1481 – Woodpecker 1 Cleared to Geocache | Walk With Me

Episode 1481 – Woodpecker 1 Cleared to Geocache | Walk With Me

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for Sleep With Me, the podcast that’s here to put you to sleep, tonight with a walk. We’ll be doing a little geocaching, maybe, or hopefully. We may or may not find the geocaches. If you don't know what geocaching is, oh boy, are you in for a treat. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it a little bit differently here. Tonight I’m gonna go for a walk in the woods. This is one of our on-location walking episodes. You could hear the birds, you could hear…well, that’s a power thingamajig, one of those old thingamajigs. Thingamajig and whatchamacallit…Whatchamacallit’s the candy bar. But this is a podcast to take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep. We don't put you to sleep directly here. I’m your friend in the deep, dark night here to hang out with you so you could fall asleep. If you're new to the show, it does take a couple tries to get used to.

 

That’s what most people that regularly listen to the podcast say, and so, just give it a few tries. See how it goes. If you're coming back when you need the show or you're coming back 'cause you love these on-location episodes or if you're like, hey, I’m just gonna skip this show 'cause…you could feel free to skip it if you're not a fan of the on-location shows, too. That’s why we work so hard putting out a variety of content for you, to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could get the rest you need, so you get some comfort, maybe some sleepy joy and delight in the deep, dark night. I’m here to help you out, and I’m glad you're here. If you come back night after night, I’m glad you're here and I’m glad I’m a part of your nightly routine. But if I am a part of your nightly routine, whether you fall asleep fast, you listen all night long, you listen to a episode just on the weeknights, school nights, work nights, if Sleep With Me is a part of your life and you want to be a part of its life, we’d love to have your help just spreading the word about the show, supporting the podcast, checking out the sponsors, sending kindness to other listeners across the deep, dark night. So, if the podcast changes your life on a regular basis, here's ways you could help the podcast out, too. Thanks.

 

Intro: Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake, whether that’s thoughts on your mind, thoughts about the past, the present, the future, thoughts you're thinking about, thoughts that are just coming up, baffling thoughts, maybe it’s feelings, feelings related to those thoughts, feelings that are just making an appearance at bedtime, feelings about the day or the day you have coming up, maybe it’s physical sensations or thoughts and feelings about physical sensations, maybe it’s something else.

 

Maybe you don't know what it is or maybe it’s a change in your routine or change in time or temperature, your schedule, maybe you're traveling, maybe you're a guest, maybe you work a different schedule. Whatever it is, I’m glad you're here. Tonight we're gonna be…I'm gonna be here with you and we're gonna be here together walking through the woods on a late summer afternoon, or mid-summer, late afternoon. We’ll be looking for a geocache or two or one, or if my past geocaching experience has anything to say about it, attempts to find geocaches. But the way…the reason I love doing it is 'cause I get to walk in the woods. Tonight I get to take you along with me. So, I’m glad you're here. But here's the thing; you don't even have to come along with me or be aware of it, because this show is here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep.

 

The only reason I talk about sleeplessness or what might be keeping you up is so you get a sense you're not alone in the deep, dark night. I guess I mean that in a direct and indirect way, right? You're here with a bunch of other people. Some of those people have been listening to the show a long, long time. Some of those people only listen to the show when they need it. Some people are getting ready for bed, some people are drifting off, some people are on the other side of the world, some people are brand new, some people have a test coming up tomorrow, some people are in the middle of a relationship change, all those things. But a lot of those people who have been listening for years and years and years, and even people that have been listening for two or three weeks or two or three months, they are in bed right now or wherever they are — maybe they're lying on their floor looking up at the ceiling. That’s one of my favorite wind-down things — and they're sending you kindness.

 

They are rooting for you in the deep, dark night to get the rest you need and you deserve, because they know what it’s like for them in the deep, dark night, and I suspect that they can relate to what it’s like for you, and there’s enough people listening out there that they…that there’s some people listening that can really relate to whatever it is that brought you here or whatever it is that brings you back. I don't know if you find that reassuring. If you don't, you could just look at it all at a distance, and you can receive that kindness from other listeners, you could send that kindness as well as receive it, or you could just say, eh, nah, I think I’ll pass. All those are valid ways. You could just be hearing me at a mumble and be like, uh-huh, Scoots. There you go again. I mean, parts of my brain do that. But that’s what the show is really about, is like, we're separate together, and this indirect connection we all share about something that’s non-positive, right; dreading going to bed.

 

If I can change that and at least create a bedtime or introduce you to something else that makes bedtime less of a rigmarole, it would really mean a lot to me 'cause I’ve been there in the deep, dark night. I’ve been there in the deep, dark night with a roommate, with a sibling, with a partner, with a house full of people, and even though there was people around, I didn't feel like anybody else got it, and it wasn't just in my head. Like, when I’d tell them about it, they'd say, oh, why don't you think of something nice, or why don't you imagine you're going on a walk in the woods? I wanted someone that kinda understood and was like, yeah, that’s really tough. I wish I could just take it away. This show doesn't really take anything away. I just kinda greet it and then we walk together or I walk with you or I walk for you to take your mind off of stuff and to keep you company and maybe create a place where you could fall asleep. But at least if you can't, you feel soothed here in the deep, dark night.

 

The way it works is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents. I go off topic, I get mixed up, I forget what I was talking about, then I repeat myself or I go on another tangent. I’m walking…we're walking to the trailhead right now, and there’s…right on the side of the road are pine needles and then grass and stuff like that. But I’ll save the descriptive stuff for later. But yeah, most anything…a bed of pine needles. Are they pine needles? I don't know. Maybe they're fir…is a fir a pine? I have no idea. Now, if you're new to the show, alls I could tell you is that this podcast is very, very different, particularly the idea of having episodes where I sit on a balcony or I go for a walk in the woods or I open a board game. You probably got to the show maybe through a search or a recommendation, or maybe you were just struggling to find something that would finally help you out.

 

So, you probably got to this podcast with a reasonable expectation but also a healthy dose of skepticism and doubt, and that’s a good way to arrive at this podcast. I’m not sure what you're even doing here or if I even like that…this show. That’s a pretty common response, or even stronger than that. So, just give this podcast a few tries. While some people, the podcast helps them out and they really get it on the first try, for most people that become regular listeners or this podcast becomes a regular part of when they need help in the deep, dark night, it takes two or three tries, 'cause you had one idea what the podcast would be like. Oh, we just had a deer cross our path about thirty feet away, so…but yeah, they…the regular listeners that took two or three tries, the first time they listen, they're like, I don't know, this thing’s supposed to help me fall asleep? This doesn't sound like a sleep podcast at all. Then on the second try they're like, wait a second, what is this?

 

What is he going on and on and on about? I don't really…I don't get this. But…oh, wait a second…and then on the third try they woke up, and the next day…say, hey, hun, did you sleep the whole night? I don't know. I mean, part of it. I know I fell asleep listening to that pod guy. I think he was walking on sunshine or needle…pine needles, maybe, or he was talking about Meeples? Or Nina Peeples? I don't know. But I know he…yeah, and the next thing I knew I woke up. So, you start to realize that this podcast is always going nowhere, we're always never getting started, and that takes a couple tries and some openness to just see how it goes. The reason I say that is because if it doesn't work out or you're already certain, hey, this podcast is not for me, you're not for me, don't worry. I have a website set up, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou. It has other sleep podcasts and other sleepy stuff on there.

