This cache is not at the stated coordinates. Please solve the puzzle by finding the values for A, B, C, & D and W, X, Y, & Z within the text below. The cache will be found at N 46° 4A.BCD' W 122° 2W.XYZ'
The container is an Australian version of a Lock 'n Lock - I brought a few home as memories.
In early September of 2017, I had the privilege of going to Australia for the first time. micaparamedic had offered to be my driver so that I wouldn't have to learn to drive on the "other" side of the road. In the few years before this, the two of us spent time in many US states and Canadian provinces, caching as we went. Now he would take me to some of the locations in Australia that were on my bucket list.
The day I arrived, we went to the area of The Twelve Apostles. (GC3QDN1) The rock formations along Bass Strait are amazing to see. Of course, time has taken its toll and currently only A of the apostles remain standing. (note that you may find one source that says 7 - this is not accurate)
Our next major goal was caching our way to Uluru (GC3F62F) including stops at places such Coober Pedy. We camped three nights at Uluru, composed of sedimentary sandstone known as arkose. One morning we walked the 10+ km around Uluru before the heat got too intense. This national symbol was formerly called Ayers Rock. The handover of Uluru on 2W October, 1985 was a symbolic highpoint for land rights. Hundreds of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people attended the ceremony when Governor General Sir Ninian Stephen once again gave title to the traditional Anangu owners.
The second evening, after dark, we visited the Field of Lights, and the next morning returned before daybreak to see the lights slowly dim as the sun washed over the vista. That was the morning I discovered that you can photograph mirages. The third evening we stood in the best place to watch the colors of Uluru slowly changing as the sun set.
After watching the sun rise over the Field of Lights, we visited Kata Tjuta (GC2GKK2) which had also been returned to its original Aboriginal owners. Unlike nearby sandstone Uluru, Kata Tjuta is Mount Currie Conglomerate. I did a few short walks and earthcaches on Kata Tjuta which has D6 domes. It was too hot for any lengthy walks, so we headed on to our next camping adventure at Kings Canyon.
The next evening, arriving at Kings Canyon, (GC2DKRP) we took a short walk and enjoyed the cooling evening breezes. The following morning we slowly walked around the rim of the canyon which is C70 meters deep. There were many geological features to be explored on that walk. I stood atop one of the peaks and celebrated being healthy enough to be doing this.
The next few days we spent time visiting out-of-the-way earthcaches in incredibly beautiful locations. This did mean many miles on washboard roads which we did at the recommended high speed for that type of road, making the bumpy road seem smoother? I suspect that higher speeds are simply to get it over with faster.
One evening after setting up camp, I was taken on a "secret" drive that accomplished something I had once asked about. I was taken to the Tropic of Capricorn. This was exciting because that meant that I now had photos of myself at the Tropic of Capricorn on Y continents. There was also a cache there - Capricorn Stuart - GCQ9K3 - see my log with photos on 9/14/2017 telling of my excitement for the needed answer.
Taking a bit of a break from caching, we went to Lakes Entrance where we went to a special dinner honoring a young lady had who competed the previous year in the Olympics in Brazil. micaparamedic used to work with her father, so has knew her as she grew up. She was 16 years old when she competed for Australia in the Olympic skeet shooting event, one of only a few entrants born in this century.
Sydney was the next major destination. We secured lodging out of town and took a train into the city. Our first train trip to the Sydney Harbor was in the late afternoon, and I had tears in my eyes when I first saw the Sydney Bridge and the Opera House, two places on my bucket list. We wandered to the Opera House (GC74WCT) taking many photos along the way. Inside, during the eighties, a net was placed above the orchestra pit after Z chicken(s) walked off stage during a performance of Boris Godunov and landed on a cellist. As we returned to take the train back to lodging, the lights on the waterfront were glorious.
The following morning we returned to Sydney, again by train, and explored the Sydney Bridge, going up into one of the pylons to learn more about the construction that began in 1923. It took 1,400 men eight years to build the bridge and it was test loaded by placing 96 steam locomotives on the 11B9 meters long span. Six pence was the cost to cross The "Coathanger" when it first opened. The four pylons on either side are completely decorative and have great views when you go to the top of them.
Our last stop (major bucket list item for me) before preparing to visit New Zealand was to visit Earthcache I - a simple geology tour of Wasp Head (GCHFT2) and Earthcache II - the geology of WoolShed Creek, ACT (GCHKCK). Earthcache I asks that you visit ? numbered locations. For X subtract 1 from the total number of locations you visit. I had a wonderful time playing on the beach while discovering things like a pebble in one side of a split and the matching indentation on the other side. It is also the first place I learned about drop stones.
Our last few days before heading off to New Zealand for a few weeks were spent visiting friends of both of us, including some dear friends I first met in South Africa the prior year. I was also able to sample more typically Australian cuisine, including breakfast pies, dinner pies, and flake and chips. I even brought a jar of Vegemite home with me.
My dreams for visiting Australia had come true. I did far more things than I had hoped to do - wiping out a number of pages in my bucket list book, and doing things that had never even made it into the book! In addition, I was exposed to more geology that I could absorb.
I'll post a number of photos if you would like to see some of the things I enjoyed. If you want to see more or learn something more about the geology of the area, please contact me.
