"Forever Pidgey" Or "Stay on Target, stay on Target."

When it comes to catching uncommon or rare pokemon, sometimes, you have to leave the tri-Publix area. Well, almost all of the time, really. So I hitched a ride to my significant other's mall trip. I feel it is my duty to tell you that Town Center Mall at Cobb is largely a stupid, stupid wasteland. Sure, there are pokestops at some entrances, but none you can easily reach while walking the mall or sitting in the mall. As for pokemon, you'll mostly see pidgeys and rats and spearows. The only saving grace was that I hatched a Bulbasaur out of an egg, and that day I'd been able to pick a squirtle buddy for the first time. But seriously, I could have walked anywhere, albeit without the comfort of air conditioning. Let me reiterate, do not waste your time at the mall. Actually, that advice goes for most situations. Instead, go to Total Wine. This advice also serves for many situations.

I had left myself a note the last two times I was at REI and Total Wine (that place has a ridiculous single malt scotch selection, just ridiculous) that I should return there for Slowpokes and Magikarps. My partner and driver had a need for Slowpoke candies to powerup her Slowbro so we swung by there, twice. I'd also seen two or three posts in the backlog of the Cherokee County Pokemon Go Club that suggested going to Target for Slowpokes and/or Magikarps was a sure thing. Turns out if you look at the other end of the strip mall, there is a Target. Turns out these are the same place! So, spawn point confirmed, I guess. I don't use the word "nest" because that implies a monster generator and I'm pretty sure the spawn system in this game is rule based. In any case, you'll find Slowbros and Magikarps all the way from Chik-Fil-A to Target.

Parks and Recreation: Scythers, Dratini and Magikarp at Rope Mill, Hobgood, JJ Biello, Kenny Askew, and Barrett

I finally joined the Cherokee County Pokemon Go Club. That sounds a lot more like a social obligation than it is so let me rephrase: I finally joined the local pokemon Facebook group. I've explored the area quite a bit so there was not a lot of new information there for me but there were a couple of new things. First and foremost was Hobgoblin Park which you'd expect to be full of Drowzees. I'd totally meant to stop there at some point, but Towne Lake seemed like such a waste of time every time I passed through; if I had stopped I'd have found it was actually called Hobgood Park (disappointing, to be honest) and it's full of Scythers. You have to stay a little back from the road to get them. I lunched there at the picnic tables by the road and none spawned but then I walked over to the children's park and two spawned. I've been there once or twice more since then and I recommend definitely stay on the inside edge of the parking lot. Or I dunno, actually go in amidst the baseball fields.

On the way home I picked up another Scyther or two at JJ Biello Park also near the baseball fields where I'd gotten one before. One of them gave me a hard time. Hitting away my pokeballs with a swing of his ridiculous baseball-bat-like arms every time I threw them.

So with virtually every park I've been to paying off in some way I decided to check google maps for any other parks I'd not been to. I came up with only one in the area, called Kenny Chesney park. I mean Crooked Kenny park. No. Kenny Askew Park. It's not memorable because there's virtually no park there just a baseball diamond in the parking lot of the Boys and Girls Club. And a Scyther. I think Scythers like to play baseball. For reals.

I hit up Barnett Park again maybe for the third time. I forget what I got. Something okay but not earth shattering. Oh, right, another Scyther. Of course, there's a baseball field or three there.

Another thing I saw on the Facebook group was a suggestion that maybe Rope Mill wasn't worth the trip anymore, so I ate lunch there the next day. I think a couple Dratini made it well worth the trip, tho I admit I saw no Electabuzzes. The Dratini I got there went well with the one I got at the Magikarp gate at JJ Biello. Also the Magikarp from both parks now that I think of it. The Magikarp are usually overshadowed by something more awesome but I do always get a couple Magikarp at Rope Mill.

Are there any parks near Bridgemill I've missed? Let me know in the comments below.

Farmers Markets, meh. Ooh, a Dratini!

I tried this past holiday weekend to find pawpaw fruits and pokemon at two farmers markets. I failed on both counts. Canton Farmers Market was supposed to have pawpaw fruits. Like everyone else, I've been to Canton before so I should have known better than to expect pokemon. I mean, I got a Nidoran and an Ekans for my trouble, but all I really get out of Canton is balls.

So when the pawpaw seller appeared not to show up, I want to the Marietta Square Farmers Market on the following day. Again, a couple of minor pokemon, some balls, and no pawpaws. In fact, the farmers there on Sunday had never heard of pawpaws. Also, since when do farmers markets have so few farmers? Also, the Marietta Square Farmers Market was not in Marietta Square. It was more off-Marietta Square in the way that things are off-broadway. Not quite the quality you'd expect. Instead there was Art-Thing (probably not the real name). Again, nothing to show for it but balls.

Parking for the farmers' market is at the bent willy.

On the way home, I visited JJ Biello for a much needed payoff. I got a little something extra this time.

That's a Dratini. It's adorable.

On Monday, I went up to Lake Conasauga. Don't. At least not for pokemon (though I did pick up a Squirtle and a Growlithe in Ellijay on the way). There's no signal near the lake until you're half way back down the mountain when there's one pokestop. It looks like this, which I guess is okay.

Kennesaw Battlefield: A sack full of bulbasaurs and bellsprouts

While at Olde Rope Mill Park, we met a nice couple and their baby in a ricer. Not the baby in a ricer, the family; the baby was in a stroller. We told them about the Electabuzzes. They knew. Obviously, they knew; they were there while the Electabuzzes were spawning all over the place. We told them about the Magikarps. They told us about Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

When we got almost there, we hit the jackpot of pokestops, which would have been good if we'd been there at the right time.

I thought this was a really cool thing that Cheatham Hill did, so we found the quickest place to turn around and left for the battlefield. I suspect they have funerals just about every day, so if you plan on going here, maybe just stick to the 5pm to 8pm hours all of the time.

There are walking bits at Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield and I'm here to tell you, if your goal is pokemon, don't bother. The Bulbasaurs are best found driving.

I could have sworn I had a map of the first Bulbasaur area we drove, but I lost it. Pick anywhere, the place is huge.

The first driving bit we did, around a bunch of walking trails we got about a dozen Bulbasaurs. The second driving bit we did was up the mountain. There are a bunch of idiots in the road 100% of the time, often with dogs, strollers, double strollers and dogs in strollers, but there's more than just Bulbasaurs...

Please, come, check out our lovely views.

On the way out of Kennesaw, we stopped by Costco for some discounted gas, and it's a good thing we did because on the way out of the Costco drive we caught this...

Today's update on the Magikarps and Psyducks at JJ Biello park. They closed the gate. Maybe they read my first post. Don't fret! Just turn around and stop right at the gate and they still show. Look how happy this guy is!

There were a couple of extra goodies today as well, in addition to a Slowpoke at the back gate there was this guy at the baseball fields above it.