huffinpuffin2 found Cripple Creek Ferry (Traditional Cache) at 3/9/2012

Log Date: 3/9/2012
We made our way over from the Mr. Soul series to the West, trying to do so quickly, as it looked like we’d be doing this one in the dark…..or somewhere between dusk and twilight, at best. When we first turned onto F.R. 3, and took a good look at what was up ahead – two icy tracks that went straight up, we’d swear, looking like the start of a majorly bad roller-coaster ride – one of us absolutely did not want to make the drive in. Luckily, they weren’t the one that was driving; Mr. Nutso was! [:P]

So in and up and over and down and up and down again we went, the whole time held within the icy tracks as if sitting in some real-scale slot car. Those tracks were so slippery and deep, don’t think we could have driven off the road even it we’d wanted to. Thank heaven for 4WD, just wish we’d had a bit more clearance. And lucky for us, the tracks flattened out long enough to allow us to make the turn in toward the river, thus allowing us to drive right in to a nice overlook perch, very close to GZ.

With flashlights and headlamps all packed in and donned, a quick run down to the river provided a nice shot of our favorite type of ‘fight or flight’ adrenalin rush. The water was black, appearing potentially bottomless; and fast was the side-stream from the left that whipped past the shoreline, sweeping everything it encountered out into the main stream. OOOOOOOO! Can it be done? We quickly poked at it with a stick, and it seemed there was a solid bottom, well, at least along the shoreline.

On went the chest waders, exchanged a kiss for good luck, grabbed the stick, and headed out from the end of the road. It was found to be swift of current, and of a ‘double-dipper depth’ – very glad to have chest waders. Slow and steady went the crossing, and then up onto the sandy beach waddled the rubber-clad puffin! Then it was off to GZ. It took an uncomfortably long time to find that evil hide…..actually, under good light and calm nerves, the hide would have seemed tidy and tame. Yet, making the grab under these circumstances, certainly added to the glory of the find. Once the mark was made and the container replaced, a few quick shots of the now-flashing camera were fired off, and back across the stream waddled the puffin to complete the mission.

Excellent thriller, zuma! We still had to make our way out, but it was much easier riding off into the sunset, knowing we had this memorable accomplishment to take with us. It was a blast! And certainly another Favorite! [8D] [:D]