 

So, if you already are like, no, you're not for me, or you tried the show a few times and you're like, nah, I don't like the structure of the show, or this just doesn't help me out, check out the website, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou. You can also get there even faster if you do sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothanks. You know, maybe you’ll find something else, another one of the sleep podcasts I list or something else that helps you out in the deep, dark night. So, see what happens with that. What else do you need to know? Oh, this is a podcast that you don't exactly listen to.

 

It’s kinda like a TV on in the other room or a show streaming under your pillow, sand passing through your hands, a out-of-focus picture, like another piece of audio or video or something you repurpose, clouds in the sky, wind in the trees, a friend or professor or a seminar or presentation that just goes on and on and on that you can't quite stay awake for and that you…let’s see, that you can't…that you…I don't know, that you can't quite grasp, like nice water passing through your toes, something that you can tune in and out of but you don't have to stay awake for. So, yeah, it’s kinda like elevated background noise or like a friend on-call that you say, hey, I just…I can't sleep at all. I really need to. I can't stop thinking about this or feeling this or this or this, or I don't know why. Can you just talk to me for a while and see if I fall asleep? Like a friend that could do that. That’s what I’m here to do. Then, what else? What else do you need to know?

 

Oh, this is a sleep podcast, and I’m not here to put you to sleep. I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep. There’s no pressure to fall asleep with this show. There’s people listening who can't sleep at all — maybe that’s you — who need a break during the day, who need something to listen to while they're at work. This show is not really here to put you to sleep. It’s here to allow you to fall asleep, to keep you company and bring you relief. So, there’s no pressure to fall asleep. That’s why the shows are over an hour. That’s why we put out tons of different kinds of material, so you could say, okay, there’s 600 other episodes for me to choose from? Okay, I’ll try this and see if it works, or then I’ll try that one. Oh, I like this style of show. I do like hearing the birds or the footsteps in the forest or knowing that when you opened your phone that it looked like you already walked past one of the geocaches. I do like that you have an extra dose of humanity.

 

So, just see how it goes, 'cause I’m not…I think that’s important, is like, yeah, we're just here together hanging out. My job is not to put you to sleep; it’s to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your neighbore, your borebie, your bores, your boreman, your chairman of the boreds, your Boris Borelaf, your Big Borebowski, your Barbra Borestrand, your best bore-friend f’eva, and to just hang out with you. So, see what it’s like having a bore-friend or a bore-bae and see if you like it. Or if you do, I’m so glad I’m able to do this with you. Now, the other thing I like to run through is the structure of the show and why we structure the show the way we do. I’ll try to go through it a little faster here in this woods episodes. But the show starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, so you feel seen and welcomed in and you say, okay, I could check that podcast out. I think…yeah, I’ll see what it’s like.

 

Then there’s support so that paying for the show is optional, because a lot of people are listening to the show that are new, and having the podcast out for anybody to discover it means anybody can discover it, and anybody can listen to it. Anybody can count on it. So, the support and the listeners who support the show or spread the word about the show allow us to do that. Then after the support, totally separate from the support, is the intro of the podcast, which we're in now, where I try to explain what the podcast is, I go off topic, I get mixed up, and I ramble and ramble and ramble…or a lot of filler words, 'cause I’m out of…I'm just walking. So, I think I’ve used…again, extra filler words when I’m out on a walk. Out on a meander, in a sense. What am I saying? Oh, the intro goes…also goes on and on and on.

 

Every intro is new but every intro follows a familiar structure so you're like, oh, okay, I know Scoots is gonna try to explain what the podcast is, maybe he’ll get distracted, maybe it’ll peter out, maybe he’s walking on leaves and stones right now, but I know it’s gonna distract me versus something that’s repetitive. This podcast has this familiar reassurance, but every intro is new and fresh so whatever it is that keeps you awake has something new and fresh. Whatever it is that is keeping you awake feels respected and seen, too. That’s why every intro is new. The reason the intros are around fifteen to twenty to twenty-five minutes long is so you can get eased into bedtime. This podcast isn't made to make you fall asleep fast or…it’s meant to slowly wind things down. So, some people are in bed getting comfortable, some people are petting their pets or chilling out in another room getting ready for bed, and the intro just does that.

 

If you find you become a regular listener and you prefer something without intros, we have Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me in every single podcast app. That’s just the stories, just the greeting and the stories. But a lot of people like this 'cause it’s like we hang out together. It’s kinda like a sleepover and maybe a summer camp sleepover and hike tonight. Yeah, it’s where we're all together. But it also is the only thing that’s worked for me regularly, is having a wind-down routine. So, that’s why the intro goes on and on and on. Yeah, then there will be some support so we can keep making the show, and then there will be our hike. I’ll be right back with the hike after the support. I’m really glad you're here. Whether this is your first time or if you listen to 5,000 episodes 'cause you listen eight hours a night or whatever or you're somewhere in-between, I really hope I can help you out, and I really appreciate you being here and letting me in and that we get to do this together, like these little mini-adventures. If this podcast does change your life on a regular basis and you want to be a part of it, you will get a lot back, too. But if this podcast is a part of your life…you say, I want to be a podcast of this podcast’s life, too, these are the ways you could do that. Thanks.

 

Alright everybody, this is Scoots here, and just picking it back up from past Scoots. We're here on Buck Alley Trail, Buck Alley Trail here in one of the New York State parks. I think we're trying to participate…maybe this episode may be in a couple other episodes of the 2026 geocaching challenge. But I’m pretty sure I walked by the first geocache during the intro. I didn't want to be distracted by my phone. So, we're gonna try to find this other geocache, which is Travel to Buck Alley II. It’s 0.2 miles away from me now. Hopefully…it looks like we're going in the right direction. I know we're on the right trail. Yeah, there’s a little bit of birds in the background. There’s ferns. I’m on a nice dirt path. There’s some nice moss, grass, trees, and a lot of shade. I don't know if…I don't think we’ve done a geocaching episode ever before, and I don't know why. I mean, I guess in the Bay Area…I don't know. I don't know why. I would almost apologize. I’m like, how have we never done a geocaching episode?

 

But yeah, it’s a little bit lower…it’s a little bit easier to do it in a rural part of New York State where there’s less planning, even though there was some planning going into this one. But geocaching…I don't know if I’ll go on any tangents about my history with geocaching. I mean, I don't have a official history other than the first geocache I tried to find. I couldn't locate it. It was also in the middle of the winter near Cleveland, Ohio back before smartphones. But so, geocaching is kind of like a treasure hunt, and you use coordinates on your phone or a app. I use…I think it’s the official geocaching app, and I do support it. But I think it’s also free to use, and it’s fun. You load up the thing. So, this one we're looking for, it’s Travel to Buck Alley II, and the details…small cache located off the seldom-used trail, Buck Alley. The trail is not far from a camping area and it’s a easy trail to connect to other parking areas and camping areas.

