T2A-R: Barking Up the Wrong Tree? (BOP) Athenree Gorge, North Island, New Zealand
By nzkites on 24-May-14. Waypoint GC552P6

Checked while passing on our way back to the Bay of Plenty. The area has deteriorated hugely since our last visit, the track has deep mud, there are signs that someone has been living rough here and the area is a tip. We could not locate the cache so have decided to archive rather than replacing it. We will put the number on the Tauranga Bonus cache page, or please contact us if you want it. Thanks to all the finders over the last (almost) 8 years.

GPS was a leading us astray. Eventually found. A shame there was so much rubbish around. I wouldn't want to come here alone. Tftc

GPS was leading us all over the place. But did find it. Shame about the rubbish. Glad I wasn't here on my own.

Found great find

What a random area! Thought our compass waa playing tricks when we pulled over, but the track was easily found.
A quick grab and sign before heading back to TGA

PLEASE NOTE: Geocaching is not permitted during Covid levels 3 and 4.

See [NZ Geocaching Wiki](https://wiki.groundspeak.com/display/GEO/New+Zealand?fbclid=IwAR1WHzfOP0U-Ab7NOjhOujjgETYYHQ8WDY8hPmbZGJEXbiB8QoMoPF4Rc1U) for more info.

Any found logs received during the lockdown will be deleted.

I spent the day today concentrating on the T2A-R series of caches (in my case, Auckland - Tauranga - Auckland). I got wind (on FB) from the C.O’s that these would be winding down soon, they have been going for some time and the maintenance is getting too much. So I set a plan in action and decided today I would complete the series. I have actually done most of them with rustynz and Rebel98 and supernanny about 6 years ago, but for some reason I surely can not remember, I didn’t bother collecting the numbers. Well, that was mainly what I had to do today.

I can not believe the amount of rubbish I saw near GZ! I kid you not, I could have filled several rubbish bags if I had them with me. (edit to myself, carry at least one rubbish bag) I think people actually drive in here, and just do a dump, it's damn terrible.

No problem with the cache, well hidden and the log paper is excellently dry.

Quick stop here to refund this cache as we had lost the information for the final bonus. Cache all fine. Now off to Tauranga for the Bonus cache.

This one took quite some time to find. No cell service at GZ but the GPs device finally put me at the right tree. Collected while on a road trip which is the extension to the "Mega that wasn't" over labour weekend. TFTC.

Having no signal, our gps led the way and thankfully we trusted its guidance and came up with a successful find. The inside of the container was damp but the log was dry. Lots of room for trackables and swaps but may need to be put in a bag to save them from the elements. TFTC

Nice find

Now NZ has moved to Alert Level 2, Geocaching is allowed but it’s up to each one of us to keep the rest of us safe.

Let's not turn Caching into Catching COVID-19

These are the most important things that you can remember and do:

COVID-19 is still out there. Play it safe.

Keep your distance from other people in public.

If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t. find this cache.

If you have symptoms of cold or flu get advice about being tested.

Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands.

Sneeze and cough into your elbow, Sanitise your hands before looking for this cache if possible.

Log online each cache found and keep a record of anyone you meet.

Stay Happy and Safe while caching.

Disabling until the Covid-19 guidelines allow geocaching. This is not permissable under Level 3 or 4.

Heaps if rubbish, especially glass. Be careful

Found it but please be careful as someone has decided to use the area as a rubbish tip. TFTC.

Another find with the kids, ashame about all the rubbish. Tftc

Took longer than it should have done, but did find it.
Signed the log and replaced as found
TYFTC

Our Ranger drove us almost to the cache. This side is a proof of human stupidness. Fast found. TFTC

Tftc on the return from Auckland with Charlie. He was in charge of navigation. This was our second to last spot to stop before home. This place is a really sad indictment of society... Fly tipping rules. Good spot for a Cito! P. S if go on bottom trail dead sheep, water logged and squishy mud.

We considered driving all the way to GZ but there had been a bit of rain and it was very boggy so decided parking at the side of the road and climbing up the bank was a better option.
The area is in dire need of a CITO and unfortunately the amount of rubbish was far beyond our solo capabilities to remove. It seems quite a party has gone on here.
Luckily the cache was found safe and sound tucked away out of sight and undisturbed by the party goers.
Another great cache in this series. Thanks nzkites.

Tftc,trees are busy being cut at the moment

Cache replaced with new container and log as was wet.

