head out to the trail to find the geocache. The coordinates will get them to the general location, but even with the impressive precision of the modern GPS (WAAS ability, etc.), some searching is still required. Once found, the geocacher takes out one trinket and leaves one of their own. They also write down the date and any comments they have about the hike into the log. It is interesting that this outdoor activity has been around only 10 years or so, and could not have existed 20 years ago. I wonder what outdoor activities will be common in 20 years that couldn't exist with today's technology. www.geocaching.com