This cache is located in the Wire Road Conservation Area in Stone
County. Permission was not needed to place this cache as we have
blanket permission to place caches in Missouri Conservation areas
in Southwest Missouri. This area is only open from 4 a.m. to 10
p.m.
Park at N 36 55.487 W 093 35.290 (additional waypoint added to
this cache). It is about a .15 to .2 of a mile hike to the cache,
depending on which trail you take. I took the one to the east of
the parking area to hide the cache, but I imagine you could also
take the west trail for a shorter route. For a more challenging
hike, I recommend the east trail. The trail is a hike/bike/horse
trail and no motorized vehicles are allowed. At one point you will
need to cross a creek bed; when I was there in July 2006 it was
bone dry. However, cachers looking for this cache in the spring and
summer of 2007 reported the creek bed flowing and knee-deep. Plan
accordingly if you look for this cache because you may need to wade
across the creek. I tried as best I could to keep this cache to at
most the 2.5 terrain rating (recommended for the Cache Across
America series), but had to increase the rating in June 2007
because of the flowing creek. Parts of the trail are slightly steep
so I wouldn't recommend small children attempt this cache. Snakes
have been reported in the immediate area of the cache, and even a
copperhead has been spotted. PLEASE WATCH YOUR STEP and WATCH WHERE
YOU STICK YOUR HANDS!
The cache should be fairly easy to find and I don't think any
muggles will accidentally find it. It is a 1-gallon Rubbermaid
container wrapped in camouflage Duck tape.
Original contents include: Logbook with pens & cache note,
soda can holder, new Hot Wheels car, rubber snake, geocache box
with trade items, geocache micro container with logbook & cache
note, novelty suction ball and a travel bug.
The code for the "Cache Across America" series is located inside
the lid and inside the front cover of the logbook.
Please replace this cache EXACTLY as you found it. Thanks and
enjoy!
Missouri
Capital: Jefferson City
Largest City: Kansas City
Size Rank: 21st
Population Rank: 17th
Admission to Union: 24th
Find the other caches in the series
HERE.
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The Cache Across America Series: This is a
series of caches that will take you on a caching tour of the entire
United States. One cache is hidden in each of the 50 states. These
caches each contain a numeric clue that will lead you to
one final cache located in our nation's capitol upon completion
of the series. |
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About this cache: I chose this location for the
cache because it near a very famous (and ancient) road--The "Old
Wire Road". Here is a brief explanation of the Old Wire Road from
Wikipedia, but you may want to explore the Internet for more
information.
The Old Wire Road was an old road in
Missouri and Arkansas. Several local roads are still called this.
It followed an old Native American route, the Great Osage Indian
Trail across the Ozarks and became a road along a telegraph line
from St. Louis, Missouri to Fort Smith, Arkansas. It was known as
the "Wire Road" while the telegraph line was up, but when the line
was later removed, it simply became known as the "Old Wire Road".
From St. Louis to Springfield, Missouri, it became designated
Missouri State Highway 14 (which, in turn, later became U.S. Route
66 and still later Interstate 44).
At Springfield, it turned southwest and
passed through what is now Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.
From the Battlefield, it passed through Republic and part of the
road is the same general pathway as Missouri State Highway 37 to
the Arkansas state line. It passed through Fayetteville, Arkansas
on its way to Fort Smith.
It was used as part of the Trail of
Tears and during the Civil War, Confederate soldiers often cut the
lines. |
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Logging Requirements: Enjoy this cache as you
would any other. If you are searching this cache as a participant
in the Cache Across America series, please post a photo of yourself
or a member of your group with the cache in your online log. If you
for some reason are unable to meet the photo requirement, please
make alternate arrangements to verify your find with the individual
cache owner. There is no photo requirement for non-challenge
participants.
Individual verification of all 50 state finds will be required
before logging the series final.
If participating in the series, please take note of the three
digit code located inside this cache. Save this code in a secure
place. When you have visited all 50 caches, and have collected all
50 codes, you are welcome to seek and find the final cache! Good
luck! |
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