The starting coordinates will take you to a beautiful little island in Stevens lake park.This will be the start of our journey! When the cache was initially posted in 2001, it had coordinates here for you to find. Due to changes in the 22+ years since being posted, it's being adjusted a little bit. Now I'll give you this: N 38 AB.1C9 W92. 1D.0EF. Don't get scared off yet, it's only 6 numbers and it'll be a beautiful and short walk you'll be sure to enjoy.
Starting with the first 3 numbers we need, we'll start right on the island. Take a little self led tour of the island. It's pretty small so it'll only take a few seconds! How many benches are located on the island? Let that number = A. Easy enough! Now, on the benches there are dedications. On my favorite bench, there is a dedication to a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Find her name. Count the number of letters in her name and add 2 to that. That number = B To find the last coordinate on the island, identify the number of birdhouses on the trees and add 2 to that number. That will equal C!
With the North coordinates in mind, let's head to the next waypoint stage to get the remaining coordinates for the west! N 38° 57.157 W 092° 18.218 It's about .3 miles but it's along the path to the final destination anyway! You can walk there or you can actually park right by it to greatly reduce walking distance. The next waypoint will set you outside of a garden that was dedicated some time after the cache was originally posted. It wasn't part of the multicache originally but since you'd walk or park right by it anyway, I figured I'd add it due to its beauty and information!You don't have to enter as all coordinates can be solved from the sidewalk, keeping the path you take to the final the same as the 2001 path. It's not required but I'd still encourage you to check it out!
Starting off strong, as you look up, you'll see a metal arch. What type of garden is this? Add up the amount of letters and subtract 1 from that. That number = D On the plaque you'll find information about Columbias longest serving mayor, the man this garden is named after. The amount of letters in his first name +2 = E For the final coordinate to the cache, find the date that the garden was dedicated. Let the last number of the year =F. Now you can go nab the cache which is very close to the garden!
The stuff is in a Tupperware container clearly labeled as a geocache. The first to find this re-worked cache will have the opportunity to find genuine 5 grams of silver bar. Cache is good for small trade items and has about 15 to start. Logbook is a RiteInTheRain folded fan to minimize space it takes while allowing a lot of signatures.
Please search daylight hours only. Park is open 6am-11pm 7 days a week
Stephens Lake and golf course were bought by the city of Columbia a few years ago, for $7 million, via a hotly contested tax issue.
Thanks to Mike Griggs for permission to place this cache