A TRUE TALE OF ADVENTURE
CHAPTER 1 The hiker prepares for a first-time outing in the Soquel
Demonstration State Forest - "Demo" - with a backpack containing
first aid supplies, emergency equipment, maps, food, and
water.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER?
CHAPTER 2 The hiker reaches Badger Springs by following the
downhill incline of Hihn's Mill Road.
DOESN'T THAT MEAN THE HIKE BACK WILL BE UPHILL?
CHAPTER 3 The hiker decides to continue up to the Ridge Trail by
way of the Sawpit Trail.
ISN'T THAT THE TRAIL THAT IS CALLED "BRUTAL"?
CHAPTER 4 The hiker realizes that the temperature is approaching 90
degrees, water is in short supply, and the trail seems to stretch
endlessly uphill.
WHY DIDN'T THE HIKER TURN BACK?
CHAPTER 5 After hiking and caching along the Ridge Trail, the hiker
descends by way of Sulphur Springs Road.
WHEN DOES MIKE FERGUSON ENTER THE STORY?
CHAPTER 6 Upon reaching the Hihn's Mill Road junction, the hiker
realizes that two things remain: 2.3 miles of road and one sip of
water.
WASN'T THE HIKER WORRIED?
CHAPTER 7 Exhausted, without water, and battling the slight, but
now-taking-on-Everest-like-proportion uphills, the hiker stops to
inquire about the well-being of a mountain biker who has stopped by
the side of the road.
How does this story end? Please check the
Epilogue below and visit the referenced cache listing for more
details and for our exciting conclusion!
EPILOGUE
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If you found this cache and you hike and/or bike in an area
frequented by mountain bikers, please consider hiding your own
Mike Ferguson to the Rescue! cache. Please 1) use the simple
description "in honor of Mike Ferguson and his act of
kindness," 2) refer to this original cache,
Visit GC17X46
here. by number so that other geocachers may read the
entire saga, and 3) include your own cache details. If enough of
these "chain" caches are hidden, perhaps one of the finders will
know Mike Ferguson and let him know how much his good deed was
appreciated.
Thank YOU for helping me to thank Mike Ferguson for his
kindness on that hot September day.
************************************************************
NEWS FLASH!! (posted 10/01/08) MIKE FERGUSON FOUND!!!
Thanks to a year-old post by justbob (owner of GC17WQ8--Demo
Edition) on the Mountain Biking Forum
(www.MTBr.com) Mike
Ferguson has been found!! Just last week, I was alerted by justbob
that a certain "cmdrpiffle" had posted a message on this thread. I
then posted a message of thanks to the mountain biker and informed
him of his "legendary" status in the geocaching community. Not only
was he happy to hear that everything had turned out positively, but
he was also humbled by the idea of a geocaching series in his
honor."
CACHE DETAILS
Local and long time Geocachers will recognize this location as the
former hiding place for the infamous Lameeeeeeeeeeee (aka D.P.M.)
cache. Hidden by legendary Geocacher
Touchstone nearly 5 years ago*,
Lameeeeeeeeeeee (aka D.P.M.**) was the most difficult hide in
Manzanita Park. Mercifully, Touchstone archived Lameeeeeeeeeeee
(aka D.P.M.) a while back. For your consternation and practice at
using bad words we have recreated the $#%%^%$#^%$#@@@%%%$^*##.
* OK, it was nearly 4 years ago
** According to Touchstone... 'Including the letters “DPM” in
a cache log was a once-secret way to indicate the cache was of low
quality. DPM is an abbreviation for “des palourdes mortes", which
is French for “the dead clams”. The entire French phrase is “Les
longs sanglots des palourdes mortes blessent mon coeur avec un
languor monotone pendant qu'ils dansent à minuit", which translates
to “The long sobs of the dead clams wound my heart with a
monotonous languor as they dance at midnight”. The idea was to
include this phrase in a cache log to clue in others that the cache
was of low quality. Rarely actually used, as the meaning of DPM
quickly spread throughout the geocaching community, and its secrecy
was lost.'
CONGRATULATIONS! Mayela Mingi
--FTF!--
"I liked the distant
ocean view during the walk."