Kvarn Event i närheten av Rökstenen

I had only been to small event (Sommarmysteriet 2010) so I decided it was time for some real caching during an event and I choose to visit the Kvarn Event September 25th 2010 near the "Röksten" outside Ödeshög.  To increase my experience I decided to go for a real GPS and choose the Garmin eTrex Legend HCx as a complement to my HTC Desire. But I just ordered it the week before and had not had time to test it live.
As I realized that going there by bus or train might not a good idea I managed to get a lift with tor_selden and jakob8h. When we arrived to the event it was time to get ready.

At the registration. jacob8h bending down to get something from his rucksack - tor_selden in the front is ready

The weather during the event was perfect for caching, especially in the terrain we were up against. The time of year also ment that mosqitous was not a problem. Perfect!

At the event I also met Höögarna with their geoDog Sigge.

Sigge, the geoDog

Sigge really loves to get out into the terrain (even snow) and hunt for caches. I actually met with Höögarna and Sigge during another event in Katrineholm in December but more about that another time.

The whole familly of Smokestoners had prepared for a fun event, with 24 caches placed in the shape of a board of the Kvarn game, with 1100 meters between the sides. The choice had been for position before suitability of location so we experienced quite a lot of different terrain. I recommend you to try these 24 caches, but avoid it during winter...

Ready to go, Tor in red and Jakob in blue

The plan was to go out in the terrain, so I joined Tor and Jakob in their car. As they were much more experienced they had suitable clothes and foot wear. I have after this acquired sturdy working pants (similar to the ones in the picture) and suitable boots but at this time I used normal pants and rubber boots. (Actually, rubber boots is a good choice for these caches.)  In the car Tor and Jakob had all sorts of equipment, with several GPSs, multi-chargers for the car, laptops, webcams, etc. GeoCaching can really be a high tech hobby at times.

So it was time to go out chasing caches, which in total became 19 as part of the event (including event itself and one mystery).
We choice to head for a good starting point (#6) and managed to get 6 straight FTFs, by crossing swamps by foot, driving along forrest roads etc. I was happy as I had had no FTFs before this event!
After #6 we got to #13 Petra (Rubber boots!), #17 Tyr, #18 Bjarka, #14 Eoh and #15 Algiz. Strange names. Of these #14 Eoh is really the only intersting log by me; the suggestion of a good mushroom place could maybe be something? After #15 we started to run into gangs of other cachers so we stopped our FTF race and started to log next in line. Which in our case was #22 Ing which was a large rain barrel filled with beer bottles... So we got our prizes. I brought that prize back home and my girlfrind got it...

Dad Smokestoner giving directions at the start, surronded by mum Smokestone and their children (pebbles).

The next cache of interest was #21 Lagu, which was a 3/5. By using a fallen tree it was possible to get to the cache. Only one of us three needed to make the climb so it is good to do this as a group. After  this we decided that it was time for a food break and to solve the event mystery. Once more, a group effort made the day. At the next cache (#24 Dagaz) Tor managed to leave his cell phone... Luckily he had not muted it so backtrack with another phone made it possible to find it. The remaining caches I have no special recollection of. But eventually we got back to the event site in time for the final. Also Mum Smokestoner sold warm Goulash that was delicious.

Happy and tired cachers at the final

In all a great event which was much enjoyed by all I think. I do recommend y'all to go to the next event here in May 2011. Stay tuned!

After the event I joined Tor and Jakob for a hunt for more caches nearby. They had a couple of mysteries they had solved and also we found a minor "power trail" in the forrest (maybe remains from some older event?) that we cached. Östergötland is a fine region to go around, mix of terrain. The most memorable cache is probably Syllerstorpett-två-tre, a site I have passed many times without realizing what it was hiding. (Or rather, the E4 motorway passes close to it, but to get to the spot you to use small roads.)

Eventually I got home. After saying goodbye to Jakob and Tor I decided I should get one more...  Why not a multi (Let's play) which had been bothering me. This time I managed to solve it.

So, at last back home, after a total of 37 finds. Record (by far) for me so far. I will try to make 50 someday, and I am interested to make a try for the magic 300 some time in the future. But more than that, no. Of course there is always someone who wants the record but those kind of numbers are ridicolous; I don't think I would manage even if I had them in a great pile on the floor in front of me...