As Simple As ABC (Nelson/Marlborough) Aniseed Valley, South Island, New Zealand
By Biggles and Co. on 28-Aug-09. Waypoint GC1XWV3

TFTC

Nice to make a second summit trip to this ridge. Made a quick grab here. Cache in good condition and not too much gorse to contend with. Find # 844.

Up Involution to pick up 2 caches I stayed on the ridge following the Barnicoat Walkway until this cache.I did some house keeping in the containers what hopefully helps keeping the content dry.I hooked onto the more direct track to Glider Road at Wild Boar Alley and walked out to Marsden looking back on a great day out in them hills.Thank you BigglesNZ for the cache

Track is open again.

Track access is closed for forestry operations until mid-December.

Stumbled across it by accident while exploring!

The cache was simple enough, but getting there took a bit of huffing and puffing... The rain has not returned so far... TFTC!!

As simple as ABC? I am sweating like mad, my eyes are stinging, I am probably going to be sunburnt all over, we got to this cache the hard way - up the ridge rather than up the road, and you're calling this simple?!? Well, it is, of course.
Could hear the seeds cases on the broom popping open all around. Never experienced that before, quite amazing. And what's with this ridiculously steep road just after the cache? Flaming heck! Just about sliding down on my bum.

Ricardinho and I headed to Nelson for some minor missions of mine. Them out of the way - what shall we do? How about a bit of bush? I suggest. We look at our maps and both suggest the Barnicoat area. Well, I guess it was meant to be! Man it is HOT! Spent most of the day drenched in sweat. We did the loop anticlockwise - widdershins - and that meant the extremely steep exposed uphill bit first. Probably an oops. Great views from near the top (but not actually at the top) but no photos - I left the camera in the car.

A quick find here at the top of the trail, no issues here. TFTC Biggles.

Today I was back over the hill with the Seagnoid to put the finishing touches on his latest Nelson rail offerings.
As it transpired he was dead keen to get these out there - so keen that the one we placed was published later in the day before we left town, so no mucking around.
But while over the hill, and with the initial job sorted quickly (as well as some shopping), we discussed what other options we could do. In the end we decided on a hill walk, so we did a trip up Marsden Valley Rd to do a part of the Barnicoat walkway, then loop back to the car.
A bit of up, then down.
Then a decent-sized, unplanned chunk of both (just as we were getting tired of it all) that tested the reserves.
But a good day, and no DNFs on the walkway, which is key. We found a few others in the near vicinity also, travelling to and from the start area.
We finished the day with a spearmint milkshake each, which soothed the hangry pains, then picked up some hitchhikers to chat with on the way home before dropping off at Pelorus Bridge.
That is the summary of the day and the copy and paste bit, any thoughts more particular to the caches are at the top. Thanks all COs for hiding and maintaining.

Tftc

Cache container was a bit wet inside, but log good and dry. Left it a bit in the sun to dry.
Lovely walk, thanks for bringing me up here. I often use Geocaching to find nice walkways, today was one of these days

I was starting to flag by now so Andy took charge of the GPS and headed off up the hill. By the time I arrived he had found the cache, signed the log and was just getting ready to put back where he found it. I then sat and enjoyed the view while he headed off for one last cache. tftc

Headed up the hill to check on this cache after a recent DNF. I found the cache still in place but the log was mush. New log added to old cache. Hint updated to make it a bit less cryptic. Good to go.

Had 12 satellites locked on this one so know I was standing right where it should have been on one side of the fence or the other. Don't know if the clue is cryptic or not but no rocks to be found, just lots of long grass, rotten logs and gorse. Found a pair of old socks and some shorts nearby, maybe from the last person who died looking for it

