GCHV7V Aerial Intelligence II - The Suburbs (Unknown Cache) in Virginia, United States created by kevmikwa

This cache has been archived.

offline.cacher: The general rule reviewers use to archive a cache is that the cache owner has been notified (through a log entry) by the reviewer and that no response has been forthcoming. This is the case with this cache. As a result it has been archived.
If the owner would like to discuss this issue, please contact me through my geocaching.com profile. Include the GC code for the cache.

Thanks
offline.cacher
Virginia geocaching.com reviewer

GCHV7V ▼

A cache by kevmikwa Message this owner

Hidden : 3/18/2004

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Use a picture taken in 1988 from an airplane flying at 20,000 feet to help you find a cache.

This cache is being placed as a tribute to ic_nevadamike and his puzzle cache, Aerial Intelligence (GCGPYX). My sister (fliigrrl) got me into geocaching, and she thinks ic_nevadamike places some of the most satisfying caches in the Las Vegas area.

This cache is located in the Northern Virginia area, but it is not at the coordinates listed above - those would place you in the middle of the "Mixing Bowl" in Springfield (which was still under construction back in 2004 when the cache was originally placed).

I'm not going to give you the coordinates of the cache. I will tell you that the cache is located behind one of the buildings shown in this aerial photograph:

This image was taken from Terraserver-USA back before it was a pay service. I haven't rotated the picture - north is up. The northernmost driveway of the large building in the lower right hand corner of the picture is 5.348 statute miles from the coordinates listed above (N 38° 47.450 W 077° 10.524). Find this driveway. Behind this building at the tree line is a fence that runs roughly north-south. The northernmost fencepost will tell you how to get to the cache. During the warmer months, the fencepost can get pretty overgrown with vines. The final cache is not in the frame of the picture above.

IMPORTANT EDIT 1: Things have changed a bit at the final cache location in the 10 years, 7 months and 13 days since I placed it. As the cache is currently located, the fencepost will get you to within 40 feet of the cache. My advice: look toward the setting sun!

From this point, you have at least four choices:

... (a) navigate as the crow flies - a tough journey involving a fair amount of bushwhacking and hilly terrain,

... (b) use the stepping stones that are a sand wedge to the NW from the fencepost (this option involves a small amount of climbing) and brave a navigably thin line of brambles to get to a paved walkway that'll get you pretty close,

... (c) skip the stones and access the walkway at its origin off to the W, or

... (d) use your vehicle and take all the fun out of it.

Option (b) should take less than 15 minutes from fencepost to cache. From the cache, a park with playground equipment and a basketball court is a sand wedge to the SE. The cache is yet another ubiquitous ammo box. Original cache contents:

- A $20.00 bill (translation: unimaginative FTF prize)
- The "Fly Me To The V" travel bug (TBGHAY ... this TB wants to visit my aforementioned sister)
- 4-pack of AA batteries
- Chevrolet SSR matchbox car
- 6-pack 2003-2004 NHL Hockey trading cards
- 15-card Booster Pack of "Magic The Gathering" Cards
- Muggle sheet
- Disposable camera (you know the drill: take a snap and leave it for others, I'll post the pics when the roll is finished)
- Logbook
- (2) Patriotic pencils
- Car-shaped pencil sharpener

Please do not post pictures that would give away the location and please refrain from giving out measurements or description of the site!

IMPORTANT EDIT 2: This cache has historically suffered from water intrusion. The seals were reconditioned in October 2014. Even so, please use the Ziploc baggies included in the cache to keep important things dry - especially the logbook. If you are caching in the rain, please close the cache when you are not actively accessing its contents, as it only takes a small amount of water trapped inside the cache to wreak havoc. Be sure to completely close the Ziploc baggies and the cache itself when replacing.

Interpreting Aerial Photographs

Interpreting an aerial photograph requires a little skill. People spend years becoming proficient photo-interpreters, and the amateur or casual user of these images is wise to spend a few minutes learning to distinguish a small cloud shadow from a small lake, an air force base from a civilian airport, or a stand of young timber from a grassy hillside.

What to Look For

Aerial photographs contain a lot of information. From a suburban picture, you can get an idea for how major a roadway is by counting lanes or viewing interchange complexity. You can often discern the usage of a building from its size, shape or surroundings. The presence of natural waterways can also help to identify the area. Interpreters are likely to examine the photographs and street maps together, perhaps alternating between the two to connect place names and road numbers with unidentified features in the photographs.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Fencepost] Qrterrf naq jubyr zvahgrf jba'g punatr. [Cache] Ghpxrq va gur gehax bs n snyyra gerr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)