On New Year's Day, it has become a SLAGA tradition to host the first group cache hunt of the year. Sometimes an area is chosen because it tests your physical abilities, or maybe it's simply somewhere you've always wanted to cache but would rather not tackle alone. This year Strider is hosting a group hunt at scenic Hawn State Park, just outside Farmington, Missouri. We will meet at 8:00 am in Farmington for a buffet breakfast, then head out to the trailhead at Hawn, the site of the first MOGA event back in 2004. It is a beautiful park and we will be hiking along the Whispering Pines trail. There are 6 caches out there, including River Aux Vases, which was placed in 2002. Expect a 5- to 7-mile hike, depending on which ones you want to go for. The main hike is about 5 miles, with 2 possible side hikes to get River Aux Vases and then 2 other caches along another side trail. Please RSVP so we can give the management a good idea what to expect for breakfast.

Oh, and rumor has it that there will be an L Frank roast after the hike!