We came some of the way up this hill the other night but as we are still streaking and only need to find one cache per day we only found one. Headed back up the hill today, the weather forecast was ok for this morning and was forecast to turn crappy this afternoon. So with a reasonably early start I headed up the hill again. The more I get familiar with the hill the shorter it seems (or so I like to tell myself). However we have never been further along than the Challenge on Barnicoat nor any further than the Another Barnicoat Cache. So today I left with plenty of time to explore a little bit further. I headed along Widdershins to see where that would go. By the time I got to the end of that nice wee track the weather was starting to change. So I decided to head along and have a look for another cache that was showing on my phone, which I did with no luck. Now that I am home I see that the other one is disabled for the time being. So I carried on to find this one.
Checked a couple of places and even though there was no rock to speak of I soon found this cache.
The outer container was full of water and the inner container was quite wet. The log look was only in one of the two bags and it was completely sodden (and quite slippery). I managed to carefully open the logbook and carefully wrote our name on the page. I tipped the water out but with the weather turning wet and cold there was not much chance of me being able to get the log book dry. It will need replacing. I am sorry I did not have any spare logs and bags with me (I will try to remember to bring some on my next trip up here.
This cache has not been found for Result: 1016 days or 2 years, 9 months, 12 days which is quite surprising.
By the time I was signing the log the weather was just starting to softly drizzle - time to head back to the car before the forecasted rain sets in. I took a more direct route back to the car and I am very very pleased I had not chosen that path to take on the uphill leg of this outing.
Thank you for placing this cache, it was a great outing, one I feel quite chuffed that I have now started to investigate this area. And of course thank you for the smilie

Was I ever glad to get here!

I log slog up the forestery logging track, but all the more satisfying now I am here.

The cache was a quick find, discovered by feel alone due to fogged up glasses.

Ahh! Relief! It's downhill now.

#930

Made hard work of this one!! Not sure I approached GZ from the easiest route but got there in the end. Superb views!! Thanks Biggles!!

My bike is getting heavier each time I heave it over a gate, TFTC.

We walked up to this cache after finding Survivors. It was a hard uphill slog for me as I was rapidly running out of gas. Cache took a bit to track down as the grass was quite long. I sat down to start reading past logs when StreetWalker found the cache a short distance from where we had been searching.
Now decision time - to press on to the caches on the MTB track or to head down. In the end, an easy choice, time to head back and hopefully pick up a few more caches. TFTC.

#8544. This cache was at the high point of today's caching trip. The views were good, but the string wind meant we didn't linger long. TFTC.

Out for a caching walk to day, Up Barnicoat along to Jenkins Hill and back down Involution. Thanks for putting the caches out there. I had a good day out walking and caching TFTC

Yip. Pretty much. I challenged myself not to touch a rock until I was 100% sure the cache would be under it. Either by luck or happenstance I won the challenge. Amazing views from up here eh. TFTC.

Yes another Biggles special. It would be sparse up here without his efforts. Thanks for all of these. http://www.geocaching.com/images/icons/icon_smile_cool.gif

Like this spot. When we first moved to Nelson in 2001 this is the first place we came walking and picnicking. poor kids, they were 3 and 7! Can't believe we made them walk up the walkway!!! horrible parents!.....thanks Biggles for the outing.

So what started as a 2 to 3 hour Waitangi Day walk with MrsM turned into an almost 5 hour mission. Up the Involution Trail, across the top of Barnicoat and then down the Glider Rd, picking up 11 caches along the way. Find #7. An ready find but do we now go down the quick route or head west and grab a few more caches. What do you think . Onwards ho. TFTC

Found with Kiwigrandad

Cache no. 700, easy find after easy climb up the hill on the MTB. Cancel last comment about easy climb up the Hill

Simple as! Felt like Get Smart getting into the cache
Cheers Gav

I was in the area for a walk this morning and could see no signs of any track closures, so this cache should be OK to access for now.

Track closed until about Christmas - including weekends - because of logging.

Quick easy find, TFTC

Quick find and a chance to rest before moving onward to Jenkin's Hill. TFTC

Quick find and a chance to get my breath back before heading back down the walkway. TFTC

Got it, my old cache was a metre from this one years ago

nicest GZ of the day spent exploring this ridge from 1 end to the other a beautiful day exploring paradise

Was riding up here and thought, hmm good spot for a cache, checked phone and whaddya know, quick find and carried on. TFTC

Coordinates changed from:
S 41° 20.566 E 173° 15.792

Coordinates changed to:
S 41° 20.566 E 173° 15.782

Distance from original: 45.7 feet or 13.9 meters.

