On the First Day of Christmas, mrGreen317 hid for me, a large green bucket at a fallen tree!
Welcome to the Twelve Buckets of Christmas (12 BoC). Each cache is an on-coordinates letterbox-hybrid cache in a festive-colored 5 gallon bucket, all placed in one of our fine PA state game lands (SGL).
On May 3, 2000, a GPS enthusiast named Dave Ulmer "placed his own container, a black bucket, in the woods near Beavercreek, Oregon, near Portland. Along with a logbook and pencil, he left various prize items including videos, books, software, and a slingshot. He shared the waypoint of his "stash" with the online community on sci.geo.satellite-nav..." (text from geocaching.com) Well, you know the rest of the story, and here we are twenty years later!
Since this year, 2020, is the twentieth anniversary year of the origin of geocaching, 12 buckets are to be placed as a Merry Christmas to all our friends in JAGA-land at the close of the year. As has been stated for the past three years of the various 12 ?oC series, the traditional Christmas season actually runs from December 25 through January 5, the "Twelve Days of Christmas". So here is another year-end series of caches hidden for the "Twelve Buckets of Christmas" to grab this Christmas season or any other time of the year when geocaching is on the day's agenda.
For this cache series, be sure to note the specific Christmas-themed letterbox stamp in each of the bucket caches. These notes about the stamp designs may come in handy for a future cache to be published (series final).
This cache location is designed to provide either a drive up close by when SGL gates are open (and assuming your vehicle can handle the road conditions, weather-dependent), or a moderate hike uphill "past the gate". The SGL road is a rough paved gravel, but nicer than many loose gravel SGL roads. In winter, please use your best judgment about driving or hiking. The cache itself is just off the SGL road on a side road/path, very close to the SGL road. Parking outside the gate is provided as a waypoint. Please be sure not to block a gate or the SGL road with your vehicle.
Vegetation Note: Since these caches are hidden in SGL in the non-growing months, it is always possible that access may get more challenging during late spring and summer growth seasons. When considering hide locations, an attempt was made to minimize this potential issue as much as possible, but when searching in the late spring or summer, just keep this in mind. Good, sturdy hiking footwear and possibly long pants (not shorts) are a good suggestion. Always be on the lookout for wild animals and ticks in the game lands.
This cache is located in state game lands, so PLEASE observe all state game land rules and wear orange during hunting seasons. During the primary hunting season, finding this cache is recommended on Sunday only.
Series Information for the Buckets of Christmas
- Each of the Twelve Buckets should have a letterbox stamp in a plastic latching container inside the bucket. Each stamp is different, and the designs will be related to a later series final (aka bonus) cache. PLEASE leave the stamp and inkpad with the latching box in the cache container, either with the log book or somewhere in the cache that is easily accessible. The inkpad/stamp are NOT swag items.
- In the case of a missing stamp, each log book is stamped on the inside cover with the corresponding stamp design for use with the final/bonus cache.
- These caches may be found simply at the published coordinates, like traditional caches, or if preferred, some letterbox-style instructions are provided below, starting from the parking waypoint.
- FTF on each series cache: There is a nice FTF prize with each cache, either in a cloth bag or a cover-stock paper gift box (and labeled accordingly). There will be no additional "FTF Games" at the close of this series as in past years, so all FTF gifts will be collected from each of the caches themselves by the FTF geocacher. An "FTF Leaderboard" for the series may still be used, just for informational purposes. Any additional prizes awarded after the series will be at the discretion of mrGreen317, but these will not look like the online "FTF Games" of past series.
Optional letterbox instructions from parking: From the parking coordinates, proceed past the SGL gate (either driving or hiking, depending on your vehicle/weather and the open/close state of the SGL gate). Uphill about 1600 feet from the gate, there will be smaller "no vehicles" trail leading to the left. Turn left and walk about 150 feet or so until you see a decent clear through-the-brush opening to the left to enter the wooded patch adjacent to both the larger SGL road and this side trail. Walk past the brush about 50 feet, and the ground should clear up a bit so that you can turn left again and look for a large downed tree/log. You will find the bucket tucked in and covered with sticks/logs for geocover.
A congratulations on FTF goes to KB3PPR/S . Merry Christmas to you and your family!
A congratulations on First-To-Stamp goes to 74vwBus and Kmussel123. Those are some sweet-looking stamps! Merry Christmas to you and your families!
Merry Christmas from the 3 "E"s!
(mrGreen317, Sage-Hippo, and littleEEE)