2022 Fall Picnic
2022 SLAGA Christmas Party
Bellefontaine CITO November 2022
Cachemas 2022 Bonus Day
SLAGA at GeoWoodstock 2023
2024 SLAGA Spring Picnic
2025 New Year's Day Hike, Fort Bellefontaine
Cachetur 101 Class - March 2025
2025 Winter Potluck
2025 Spring Picnic
2025 Spring Picnic
2025 GigaStock in Morgantown WV
2025 GeoWoodstock, Morgantown, WV
SLAGA at Ted Drewes 2025
2025 Christmas Event
2026 NYD Hike
Crazy Beards!
2026 Winter Potluck
SLAGA's 25th Anniversary Commemorative Event
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- Written by Terri Nealon
- Hits: 13
What a great turnout for the SLAGA 25th Anniversary event held on September 30th at Rockwoods Reservation. This commemorative event was at the exact same location and same day as the very first SLAGA event held back in 2001.
This old photo shows some of the group of local cachers that attended that event, which became the start of SLAGA. Our charter members Mean Gene and *gln were at that picnic.
Mean Gene also made this recent 25th anniversary event. When asked about his memories from the first event, he explained that 2001 picnic hosts Steve & Connie (who lived in the vicinity of Meramec Caverns at the time) made three attemps to try to set up a picnic gathering, but it wasn't until the third attempt of contacting cachers in the St. Louis region that the picnic actually took place. And Gene recalls the weather during that first event was pleasant and a lot like the weather at this 25th anniversary one.
At the 2001 picnic, Gene met and talked for quite awhile with Denali, a fellow geocacher, an Illinois resident and a commercial pilot. Gene said, "I was impressed by Denali's 100 cache finds and didn't think that was possible." At that time Gene had about 40 finds and it wasn't until Thanksgiving day that he hit 50 finds. Today in 2026, Gene has more than 27,000 finds! Rooter (his better half) was not in attendance at that first picnic, but she had already starting caching with him and his buddy Roelsch and during travels. Gene also mentioned, "The first picnic group (about 20 altogether) sat at a few picnic tables chatting and snacking." There was also a raffle and Red Cross disaster relief fund collection for victims of 9/11 attack. "Then the group photo was taken, but I opted not to be in it, since my father never wanted his picture taken, and that idea kind of rubbed off on me." (He's since changed his mind about that.) The historic first SLAGA picnic broke up around 4 pm.
As for this 2026 early evening event, nearly 40 SLAGA members attended, all excited to celebrate the anniversary of the first ever event. The board provided a cookie cake, cupcakes, and pathtags for all.
It was obvious it had been awhile since so many cachers had gathered, because everyone genuinely enjoyed meeting and greeting old and a few new caching friends. There was some upcoming Gravehop talk, and stories of past caching adventures shared. With Mean Gene in attendance, many cachers bent his ear, including this journalist, as history is best learned from those who experienced it.
This event felt a bit special, as not only did it commemorate the first event in 2001, but it emphasized that the St.Louis Area Geocachers Association has been around for 25 years now!
SLAGA 2026 Travel Bug Race August Update
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- Written by Robert Klemme
- Hits: 410
Here are the current standings in the 2026 SLAGA Travel Bug Race! How is your bug doing?
Picnic in the Park
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- Written by Terri Nealon
- Hits: 678
The SLAGA summer picnic this year was held on July 11th in the St. Vrain Shelter at Spanish Lake Park. As always, it was a bring your own lunch, drinks, lawn chair, and interesting bantar type event. Although there was morning rain, it didn't deter the 30 geocachers from gathering in this beautiful park, with its walking trails, ponds for fishing, and playgrounds for kids (of all ages apparently).
As always, there was great conversation and camaraderie, but park geocaching was the big hit at this picnic? The awesome event CO, brantole, placed an additional 9 new geocaches in the park to accompany her 2025 Cachemas cache there and an oldie (2003) by Island-Dave. Her multi cache immediately received 8 favorite points.
Some fun log comments include:
"The scattered rains left just in time for the picnic and to find all the new caches in this hidden gem of a park." (cootie_man)
"Oh this was so much fun, thank you for hosting Brantole! I had an awesome time hanging out with my geo peeps and finding all the new caches in the park." (Forest-Ghost)
"Thank you so much for organizing and for all the new caches my friend. A favourite point from me eh....oh wait 😅🤣😂." (Iamgrateful)
"Nice venue, quiet park, and geo-friends.... who could ask for more? It was especially nice to stay a little later and visit with the hostess with the mostest." (GeoWench78)
What a great way to spend a rainy summer day! There were tons of smiles and smileys all around. 
BINGO! We have a winner!
- Details
- Written by Terri Nealon
- Hits: 854
Bill Schwend wins another Adventure Awaits Challenge. This "BINGO" based second quarter challenge took SWAseeker to nine different geocaches with terrain rating of 1.5 and at least one event. Here is a list of his winning caches:
D1/T1.5 GCBMJ2E NOT Sammy Hagar 3
D1.5/T1.5 GCBFRZT High Road
D2/T1.5 GCB73T4 Frond Hill
D2.5/T1.5 GCBH4EZ Reed the Sign
D3/T1.5 GCBM46Z Heavy Metal
D3.5/T3.5 GCAY0NT ROLLING FRUSTRATION
D4/T1.5 GC5J183 North Meets South Challenge
D4.5/T1.5 GCB97B5 Eagle Eye
D5/T1.5 GCBNXPA 10,000+/3 X Fizzy/200 X 5 Types - Challenge
EVENT: GCBKMAJ 2026 SLAGA Spring Picnic
Since his prior win in March 2025, Bill has found just over 9000 more geocaches, bringing his amazing total to 52,309! This effort includes a streak of finding a cache for 2159 consecutive days and counting.
