This week’s geocache was one of the most exciting yet. We climbed into a small underground cave hidden in the woods near the Mackenzie King ruins. With all the snow around we had to use photos from the web site just to find the location where the cave SHOULD be. With photos in hand we were able to match up 3 big scar lines on the boulders around the entrance. Then facing a rock wall in front of us, once we knew we were at the right place we had to dig out the cave opening before we could crawl in, through 6 feet of snow and under 100 feet of rock.

This trip really took a lot more out of us then we thought it would. There were 2 other caches planned for that day that we couldn’t get to. After trekking through waist high snow with that cold winter chill in the air we were really feeling it by the time found and dug out a path way into the cave. Particularly when you add to that the unsettled feeling of being in a 4 foot high underground cavern for the first time in my life.

Digging Out the Cave Entrance

Wow. That was Totally Worth The Effort. This Place Would make a Sweet Fort.

Before heading underground, the excursion started with a photo shoot at the ruins on the Mackenzie King Estate. This first photo is one that I think really shows some real artistic form. Out of about a dozen similar shots, this was the best one. The slight leaning angle of the columns truly creates scale in this photo.

One of my favorite stories from my time in the Caribbean was eating authentic native food that was cooked on burning hot stones mimicking the way the pirates had done it centuries ago.

On the first night, right after I landed in Belize I headed to an outdoors cabana café.

Now, the first piece of advice that every one of my friends gave me before I left was to make sure everything I ate was completely thoroughly cooked. So when a local chef placed a stone full of raw chicken in front of me I was more then a little apprehensive. It didn’t take long to figure out what was going on. After a couple of inquiries I was told how the Spanish pirates would throw flat rocks into the fires then use them to cook fish or other meats that were hunted down in the forests.

A Mayan Deity at the Temple of Xunantunich in Belize

I was able to try my own stone cooking this week. I marinated 16 pieces of Jerk chicken over night then invited friends and family over to savor the attempt. My mom was concerned that it would take far to long for the chicken to cook on that little rock but let me tell you it was hot. The food started searing the second it hit the grill and with the oil burning underneath we were able keep cooking em’up the whole way through dinner.

Aunt Sue & Uncle Wayne on our Caribbean Cook Night

The guest of honor relaxing, catching a grill side golden tan.