We hope everyone had a lovely, safe Christmas. Another very quiet week on the geocaching front with no new caches or events published in our area. A quick reminder the Fin 2021 souvenir is currently available, to qualify find a Geocache or Adventure Lab on or before 31st December.
Anagram Answers
Two new caches this week, both with the FTF up for grabs. What has happened to the First To Finders?
GC9K8AQ This Daughter Has Tunnel Vision by Clueless_Goose & StrawberryFinch Traditional D2/T2
Premium Member Only
GC9KBGX Ar y Ffordd o Minffordd by Clueless_Goose Traditional D3/T1.5
Online Christmas Party
Links for the party will be sent out the day before, Monday 20th December. Haven’t signed up and want to attend? Contact us through the comments.
Remember this? More elves from last years party……….
And finally…….
It’s nearly Christmas so let’s have another cracker joker……….
What do you call a reindeer who can’t see? No-eye deer
No new caches or events to report this week. We are hoping to have a couple of events over New Year but we are refraining from publishing until we can see how the current Covid situation develops.
Online Christmas Party Tuesday 21st December 2021 at 8pm
We can confirm there will be no cheese, canapés, wine or Secret Santa and everyone will be social distanced!
Book your space by contacting us either through the comments or message us admin(at)9usualsuspects.uk. (replace (at) with @)
Another gem from last years party………….
Update on GC8NEAT Locationless Cache
GC8NEAT Let’s improve the outdoors – Locationless Cache
Don’t panic if you have not yet logged this cache as Geocaching HQ have extended the deadline to December 31st 2022. Originally this cache was released by Geocaching HQ as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations. Full instructions on logging requirements are found on the cache page.
New Year Souvenirs
There are two new souvenirs ‘Fin’ and ‘Once Upon a Time’ available to find over the Christmas/New Year Holidays. To qualify for the Fin 2021 souvenir find any geocache from December 24-31, and the Once Upon a Time 2022 souvenir by finding another geocache from January 1-8.
The following cache types all qualify for the souvenir:
And finally
Here is another cracker joke to get you in the mood for Christmas:
What is the best Christmas present in the world? A broken drum… you just can’t beat it!
Only one new cache this week and completes the Aberlleiniog Castle Trail.
GC9JWGW Aberlleiniog Castle Trail, The Castle by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T2.5
Online Christmas Party
As we cancelled Christmas Dinner denying us all of a chance to meet up before Christmas would anyone be interested in an online party similar to last years? Please let us know your views and any ideas.
Also, depending on how the present Covid situation develops, we are considering rescheduling Christmas Dinner for late January……. Please let us know if you are interested.
Contact us either through comments or by emailing us admin(at)9usualsuspects.uk
The Reach the Peak souvenir Challenge December
The new challenge starts on the 6th December. This month we are heading to Alaska to summit North America’s tallest peak, Denali. Prior to 2015 the mountain was called Mount McKinley after a 35 year campaign its name was officially changed to its local name, Denali. Cachers must collect 350 points to earn the Denali Basecamp souvenir and 6,190 points to earn the Denali Summit souvenir.
Here are the point values for our climb up Denali:
| Found a Multi-Cache | 750 |
| Found a cache with 10+ Favorite points | 700 |
| Found an EarthCache | 600 |
| Found a Mystery Cache | 550 |
| Found a Letterbox Hybrid | 500 |
| Found an Adventure Location | 425 |
| Found it* | 350 |
*Log a Found it on any other non-Event cache type, excluding Webcam Caches.
The maximum number of points you can earn for any cache log is 750 points.
Oh Lastly our Covid tests came back negative……….
GIFF Update
New for this year if you were unable to attend an event the films are now available to watch online on the Geocaching YouTube Channel.
Unlike other years when the GIFF souvenir was automatically awarded after logging an ‘attended’ log on an event, this year you have to discover the trackable. The trackable code is displayed after the last film on the GIFF film reel. Post a discovered log, (the trackable code found below) and you will receive the GIFF 2021 souvenir.
