Bunsen and Beaker Traditional Cache
Hidden : 8/19/2006
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Reading Town Forest

The cache is located in the Reading Town Forest (visit link) There are several options for parking. The new "Wood End" School (at the end of Sunset Rock Lane) has a large parking area and also a handicapped accessible playground. Trails enter the Town Forest from the back of the soccer field. You may also park on Grove Street, near the entrance gate and walk down Strout Ave. If you enter from Strout Ave, you will reach the forest paths to the right past the composting area. There aren't any signs on Strout Ave that would indicate this is the town's forest preserve.

As an alternative ... the Town has torn down the old water treatment plant at the very end of Strout Ave. and put a large gate up. If you walk up to the gate, there is a path that leads into the Town Forest to your right. You can avoid the compost center if you go this way but it is further.

Geo-muggle traffic is limited, but dog walkers and joggers will come by often.

Note: If you spot a three legged coyote, see if you can grab a picture and upload it to the cache gallery. She is the famed "tripod" that has been reported in the local papers, but no one has yet caught a picture of her. She's recently been traveling with pups. (Update as of 5/30/09: Tripod was recently found dead so you will no longer see her around here.)

We're very excited to be launching our first cache as we approach 100 cache finds ourselves.

This cache is the original launch cache for two travel bugs named Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker. It happens to be somewhat near the old water treatment plant of Reading, MA, which has many interesting chemical signs WITH formulas on them. Bunsen and Beaker are racing each other to get points for having posted images with them in front of chemical signs. Reading has decided to stop using its very successful treatment plant to process water from its own wells which were overtaxing the Ipswich River watershed.

The cache was initially loaded with: the Bunsen and Beaker travel bugs, a NICE FTF prize that is a Reading souvenir (worth the trip), and lots of goodies for young geocachers to trade.

The following paragraphs are excerpted from the Town Web site's page (visit link) :

The Town Forest (which is under the control of the Town Forest Committee) is a 290 acre site located in the northwestern part of town. It can be accessed by main entrances on Fox Run Lane (off of Franklin St.) and Strout Ave (off of Grove St.). There is an additional entrance at the end of Roma Lane. Street parking is available off of Fox Run Ln. and along Grove St., in front of Strout Ave (this road is usually chained off to general traffic).

The Town Forest has an extensive trail system, many of which are fairly flat roads. Most of these trails are suitable for walks or bikes, but be aware that many trails go through swampy areas that may be wet and muddy, depending on the time of year. There are a few camping sites utilized by local Boy Scout troops, but please take note that camping is by permit only (see General Rules and Information). A cross-country ski trail was recently set up, marked by signs such as this one and blue ribbons.

Among the many natural features of the Town Forest are large Pine trees, numerous vernal pools, and part of the Ipswich River.

The Town Forest was created in April, 1930 when over 100,000 red and white pine, spruce, balsam, and scotch pine trees were planted by local Boy Scouts and other interested citizens. The "pine plantations" are now mature forests, over 60 years old. Many species of birds and animals live in the town forest currently, and the acidic soil allows pink and white ladyslippers to grow here.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Onfr bs gerr

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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