Cody Hollow Farm
Cody Hollow Farm
How would you introduce yourself? Well... my name is Stacy Hindt for those who don’t know me. I live in Maryland right near Fair Hill. I originally hail from Upstate NY, but my husband of 12 years was born and bred in New Castle De. Rob (RacerRob)and I have two kids..Katie (KatieNKoda) and Brandon (RaizinBran). WE have a small 23 acre horse farm near FairHill, and I run the farm while my husband works as an Environmental Engineer. The kids both attend Leeds Elementary which is right around the corner from our farm.
How did you become involved with geocaching? I got interested in caching back in 2007 when a new friend at the time introduced me. I immediately went and bought an eTrex legend and took my horse to Fair Hill where I found my first cache which happened to be a CAM cache. (GCJ1PN CAM 2004- Cecil In The Trenches). After that I was hooked. I tore my pants on a branch, fell in the mud, and when it was said and done. I couldn’t wait to find the next one. Minus the horses!
How did you get your caching name? I decided to make my name the name of my farm. The farm was named after my deaf sheltie Cody who died right before we moved to the farm. He was a great dog, a double dilute blue merle who was also deaf. He and I did agility together and I loved that dog!
At The farm 
Would you consider yourself an intense cacher? I like to cache… and if there’s a hard cache, and others are going after it, I am so game to join in, even though I might hurt the next day! One of my favorites was Hi and Low. (GCQNG5, a true 5/5 cache) That was a great day with my daughter and some of my favorite caching friends. Katie got the hi part barefoot, scurrying like a monkey in the trees! She was all for caving too and had no problems doing it with the other adults, even when I got stopped at the big boulder and could go no further.
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Then there was also the Project APE cache out west. Since the Maryland Project Ape cache had been archived, we had to go west to find a Project Ape cache(GC1169). That was a rush to get done, since we had to be in downtown Seattle to see GroundSpeak Headquarters. (GCK25B) That was awesome! As soon as you walk in the door, there is a plasma tv on the wall that moves and goes to a location in the world where caches are logged! When we were there we were hoping to see some other country being logged, but no, it was LANCASTER PA!!! We went all the way to Seattle to see Lancaster being logged! It was great to have lunch on Puget Sound, and then meet everyone you hear so much about. The geo-coin we got was awesome, AND the cache container was huge!
How many caches have you found so far? 1575 and counting and I look to be at 1600 by the end of the month since we are planning a cache trip Seaford DE . I am going with CoupleOCachers and DudleyGrunt from Maryland.
How often do you cache with your young children. Are they getting good at making finds. Do you ever go caching as a complete family including your husband. I try to get out with them at least once a month. Unless we are going somewhere. I try to keep unfound local caches in my map60csx for if the occasion rises. I introduced Katie’s 4 th grade class to caching, and they hid a cache with me. It was a travel bug resort so they can discover bugs and coins and track them as part of their class. We have cached as a complete family several times. Usually when the kids whine and beg their dad. My husband prefers earth caches or caching on vacations. He says there’s too much to be done around the farm he so he’s a cacher only when I push him. He finally did get his own cache name when we were out west visiting Seattle and Portland
All of the family,
Rob, Katie, Brandon and Stacy Getting a cave cache
Although you live not very far from Delaware in MD, you seem to cache a lot in Delaware. About what per cent of your finds were in Delaware. How do the Delaware geocaches compare with those you found in the other states? I think about 30% in Delaware, 30% in Maryland, with the rest falling into the other states. Being so close to Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, I do often cache there. I’ve also made cache runs to Virginia and through West Virginia. My goal is if I am going somewhere, I try to find a cache there!
I keep a GSAK database for different areas and regions that I have either been to, or am going to, and I load and purge my map 60 on a frequent basis. I also travel with my laptop and my map software so I can add and delete maps as needed. I saw an awesome set up at GW7, where they had a stand for their laptop so they could drive and look things up (safely pulled over on the side of the road I am sure)…so I have a neighbor who is a cop looking into them for me!
Which type of cache do you prefer seeking - traditional, multi, puzzle or virtual? Well, I like them all except puzzles. Puzzles frustrate me because I am math dyslexic. So I only do puzzles with friends. I like traditionals and virtuals equally, as well as Earth Caches. I like the educational, historical aspect, and being able to learn something new. But I also do like strolls in the woods, following animals tracks, playing in water with the kids, and even taking the canoe out!