GIFF Trackable code GIFF21
There are 2 other TB’s hidden in the films:
GIFF Clapperboard GT30QT
Froggy und Cacher-Mobil 17NTWB
Also there is a worldwide vote for GIFF People’s Choice Film, to vote go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GIFF2021 and vote for your favourite film. One vote per player account. Voting closes Tuesday, December 7, 6:00 PM UTC time. The winner will be announced in a future Geocaching Blog post.
GC9H8N8 GIFF 2021, Geocaching International Film Festival by 9 Usual Suspects
For this years event we were at Talysarn Community Centre, a new larger venue for us with plenty of easy parking. The space worked very well with areas for the film show, refreshments and a stall selling crafts plus geocaching bits and pieces.
After hot drinks and a chance for everyone to catch up, we all settled down to watch the films with bowls of popcorn, crisps and sweets. Were the films of a higher standard than in previous years? That is for you to judge.
A very big thanks goes to Julie and Ray (Bess’s Friends) for supplying/manning the stalls, Pete (naturesbyte) for printing the souvenir and sorting our all the technical stuff, Richard and Elaine for running the kitchen and general mucking in, Andy(YnysMonBirders) for supplying the screen and finally THANK YOU everyone for attending.
New Adventure Lab
Betws-y-Coed Bimble created by strongsRus
This lab will take you on a short walk through the scenic village of Betws-y-Coed.
We have 6 new caches this week, nice to see some letterboxes as there are very few in this area. Looks like Glyn has some competition for FTFs!
GC9J66P Bus Stop quarry Bridge by Netballplayer Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GC9J7X3 Lôn Melin Esgob by Clueless _Goose Traditional D1.5/T2.5
GC9J7VX I – Rugged Rocky Retrieval by Clueless _Goose Letterbox D2/T3.5
GC9J7W8 II – Between Birch Buttresses by Clueless _Goose Letterbox D2/T2.5
GC9J7WE III – Hidden Head High by Clueless _Goose Letterbox D1.5/T3
GC9J7VQ Dinosaur Hunter by Clueless _Goose Mystery D3.5/T2
GIFF 2021 Event Reminder
GC9H8N8 GIFF 2021, Geocaching International Film Festival by 9 Usual Suspects
For this years Geocaching International Film Festival we are Canolfan Talysarn, a bigger venue with easy parking.
Where: Talysarn Community Centre, Station Road, Talysarn, Caernarfon LL54 6HL
Date: Saturday 20th November
Doors open: 2.15pm (14.15)
Film showing starts: 3.00pm (15.00) approx, duration approx 1 hour.
Venue closes: 5.00pm (17.00)
NEW for this year: To earn the GIFF 2021 souvenir, find the trackable code in the GIFF 2021 film reel. It is displayed after the last GIFF film. Log a discovered log for the trackable code and you will receive the GIFF 2021 souvenir!
This year there is a worldwide vote for GIFF People’s Choice Film.
Here is how to vote:
1. Attend an official GIFF Event November 11 – 21, 2021 or watch the GIFF reel online on the Geocaching YouTube Channel after November 22, 2021.
2. After watching the films, go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GIFF2021
3. Vote for your favourite film.
One vote per geocaching account. Voting closes Tuesday, December 7, 6:00 PM UTC time.
The winner will be announced in a future Geocaching Blog post.
Only one cache this week and on the very edge of our area, sorry Glyn the FTF has already gone!
GC9J3GF Maes-Y-Gog by KimandDavie Traditional D1.5/T1.5
News from Geocaching HQ
GC8FROG Find Signal the Frog® – Locationless in 2020
There is still plenty of time to find this cache, to log just take a photo of yourself and Signal at a Mega or Giga event by 31st December 2022. This cache can only be logged once. The cache page will be archived and locked on January 1, 2023.
If you are looking for an excuse to visit Geocaching HQ this event could be it. The event was originally planned for August 2020, this is the 3rd date for the event and hopefully it will be 3rd time lucky.
