[Az-Geocaching] Old time geocacher? RIP

[rhrdn8@juno.com]

OLD TIME GEOCACHER?  RIP.

While attending the "BYOYJ" event yesterday (GCKCP4), Jr. and Nancy from team "AJ.JR" presented me with an August 1st, 2004 newsletter from an old mining town, Randsburg, CA.  The newsletter is "The Rand Gazette."  (I love these old towns where everybody knows everyone by their first names.)  I couldn't help but smile reading the back page where the obituary column was placed:  The column discussed services for "Paul" (no last name listed).

Family and friends gathered around Paul's grave to memorialize his passing, and to salute all the old timers who have come before him.  Paul is now keeping company with the likes of: "Burro Schmidt" and "Shady Myrick."

The article states: "An old ammo box, found by Paul on one of his field trips, was used as his coffin.  Items placed in the coffin included his key chain with keys that no locks were found for, his non-working GPS and blacklight, his winter hat, a few rounds of ammo, an old Atolia flag, and business cards he had collected as well as his cell phone."  The article went on to say: "I'm certain that Paul would have been very pleased, and perhaps a little surprised at this tribute to his many contributions."

So fellow cachers, if you ever pass through Randsburg, CA, you might want to look up toward the old cemetery and think of Paul.  I'm sure he's not going to need that "non-working GPS" to find his way on the "other side."

Rand Hardin
(RandMan)