Another one for mystery at museum.

TFTC.

Very soggy. New log required.

Heute geht die Tour weiter. Nach einem Plausch über dieses Hobby bin ich mir nicht sicher, ob sich nicht unser Gastgeber gleich selbst einen Account zulegt. Begeistert war er offensichtlich. Wir mussten jedenfalls wirter. Auf dem Weg haben wir hier angehalten und den Cache erfolgreich einsammeln können. Nach kurzer bzw etwas längerer Suche war das Logbuch gestempelt.
16. April 2019, 12:02 Uhr

Heute starteten fazzyOne und ich in Richtung neue Unterkunft. Auf dem Weg lagen dann noch viele Dosen, einen guten Teil davon konnten wir tatsächlich auch finden. Warum nur werden die Dosen in diesem Land immer im tiefsten Dickicht versteckt und nicht wie bei uns gemütlich an Schilder oder Zäune gepinnt? Naja so dauerte das Suchen immer etwas länger als gewöhnlich und auch die Beine in den kurzen Hosen jucken jetzt ziemlich. Aber immerhin wurden wir auch hier fündig.

Easy find log is wet but then again it is a write in the rain. SL TFTC

Heading home to Gisborne on back country roads collecting some smileys. Returned here as the last time we looked it had gone missing. Happy to transform the sad face into a smile. Thanks for the maintenance last year.

It was starting to get dark, so had more of a hassle than I should have. Got it in the end.TFTC

Over from the Naki hoping to move some Tbs but didn’t find one in any of the caches and this one was a size that could hold many so I did bark up the wrong tree TFTC

A quick find though probably should come with an arachnid warning, especially after rain... TFTC

With 2 caches close together, I thought this would be the most difficult and nearly skipped. However it still took a while mainly down to GPS and phone signal but got the right place in the end. TFTC.

Found it but clue for bonus appears to be missing. Will try and contact cache owner.

Nice quick find. Cache is very wet but the log is ok

Cheers buggarme

I found it. I found it.

I'm on a rare solo drive down to meet up with the other Tregonnings in Tauranga, so taking the opportunity to make a few stops en route. Had to wait out a muggle taking a smoke break, but then quickly made the find. Thanks!

This was another stop on my way down to Whakatane. After looking around for a few minutes, I figured out the right tree and found the cache. However, there was no bonus number inside. TFTC.

We decided to go for a drive to Athenree this afternoon and picked up a couple of caches along the way. TFTC

After several drive-bys without stopping (this one comes up quick) we were ready and stopped here today. Got it pretty quickly. It felt like the placement was grown just for the cache. Thanks!

We had been meaning to get this and a few other caches along the way to Tauranga the last few times we were on this route. Finally managed to get a couple of these caches. This one was nice and easy to get to/ find despite not having a cellphone signal - hint was straightforward and helpful. Log says "bonus clue:" but nothing else... See photo. Hm, interesting, wonder if the blank space is the clue or CO forgot to fill it out! We also had someone beep their horn at us when we were walking back to the car. Either they knew there was a cache there or they thought we just returned from a little tryst in the bushes... Haha tftc

Checked this while in the area and it had gone, have replaced with another container. Unfortunately we did not have the clue with us for the bonus cache. If you find this and need the clue please message us and we will supply it to you.

Not this time

This was the last one in the series that we needed and sadly we failed miserably to find it. Not sure if we were barking up the wrong tree or just blind. Will return.

Stopped off at the rest area to stretch Albert the geohound's legs so it seemed a good time to see if all of us could bark up the correct tree for this one. At first I thought this might be a tree climbing cache because of the name and I circled a bit looking to see if any of the trees would be suitable for climbing. I guess they could be but definitely not be me, so I was relieved to read the hint and see that no altitude would be required. Started the search over and found the cache quite quickly after that. Good covering of natural camo but still able to spot a corner of the cache. A muggle was about so kept low to keep out of sight and signed and replaced the log. All good here, thanks for the cache.

a quick find, shame the area is being used as a dump site, tftc

This is our third one in this series... and another clue towards the bonus. It seemed like every tree had ferns around it but after a bit of searching... and moving some of the leaf litter... the cache was found, signed and returned. TFTC

Sixth one today.
Having a great geocaching day.
Tftc

This one was fun to find. I have a friend helping me understand how to use app - a newbie This one i found on my own!!

