Tornado Alley Traditional Cache

1. Find each of my 14 caches in the surrounding area.

2. Each cache will contain either a BONUS clue (puzzle or otherwise), or directions to an offset cache with a clue.

3. Compile all the 14 clues to discover the location of the final 15th BONUS cache.

4. You can work as a group or individually; the only thing I ask it that 1st, 2nd, and 3rd to finders be Premium Members.

It’s that easy, so get cracking! And I hope you have as good a time as I had putting this together. GOOD LUCK!

Caches in this series:

If you live around here, one thing you don’t need to be reminded of is tornado season. Every spring we quietly wait for the possibility of Earth’s most violent storms. Here is a great link:

www.usatoday.com

This spring was no exception and our wait was rewarded with one of the most intense one day outbreaks recorded in history. If memory serves, it was Sunday, March 12, 2006 when well over 100 tornados ripped through the Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri Tornado Alley, leaving a path of destruction in a total of five states. This is a destruction area you are about to visit, but I cannot with all accuracy claim it as occurring on this particular outbreak. I believe it did occur on March 12, but in the end, it is of little consequence in regard to date; the destruction is real. The bulk of carnage is forest in this area; but please be respectful to the people that were affected along this route.

Due to permission delays on other caches in this series, time is a factor when viewing the forest destruction. I found the area in the spring when there was little foliage on the trees. Houses are being rebuilt and trees are being cut; so as time goes by the mess will be cleared. Rest assured though, as the locals would I’m sure attest, the tornado WAS here. One of the things that most interested me is the entrance to the area from the East. This road as it appeared this spring was, for a while at least, the “Core” of the tornado. As evidenced by the downed trees on either side of the road. On the south side of the road the trees were pushed over to the west; on the North side they were pushed over to the east. It is eerie knowing your driving where the center of a tornado had been not long before.

Okay, on to the cache details. This is a drive-by cache with a small trading container. It is a stand-alone cache and can be found by itself; or if you wish to go for the BONUS cache, there is an offset cache with the required clue (be prepared to write the clue). The coordinates to the offset are on a laminated paper in the cache; please do not remove.

You should not have a problem with bugs or P.I. since the cache is so close to your car. But the fact is, during the summer they are both possible, so watch out. Please be aware, THERE IS NO NEED TO CROSS THE FENCE. CITO

There are two directions to head into this cache local, east or west. A 4x4 is preferable from either direction, but not necessary. If you are driving a car I highly recommend driving in from the east due to the low water bridge. So far as I have seen there is always water flowing over the concrete. Let me say, I have never had a problem crossing in a car, but my wife hates it when I try. Cross at your own risk. Let me break down the pros and cons this way:

Coming from east:
Pros:
1. No water to negotiate
2. Cache is on this side of the water
Cons:
1. Dirt road
2. Offset is on other side of water
3. “Tornado Road” is on other side of water

Coming form the west:
Pros:
1. You will drive down “Tornado Road”
2. Offset is on this side of the water
Cons:
1. Cache is on the other side of the water

In the end, if you are in a 4x4 the pros and cons won’t matter. If you are in a car, they may still not matter. But, if you have to, you can always drive around?