Skip to content

Rust Belt Traditional Cache

Hidden : 3/28/2015
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:


This is the first cache that I've placed, in celebration of my 100th find.

Location/History
The Four Mile Creek Preserve is maintained by Friends of Webster Trails and a number of Boy Scouts from the area. Throughout the Red Trail, you may pass a number of abandoned cars each in its own unique state of decay. These cars have been in these woods for decades which, as I've been told, once belonged to the farmers who owned this land mid-century. When the cars were no longer needed, the farmers gave them to their sons, who brought them back here to wreck and use as target practice.

There is a 'road' that touches Lake Road, east of Salt Creek, which meanders through the woods to the backs of Woodsview Drive and the Water Treatment facility on Philips Road, along which you can find many of the abandoned cars and trucks. I named this cache after this road, as it is the original trail I found these cars along.

I've witnessed the evolution of this land from an overgrown, forgotten junkyard to the highly maintained trails of today, and it's great that more and more people have been in these woods to witness these wrecks for themselves. Friends of Webster Trails and the Boy Scouts who have built bridges and the boardwalk over Salt Creek have done an incredible job at opening this area up and making it accessible to the public.

Please make note of the Parking Waypoints. The walk along the full length of the 'road' is shorter than parking at the lot on Philips, though it does NOT have a marked trailhead OR designated parking. It is a nice walk and you will see the most cars with the shortest hike, though it's highly recommend to park at the Philips Rd lot and walk the length of the Blue and Red Trails to find the other caches here and to fully appreciate this land preserve. On your way out, feel free to walk this road to Lake Road and then backtrack to the Red Trail and back to the parking lot.

GZ
The cache itself is hidden near one of these cars, a mid-50s Chevrolet Bel Air. It is a camouflaged matchstick container with only the log. BYOP. Heading to GZ can become swampy at the most wet times of the year but it should be accessible so long as there is less than 6" of snow or you're willing to do a little digging. Please dress appropriately based on recent weather conditions. The location of this cache used to require some off-trail bushwacking and it could be hard to spot the bright blue Bel-Air from the Red Trail. Today, the Orange Trail goes right by here.

Please be conscious of the way the container is hidden and hide it as well or better so the challenge level remains the same for everyone, and please make sure the top is securely tightened to keep moisture out and prevent animals from possibly getting at the log. There is a $1 bill for FTF.

GPS reception can bounce here, especially when the trees fill up with leaves. If you log a DNF feel free to contact me for a hint.

Congrats to ccrider2000 for FTF!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Naxyr urvtug

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)