Please carefully review the parking notes located in the description below. Be aware of an SGL gate that will likely be closed across the gravel road at the end of January each year. This gate is just around the first bend and across the SGL road on the hill portion up to the inner parking (waypoint provided).
Day 12: We Three Kings
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, mrGreen317 hid for me, a bison in an ornament in an evergreen tree!
Welcome to the Twelve Songs of Christmas (12 SoC). Each cache is a simple traditional cache within the SGL lands of the Glendale Valley and surrounding areas.
For the series final to be published in mid-January 2022, be sure to note (and record somewhere in your records) the green bold text under the GC code included in each cache 'ornament' with this series. For the ornament-type caches, this will be located on the back-side of the printed/laminated circle that features the picture that goes with that Day of Christmas.
While the retailers have pretty much packed away the Christmas wares for 2021, the traditional Christmas season actually runs from December 25 through January 5, the "Twelve Days of Christmas". (Today is actually the last day of Christmas for this year's season.) Here are some geocache-style 'ornaments' hidden for the "Twelve Songs of Christmas" to grab this Christmas season or any other time of the year when geocaching is on the day's agenda.
Song of Day 12
We Three Kings
The twelfth and last day of Christmas is the day before January 6, which is the day of Epiphany. A Christmas carol that focuses on the events of Epiphany with the arrival of the Wise Men is "We Three Kings." This carol was the first widely popular Christmas carol that was written in America.
We Three Kings was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857, written for a Christmas pageant in New York City. At the time of composition, Hopkins was serving as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and it is believed that this is where the carol was first written. Hopkins wrote both the lyrics and the music for this carol.
Hopkins wrote the carol in such a way that three men would sing the first and fifth verses, and then each would sing a single verse for verses 2-4, to represent each of the three gifts brought to the Christ child. As the song grew in popularity within Hopkins' circle of family and friends, he decided to publish the carol in his 1863 book Carols, Hymns, and Songs. Its popularity eventually landed the carol in a United Kingdom publication of significant prestige, Christmas Carols Old and New. More information may be found at the Wikipedia article (where much of the above information was gathered).
Be sure to note some helpful cache information in the section below before you head out.
This cache is a bison inside an ornament host, so please bring a pen or pencil along to sign the log. The log slip is "Rite in the Rain" paper, so it should resist getting wet, however, a pencil will work best if the slip is wet when you go to sign it. If the slip is dry, a standard ball point pen will do fine. Water-based inks may not write on the paper very well and should be avoided if possible.
The outer host should easily separate to access the bison, which will contain the log inside once screwed open. Please be careful with the outer clear plastic container to help this 'ornament' last as long as possible out in the wild. When closing up the cache, the two halves of the outer ornament should stay closed mostly, as there is a notch made near the top to allow the bison attachment wire to go through the outer ornament shell without disrupting the ornament's ability to seal closed.
PARKING WAYPOINTS: Three parking waypoints are provided. Use the upper parking if your vehicle can handle the steep climb up the gravel road in current weather conditions. Be aware if driving up the gravel road there is a gate across the road on the hill up without an easy way to turn around if the gate is closed (see gate waypoint). Usually this gate closes at the end of January. Parking is possible off of PA-53 at the bottom of the gravel SGL road, along the edge of flat part of the SGL road. Please park in such a way as not to block the SGL road with your vehicle. A third waypoint just south on PA-53 is also provided if needed, but please use care when hiking along PA-53 the short distance from this pull-off to the SGL road. Terrain rating for this cache is set as if hiking up the gravel road from PA-53 is required.
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.
Accessing the cache in winter is not too difficult. In the growing season of late spring, summer, and early fall, getting from the clearing into GZ might be a little more difficult and require passing brush and thorns, so use caution. There should be a small trail / deer path into the wooded area at GZ to make this easiest. Also be aware of the possibility of higher grass along the grassy path up from the upper parking area towards GZ during the growing seasons.
Warmer weather could mean ticks are present, so please be watchful. Ticks pose a potential health risk, so please be sure to check that any ticks are removed from one's person after seeking the geocache.
FTF Gifts: This cache will have an FTF gift hanging next to it outside of the cache container. FTF, please detach the FTF gift with its baggie and take with you. Merry Christmas!
A congratulations on FTF goes to 74vwBus . Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the 3 "E"s!
(mrGreen317, Sage-Hippo, and littleEEE)