Have you ever attempted to go to a web page, only to be greeted with this?
“404 Page Not Found”
What in the heck is a 404 error code?
Us Cajuns are not too keen on all this new fangled computer stuff, so I had to ask my kids what 404 meant. If I get this wrong, you can blame the chilruns. Supposedly, a 404 error is an HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) status code that tells you the page you’re trying to visit can’t be found on the website’s server. This means the server is working properly, but the specific file or page you’ve requested no longer exists at that specified URL, (Uniform Resource Locator). This usually happens when a page has been moved, deleted or never existed at all, often due to a mistyped URL.
If you did some mental stumbling, getting through all that, fear not. It just means you’re a geezer, like me. Just know that 404 means something ain’t found, where it should be, and we can get back to this here geocache.
Wouldn’t it be kewl to apply the whole 404 thingy to this hobby?
Instead of saying “DNF”, we could tell each other we “404ed” a cache.
As a charter member of ISAG, (I Suck At Geocaching), I cherish my DNFs, as these are often my most memorable hunts, and I will happily log one, on every possible occasion. Wouldn’t it be awesome, if this cache, called “404 – Cache Not Found” accumulated a bunch of DNFs? Heck, I’ll probably log some, myself, just to acquire some more of those beloved blue frownie faces, even if I have to tell some tall tales. I know for a fact that the old, fat, crippled dude I normally cache with, will be logging some. But, in his case, it’s because he’s not the sharpest crayon in the box, if you get what I am saying.
For those folks who are not particularly fond of DNFs, fear not. A bit of hiking, some work with a tape measure, a bit of detective work, and some orienteering, and you should have the field puzzle whooped, and the ammo can in hand, reasonably quickly.
To find this cache, leave your car at either of the listed parking waypoints, and head to the posted coordinates. At those coordinates, you will see a white sign, with black letters and numbers on it, placed along the mountain bike trail, by the Florida Forestry Service. You will pass many of these signs, on your way to the posted coordinates. Feel free to ignore those other ones.
On the sign at the posted coordinates, you will see three sets of numbers, and some letters. With some careful measuring, you will observe that one set of numbers is a bit larger, in height, than the other two sets. You can ignore the taller set of numbers / letters.
Take the two shorter sets of numbers, and separate them by right set, and left set, of five digits each.
Convert the left set of numbers into centimeters, and project a waypoint that distance, on a bearing of 00 degrees magnetic. Proceed to that waypoint. From that projected waypoint, convert the right set of numbers into centimeters, and project a waypoint that distance, on a bearing of 270 degrees magnetic. Proceed to that waypoint, and you will find an ammo can, waiting patiently, betwixt a cabbage palm, and a cypress tree.
For instance, if the two sets of numbers at the posted coordinates read, 12345 54321, you will go 12,345 centimeters due north, and from there, 54,321 centimeters due west.
Your journey will hopefully take you down the white blaze trail, west, from the Flagler Trail. I suggest you stick to that trail, westward until your compass arrow points roughly southeast, with a distance of about 350’. You should be at an older, somewhat dilapidated bridge. You’ll find that entering the woodline, to begin your bushwhack, will be best done from the eastern side of the bridge. Entering from the western side will require at least one creek crossing.
Please be careful, both on the trails, and in the bush. There are lots of things which would like to trip you, as well as lots of critters which would love to bite/gore/sting you. The trek to the posted coords is along a mountain bike trail. If you go on foot, please give those guys the right of way. The trek along the White Trail is for hikers, only. If you used your bike to get out here, please lock it to something reasonably secure, at the start of the trail.
Happy hunting!
This cache approved by the Florida Forestry Service under permit # LE25-06
From either listed parking area, there is a $2 fee, that you can pay online, by scanning a QR code, at the kiosk.
Post Script: This cache was hidden on August 8th, International Cat Day, because cats are kewl!
Post Post Script: Distances and bearing were calculated using BaseCamp. Blame them, if they are a bit off.