Mike Ferguson to the Rescue! "The Spot"
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Difficulty:
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(regular)
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A TRUE TALE OF ADVENTURE
CHAPTER 1 The hiker prepares for a first-time outing in the Soquel Demonstration State Forest - "Demo" - with a backpack containing first aid supplies, emergency equipment, maps, food, and water.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER?
CHAPTER 2 The hiker reaches Badger Springs by following the downhill incline of Hihn's Mill Road.
DOESN'T THAT MEAN THE HIKE BACK WILL BE UPHILL?
CHAPTER 3 The hiker decides to continue up to the Ridge Trail by way of the Sawpit Trail.
ISN'T THAT THE TRAIL THAT IS CALLED "BRUTAL"?
CHAPTER 4 The hiker realizes that the temperature is approaching 90 degrees, water is in short supply, and the trail seems to stretch endlessly uphill.
WHY DIDN'T THE HIKER TURN BACK?
CHAPTER 5 After hiking and caching along the Ridge Trail, the hiker descends by way of Sulphur Springs Road.
WHEN DOES MIKE FERGUSON ENTER THE STORY?
CHAPTER 6 Upon reaching the Hihn's Mill Road junction, the hiker realizes that two things remain: 2.3 miles of road and one sip of water.
WASN'T THE HIKER WORRIED?
CHAPTER 7 Exhausted, without water, and battling the slight, but now-taking-on-Everest-like-proportion uphills, the hiker stops to inquire about the well-being of a mountain biker who has stopped by the side of the road.
MIKE FERGUSON!
CHAPTER 8 The two strike up a conversation which quickly turns to the subject of the unseasonably warm day. The mountain biker asks about the hiker's water supply and volunteers to share his remaining electrolyte fluid.
DID THE HIKER ACCEPT?
CHAPTER 9 The hiker assures the mountain biker that the remaining sip of water will be sufficient to complete the journey.
WHAT WAS THE HIKER THINKING?
CHAPTER 10 As the now-disoriented hiker begins to wonder how this story will end, suddenly, in the distance, the mountain biker appears. He is carrying a large plastic bottle filled with water.
MIKE FERGUSON RODE BACK TWO MILES TO HELP THE HIKER!
CHAPTER 11 The hiker is close to tears as the mountain biker fills both nalgene bottles to overflowing. He urges the hiker to drink and then refills one bottle again. He also calms the hiker by admitting that he, too, has on more than one occasion misjudged his own water supply.
WHAT DID THE HIKER DO NEXT?
CHAPTER 12 Still disoriented, the hiker manages to thank the mountain biker and thinks to ask for his name. He answers, "Mike... Mike Ferguson."
EPILOGUE
The hiker completed the 11+ mile hike in a grueling 9+ hours, took away some valuable lessons from the experience, and decided to ask other geocachers for help in honoring the kindness shown by the mountain biker, Mike Ferguson.
EPILOGUE II (posted 10/01/08)
After providing the hiker with sorely needed water, Mike Ferguson then waited for over one hour in Demo's upper parking lot until the hiker appeared--alive and well. An amazing postscript to an already amazing story!
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If you found this cache and you hike and/or bike in an area frequented by mountain bikers, please consider hiding your own Mike Ferguson to the Rescue! cache. Please 1) use the simple description "in honor of Mike Ferguson and his act of kindness," 2) refer to this original cache by GC number so that other geocachers may read the entire saga, and 3) include your own cache details. If enough of these "chain" caches are hidden, perhaps one of the finders will know Mike Ferguson and let him know how much his good deed was appreciated.
Thank YOU for helping me to thank Mike Ferguson for his kindness on that hot September day.
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NEWS FLASH!! (posted 10/01/08)
MIKE FERGUSON FOUND!!!
Thanks to a year-old post by justbob (owner of GC17WQ8--Demo Edition) on the Mtbr.com forum (Mtbr.com > forum > California - Norcal > Who is Mike Ferguson) Mike Ferguson has been found!! Just last week, I was alerted by justbob that a certain "cmdrpiffle" had posted a message on this thread. I then posted a message of thanks to the mountain biker and informed him of his "legendary" status in the geocaching community. Not only was he happy to hear that everything had turned out positively, but he was also humbled by the idea of a geocaching series in his honor. It was then that he shared HIS epilogue to the story (see Epilogue II above).
Although Mike Ferguson has been found, please continue to hide Mike Ferguson to the Rescue! caches to honor the kindness of all strangers in the spirit of Mike Ferguson.
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CACHE DETAILS
This cache has been placed very near "the spot" where the hiker first spoke with Mike Ferguson, the mountain biker. (The exact spot of the "save" has, unfortunately, been wiped from the hiker's memory.)
Along Hihn's Mill Road in the Soquel Demonstration Forest, look for a small redwood clearing located between two equally tiny open meadows. The container is a large, double-wide ammo can stocked with small water bottles, trade items, a pen, and a log book. Please feel free to take a water and celebrate Mike Ferguson with a toast!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ebggra ybt nobhg 60 srrg sebz ebnq