This weekend I had to go to Bryan. Why is a discussion for another time (if I ever talk about it) but, as always, I felt like a pilgrim in an unholy land. But once I was done with my business there, I wanted to find a cache. I rode up with someone and it’s usually difficult to convince a driver to stop in a seemingly random place so I can find my cache, or in their thinking a pill bottle or something? Luckily, my driver was familiar with my needs. In fact, he carted me around on two trips to Louisiana, from Lafayette to Abbeville and New Roads to Franklin. Thus it was nothing to get him to stop in a parking lot long enough to grab an LPC. We stopped under a giant screen playing World Cup advertisements. This was puzzling because Bryan isn’t exactly known as a soccer town, but the association was soon revealed; there was a friendly there that day played between Argentina and Honduras, meaning that there was a chance for Texas to watch the legendary Lionel Messi play. He didn’t, but he was there and it’s not often one can be in the same stadium as a preeminent figure in a sport. But that’s neither here nor there. What mattered was lifting that lamp skirt. At least until I saw what awaited me. ANTS!!! So many ants! And the log was sitting out in the open? For a moment, I thought that was all there was to it until I found the 3D printed container with a bottle cap on it and a magnet in it.
I’m not normally the one to point the finger at an unmaintained cache. I’m not saying I haven’t done it ever, but I like to think I can give some grace; I have certainly been lax about doing my own maintenance from time to time. But really, folks? If I was in my own car with my bag, I would have pulled out some wipes and maybe a log that would fit in the container (yes, the one inside was full). Unfortunately, I didn’t have it so all I can do is complain about it. Do better. Seriously. I’ve heard from various sources that caching in Bryan has gotten better in the last year or so. This did not convince me of that statement. Don’t worry, I’ll give it another chance some time when I invariably have to come back for some fool thing. One bad one (though I guess it’s more “meh” than “bad”) isn’t the entire ball game.
Geocaching While Black 
…continued… our hides are all in Robertson County and we very much appreciate the amazing caches to be found in BCS. We are not fans of urban sprawl, not in Austin, not in Houston, not in BCS, but the caches in BCS motivate us to leave our tranquil country abode for the sole purpose of collecting smiles.
dealfarms
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Judging an area’s geocaching scene from the quality of the nearest LPC is like judging an area’s cuisine by eating at the nearest gas station McDonalds. Come on sir, I don’t expect an exactly fair shake for this area, but you could pretend to try. – kesleyk, making atreides smile since 2026. 😉
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For what it’s worth, the geocaching community in the Brazos Valley is very much alive and thriving, thanks in no small part to the efforts of several very dedicated hiders. Hiders who do an amazing job of hiding AND maintaining their caches when they are aware of problems. No CO, even those in the greater Austin area, are psychic with the ability to just know by getting up in the morning and sniffing the air if one if their hides has a wet log or needs some minor maintenance.
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You’re not wrong. For what little it’s worth, I would complain no matter where it was!
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