The Aristocrat Traditional Geocache
Vertighost: Since there has been no response by the cache owner within the time frame requested in the last reviewer note, I have archived this cache. Please note that caches that have been archived for maintenance issues or lack of cache owner communication are not eligible to be unarchived.
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Bison tube only, so BYOP. Nestled along the piney hardwoods of Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center's Cypress Overlook Trail. Access through front gate only during regular park hours (park closes at 5 p.m. in Dec. and Jan., at 6 p.m. in Nov. and Feb., and at 7 p.m. Mar. to Oct.). Enjoy the park's 7 miles of trails, interpretive nature center (open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily), playground, picnic tables, boardwalks, white sand beaches...the list goes on, so make a day of it!
Difficulty is a 2.0 due to the fact that the coordinates jump around a bit under the forest canopy. The abrupt downslope at the park entrance brings you into a floodplain forest; in fact, the nature center building is on some of the highest ground in the park, yet it was still inundated by a flood in 1994! Proceed north along the Canoe Launch Trail, stopping for a moment at the Cypress Overlook pond. The resident turtles have already sensed your approach, and have been moving toward the overlook deck to greet you for a snack, hoping you have acquired turtle food at the Nature Center. The second entrance to the Cypress Overlook Trail will lead you in the correct direction. Along the way, take note of the cypress trees and their characteristic 'knees' which line the banks of the pond. Small alligators sometimes take up residence here for brief periods. Near the west end of the pond, you will enter the domain of an old and venerable magnolia tree. This species has reportedly existed in North America for 95 million years. Before the existence of bees, pollination was thought to have been accomplished by beetles. Examine this 'aristocrat' of trees. Note the resurrection fern on the trunk, with leaves that are withered and brown during dry periods, and then reborn to lush green after a rain. Examine the trunk's horizontal woodpecker holes, indicating a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker of yore. The tiny holes yielded sap, which attracted insects, and then enlarged as the trunk enlarged. Huge four-petaled white blossoms adorn the magnolia's canopy, yet are seldom seen fromthe ground. Birds seek the bright red seeds when they are ripe. Each bloom and seed pod creates a miniature biosphere for myriad insects and other invertebrates. Whether or not you find the cache, stop for a moment and look around if the mosquitoes allow. Resist the urge for a quick 'Grab and Go.' Reflect briefly on the mysteries of this wonderful land. Attach this part of the park to your DNA.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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