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Mason Dixon Stone at C&D Canal Mystery Cache

Hidden : 4/25/2011
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Two virtual parts to get info for the location of the final. The first location is exactly on De/Md border, Second location is in Maryland, and Final is in Delaware.

It will make a nice bonus to the C&D trail since it starts right at end of the trail.


The cache is not at the published coordinates. They will take you to an origional 1765 Mason Dixon stone that marked the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania (before there was a Delaware). It is located at old historic Bethel Church.

This will also count as:
Benchmark
Waymark which gives excelent write-up of the Mason-Dixon stone.

At Part One location:
"A" is second digit of the year stamped on the Brass "Bethel" benchmark located a few feet to the right of the stone.
"B" = number of letters/numbers on the Mason Dixon Stone.
Check sum: "A" + "B" = 11

Now off to nearby Part 2 (39 D 32.038, 75 D 46.938) to locate the large stone cross that commorates the historic Bethel Church where you will have to answer some questions
"C" = last digit of date that church was removed/relocated
"D" = third digit of year Second church was built
Check sum "C" + "D" = 9

39 Deg 31."A"6"B" ...and... 75 Deg 46."C"0"D"

Now off to find the Final which is about 1/2 mile further east on the canal. You can park when you pass a dirt road to your right and walk up the dirt road. (I took my SUV up the road a short distance, but this is not recommeded. Update 12/2015 road is barricaded to cars now so you must walk). If you are more adventursome, park along the canal and climb the grassy bank for shortest way to the cache. I went to it walking up the powerline and then entering the woods

There are two ways to do this multi-part cache. Best is to enter the canal near summit Bridge and drive down the canal and park at barrier at Bethel Cemetery Road near part Two. Short walk to Parts 1 and 2. You can then drive the canal for the final.
Alternate is to drive to published coords using Bethel Cemetery Road (located off Bethel Church Road), and complete Parts 1 and 2 but then you will have a very long walk down the canal to get the final or drive all the way to Summit Bridge canal access and then drive down the canal. NOTE: the Canal vehicle access at end of Bethel Cemetery Road is normally blocked off.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Svany--Fznyy rkgerzryl pebbxrq 3 gehax gerr

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)