Biking, hiking, EarthCaching in Acadia

It's been three years since we visited Acadia National Park and the kids had such a great time on our last trip that they've been begging to go back again. This past weekend we finally made a return visit. We spent three full days at the park and biked about 16 miles of carriage trails (merely the tip of the iceberg), climbed a couple of mountains and completed the EarthCache program (there are six caches total). And it just wasn't enough for us. We wanted to stay at least another week or two to explore more of the park. It’s almost cliche to say but really, Acadia is awesome.  

DAY 1 Our first day's adventures included riding the carriage trail around Eagle Lake. It was just shy of six miles and thanks to a tip from one of the rangers, a fairly easy ride. The trick about biking around Eagle Lake is to ride with the lake to your LEFT. It's mostly downhill that way and a good introduction to the carriage trails. There were a couple of uphill climbs on this trail and since the girls were carrying extra weight on their bikes they weren't used to (we added racks to the back of their bikes for their backpacks) we got off our bikes and walked them for a bit when the peddling got hard for them. After our ride around Eagle Lake we decided to start the EarthCache program. I don't want to give away any secrets but at some point, after solving riddles and figuring out coordinates to new locations, we ended up climbing to the top of the South Bubble. Our first day to the park was a work-out but everyone left ready for more the next day.  

DAY 2 Our second bike ride was supposed to be a bit more difficult ride than Eagle Lake but I took a wrong turn and it turned in to a whopper of a challenge. We started at Parkman Mountain and turned on to a trail I thought would take us to the Waterfalls Bridge. We did eventually get to that bridge but in a major round-about sort of way. We took the Around the Mountain trail to Gilmore Meadow. At that point we ate lunch and continued on the Seven Bridges trail that lead up Parkman Mountain (not to the precise summit cairn but pretty darn close). This turned out to be a serious elevation gain (about 450 feet) and not a ride I would recommend for anyone unless they were serious riders (reap the benefit of this advice from our mistake!). The girls were troopers on this trail and those long rides we've been taking around southern and central Maine this spring really helped their legs handle this particular ride. But truth be told, we did quite a bit of walking our bikes uphill with many water/snack breaks along the way. The whole trek turned out to be nearly 10 miles, which was mostly uphill, to eventually get to the Waterfall Bridge. The kids were not as impressed with the beautiful views on this trail - or the waterfall - as they would have been had we taken the shorter loop I had originally planned. And as if this is any surprise, the girls (and Fino) spent a good deal of time at the top of Parkman Mountain eating lunch and lamenting my map reading skills (which normally are pretty good). Ooops. Since we had hiked a couple of miles around the Otter Cliffs trail on Gorham Mountain *before* we undertook this bike ride, my crew was seriously tired. But everyone seemed to forgive my poor navigation skills once they ordered big sundaes at the Dairy Bar before heading back to our cottage. Oh, and we did manage to complete the EarthCache program and report back to the ranger’s station with the answer to the final riddle before we left the park that night. I must fess up however that one of the riddles required some serious thinking and a math calculation that I‘m embarrassed to say took Fino and I more than a few minutes to figure out. We were tired. That must have been the reason for our lack of problem solving skills. Yeah, that was reason. An upside to our long day, at least in my opinion, was that coaxing my crew to shut off the cable TV (a highlight of the trip since we don’t have it at home) was minimal.  

DAY 3 The kids and Fino said they needed a break from bike riding on our last day so we decided to hike to the top of Gorham Mountain. We enjoyed the trail but with a 500-foot elevation gain to the summit and then another bit of climbing to The Bowl, we opted to hike the Beehive Trail for a only a short time before heading back down the Bowl trail to Ocean Drive. We agreed this wasn’t the trip to hike the Beehive (rated "difficult" by the park service because of exposed ledges and cliffs with a warning on the map's description, "adults with a fear of heights should stick to the Bowl Trail"). Next time we decided. We needed a little more energy to tackle that one. If you’ve never been to Acadia, you really are missing out on a wonderful, relatively inexpensive family vacation. We stayed in a small cabin with an efficiency kitchen for about $70/night (that’s a spring rate, prices go up in July and August) and ate out only one night (which also included an ice cream stop) thanks to the food we brought from home. The park fee was $10 for the week and other than gas, we had no other expenses. The memories of this trip - the good, the silly and the navigationally challenged - will likely be shared with much animation by the girls to anyone who will listen. That will have been worth every penny spent ... ... and then some. Eagle Lake Close to the end of our ride around Eagle Lake, L. still had some energy to goof around with her imitation of a shark (which came about because her sister thought this duck looked like a shark when it's head was in the water). Atop the South Bubble overlooking Jordan Pond. L. thought this rock looked like a butt crack, which of course was hysterically funny. More of our 'trick' photography with the "jellybean" (a glacial erratic) at the top of Cadillac Mountain. Exploring the caves at Otter Cliffs on Gorham Mountain was fun. We all spent some time taking a closer look at the beaver's work on this tree. Touching the teeth marks and scrapings was pretty cool. One of many water breaks biking up the trail around Parkman Mountain. At least everyone mustered up a smile once we got to the Waterfall bridge.

