Prairie Bridges- Grand Finale Multi-cache

This cache has been archived.

megbrek: I was put in charge of the cache, I did not create it. Changes have been made to the park, so the map no longer is correct

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Hidden : 9/15/2005
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

There are 10 questions to answer in order to find the cache. Please read and print this out before going. Enjoy

IMPORTANT: you need this printout, a pencil, & GPSr with you for the hunt! Good idea to grab drinks, snacks/lunch too.

N42 33.599 W93 03.415 - will get you into the park.

Please take a weekend camping trip or an all day outing/picnic with the family to enjoy Prairie Bridges Park. This multi-cache consists of ten easy locates, all located inside the park. Info collected from these will assist in locating the "Grand Finale" cache with lots of goodies. The coordinates above will help you reach the Park just north of State Highway 57 in Ackley, IA. At the Kum & Go gas station, turn north on S56, and drive less than .2 miles to the South Unit entrance before the bridge to begin the fun.

This multi-cache and the park were designed for family enjoyment. By following the numbers/letters in the locate names (below), you will make a 2.2-mile circle of the park and end up near the start point and of course "THE GRAND FINALE".

The 80 acre park has a full range of grassy shaded inexpensive camping sites from primitive to motor homes with full hook ups, dump station, fire pits, fire wood, etc. The Camp Host at the South Unit can assist you, reservation info and other info can be found at: (visit link) . Other Park facilities include a large group shelter, new restrooms with showers, kids playground, ponds for fishing, miles of hike and bike trails (many shared with motor vehicles, so you can drive around also), a stream, interpretive signs, lots of picnic sites (many with grills and tables), etc. and of course a PRAIRIE and many BRIDGES.

THE GRAND FINALE - to find it you must collect the info from the 10 sites listed below and replace the decimal portion of the above coordinates (599 and 415) to reach the Grand Finale. The entire path walking around is just over 2 miles of flat maintained paths, so figure a long hour of walking, plus some time for looking around and enjoying the view. The other unrelated caches in the park will add to this estimate. Locate #8 "The Outhouse" can be done out of sequence as needed for obvious reasons. (Other restrooms are near the start and end locates, at the beginning coordinates and west of the #10 locate.)

Note: to make it easier to walk the route and find the 'locates', you might want to create a GPSr 'route' on your computer with the child waypoint coordinates (LOC 1 thru 10). Transfer this route into your GPSr and follow it to go from 'locate' to 'locate'. The "Find next closest" feature of many units will not work out in sequence.

LOCATION #1 (1AQJH5) - Jacob's Prairie Bridge
N42 33.643 W93 03.452

This is the first of the 10 locates, you should be looking at Beaver Creek from these coordinates. Record the numbers at all the locate sites per the questions posed. Enjoy it, I did. Got your snacks, drinks, and GPS - let's go.

Question: how many tons is this bridge designed to support?

#1 Answer: ____
Are you under the limit?

Hint: ybbx ng rvgure raq bs gur oevqtr ba gur raq cbfgf

Hint note: you will have to manually decrypt these hints using the standard 'Decryption Key' for all cache hints.

LOCATION #2 (2BQJH5) - Dead End
N42 33.701 W93 03.426

The old bridge was washed out and partially restored here where Beaver Creek used to be. Free Hint to get there: some times it is best to take the middle road.

Question: how many floor planks make up the remaining floor?

#2 Answer: ____
Do not count the partial board at the far end, which is partially covered, by a trim board.

Hint: vfa'g gung na bqq ahzore

LOCATION #3 (3CQJH5) - FFA BBQ
N42 33.790 W93 03.479

To get there, Follow the Yellow Rock Road. Perhaps a little early to stop for a snack, but there are plenty of other places to stop along the way.

Question: how many letters are welded into the steel back plate of the grill?

#3 Answer: ____

Hint: SSN

LOCATION #4 (4DQJH5) - Rock Me Baby
N42 33.781 W93 03.399

Cottonwood trees like this are fast growing big trees. They suck up a lot of water, so you will only find them near water sources. Out west in the desert areas, if you see one, there is definitely a water source right below it.

Question: how many big old limestone blocks are around the base of this tree?

#4 Answer: ____

Hint: ubj znal crbcyr ner yrsg urer vs rirelbar yrnirf ohg lbh naq zr?

LOCATION #5 (5EQJH5) - Flag Poles
N42 33.867 W93 03.437

There are normally brochures and other interesting info posted here on the information board. Please take time to read it. Why are all the limestone blocks lying around? What's with that train I hear? When did this town get started? Why? Hey, a map of the park, just like the one available from the Info Center near the Campground Host, nice to see where you are going.

Question: What date is on the stone block behind you at the bulletin board?

#5 Add all 4 digits of the date together and enter here: ____
Example: 2012 = 5

LOCATION #6 (6FQJH5) - Ugh Bugs
N42 33.836 W93 03.478

Ooo, nice fishing area.

Question: how many brightly painted creatures are here?

#6 Answer: ____

Hint: jbbqra ubefrf qb abg pbhag

LOCATION #7 (7GQJH5) - Metal Gate
N42 33.942 W93 03.670

Pay attention now- this is different- you are looking for a Hide-a-Key container with directions in it.

Note: 270 degrees on a compass is due West, 180 is South, 90 is East, and 0 is North.

Question: the question is in the Hide-a-Key

#7 Answer: ____

Hint: Purpx gur ebpx whfg jrfg bs gur vagrefrpgvba

LOCATION #8 (8HQJH5) - The Outhouse
N42 33.845 W93 03.625

What does it say on the front of this building?

Question: how many letters are in the word(s)?

#8 Answer: ____

Hint: QHHUU, vg’f n jung?

LOCATION #9 (9IQJH5) - Plank Foot Bridge
N42 33.780 W93 03.762

Aaahh, good spot to rest the feet and play in the creek a bit. You will want to cross over to continue. If the plank bridge is out and you do not want to wade across, follow the creek shore east (left) to return to location #1 (the bridge) and find #10.
Note: if using a bike/vehicle there is a low water crossing just east of the Plank Bridge, and a picnic area also.

Question: how many planks does it take to cross the stream?

#9 Answer: ____

Hint: Qhu, ubj znal srrg qb zbfg crbcyr unir? (Lbh qb abg rira arrq gb tb gurer gb nafjre, ohg vg vf jbegu lbhe gvzr.)

LOCATION #10 (A1QJH5) - Pony Bridge
N42 33.586 W93 03.512

Oh boy, nice to be back near the start. After answering the question below, rest a moment. Use this time to figure out the correct Finale coordinates, then enter on your GPS, and go find it.
P.S. It is pretty close to here or from near the starting point.

Question: this bridge leads to the Back what? How many?

#10 Answer: ____

Hint: ybbx arne Rnfg Raq bs oevqtr

##################################################
##################################################

CALCULATE the Finale coordinates:

Congratulations!! You now have all the data necessary to find the Grand Finale. Adjust the N42 33.599 and W93 03.415 park coordinates by adding locate answers #1 & #2 to 599 and the answers #3 through #10 to 415. Enter these adjusted values in the trusty GPS and go find it!

599 + ____ + ____ = _____

415 + ___ + ___ + ___ + ___ + ___ + ___ + ___ + ___ = _____

##################################################

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Oyhr cynfgvp ghorf, rkprcg "Gur Bar".

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)


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