 

There is dense leaf cover, so if you can download the stuff offline it might be a bit…a good idea, 'cause the signal’s gonna bounce around, especially in the summer, which is when we're doing this, due to foliage. The log…this is a log-only cache. So, I’ll explain that in a minute. Oh, bring a pencil…I did not do that. Yeah, it’s in this park and there’s a few other caches in this park. Actually, they've been placing more and more, and it’s pretty cool. Now…oh, so, some geocaches you'll bring little trinkets. Like, imagine the kinda things if you're my age that you would get in a cereal box or in a Happy Meal, or I think nowadays the kinda things when you go to a arcade and you get 500 tickets. They're like, you could pick a lollipop or this plastic ring. Like, little things like that, little trinkets. Some are log-only like this one, so you just find the log and you sign it if you brought a pencil. If you didn't, then you just use it for podcasting purposes. So, yeah, it’s a bit of an adventure.

 

Maybe this…if you like these styles of episodes…I mean, I know a lot of people like these woods-hiking ones. Yeah, so that’s that. There is a hint, but we won't look up the hint first. It looks like from the direction I’m going we gotta hit a trailhead and then take a left and head backwards. So, we're on two parallel trails. Maybe we…I think the other one’s Red Fox Trail. Not…I mean, maybe it is named after Redd Foxx. I think this is Buck Alley. We're supposed to be on Buck Alley Trail. Yeah, this is this beautiful forest right near Lake Terry. I have definitely biked bonus content of me biking in this…these woods, and probably other content in these woods. I really am hoping to do more and more features of these styles of spending time near the parks and in the parks of New York State. We did a couple hikes earlier this year at different…a state park and a local park. I bought a three-year state park pass.

 

Because it’s not just my backyard, and it’s so easy to forget…I mean, it’s not in my backyard, but it is easy to forget that this stuff is out there anywhere. It might be different by you. It might differ…maybe it’s a city park or maybe it’s a county park or maybe it’s historical buildings. Whatever it is, it’s easy for me to forget when I get caught up in the stuff similar to what keeps me awake at night, that…yeah, it’s like that that stuff, it…my thoughts, my feelings, and to a lesser extent my physical sensations, but definitely my thoughts and feelings…oh no, no, you don't want to go out there. Even today it was like, oh no, it’s already past 4:00. How are we gonna record a episode in the woods? Like, why didn't you…why didn't we get it done…? I say, okay, well, I think we got plenty of time. I think this is a good idea. Sometimes I have to break it into smaller steps or just soothe myself. Okay, now I guess we're on Buck Alley. We might have been on Yellow Acorn Trail earlier.

 

Oh no, this says II Buck Alley Trail, 0.2 miles. Or maybe we are…I don't know. Now, this state park recently got a bunch of upgrades. They have cabins you could rent out, there’s camping areas for tents and campers. It’s really popular in the summer. I don't know, it’s a really nice park. But there’s other parks across this state and across the world, and that’s what I mean; I may be celebrating this one locally, but I do encourage you, and I think it’s hard to imagine that…it’s my belief that these things actually do positively impact our sleep because, I don't know, when I am able to be in the middle and not be in that all-or-nothing place with those parts of me that are like, oh no, we can't go outside, I don't know, my life’s a little bit different and it’s a little bit better, and then maybe it is a little bit easier for me to sleep. Okay, so, let’s see. So, it looks like this is 244 feet. It may be right off the path or right on the path. It may be…I don't know.

 

We’ve…I've done some of these geocaches here before, not the 2026 ones that are for this geocache challenge. But so, I don't know if I’ve discover…I don't remember discovering a log-only one, and I do remember not having a lot of success with a lot of these ones. Okay, so we're at 88 feet now. 77 feet, 65…so, what I’ll normally do with these ones is walk until the feet thing flips. We're at 40 feet. It’s to my east, almost due east, now due east. Oh, now it just…oh, it’s still due east. Oh, now it’s more southeast. Okay, it just flipped. So, I’m gonna try to find it. It’s seven feet away. But I don't even know what to look for. So, it’s somewhere right near where I am. The details…a small cache just off…easy to reach via the trail. So, I don't know. So, the hints…I'm not gonna look up the hint just yet, but there is a big rock. Like, you want to look normally for rocks. You know who would be good at this is Rick from the TV show…he was just on Seasons…50 of Survivor. He’s always good at finding stuff.

 

It’s like three feet away. So, it could be in a tree, a crook of a tree, a rock. I just want to be…do a FYI that I am prepared to go off the trail a little bit because I had prepared ahead of time. So, I have long pants on, I’ve sprayed myself. Okay, I think I see another clue, possibly, which is an old pole sticking out of the ground. So, these are the things…and this is where it’s cool. Like, geocaching, you try to slow down and see if you can find stuff, 'cause if it’s…it could be like a magnetic thing. So, I’m gonna check this pole. It’s just a pole in the woods. There’s nothing attached to the pole or in the pole. So, that’s…this is a good potential geocaching site. Like, a geocache right by a geocache. Okay, now I’m walking to a tree that has a little crook. Nothing in that tree. Next I’m gonna try…huh, I’m gonna try this rock. I’m also not sure which part of the trail…which side of the trail it’s on. When it says ‘log only’, it’s like…so, this is where I say, yeah, I don't have…I like looking for geocaches.

 

It’s more about the game, man. I do it for the mystery. Okay, I’m looking in the crook of this tree, a little bit larger tree. What kind of tree are you? Any idea? No. I can't look it up because I don't have a open hand. Bases of trees are another good thing, though this is more wooded. They wouldn't make it where you have to dig or do anything where you could get…like where you're gonna disturb the environment too much. So…huh. The other thing to kinda look for is human activity, 'cause people are out here doing this together. You normally want help when you're doing this, like people that are like, oh yeah, I’ll be searching for it, too. But also you kinda want long pants on if you're searching for stuff. Here's a tree that’s got some sap going, but I don't see anything there. I got another tree here. I may have looked…we may have looked for this before. I remember one time when one of my nephews was really small, like…and he was in a stroller and we went hiking…'cause while these are dirt paths, they're stroller-able.

 

I think we had another unsuccessful search for our geocache. But like they said, yeah, if the summer thing…checking…what I’m doing now is just checking trees. This is nothing more sleep-podcasty than this. It’s like, holy moly. What is this guy doing? He’s just walk…right now I’m just wandering around the woods. I mean, once I’m totally unsuccessful I’ll check my phone again. I saw something. Another thing to look for is landmarks. I guess this is good training for the TV show Survivor, because you look for anything that would catch someone hiding something’s attention. Then you're like, huh. Now I’m looking. I see a tree that’s in a resting state. It’s got a stick hanging on it. I’m like, huh, this stick doesn't seem to be natural, but I don't see anything that would look like it’d be hiding a geocache. Maybe I have done this before, 'cause I’m having a little deja-vu of like, have I unsuccessfully tried to find this geocache before? But what we’ll do is we will turn to the hint if we haven't found it yet.

 

Okay, here's a tree. This tree may have passed on over the rainbow bridge. Those ones, I’d say it’s 50-50 whether you should be putting a geocache in there, 'cause Mother Nature’s friends also like to use these trees for stuff. Nope. Don't see anything. Sometimes they’ll have a description of the container. Like, if anybody remembers what film containers were like…or mini-M&Ms come in a tube. Those things are pretty good. Let me just…first I’m gonna check the map and the compass again and just see if I’ve got a better signal. Well, now I’m at 46…oh, now I’m at 125.79, so it’s jumping around. It is pointing me in a different direction. 60 feet, 57 feet…it might be this tree. I’m not sure if I checked this tree. Maybe I was on the wrong side of the trail. Spent my whole life on the wrong side of the trail. I got…it seems like I got a pretty good read. So, I’m gonna put my phone back in my pocket…that it could be a tree in this area here.

