10 YEARS! FLORIDIAN-STYLE

When it comes to a party, all Floridian geocachers need is an excuse…but give us a real reason to celebrate and watch out…you’re in for some fun times!   So when Geocaching.com invited one and all to celebrate the 10 Years! Anniversary of the proverbial “flipping of Blue Switch” on the weekend of April 30 - May 3, 2010, the Florida geocaching community was more than happy to oblige. So with partying (and of course a shiny new icon) in mind, the entire Sunshine State, at 19 different locations from the Florida Panhandle to as far south as Sanibel Island, gathered to celebrate a decade of all things Geocaching.

                                                      Celebrating at "10 Years! Lakeland, FL" (GC257M9)

We, of course, did our part to partake in the celebrations by attending events from Central through Southwest Florida.  Deciding that we didn’t want to wait any longer than necessary, the first event we attended was 10 Years! Lakeland, FL (GC257M9), hosted by FSUDad on Friday, April 30, 2010.  Approximately 53 geocaching teams joined FSUDad to celebrate and to enjoy the lovely environs of the Circle B Bar Reserve, a piece of property jointly acquired by the Polk County Environmental Lands Program and SWFWMD to protect the floodplain of the lake and to maintain the Banana Creek Marsh system.  A perfect place to remind us that these 10 Years! of Geocaching has increased our awareness of such incredible environmental lands!

Next there was the Saturday, May 2^nd excursion to South Fort Myers to enjoy the hospitality of Blue Diamonds and South Paw as they hosted a good ol’ fashioned barbecue-and-bonfire event – “10 Years! South Fort Myers, FL” (GC25NP7).  Good food, satisfying beverages and laughs all around ... and even a visit from the friendly local fire department, who also appreciates a really good bonfire .  Geocaching camaraderie at its best!   …and although this was the only 10 Year! event we attended in these parts, it is worth mentioning that out of the 19 Floridian celebrations, the gang from Southwest Florida successfully coordinated FIVE of those events, and had a traveling 10 Year! Party from Lehigh Acres all the way to Sanibel Island.  Too bad there isn’t a special icon for such a well-coordinated and awesome effort!

                                                               Bonfire A-blazing in South Ft Myers (GC25NP7)

After a night of partying in South Fort Myers, back north so we could join Isonzo Karst and friends at “10 Years! River Park, FL” (GC1YFPM).   With approximately 45 caching teams coming together, we all once again got to appreciate the wonderful natural places we visit while Geocaching as we celebrated and cached in Withlacoochee River Park, a regional park located in Dade City near the Withlacoochee River with both access to a untamed and picturesque portion of the river and a myriad of habitat communities, from high sandhills to low riverine swamp. 

                                                                 10 Years! River Park (GC1YFPM) Crew        

 …But of course this is only a small sampling of all the partying the fine cachers in this amazing State had to offer.  Check out this bookmark list to take a look at all the festivities throughout Florida - http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.aspx?guid=9018765a-4727-4f8f-9714-f0d720c48665. 

Yup….Florida is definitely ready for another 10 Years! And a caching-we-will-go!