The original Leatherman Circuit - Wilton cache GC2RXYF was archived by The Ax after it had been muggled and he was no longer caching. This cache is in the same location. For those who logged the original cache, it's time for another visit!
This journey is part of a cache series commemorating the travels of Leatherman in the late 1800s
Leatherman once roamed SW Connecticut and SE New York from 1858 to 1889. He traveled a 365-mile loop between the Connecticut and Hudson rivers. Approximately every month he would repeat his journey. The man spoke primarily with grunts or gestures and dressed in crudely stitched leather from his hat to his shoes. The suit was made of soft-tanned calfskin leather and weighed about sixty pounds. He would sleep outside year-round mostly in caves around Connecticut and New York.
From Norwalk, the Leatherman made his way northwest to Wilton stopping at a house on Ridgefield Road for food and water. He stayed in a cave in an area known as Huckleberry Hills (just west of South Norwalk Reservoir). When the current Rock Lake Reservoir was built, the Leatherman's cave was flooded, and workers gave the Leatherman wood to build a hut which he constructed further upstream (closer to Cheese Spring Road). From Wilton, he made his way toward New Canaan stopping at the home of Dick Moriarty just south of Rock Lake.
The coordinates above will lead you to the house on Ridgefield Road where the Leatherman stopped for food and water. The house is on the opposite side of the road to the Congregational Church (you can park in the church parking lot). YOU WILL NEED TO NOTE THE HOUSE NUMBER. Once you have it, add the number to both the following coordinates to locate the final: 41 11.106N, 73 27.858W (for example if the house number is 21, the final coordinates would be 41 11.127N, 73 27.879W).
The final is located in the Wild Duck Preserve approximately one-half mile west of Rock Lake. At the traffic light (by the church), take a left onto Belden Hill Road (this is a part of the route that the Leatherman would have taken to get to Rock Lake) and then a right onto Drum Hill Road. Follow Drum Hill and then take a left onto Cheese Spring Road. Take a left onto Thayer Pond Road and another left onto Wild Duck Road. The preserve is on the left (look for the sign and park at 41 11.070N, 73 27.980W). This is a quiet road, so you may want to park your car on the side by the trail head.
You have made a semi-circle around the area known as Huckleberry Hills, and you are now on the northwest side of Rock Lake approximately one-half mile where the Leatherman built his hut. Unlike the Leatherman, your walk to the cache is a short one! The GPS will try and take you on the Blue Trail. Your best bet is to take the Red Trail. Hidden is a small container with logbook and trade items. FTF prize are three lottery tickets. Good luck and please replace the cache as found.