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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

"Have yourself a field day," sounds like something John Muir would say about hiking Mount Whitney In A Day. Almost 23 miles round-trip with almost 7,000ft elevation change in 14hrs. Field Day doppelbock by Field Day Brewing was my #iowa14erbeers for 14,505ft Mount Whitney on 16Sep2026.

As always: safety first. The beer was not drank until I was down off of rock. In this case the entire trail was solid rock so the beer was drank at a hotel that evening while I was calling in to the Geocaching Podcast.
Yes, I hauled an extra pound in my pack just to take this photo.

#mountwhitney #escapefromflatland #14ers #statehighpoint

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Looking towards Mount Whitney and the high Sierras from the Alabama Hills. 15Sep2026 #mountwhitney #14ers

Mount Whitney is behind to the right of the tree.
#14er
#landscapephotography

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

On my roadtrip to hike Mount Whitney, I found geocaches in 4 new California counties and 6 new Nevada counties, completing Nevada. Aqua green are 2026 counties.

2026 aqua green
2024 dark brown
2023 tan
2020 mahogany
2019 magenta
2011 bronze
2010 green
2009 dark green

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

So.. I've been hiker trash in Nevada and California for the past week and driving across the least populated areas of the contiguous 48 and have not seen any news since 09/09... how fucked up is the timeline?

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

It's more like the bike storage in Amsterdam. They just sort of appear and then never leave.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Oh wow. I've seen the mirror version of this view coming up the opposite side of Kili.

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Rogue_System @systemrogue.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

What if @mapquest.com teamed up with Geocaching so you couldngo geocaching and then you could use the app and see your little avatar going on a “quest” for the geocache? I know inputting coordinates manually probably works fine, just feels like there’s fun and opportunity to be had here.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I use it to get to the trailhead but still verify it's routing me correctly. Dedicated GPSr so my phone is just a camera in the desert or grassland or on the mountain.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I've started hitting the point where at least once a day I'm saying something like "the last time we came through this town we came in from [the other paved road]" or "this is the same stretch of route as [year and overnight towns]"

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

@dutchbroscoffee.bsky.social finally opens their first Iowa location tomorrow. 17 years ago, when I was a combat medic in Iraq with the Oregon National Guard, Dutch Bros kept us stocked with coffee. I've driven out of my way on roadtrips to visit locations long before their current growth explosion

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I couldn't pass up a good deal for DeLorme atlases to help plan future geocaching road trips.. Excluding the 2 states that I already have, this gives me 7 more for the map collection. 🌍🗺 I want to have a map room in my next place.

West Virginia. Washington. Utah. Texas. Tennessee. South Dakota. Indiana. California. Arizona.
I already have Texas and Utah.. I thought I'd had a Washington one from when I lived in Portland.. must have gave it to a geocaching friend when I moved.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I got to use the 3rd base coach shower the other week during RAGBRAI. Before any major league games were played there.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I got to use the 3rd base coach shower the other week during RAGBRAI. Before any major league games were played there.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I'm planning on finally using my Adventure Lab credits.. next month in the mountains. Geocaching at 14,000 feet amsl.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Getting late 1950s Ft Leonard Wood barracks vibes from the wings on each side of the entrance.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I guess I should check my email more often.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Saturday July 25, 2025, I completed my 14th RAGBRAI. My 3rd time riding as a mentor with the youth cycling team Dream Team.

We started our season with 65 youth. 43 started RAGBRAI and 43 finished RAGBRAI.

My first RAGBRAI was the summer after I left an abusive marriage with another soldier. It was my first major affirmation of life after leaving the relationship and filing divorce. That I survived. That I could continue to do great things. That I was not my past.
Some of the same things that the youth on Dream Team learn about themselves as they train and ride RAGBRAI.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Did I just look at a map of US counties and consider a move to geocache new areas?

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Reposted by Escape From Flatland

Rob Sand @robsandia.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

This all started with a casual bike ride in 1973. Excited to join tens of thousands from all around the world getting to enjoy everything our amazing state has to offer. See you on the road RAGBRAI!

