Etch-a-Sketch (Ode to Imperial Walkers) Mystery Cache
Etch-a-Sketch (Ode to Imperial Walkers)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(not chosen)
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** cache is NOT located at the posted
coordinates **
presents
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The mystery
portion of this cache will be solved while walking around in a
strip mall parking lot, so please be watchful for moving vehicles
(especially with kids!).
Also, it is HIGHLY suggested doing the cache during daylight hours,
since the direction arrows will be more visible, and YOU will be
more visible to vehicles driving around the parking lot, making it
safer for everyone.
Finally, don't forget to read through the below listed directions
carefully, since it will make things much easier for you in the
end.
OVERVIEW
This cache should bring back some memories to anyone who has played
with an Etch-A-Sketch toy. The concept is quite simple and
hopefully will be fun. You will be using the map screen on your
GPSr to draw an image like you would on an Etch-A-Sketch. The
resulting image will be of a 3 digit offset coordinate, which when
applied to a dummy set of coordinates, will result in both the
latitude and longitude of the cache.
STEP 1
You will want to park in front of the bookstore. This is the
parking lot you will be walking around. The above listed cache
coordinates (also known as Reference Line Point #1) will take you
to a sidewalk next to the building. This is the starting point
for your Etch-a-sketch picture. From the starting point, you will
walk West until you reach the following coordinates: N 42° 52.600 W
085° 45.666 (also known as Reference Line Point #2). This line you
just walked is the the baseline. Every time you reach the base
line, you will need to turn right 90° (turn to face East), then
walk along the baseline until you are lined up with the next
lightpole with a starting arrow on it. You will then turn right 90°
again (turn to face South), and walk towards the lightpole you just
lined up with.
STEP 2
So now that you are at Reference Point #2, there will be a
lightpole directly South of your position. Walk towards this
lightpole to start sketching the 3 digit Etch-a-sketch number. As
you make your way around the parking lot, you will encounter
lightpoles with small red arrows on them, about 3 feet off
the ground. When you come upon an arrow, you must follow the
direction that the arrow is pointing, walking to the pole it is
pointing towards.
If the arrow points to the right, then you will turn and walk to
the pole immediately to the right of the pole you are facing (90°).
If it points left, then go left (90°). If the arrow points down
towards the ground, then turn around (180°) and go back the way you
just came from. Do not take short cuts (but you may need to walk
around parked vehicles). You must walk right up to each pole, and
then make the direction change at the pole.
NOTE: If you come upon
a pole that doesn't have an arrow on it then no direction change is
required. You should continue past this pole, walking to the next
pole in line. You will continue walking from pole to pole, in the
proper order (as determined by these instructions and by the
directional arrows on the poles), until you reach the baseline
again.
Please keep in mind that you will be walking between some poles
more than once, to finish the sketch. When you have returned to the
starting (initial) coordinates, you will have completed the sketch,
and the image on your GPSr should be of a 3 digit number sitting on
the baseline: __ __ __
STEP 3
Take the 3 digit offset number, enter it into the spaces below, and
make the following calculations to determine the cache
coordinates:
N 42° 51.493 + __ __ __ = N 42° ___ ___. ___ ___ ___ (Final
Latitude)
W 85° 46.398 - __ __ __ = W 85° ___ ___. ___ ___ ___ (Final
Longitude)
Follow these new coordinates to the cache, which is within
walking distance of the parking lot.
Good luck and have fun being a human Etch-A-Sketch!
I want to thank
Imperial Walkers for the idea for this cache. I enjoyed doing
their Etch-a-Sketch geocache so much, that I wanted to make one
for the West Side of Michigan.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
qba'g funxr gur TCFe be lbh jvyy unir gb fgneg bire.