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.

Kennebec River Rail Trail - a great ride

The Kennebec River Rail Trail is a great, family-friendly biking trail and well worth the investment of a bike rack for the car to get your family there for some riding. We started out at Capital City Park in Augusta, about a mile into the trail (the trail starts at Old Fort Western) and headed towards Hallowell. About 1/2 mile into the trip Fino had a problem with one of his bike's tires. Since G. had taken over his bike because she outgrew the one she used last year (she's been growing like a weed!), Fino rebuilt an old bike he found at the town dump over the winter. Luckily he brought along the bike pump and filled the tire and didn't have any other problems with it. Since I'm still paranoid about taking the kids riding on the street (moms are entitled to a few hangups about their kid's safety right?), we walked our bikes through downtown Hallowell and enjoyed some window shopping. The road is narrow through this area (and no bike lane through part of it) but it only runs about 1/2 mile before the off-road trail starts up again. I got a little worried walking through Hallowell that we would miss where to pick up the off-road trail again, but it was clearly marked. We made a few stops to look around on the trail, including a spot where a brook ran into the river that L. insisted we stop to admire. Since there are trains that use the rails along this trail, there are quite a few signs where bikers need to stop and look before crossing. We biked to the end of the trail in Gardiner, which was a shopping plaza with Hannaford, Subway and a few other eateries and shops. We packed our lunch but it was great to have a couple of options to use a bathroom at that point. We had spotted the Hi-Hat Diner in Farmingdale on our way down so we decided after lunch we had to get some onion rings on our way back to Augusta. They were tasty and cost under $3 and was a fun stop. With less than two miles to go, L. started to complain that she was tired (after biking almost ten miles at that point, we were all starting to get a little winded!) so I suggested a short stop at the Maine State Museum after we packed up the bikes. That perked her right up. The kids absolutely LOVE that place and it was just across the street from Capital City Park. And as luck would have it, there was a special curator's program happening that day that the kids enjoyed. We also admired the gemstones and the other geology and nature exhibits (the girls are studying geology right now) at the museum. After both Fino and I nearly nodded off watching one of the short exhibit films, we decided it was definitely time to head home. The kids begged to stay claiming that they were not tired even though I could tell they were. Promises were made to return again soon. Like the Adroscoggin River Bike Path, this trail is almost completely paved (there's a small portion between Augusta and Hallowell that is packed gravel) and a great place to ride with your family. Below is a GPS track of the trail that we took during our ride yesterday. The biking crew in front of the Kennebec River in Hallowell. TRAIL REVIEW Trail: Kennebec River Rail Trail, which is part of the East Coast Greenway that connects trails from Maine to Florida Length: 6.5 miles one way Terrain: Mostly paved (approx. 1/2 mile between Augusta and Hallowell is packed gravel) Trail use: Walking, biking Towns: Augusta, Hallowell, Farmingdale, Gardiner Trail head: There are several access points to this trail. Capital City Park in Augusta and Hannaford shopping plaza in Gardiner are the main points of entry with plenty of parking. Bathroom: There are nearby businesses at both trail heads that have public bathrooms. There are also public bathrooms in downtown Hallowell. Dog-friendly: Yes, on a leash Kid Rating: Both girls gave this trail 5 stars (on a scale of 1-the worst to 5-the best). 12-year-old: "I liked the bike path because it was smooth. There were not many people on the trail when we were there so it made it really easy for us to ride. I also liked passing by all the pretty shops in Hallowell." 10-year-old: "The pavement was easy to ride on and I liked the railroad track crossings. I liked the wooden bridge with the brook under it. I also liked stopping for onion rings at the Hi-Hat Diner, I just wish I got more onion rings!" Trail Map: Kennebec River Rail Trail at EveryTrailMap created by EveryTrail:Share GPS tracks