Waitin' at Rowayton Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

RT2K: Thanks to the visitors, apologies to the DNFs.

With the launch of my new puzzle last week I'll put this one to rest and open up the Rowayton Library area for someone else.

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Hidden : 12/3/2010
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

The cache is not at these coordinates. These coordinates are for the Rowayton Metro-North Train Station (New York bound side). The cache is not located here, but at a related location less than a mile away. This cache is a tribute to my former hometown, commuters and the sometimes ridiculous trials they endure. The information needed to determine cache location can be gleaned from the internet, but to get in the spirit of the cache, swing by the station, then head for the final.

For many commuters, the greatest challenge is securing parking. Most towns administer their parking by mail, issuing annual passes to the previous year's holders. Parking on this basis is usually half the cost of daily parking, if daily parking is even available. For 30 years, Rowayton was a little different.

Because the state owned the parking lot, Rowayton's Sixth Taxing District Commissioners could not limit annual passes to Rowayton residents. So they devised a system which gave the locals an "advantage". Each June they would post a notice at the station saying that the 350 annual passes for the next year (beginning July 1), would go on sale at the following Saturday morning at 9AM.

This led to schedules being re-arranged and deals cut so that someone could go and wait in line to be sure to be in the lucky 350. Lawyers and bankers arrived with coffee, newspapers and folding chairs beginning in the middle of the night. Some stressed out noob would always be the first in line, having gotten there around 3AM.

Each year the speculation was about how late you could show up and still get a pass. (6? Sure. 6:30? Cutting it close 7? Probably out of luck.). For many of us it was like camping out for Led Zeppelin tickets or the best seats in the student section at your college hoops games. The main topic of conversation --- Why the hell are we doing this?

By 2007, enough people had complained about the system (including to the powers in Hartford) that it was changed. Now priority is given to current holders, so nobody has to camp out.

You may wonder where these precious passes were distributed. Find the cache and you'll see.

To find the final coordinates, just adjust the listed coordinates as follows:

For North subtract the arrival time at Grand Central of the second "peak" train from Rowayton on weekday mornings.

For West subtract the arrival time at Rowayton of the last weekday "off-peak" train from Grand Central before the evening rush hour.

(Leave early, get home early, that was my motto.)

The hide is not original in the least. There is a school nearby, but the hide is not on school property and you shouldn't approach the cache from the school side. There is ample parking at the cache.

There is a public dog run nearby for those with social pooches. The cache site is open until 10PM. The site is crawling with muggles almost all the time. I made the hint a complete giveaway since finders may not be able to do a proper search. Please ensure it is replaced out of sight.

Geochecker link
(visit link)

This is the second recent hide in Rowayton. You can walk or ride over to Up a Creek for a much more scenic cache.

Congrats to Brantflakes for the FTF about 1 hour after publication.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Terra zngpuubyqre ghpxrq hc va gur ubyr va gur gerr gehax.

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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