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Thagomizer: From Gary Larson to Real Life! Wherigo Cache

Hidden : 7/10/2025
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


A thagomizer is the distinctive arrangement of four spikes on the tails of stegosaurian dinosaurs.  These spikes are believed to have been a defensive meaure against predators.  The arrangement of spikes originally had no distinct name.  Cartoonist Gary Larson invented the name "thagomizer" as a joke in his comic strip, The Far Side, and it was gradually adopted as an informal term used within scientific circles, research, and education.

Thagomizer

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The cache is not at the posted coordinates, but you may begin your search from any point in the world!

This Wherigo converts your player into a virtual version of the "Reverse Cache Box" which tells you the distance to the cache, but not the bearing. You may begin your search from any spot in the world using your Smartphone or Whereigo compatible GPS to navigate to the cache.

A tutorial on Reverse Wherigo caches can be found here:  Reverse Wherigo Tutorial.

This cartridge is available to download from the wherigo.com website.

Your task is to find the cache by periodically querying your Reverse Cache Box for the distance to the final location. Try to use your Reverse Cache Box as few times as possible. All instructions and necessary information needed to complete the cartridge is contained within it. The cartridge is multilingual.


To begin, you will have to type this code into your player:


014350
908165
100807


It is suggested that you take the code with you on your journey. It will be needed if it becomes necessary to restart your player for any reason.
When you have reached the final, you will be given some statistics on your quest. If you wish, you may enter the details into your log, and also post the number of times you calculated the distance.


At the end of the game, you will be given a personal pass-code which you can enter into the cartridge if you select "create" rather than "play" when you start the cartridge. Save this code, and if you ever wish to create your own reverse cache, you can do so.

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This cache is one in a series of caches about Dinosaurs.  It is located in a pulloff on the Rattlesnake Grade, which is part of Washington Highway 129 as it descends into the Grande Ronde River Drainage south of Clarkston.  It is highly recommended that you find this series of caches from higher elevation to lower elevation, as this will be safest.  As you find this cache, please pull all the way into the pulloff and make sure your vehicle is safely parked.  Motorcycles and sportscars love to travel the Rattlesnake Grade at higher than recommended speeds, and you will also be sharing the road with logging trucks, recreational vehicles, and rafting company vehicles towing trailers piled high with rafts and gear.  Not only will you be sharing the road with vehicles, but there is abundant wildlife to contend with.  I have seen quite a few deer, some elk and bear, and even bighorn sheep on this road at various times.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Cersbez, zvqqyr bs thneqenvy.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
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N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)