Between Life and Death Traditional Cache
*gln:
Hi cacheowner
This cache is archived because it has been deactivated for a long time and no maintenance has been done.
Cache archival is permanent.
Best regards
Glenn / Geocache Reviewer
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This is a public park maintained by Crystal City Parks Department. No special equipment needed other than a GPS Device.
The cache is child friendly and within a family friendly park. Take your time to play before leaving this cache behind! I placed this cache with my students and local students in mind.
To find it, park at N 38 14.007 and W 090 23.027. Take some time to read about the time capsule placed at the flag pole in the 1970s. From this location you can see all the park has to offer including baseball diamond, basketball courts, tennis courts, public pool, several playground areas, a public restroom, a pavilion and several picnic areas. This is a very lively park. Therefore it is named life.
Along the back of the park a small divide of trees and a creek separate the park from the cemetery. A footpath from the park to the cemetery is available. Therefore the cemetery is nicknamed death. While perusing the cemetery may not be interesting to you, the monuments can be seen from the parking area.
One bench in the park, off to your right as you face the cemetery is dedicated to a fallen soldier from the area. It was placed in Spring of 2007 and is a registered waymark. Please take a moment to pay your respects.
The cache is no longer hidden in the dividing stand of trees, but this divide is interesting to visit. Cross between the playground and the swings and you will find a large plywood floor placed just on the death side of the creek. While this isn't your cache this is a great photo opportunity and might make a good place for a micro. Kids love to use this as a fort.
From this location backtrack a bit to the east and find the flag painted climbing wall. It's really interesting! Take your photo here if you have the wherewithal. This is a great feature. Check out the gazebo, concrete picnic tables, water pump and merry-go-round along the path as you continue tracking north.
Up ahead you will see a swimming pool. During the summer this place is hoppin'! Several trees surrounding the pool are dedicated to various people. If you walk past the pool you can continue along the road to a 2nd memorial bench. This is another great place for a photo.
Read the dedication and get a photo on the bench. If you have any geobugs with you take their photos on the bench too! Continue walking along the road but cross to the right side.
Before long a basketball court will be seen on your right, a fishing hole straight ahead and a softball field on the left. Now you are getting close!
Walk down the hill on your right to the first pond with a small island in the middle of it. Another chance for a picture? Maybe, but there are lots of great backdrops for pictures here. From this pond you will see a split evergreen. This split evergreen is too far east of the cache. Go past it to look around and walk up to it to see a service box. Past the service box you can see more of the waterline.
Head west along the stand of trees. As you walk along you will notice there are lots of weeds, poisonous plants and vines. Be careful. The park maintains this property pretty well, but the cache is hidden in those trees.
I suggest following the tree line west before actually going into the brush. You will pass a utility transformer, another service box and finally come across a large tree branch that is down. It almost reaches out beyond the brush. If you look past this branch you will see two large trees. Enter just west of the down branch. There is a little bit of a clearing in the brush but not really much. It may grow over with time so be prepared. The cache is about 20 feet in.
Dress the part for this one. Poisonous plants and ticks may present a problem. I also suggest hiking shoes rather than ordinary tennis shoes. Particularly wet days may be nasty for hunting this cache. In August of 2007 I was annoyed by a particularly voracious horse fly. I hate those things! Just be prepared. A walking stick wouldn't hurt for moving brush aside, but bushwhacking shouldn't be necessary.
Permission granted.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vg vf ghpxrq arngyl haqre n qrpnlvat oenapu ng gur sbbg bs n gerr. Bapr lbh trg pybfr gb vg lbh jvyy frr vg, ohg zhttyrf jbag or noyr gb fghzoyr ba vg. Ybbx sbe gur pbybe erq va ubabe bs gur Pelfgny Pvgl Ubeargf, bhe ybpny fpubby znfpbgf. Cyrnfr eruvqr gur pnpur jryy.
Vg vf jvguva 200 sg bs gur onfxrgonyy pbheg.
Treasures
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