Power Madness Traditional Geocache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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Camo'd container just off the Coyote Creek Trail near a controversial power plant
This is the first of 3 new caches I placed on the Coyote Creek Trail today. Considering how long the Coyote Creek Trail is, there is a relatively low cache density per mile. I thought I'd increase that ratio a bit. This cache marks the spot where the Coyote Creek Trail comes closest to the controversial Metcalf Energy Center. The huge power plant has a turbulent history. It created a storm of protest from nearby residents when it was proposed, but those protests were squashed by the energy crisis a few years ago. Those were the days of Enron, blackouts, and soaring energy rates. Governor Davis and other politicians pushed for this plant to be built. Now, Governor Davis is gone, Enron is bankrupt, its leaders have been indicted, and Calpine, the maker of the plant, is in Chapter 11. Whether this plant is good, bad, or ugly is not for me to say, but if you want to express your opinion, be my guest.
The cache is hidden halfway between the Coyote Creek Trail and Coyote Creek. The trail often has a continuous stream of muggles, so be discreet. Pretend you're looking at the creek or power plant. If you're short, you may have some difficulty with this. Watch out for poison oak. The trees make GPS reception inconsistent. Try getting a good fix out in the clearing to the south, then walk north towards the cache. You may have to search around a bit.
For more on the Coyote Creek Trail, see: (visit link)
7/31/10 Update:
The original cache was muggled or carried off by critters. It was replaced by a medium-size container with a pencil, logsheets, and several miniature Mars probes. When you replace it, put something on top to make it hard for critters to cart it off.
8/29/17 Update:
The original cache location is surrounded by an impenetrable wall of thistles. I didn't remove it, so if you feel brave enough, you can look for it at N 37° 13.292 W 121° 44.648. I put a replacement cache next to the trail, but it's a sign-only micro now. It includes a pencil. It's more vulnerable to muggles now, so keep it covered.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
ryqreoreel onfr