The cache is not at the posted coordinates. Instead, you will need to solve a mystery to get the real coordinates of the cache. This mystery cache is intended to be fun, so if you get frustrated, you are welcome to email Toby's biographer and ask for further hints on this or any other Toby Mystery.
#32 The Dogliest Detective and the Promising Proposal
Toby fought boredom by playing with his phone. He had twice tricked work associates into calling Captain McGruff's phone and having its annoying ring tone draw the ire of the security staff.
Toby's ears perked up when the city council moved on to the agenda item "Funding for the Alaska-Asia Continental Connection Center". Four officials from the "World Geographic Society" gave a fancy multi-media presentation.
"Our mission is to move the next generation beyond the flat-map thinking of the 20th century and into the modern GPS world. Unfortunately, many schools still teach geography from maps showing Alaska as a small state next to Hawaii. Other classrooms display maps with Alaska on one side of the world and Asia on the other side of the world. We are asking your help to change their understanding of Alaska's place in the world!"
They presented a multi-media show with impressive images, including an enormous education center under construction in Florida. "We are building landmark Continental Connection centers in the states closest to other continents to provide concrete illustrations of global connections. We want to build an Alaska-Asia Connection Center here in your city."
"Our funding request might seem large, but it is just the seed money to draw many times as much funding from international foundations to build these world-class facilities. Florida happily funded twice as much to highlight its status as the closest state to Africa."
City council members all applauded and gave glowing comments for the proposal. Then they opened it up for public comments.
Captain McGruff elbowed Toby and said "You have a bunch of geo-nerd friends. Why don't you go tell the city council how your kind of people feel about it?" Toby surprised him by jumping out of his seat and trotting up to the public podium with his tail wagging.
"Mr. Mayor and City Council, thank you for the opportunity to comment. My recommendation is that you have the police arrest these crooks. They did make a fancy presentation and have invented an interesting con game, but even amateur geographers with a GPS can figure out that the closest US state to the Africa continent is not Florida, but rather it is ________."
The mayhem that followed took up the rest of the meeting time and Captain McGruff was never able to present his report. However, Toby thoroughly enjoyed the evening!
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To get the actual coordinates to the cache, report to
Certitude the name of the US state that is closest to the African continent.
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.