I like a well thought out micro placed strategically in a parking lot, but hate micro’s in the woods. Earth caches are neat, I love taking the camera along for those, and was thrilled to discover several of our favorite places out in Utahand Arizonawere Earth Caches.Montezuma Well (GCZ5F8) located in Montezuma Castle NationalMonumentin Arizonia and Weeping Rock (GCZ5YB) in Zion National Park in Utah are two of our favorites
Montezuma Well
Which finds were the most challenging? Well the Psycho Urban caches were interesting! Psycho Urban Cache #8 - Ghost in Ancient Citadel by Vinny & Sue Team (GCT66Z) was a great team effort and a blast since we took lots of awesome pictures. They had just had a Halloween event, so there were still spooky critters out that we found. Another local Delaware cache was FOURTEEN MINUS SIX by THE DAM TROLLS (GCR7B7), I think that was a seven trip odyssey before we had success. I need to take the kids back there and let them do it. Mission 9: Tunnel of Light by Project APE (maintained by Moun10Bike) (GC1169) was the ultimate cache. We were at Mount Rainier, and drove there, and hiked the six miles through the tunnel with our son on either my husband’s back or my back. We did the trip in a little over two hours, and then drove to Seattle to the Lily Pad.
Tell us about your favorite caches?
ORIGINAL STASH TRIBUTE PLAQUEby TEAM 360 (GCGV0P) had to be the most favorite. That was a trip we arranged in about three weeks. My husband went to Portland to present a paper for his job, and I had to go, so we took the kids and went. While we were out there, I had my laptop and was researching caches and areas we were headed to. Ape Cave by cirrus (GCZ8ZQ) was an absolute favorite of the whole family. It was near Mt. St. Helens, and we were thrilled to be going caving. The kids loved it, and were trying to scare each other the whole time. When we were done, we thought we could take the Forest roads to Mt. Rainier. NOT! There was still snow in the mountain areas, and we got blocked at the pass so to speak, What should have been a two hour trip took almost five hours by the time we backtracked and went using the roads. My last favorite was Honored Mount by Southpaw (GC6201) in Tennessee. I love anything horse related, and they had a little section cornered off and there were all sorts of little equine memento’s set there. It was way cool, and I loved it.
You have done the DelaQuest, CAM 2008, MML and Md/De DeLorme. You must have some stories about those adventures? Delaquest was a three day trip split over a week and a half with my good caching friend Missy, and a part time caching acquantaince Julie. We had a blast, and were working around the kids school schedule. The day we found the final one, I had to call my neighbor to get my kids since I was running late and hauling a horse trailer!
CAM’09 was a mad dash over 36 hours with some friends in the trailblazer. Missy had the map, and the sheet they gave us at the shotgun start and was figuring out where to go, loading the gps, and navigating to the area. We just headed west and figured we’d head South and East from there. That hill was a killer, and on top of that, the hatch on my trailblazer wouldn’t shut! It was even more ironic that I had help arrive as the rest were storming the hill to make the crest (nevermind the fact I was their photographer and was at the bottom trying to close it!) At the top, in the container, there were some tools. Since I had left the toolbox at home, we all swapped good cache swag to make sure we had tools if I needed them again.
The MD/DE DeLorme Challenge was something I heard about at the end of my first year of caching. I was lucky to have a friend who is my secretary and let me know what grids I needed, and even made sure I knew what cache was in that grid! I finished it with my friend Dave (DudleyGrunt) and we made the cache final a milestone for the both of us. Dudlygrunt and missy111574 with Stacy
You must have some good stories of the events that you have hosted. Well, I remember one time we had a baby goat doing lap dances and jumping from lap to lap! Games Kids Play (GC1C7CP). ThermoPunk brought some peanuts and the goat was going crazy trying to eat them. There was also always someone who fell/slipped in the mud… ran into stickers, etc. But for the most part, it was just a laid back atmosphere were friends got together and hung out.
Have you had any memorable experiences while seeking a cache? I did have an interesting trip in my canoe with two friends. Insanity: Getting Cold Feet part 2 by Thermopunk & CodyHallowFarm (GC1BWQH). That was a co-hide with my good friend ThermoPunk who is always up for caching and doesn’t mind if the kids go along. We also went to find a RunFrog cache YUCK !!!! (GC1QEQ6) and went the wrong way in. We bushwhacked, and found the cache. The amazing part was my daughter who did it in a brand new pink skort, crocs and a light blue tank top. And only got her ankles muddy! And no, we didn’t carry her either. That was a great cache, and we laughed the whole time. Even when Brandon rescued a turtle and we brought it home and released it into our woods.
