GC197C4 Mindego Hill Dolphin Nest (Traditional Cache) in California, United States created by ChipnDonna

This cache has been archived.

ChipnDonna: I've got an achy (but not breaky - so far) hip that is severely limiting my ability to maintain my geocaches. So I am cleaning them out and archiving them. This is the last one I will archive. I have one left close to where I live. I'm including a photo I took today of the resident creature in this geocache. It used to be a dolphin - hence the name for the geocache- but years later the dolphin left the nest and the current resident took over. Today I discovered that this resident had also decided to leave the nest. He's a little moss covered after all these years in a nest and long overdue to leave it and get on with life... As I will do as well...

GC197C4 ▼

A cache by ChipnDonna Message this owner

Hidden : 2/8/2008

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Look for the large double trunked oak. Think the cache name and you will have it in hand quickly.

Mindego Hill is named after Juan Mendico, a Basque farmer who established a homestead and cattle ranch there in 1859. Nearly a century later, in 1954, the late Admiral Arnold True, a distinguished World War II veteran, and his wife, Corinne, purchased Mindego Hill. The family has continued the tradition of ranching on the land, raising white, hump-backed Brahman cattle as well as Angus cattle and a cross of the two breeds for rodeo bull-riding. When Corinne True died in 2006, the family decided to honor her wishes to save Mindego Hill as open space and last year (Oct. 2007) finalized an agreement with Peninsula Open Space Trust to permanently protect the land. (visit link) and (visit link)

Given the connection to the late Admiral's family, it is only fitting that there be a bit of the sea lore in the naming of this cache. Actually, I had only a small matchbox cache case with me, but an examination of my cache treasure bag enabled me to juxtapose a more suitable and obvious cover for this cache at the end of a 2.6 mile hike via Mindego and Ancient Oaks trails from the Alpine Rd turnout parking of Russian Ridge Preserve.

The photos of Mindego Hill, the ocean in the distance, and the winding road that leads to the current Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District-True ranch boundary about 0.5 miles away were all taken within a few feet of the cache location. Look for the large double trunked oak. Think the cache name and you will have it in hand quickly. Bring your own pen.

[11.29.08] The original cache container has been replaced by a slightly larger one. Alas the dolphin has also been displaced by a slightly larger creature, and the nest is certainly more appropriate for this creature although its location is a bit strange.

[10.6.09] You can learn about the geological history of this hill at (visit link)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Arfgf ner eneryl ng tebhaq urvtug. Ybbx hc nobhg 6 srrg.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

This cache has been archived.

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Mindego Hill Dolphin Nest Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

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Geocache Description:

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