There is nothing better than going on a nature walk with rowq. She walks briskly, but misses nothing. She is interested in everything from the largest birds to the smallest mammals. There is nothing like spotting something new or the discovery of different plants and flowers along the way. Of course she has now found a way to incorporate geocaching as well into her nature walks.
There are two parts to this puzzle.
STEP ONE: solve the following puzzle at home to get the coordinates for the first stage.
My source of information for this puzzle is “Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast” by Pojar and Mackinnon. It is one of the most frequently used books in my home. There are many other sources for this information as well.
PUZZLE: match the descriptions below to the names of the plants. When you have a match, place the number found at the beginning of the description in the correct place for the stage 1 coordinates.
The stage 1 coordinates are:
N 47° 06. Oregon Grape; Indian Plum; Western Red Cedar
W 122° 37. Salal; Hooker’s Willow; Devil’s Club
0 – The berries were eaten in small quantities fresh, cooked or dried; when feasting on them, drinking water was not allowed; twigs were chewed and applied to sore places; tea was used as a purgative and tonic.
1 – The berries were mixed with sweeter fruits for eating; the shredded bark was used to make a bright-yellow dye for basket materials; both bark and berries were used for liver, gall-bladder and eye problems.
3 – Known as “the cornerstone of northwest coast Indian culture,” it was used to make canoes, house planks and posts, totem and mortuary poles, baskets, clothing and hats, and a variety of tools and implements such as dishes, masks, rattles, combs, whistles and paddles. It was called the “tree of life” and held with highest respect by all northwest coast peoples for its healing and spiritual powers.
4 – The inner bark was split into strands to twist into long ropes used to make fishing line, nets, baskets, tumplines, slings and harpoon lines; branches were used for fish weirs.
6 – It was used to treat numerous ailments, among them arthritis, diabetes, colds, rheumatism, lice, dandruff, measles, tuberculosis; used as a deodorant and to re-establish regular menstruation after childbirth; also used for fishing lures, paint, dye, and protective charms.
8 – The berries were an important fruit, eaten both fresh and dried into cakes; berries were used to sweeten other foods; young leaves were chewed as a hunger suppressant; branches were used in pit-cooking and as a flavoring in fish soup.
* * * * * * *
Once you are this far, you have a pleasant walk ahead of you to Step 2. There are a number of trails available to approach this cache. My favorite trailhead is given as a waypoint below.
STEP TWO: go to the coordinates you got when solving the above puzzle. Here you will gather information to get the coordinates to the final hiding spot. (there is no container here)
First you will find a post with doggie bags. There is a phone number on the edge:
800 A B C D E F G
There is also an unusual yellow object. On the "back" side there is a large MH. Just above the MH are four numbers:
H I J K
The coordinates to the final location are:
N 47° 06 . A G G
W 122° 3 D . I H I
There is a nearby bench for you to use while doing your calculations. I hope you enjoy your walk and the nature surrounding you.