The cache may be found in either of two ways: by following your GPS to the coordinates posted above, or by following the questing clues in the poem below. Inside the cache you will find stickers, which are part of a separate questing activity being conducted by the park district. You are welcome to take a sticker and participate in that activity as well.
The Buckeye Woods quest starts in the Chippewa North parking lot located on Rt. 42, between Deerview Lane and Columbia Rd., in Lafayette Township. (See the additional waypoint, below.) A one to two mile round trip hike (depending on if you complete the entire path loop) will be required to complete this portion of the quest. Use the poem below or a GPS to get you there.
Over in the wetland, to the right in the swale
Live many mother frogs and their little tadpoles frail.
“Croak!” say the mothers, “we can’t!” say the frail,
And they croak as you go straight, walking down the trail.
Over in the forest by the stream amongst the trees,
To the left, past the bench given by rotary trustees,
Live warty toads and they hop with ease,
As they eat their fill of bugs before the winter’s freeze.
Over in the grassy field, off to the right,
Lives a family of water snakes, looking for a bite.
. “Walk,” say the snakes, “to the trail stick tight
As you go on your quest and we slither out of sight.”
Up above the fields and ponds, flying through the air,
Are all the lovely jewel wings, dragonflies fair.
Zooming over water catching bugs in their snare,
We needn’t worry that they bite but insects BEWARE!
Over in the cattails on the right in the pond,
Lives an old father muskrat and his family beyond.
“Munch” says the rodent, “munch munch on the fronds”
And they munch on the cattails of which they are fond.
Over in the pond in the box on the pole,
Lives a wood duck family in their watering hole.
“Hide” says the mama, “from the hawk patrol!”
And they hide as you pass by and come near your goal.
Over ‘cross the bridge, on the right by the creek,
Lives an old maple tree that is quite unique.
Look inside for the treasure that you seek,
Then jump for joy and shout hooray and let out a shriek!
Now your quest is over, but you aren’t quite done.
A choice must be made to return the way you’ve come,
Or continue round the trail ( it is a longer run),
But whatever you decide, we hope you had fun!
The cache, a regular sized lock-n-lock container, is located 10-12 feet from the trail, so please do not bushwack. Re-hide the container so that it cannot be seen and use stealth to avoid the container being seen by people who might take or vandalize it. Please remember to cache in trash out. Park closes at dark.
If you have questions or concerns about any of the caches in this series, please contact Shelley Tender at 330.239.4814 or stender@medinaco.org.
This cache, and the series, will expire on October 31, 2012.