bernsa: It’s been a very long run for this geocache, and this one was one of my favorites. However, I think it’s time to let this one go. The series has long been discontinued, the final archived in controversy, and other caches in the series quietly fading over time. Shockingly, it never got a FP while it was active.
The first stage was a custom-made container constructed of LEGO parts, my first attempt at making such a container. It wasn’t particularly well hidden, but was about a hundred feet off the well-traveled Claypit Run trail, about 500 feet from the junction with the Valley View trail. In winter, it could easily be spotted by an eagle-eyed person from the trail. I’m surprised it lasted nearly 8 years, I’d always figure Stage 1 would fall into muggle hands. I had a backup constructed but am not opting to use it now. I don’t get to come up to NJ as often as I used to. I moved to Virginia only a few months after it published, and had no idea I’d be moving when I did place this cache. In recent years, I could only check on it about once a year.
The second stage I tried to build some ambiguity as to how to access it from the Fox Hollow trail. In truth, I found it didn’t matter how you got to it, I tried to make it just as accessible from either direction from Valley View. I often did my maintenance runs from the Locust Point trailhead, did the loop north on ValleyView, then connecting the Fox Hollow back to the end of Valley View. What did disappoint me were people who’d shortcut between Valley View and Fox hollow a few hundred feet from the cache. I wish I had put it further out on Fox Hollow. The 2nd stage always had a deer trail I preferred to use to access the final coordinates. The stump it was hidden under decayed significantly in the first few years, but it always held up. When I retrieved the cache on February 25, I was pleasantly surprised it was still ready to be found. Over the years, it sure got muddied but the contents held up quite well. The final stage has been removed and two photos are shown with it at the Locus Point trailhead.
By archiving, I’m happily making available some nice areas for future cache placements, and hope other cachers can find new areas in the park to explore. This last hike to retrieve the cache was very reminiscent for me. When I placed, this I’d only been caching for just under a year, and didn’t have a lot of experience under my belt. My caching style has changed a lot since I placed it. However, taking the hike for this cache one last time (in the same season no less), It reminded me why I placed this cache here in the first place. I felt satisfied. The cache has served its purpose.
Sorry to my old friend Blitznmore who attempted this on February 14. Mugglings are such as they are unfortunately.
First Stage: N 40° 23.279' W 074° 01.627'
Second Stage: N 40° 23.400 W 074° 01.906 (coordinates are now publicly viewable)
Thanks for visiting!
CJCC: Foxtrot (GC1NJ4F) was active from April 10, 2009 to February 25, 2017 (7 years, 10 months, and 15 days).
In that time there were 128 finds, 1 DNF (sorry Blitz ), and 52 TBs that traveled through the cache. It had 0 Favorite Points at the time it was archived. (aww nuts!)
Congratulations to chinster for the FTF!
Honorable mention to Caver Bill for STF and Twisted Lemons for TTF.
(Wow all three names bring back memories!)