He just keeps rollin' along - Virtual Reward Virtual Cache

The Big River Crossing (BRC) is a $17.5 million dollar bike/pedestrian pathway over the Harahan Bridge. The project rehabilitates the original1917 automobile route (4,973 ft long) adjacent to the active rail line on historic Union Pacific cantilevered truss bridge. The project establishes an alternative transportation route linking Memphis and West Memphis Arkansas and required extensive technical engineering in conjunction with Union Pacific engineering division. Specifications included pre-fabrication of pathway sections with extensive security measures put in place to protect both users and the active rail line.

AT NEARLY A MILE IN LENGTH, BIG RIVER CROSSING IS THE LONGEST PUBLIC PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI.  Big River Crossing is also the country’s longest active rail/bicycle/pedestrian bridge. It serves as the connection point of Main Street to Main Street, a 10-mile multi-modal corridor that also features the Delta Regional River Park and Big River Trail, creating ties to attractions  between Memphis, TN and West Memphis, AR. 

We had actually hoped to place a physical cache here, but the authorities asked us not to for the sake of safety & security. So, we are using this rare opportunity to place a virtual cache to draw attention to this unique location. As you stand here, you are, within a tolerance of a few feet, straddling the official boundary between the states of Tennessee & Arkansas. To claim this find, email us the answers to the following questions:

1. As you look northward, there is a large building with the logo of a fish on it. How would you describe the shape of this building?

2. What type of transportation travels on the bridge just to your south?

3. Describe the sign you are standing next to that tells you that you are at the state line.

4. Just to make sure no one submits a log by just looking at google earth, tell us what cabinet number & section number are written on the PHILIPS electrical cabinet at the state line. Or, alternatively post a pic of yourself at the location (with no spoilers please).

A little background for those who may not understand the significance of the cache title: From 1978 to 1997, the annual Memphis in May Festival culminated with vocalist James Hyter’s performance at the Sunset Symphony. Each year, audiences sang along with Hyter’s rendition of the show tune “Ol’ Man River” and repeatedly called for encores. Although Hyter altered the lyrics of “Ol’ Man River” to eliminate some of its more racist components, he was sometimes criticized for his willingness as a black vocalist to popularize a song that many viewed as degrading to African Americans. Hyter viewed his performance quite differently, though. He explained, “It’s the one time you can see black and white come together and join hands.” With his deep, bass-baritone voice, Hyter entertained Memphians for many years and became an inimitable local icon. In fact, he personified the song so fully that fans began to refer to Hyter himself as “Ol’ Man River.”

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Virtual Reward - 2017/2018

This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.