Bases 'n' Bridges is a 7-stage Multi-cache that follows a section of the Iron Belle walking/biking trail. The cache has virtual stages where you will need to interpret a number from a sign, and physical stages where you can find a digit in a container. All these numbers will help you find the final coordinates. Along the way, you will pass over large, historic bridges built long ago when the bike trail was a railroad track. The name is a spin-off of the nearby Bases n Bluffs multi-cache.
In order to locate the final stage, you will have to visit 6 different locations along the trail and get part of the final coordinates at each one. I would recommend printing out or copying down to the description so you can access the following information while you are caching:
The final stage is located at: N 46 28.ABC W 90 05.DEF
A = The last digit in the year that the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad arrived in Bessemer, plus one. (Found at Stage One)
B= The first digit of the length of the bridge that the First Avenue Truss Bridge replaced. (Found at Stage Three)
C= The diameter of the now-removed turntable, divided by ten. (Found at Stage Four)
D= The number inside of Stage 5 container. (Found at Stage Five)
E= The number inside of the Stage 2 container. (Found at Stage Two)
F = 8 (Made public for time being) The number inside of the Stage 6 container. (Found at Stage 6)
The checksum (total of all digits) for the final is 65.
The coordinates for stages 1-6 can be found below. They should all download to your GPS together, along with the Stage One coordinates. The walk is 2 miles one-way. It is all along a paved path for biking, walking, rollerblading, etc. There are physical containers at stages 2, 4, 5, and the final, while the rest are virtual, meaning there is nothing there except for an interpretive sign. Have fun!