Utilitease Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

FrancisScottKey: I am regretfully archiving this cache since there's been no response from nor action by the cache owner within the time frame requested in the last reviewer note.

Regards,
FrancisScottKey
Volunteer Cache Reviewer

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Hidden : 4/30/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Not many utility rights-of-way are as beautiful as this one. Come take a short stroll along this well-maintained garden and finish a very simple, quick puzzle with a few intermediate stops.

I had been watching this spot for a cache for well over a year, thinking it really fit into that category of “needs to be enjoyed” instead of merely “I could squeeze a cache here.” Many Pax River employees and local citizens drive past here daily, and I’m sure many of us have looked at this spot and thought “Gee, that’s pleasant.” So, here you go – a reason to stop the car, get out, and take a stroll for a few minutes.

Your total distance will be about 0.4 miles, from your car to the end, and back to the car, all along flat ground. You will even have a sidewalk the entire way, if you feel like it (shucks – this is ALMOST a wheelchair-friendly cache), but I prefer to meander along on the well-maintained lawn instead, enjoying the carefully positioned rocks and flowering shrubs.

The cache is actually located at the listed coordinates. I could have just stuck a container there, but then you’d miss the beauty of this general area. So first you’ll need to collect some information to open the container. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

1. Park in the vicinity of N38 16.785 W76 27.980, at the north entrance to the small office park. Walk around the hill to the roadside sidewalk (or over the hill if you’re adventurous).

2. At N38 16.776 W76 27.987 you’ll find a utility marker of sorts. Right beneath the Verizon name you’ll find a three-digit number. Make a note of the first digit.

3. Take a stroll south by southeast along this beautiful garden for just a few hundred feet, to N38 16.737 W76 27.955. Here, you’ll find a wooden utility telephone pole. Next to it is a short green utility box. On the box's west corner is a two-inch tall yellow and black number sticker. Make a note of the single-digit number.

4. Continue your stroll to the south end of the garden, to N38 16.637 W76 27.884. Here, you’ll find a wooden utility telephone pole. On the east side of the base of the pole you’ll find a SMECO marking stamped in the wood. There’s a four-digit number in the format XX-XX (I think it may be a date). Make a note of the last one digit.

5. Now take a very very short stroll east to the listed coordinates for the container. You’ll need the three digits, in order, for the small padlock.

The container is large enough to fit a few fun trades or travel bugs.

The difficulty level is 1.5 only because you'll be walking along a six-lane highway, and the cache is clearly visible from a couple of multi-story buildings and other businesses – so keep your muggle-radar active, and be discrete. Watch out for some weeds near the cache container.

You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)

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