A photo of Rob Sand on his bike getting ready to ride RAGBRAI.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Last time I spoke to my father, he asked who the politician with the nazi tattoo was. I replied with a brief bit about Hegseth's christian nationalist white supremacist tats and next thing I knew I was kicked out of the house.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Sacrifices for pedophile trump's holy crusade

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Roamer 🍉 @terraroam.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Here is a lovely green heart for you all. Found today while I went geocaching on Ngunnawal Land. My photo, no filters. Please enjoy. #eucalyptustree #beautifultree #oldtree #ihearttrees #australia

A large old eucalyptus tree on top of a hill standing tall above the surrounding pine plantation. Very tall, very old. The leaves and branches are shaped like a huge green heart. It contrasts against a blue sky with thin high whisps of cirrus cloud and condensation trails from planes.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Rain and lightning. We lucked out just the western edge of the storm is hitting Guthrie Center

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

One of the girls on Dream Team brought IT as her book for the week. I let magazines pile up the last few months for this week.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Price drop for a mountain expedition on my bucketlist... Is 350km too close to an ebola outbreak to go hike up a volcano?

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

I learned how to avoid the county sheriff around this area when I was a teen a few decades back.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

For the longest time, killing a cyclist with your car in Iowa was just a $1400 ticket.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Completely understand. Lots of miles. It took me a few years on routes to/from Geocaching Megas or the mountains for me to get Kansas and Nebraska as far along as I have.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Are you going to complete the whole state? I've got 7 counties left in northeast Nebraska to finish the next time I have a free weekend.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Having picked a tattoo out of a group of designs on a poster board 2 days before I flew off to Iraq when I was in my 20s, I shrugged at the controversy when I saw what the design looked like. But that's the only time I've paid attention to politics outside my state in months.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

San Isabel National Forest with Turquoise Lake on the right and Mount of The Holy Cross massif in the distance on the left. From Mount Massive alpine meadow. 12.June.2025 The forest in this picture is now known as the Willow Fire outside Leadville, CO. The CDT is shut down. Stay safe, y'all.

2025 photo of the forest that is now known as the Willow Fire.

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Reposted by Escape From Flatland

Fumio Takeshita @fum10.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Magnetic ikea organizer. I used that type for hides once, they'll work for drier climates but not rainy Portland.

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Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

denying a visa to the man who imitates a statue of a man we assassinated

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Looking down at Clohesy Lake from Iowa Peak, 13,840ft. 20.Jun.2026

Clohesy Lake sits at 11,000ft, surrounded by 13ers and 14ers in the Collegiate Peaks, Sawatch Range, Colorado.

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That Scott Guy @bisontattooguy.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

This morning’s sunrise view from Gardiner, Montana.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I got a free plastic bag at the coffeeshop over the weekend. The lady knew I wasn't local because I use the Minnesota pronunciation Beyg. @mpr.org

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Purgatory is driving across the Great Plains on interstate twice in 3 days. Usually I take an extra day to #geocache a route either there or back and explore my country.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Emerald Peak, 13,916ft, in morning light. June 20, 2026. Because she's not a 14er, I had her and Iowa Peak, 13,840ft, all to myself on Saturday. I could see people ontop of neighboring 14ers all day. #collegiatepeakswilderness #Colorado #13ers #landscapephotography

You can see my entire route up the ramps to the ipper ridge

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Moss campion, Iowa Peak, 13840ft. I got home Sunday evening and have been resting. Knee injury in the final mile *on forest service land- I was west of the powerlines* Car key replacement on a Saturday night. (Gary saved my ass. Thank you, Gary!) #mosscampion #iowapeak #collegiatepeakswilderness

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I summitted Emerald and Iowa. Not bad for a no acclimatization trip.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I broke my key in my ignition. So I'm eating pizza and drinking lemonade until the locksmith fets here. This the only pic I'm sharing from my current trip until I get home.

Lichens and moss grow on a quartz bolder.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Oh.. color me out of touch. Lol. My current read. This is probably the 15th time I've read it since my English teacher gave it to me for graduation in 2001.

Life Is So Good by George Dawson and Eichard Glaubman.
I grew up listening to my grandmother tell me her firsthand accounts of major events from the viewpoint of an Iowa farmwife.
George Dawson's viewpoint of those same events is from the perspective of a black man who couldn't read.
There is a lot to be gained by listening to the diverse voices of the people and not just the whitewashed narratives those in power wish.

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Escape From Flatland @escapefromflatland.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Whats going on? Are we on general strike against the regime?

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