Greenbelt Trail is an easy, smooth ride

On Monday afternoon we took a bike ride along the Greenbelt Trail. We parked our car at Bug Light and the kids immediately made a bee line to the lighthouse. There was much talk about the rollerblading we've done around this park in past years and the need to bring along our blades for our next visit. I didn't know much about this trail beyond the park but a friend had told us there would be some road crossings along the way so Fino started out as the leader of our ride. And we did a lot of stop and go because of the many street crossings even though most were in quiet, residential areas with no cars in sight. It's just good policy when riding with kids that you stop and look both ways before crossing any street. There were two major intersections, one at Mill Creek (Broadway and Route 77) and the other on Broadway and Evans Street. We were good doobies who followed the crosswalk signals and since that took several minutes at each crossing, we had a nice break from the bike seats. We found one part of the trail a bit confusing simply because we are completely unfamiliar with South Portland. The off-the-road trail ends at Pearl Street with no trail markers on the road to confirm that you continue on Chestnut Street (we did spot a small arrow on the road at the end of Pearl Street veering to the left so we knew which way to go). We continued along the road for a short time before we picked up the trail again. It was just a matter of being uncertain we were going the right way because there is an intersection before you pick up the trail again. This ride was interesting because of the diversity of sights along the way. We had views of the water, a peak at some lovely backyard gardens (the trail abuts quite a few homes) before we headed in to the forested area and then open fields. We did have a chuckle over the "no trespassing" signs just before the Wainwright Farm Recreation Complex. As a former dumping area it's a good thing to have lots of signs telling people to stay off the grass. But the rolling hills of green are quite nice even if you can't touch them. Our ride was just shy of 11 miles and with a couple of breaks for road crossings and a longer stop to eat our snacks and enjoy Mill Creek Park, the kids didn't have any complaints about being tired. I also think the nicely paved trail and the lack of hills also contributed to this being a pleasant and easy ride for our family. TRAIL REVIEW Trail: Greenbelt Trail, which is part of the East Coast Greenway and connects to the Kennebec River Rail Trail in Augusta too Length: about 5.7 miles one way Terrain: Paved Trail use: Walking, biking Towns: South Portland Trail head: Bug Light Park, Madison Street (off Broadway) in South Portland Dog-friendly: Yes, on a leash Kid Rating: Both girls gave this trail 4 stars (on a scale of 1-the worst to 5-the best). 12-year-old: "I liked how the pavement was smooth. You could hear a lot of birds on this trail. I liked seeing Bug Light. There was a lot of places where you had to cross the street and I didn't like that too much but it was OK." 10-year-old: "I liked this trail because I could see lots of birds, like cranes and seagulls. And the trail was wide so I could bike next to my mom. We got to go and see Bug Light again and I love that lighthouse because I can run to the lighthouse and touch it and look over the edge at the water." Map of the trail South Portland Greenbelt Trail at EveryTrail

Geocaching lesson about kindness

On Friday I received an email from the CYFERnet 4-H Travel Bug Race to let the girls' 4-H club know that their geocaching travel bug - 4-H Walker - won the race. [Here's some background info about race if you have no idea what I'm talking about] L. has been tracking 4-H Walker and calculating game points for nine months, so needless to say, she and her fellow club members were thrilled with the final results. Then last night as L. was writing a story for the county (4-H) newsletter (see below), we had an interesting conversation about this project and the lessons learned. Geocachers from all over the world (4-H Walker spent time on four different continents) picked up this travel bug and took the time to log it on geocaching.com per the rules of the game (one geocacher even posted photos, which is not required) and then moved it to another geocache to help the kids maximize their mileage for the race. No, this was about more than winning a race. This was a lesson about people. People who care about helping some kids from Maine that they've never met. People who care that playing a game by the rules is important. People who care that something small can brighten someone else's day. Yes, this project was about so much more than winning. This was a lesson about the kindness of strangers around the world. And in case you were wondering about the stats of the race, I'll let L. fill you in...