If Bill's not out caching or travelling for work, he might be found surrounded by 400,000 ladies or more. He still actively keeps bees, and harvests and sells their delicious honey.
CONGRATULATIONS BILL ON ANOTHER CHALLENGE WIN!
Best of SLAGA 2026 - Half Way There
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- Written by John Layman
- Hits: 717
Best of SLAGA, Favorite Caches Placed in the first half of 2026
Of the 198 new caches published in the 100 mile radius SLAGA territory in the first half of 2025, these are the top caches, as determined by % of favorite points awarded. There have been about 2 times as many caches published in the first half of 2026 as there were by this time last year. Way to go, you cache hiders!
As you can see though, we are missing some types. Let's have a banner 2nd half of 2026 for SLAGA land cache hides!
By cache type
| Traditional | A Bird's Eye View" | SlamminElla | GCBEW16 |
| Earth | See the Scree: Breaking Down a Bluff | DinkinFlicka392 | GCBNZZM |
| Unknown | The Big Blue Switch | Forest-Ghost | GCBJ8YC |
| Multi | Quite The Birdhouse Tree | 6dancer | GCBKJR0 |
| Virtual | Popeye the Sailor Man ???? - Virtual Reward 5.0 | krmays92 | GCBJ6ZK |
| Virtual | Ghost Town, Living History | makersmark615 | GCBJ6TY |
| Letterbox | |||
| Wherigo |
By overall % of favorite points awarded
| 88 | Traditional | A Bird's Eye View | SlamminElla | GCBEW16 |
| 75 | Traditional | Railroad Relic | mathmanbill | GCBPK7B |
| 75 | Traditional | Rockin ' Robin | 2roadtrippers | GCBRCE1 |
| 75 | Earth | See the Scree: Breaking Down a Bluff | DinkinFlicka39 | GCBNZZM |
| 71 | Traditional | Micro Gallery Micro Cache | Seth! | GCBQK74 |
| 67 | Unknown | The Big Blue Switch | Forest-Ghost | GCBJ8YC |
| 65 | Multi | Quite The Birdhouse Tree | 6dancer | GCBKJR0 |
| 59 | Unknown | Daily Dose of Happiness US # 37 - I Am Grateful | Iamgrateful | GCBH40N |
| 57 | Unknown | Destiny's Dragon Riders: #3 | Kimenm | GCBJQH0 |
| 50 | Traditional | Destiny's Dragon Riders: #4 | Kimenm | GCBQTRB |
| 50 | Traditional | MoCo BoCo Line | rntmo95 | GCBHKH5 |
| 50 | Unknown | Daily Dose of Happiness US # 53 - The Missing Link | Iamgrateful | GCBRFMP |
| 50 | Unknown | King's Quest - Weeping Willow's Heart | Unitzoid | GCBKF3B |
Congrats and thanks to the Cache Owners and everyone else who continues to create and support quality caches in the St. Louis area! Hiders!
SLAGA Springs into Picnicking Season
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- Written by Terri Nealon
- Hits: 770
Spring has sprung and more than fifty geocachers took advantage of it! The SLAGA spring picnic was held on Saturday April 25, 2026 at Bolm-Schuhkraft park in beautiful Columbia, Illinois. The three lovely hosts were 3nina, 6dancer & NEgirl55 who planned a great day out. Three local reviewers graced us with their presence and support of SLAGA, and board members were also in attendance. Treasurer Vorlon40 collected fees and VP GeoKid12 sold merchandise and handed out a single 10K milestone award. VP Rouseabouts announced upcoming events and business, and Secretary TreasureIsle took mental notes for future meeting minutes.
As always, SLAGA members outdid themselves at the picnic with absolutely delicious salads, sides, and desserts to share. These accompanied the perfectly cooked brats, dogs and burgers by Turtleladi1020nhubbs! All in attendance enjoyed a feast and camaraderie under the large shelter in gorgeous 75°F.
A Trackable discovery/pickup board was on display at the picnic, and member HobbitTaz collected new racing trackables from cachers for the June to January travel bug race. If anyone still wants to join the race, contact him via GC.com message before May 15 to arrange a hand-off. (For more Race information, see the article posted March 31.)
To add more excitement to the spring picnic, the hosts provided yard games adjacent to the shelter, including: Ping-pong roll, Hillbilly golf, and a couple of cornhole/bean bag toss games. 
NEgirl55 said, “We had two games with prizes. One was the ping pong roll in which HobbitTaz held the lead with 10 points until SWAseeker rolled his way to 15 points for the win. The other was Hillbilly golf which came down to a tie between hopeza and SWAseeker. In the championship round hopeza prevailed. Each of them won a $15 Schnucks gift card and a cache to be hidden in a place of their choosing.”
The spring SLAGA picnic was a ton of fun and a huge success thanks to the organizers, volunteers, board, and all the members in attendance. If you were unable to make this event, check the SLAGA calendar of events for future ones, including happy hours, CITO's, and other local events hosted by the many wonderful SLAGA members. Thanks to all that attended and Congratulations to TerriBikes+ on her 10K milestone and award chair!
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