The Rustic Temple of the Wind
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Hidden in a beautiful park, this microcache is NOT located at the posted coordinates (which mark the Park Entrance). The cache theme is based upon a fable of Aesop, and you must read the cache description to find it, so bring this description with you on your hunt. The posted coodinates will lead you to the park entrance, but from there, you won't even need your GPSr to locate the actual cache.
The Rustic Temple of the Wind
The beautiful seashore was long a favorite playground of Aeolus, god of the winds. The animals living along the shore loved the gentle daytime breezes that blow westward off the sea to cool the shore on hot summer afternoons, as well as the evening breezes that blow towards the east, warming the chilly nights. Because of their appreciation, the animals decided to construct a temple to honor the beneficent god. However, they could not agree how to do so, as each type of animal thought they knew best what manner of structure would best please Aeolus, and sought thus to become his favorite.
The elephants, thinking to imitate the ways of men, fashioned bricks from clay and mud. When these had dried in the sun, they built a great temple on the blufftop, and painted it in many bright colors to impress Aeolus. The lions, seeking to dazzle the god with their kingly ways, were soon spending money on an expensive temple made of gold. ‘Surely, Aeolus will be awed with the opulence of our temple, and proclaim its superiority!’ they extolled.
But the poor squirrels had little wealth, and no ability to use unfamiliar materials. They had no choice but to build their temple of wooden branches, for that was all they were accustomed to. They did their best, but their temple was little better than a humble, rustic, wooden hut.
When all the temples were complete, the animals waited upon the favor of Aeolus. But before the god arrived, thieves learned of the lion's golden temple, and in the middle of the night, tore it down and stole all the pieces. The very next morning, a great storm visited the coastline, and the heavy rains caused the elephant's temple built of mud-dried brick to collapse, and its heavy pieces were washed down the bluff and fell into the sea.
When Aeolus arrived that afternoon, only the humble wooden temple of the squirrels remained. ‘Behold, the squirrels have done me a great service’ he proclaimed. ‘This temple suits me well, for my Zephyrs may play among its rafters and pillars as they do among the branches and trunks of the noble, strong and beautiful oak trees!’ Then, to bless the temple and protect it and its visitors from harm, the god concealed a magic charm containing words of wisdom somewhere within the temple.
The temple stands to this day, and it remains a well-known fact that squirrels are especially favored by the wind god, for they continue to build their nests in the trees, where they love to frolic and play amidst the breezes of Aeolus.
moral – Your best efforts arise from the true nature of your soul, no matter how humble that may be.
Should you decide to search for it, the rustic temple of the wind may yet be found by the seaside, and the magic charm (a micro cache that Aeolus placed with the help of the squirrels) is still hidden inside. Begin by parking on Hazel Street at N 42° 11.034 ~ W 87° 47.190.
A brief walk south on Lake Avenue, then east on Sycamore will lead you to an ancient wooden gate (N 42° 10.964 ~ W 87° 47.037). From here, you must follow the general direction of the evening breeze until you sight the rustic temple overlooking the sea. The cache is hidden within the temple itself, and is only large enough to contain a logbook and pencil. When you find it, be sure to take a clue (which will help you find the Aesop's Villa by the Sea cache later). Please don't search after dark; the park closes at sunset.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)