How many times have I read "found it, but forgot a pencil so I didn't sign the log" when online looking at the plethora of micros in this area? How many times have I gone on an impromptu cache hunt, made the find, only to exclaim [BADWORD]-forgot my [MOREBADWORDS] pen! I dunno either, but lots, bunches, gobs, and many should about cover it.
I decided to do something to help out my fellow airheads cognitively retention challenged geocachers, so I created this pencil cache. It is initially stocked with a couple dozen golf pencils, and will be re-stocked as needed. If you're hunting up some of Great Falls oodles of urban micros on your way home from work, and realize you forgot your scribblin' stick, you can swing by and get one. This was a very active Recycling center until March of 2008, when it outgrew the space and was moved across the river. Because of the cache location I'm going for a recycling theme, so the pencils are made from recycled US currency rather than wood. It is also stocked with a dozen film-can CITO trash bags (made from 100% recycled plastic of course) should you need to deal with a bunch of litter. They make fine recycling bags too, if some of the litter happens to be aluminum cans. Even the cache container is recycled.
The pencils and bags are a gift--no need to trade anything for them, but please log it On-Line when you take a film-can so I know when to restock. There is also plenty of space for more traditional trade items.
Although it is a few miles from the ocean, its called the Pacific pencil box, because it is located (yes, as a matter of fact I did get permission) on the property that used to be Pacific Steel & Recycling corporate headquarters. No way to tell how long this cache will be here since the recycling center moved to a new location in 2008, the corporate headquarters moved in 2013, and the ground for a new steel business facility has already been purchased. The company was first established in Great Falls as Pacific Hide & Fur Depot in the early 1920s, and moved into recycling during World War I. There are now over 40 branches throughout the Pacific Northwest (over half have geocaches). There are a couple geocachers still working in the building, so don't be concerned if you notice us watching you from a window. We're just taking a short break (very short, don't worry boss) and anticipating going geocaching ourselves.
When I started designing this cache I was inspired by RAM Explorers, and their Hide-In-Plain-Sight caching strategy. This is a full sized cache hidden in plain sight. It is not a sprinkler head or irrigation box, nor is it under any rocks or flagstones--please don't wreak havoc on the landscaping. Brute force is not required; my 5 year old helped me make it, and she can open it easily.