More details can be found on the events website Celebrate 20 years of Geocaching!
Other News
Have you a Community Celebration Event ? Don’t panic, there is plenty of time left to host your event, the deadline for hosting is 31st December 2022.
Adventure Labs, there is no time deadlines for creating your series.
Our Event Reminders
GC9HE10 CITO Season 2 by 9US Saturday 13th November 2021, 11:00 – 13:00
We are back in Caernarfon at one of our regular litter pick sites, our base will be the usual place on the old bridge. By attending and logging this event you will earn the Season 2 CITO souvenir.
GC9H8N8 GIFF 2021, Geocaching International Film Festival by 9US Saturday 20th November 14.15 – 17.00
A new venue for us, with more space and easy parking. We are pleased to announce that there has been some very successful 3D printing, this years souvenir will not be spaghetti after all………
A little something to get you in the mood for the GIFF, WE’VE WAITED A YEAR FOR THIS
Just two new caches this week:
GC9HKE9 Sarnau Vexation-reborn by martin&lindabryn Traditional D3/T1.
GC9G549 Whodunnit at the Bryntirion Inn – Labcache Bonus by PhilPamAndRob Mystery D3.5/T2.5
Up until now we have not been including Labcaches in our weekly updates but as we have included above a bonus cache, here are the AdventureLab details:
Whodunnit at the Bryntirion Inn? by PhilPamAndRob
If you are planning to find the AdventureLab bonus it is recommended that before leaving home you read the cache page and print off the three tables to record all the information as it is acquired. Once all the clues are solved, the evidence analysed, hopefully your deductions will identify the murderer and the cache coordinates.
Would you like us to include Labcaches in our weekly updates?
And finally a reminder for GC8HK2F Community Celebration Event: Belated Halloween Saturday 6th from 6pm onwards………. due to the awful recent weather we will be inside!
This week saw the publication of the long awaited extension to Mossfamilymacc’s Llanbedrog series, this was originally planned to be published way back in August 2020! The new trail of 7 caches takes you from the village centre, up onto the headland and back to the village, a walk of approximately 4 miles. If added to the first series it makes a longer circular walk of about 6 miles in total. We can highly recommend this series, choose a clear day to make the most of the beautiful views.
GC8XPK4 Llanbedrog #6. Village Hall by Mossfamilymacc Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GC8XPKW Llanbedrog #7. Zig zag by Mossfamilymacc Traditional D2/T2.5
GC8XPM5 Llanbedrog #8. Tree Tunnel by Mossfamilymacc Traditional D2/T2
GC8YY5G Llanbedrog #9. No through road by Mossfamilymacc Traditional D2/T2
GC8YY5P Llanbedrog #10. Rock and roll by Mossfamilymacc Traditional D2/T2
GC8YY65 Llanbedrog #11. Favourite tree by Mossfamilymacc Traditional D2/T2
GC8YY6P Llanbedrog #12. Another tree by Mossfamilymacc Traditional D2/T2
And not forgetting our Christmas Event:
GC9HTR5 Christmas Dinner, Nosh and Natter 43 by 9 Usual Suspects
There has been just one new cache published this week and at the time of writing the FTF is still up for grabs!
GC9FHF3 A Fine Pair #1622 Llanwddyn (Lake Vyrynwy) by Mynyddwr Traditional D1/T1
We have had published two more events this week, please remember to log a “will attend” if you intend to attend as this helps us plan for catering etc.
GC8HK2F Community Celebration Event: Belated Halloween by Ann@Birdbrook 6.11.2021
GC9HE10 CITO Season 2 by 9 Usual Suspects 13.11.202
Please note this event has been brought forward a day and is now on the Saturday not the Sunday as previously advertised. By attending this event your efforts will be rewarded by CITO Season 2 Souvenir.
We have also received a tip off that Mossfamilymacc are going to publish the second part of their Llanbedrog series early next week. Will there be a race for the FTFs? Only time will tell!