The Elves are Easily Bribed Multi-cache
The Elves are Easily Bribed
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Magellan Bribes The Leprechauns
THE STORY BEHIND THE CACHE:
The Leprechauns were among the Pittsburgh area cachers who had some difficulties with Magellan's Treasure Hunt in August of 2003. Our vocal complaints led to an e-mail from the Thales Navigation marketing department. They asked us to help untangle the problem! We verified the coordinates for the first "Brazilian Treasure" cache in Settlers Cabin Park, hid a bonus treasure in Frick Park, talked to the media, and otherwise did what we could to make the best out of a messed up situation.
Since our assistance to Magellan made us ineligible to participate in the contest, they offered to send us a SporTrak Color GPS. Months later, it finally arrived, in February 2004. So, having been BRIBED, we are changing the name of this cache, which originally was "The Elves Think Magellan SUCKS" and we have also toned down the cache description.
ABOUT THE CACHE HUNT:
This cache was placed in order to pass away the time we spent while waiting for the original treasure hunt to resume. When Daddy Leprechaun and M of the Little Low on Cache team explored the above coordinates as a possible location for Ferdinand's treasure, we discovered, to our great delight, a nice trail for a multicache. Why not make the best of a bad situation, and place a properly waypointed cache for people to hunt when they return to this park? This is an offset cache... as in Magellan's contest, the first location is NOT the location of the treasure, although it was one of the places where it was logical to search. Rather, the above coordinates take you to a microcache (a match container) that contains the coordinates to the final ammo box cache. There are many ways to reach this micro, including a nasty bushwack. But it is just 40 feet off of a trail which can be accessed from the parking coordinates: N40° 25.722 W080° 09.616. Look for the Tomahawk picnic shelter and find the trail into the woods.
The Leprechauns know that it's frustrating to search for a micro in a wooded area, so we want to tell you exactly where the match container is hidden. It is taped with camoflage tape to a branch of a tree, very near the trunk, between waist and chest level. Just hold the container with one hand while unscrewing the lid with the other, then remove the laminated instruction sheet from the container. DO NOT REMOVE the container, and please replace the clue card when finished. Continue down the trail and make a big loop to the final cache location. RESIST THE URGE TO BUSHWACK. Trust me on this. You'll pass through a utility right-of-way, follow a trail down a hill, and eventually wind up along a stream bed. After you find the final cache, continue along the trail and it will take you back to civilization (the road with all the picnic shelters on it)... you do not need to backtrack.
SAFETY AND AWARENESS NOTE:
Unfortunately, Settlers Cabin Park has long been a gathering point for "park perverts" in search of partners. Several geocachers have reported being followed into the woods, or otherwise being uncomfortable with the activities they've observed. As someone who has been assaulted by a "park pervert," I take this issue quite seriously. I recommend finding this cache with a group, or if you go alone, be extra aware of your surroundings and the presence of others. Parents bringing children on this hunt should either scout carefully or plan their trip for a summer weekend when the park is full of normal visitors. Rather than not having caches in parks like this, geocachers SHOULD go to these areas and help the community take back our parks from those who use them for illicit and immoral purposes.
CLOSING TIPS:
There is a good Cache-in, Trash-out opportunity near the final cache site. When you're done hunting the cache, enjoy swimming in the wave pool at this park! (Just don't enjoy the park TOO long... the entrances close and lock at sunset.)
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)