GC1CE4Q The Grand Lady (Traditional Cache) in Michigan, United States created by Beforethekiss.com

This cache has been archived.

BeforeTheKiss: Its been a good run, Now its done. Thanks to all who made this a fun cache.

GC1CE4Q ▼

A cache by Beforethekiss.com Message this owner

Hidden : 5/19/2008

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The Grand Lady

When caching first started the purpose was to find a unique location that you wanted to share with people and post the coordinates so they could find it and enjoy. You would also put a container at the location with a log book to sign and write about your visit to the location. In this era of Park and Grab, and Lamp Post Caches (other wise known as LPC’s (or lame pointless caches (smile)) the original intent is being lost. So, here is an effort to try to bring back some of the old way. We found this unique location and wanted to share it with people.

The Steamboats. If you approach this cache from the parking area, you will pass the docking area for The Grand Lady River Boat. The Grand Lady is a reproduction of the old steam river boats that would run the Grand River from the rapids in Grand Rapids to the mouth of river in Grand Haven.

The early settlers in Michigan found the Grand River to be the equivalent of a modern expressway. Using the river to move materials and people swiftly through the area compared to traveling slowly through the dense forest of Michigan. River travel started with canoes and pole boats. The regular running of steamboats on Grand River began in 1837.

For several years a single boat making, three trips a week, was found sufficient for the transportation business. About 1842, the boating interest increased carrying of merchandise. Not long after, two boats were required for the increasing business, giving a daily passage each way, and later three and even four found abundant employment.

For some years prior to the coming in of railroads, two or three small steamers did a lively business. The advent of the locomotive introduced competition in the transportation of passengers, and of goods seeking quick transit. After 1858 the river navigation quickly dropped away to only one or two boats. The steam boats era on the Grand River ended in 1917. The introduction of the train ended the steam boat era.

The Grand Lady is a reproduction constructed in the style of the steamboats that served the communities along the Grand River during the 1800’s. Although she is a modern vessel, she has many of the characteristics which made the early steam powered riverboats so successful on the Grand.

With her shallow draft, the Grand Lady can operate along the full length of the lower Grand, from the Lakeshore Railroad Bridge at mile 37.7 in Grand Rapids, to the mouth of the river at Grand Haven, including Spring Lake.

What you will be looking for, is a large food service sized pretzel container covered in camouflage tape. There is a small hike (0.2 mile) to the cache from the parking area. The cache is just off a paved trail that is part of the Kent Trails System. This area is prone to flooding and at times the cache will be unavailable due to the river level. The cache should be safe from the flooding. The parking area is accessed from Indian Mounds Drive.
Remember the cachers rule: Lift, look, replace.
The lost art of logging: As a cache owner, reading the logs about the visits to the cache encourages us for the effort that it took put the cache out. I also enjoy reading the logs of the other caches that I visit to see how their search went. Please take the time to post your find with a log entry that will share your experience with the others who have found and will find this cache.

FTF Prize: The ladies of the team feel that most FTF Prizes are too boy-ly (as in opposite of girly). So they wanted to put in a prize for the ladies. First time find prize is packet of homemade note cards.

Winter caching? The amount of snow will affect the difficulty of this cache.

We hope that you enjoy,
The Grand Lady.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ba n uvyy haqre n cvyr bs fgvpxf.

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)