The Colonel's Cache Multi-Cache
DOT_On_A_Map: Due to a major construction project in the park, I have to archive this cache. What was once a thick stand of trees has now been completely stripped clear and a bike trail has been re-located to within ten feet of the final cache. Thanks to all who visited the park and the cache!
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache is located in the Colonel Francis J. Beatty Park, located on the Mecklenburg/Union County line. I had some difficulty locating any information about who the park was named after, but I think Colonel Beatty served as a United States Army officer in three wars, was a member of the Knights of Malta and worked in the textile, trucking and warehouse industries. He also delivered hot meals to shut-ins until his death at age 89. The Colonel Francis J. Beatty Award is given every year by Charlotte Catholic Social Services for community service.
Park at N 35° 03.766’ W 80° 44.604’ and enter the woods behind the dam. There are several stages to this cache, and each stage has a small laminated tag containing the coordinates to the next stage. There are actually two different trails for the second and third stages of the hunt. I’ve made sure that the waypoints can be reached from either, but I really recommend sticking to the wooded trail. The cache is in a medium-sized Rubbermaid container.
CAUTION: This park has numerous bike trails and a lot of effort has been made to pack as many of them into a small area by snaking them around and running several dead-end trails parallel to the main trail. If it seems like you are heading away from the next stage, keep going another few hundred feet. You’ll likely cut back in the right direction and start closing the gap again. Avoid the temptation of cutting across to the next trail thinking that it is part of the trail you are supposed to be on – it likely isn’t. It is about a 1.8 mile hike to the cache and the terrain is mostly mountain bike trails. This is my first cache, so any constructive criticism is welcome.
Please do not place any food (especially candy!!!) in the cache. Animals will destroy a cache containing anything that smells good to them, including chapstick or scented candles.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur pnpur vf ybpngrq arne n irel ynetr gerr, thneqrq ol na byq oneorq-jver srapr.
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