 

We had a couple other trees that look like they've seen better days, but I don't see any signs of human activity. You really gotta slow down, which is not exactly at the top of my skill list; go really slow and be really observant and don't be in your own head. I got this…two pairs of trees together with just a little bit of space in-between them, and then something like a landmark on the side of it. But usually I will play coy if I’ve found it or I’m close to finding it, but that’s not the case at this moment. But also I don't…you probably will be able to detect the sweet joy in my voice. Okay…or sometimes I like to find it when I’m with a group of people and then say, huh, I wonder where it is, and then I giggle. But that is not the case right this second. There’s…I mean, there’s nothing obvious to me. We could have used Weatherman Rick’s…and now the GPS is like, jumping around, which is always a sign you're close. Okay, so, we will turn to the hint. The hint may not help me, though. Look for five trees in one.

 

Oh, boy. Okay, the hint…where the hint is is literally two trees away. How did I miss that? I don't think Weatherman Rick would have. So, that was more of a answer than a hint. But yeah, I guess there you go. If I would have slowed down for a few more minutes…but let’s see, we haven't found it yet. We just know that I believe…one, two, three, four, five trees in one. So, we're gonna look around. I see slight signs of human activity, but I don't see anything obvious. So, I’m circling the tree. Normally it will be in the crook of the tree or the base of a tree, but it’ll also be somewhat obvious that someone’s been there. The other thing is you can check the log. So, if no one’s found it this year, that’s always a sign that it’s missing. But yeah, I’m still looking. I do have someone else helping me that’s giggling, so…oh, and here I’ve found it. I think it’s even…so, it’s a bag. It’s a mesh bag…oh, with a…the mesh bag is…here you go. Can you hear that? That’s a geocache. So, it’s a mesh bag, and…trying to open it.

 

Oh, it’s camouflaged tape on it. It’s a thing you would keep your care items in that you get at Walgreen, CVS. It does have a pencil. So, I’m gonna go back to the trail here and pour it out. It just has the log and a pencil, and then inside it has, hey, by the way, this is a geocache. Wait, this is a official geo…oh, it’s official. Okay, this is a long log, so it’s really got a history here, starting with somebody Queen8925. A bunch of kids have signed it. Not all of it’s dated. 6121…so, this thing has been here for a while. I’ve never found this one; I’m positive about that. It has a Canada sticker, so I don't know if Canadians placed this. It is the longest…2022…wow, what an honor to be unloading this geocache. It’s kinda like Santa’s list when you see that it’s really long. I don't know where I’m gonna sign it. I see a open place here in 2023, but I’m gonna need to lay down on the ground almost to sign it.

 

Okay, so, hopefully a horse doesn't come by or something, 'cause…I mean, I don't think a horse would come trotting by, but…okay, so, I’m gonna go off mic while I sign it, so I’ll be right back. I mean, you…we’ll edit it out or maybe we won't. Something happened. Something went wrong. But I was still monitoring my audio, which means I’m listening to my voice as I’m recording it. Kind of a key of making a sleep podcast in my opinion, or most podcasts. But I either failed to restart the recording, which is possible, or…and/or I restarted the recording and then there was an issue with the same recorder, which is now recording. I kinda formatted it. Because then I tried again the next day, and then the recorder also failed again after I was in the woods. Oh look, there’s a barrel. I’ve never seen…since this is a state park, it’s rare to see cars like you would find in the woods. This is a forest or a state park, but there is a rusted barrel. So, I’m trying again.

 

Now, the good news is, for those of you that like ambient shows, I also recorded an entire ambient episode while I was retracing my steps up until the first geocache we discovered. Really nice ferns here. So, yeah, we have that. That’s a piece of good news. And we may try to make a three-dimensional audio thing. We haven't tested that out, so we’ll see. So, I’m going to go maybe back to…I don't know. I’m either gonna go retrace our steps in reverse or just start looking for the second geocache which was originally the first geocache on our list. Right now I’m just trying to get back. I’ve entered the forest, and right now I’m stopping over a stream that is moist but dried up, and…a lot of ferns. Got a really mossy tree. So, presumably that’s the east, right? Moss grows on the east or something? It’s a warmer day than…warmer than last week. So…and yeah, I’m just in a different time of day and much different light than the other two days, 'cause the sky has something…you hear that?

 

I think that’s a chipmunk, maybe? Not a lot of bird sounds. Maybe the birds don't like this overcast stuff. So yeah, I’m on this grassy trail and, yeah, making sure I got recordings done for you. Always be recording; that’s a sleep podcaster’s motto. Earlier today I recorded some messages for the free podcast. I recorded a behind-the-scenes video. Or, no, AMA videos. Behind-the-scenes video we did yesterday, and yesterday and the day before. So, this is a Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday I recorded a autumnal TV-recap podcast episode. So yeah, just hiking away. It’s nice, and it’s still July. I think we just passed the midpoint of the year at some point. Again, I get mixed up; is it Christmas in June or Christmas in July? I think it’s Christmas in July. So, that would be next week. So, I’ll have to figure that out, or the week…maybe ten…oh yeah, about ten days, nine days from now, if it’s the fifteenth. Wow, beautiful. Beautiful but quiet. Very quiet today.

 

If you’re ever on that Vermont hike with me, it did take some extra pauses. But this one I’ll just talk a little lower and slower. You can catch some of the breeze. I don't think you can hear Terry in-between my things, but I think that’s just the wind. But it could be Lake Terry. It is very powerful today. Now, I’ll also be honest that when I was…did the first recording, even though I was aware the recorder was on and broadcasting to my headphones that it was recording anymore, I still tried to find the geocache, and I could not find it. So…and I’m by myself. I don't have my…my daughter was with me filming the video, so she actually helped me find the first…spoiler; the first geocache. She didn't actually point it out to me; she just…I think I was saying…she had a big grin on her face. That kinda helps 'cause you say, okay, it is possible to find it. Okay, we're getting some tweets here, so maybe we just had to get deeper in the woods. Yeah, we're getting some bird sounds, some nice bird sounds. So, let’s see.

 

I think I needed to record…I forgot to check that when I left. I think we only needed ten or twenty minutes more of audio, so hopefully I don't record too short…I mean, that’s fun though, right? This is what a sleep podcast is all about, especially these walk-with-me episodes. It’s like walking together, right? Yeah, so, getting some bird sounds. I could boot up Merlin and see what Merlin has to say about these birds, but usually my voice throws Merlin off. But I guess I could just pause and then edit it out. Yeah, but we are getting some bird sounds. Maybe they're loud enough to come in over my voice. We’ll see right now. It’s registering my…no, that’s my voice. Oh, that one…okay, let’s see. Okay, so the one…main one we're hearing is a red-eyed vireo, and that is one that came up before when I was recording earlier before I lost it, so that’s good. It is a plain…oh, plain; who are you calling plain? Olive green above, whitish below. No wing bars. Red-eyes are not easy to see.

