September 14–21, 2024 · California and Mexico
Of all the things I expected to look for in Mexico, my geocaching hat wasn’t one of them. It went flying during an open-air taxi tour of Mazatlán. Our driver backed up in traffic so I could get it. For once, I knew exactly what I was looking for and where I’d last seen it.
bapierson and I were traveling with friends on Carnival Firenze, leaving Long Beach for a week with three ports on the Mexican Riviera. My plan was to fit my first finds in Mexico around what we were already doing together. Before boarding in Long Beach, I even got to squeeze in Rock Around The Queen Mary (GC78A80).
Puerto Vallarta
On September 17, we spent the day sightseeing with our friends. I fitted in two EarthCaches along the way, Delta Rio Pitillal (GC42EHY) and PV (Puerto Vallarta) RipRap (GC7HH8R). One got me looking at what happens where a river meets the sea. The other got me paying attention to the rock used to protect the shore. bapierson’s logs put me in charge of the photos and answers. Apparently I can find homework even on a cruise.
Later we took a boat ride, had dinner on the beach, and watched Rhythms of the Night. That was a good evening to put the phone away and enjoy being there with everybody.
Mazatlán
On September 18, we toured Mazatlán by pulmonía, one of the city’s open-air taxis. It was a good way to see the city and fit in some Adventure Lab stops. We found an excellent taco place, saw the beach, and I got my hat back. Near a shopping stop, I had time for The Best of Friends (GC82EC0). A fitting name for the trip and a quick find.
Virtual Reward 3.0: El Faro (The Lighthouse) (GC9P7ZT) was a different proposition. The lighthouse stands above the harbor on Cerro del Crestón. I hike often, but the heat and humidity got the better of me on that climb. The photo looking down over the harbor makes it easier to see what I was so determined to go up there for.
Cabo San Lucas
On September 19, we went out on a catamaran near Land’s End, snorkeled, and had lunch. There was time for sightseeing and shopping with our friends too. Out on the water, the rock faces rise right out of the sea. Lands End (GC319DN) and El Arco (GCAD92Z) gave me a reason to look more closely at a view I already wanted to photograph.
There were a couple of boxes to sign too. Helpful staff made Alan Kaschube Memorial Cache (GC1C4Q7) a little easier, and The Goddess of Coffee (GC9HH90) was another quick stop.
We were back in Long Beach on September 21. The trip added eight finds in Mexico and five in California, with some Adventure Lab stops along the way. What I remember first is the company, the view over Mazatlán, and watching my hat leave the taxi without me. I got it back, which was more than I could’ve asked for from a stop that wasn’t even on the map.
Field Notes
- Trip: September 14–21, 2024 aboard Carnival Firenze.
- Ports: Long Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas.
- Companions: bapierson and friends.
- 13 conventional finds, eight in Mexico and five in California. Adventure Lab locations are outside this count.
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