Geocashing in Iraq

If you don't know what Geocaching is, let me tell you a little bit about it. Basically, geocaching is treasure hunting with a GPS! I'm not sure how long it's been around, but there are over 900,000 sites listed on the geocaching website. When you sign onto the website, you can look for hidden caches in an area by typing in something as simple as your zip code, and maybe a distance you are willing to travel. Then you can read about all the different caches in that area, locate one that sounds interesting, get the coordinates and set out to find it's treasure. The GPS will get you close and then the hunting begins. Some are big. My first one here was in an ammo can. As the pictures will show, some can be very small, as well. The small ones are called microcaches. At home, with the kids, most of the caches are big enough to hide little trinkets. The kids can pick one out to keep, but the geocaching rule is that you must replace it with a treasure of your own. That way there is always something for the next person to discover. It's a fun way to spend some time outside and a little bit challenging too. There are over 130 caches where I'm currently stationed.

Before we go any farther with this I would just like to thank the person that made this all possible. Without him, I wouldn't be over here enjoying this sport on the only morning I have off.

I didn't realize that he was this tall.

There's another picture like this, still intact, on base somewhere else, but I haven't found it yet. The silly hat is to protect my big noggin, while I ride my wife's new bike around the base.

Below is Danny (Sgt. Danny Hayward) and me with one of the caches we found. As you can see, it isn't very large and can be easily hidden. Notice the lake. It's the same one that the giant fish from the video lives in. Danny has a far off look because we are both trying to get pictures at the same time.

This was the first one we found together. We knew roughly where it was without the GPS, but some of the clues led us in circles. When we finally found it, we said "duh". It's like texting, geocaching has a language all its own.
Below: the cache is the little tiny black thing in my gloved hand. It's about the size of 2 hearing aid batteries and has a magnet on the back for holding it in place. It unscrews to reveal a small roll of paper that you sign, to prove you were there. Amazingly enough we got it back inside.
It's a fun way to hang out with friends. I don't think I'll find all 130+, but I'll continue to knock them out as the opportunities arise.

It's becoming more enjoyable lately because of the lower temps. It was only about 97 that day, with a slight breeze.

I know that it snowed in Bend on my wonderful wife's birthday. What a change from here! Wish I could have been there to enjoy it with her and the kids. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks for looking in!
mike

Bike Tour Of Victory

Just a couple of things before I begin.

First, I've had people wishing to see more of me in the pictures. Well, here is your token Mike picture from last Friday. We call them Stetson Fridays. It's a Cavalry thing. It does give me a chance to wear the hat though. I'll get spurs at some point.

Second, at the very end of the blog is a video. It is of me feeding a 5-6 foot fish. They call it a Cracken, but I've dubbed it Winston after a friend. He eats entire rolled donuts and muffins in a single bite and makes a sucking sound when he pulls them in. Above that, he is hand fed! The video is of me feeding him.

One of the things I enjoy doing for exercise and recreation is to ride my bike around the complex. When I got here I noticed an advertisement for a really good bike on the base's Craig's list. I bought it and every Saturday/Sunday morning I go for a ride. The following pictures are from 3 or 4 weeks of riding around the VBC (Victory Base Complex). I don't know what each building is, but it at least gives you a look at the place. It also gives you an idea of all the things Saddam built for his pleasure at the sake of some of his people.

What better starting place than an Iraqi sunrise! The pictures don't show much, but I am trying to be a bit artsy with my point and shoot camera and show some beauty in the area.

This is one of the 2 communication hills on base. The rumor is that the dirt/sand that makes these hills was dug from the many lakes on base. All the lakes are man made for Saddam and his party. Another rumor is that he turned off Baghdad's water supply for 10 days to fill all the lakes. Before the US invasion the lakes were all filtered and people swam in them. You can see the entire base and some of Baghdad from the top of these hills, hence, no pictures allowed from there.

This looks better than the other pic I took a few minutes later. You can see more of the foreground and it looks like a moon scape to me.

One of 2 mosques that I have seen on base. As far as I can tell they have been left alone since we got here, although they are in great condition and must have someone keeping them up.
This is the other one, much smaller scale but just as nicely kept up. I love the shapes and colors

Can anyone tell me what this says?

Random building. It looks like something you would see from Egypt, but parts look like a federal buildings from the US. Very grand. I have to say he had an eye for buildings.

The Bath party house below - where Shock and Awe began. Built over the water on stilts because, according to what I have heard, they believe that sins don't count in water. Doesn't sound like an all seeing god to me. Interestingly, the building is very impressive from a far and some of the details look well done, but I have noticed that it is all just window dressing. Look under the outside and you will notice building techniques from 200 years ago. Layered bricks and mortar.
To the right side is the blast damage from one of our initial bombs, total collapse.

The front door. Notice the open area in the middle. A pool is suppose to be in there.

This one has an interesting name; Victory over Iran and Victory over US. It is two palaces built into one. As you can see, it was never completed. I wonder why?!


If you notice on the right side of the building there appears to be another crane. It collapsed last winter. Texas said it made some noise when it fell. I guess 5 years of nothing takes it toll.
Bravo troop has been here and dubbed it "the Flintstone" village. Saddam built this for his grand kids. It looks like something you would find at Disneyland. It has been pretty marked up and some parts are collapsing, but it looks like it would be a pretty fun playground for children.

The Perfume Palace over to your right is Saddam's brothel. This is from quite a distance. It's actually a very large building.

Just a set of nice digs for those in charge.

The outside of the JVB hotel that we toured a couple of weeks ago

This is a view of the back of the hotel. From there we hit golf balls off the deck into the lake. We can also go out on Friday nights to feed the fish stale bread and watch the feeding frenzy.

Another random building, suppose to be Saddam's mother-in-law place.

This little building is where Saddam's cooks lived and worshiped. They were Christians. He didn't trust his own people to prepare his food, so he had a small group of Christians that served him, he trusted them. Go figure!

This is also where Chaplin Yates performs his services. Now that it's getting cooler, I can hardly wait to have a service with the sliding doors open to allow the cool breeze and sound of the water to fill the chapel.

There it is to the far right surrounded by 3 sides of one of the man made lakes.

The Juicer as seen out front of the JVB hotel. Don't know what goes on in there but the roof does look like an old juicer.

More random buildings from around Victory.

I know people that have lake front property, but this is amazing. I'm always amazed that they are this low to the water. They don't have to worry about flooding since it's a man made lake. When the water was cleaner, I bet it would have been great to walk out back and dive in!

Juicer again.

Trying to be artsy again, not sure if it works. What do you think? This use to be one of the ways into the Alfad palace. It had a little accident with a US bomb. We've since build a walking bridge over the old one.

Alfad Palace. Hope I got the spelling right.

True Value Hardware store. Notice the sign on the left edge. Been in there, of course. Not very impressive compared to the ones back home, but nice to see one anyways. I have also seen a Dewalt store. I would really like to get in there! I found it by mistake when I first got here and was learning my way around. I got lost and now I'm not really sure where I saw it, since I was just trying to make sure that I didn't drive off base or into a restricted area.

Random thing. I run into actvities almost every morning I ride. This was a Camp Victory 10K. This guy was out playing the pipes to entertain the runners. He also gives classes on Thursday nights. I could be interested, but have to make the time - oh, and get a bagpipe!

And this is where I'll stop, at 2 men in a boat. Three men in a boat means "slow". And now you know as much Arabic as I do.

Take care and thanks again for looking in and commenting. I miss you all!