 

Sings nearly nonstop through the day. Hello, neighbors. I’m the vireo…and often with flocks of chickadees and warblers during migration. Winters in South America. It could be confused with the chivi, C-H-I-V-I, vireo, which is best distinguished by voice. Yeah, so now we're at the crossroads of the paths. The trail we went on that I thought was the right trail and then the correct…the Big Buck Trail and…huh, so this one goes to the…let’s just go on…oh, this is the Red Fox Trail with…but not as in a proper name Red Fox. Not the quick brown fox. How come so much of us…? Well, I guess…was that only in the eighties where…the quick brown fox? Was that phonics or reading or writing or spelling? That whole thing. Maybe nobody knows. Anybody? Any vireos attend elementary school in the Eastern United States? That’s a no. Okay, well…so, I’m gonna stay on this trail for about three minutes and then I’ll turn around, see if we can find this geocache.

 

We're just moving from what I believe is deciduous to evergreen. Probably the mic won't pick it up, but right now I’m going through an evergreen area, and it’s…yeah, so, the evergreen trees…the cool thing is…I don't know. Oh boy, I can smell it, not just the evergreens but the leaves. Wow. Sorry to smell on the mic, but I mean, I want to bring you here. It smells foresty. Forest floor, a scent that…I don't think that’s one of the scents that sells a lot, Old Forest Floor. But, you know. It could be…I guess this is just not…it’s more known for being a future thing to eventually the circle-of-life-type stuff. But I was saying that a lot of the evergreen trees here, all of their lower branches are barren because there’s…it is a lot of density. This is a forest, and so, they gotta go pretty high to get sunlight. Then this particular part of the forest is mostly leaves. Interesting; mostly leaves even though this is evergreen trees. I guess the wind blew them here, or there’s enough of trees mixed in.

 

But a tight canopy, so not a lot of green growing, just a couple occasional ferns and some moss. But then we have a open area up here a ways to our left where it gets very verdant. Excuse my alliteration, but quite very verdant, and a lot of ferns in this particular part. Other parts are a lot of other-type greens. But this one, it’s almost exclusive fern territory. Really cool. I feel like I’m in one of those movies. Wow. This is prehistoric, man. It’s…there are a couple things in-between the ferns. That’s a good question, brain. Zach Galifianakis is not in-between these ferns, no. He’s probably gardening currently in 2026, but he’s not…that was a good, good question that part of my brain just asked. What do you mean something’s between these ferns? I said, these are references. Then, what was it? Martin Mull, was he on Ferndale 2 Night? Was that the show? I remember it was on Nick at Nite, but I never watched it.

 

So, alls I know is what it was called and that Martin Mull was on it and somebody else whose name escapes me. Live…I don't know if it was a sitcom about…it was a parody of a late-night talk show, a parody of a local newscast, or a sitcom about one of those things. So, those are questions I have. Live from Ferndale 2 Night or something like that? Like, not the Garry Shandling Show. That’s different. They talk about a little bit of experimental absurdist sitcom. I don't know, maybe…if you want to go really be entertained, watch the Garry Shandling…it’s the Garry Shandling Show. That was Garry Shandling’s first show? I don't know. I’m not sure. But yeah, it was…but Garry Shandling was not on Ferndale 2 Night or whatever it was called, and that’s…I wonder if Martin Mull was ever on Between Two Ferns, 'cause…could Martin Mull have been a influence…? Is Zach Galifianakis the same vintage as me? I would say within eight years. I may have…I maybe more vinted than Zach, or maybe not.

 

I have no idea. But…because Martin Mull…I'm trying to think. So, okay, wait a second, I tuned into this sleep podcast; you're in the middle of a beautiful forest, and you're talking about Martin Mull. Correct, correct. At some point I gotta open my phone. I’ve fought off the urge to look up any info, but I gotta pull up my geocaching app so I can unsuccessfully geocache. But yeah, that’s what these walk-with-me episodes do. They let us mull things over. That’s a Phish song written by Mike Gordon or Mike Gordon’s song performed by Phish. But yeah, so Martin Mull…what is my experience with Martin Mull? I’m trying to…he’s in a comedy troupe. Was he on SCTV? Because that would probably be one of my earliest influences. Or was Martin Mull in some other comedy circle other than SCTV? These are great questions. Of course he was on a great movie with Teri Garr and — why is my mind going blank? — Michael Keaton; Mr. Mom. But that wasn't my first Martin Mull experience. What else was he on?

 

Did he ever appear on the Sesame Show or…? Probably not on 3-2-1 Contact, 'cause that was a science show. What was the other show I watched? Electric Company. He had Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, and Sesame Street. But none of that has to do with Martin Mull, either, or Zach Galifianakis. Okay, so, at some point I’m gonna take a right on this…from the Red Fox Trail. We haven't done…talked about Redd Foxx, but…'cause otherwise I’ll start doing the song. But so…from Sanford and Son. But…okay, but yeah, I’m gonna look for this geocache and, yeah, we’ll see if we find it. It’s right at the edge of the trail, though. Okay, so, geocaching, that’s what we're doing today, geocaching. Is it with a I-N? Summer at Selkirk, that’s what we're looking up. Navigate…we're 506 feet currently away. We got some warbling birds, and we're going back through this pine region or pine forest-type area. I’m trying to go at a nice, leisurely pace here. Holy cow. It is warm.

 

I’m fully pantsed and…wool, higher socks, just to keep out any forest friends you got, 'cause I know I’m gonna go off trail to…well, all the ivy, too. So, I prepare for these things. I actually brought two pairs of…what are those called? The thinnest pairs of thermals I have with me, too, but I found that this pair of pants that somebody gave me for free that didn't fit them…though they gave them to my brother and they said, these pants don't fit me. They gave them to my brother, and then my brother said, these pants don't fit me. Do you want them? I think they're pants for golfing, but I don't golf. Then I said, well, they're almost like dress pants, but they're kinda made out of a material that seemingly would never wrinkle, but these pants always seem to be wrinkled. But I did say, wow, okay, I got some dress pants. Maybe I could wear these on a airplane or something. Then lo and behold, the first…now, they were double-donated pants.

 

The first time I wore them I got grease…permanently grease stained, which is kind of like a state of a large portion on my clothing, anyway. It looks like we're about 470 feet away. There is not a hint for this one. Oh, what do we got here? Is that some sort of bird standing there? Oh no, it’s just like…just a bush. Okay. We're a little closer to the road, so you might hear some road noise. Let me just go back. Okay, let’s see…someone found it a few days ago, so it is find-able. But there’s no hint. So, I guess attributes…dogs allowed, takes less than a hour. Does it say anything else? This place is part of the geocache. Be sure to check. There’s a stamp in there. So, I guess it’s gotta be big enough to hold a stamp. But I just don't have a ton of confidence, 'cause the last time I tried to find it, I was totally unsuccessful. Now, huh, my phone is blanking on me. But I could just go to the lists. I have a cache downloaded in my lists. Okay, so, I’m out of a service area.

 

Alright, the apps I have are struggling a little bit. Okay, here we go; Summer in Selkirk. Navigate 341 feet. Okay, I think we're still heading towards it. We don't head off-trail ‘til we're almost back at the road. Yeah, we're getting some nice birds. Really, because of the coverage and the sky…it is 5:00 p.m. or almost 5:00 p.m., but it feels much later comparatively when the last time I recorded it. I think it was closer to midday or late day, but there was full sun. But then it was speckled by the forest. Okay, something went wrong, but that’s fine. I don't…I mean…okay, 232. I’ve switched to compass mode, which just means it has a compass pointing in the direction. Right now though I’m walking north, northeast. But the geocache is 190 feet to the east. But at some point my compass will probably flip and then I’ll know I gotta start looking. The good news is it does seem to be almost certainly to the east. 155, 142, 137…okay, 138, 136. When it starts going back up, I’ll go…128, 124.

