Roadside stops, strange statues, larger than life items, gimmicky signs, quirky architecture -- popping up along America's roads and highways, often bring drivers to a screeching halt, a quick turn around, or, at the very least, an expletive -- "what in hell was that?"
"World's Largest Ball of Stamps"
To people of a certain advanced age, the term "Boys Town" may call to mind Spencer Tracy in vestments and towheaded lads kneeling in prayer. Others may remember an overblown Hollies song based on the Boys Town motto, "He ain't heavy, Father, he's m'brother." But even the most pop-culture-savvy Boomer may not know that this 900-acre child care facility has its own philatelic museum, and that within it resides the World's Largest Ball of Stamps. The ball is a relic from a time when people had more hobbies and less entertainment. And people mailed things to each other affixed with postal stamps. The sphere is 32 inches in diameter, weighs 600 pounds, and contains a reported 4,655,000 canceled stamps. It was stuck together, layer upon layer, by the sticky tongues and fingers of the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club starting in 1953.
**Cache at your own risk**
Geocaching, hiking, backpacking and other outdoor activities involve risk to both persons and property. There are many variables including, but not limited to, weather, fitness level, terrain features and outdoor experience, that must be considered prior to seeking a cache. Be prepared for your journey and be sure to check the current weather and conditions before heading outdoors. Always exercise common sense and caution.
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***There is a trail fee. Please pay it; it's cheap for a day of fun and helps maintain this wonderful trail.***
Trail Facts
| Length: |
26 miles |
|
| Surface: |
smooth, compacted crushed limestone ideal for bicycling |
| Grade: |
1 percent maximum (1 foot rise for 100 feet traveled) |
| Fee: |
$2.10 per day or $10.25 per year for persons aged 12 through 62, $5.50 per year for persons 63 and older, family pass $25.50. |
| Trail Tickets: |
Sold by area sports and bicycle stores, businesses adjacent to trail, and self-registration tubes located at the trail parking lots. |
| Winter Use: |
Snowmobiling from Dubuque to Dyersville, minimum of 4" of snow required. X-Country skiing from Dubuque to Dyersville. |
| Interpretive Sites: |
Major interpretive area overlooks eastern trailhead. |
| Trail Rules: |
No horses, motorized vehicles, fires, camping, unleashed dogs, or use after 10:30 p.m. Additional Dubuque County Conservation Board rules apply to the trail. Trail hours are sunrise to sunset year round unless otherwise posted. |
Remember to be good ambassadors to nature. We as geocachers have a responsibility to leave it as we found it, so others may revel in nature's glory. Always replace the cache the way you found it, so others may enjoy the find.
For more on geocaching in Iowa, visit the Iowa Geocachers Organization home page 
Permission was granted to place this cache by: Brian Preston, Executive Director Dubuque County Conservation Board
For more on Dubuque County Conservation Board, visit the Dubuque County Conservation Board home page
