Silver Lining CITO

I don't know what it is about being a geocacher here in Tennessee, but I've hosted more CITOs than I ever did in New Mexico. Scratch that, all the CITOs I've hosted ahve been here in Tennessee. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the geography, and everything to do with me. Back in New Mexico I hardly only hosted two events and they were both right before we moved. I don't think I had matured as a geocacher to the point where I was ready to host events until then. But here in Tennessee I've hosted events pretty much since we moved here. Mostly, they've been CITO events, there are enough other type events where I haven't felt the urge/need to host one of those. There aren't that many CITO events though, and I actually like these kinds of events better than the typical event around here, which usually involves hanging out at a restaurant. I like CITOs because they involve an outdoor activity, and I am much more comfortable connecting with people in that kind of environment. 

Anyhow, I hosted my 4th CITO and it went really well. Two of my previous CITOs were in fairly remote areas and didn't have much of a turn-out. This one was in a county park close to everyone, and I also threw in a pot-luck dinner after the trash pick-up. Perhaps because of the social/eating aspect to the event, there were quite a few people who turned up. We spent an hour picking up trash along the fisherman trails. TO make things a little different, I spray-painted 4 "typical" pieces of trash chrome-silver and planted them in 4 different regions of the park. Keen-eyed geocachers who spotted this silver-lined trash during their CITO could redeem them for prizes. Two of the 4 were found and turned in, with a third being found but thrown into the trash bags by mistake. The 4th was never found, but I gave out the prizes anyways. Prizes are fun.

ONe of the silver lined refuse. Ended up using it as a logbook for the event.

Towards the end, I made an announcement that we are moving back to New Mexico this summer. The cachers and caches in this area are great, and I've really enjoyed my time here. Our next home will have a tough act to follow. I hope I continue to host CITOs though. It's a good way to get out and meet other local cachers.

At the very end of the event, I got to borrow a kayak from my friends Lullabye and Kaput and paddle out to the island cache near the park. I had found a few T5 water caches before, but rarely actually by paddling to one (this other CITO was the exception). Quite an easy and pleasant way to find a T5 cache I might add. I was pretty psyched to be on the water for a bit.