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SherpaRon
and Li'l Al
At a recent run-in at Jason’s Deli off
Hurstbourne, I had the pleasure of sharing a meal with SherpaRon and Li’l Al.
Engineer and CPA by day, respectively, they’re one of InKy’s most well known
caching couples. Ranked 5th and 6th among the top 10 geocachers in Kentucky,
beyond sheer numbers, I wanted to learn more about the dynamics of this duo.
Fact is—they don’t cache as often as you might think. Their success seems to
stem from careful planning and their ability to work together as a team. All
week long, Ron monitors geocaches popping up on his Sherpa-radar. By week’s
end he has compiled at least a few route options from which he lets Li’l Al
choose. Then, with Li’l Al in the driver’s seat, her loyal Sherpa navigates
along a selected route, bagging about twenty caches or so.
While SherpaRon also has a reputation for solving puzzles, Li’l Al gladly
holds her own in the game. Her ability to “read between the lines” of a
cache page is strong. Her knack for determining an established cacher’s modus
operandi is uncanny. And her ability to stay in the moment, with her head out of
her GPS receiver, makes her a force to be reckoned with on the trail.
As geocachers for some time now, I asked them what they know that might help
those just getting started. “Touch everything,” advised Li’l Al. She
explained that with a hands-on approach, your fingers might catch what the eye
does not. SherpaRon pointed out that it’s extremely beneficial to “mark
where you park.” He also added that over time he has developed a “leave the
cache site” ritual that limits fruitless backtracking for items left behind.
As the meal progressed, I asked them what they’d change about geocaching
today. “Bring back the virtuals!” they exclaimed. Both were quick to remark
that new virtual caches are sorely missed, particularly in certain parks and
other areas where traditional caches are not allowed. They plan on logging many
historical virtual caches on an upcoming trip through the Washington DC area
while enroute to Geowoodstock V.
As we finished our meal, we discussed great feats they’d accomplished such as
their 131 cache-day in Nashville, their controversial Road Rally win in
Elizabethtown, and their come-from-behind victory in The Great Race, a series by
TripLeader, in Louisville.
Ultimately though, “geocaching is a social activity.” They will plainly tell
you that the friends they’ve made outshine the finds they’ve found.
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