Sorry, not sorry this will be a copy and paste log.

Headed back from auckland to tauranga after spending the a week at my Nana's beside. With some of the family, just waiting for her to pass.

Stopping to get the caches and thinking about the next cache kept my mind off her and family, making it easier to drive the few hours home.
I started this at ET Phone Home, so missed a couple of the ones North of that, and last one was Kiwifruit Corner Returns (2TF after the group FTF, which i missed out by 1 day). Thanks for the series, and I will have to make a second trip to get the rest of them.

Greetings from some Aussies passing by. This cache was found while we were stopped for a coffee break at the rest area nearby. It was an unplanned stop and thus an unplanned pick up. These kind of bonus caches are always good. It was easily found and all was in good condition. Thank you to nzkites for placing this cache.

Quick find near gl all is good

Quick find in a nice secluded spot by the roadside. TFTC

Checked while passing and all is ok with the cache, though it had migrated around to the other side of the tree. Placed back on the track side of the tree and covered it with some natural camo. Hint changed to make it easier to find the right tree, although co-ords seemed good to us.

DNF, looked around many trees, no luck, will have to try again another time

Definitely had the right tree Wandered around the paths as well. A nice area. The bees seem to enjoy it. TFTC

We decided a while ago we would head to Waihi for Easter, It is such a lovely place to visit and only 5 hours away. we slowly headed towards Waihi even with the Cyclone warnings, but all we got was rain, very little wind if any in most areas, by the time we got to this cache there was alot of water around but nothing to stop us caching. This was a quick park and grab for us today (not) but we found it in the end,thank you for placing a cache here, we signed the log and placed it back exactly where we found it. Cache all good here, now back into the traffic and get another cache ahead. TFTC nice to collect some of these series, we were up this way a while ago but were new to the game and didn't know about collecting codes, but we are collecting as we go today one day we may have them all even if we go get the caches again just for the codes all part of the adventure for us.

Great find

On our way home north....pulled over for this one having found the one at the other end on our last trip down...thanks for all the hides on the road to and fro from Tauranga...great to break up the trip with stops. Coordinates led me a bit astray but cache was soon found. Thanks for the cache

Maybe next time...will download co ords next time before coming

First to find this year with Jillyvee and the kids

GPS not too helpful near GZ and did end up barking up a few wrong trees. Should have gone to the one that first caught my eye but no, trying to work out where GPS had GZ. I could have filled the car with rubbish today but I didn't have enough bags with me. There was a big pile around one tree here that would have filled a couple more. Extremely windy and at the time I left the car, wet. So raincoat on from the car (in the picnic area). Completely dry on the way back (though still windy) - and now the sun is out again it is hot! Wonder what is down this track? No time to explore today .. onward to Tauranga and the rest of the series. Thanks for the hide nzkites.

OMG... I Hate Litter Bugs!!! Half Recyclable Stuff Too!! Nice spot otherwise...wondering if i shud go venture down 4wd track in me hilux

Parked up and found a chicken egg but no cache so walked up the track for this one. Just followed the GPS. TFTC.

Little tricky when there is no cell coverage, but we found it TFTC

Over short the cache so a quick U turn to get back to it. There is a bit of rubbish growing at the site, but luckily not at the correct tree. Cheers.
Spending a couple of nights in Waihi Beach, doing some good walks and getting a few caches along the way.

Thanks to the CO's for the hides. Cheers.

We're visiting from Florida, USA. That was great fun. Thanks for placing the cache.

This area has become a dumping ground for household rubbish. Luckily the tree in question was free of rubbish. Thanks for the cache

Found it ....cold and damp here today ....Suns gone down very wintery ....lots of bargains around vacuum cleaners ,tv, spray cans and car parts we really look after our country not thanks for a great cache

which tree to choose??? quick find, TNLN, SL TFTC

Last one for the day. Nice quick find. Tftc

A good place to park in the shade on a hot day, TFTC

#11522. We managed to (eventually) bark up the right tree. Good to have a search in the shade. TFTC.

After a full-on and tiring day yesterday, when we biked from Waihi to Paeroa, we had a cruisy morning and after lunch headed out to Athenree and Waihi Beach to have a look around. Unfortunately, the sun was shining so it was warmer than we would have liked so we appreciated cache finds in the shade!
As we headed for GZ, I accidentally moved (by dragging and dropping) the compass icon from the main menu of my Oregon. Unfortunately it was not as easy to get it back so I stopped to sort it out. By the time I did, the compass was saying GZ was 4m away (it had been saying 20m). So a few steps later, I had found the cache - moral of this story, wait and let the needle settle before jumping in.
Copied down the number, I think the first we have found for the Tauranga final. TFTC.