 

So, we're still going down. Oh wow, and there’s some clearance up here. 117, 116, 117, 119, 118, 117. Okay, so, it is right off of here. Huh, there’s a tree…this might be it. I don't know if I looked here last time, but there is a tree with two trunks that…it’s right off the trail. It would…and it’s got a lot of vines on there. It would be a good spot for a geocache. So, I’m just walking around the tree here seeing if I see anything. Hello, geocache? Come in. Geocache…you hear that? That might have been a woodpecker. Geocache 1, Geocache 2. Check. It’s like a TV…like I’m a TV director. Geocache 1, go Geocache 1. Geocache 2, go Geocache 2. Okay, I don't think it’s this tree, 'cause it’s still 82 feet away. Alright, well, I tried. Maybe I’m…I'm about ten feet in a different direction from where I was looking last time, and there does seem to be a loose trail here. You can kinda hear sticks breaking as I’m not really…yeah, come in. Are you doing Morse code or are you just a woodpecker?

 

I mean, I don't mean just a woodpecker in that kind of way. I mean just the only woodpecker I’ve encountered today. You've seen this geocache? I don't see the woodpecker. I just hear you. Are you high or are you low? Okay, go…say again? Can you repeat that? Woodpecker 1, Woodpecker 1. Woodpecker 1, come in. Woodpecker 1, do you read? I’m looking for this geocache. Could really use some help, 'cause it’s jumping around and it’s saying 19 then 18. Oh, 13…Woodpecker 1, do you read me? Woodpecker 1. Now 9. So, it is somewhere…so, I’m as close as I’m gonna get. Oh, boy. I mean, that tree still looks like my best bet, and that was the tree…maybe the woodpecker’s saying, dude, it’s right here. Hm. Okay, well, I have some downed trees here, but I wouldn't think they would put it in downed trees that are in a state of transition just because some people like to make…they like to make them their homes.

 

Okay, here’s a log with a piece of…like a downed log, but it does have…usually you'll put it right behind the log, so then you can't see it from the main trail. No, now we're at 30 feet. So, I think we could be getting cold. We could be getting cold, folks. Geocache 1…Woodpecker 1, this is Geocache 0. Come in. Okay, it’s saying to go…maybe that tree? I don't know. If you could tell, my confidence is not exactly sky high. The good news is if I do find this…okay, we're at 11 feet here, so, I mean, we're kind of in the heart of where it could be. What about this? This looks like it was an intentionally-placed piece of bark. Is it hiding anything? Doesn't that look like…does that look like it’s nature-made or human-made? It’s nature-made, dude. Okay, well, I was hoping that was the geocache. That’s why. Okay, let’s…it says 3 feet, 5 feet. So, it’s gotta be around here somewhere. At least I know I’m not gonna run out of…I know I have enough time, right? Alright, well, now I’m 17 feet away.

 

Just trying to Rick Devens it and go towards things that look like they could be considered a landmark or something, but…Rick Devens, he doesn't…he already found this geocache. Like, I could show him a picture and he probably already found it. I like…let’s see, how can I…? I don't know Rick Devens, but I do know somebody that had a professional interaction with him, and they said it was so positive, so heartwarming, so thoughtful. So, those are…that’s probably why I can't find the geocache. That’s why Rick Devens is probably…maybe those qualities come together, being able to find hidden things. You know, I’m just more shy. I would like to…okay, now it’s saying 20 feet behind me. I don't know. I’ll channel my inner Rick Devens right now. Okay, 37 feet; that means I should go deeper in the forest, but I think it’s gotta be right here. It’s gotta be right here. This is when we get to…so, where I’m standing now, there’s just a lot of downed trees.

 

I just don't know if…if I was a forest person, I wouldn't want people digging around in here because…oh, maybe…like, I don't want to find something that’s not trying to be found, you know? Like, that’s not hidden by a human. Okay, I’m not seeing…I don't see any signs of human interaction, but…oh, found it. Okay, never mind. Alright, so, I was wrong about…I did find it. I haven't gotten to it yet because…I just want to lay it out. So, there’s a huge…there’s multiple tree and tree pieces in differing states of being recycled by the earth, and bark’s coming off. So, these aren't recent falls. All of it’s on the ground, so none…and all of it’s fairly thin. But in-between all that is like bark and stuff. But then I noticed that some of the bark…I was like, an animal might make that its home, too. But, I don't know, this time they…what really helped me was the compass and maybe trying to one day be as kind as…oh, thanks, Woodpecker 1. You’re laughing…yeah, I hear you. Alright, so, I found it.

 

I don't know if I should open it or I should wait ‘til I have a child with me. But let’s just open it just so we can say we opened it. I’m just trying to walk around the tree. Okay, so, it’s got some good…it’s a green box and then it has…people have put tree bark on top of it. Alright, so this is it. I’m opening it. Okay, I’m opening it. It’s got a log. It has the geocache challenge. I don't see the stamp. Then it has some toys, a couple bracelets, a couple trinkets. Oh, there’s the stamp. There’s two stamps, actually, a yellow one and a green one. Yeah, I’ll save the log and stuff for when I’m with other people. Okay, so, I’ve re-hidden it and now I’m gonna walk back to the trail and say goodnight to everybody. So, that was successful. That was nice, huh? We got to do that together, a little discovery, a little hiking, and yeah, a little bit of carrying off into dream…and yeah, just like a…I don't know, when was my denouement there, when I admitted I’m not the most gracious person and I aspire to be more gracious, or when I lost all hope?

 

‘Cause I really…I was like, I’m not gonna find this. But either way, it makes good sleep…I think that was it. Then I said, well…this is in my head. I don't know what…I can't even remember what I said on the mic. Well, at least it makes a good sleep podcast either way, even if I don't find it, and then it wasn't long after that that I found it. But I do have to give credit to the…what do you call that thing? Compass and the app. In that case, because we were, I think, almost out of the woods, the compass was very, very accurate, which is kinda rare. Even in cities sometimes you're like within two or three feet of it. But thanks for joining me on a geocache. If you did listen to this whole episode and you absolutely love the idea of geocaching with me, let me know, and I can try to intentionally do more geocaches or work geocaches into these walk-with-me episodes. I mean, I probably will either way, 'cause it usually takes four or five episodes, and I’m trying to do as many walk-with-me episodes as I can, anyway.

 

But yeah, that’s about it. I’m gonna go back and eat dinner, and…oh, I’m gonna go swim in Lake Terry, too, 'cause…to get cleaned off. Well, 'cause I have all sorts of protective lotion on me right now. But yeah, I really appreciate everybody who listens to the podcast, whether you're sleeping or listening, and I hope you enjoy these walking episodes. Or if not, that’s why we work really hard to make sure…I never…I mean, I never thought we could bring these episodes back, because I was like, oh man, people don't want to hear…'cause we have to get to the story, and…and then now we're on our second of this new era of walk-with-me episodes, another way of recording, which could unlock a third way of recording. But I am slightly happier with this way. One, 'cause I can monitor my audio. I just checked…I'm like, huh, is this even recording? It is.

