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Long ago, in Kansas forklore, there is a legend of a rather LARGE scorpion that inhabited this area. The scorpion was reported to be the size of a Conestoga Wagon. Immigrants passing through this area would report seeing this scorpion; settlers in the region would report cattle, horses, and at times, their children become missing; stagecoaches would report being chased by this creature; and even soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Riley have reported doing battle with this scorpion. Even the Native Americans report having encouters with this scorpion and have told stories of witnessing battles between the scorpion and buffalo. The Native American word for this scorpion is unpronounceable, so I will omit it from this page write-up.
Once the advent of the automobile came and the interstate was built, sightings of this large scorpion became less and less, although there were stories of highway workers wondering off into the local treeline to never be seen again and heavy equipment being found overturned with what appeared to be claw marks found on them.
Helicopters pilots from the nearby Marshall Army Airfield sometimes report "something" large moving around in the hills within the vicinity of this cache. "Rumor" has it that the pilots are NOT to speek of what they see for fear of reprisals.
Geocaches would be hidden up in this area and then be reported missing. Geocachers and cache owners would go in search of those containers never to be heard from again. "Abandonded" vehicles would be towed by the local authorites.
Well, when I arrived in the area in 1993, I heard these stories and thought that they were a bunch of hog-wash. The local newspapers and museums had pictures and stories of sightings but, come on now, REALLY!! Fossils maybe, but a large scorpion roaming the Flint Hills along a major interstate!!
Well curiosity got the better of me one day and I went exploring. After climbing this small mountain and admiring the view one fine sunny summer afternoon, sun was suddenly blotted out. Thought that it was just a cloud. Felt something blowing down my neck and thought it was just the wind. Then the "wind" became more intense and I turned around. Guess what I saw?!?!?!? THE LARGE SCORPION!!! YES, the stories were true!
The scorpion asked, "What are you doing here?"
"What, the scorpion talks?!?", I thought out loud.
"Of course scorpions can talk, silly human, what did you think? Answer the question: what are you doing here?"
I said, "Looking for you goofy insect. I heard some unbelievable stories and came to see for myself".
The scorpion said, "Well, you found me, now leave before I eat you."
"How rude!! I quadruple-double dare you", I said. WRONG thing to say to a scorpion bigger than you.
With that said, the scorpion took a massive swing at me with one of its claws and I just barely got out of the way. The scorpion then jumped at me and I out manueverd it (back then I was slender and nimble - not like today).
I picked up some rocks and threw them at the scorpion and hit him in the head. That just made him mad and he took a swipe at me with his tail and missed. I was searching for something to defend myself with and saw a big stick. So did the scorpion, he saw the same stick and positioned himself between me and it.
Well, after about an hour of dodging those rather large scorpion claws/tail, huffing and puffing and gasping for air, I finally saw my opportunity. I did a backflip-sammersaw right over the scorpion and landed right next to that big stick. I had just enough time to pick up that stick and dodge a crashing blow from the scorpions tail. The force of the blow from the tail against the rocks was so strong that the scorpion was actully stuck.
I then hit the scorpion on the noggin (head) with that stick and it dazed him. I hit him agagin and again until he began to cry and gave up. I told the scorpion that he was just a big ole mean scorpion and needed to move away. The scorpion said that I was right and that he will move away. Last time I saw that big scorpion was walking into the sunset heading west towards Salina, KS. Maybe he found a new home there.
Well, thats the story. I wanted to place a cache here in honor of this momentous battle in geocaching history, it is THAT famous; maybe you heard about it once or twice.
Recently, there have been stories from local kids about seeing "something" in these hills again - most likely the cows from the pasture nearby.
Anyway, go in search of this geocache you wiley geocaching adventurer you and BEWARE OF THE SCORPION!!!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! Just in case the stories are true, you never know about these things.
Cache container is a typical 7.62mm ammo can, nothing fancy. There will be a short hike, nothing to brag about. Though access to cache can be 24/7, highly suggest searching in daylight hours.
DO NOT attempt this cache from I-70, if you do you may have a bad day.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Jrypbzr Gb Gur Syvag Uvyyf