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WATERCRESS!! Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Gitchee-Gummee: Moving away, no maintenance program.

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Hidden : 8/1/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

A short walk down the trail, across the stream and into the woods we go. An easy, but interesting cache site, located near the shore of Lake Superior. Not quite a stop and dash for the cache, but almost. Cache container is a Loc-n-Loc style box.

As the name implies, this geocache exposes you to some nice watercress (Nasturtium officinale, N. microphyllum). Something that few know much about, and fewer can recognize. Watercress is reportedly one of the oldest leafy-type vegetables eaten by humans. It is a member of the cabbage family and sports a peppery or slightly horseradish tang.
Check the uploaded photo (below) to see what it looks like in flowing water. Approaching the cache-site nearly all of the walking distance along the trail, this interesting plant grows in the little stream that flows westerly along the south side of the trail.
Pick some to try. You may even take some with you. Don't take too much though, as watercress does not keep well, better fresh but not at all dehydrated. If you have a cooler with ice in it, put the watercress in a ziploc and put it directly on the ice. It should stay OK for a day or more.

In some areas, watercress sandwiches are considered a delicacy. It is great as a little added "something" to a green garden salad.

NOTE: Vehicular parking is at a premium for this cache-site. You should park on the side of Woodland Ave., being careful to not block the trail (a rail grade converted to recreational/ORV trail). The west side of the road has stable ground, suitable for parking alongside. The trail itself is driveable, BUT there is nowhere to turn around AND a parked vehicle in the trail effectively closes the trail to all other traffic. Please park at the coordinates provided.

The walk from parking until leaving the trail is only about 250 yards (with all this info, it kind of rules out any hints, eh?)!

Once you leave the trail to access the cache, you will be stepping into a world that will make you wonder if any person had ever walked here before. It has a tight canopy and your GPSr will be only so-so good. Luckily, the cache is off the trail only a very short distance. To make it easier yet, the cache is in PLAIN SIGHT, not hidden at all!

As long as you have the cache coordinates in your GPSr, wander about through the woods, it is truly like a step back in time (they go "forever", so keep the coordinates for a back-track to get out of the woods). Wildlife is plentiful with deer, mink, partridge, martin, the occasional black bear and wolf, rarely too, moose. Keep your camera at the ready as all of these creatures will run away at the first sign of your presence ('cept the moose -- they don't run, they just walk, but they still disappear in the blink of an eye).

I cannot call this cache winter accessable because our mid-winter snow levels can exceed 3+ ft, on the ground, our typical yearly accumulation of snowfall exceeds 230" (rarely is there a mid-winter thaw). Finding the cache beneath that snow would be a job indeed!

Additional Hints (No hints available.)