 

Then that…I don't know, that this is more conducive, 'cause the reality is this mic is like, really close to my mouth, which is kind of a key to a sleep podcast versus the ones that were on my ears. But the ones on my ears gave that 3D sound. So, I don't know, we may try to do best of both worlds at some point. I don't know. Let me know what you think if you’d want something that’s like…that would be like 3D sound or 4D sound. Also, I’ll see what the ambient audio, what that’s like. That was recorded with a pair of mics as well. Not a pair of Docs, but a pair of mics. So, yeah. Alright, well, goodnight, everybody. I’m gonna let this drift out, so goodnight.

 

[End of recording]

Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes

Walk With Me

 

Midsummer Celebrations

https://www.historicmysteries.com/history/midsummer/24776/

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/midsummer

https://www.discoverbritain.com/history/traditions/midsummer-celebrations-in-britain/

 

Geocaching

https://globe-chaser.com/the-history-and-evolution-of-geocaching/

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2019/11/the-evolution-of-geocaches/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-geocaching-became-a-global-gps-treasure-hunt-over-25-years/

 

Rick Devens

https://wgxa.tv/news/local/wgxas-rick-devens-past-studies-set-him-up-for-wild-survivor-tribal-council

https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/macon/macons-rick-devens-survivor-50/93-696dc391-00f9-44f3-b6b2-9f3c95ef31ac

https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/rick-devens-survivor-50-exit-interview-exclusive

 

Martin Mull / Ferndale Tonight

https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/archives_oralhistories/16/

https://www.npr.org/2024/07/12/g-s1-9641/remembering-martin-mull-an-actor-comic-musician-and-painter

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2024-06-29/martin-mull-appreciation-fernwood

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Tonight will be a walk

We’ll do some geocaching, hopefully

One of those old-type thingamajigs

 

PLUGS

Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

 

SPONSORS

Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; AquaTru; AirDoctor Pro; Talkiatry; Quince; DripDrop; Cozy Earth

 

INTRO

Baffling thoughts

Feelings that are just making an appearance at bedtime

Walkin’ through the woods

A Midsummer Late Afternoon

Lookin’ for a geocache or two or one

You can look at this all at a distance

Sending or receiving kindness (or not)

Well, Scoots, there you go again

I’ve been there in the deep, dark night

Walking together, walking with you, walking for you

Walking to the trailhead right now

I’ll save the descriptive stuff for later

Is a fir a pine?

How the show works

Skepticism and doubt is reasonable

A deer just crossed our path

sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou

An out of focus picture

Something you can’t quite grasp

No pressure to fall asleep

Some people do like my extra dose of humanity

My job is just to be your borefriend

See if you like having a borebae

Walking through the show structure

Rambling with a lot of filler words

I use extra filler words when I’m out on a ramble

More like out on a meander

Familiar reassurance, but alongside variety

Getting eased into bedtime

Like a summer camp sleepover

I’ll be right back with a hike

 

STORY

Here on Buck Alley Trail, in one of the NY State Parks

2026 Geocaching Challenge

I’m pretty sure I walked by the first one during the Intro

On a nice dirt path, surrounded by nature, in a lot of shade

I don’t think we’ve ever done a geocaching episode before

It’s a little easier to geocache in rural New York

My (boring) history with geocaching

Kind of like a treasure hunt

Travel to Buck Alley 2

There is dense leaf cover, so my GPS connection is spotty

Log-Only Cache

Cereal Box Trinkets

Like a trinket you’d buy with a lot of arcade tickets

I won’t look up the hint first

We’re on Red Fox Trail. Or Redd Foxx trail?

I hope to do more episodes wandering the state parks of NY

It’s easy for me to forget this stuff exists

I think we were on Yellow Acorn Trail before

There’s cabins and camping areas to rent out

I believe these things do positively impact our sleep

88 feet away

Normally, I’ll walk until the directions flip

That means we’re close

7 feet away…but what am I looking for?

Rick Devens from Survivor would be great at this

I am prepared to go off trail if need be

This old pole might be a clue

Nothing in these tree crooks

Huh, why can’t I find it

You can also look for human activity

This tree has some sap going on

I remember one time, my nephew was on a stroller in one of these hiking trails

Right now, I’m just wandering around the woods

I guess this is good training for Survivor

Is this stick natural?

Maybe I’ve done this before

Have I unsuccessfully tried to do this geocache before?

This tree may have passed over the rainbow bridge

We’ll turn to the hint if we don’t find it soon

Sometimes they’re in tubes that you’d hold film or mini-M&Ms in

I spent my whole life on the wrong side of the hiking trail

You really gotta slow down, which is not my forte

If I’m in a group and find it, I’ll play coy usually

Hint: Look for 5 trees in one

That’s literally 2 trees away

Weatherman Rick wouldn’t have missed that

I see slight signs of human activity

Oh, I think I found it!

Can you hear that?

Reading the logbook

I hope a horse doesn’t trot by as I’m writing this logbook

Okay, so something went wrong

I think I failed to restart the recording

I also recorded an entire ambient episode while I was retracing my steps

Okay so now I’m going to go to a 2nd geocache (originally the 1st)

Can you hear that chipmunk?
There’s not a lot of bird sounds

Maybe they don’t like this overcast stuff

Always Be Recording

I think we just passed the midpoint of the year

Whoa, Christmas in July is next week!

Beautiful…but quiet

It reminds me of the Vermont hike I did a while back

I don’t think you can hear Lake Teri in the distance

My daughter helped me find the first geocache

Now we’re getting some nice birdsounds

It’s just like we’re walking together

Maybe I’ll boot up Merlin to detect some birdsounds

We’ll it’s registering my voice

Red-Eyed Vireo

It winters in South America, wow

At the crossroads of the paths

The peak of “The Quick Brown Fox…”

Moving from deciduous to evergreen

Oh boy, I can smell those leaves

Really smells like forest floor

Old Forest Floor is not the most popular scent

Interesting, this evergreen area is mostly loose leaves

Very Verdant

Zach Galifianakis is not between these ferns

Was Martin Mull on Ferndale Tonight?

Not It’s The Garry Shandling Show

Are Zach Galifianakis and I generally the same vintage?

Why am I talking about Martin Mull? Correct.

My experience of Martin Mull

My first Martin Mull experience was Mr. Mom

We’re geocachin’

506 feet away

Fully pantsed in the warm weather

I am wearing the thinnest pair of thermals I have

Gotta be protected

I got some pants thirdhand

They’re almost like dress pants

Lo and behold, I permanently grease stained them

There’s no hint for this one

But someone did find it a couple days ago

It’s gotta be big enough to hold a stamp

It’s 5pm, but it feels much later

Those vines would be a good spot for a geocache

Geocache 1, come in

It’s like I’m a TV director or something

Still 82 feet away

Can you hear that woodpecker?

Woodpecker 1, do you read me?

I don’t think I’d put it in a downed tree

We could be getting cold, folks

Is that human-made or naturemade?

I’m just trying to Rick Devens it

I could show him a picture and he’d have already found it

I knew someone who met him once and said it was wonderful

Okay, now it’s 20 feet behind me?

I don’t think I’ll find it

Oh, I found it

Thanks, Woodpecker 1. I appreciate your support.

