For cyclists ascending Old La Honda Road, the lower parking area/trailhead demarcates where the climbing really begins. For hikers starting from that lower trailhead, the climbing has already begun before the set of switchbacks where this cache is located. The cache is also accessible from the main Thornewood parking area off of Hwy 84.
Cache is just a bit off the trail. No need to go bushwhacking, or up or down any slopes. My coords were jumpy due to the trees, but it is hidden in a likely location.
While ascending the trail, I tried to think of thorne quotes but couldn't come up with any. As for thorn quotes, there are quite a few:
There's no rose without a thorn.
Problems are only opportunities with thorns on them.
The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose.
My daily geocaching streak has turned into a thorn in my side.