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It was a Dark and Stormy Tunnel - The Dark Series Mystery Cache

Hidden : 5/6/2012
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:


The cache is not at the posted coordinates above. Follow the bike trail to N 43° 51.720 W 090° 39.558 which will take you close to the tunnel doors of the east end of the .75 mile long Tunnel Three on the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail.

At the tunnel doors, zero your odometer and proceed .184 miles in. Cache will be on your left.

For this cache you will need special equipment, thus the terrain rating of 5. The most logical special equipment would be a bike with a 100ths or 1000ths reading odometer, properly calibrated. (Your GPS will be rendered useless on the approach to this cache, guaranteed.)

Fully-charged flashlights (even multiple ones) are highly recommended special equipment. It's dark in there.

Rain gear also recommended. It’s wet in there.

Remember that even very accurately calibrated bike odometers are very possible to vary slightly due to manufacturer and variables such as tire pressure.

Have fun in there.

The Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail is 32 miles in length on the abandoned Chicago & North Western Railroad bed and passes through three rock tunnels.

The Kendall and Wilton tunnels are 1/4 mile long and the Norwalk tunnel (the one you will be at) is 3/4 mile long. The trail is covered with limestone screenings and provides a smooth riding surface. The bridges are covered with planks and are guarded with railings.

The trail may be entered southeast of Sparta near Hwys. 16 and 71, or enter at Wilton or Norwalk on Hwy. 71, or continue on Hwy. 71 to the Village of Kendall - the Trail Headquarters is at the old Kendall Depot, or enter at the Elroy Commons in Elroy.

Brilliant cachers will find other logical entry points closer to the cache.

Trail passes are required for bikers 16 years of age and older. A daily trail pass is $4 and an annual pass is $20. These are good on any Wisconsin State Trail.

The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to the Wisconsin DNR.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fubhyqre be urnq uvtu

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)