Moonshine Valleyby Tennessee Jed (GC1GNG3) was a great stop too. We were on our way to GW7, and we pulled up, and it was a small cliff! So I was like, no way I can do that with my leg brace. so I waited in the vehicle. Southern boys are great! A big ole truck pulled up and asked if I was okay, and should they wait with me. I was dying as I sat there. You sure don’t get that up here too much! Needless to say, we didn’t score any moonshine. I was hoping we would so that I could pass it on to a local reviewer!
What advice would you give to a beginning geocacher? My first bit would be to always mark your vehicle. Several times when I first started, I got lost because I never marked the vehicle, and didn’t know how to do the route thing. Still don’t! Second… wait before you put a cache out. Some people are so eager to place a cache they run out and don’t tend to follow guidelines. Before you submit it, do a test run. Or three or four! I always leave my gps unit set for five to ten minutes to mark the coordinates too. I always make sure to carry a small first aid kit, and water!
How do you decide when its time to bushwhack or to stay on the trail? Any stories on when you seem to have made the wrong choice? I try to stick to the trail as much as possible. When it appears I have no choice but to bushwhack, then we head in. I can’t say there are any stories, but it’s great nowadays with the PAF.
How many caches have you placed? How did you get started or come up with the ideas? I have placed over 20 now. Some are fairly easy. Like when I did a fall event called Games Kids Play. I put out ten easy kid caches. Basically cache and dashes with kids swag. Everyone loved them. Then there were some that took many months to pull together and think, rethink, hide, test drive, etc. But they’re popular, and I love being in the barn when someone is trying to find The Sign (GC196BH). Then there is my night cache, Star of Wonder Star of Night (GC181CB) which people like to do. That is my favorite overall.
Have any of them proven to be more "popular" or more difficult than what you expected?
Both The Sign and Star of Wonder are the two most popular. I’ve had people message me to make sure Star of Wonder is available. I check that weekly when we trail ride through the woods.
Have any of them been muggled? If, so how did you handle this? The Star was removed once by kids being mean. I turned into a mean neighbor and let all the teens parents know and threatened to not let anyone use my woods anymore. Seemed to do the trick since there has been no problems since!
What advice would you give to someone designing a cache placement? To think and rethink it through. A well thought out cache that is implented well tends to get more nicer comments and remarks, than one that is planted in poison ivy. Although with me being immune to poison ivy, I tend to stick it in it not thinking.
What's your best caching story - the one you tell others to let them know the kind of fun and adventures one can have while caching? I think that would be when we did Mission 9: Tunnel of Light by Project APE (maintained by Moun10Bike) (GC1169). Then there is the planning of the trips, how we prepare for overnight trips.. the camaderie, all the events, the friends etc. I have a friend who we say is my secretary, and he is always saying I need to do this cache or that cache to help meet a challenge I am working on.
I do know one story that I still laugh at is when Missy111574 was caching with me, and she’s not too good at stream crossings, so I crossed with her step daughter and made the find, and she decided to cross and fell in. What made it better was that as we were leaving to do more caching, even with her being soaking wet on a damp spring day, my husband called to say the ladder fell off the barn addition roof and he was stuck and how soon would I be home? I really wanted to say in three hours, but being nice, I drove home to rescue him.
What are you current caching goals?, Complete the Fizzy Challenge, and ultimately cache in all 50 states. I have currently cached in 25 states. With another two-three being added when I help a friend move to Florida in August. I plan to add South Carolina, Maybe Georgia and Florida. I will then have cached from Maine to Florida. In late October, I plan to drive to San Diego Ca with another friend and add more states then. The Well Rounded Maryland Cacher (The Fizzy Challenge) GC16QQZ is my current long term goal. I’ve been working on that for awhile, and trying to find caches that make the requirements.
Is there a really special cache in Maryland that you would recommend to Delaware cachers. A favorite of mine, andone of the first I did was Steel Cacheby Zanesters (GC10C8B). A nice scenic area but it can be a tricky hide. I had a lot of fun doing this with Missy. Another great one to do in the fall as Dusk is settling is Little Chapel On A Hill by MomMom&PopPop (GCPDTX). And for a nice little hike with some other nice caches in the area try Log It At Funks Pond by MomMom&PopPop (GCV3Y7)which is a lot of fun too.
Thanks, Stacy, for sharing these answers with us.