Off Target in Bel Air Mystery Cache
Son_of_Mt_Soma: Stopped by today, and the cache is definitely gone. Quite a bit of evidence of homeless activity in the area, and I do not see a safe place to relocate the cache. So I think it is time to retire this cache.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This is a regular size geocache hidden near the Target store in Bel Air, MD.
The cache is not located at the given coordinates. Though the coordinates are on Target, they are off target with respect to the cache itself. To find the coordinates, you need to make three measurements and then insert the values into the below equations.
First, on the wall of the Target store at the starting coordinates (about 12 feet up) is a square, made of one solid brick piece whose surface sticks out about ½ inch from the rest of the wall. What is the length of one side of the square (rounded up to next whole number of inches)? This will equal A.
Second, about 50 feet away from the starting coordinates sits an embodiment of Target’s trademark—a concrete red sphere resting on the sidewalk. What is the circumference of this sphere (rounded to the nearest inch)? This will equal B.
Third, there are six red concrete spheres sitting in front of the Target store (arranged in roughly a straight line). You are currently standing at the easternmost sphere. How far are you from the westernmost one (in feet)? C will equal this distance rounded to the nearest 10 feet and then divided by 10 (ex. for a measurement of 344 feet, round first to 340 feet, and then divide by 10 to arrive at 34).
To find the final location of the cache, solve the following equations:
Latitude N39, with minutes = 31.532 - [A / (1000)] + [B / (1000)] - [C / (1000)] – 0.001
Longitude W076, with minutes = 21.007 + [(3)A / (1000)] - [(2)B / (1000)] + [(2)C / (1000)] + 0.001
Please position the cache exactly the way that you found it. The cache itself is within walking distance of the Target store, but it is not located on the store’s property. Also, there is no need to cross Route 24 (to the west) or Route 1 (business) (to the north) to get to the cache from the starting coordinates.
This is cache is suitable for kids in elementary school and older. If they like geometry, this cache may be for them.
Please send me (in a separate email) what values you get for A, B and C. However, do not post these values in the logs. I like to keep statistics, and this will also help me to correct any errors in my measurements.
A travel bug (Piney Bear TBN0KD) is in the cache for the FTF to collect.
UPDATE (17 Aug 07): When done with the cache, please reposition it so that it is standing upright. I found some water in the ammo box, and it is probably due to a leaky gasket and being position on its side on the ground.
UPDATE (8 Sep 11): Added additional hint.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
(1) Vs lbh pnaabg zrnfher gur fdhner qverpgyl, na vaqverpg zrgubq jvyy unir gb qb.
(2) Trg n gncr zrnfher sbe gur fcurer naq ubcr gung lbh qb abg ybbx gbb fvyyl.
(3) Guvax genqvgvbany jura ybbxvat sbe gur svany pnpur ybpngvba.
(4) N zrny svg sbe grezvgrf.
Treasures
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