CYFERnet Travel Bug Race Results By: L. Almeida The CYFERnet Travel Bug race is over and our Club won first place! The second place winner was a club from Missouri and the third place winner was from North Carolina. Our club beat the second place winners by 3,920 points. Neither of the other team's travel bugs left the United States but our travel bug went to four different continents (and traveled 21,985 miles total). The 4-H Walker went around the United States in North America and then went to Switzerland in Europe for a while. Then it went to Aruba off the coast of South America and then it went to Japan in Asia and that's where it is now. There were 20 Travel Bugs in the CYFERnet race. The 4-H clubs that entered the race were from all over the United States - Maine, Oklahoma, Nevada, Missouri, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Iowa and Kentucky. I hope my club's travel bug keeps on going and I really want it to go to France someday. The geocachers who moved our travel bug from geocache to geocache were really nice to take care of 4-H Walker for us. We were lucky to have nice people moving our travel bug around the world to help us win the race. I will still keep track of this travel bug for my club and make reports every month at our meetings even though the race is over. This was a fun project for my club and for me.

4-H youth conference and new learnings

I took G. and a couple of her 4-H friends to a conference at UMaine this past weekend. The 4-H Edge: Connecting Kids to Campus conference, run by UMaine Extension, invites 11- to 17-year-old 4-Hers to the Orono campus to introduce them to college by having them participate in workshops put on by various academic departments. They also get a chance to experience campus life by staying in the residence halls, eating in the dining hall and exploring the campus. The not-so-subtle message from the conference staff to the kids -- going to college should be in your future. It was great. G. chose a couple of workshops related to her cow project so she spent quite a bit of time with the animal science department at the farm. The first workshop was about rumens (a chamber in a cow's stomach) and how it works. I was on a campus tour while she was at this workshop but I met up with her for the second workshop on cow ultrasounds. The kids and adult chaperons stood in the dairy cow barn transfixed at the start of the workshop when the realization dawned on all of us that this ultrasound was going to be a little different than a regular human one. It was the shoulder length rubber glove that the instructor put on as she wheeled the machine over to a cow that clued us in. The look on the kids faces when they realized what was going to happen would have been a prize winner if I could have captured that moment on my camera. But I was at the back of the crowd with no room to move to get that shot. Then there was the 'cleaning out' process that involved pulling out handfuls of manure before inserting the ultrasound probe. And I don't know if this process is like yawning or not but all the cows around us starting letting loose. Since there were cows on both sides of our group, most of us did some quick moving around to avoid the splashing and splatters. It was quite an hour in the barn. The line across part of the screen is the baby's tail. The photo isn't very clear but running parallel to the black circle on the left is the spine. With several cow ultrasounds completed, we moved on to learn about the milking process and then took a tour of the rest of the farm. There were a variety of workshops offered through other academic departments and G. and her friends had a chance to explore other academic areas (fine arts, physics, etc.) in various buildings around campus and really enjoyed the experience. Workshops were scheduled until 11 p.m. on Saturday and it took a while to get all the kids settled in to their rooms for the night. Since wake-up calls were made a 6:30 a.m., there wasn't much sleeping during this conference so when we finally rolled into our driveway on Sunday, we were all thoroughly exhausted. But G.'s thinking college is cool and that was worth a sleepless weekend to me. This conference is an annual event held in mid-May and open to all Maine 4-Hers. If you're interested in learning more about 4-H (it's not all about animals), check out the state's 4-H website

Learn to geocache at Libby Hill May 31

If you're interested in learning to geocache - and support a good environmental project - check out Spring Discovery Day at Libby Hill in Gray on May 31. There are a bunch of workshops happening at the trails that day and geocaching is one of them (check out Orienteering too - my family enjoys that activity too). Here are the event details....

SPRING DISCOVERY DAY a fundraising event for Libby Hill Trails WHERE: Gray-New Gloucester Middle School WHEN: Sat, May 31, 9am-11:30am ** Rain Date is Sun June 1 COST - $5 per child Come find out what's hatching in the pond (Pond Dipping), what lives in the soil (Soil Safari), go on a technological treasure hunt (Geocaching) , and test your map-reading skills on a very short Orienteering course right at the school. We even have a few scavenger hunts! Bring a picnic lunch to eat at the top of the hill while you hear about some of the first residents of Gray - the top of the hill used to be a sheep farm! Afternoon Walks/Talks are primarily geared for adults, but use your discretion.. . Wildflowers (12:15pm) and Discover Stonewalls & Cellarholes (2:00pm). Space is limited for these special events, they are $10 per person, and you can pre-register online at www.LibbyHill.org or call Steve 657-2114.

