On Monday, April 16, 2018 a geocache trackable travel bug we named Kaelin was released as part of the PPHS geocaching experience. His mission was to visit places rich in history and geology.  He was picked up by a geocacher named “Hives”, who took him to several states on the way back to his home state of Minnesota.  By July, Kaelin had traveled 2,743.4 miles.

 Now however, in early August he left with Hives for more adventures to geocaches in Europe.  His first stop was to visit Sagrada Familia (temple) in Cataluna, Spain.  An interesting coincidence is that I just read about this fascinating place in Dan Brown’s novel “Origin”.  His next stop was to visit Monopoly Nice geocache in Provence, France.  Then he went to Limoni d’ Amalfi geocache in Campania, Italy where he got to learn about gelato.  I’d tell you more, but I don’t read Italian.

His next stop was to an Earthcache.  Mt. Vesuvius – Pompeii Ruins also in Campania.  A geocache Earthcache involves learning about basic geology in the field and is placed at unique geoscience features or aspects of the earth.  The nearest one to us is at the Florissant Fossil Beds.

From there he traveled to Croatia to the Cathedral of Saint Dominius geocache.  The Cathedral of Saint Domnius, consecrated at the turn of the 7th century AD, is regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world that remains in use in its original structure.  As you can see, Kaelin is having great adventures.  His next one was to Veneto, Italy where he visited I giardini di Venezia which are Napoleonic gardens built in 1807 under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte.   The next stop was to a geocache in Venice which was near the Ponte della Liberta (Freedom Bridge) before going on to Budva: old town geocache in Montenegro.  He got back to the US and a week later did a puzzle cache several hundred miles from home in Minnesota.  So total miles traveled so far is now 14,468.2 miles.  Seems like he’s fulfilling his mission and I can’t wait to see where else his travels will lead.