April 2016 – Cacher of the Month

Caching Name: hostanut

Real Name: Preston Littleton

1. How did you become involved in Geocaching?

Our daughter and son-in-law (dww9) asked Genie (LadyH) and I to go along with them to do something they thought we would enjoy. After finding 2 caches I told them that it was FUN and wanted to do more….their reply “There are NO more geocaches in Sussex County! We only found 8 caches in the first 7 months because other interests took precedence at the time.

2. How did you choose your caching name?

I was a NUT about hostas….hence hostanut. At a peak I had over 725 hostas (with over 325 varieties) growing in my yard. Besides growing hostas I was busy traveling to conventions and meetings nationwide, was vice-president and newsletter editor for the Delmarva Hosta Society, and webpage developer (would you guess it was about hostas).

3. What type of cache do you prefer seeking – traditional, multi, and puzzle, virtual?

Any type as long as it takes me to historic, scenic or interesting spots. Virtuals do hold a special place in my heart. I also enjoy working on most puzzles.

4. Which caches were the most challenging, either physically/mentally?

Some days I can’t find a D1/T1 cache and other days high Dif caches are easy to find.

Many of Rehobch’s puzzles are extremely challenging ….MENTALLY.

Caches with a lot of elevation change are becoming more and more PHYSICALLY challenging.
GC1169 Mission 9: Tunnel of Light and GC1NKTA CAM 2009- Hoye Crest were 2 of the toughest on me.

5. What are your current geocaching goals?
-Have FUN caching
-Continue to grab the oldest caches
-Look for caches with high Favorite Points
-Seek caches in counties that that I have not cached in.
-Continue to search for Benchmarks
-LadyH is retiring on 4/29/16 so I look forward to even more caching trips and having LadyH accompany me on FTF runs.

6. Where have you always wanted to go caching but haven’t?

Alaska, Hawaii, and Rhode Island (Yes I need a cache in RI)

7. What is your most memorable caching experience?

I have so many memorable caching experiences and hope to make even more (including on a planned 15 state trip this summer). Caching with friends whether caching together for a few hours or on a multi day trip has given me many memories.
Family memorable caching experiences include:-The story of our grandson Nick doing GCPTWP Sandy Pt. cache with us when he was about 20 months old and walking almost the whole .8 mile down the beach to and from the cache. Nick would stop from time to time to toss a stone into the water. Lady H was fortunate to capture a picture of Nick with the stone mid-air.

-GCYN89 UP-UP AND AWAY because I was able to experience it with my step-son DEfire52 on his second day of caching and see the delight in his face when he discovered the unique cache.

8. What do you like about geocaching?

The friends I have made because of caching…….we now do other things together…..picnics, campfires, traveling, visiting and sharing our lives.

Geocaching is like a vacation guide……it takes you to historic sites, places with awesome views and places you might not know existed without caching.

9. Do you have some favorite caches in the area?

– GC4NGCW The Patriarch Tree
– GC51NTF WGD 2014 – Courtyard
-any cache that I an FTF on….NOT necessarily because of the cache but because of the feeling of getting an FTF.

10. Do you have any other hobbies or interests?

Vacationing and spending time with the grand-daughter (singin4cache).