Let’s open it

A green box with tree bark on top of it

A log, some toys, some stamps

Ok, I’ve rehidden it

What a success, huh?

When was my denouement?

When I lost all hope?

At least it makes a good sleep podcast either way

I couldn’t have done it without the app

The app’s compass is very accurate

Thanks for joining me, and let me know if you liked this episode

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1481

Title: Woodpecker 1 Cleared to Geocache | Walk With Me

Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; AquaTru; AirDoctor Pro; Talkiatry; Quince; DripDrop; Cozy Earth

Notable Language:

• Old-Type Thingamajigs
• Midsummer Late Afternoon
• Log-Only Cache
• Always Be Recording
• Very Verdant
• Permanently Grease Stained

 

Notable Culture:

• • sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
  • Buck Alley
  • Redd Foxx

• Survivor

• • Rick Devens
  • Merlin app
  • “The Quick Brown Fox…” sentence
  • Zach Galifianakis

• Between Two Ferns

• • Martin Mull

• Ferndale Tonight

• • It’s The Garry Shandling Show
  • Garry Shandling
  • Phish

• SCTV

• • Teri Garr

• Mr. Mom

• • Michael Keaton

• Sesame Street

• 3, 2, 1, Contact

• The Electric Company

• Sanford & Son

 

Notable Talking Points:

• Baffling thoughts
• Feelings that are just making an appearance at bedtime
• Walkin’ through the woods
• A Midsummer Late Afternoon
• Lookin’ for a geocache or two or one
• You can look at this all at a distance
• Sending or receiving kindness (or not)
• Well, Scoots, there you go again
• I’ve been there in the deep, dark night
• Walking together, walking with you, walking for you
• Walking to the trailhead right now
• I’ll save the descriptive stuff for later
• Is a fir a pine?
• How the show works
• Skepticism and doubt is reasonable
• A deer just crossed our path
• sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
• An out of focus picture
• Something you can’t quite grasp
• No pressure to fall asleep
• Some people do like my extra dose of humanity
• My job is just to be your borefriend
• See if you like having a borebae
• Walking through the show structure
• Rambling with a lot of filler words
• I use extra filler words when I’m out on a ramble
• More like out on a meander
• Familiar reassurance, but alongside variety
• Getting eased into bedtime
• Like a summer camp sleepover
• I’ll be right back with a hike
• Here on Buck Alley Trail, in one of the NY State Parks
• 2026 Geocaching Challenge
• I’m pretty sure I walked by the first one during the Intro
• On a nice dirt path, surrounded by nature, in a lot of shade
• I don’t think we’ve ever done a geocaching episode before
• It’s a little easier to geocache in rural New York
• My (boring) history with geocaching
• Kind of like a treasure hunt
• Travel to Buck Alley 2
• There is dense leaf cover, so my GPS connection is spotty
• Log-Only Cache
• Cereal Box Trinkets
• Like a trinket you’d buy with a lot of arcade tickets
• I won’t look up the hint first
• We’re on Red Fox Trail. Or Redd Foxx trail?
• I hope to do more episodes wandering the state parks of NY
• It’s easy for me to forget this stuff exists
• I think we were on Yellow Acorn Trail before
• There’s cabins and camping areas to rent out
• I believe these things do positively impact our sleep
• 88 feet away
• Normally, I’ll walk until the directions flip
• That means we’re close
• 7 feet away…but what am I looking for?
• Rick Devens from Survivor would be great at this
• I am prepared to go off trail if need be
• This old pole might be a clue
• Nothing in these tree crooks
• Huh, why can’t I find it
• You can also look for human activity
• This tree has some sap going on
• I remember one time, my nephew was on a stroller in one of these hiking trails
• Right now, I’m just wandering around the woods
• I guess this is good training for Survivor
• Is this stick natural?
• Maybe I’ve done this before
• Have I unsuccessfully tried to do this geocache before?
• This tree may have passed over the rainbow bridge
• We’ll turn to the hint if we don’t find it soon
• Sometimes they’re in tubes that you’d hold film or mini-M&Ms in
• I spent my whole life on the wrong side of the hiking trail
• You really gotta slow down, which is not my forte
• If I’m in a group and find it, I’ll play coy usually
• Hint: Look for 5 trees in one
• That’s literally 2 trees away
• Weatherman Rick wouldn’t have missed that
• I see slight signs of human activity
• Oh, I think I found it!
• Can you hear that?
• Reading the logbook
• I hope a horse doesn’t trot by as I’m writing this logbook
• Okay, so something went wrong
• I think I failed to restart the recording
• I also recorded an entire ambient episode while I was retracing my steps
• Okay so now I’m going to go to a 2nd geocache (originally the 1st)
• Can you hear that chipmunk?
  There’s not a lot of bird sounds
• Maybe they don’t like this overcast stuff
• Always Be Recording
• I think we just passed the midpoint of the year
• Whoa, Christmas in July is next week!
• Beautiful…but quiet
• It reminds me of the Vermont hike I did a while back
• I don’t think you can hear Lake Teri in the distance
• My daughter helped me find the first geocache
• Now we’re getting some nice birdsounds
• It’s just like we’re walking together
• Maybe I’ll boot up Merlin to detect some birdsounds
• We’ll it’s registering my voice
• Red-Eyed Vireo
• It winters in South America, wow
• At the crossroads of the paths
• The peak of “The Quick Brown Fox…”
• Moving from deciduous to evergreen
• Oh boy, I can smell those leaves
• Really smells like forest floor
• Old Forest Floor is not the most popular scent
• Interesting, this evergreen area is mostly loose leaves
• Very Verdant
• Zach Galifianakis is not between these ferns
• Was Martin Mull on Ferndale Tonight?
• Not It’s The Garry Shandling Show
• Are Zach Galifianakis and I generally the same vintage?
• Why am I talking about Martin Mull? Correct.
• My experience of Martin Mull
• My first Martin Mull experience was Mr. Mom
• We’re geocachin’
• 506 feet away
• Fully pantsed in the warm weather
• I am wearing the thinnest pair of thermals I have
• Gotta be protected
• I got some pants thirdhand
• They’re almost like dress pants
• Lo and behold, I permanently grease stained them
• There’s no hint for this one
• But someone did find it a couple days ago
• It’s gotta be big enough to hold a stamp
• It’s 5pm, but it feels much later
• Those vines would be a good spot for a geocache
• Geocache 1, come in
• It’s like I’m a TV director or something
• Still 82 feet away
• Can you hear that woodpecker?
• Woodpecker 1, do you read me?
• I don’t think I’d put it in a downed tree
• We could be getting cold, folks
• Is that human-made or naturemade?
• I’m just trying to Rick Devens it
• I could show him a picture and he’d have already found it
• I knew someone who met him once and said it was wonderful
• Okay, now it’s 20 feet behind me?
• I don’t think I’ll find it
• Oh, I found it
• Thanks, Woodpecker 1. I appreciate your support.
• Let’s open it
• A green box with tree bark on top of it
• A log, some toys, some stamps
• Ok, I’ve rehidden it
• What a success, huh?
• When was my denouement?
• When I lost all hope?
• At least it makes a good sleep podcast either way
• I couldn’t have done it without the app
• The app’s compass is very accurate
• Thanks for joining me, and let me know if you liked this episode