Sometimes I get songs in my head and it won't go away. About 3 pm, Tina Turner's version of "Proud Mary" was rattling around. You know, the part where she says "Some like it easy...... and some like it rough" then proceeds on with an easy and rough rendition of the tune.
I went for a walk today. It was a nice walk. A walk with lots of trails and lots of choices, some of each were easy & some of each were rough.
What kind of choices could ya possibly have on a walk you ask? Well, the usual, like Do I walk fast or slow? (easy) Do I walk High or low? (not so easy). Do I go that way? I think I'd be up a creek without a paddle. OR is that the way I am supposed to go ... or maybe not (hard). Did I walk too far and miss a landmark? (very hard) Now what? Go back, continue on, bail to the left and find the road?? (hardest yet)
You see, just like life, taking a little walk with me ends up being a basket full of questions and choices.
I liked this walk today, so much I shall share it with you. Share it now while It's hot out, or later when it's colder. Hmmmm, It IS a mighty fine walk. For those that know of my walks and chose to think this will be yet another walk in the park, that may be your 1st poor choice.
Just how hard is it..... Depends. I walked it in boots and shorts, I know that others could do this in sneakers. It rated a 3 on the tick scale... In Colorado, it would be rated perhaps a 2 star. Walking UP the hill from the Toll Gate to Wildcat Mtn would be harder I think. And remember, I walked it... How hard could it possibly be.... ?
I will let y'all tell me.
Since this is geocaching I need to give you some coordinates but not ALL of them. The purpose of this cache is to:
1) Go for an interesting and challenging walk in the park,
2) get more familiar with your compass techniques or
3) get more familiar with your GPSR techniques.
I will provide the starting place and will give you a bearing and a distance to the next waypoint. You will make choices on how you want to get there. Once you get there you will find a number at each location. You will use the number that you find on top of the cache to compute the next bearing and distance to use for navigation to the next location. Rinse and repeat till your done.
In all cases except one, you will be looking for a very visible, clearly marked pole with a red and white marker on the top. There is a number on the top marker section. This is the number that you will use.
Down to business. From the parking coordinates go-to location #1. Proceed on bearing 121.7 deg for 102 meters (easy one) find the 2 digit number we shall call X.
To get to spot #2, Proceed on a bearing of (X*6.864) degrees for (X*62) meters. Proceed as you see fit. Get the number we shall call Y.
To get to location 3: Proceed on a bearing of (Y*0.1346) degrees for (Y*2.884) meters. What you are looking for is the junction of a well worn, established trail and a small creek. If you cross the creek and start heading back UP the hill, you are going too far. As a check: Look around at the trees on the trail. Several trees have white squares painted on them. Go back and stand at the junction of the trail and the creek. You have arrived. You will now be leaving the trail, again, you choose exactly where you will walk. I have walked thru here many ways and its all the same.
To get to Location 4: A bearing of 281.3 degrees for 453 meters will get you there. Be sure to enjoy the views and watch your step. Get the number we shall call Z.
To get to location 5. Proceed on a bearing (Z*17.4923) degrees for (Z*23.154) meters. This is the toughest part of the walk. Get the number we shall call A. Think smart from here. (UPDATE 11.28.09 the marker was hit by a tree. A=28)
On to the cache. Finally. A bearing of (A*3.532) degrees for (A*9.357) meters will put you at a big tree.
Take a Break. Follow the road back to the parking lot.
Now that some time has passed and we have had 3 finds on this cache, I would like to thank the folks that make this cache possible. Without the help of RGS in several areas, this cache would still be just another idea. There were many numbers and calculations that had to be checked and performed, landmarks that had to be found and various routes plotted. All were checked, rechecked then checked again by RGS. Many thanks to K and Ms. E. for the 1st real run thru to see if it could actually be done. Thanks ya’ll.
Math example:
MATH Example, Proceed on a bearing of (X*6.864) degrees for (X*62) meters. If x is 11 then… X*6.864 means to multiply X times 6.864, not replace the X with that number. This should give you 11 times 6.864 (11*6.864) or 75.5 degrees. X*62 means to multiply 11 times 62 for a total of 682 meters, or .68Km.
| NOTICE: Please be respectful of the posted park hours. If you enter the park after hours you are trespassing. If you are stopped you can be ticketed or arrested and will put the future of geocaching in the parks in jeopardy. |
Special permission to hide caches in St. Louis County parks is NOT needed as long as the Groundspeak rules are followed. "Blanket Permission" has been worked out in advance with the park service. DO NOT CALL THE PARK as they cannot handle the calls. The Groundspeak cache reviewer does need to know exactly how and where the caches are hidden and what type of containers are used. The geocaching liaisons will notify the park service of new caches. Remember NO AMMO BOXES or PVC PIPE caches.