The published coordinates take you to stage I. There, you will see some big boxes. The first line of text has the name of a well known manufacturer. The second line has some large letters starting with "DV" and ending with "S". Take the number between the "DV" and "S" and divide by 1000 to get a new number we will call "R". Add "R" to 53.016 to get the latitude minutes (with N35°). Add "R" to 00.691 to get the longitude minutes (with W79°).
At stage II find two numbers. Divide the first number by 1000 and add 53 to get the latitude minutes (with N35°). Divide the second number by 1000 to get the longitude minutes (with W79°). All stages are some number of minutes beyond N35° / W79°. Find the numbers, and do the same math for stage III for coordinates for the next stage. Stage IV is a camo’d nut jar, has room for trades, and has the coordinates to the fifth and final stage. Stage V is a log-only, pill bottle cache.
Each stage is a shorter distance than the prior one, more isolated, and has decreasing likelihood of muggles.
| Stage |
Next Stage Latitude |
Next Stage Longitude |
Cache |
| I |
Degrees = N35°
Minutes = 53.016 + (the number found divided by 1000) |
Degrees = W79°
Minutes = 00.691 + (the number found divided by 1000) |
None; only the two numbers |
| II |
Degrees = N35°
Minutes = 53 + (First number found divided by 1000) |
Degrees = W79°
Minutes = (Second number found divided by 1000) |
None; only the two numbers |
| III |
| IV |
Fully listed directly in the cache |
Fully listed directly in the cache |
40 oz. camo’d nut jar with room for trades;
Stage V coodinates |
| V |
|
|
pill bottle; log-only |
As you could surmise from cache name, you should not expect any of those familiar Arabic numerals.
Park in the Botanical Garden Lot off of Old Mason Farm Road. Parking Entrance: N35 54.074 W79 01.930 The cache is neither in the Botanical Garden, nor on its Piedmont Nature trails (printable .pdf map), but a visit there is always worthwhile.
Cross Mason Farm Road (carefully) and walk (~0.1 mile) on the sidewalk along Highland Woods Road. Take the asphalt path to the right. The total walk for the four stages is about ½ mile one way. There are some thorns & poison ivy, but easily avoidable. The route is a good path for mountain or hybrid bike.
The final destination makes a surprisingly private, pleasant, sunny picnic site (when the sun is shining, the bugs aren’t biting, and OWASA vapors are not wafting toward the North).
Camo’d 40 ounce nut jar
Congratulations to ncbiscuit for the Persistence Award and the First To Find.