EarthCache Bronze Masters

The other day we received a special package in our mailbox that had the kids all aglow -- our EarthCache Bronze Master awards. Now we just have to find 3 more EarthCaches and develop one of our own (already in the works) to earn the Silver Master award. The girls are motivated and L. tells everyone (including all of her 4-H friends last weekend) about EarthCaches and why they should try it. If only a sticker and pin could motivate them to do their math homework we'd really be on to something ...

Learning to use GPS unit to geocache

Learning how to use a GPS unit is not nearly as hard as people think it is. Yes, it takes a bit of brainpower but it's more a matter of finding a reason why you want to learn. This past weekend I worked with two 4-H clubs to teach the kids how to use a GPS unit and then went on the hunt for some geocaches. Learning to use a GPS is a whole lot more fun when it includes hunting for hidden treasures. G. and L. were my class assistants and they were a big help, not only during the class, but helping me prep for it. L. helped me with the GPS screen explanations and G. wrote an information page about how the game was played. I needed to make sure I broke down the information in a way that would make sense to my students (who ranged in age from 6 - 17) by having kids who know the game help me plan the class. I thought I'd share the info here for those who really want to learn to geocache and don't know how a GPS unit works (and because I talk about this game frequently and many of you have told me you have no idea what I'm talking about ;-) With each class, I gave each small group of kids a GPS unit (an older etrex unit we borrowed from the 4-H office) and a small ring of cards with information on scrolling through screens on the GPS, finding waypoints (coordinates where geocaches are located) and how the GPS guides you to a waypoint. This is really just a quick snapshot of how a GPS unit works (and the newer units screens are slightly different) but it was enough information to get all the kids I worked with this weekend -- who had little to no GPS unit experience -- out in the woods finding geocaches (ones I planted for the class so no worries experienced geocachers on me giving up any real secret locations!). Geocachers use the compass screen to follow the arrow to the geocache as well as the distance you are currently from it. The trick about using the unit's compass is that it points to the direction of the cache, not necessary the way you should actually hike to it. Following the trail and GENERAL direction of the compass arrow is the safest way to find your hidden treasure. I also taught some of the kids in my classes how to MARK their own waypoint. Several 4-H projects these kids are working on require them to make their own maps and highlight particular points on that map. If you've never played the Geocache game before, here is G.'s (she just turned 12) explanation. ______________________________________________________________ 1. What is Geocaching? It is a game you play with a GPS to find hidden treasure. 2. How do you play? First you go on to www.geocaching.com to look for geocache coordinates. You need those to find the hidden treasure. Once you see a cache you want to enter it in to the GPS unit. The coordinates are called waypoints. 3. How do you find a cache? Now you drive to the trail where the cache is hidden and turn on your GPS. Find the nearest waypoints on your GPS and look for the name of the cache on your waypoint list. Then you click on it and you will see a screen that says “go to.” Click on that button. That button will show you a compass. The compass will tell you how far the cache is and the arrow will tell you which direction to walk to find the cache. 4. What do you look for? The GPS will only lead you to within 30 feet of the cache. Once you get to 30 feet you start looking for the cache. You look for sticks that are stacked together or rocks that the cache is hidden under. Once you find it you open it and put your name in the log book so people know you have been to the cache. And then you can have a toy. You can take one but you have to leave one too. You can not take a toy and not give the cache one. Once you are done with your trade you put the book and geocache back the way you found it. Then you come home and log on to Geocaching.com and post that you found the cache. ______________________________________________________________ I also added this bit of info to her explanation of the game ...

Every geocacher should sign the log book found in a geocache w/their screen name and practice their geocacher short-hand. TFTC = Thanks For The Cache TNLN = Took Nothing Left Nothing

And I offered a bit of advice on one of the quirky things that can happen to GPS units while out in the 'field.'

If your GPS unit screen goes blank (not uncommon with these well-used units from Extension Office), try to turn off the unit and then turn it back on. If that doesn’t work, take off the back cover (a metal hook that you turn to remove cover) and take out the batteries. Then put the batteries back in and replace the cover. This should reset the unit.

