The hour was getting late. I had just been to see an old friend
at a nearby town. We reminisced about the old days and how much had
changed in the past twenty five years of our profession. My friend
got out years ago. He was tired of the political BS that we are
often subject too. Who has first rights to the claim? Who truly
gets to keep any treasure found? Whose land was the discovery made
on? The legalities surrounding treasure hunting these days are so
numerous that it hurts the mind.
I am on the edge of a small lake man made lake. I am almost
positive I am not supposed to be out here after dark, with a cook
fire and all trimmings but I am not one to really worry much about
the rules. I can still look back and remember the days when this
part of the nation was free of government and it was still a new
world to explore. Right now I am a enjoying that small glimmer of
memory.
I settle down to my pipe and coffee and a biscuit with a few
small pieces of bacon with a friend egg. By the dwindling fire
light I open a small news paper that I had bought at a local stand.
The date is inconsequential. Its the news that truly sinks my
heart. I can recall earlier this year a favored comedian dying of a
drug overdose. Shortly after that the president denying some sort
of illicit behavior. Following this the Cheese Heads lost the super
bowl to the sorriest team in the NFL. And that was only in
January!
As I begin to settle into the rhythmic reading of the daily news
I heard the sound of clinking glass. I peer over the edge of my
paper and look into the dark waters before me. Just at the edge of
vision I could see the faint glimmering reflection of red and
orange upon a smooth and polished surface. It is clearly not water
and the 'tink' 'tink' 'tink' reminds me of someone tapping a wine
bottle with a silver spoon. Curiosity gets the better of me so I
place my paper down and set a rock upon it to prevent the wind from
carrying it away.
Standing up I reach over and pick up my small flashlight and
venture to the edge of the lake. The flashlight illuminates a small
green bottle with a long neck. In the top of the bottle is a cork,
sealed with wax, to prevent the water from seeping down onto its
contents. I retrieved the bottle from the edge of the lake and made
my way back to camp.
Breaking the wax seal and uncorking the bottle I removed a
small, tightly curled, piece of parchment. Unfurling the delicate
stationary I could smell mold and earth and age. As the orange glow
caressed the parchment I saw the dark letters and my breath
caught.
Was it possible? I looked at the letters scrawled in a ragged
script which spoke of age and pain.
Elation and fear both spread through every fiber of my being.
Was it possible? I asked myself a second time. The story was make
believe. It had to be... it was just a silly movie from the 80s...
but there, right before my eyes, I read the words clearly...
"Intrusos cuidado, aplastando la muerte y el dolor,
empapado de sangre de la invasión ladrón!"
(Ye intruders beware. Crushing death and grief... soaked with blood
of the trespassing thief...)
The words were all too familiar and with them a small shiver ran
down my spine. I turned the parchment over and on the back I could
barely make out a modern handwriting. Shinning my flashlight onto
the paper I saw a set of coordinates. Turning off my flashlight, I
stared into the dancing flames of red, yellow and orange.
A new adventure was about to begin...
____________________________
BYOP and As always, please rehide the cache so that those who
follow will have as much fun hunting as you did. Also. The FTF
prize is at the end... in the final cache. And you believe me...
its is true loot. However... you will have to make a choice and
only take 1 item. There are many prizes in the final cache
location. Select which one you want and leave the others for
another hunter. I am not disclosing what I have left – and I
even put some goodies for a few FTF kids should they venture out
this way.
Thank you. Hope to see you out there someday!! & HAPPY
HUNTING!!
~TMM007.
____________________________
The Tales of The Traveler is a series. To complete this
series (The Treasure of The Inferno) you need to start with TOT :
The Message in A Bottle (GC1WAWA). Each cache will have a piece
that will lead you to another cache and may or may not contain a
clue for the ultimate cache. Please do not remove these clues from
the cache sites. Each hint can be copied down or or you may want
take a picture. Please feel free to email me at any time to get
clarifcation. Thank you.
___________________________________
Below is The Tales Of The Traveler:
Treasure of The Inferno cache series in sequence:
01 The Message in A Bottle
02 At the Wishing Well
03 Ivory Keys
04 Copper Bones & Triple Stones
05 Never Say Die
______________________________
NOTE:
BEFORE YOU BEGIN THIS ADVENTURE YOU NEED TO PLAN AHEAD AND TAKE
THE APPRORPIATE PRECAUTIONS. PROPER CLOTHING AND SHOES. PLENTY OF
WATER AND SOME SNACKS. FIRST AID AND SNAKE BITE MEDS. WALKING
STICK. CELL PHONE FOR EMERGENCY IF NEEDED. AND ABOVE ALL MAKE SURE
THAT SOMEONE KNOWS YOU WHERE YOU WILL BE - APPROXIMATELY. ONCE YOU
START THE PUZZLE CACHE IT IS A LOT OF WALKING THROUGH TOUGH
TERRAIN. PLEASE BE SAFE! THANK YOU. ~TMM007