GC2XT3Z A Ripped Shoe and a Whole Lot of Stings! (Traditional Cache) in Wisconsin, United States created by beccaday and Cachers of Catan

This cache has been archived.

COC_BeccaDay: I'm sad to see this one go, this is one of my favorite places in wisconsin. I guess it's time for someone else to place a new cache here.

GC2XT3Z ▼

A cache by beccaday and Cachers of Catan Message this owner

Hidden : 6/7/2011

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Back in 2008, and before we had discovered geocaching, this used to be one of our favorite spots. We’d come walk this easy trail to this gorgeous spring and spend hours here just watching the fish, catching frogs, watching the waterfall and having a good time. So when my Grandma came to visit us we thought this would be the perfect place to bring her for an enjoyable day outdoors. It started out great, as usual, but that ended abruptly just shortly after this photo was taken.

We decided to walk back around the opposite side of the lake (probably shouldn’t have done that). We had probably only gone about 30 feet past the spring when my daughter (CachinKatie, then age 8) started screaming. I turned towards her and saw her leg was covered in yellow jackets as she must have stepped on a ground nest. “Run!” I yelled, just as I felt my own first sting. Then the oddest thing happened. It seems as though my feet were listening to my own survival instincts and they immediately sprang into action to get away from the wasps. However, the rest of me must have been listening to my own mama-bear instincts to protect my cub in trouble. The top half of me leaped back in the opposite direction to help my daughter who was just screaming and jumping around. The odd, jarring motion was so strong that it tore my shoe! I got to my daughter, brushed her leg off with my hands and pulled her away from the nest. This resulted in a couple of stings on my hand. My 70-year-old Grandma tripped and fell in her haste so I stopped and got her out of there, getting a few more stings on my leg. I shooed the 3 kids and my Grandma through the spring house and out the other side where we stopped to catch our breath. Nope, the wasps kept coming so we ran farther down the trail until we were sure they were done following us. And let me tell you, running in a ripped shoe is not the easiest! My boys (ScavengerScott, then age 5 and CachinJake, then age 3) both got one sting, my Grandma had 3, I had 5 and CachinKatie probably had about a dozen. It was hard to tell how many she had for sure because she had a large patch on her leg that was just swollen from a whole bunch of them being close together. It was quite traumatic for the kids, especially since the wasps chased us afterwards. We gave up on our picnic lunch as we’d had enough nature for that day and went out for ice cream instead, first stopping for some baking soda to make a paste for the stings and some ice. So, what’s the moral of this story? When going off trail for geocaching or just for fun, watch where you step!

It took us a whole year to convince the children that it was safe to return to this spot. But this area is just so beautiful and entertaining that we couldn’t stay away for long. There’s already an EarthCache here but no traditional hidden at this location so we’re dedicating this cache to our harrowing adventure. You’re looking for a pill bottle in the woods. But don’t let that intimidate you! Its “container”, while not the original, is related to the story and should STAND out. Just please re-hide it so that it doesn’t STAND out too much. We wouldn’t want it to WALK away. And if you see any wasps of your own you can SHOO your party and RUN out of there. The cache is hidden approximately 50 FEET off the paved trail. I would suggest staying on the paved trail until you get to the last bench before the spring house and then turning into the woods. Watch your STEP!

Kettle Moraine State Forest—Southern Unit The Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest is 30 miles long, extending from the village of Dousman, Wisconsin, almost to the city of Whitewater. Forest Headquarters is 3 miles west of the village of Eagle on State Highway 59. This part of the park does require an entrance fee, currently $25 for an annual pass for residents, $7 for the day or $5 for an hour. There is a pay station in the parking lot.

This park was created to preserve and showcase the abundant topographical features in this area. In this park you will see many Drumlins (this is what the park is most known for), Eskers, Kettles, Kames and more. Visitors to the park will find many things to occupy their time. There are many hiking, horse-back riding and biking trails. There are Picnic areas and campgrounds with a swimming beach. In the winter you can cross-country ski. Visitors may hunt and fish, according to the permits. There are historic sites to visit and nature programs to attend. There are many recreational opportunities, the best of which may be that there are lots of geocaches in the area!

The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to Paul Sandgren of the Wisconsin DNR. Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource managed lands require permission by means of a notification form. Please print out a paper copy of the notification form, fill in all required information, then submit it to the land manager. The DNR Notification form and land manager information can be obtained at: http://www.wi-geocaching.com/hiding

Congratulations to Gemmss on being the FTF!