This cache has been sitting in the back of my psyche since the first day I went caching so long ago with my dear friend Team QWERTY. I've done a number of tributes to him, all in this Postmarked series.
I've alluded to this loss he and his family endured many years ago, but I never felt the timing was right to create this heartfelt tribute to his darling daughter. A sweet little angel whom I never really got a chance to come to know well, but whose short time on earth and abrupt departure affected me and many others close to his family deeply. I didn't realize how deep until I had a daughter of my own – a day doesn't go by that I don't think about how devastating it would be to loose her and I remind myself that every day could be her last, or my last, or my son's or my wife's. You have to live them like you may not get many more.
Her name was Avalon. She loved to go on walks with dad. She loved the Iron Giant and playing with her older brother. I know there is so much more to share about her, but it is not my place.
She was just four years old when she came down with a sudden illness that didn't raise any immediate flags and was misdiagnosed when it did. In the matter of a few short days, she was gone. The loss was crushing and in her father's words, was his 9/11.
Just the other day, her father took Avalon's younger brother out caching for the first time and I thought the timing might be right to share her story to remind us all how precious this thing called life is and how we really need to seize the day when it is upon us.
The coordinates will take you to a simple memorial stone placed by her father. On that stone are a number of letters. Multiply that number by 10, add 10 and subtract from the given North. Multiply that number by 10, subtract 10 and subtract from the given West.