This cache is inspired by Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado
About Nothing. A synopsis of the play as well as the full
text can be found here. You can find some audio excerpts from the
play here. And, of course, there is an excellent
film adaptation. Don't panic, you don't have to
read or watch the play before finding the cache.
"I pray thee, cease thy counsel, Which
falls into mine ears as profitless As water in a sieve.".
(Act V, Scene I)
I directed this play for the Nashua Theatre Guild several years
ago. There is a common theme that runs throughout the play:
conversations are overheard and reported. The characters' reactions
to these overheard conversations propel the plot forward. Likewise,
you will be overhearing a conversation. Your reaction to what you
hear will propel you forward to the cache. The conversation you
will overhear is mine as I lead you to the waypoints.
You will obtain a series of MP3 sound clips below. The sound
clips will take you on a tour of Benedictine Park. Along the way,
you will hear about six waypoints. At each of these waypoints, you
will find one digit of the final coordinates for the cache. You
won't need your GPSr until you've visited all of the waypoints. All
six clues are small laminated pieces of paper that give you a digit
to substitute into the final coordinates. One clue is in a 35mm
film canister - the others are not in any sort of container.
The final coordinates are N 42 56.CDE W
071 31.HIJ.
Errata
- Some clues have been swapped for maintenance
reasons. Please ignore which clue the audio tells you is at a
particular location. Believe the clue itself.
- Please make sure you do not cover up the
third clue - the film cannister should be visible without moving
anything.
- The audio for the sixth clue uses a standing
dead tree trunk near a small erratic as a landmark. That dead tree
is no longer standing. There is another standing dead tree nearby.
Head for that one, then look for a boulder with a dead tree trunk
lying near it.
- The granite bench was vandalized and has been
replaced by a picnic table.
Please Note
- All clues can be found with snow on the ground. The final will
be difficult to find with snow on the ground. You may have success
if you use the hint.
- The cache is a lock & lock container.
- The area is closed from dusk to dawn. No night caching,
please.
- There are several stone walls in the area - you do not have
to move any stones to find or access any of the clues or the
final.
- There is one large precariously perched deadfall in the area of
a clue. That clue is not on or under that deadfall.
- Please re-hide clues and cache exactly as you
found them.
- The trails can get very muddy in wet weather or after a thaw.
Dress accordingly.
Downloading The MP3 Sound Clips
- This ZIP
file contains the MP3 audio clips. Download and extract the
clips and then load them on your favorite media.
- If you don't have a way to play the clips as you are hunting
for the cache, you can get a transcript of the audio as a text file
or as a PDF
file.
- Finally, I live near this cache and would be happy to loan out
an MP3 player. E-mail me through my profile to arrange a loan.