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Glow Worm (Night Cache) Multi-Cache

This cache has been archived.

MadMin: archiving per owner's request

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Hidden : 6/5/2005
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Cool westerly coords, huh? They surprised us, too!

Located in Charlton, MA, this is a kid-friendly, non-scary night-cache, as long as being in the dark with you and a bright flashlight doesn’t frighten your favorite kids. This 2-part multi (only one stop before the final) has a swarm of fireflies gleefully guarding the final cache container.


Please make all trade items things that either light up or glow if you wish to trade swag; batteries are welcome for future cachers.

Please register at the land trust office before entering the land. Office is to the right of the entrance of the trail. A "no trespassing" sign near the cache was placed by the land trust to discourage motorbike activity in the area, but walking is allowed.

Travel bugs of all kinds are welcome. No bushwacking required…this place is loaded with trails, and we’ve taken full advantage of the clear paths available. NO motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails. Dogs are allowed only if leashed. It is under a half-mile walk to the final. Reflectors work best in pitch dark (dusk is not ideal). STRONG flashlights are recommended.

Okay….on with the cache!

One of our favorite Christmas songs is a remake of classic song called “Glow Worm.” The group “Rockapella” changed the classic lyrics to make it a Christmas-y song, and yow-za: WE LOVE IT! So this cache is in honor of the holiday song that makes us sing the loudest. What's neat about this acappella group is that you would SWEAR there are instruments playing with their vocals -- but there are none -- they do it all with their mouths!

Partial Song Lyrics:

Glow little glow worm, warm the night up
You've got a perfect ride to light up
Pay no attention if you're shooed off
You know that you're a pint size Rudolph

Pull out the stops and flash your beacon
All of the kids down here are peeking
Hoping to get your lantern show,
Glow little glow worm, glow

Swim through the Christmas night little dancer
and light the way for Blitzen and Prancer.
Fly with care for your protection
or you'll be in some bug collection.

Now dim your headlights, cut your throttle,
or you could end up in a bottle.
Look out for small fries down below,
glow little glow worm glow

“SO….UM……WHAT DO I DO WHEN I FIND THE TRAIL HEAD?”

Follow the glowing firefly tacks, and bring your GPSr! At first, the fireflies await you about every 100 feet. When you find one, stop at it (no touchie!), and then look for the next firefly sentinel.

When you see twin fireflies quietly resting on one tree, stand there and look for another tree nearby with twin fireflies sleeping on it. That tree holds your clue. To find the way to where the parade of fireflies begins, have a tall adult in the group retrieve the hint. You’ll need to charge and use the glowing numbers to complete the following coordinates (no math required).

(Dark side of the moon = North) 42.06.XXX
(Starry side of the moon = West) 072.00.YYY

You will then have to *****use your GPSr***** in the dark to find the firefly colony, but you’ll be able to follow trails to them.

Those clue coords will lead you to a parade and then a sprinkling of fireflies dancing in the area, including a prismatic white Queen-Firefly and the bright orange King Firefly. The cache will be within 15-20 feet of the King and Queen, and the cache container has a little shining square on it to lead you in (please replace it the same way).

Please carefully replace the container exactly as you found it if not better, so that it is not vandalized by hikers during the day.

We recommend bringing the following on this adventurous cache:

  • A strong, bright flashlight with fresh batteries for each member in your party. Headlamps work great and are at the right level.
  • A spare flashlight
  • GPSr with spare batteries
  • Bug repellant
  • The cache page printout
  • A buddy to go with you, as no one should walk alone in the dark.
  • Your favorite kid/s who aren’t afraid of the dark, as this was made with children in mind
  • fun, adventurous spirit!
  • And glowing or light-up swag, if you wish to trade.
Directions for those who need them:
On Route 20 in Charlton, MA, take 169 South and go 2.1 miles.
Take left, up onto Carpenter Hill Road (it is easy to miss, and if you pass the huge power plant on the right, you’ve just missed it).
Go .7 mile to second right (T. Hall Road).
Then first right onto Prindle Hill Road.
Go just under ½ mile and take right onto Pumpkin Lane.
Go just over ½ mile and take left at sign saying “Prindle Pond Conference Center.”
Follow coordinates to parking at trail head.

We’ve stocked the cache full of glow-sticks; glow-in-the-dark lizards, mini-flashlights, mini-squishy-glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs, and some samples of the song "Glow Worm." Please be very delicate and deliberate with the glow-sticks…if you bend them, it will activate the stick and they are slender. If you activate one, please take it so the next cacher doesn’t get stuck with a dud. Most of all, have a glowingly good time!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[to 1st leg container placement] va gur pebgpu bs guvf gev-gerr [to final container placement] Haqre yrnavat ebpx

Decryption Key

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

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)