The kids I worked with had a good time geocaching and many wanted to go out and find some 'real' geocaches next time. What appeals to the kids most of all I think is that they can use a GPS unit, something not that many people know how to do yet. And that gives them a self-esteem boost and opens up a whole new 'secret society' of people hunting for hidden treasure. Here's a few resources about geocaching if you're interested in playing the game. Getting started geocaching Guide to purchasing a GPS unit to play the game

Kiss my (behind) sentiments

Last night L. and I went to the Pirates play-off game (no one else wanted to come with us - those lukewarm fans!) and sat behind an enthusiastic, vocal Providence Bruins fan. He and Crackers had some "words" (which really was all in good fun). Crackers parting sentiment had everyone around us roaring with laughter. It took L. a minute to catch on but when she worked it out, she thought it was hysterical. The giggles continued through the car ride home. I'm certain this hockey "action" is going to mull around in that spunky 10-year-old brain for quite some time -- with her own own variation likely to make an appearance at a TBA public location soon. I've told her this is not something she should mimmick but she's 10 and she's my L. and it's the kind of thing, when the timing is right (read: worst place to embarass her mom), it's just going to happen. But these are the sacrafices I make as a hockey fan. The Pirates won last night's game (without OT which I'm grateful that I could get home at a reasonable hour) and are now off to Providence to finish up this round of play-offs. The team needs one more win for the Atlantic Division championship and move to the next round of play-offs. Go Pirates!

Mt. Apatite is fun place to explore

Yesterday we went hiking at Mt. Apatite in Auburn to do some rock mining and research for a geology project. The morning started off eating pancakes while reading print outs from the Maine Geological Survey about the area. We opted to go to Mt. Apatite for a hike to complete our research because well, we like it there and research is much more fun when it's done "in the field." The rain was coming down pretty hard so we took some umbrellas along with our mining gear (hammers, chisel, flathead screwdriver, gloves and safety goggles). Mock me if you will but the umbrellas kept us - and our gear - relatively dry. And you know, walking in the rain really can be pleasant if you're prepared for it. And if you're 10, walking in huge puddles can be the highlight of any trip. We went to the dump side of the Maine Feldspar Quarry to sift through the rocks there before moving on to the other side of the quarry further up the trail. L. did some rock splitting and found some small traces of apatite (the mineral namesake for the mountain - and a valuable gem if you can find a larger sample of it) as well as garnet. In the past we've also found small pieces of tourmaline but we didn't find any on this trip. We did however discover that this area also has a basalt deposit like the one we found in New Hampshire on our EarthCache adventure and were all excited we actually recognized it and knew what it was. Yup, field research is a whole lot more fun. You can find quartz, feldspar and mica in all shapes and sizes easily at Mt. Apatite. My kids enjoy swinging a hammer and cracking rocks open so we bring along the mining gear but it's not really necessary for kids. They'll likely have you serving as a pack mule in no time with all their newly found treasures they simply can't leave without. There are two quarries at Mt. Apatite open to the public, the Maine Feldspar Quarry and Greenlaw Quarry. We have yet to find a good map of this area so we took our GPS unit to save a track of our hike so other families could find these quarries more easily. Mt. Apatite Trail at EveryTrailMap created by EveryTrail The one odd thing about this trail is getting from the trail head to the trail. The trail head is located next to a National Guard post and you have to walk down their private road to get to the public lands trail. There are several signs posted with "no trespassing" so visitors stay on the road and not explore the woods near the post. It's a little confusing if you've never been there but the road is open to pedestrian traffic headed to Mt. Apatite. Go to this map to get directions to the trail head

Playoff hockey 'All Fired Up'

It's the second round of playoffs for the Portland Pirates and we saw one great, fast moving hockey game at the Civic Center last night. The Pirates have a special ticket promotion for $12 tickets to this round of playoff games for Main Deck seats. The one problem with this discount ticket offer is that when you order the tickets online, you can't choose your seats. Our seats turned out to be in the 3rd row from the ice. It was a real up close and personal experience and one I've decided over the years, is not my favorite place to be. So being the overly paranoid mother, I reviewed my Puck Duck move with the kids again. But when a puck hit the glass with such force it made everyone around us jump (or maybe it was me jumping so high it looked like everyone else was moving), L. and her friend decided to 'hide' (and giggle) under their seats for a few minutes. I swear I didn't stage this photo with G. reading the latest edition of RM magazine, I just noticed it this morning! Pirates playoff games always include some free fan swag and L. really likes the rally towels. She and her friend A. (her favorite hockey fan partner at games) loved swinging those things at the game this year. And per usual, L. had to get silly with her towel. Of course it's highly amusing to put them on your head too (different year, same idea). The Pirates won the game in overtime with lots of enthusiastic screaming fans. Providence is up one game over the Pirates in this round of playoffs and the teams face each other again at the Civic Center on tomorrow (Sunday - game starts at 4:05 p.m.). If you're interested in seeing some GREAT hockey, you can still get tickets for Sunday's game. The $12 ticket offer is available as well (according to the email I got from the team office). Go to: www.portlandpiratesstore.com/ticketstores And enter this info to get the discounted tickets (User name: playoffs, Password: round2) Or just stop by the box office to pick up tickets. Last night's game was not even close to being sold out, which was too bad because it really was an awesome game. Where else can you see a playoff game for $12?

