No Snakes, No Snakes, No Snakes!!!
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Catdog5631 frequently caches with Noodledoodle09, and both groups share the common fear of SNAKES. Like we really, really, really hate snakes but we love getting the geokids together to cache. (Those geokid-free events are equally fun, but we don't get them too often). We have been caching together for over a year and so far we have not encountered said creatures together. We do avoid the caches that have posted of recent snake encounters of the creatures either slithering by, shedding their skin, or worse: sitting on top of the cache. "Oh, heck no....we are not doing THAT cache 'til next year. " The fact that we'll still cache in the woods is rather amazing considering how many wooded areas and creeks we have trekked in search of those geocaches which draw us into this sport. That said...
Catdog had a snake encounter in WV during the summer of 2012 that was beyond horrifying. Imagine kayaking down the New River in WV, solo in a kayak, while Catdog's family and friends lazily float along in the raft 50' ahead with the geokids. Catdog saw a snake slithering across the river between the raft and the kayak, at first hoping it was a turtle head until noticing the rest of the body was making waves. Once, and instantly, identified, Catdog promptly began screaming to be let back into the raft, stood up in the kayak to get farther away from impending danger, only to be met with laughter, ridicule, and questions as to whether or not the "accused creature" was really a snake or a stick. The slithering animal, a startling 12" long, went under the water and Catdog high tailed it to the raft and jumped in. After shaking violently for about a minute, and receiving more ridicule from the raft attendees, the slithering animal once again popped up on river right and swam to river left, in FRONT of the raft. Catdog terrifyingly pointed out that it could be seen again, justified the sighting as a snake and NOT a stick, while Catdog's best friend leaned over the raft to grab it, only to be told by her husband, "Do NOT grab that! It's not something we can identify!" (The creature was really shimmery and not a garter snake, water snake, nor a copperhead...).
The snake made it to land, Catdog will not go into the kayak solo any more, and Catdog's friends will forever laugh at memories of the incident because they have no respect for the potential danger Catdog was in.
Therefore, in Catdog's mind, these woods are "Snake Free" as Catdog would like to live in beautiful oblivion of nature that surrounds her. Those who share my snake-phobia will identify...Unity to All....and those who do not identify will laugh....and that's okay. I hope to someday overcome this...until then....cache on and don't look down!
Please feel free to share your, "snake encounters while geocaching" stories. And, by the way, I'll avoid retrieving the snake-sighting caches until the following year....I think I can say the same for Noodledoodle09
Please be wary of muggles and use the geoparking coordinates provided. Please do not access this cache from any personal residence as there is plenty of parking nearby. You can access this cache from the St. Leonard Community area,
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Sbyybj lbhe TCF gb nobhg 25' bss gur genvy naq ybbx sbe gjb ynetr gerrf. Gur pnpur vf ng gur onfr bs gur fznyyre bs gur gjb, pbirerq ol n ebpx naq n fgvpx.