Please read the entire listing. I am not all that confident in the
coordinates so there is information how to come up with the find
once in the general location.
NOTICE: From September to February this an
active hunting area. Please be respectful of the hunters and wear
the appropriate, bright, colors while in the woods.!!!
The coordinates on this one were tough. Not sure why. I took
readings here about 2 months ago in anticipation of placing this
cache. I then went back and took them again as I was going to place
this one. The readings, both with less than 20 feet of accuracy,
were off by some 60 feet. I walked away in a different direction
and ended up with another set that was off from the first two by
some 40 feet. So what I have done is averaged them. Hopefully this
will put you close enough to the mark. But...should you have
problem...read the last paragraph. It will put you right on top of
this one.
Now to the location...
I was originally going to call this cache Giant Falls in the
Woods. When you get back here you will understand why. While
exploring this area though, I found a much more interesting
feature.
I have a couple of different theories on why this tree is so
arched. But you will notice, once in the area, that most of the
trees here lean in the general direction of the arch. My thoughts
on this phenomenon are based on my camping trips at Dollie Sods in
West Virgina. There, all the trees are bent (much more dramatically
than this), and when you hike through the area you always feel a
little off balance. In that area the tress are bent due to the
prevailing winds on the mountain. With all the trees here bent in
the same fashion, I would suspect that the terrain funnels the
winds up through here and all the trees (especially at the tops)
end up bent in that direction.
But this tree seems special. I wonder if, sometime in it's past,
something fell on it and pinned it for a period of time? As the
tree grew it developed this shape and just kept going. That's my
thought...what are yours?
When I came in to place the cache this time, I noticed an
abundance of mushrooms in the area. Especially in the specific area
around the cache. So please look down and tread lightly as you
approach the cache location.
But it got me wondering why, not only the number, but the
variety would be found in this particular area. Maybe they are
drawn to this area for the same reason I am...it is interesting!
:-)
OK...now...how to find this one. As you approach, at some point
you will notice the severely arched tree. Look high just past the
tree tops of the largest downed trees and you will spot it.
If you walk to the base of the tree and look back at the large
downed tree, there is a rotting log about 3 or 4 paces from you. It
is under that log covered with some sticks that have lots of lichen
growth on them. Well covered but not all that hard.
Really no hint on this one because I have told you where it is.
Also..the difficulty is really about a 2 but I upped it by 1/2
because of the uncertainty of the coordinates.
Feel free to post your own coordinates and I will adjust
accordingly.
No FTF prize...just the pride of knowing you found it first.