Found after a good search
Tflc

Nice quick park and grab. Lots of rubbish in the area. TFTC

Seriously a lot of rubbish here.
Cheers

Once we found the correct tree it was a quick find. TFTC

We were barking up a few trees and none of them the right one. There was one which had loads of rubbish under it....got it in the end though, tftc

Quick find early in the morning on my way to Tauranga.
TFTC

Checked on the way past this afternoon, cache all good and waiting for the next finder. Picked up TB.

went alittle too far and found the bee's lol - nice little cache

Another quick find thanks Nzkites I seem to find your caches everywhere I go. And by the way I got the FTF in tauranga so have a sleep in.
Tftc

I greeted today organised and with clear intentions. I threw my 2yr old in the back and headed off to finish this T2A-R series. I had stumbled on a couple during various trips but today was all about finishing it off before 2:30pm when the other two children finished school. I left home at 8:45am and I knew 5hr 45mins would be cutting it close - but here goes nothing




My thirteenth and last T2A-R cache. It was now 2pm only 30mins until the school bell rang, I can factor in the time it's takes them to walk home roughly 15mins but I've never cut things this close on a caching trip before. And as luck would have it - unlucky number 13 doh Found a lot of rubbish, couches, tyres, bottles and bee hives but no cache. My GPS had stopped playing so I knew the area, nothing left to do but check every tree.... wish I'd spotted this sooner. Excellent - now I have all the numbers but I won't be able to collate them until I get home which means the final will also have to wait...




Cheers nzkites - a job well done

Found all safe n sound nice hide tftc

This entry was edited by RAYZR01 on Tuesday, 15 September 2015 at 03:23:18 UTC.

Logged with GCDroid.

Took us awhile but we found after exploring the hives and brambles expanded our search due to gps jumping around witg Drulisa. Tftc

This one took a while to find! Tftc

Checked this today and it is all good to find and log.

Engaged in a bit of four wheel driving and collected the clue; TFTC.

On a geocaching holiday in the area.

Nice quick find here, enjoying these quick stops.
SL Thanks for the fun!

Plenty of trees to choose from. Luckily we found the right one.

Well hidden TFTC

After recently spending some time in the area we decided to spend this weekend in Waihi to do some caching. Little did we know that we would spend the weekend negotiating competitors in the annual Waihi Nugget multisport event! nevertheless we had some great weather, found some lovely spots to eat and drink, soaked in the nearby hot pools, and of course found plenty of great caches.

AS we are slowly collecting the T2A-R series caches we knew we needed to stop for this cache on the way to Athenree for the hot pools. Made the stop and Mrs NZT overshot GZ a little so MrNZT had to walk back to make the find. Thanks for another clue!! TFTC NZKites.

10.30am. A moment or two to find the right tree. Then all good. Picked up the TB.
Thank you. David.

Our 'Housemates' from last night passed us while we were at the last cache, but we caught up to them again at this one. Wandered through the trees till we reached the right one and soon had the cache in hand. Thanks.

We are off on an aventure weekend this will be one of many to come Tftc

Headed over this was with Kiwis69 to head to a certain birthday rave in a cave. We set off from Hamilton just on dark and grabbed some caches on the way to fill in time

No barking tonight just a whole lot of raving. A quick find here thankfully

After a very late night (bed at 4am) and a small sleep in, a devious plan had been decided, to attend the Tauranga 15 Years of Geocaching Catch Up considering we were so close. No time for breakfast, a quick coffee and a snack on a banana. Eating will have to wait!

As we all have been collecting the numbers (well Gorby is now!) we stopped at the Tauranga Bonus caches that we needed between Waihi and Tauranga, so that rebel98 and I could complete our searches, and hopefully find the final whilst we were in town.

On the way we spotted kiwicouple who were collecting a road side cache, yes that was us making all that noise as we drove past, only for them to meet us here. The GPS bounced a bit under the trees, and with a little nudge from Supernannny who had previously found it, we were on our way. Sadly the area could have done with some CITO, a bit of a dumping ground for rubbish. (Thankfully too close to the cache)

Thanks for the cache and the adventure.