A Trek with the King Mystery Cache
LZ33: Last Visit:
Monday, 21 July 2014 Looks like the CO has left this one abandoned.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This is an interesting puzzle cache where you have to look up a key number to put in a simple formula to find the coordinates.
This cache has easy access: It is about 3 miles on a 4-lane road from I-75, Exit 144, Richard B. Russell Parkway. There is no property access directly from Russell Parkway, so the property must be entered from Lake Joy Rd. or Hatcher Rd. Keep an eye on your GPS as you drive around the building. There is lot of very good parking near the above listed (Parking) coordinates. The first two waypoints are easy to find, but the last waypoint and the final cache, while not very difficult, offers a little more challenge. You should calculate the first waypoint before you can start.
There are 3 waypoints that will give you the information needed to find the final cache location. The final cache is a clear plastic jar with a 4 inch diameter lid.
Be sure and bring "The King" along on this hike [King James, that is]. You will need him. (You can use another translation, but all quotes will be from the KJV.)
The cryptology:
This cache is a puzzle cache that uses a book cipher {technically that should be called a “Book Code”. Codes substitute for words, while ciphers do it by letters or blocks of letters}. By 1526, almost 500 years ago, Jacobus Silvestri, was thinking of how a book might be used for cryptographic purposes. He wrote of a sort of code dictionary, which he recommended as a means to encipher written communications.
Traditionally book ciphers work by substituting words from the plaintext message with the location of words in a book. This requires both sender and receiver to have and use the same book without anyone else knowing the key. Normally we want a book that very few people have a copy of that book. The best when only the sender and receiver have copies.
For our application we need a set of numbers for the coordinates, not plaintext words. We also need a book that is widely circulated. I chose the Bible because it is a very widely available book that is almost always is printed with chapter and verse markings makings. I reversed the traditional order, of using a book cypher, and give a phrase and chapter that will reveal a number (the verse number). The King James Version is the most common version, so that is the version chosen for our use.
Details of how this all works:
At each waypoint a set of coordinate will be given with a letter substituted for part of the value and two KJV Bible quotes along with their book and chapter. You will need to find the verse number and use this verse number in the formula to find the coordinates for the next waypoint. If the number derived from the formula is less than 100, put a 0’s before that number to make it 3 digits wide. For example, if the formula delivered a 4 you would substitute 004 in the coordinates.
(Keep a record of the verse numbers and letter that references it, you will need these for the final set of coordinates.) After visiting all 3 waypoints you will have all the values to find the final set of coordinates for the final cache from the formulas below.
N 32 35.XXX W 83 41.YYY where:
XXX = C + E – G + 116
YYY = D + F – H + 87
(starting waypoint card)
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A Trek with the King GC18V3Z Waypoint #0
{John 3:A} “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
{Romans 3:B} For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
XXX = A + 37 YYY = B + 260
Next clue is at N 32 35.XXX W 83 41.YYY
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We look in John 3 and find a verse that matches the card. It is John 3:16, so A=16.
We are given the formula on the waypoint card: XXX = A + 37
Plugging in the values we found for A gives: XXX = 16 + 37
Do the simple math (only addition and subtraction is needed): XXX = 53
We must have three digits, so we add 0’s before the number to get three digits: XXX = 053 (NOTE: If you only have one digit you must add 00 before that digit to make three digits. If you already have three digits, use it without any changes)
Plugging this number back into the next waypoints Latitude formula listed on the waypoint card would give the next waypoint’s Latitude as: N 32 35.053
Now, you can do the same steps to calculate YYY for the Longitude.
You now have the coordinates for the first waypoint, so go have some fun.
Notes:
Published coordinates are for the original parking area. (The church has ask us to park only on the paved parking areas.)
You will have to calculate the first waypoint coordinates using the above to start the hunt.
You will have an easy hike totaling of about ½ mile, round trip, on a nice wide dirt trail. There are several miles of intertwining trails, you can enjoy. You can’t get lost. You can hear the traffic on Russell Parkway and you have the coordinates, below, for the trail head and parking you can enter in your GPS.
All waypoints and final cache are located less than 50 feet from the trail or open areas. When you bushwhack you will have to watch for holes, stickers, and vines.
You don’t have to damage or open anything to get to the waypoints and cache.
Initial Cache Contents Include:
Emergency poncho
Pair Foot Warmers
Toy Plane
Key Chain
Hacky Sack
Bat Card
Congratulations to angelfire for FTF.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orjner bs gur yrnirf.
Treasures
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