GC426MJ Post - Apocalyptic Hibernal Solstice Gathering (Event Cache) in Alaska, United States created by NorthWes

This cache has been archived.

NorthWes: With us now experiencing significantly more daylight than just two weeks ago, there's no compelling reason not to finally archive this listing. We all survived the hype surrounding the ancient Mayan calendar controversy, and we've made it past the Hibernal Solstice. And yes - if you were part of the gathering and haven't logged your attendance yet - well - we caught you napping (which must've been more important than that smiley for attendance).<br><br>
Thanks to all who attended - but special thanks to my pal fuzzy who thawed out his hibachi and spent the event kneeling as he cooked up the finest Sizzlin' Spenard Spam Skewers any of us have ever tasted!

GC426MJ ▼

A cache by NorthWes Message this owner

Hidden : Friday, December 21, 2012

Difficulty:

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Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

Join fellow End of World Survivors to celebrate Winter Solstice on the shores of Lake Spenard.
It's a brief gathering from 12:30pm to 12:45pm because we just don't have much daylight today!

Once known as Jeter Lake (until renamed for Joe Spenard following his epic party at this very spot in 1916), this location has seen organized revelry for generations. The locally-renowned unpublished “Revelatio Hibernal Solstitium” in fact claims the Spenard Vortex can be found here, spewing forth gifts to lucky visitors. If we’ve survived this long already today perhaps the Vortex will spew on us too...

DEC 14th NEWS FLASH! The Spenard Vortex has disgorged a THIRD Geo-Prize - the Special Edition Mayan Calendar Spinner Geocoin (a massive 55mm in size, with 3 rotating rings and a matching copy tag). This is in addition to the Limited Edition Signal SnowFlake Geocoin (featuring SIX Swarovski Gemstones and delicate design work) from Dec. 7th, and the Limited Edition Winter Cache Dragon geocoin spewn forth on Nov 30th! As if three unactivated geocoins weren't enough, pamphlets found near the event location foretell of yet ANOTHER prize appearance to occur on December 20th - stay tuned for updates!

In addition to being the day where the sun only shows its face for 5 hours and 27 minutes, we must ride out the consequences of the so-called Mayan End of World experience. Imagine – this may be the very day when night lasts even longer than the expected 18 hours and 33 minutes of darkness! Counselors will be on hand to assist those who can’t cope with the concept of eternal darkness, and we remind you open containers of alcohol aren’t allowed in Municipality of Anchorage Parks (regardless of the imminence of the so-called Mayan End of the World)

The Spenard Vortex creates great Sunset viewing opportunities here...

Let's first examine the Mayan End of World experience. In simple terms, the Mayans were pretty good with calendars. Their calendar didn't look or count like what we use today, but it worked to measure the passing of time day by day, season by season. Today there's speculation concerning a particular date on that calendar - December 21, 2012. The speculation results from two datum points: first, the latest edition of the Mayan Calendar ends on what cross-calculates to 12-21-12. Made on a big stone circle, the calendar had to end somewhere... it's a discrete stone, not an eternally-refreshing Mobius strip.
Secondly, there's two nearby stone carvings which purportedly allude to the stone calendar's ending day as the "end of the world." Some have taken the calendar end, and nearby references to its end, to symbolize the end of the current age - the de-facto end of the world. Others (like myself) scratch their heads and say 'hey - the calendar had to end somewhere!' As for the nearby stone-cut notes? Well, I bet they're just a reminder to get a new calendar made before the old one runs out. If we apply what we know about what happens when we accidentally come to the end of a roll of toilet paper while still needing to use it, perhaps we'll understand what happens when you come to the end of a laboriously stone-chiseled Mayan Calendar. It may seem like the end of the world, but time passes - the sun comes up in the morning - and you move on. Besides, I'm not on Mayan time - I'm on daylight savings time!

(Better yet - buy a scenic GeocacheAlaska! 2013 Calendar at the Dec 14 GeoFest!)

Of greater concern to we Alaskans is the Hibernal Solstice - that day when Anchoragites see the least amount of sunshine and experience the longest night of the year. Thanks to the 23º tilt of the Earth's axis, areas north of the Arctic Circle go without sunshine through the depth of winter. We're fortunate here in Anchorage - we still get just over 5 hours a day of sunlight during mid-winter. By Christmas Day we'll have gained several more minutes of daylight, and by March you'll notice day by day how much longer it's light outside. Come mid-summer you'll see cheechakos putting tinfoil on their windows because they couldn't sleep in the constant sunlight! (Thus, another great reason to become a Sourdough Member of GeocacheAlaska!, Inc. - because for just $20 you get a trackable nametag plus you're equipped to deal with all-day / all night light! See other benefits by clicking on the link below.)

Let's ease the shortest day of the year with a brief moment mid-day spent with our geo-friends, celebrating survival of the Mayan End of Time trauma and the longest night of winter. See you there in that brief moment of daylight!

Not a Sourdough member of GeocacheAlaska! yet? Click on this link below to learn about membership benefits, and why geocachers should participate in their local geocaching organization that makes playing the game possible in your own city's parks and neighborhoods.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Flash Mob Event - Lake Spenard Beach Parking Lot - from 12:30pm to 12:45pm only.] Ubfgrq ol AbeguJrf - Cheirlbe bs gur bppnfvbany Terng Cevmrf / Ab Srrf Synfu Zbo Rirag!

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)