New location.

Wandered up the hill today and replaced the log and inner container. Also moved the cache a few metres away from original GZ to a spot which is hopefully less prone to getting waterlogged.

Found cache but unable to sign log as it was too wet. Have walked over this spot hundreds of times before - one of my regular local walks and have now added this cache to my collection.

Found cache full of water and log saturated. Emptied and dried container as best we could but log book needs replacing.

Cache found on a morning walk up the scout track. Unable to sign log as the cache was completely full of water and the paper has turned to mush. Great spot for a breather before heading down to find "Middle Ridge".

Easy find, a beautiful day and views were great. TNLN [8)]

There was enough water in the outer container to slake my thirst, if I had wanted to! Inner box was amazingly dry though. Decanted, ready for the next downpour. Thanks, Jackie and dog.

At first found an old log book in a plastic bag, attempted to sign it. Then a few steps later found the usual suspect in a very obvious spot.

TFTC

Walked up the Barnicoat Walkway from the Marsden Valley road end in 63 minutes - not too shabby a time for this aged geocacher. The cache was found to be missing the bottom part of the inner container and all it's contents. Left a new double-bagged temporary logbook, silica gel and a pencil before contuing upwards towards Jenkins Hill.

found on a mountain bike ride. a good excuse to catch my breath before heading down the involution mountain bike track.

Biked here. It was easy like you suggested.

Was not expecting to do this today but we missed the top of the scouts track down. No problem, meant 2 more finds

Our start of the year: a big 6 hour walk + geocaching around this area. TFTC

Found by accident. I have a nose for suspicious stones. Spotted whilst on a mountain bike ride from Richmond. Actually I was off the bike trying to recover my breath at the time. TNLN TFTC

TB wasn't logged into the cache but took it and will log it out later today. Quite a hard slog up to this point but good for our waistlines )

Found the nice clean log book. A wee bit of moisture within.
Swapped travellers.
TFTC

Replaced log and reinforced container water integrity. All good again.

Good to go.

Unfortunately the cache is full of water.

I'll get up there and sort out the saturation situation just as soon as I can...

Stumbled on to this one while out mountainbiking. Had not even planned on caching today but it looked like a likely spot and sure enough there was one there. (I know i don't have my priorities right). Unfortunately the container was full of water and everything is soaked.

1615hrs Up the hill to find the cache. Easy find but the container was full of water so the log book is soaking wet. The Italian Job was here......! Our blog www.motorhominginxs.blogspot.com

Great to see a few birds around and had a talk to two of the people responceable TFTC

First find of a big day heading for Dun Mt. Only got as far as Windy Point before deciding I only had just enough gas to get back.
Who would think walking downhill could be so hard.

An easy find with Kwaka 40. I was straight onto this one!
TNLN

Quick and easy find with Wilson#41.
Now that I know this track is here I will be back with the MTB to explore further.
TNLN

This was decision point for us today - do we go back or do the other 2 caches further along. The cool start to the day made walking up pleasant (for most of the time) so we decided to spend the extra time. We had intended to do Wild Boar Alley for over a year so this extra cache gave us the final push. Took coin. left nothing, TFTC

Cache checked and all is well.

Great walk between your caches today thanks. I had been looking forward to these holidays to do some of these further away caches and wasn't disappointed. TFTC #959

A very enjoyable walk. Was going to go on to another cache but raining hard at top so decided to leave it for another day. TNLN

Up this way on the way to Beech is Back and beyond so checked cache and all is well.

Found while up here with Don Sullivan from the Marsden Valley pest trapping group. We were logging the positions of all traps in the area. It's going to be a massive job as there are around 500 up here, but we managed to log the first hundred or so in about 3 1/2 hours today today, so we're on the way. TFTC

Lovely day up here. I came up the Old Scout Track, about an hour up from the road end/weir to the 4WD track. It has been cleared of all windfalls, presumably by the rodent trappers who are maintaining lots of traps around here. Back down the Barnicoat Firebreak. TFTC

Checked cache, adjusted slightly to try and keep it dry. No change to final location though.

