I've wanted to have a cache related to Moses Lake's beautiful Japanese Garden but the garden isn't conducive to hiding a cache, so the garden (coordinates noted above) is a virtual puzzle stage. It's a wonderful place to meditate, relax, look around, ponder answers to life's questions AND seek answers to questions that will indentify the coordinates of the actual geocache location -- "Nature's Panorama" -- a few miles away.
Hours for the Japanese Garden are: Sunrise to Sunset Closed during the winter.
BUT! - If the gate is closed, using the winter questions will take you to ground zero (GZ).
Final has been checked for 2024 season, good to go.
By visiting the garden, a cacher can answer questions that will give the clues to fill in the A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I blanks on the final stage cache coordinates below:
"NATURE'S PANORAMA" CACHE COORDINATES: N 47 degrees 1A.BCD' W119 degrees EF.GHI'
JAPANESE GARDENS - answer the following questions and plug them in to the corresponding part of the above coords.
SUMMER QUESTIONS:
A. What is the number of dragon statues in the upper pool?
B. What is the missing number on the park dedication date? August 1X, 2005 (look at the plaques)
C. "Keep out _f __d" The total number of letters in the two partially missing words.
D. 8_0 Alder Street. The missing number in the park's address.
E. What is the number of footbridges in the garden?
F. What is the last digit of the four digit city skateboard ordinance?
G. How many benches are there in a semi-circle just across the first bridge in the grass to the left?
H. How many Japanese characters are on the large granite monolith just inside the entrance to the garden? The first two mean Japan, the last ones mean peace garden.
I. Look at the four digit number printed next to the words "concrete works" on any one of the benches. Add the those four numbers together and then add one (+1) more -- what is the resulting number?
WINTER QUESTIONS -- (Use these questions if the gate is closed)
A. The number of handicapped parking spaces minus 1.
B. The number of letters in the 6th word of the blue sign on the front of the fence.
C. On the "rules" sign: the number of letters in the 3rd word of the last rule.
D. 8_0 Alder Street. The missing number in the park's address.
E. The number of Japanese characters on the sign on the top center of the inner gate.
F. What is the last digit of the four-digit city skateboard ordinance?
G. How many benches are there in a semi-circle on the grass just past the first bridge on the left?
H. How many Japanese characters are there on the large granite monolith just inside the garden? The first two mean Japan, the last ones mean Peace Garden.
I. The number of words on the bottom of the "Reserved Parking" sign.
The Japanese Gardens are truly beautiful. They will increase in beauty with time. It is meant to be a peaceful place. Please be quiet and respectful of the surroundings and other visitors. Stay on the paths and touch ONLY by looking. Moses Lake's Japanese sister city, Yonezawa, assisted in planning and locating materials for the garden. I hope you enjoy this spot and come back often.
If you've come during the winter, come back to visit during spring-summer-fall when the garden is open.
The actual location of Nature's Panorama is several miles from the garden. Parking at N47 degrees 10.948' W119 degrees 20.305' is convenient and will bring you to within 300 feet of the cache.
This is a location with a superb view extending from the Beezley Hills near Ephrata to Mission Ridge, on to Frenchman and Saddle Hills, almost to Othello. On a clear day one can easily see Mt. Stuart and the Stuart Range to the NW, the top of Mt. Rainier to the W (if you know where to look), and Rattlesnake Mt. to the far SW. Also, of course, a wonderful view of upper Moses Lake in the foreground. Take time to appreciate this awesome view, it's even better near sunset.
Terrain on the final stage is steep downhill for the final few feet. Take it easy and enjoy the cache and the great view. The cache container is a camo'd plastic jar stocked with assorted trade items.
Please re-conceal same as found. It's been muggled once now, probably by beer-guzzling boat race fans (but then that's a whole 'nother story).
The hint should make the find easy. Please leave the objects described in the hint in their original configuration. In other words, don't just start chucking rocks around when you're within a few feet. :)
Please be sure to re-hide/cover the cache as found.