This cache is all about intersections. The posted coordinates mark a crossroads where trail, hedgerow, old fenceline, natural gas pipeline, and, about 200' away, the DE/PA state line all converge.
I put this here because convergences such as these remind me of the interconnectedness of the world, and the impacts of our many endeavors to tame wildness to suit our needs. Whether a border imagined to delineate "territory", a barbed wire fence erected to contain domesticated animals, a hedgerow raised to signify property boundaries, a pipeline cleared to fuel our insatiable demand for energy, or a trail blazed to get us from here to there, these linear landscape modifications have lasting implications and often converge to create what I think of as "knots" of culture and communication. A favorite quote by preservationist John Muir comes to mind: "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe".
The specific placement of this cache also highlights that just as the natural world can be seemingly bent to our will, it can also be incredibly resilient in the face of adversity.
Of course convergences aren't just restricted to two or even three dimensional parameters. As you sign the log, I invite you consider how YOU found yourself tangled up in this crossroads. Where did you come from and where are you going? What are you working towards and what are you leaving behind? What decisional crossroads are you currently confronted by? What crossroads will your actions present to others?
Don't hurt yourself!!
There are two options for parking that are both marked as waypoints. The first is the paved lot for Auburn Valley State Park off of Farm Lane. Parking in this lot is open daily from 8:00am - sunset. This is a fee parking area, so please use the kiosk or the park's website to familiarize yourself with their parking policies. The second option is the unpaved parking lot at Marshall Bridge Preserve. From the Auburn Valley lot, follow the rough gravel road through the solar gate until you reach the parking lot at the top of the hill. It is free to park here, however please be aware that Marshall Bridge Preserve is open from dawn to dusk.
Those map-savvy cachers out there will notice a private trail entering the preserve from Marshall Vale Lane to the north. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS TRAIL TO ACCESS THE PRESERVE. This is a private HOA, and if people park there it will only cause problems for The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County and Auburn Valley State Park. Earn those difficulty points and park ONLY in the posted lots. Thank you!
The cache will require a 1.5-2 mile hike on established trails depending on the parking lot you use and trails you choose. BYOP.
This cache was placed with permission by The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County.
~ Congratulations to LawFunTimes and cachingcrew6 for a shared FTF! ~