EarthCache: Geology for everyday people

My family wants to be able to pick up a rock on a hiking trail and understand why it looks the way it does. How it was created. How the geological process works. But the reality is, we don't know a darn thing about geology. Short of taking a semester-long course on the subject, which would take more time and effort than I have right now, I wasn't sure how to tackle my family's desire to learn more about geology. Then I ran across the Geological Society of America's (GSA) EarthCache website. The GSA has a listing of EarthCaches, locations found with a GPS unit, that teach visitors about a unique feature or aspect of the earth. The listings not only provide the coordinates to the EartCache, they also provide educational information to help people learn why that particular site is important to scientists who study our planet. Learning about geology by spending time outdoors to explore and experience it sounded perfect for my active family. After downloading several EarthCache coordinates to my hand-held GPS unit, I printed out the corresponding information page to bring along on the trail. I wanted to make sure we understood what geological feature we were looking for and could answer the questions required to log our visit for GSA's EarthCache Masters program. The Masters program, an optional bit of fun for the goal-oriented family, requires participants to answer a few questions about the EarthCache (proving you've actually learned something) and take a digital photo of yourself at the location. Participants of the program earn a special pin from the GSA and everyone in my family decided they had to have one. We set off for Rye, New Hampshire, first to discover the Dikes of Odiorne Point and learn about the large basalt dikes there. It was cold and windy the day we visited but that didn't stop us from skipping rocks, picking up sea shells and examining several broken lobster traps on the beach. It was my 10-year-old who spotted the "black rock veins" first. An apt description for the dark molten volcanic material (basalt) cutting through the rocky shore. We answered the EarthCache questions necessary to log our visit and found the site to be fascinating. Scientists believe the Rye Formation, where the dikes are located, to be 460,000,000 years old. "How do they know it's that old? How did they figure that out?" OK, so we can't learn everything about geology at an EarthCache site but we can take the time to be awed by nature and the scientists who study it. We were eager to find another EarthCache and decided to explore a second coastal feature, this time at Old Orchard Beach. We parked near the pier and set off for our walk on the beach to get as close to the EarthCache coordinates we could during high tide (the coordinates we were given were taken at a low spring tide). To log this EarthCache, we had to figure out whether our visit coincided with a spring or neap tide. This is determined by the moon phase and since it was the first day of a the new moon, our visit was during the spring tide. This might sound complicated but the EarthCache information page was written in an easy-to-read format, complete with an animated graphic, that my 10-year-old had no trouble figuring out. After logging these two EarthCache finds, the kids chose our next location a few days later, the Madison Boulder in New Hampshire. The inland trail through the woods is home to the largest known glacial erratic in New England. Basically it's a big piece of bedrock that traveled a substatial distance from it's original location by a glacier thousands of years ago. The kids were fascinated by the enormous, seemingly out of place boulder and we spent an hour discussing it and taking photos. This included some 'trick' photography with my 10-year-old pretending to hold the boulder in her hand and then both girls appearing to have jumped off the large erratic. When you're 10- and 12-years old, this is the kind of geology lesson that tends to stick with you. After logging our third find and realizing we had already accomplished the Bronze Earthcache Master level (we visited and logged three EarthCaches in two states), we decided to set our goals higher. We're going for the Silver and estimate it will take us until mid-summer to complete. This level requires logging six EarthCaches in three states and developing an Earthcache of our own. The real challenge with the Silver level will be in developing our own Earthcache. But we've got some ideas in the works and everyone is excited to start working on it. Visiting an EarthCache is a great way to learn and appreciate the wonders of our earth and will provide your family with a hands-on geology lesson everyone will enjoy. To learn more about EarthCache sites, go to www.earthcache.org This column was published in Raising Maine magazine, May 2008.