Good find with samy! jnr and geomutt.
TFTF

Found with Mr Navfam a few days ago. A nice detour from the usual way up. I went exploring a few extra trails while waiting for Mr Navfam at the top - he was obviously in oxygen debt when he arrived and deluded that he had made it to the top first. When I arrived back he was trying to raise his arms in triumph, but was just too tired! TFTC

Fantastic day here today.Took geocoin.

Found with Burlis and muggle Steve while on early morning MTB. Have been up Barnicoat hundreds of times but never this far around. Had plenty of time to take in the view as I waited for Burlis to catch up (again). TFTC.

another big slog up that hill for the second time in 2 months. worth it though. cache wet inside. dried it out and put it back. tftc

nice spot, thanks

Came up to this one the really steep way from the Jenkins hill end.Sat here and ate lunch with my geo mutt in tow!Very few swaps so took nothing and left a spirit of adventure belted kingfisher geocoin.TFTF

This one was just a hop, skip and a grunt away from Wild Boar Alley, so it had to be done. Perfect day today, lovely ride and an easy find at GZ. The kind of day out that reminds you why we do this!

Day dawned crisp and clear after the late rain yesterday; big frost, perfect day to go geocaching; walked this one with Mrs Topgear and the dog, and went up the easy road and down the walkway- just over 2 hours return. No probs with co-ords or find. Yep, hat off to Mr B for descending that track in the dark! A great cache, and a good walk. Thanks Biggles.

what a dope, waited all morning while the sun shone, warming up the day. headed of with lunch time pie in tummy, half way up, it is hailing. At the cache, I am cowering under the gorse, trying to stay warm and prevent the already slightly damp log getting wet. It starts to snow !! Riding up the hill to my house (still frozen), I look up at Jenkins, now under blue skies. Met Dameon up there also. Good cache thank you

The forcast was surpost to be nice all day so thought what a nice way to finish for the day than a wee walk up the hill to this new cache, a few spits on the way up, then some rain, some hail, to far up to turn back now so keep on going, then some light snow I didn't care although the way down was very slippery, I saw a fellow geo NUT biking up as I came down nice to finally catch up with Bum of the Bumandworker team for a chat, then back down to the car totaly soaked and home for a hot shower... TFTC

They don't come much simpler than this; well the finding part anyway, co-ords spot on. Mr KE loves the walk up here so decided tonight after work was a good time to head on up. The cache was in hand 60 minutes after leaving the car, via the slow way, happy to make it with no stops on the way, then 40 minutes back to the car the quick way. One day I will take a crack at going up the quick way but not yet! Hat off to Mr B for making the trip up the other evening for the FTF, especially for taking on the steep way down in the dark - "truly insane" is the phrase that comes to mind - or perhaps just a geocacher with some added motivation. Thanks for the cache, great fun and a good walk.

Published

Dropping in a TB

Doing this cache today, at the time of day, after the day I already had, was probably a little ambitious on Mr B's body, but spurred on by a TXT from his fellow Team Night Rider team member (who was unavoidably unable to go himself), I found myself ascending the long way with a gentler slope as the sun was plumetting towards the horizon. Certainly, the view from the cache site in the dark was superb, but it made the walk down via the short and steeper grade a little more tricky. Helped by a windless night and just enough moonlight, it was a great one to do. I did spend the first 30 minutes *****ing bricks thinking one of the fitter people would run or bike past me, but it seems that I had the right amount of insanity again, and nobody was keen to share it. I would be lying if I said it was an easy one, but I do hope the constant jibes from Mr KN that all hill cache FTFs are safe from me just got put to bed forgood! Well, maybe at least for a snooze Thanks for putting this one out, if was great to combine it with another cache around here I had yet to do. Spent more time that I would like to admit to actually finding the cache - small torch in the dark and coords that were not at GZ made it a little bit of a challenge. TFTC - Not sure if I'll be thanking you much tomorrow morning when I have to get forklifted from my bed -TB. #CS#

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Congratulations to Mr B on the FTF up Barnicoat tonight and also for being only the 3rd person to locate the Binary cache! I would have found coming down the steep way in the dark pretty scary myself and its one of my favourite walks (in daylight).