My Precious Multi-Cache

.....An option to the AT pulloff is to wait ‘til a summer Sunday afternoon and continue up the road to Pen Mar Park. Enjoy and dance to live music from 2 to 5 from the end of May until the end of September. Take the AT north to the cache, and relax with a victory ice cream cone upon your return. Black raspberries, blackberries and wineberries are available in season along part of the trail on a first-come-first-served basis.

.....This is a typical Appalachian Trail hike with some moderately steep sections. As you near your destination, cross the foot bridge, climb a little and bear left at the stone steps and fallen tree. The final cache is a camoed sandwich-size plastic container completely hidden from view. The posted coordinates are no longer valid. The hide is now a regular type. But read on for the explanation...

.....The original quest was to reach GZ and find a gold ring in the stream. Inscribed on the ring were the directions to the final: 93 feet North. The elements finally took their toll, burying the "Precious" and making it inaccessable even to the CO. Therefore, the cache title now takes on a new meaning. On May 4, 2008, the following log was posted:

This was a very special find for us, ultimately. We've searched for it two times in the past and failed to find it, but back in March Duane ventured out here with cacher friend rabidotaku and managed to find the cache. This was not for the purpose of logging a find, though. This morning, rabidotaku set out early to plant an engagement ring in the cache and act as lookout, then later we arrived and Duane lured Erin to where she'd spot the cache. Inside, much to her surprise, was a ring very much different than the Precious. She stared at it for about three seconds before she realized what Duane was up to. Now we're engaged, and copious thanks go to 'Possum for hiding this delightful cache that proved ideal for such a way to incorporate our favorite activity together with the proposal. We probably won't ever have another find that's quite like this one, and we're sure to remember it forever.

.....From the parking coords given, the hike is about one mile round trip. It is longer but not more strenuous from PenMar Park. Sturdy kids will be able to handle this, but it is probably not suitable for preschoolers. Restrooms and water are available at the park roughly half a mile S. along the trail from the parking waypoint.

Hearty congrats to CachingFam for a well earned FTF!