Current at 11/6/2011 (Online waypoint URL) You have already found this cache! Master Index    Nearest Caches Next Time Around by AceForceOne (2.5/2) N51� 09.683  W114� 13.995 (WGS84) UTM  11U   E 693451  N 5671411 Use waypoint: GC1A7Y9 Size: Regular    Hidden on 3/15/2008 In Alberta, Canada Difficulty:     Terrain:                   A cache that will take you along a new paved path north of Rocky Ridge and Royal Oak. Head south from the parking lot. You are looking for a regular sized Lock & Lock container.

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8/28/2009 by Kabuthunk
Wow, this cache put up a heck of a battle to be found. So I was killing some time today, my last vacation day of spending the week with PurpleMonkeyDishwasher and GirlWithNoName (my brother and significant other) in Calgary. After some general puttering around town with my wife, I decided to take a bit of a walk before PMD and GWNN got home from work. Grabbing my geocaching kit, I hoofed it down the road. I had either the option of one of three (or heck, even all three) caches just South of where they live, or this one North of them. Now, I grew up in the country (in Manitoba) so the prospect of getting out of the residential zones and into a less developed area quite nicely appealed to me . Thus, North it was!

It doesn't look like too much is out this way (aside from Butterfield Acres, which I'm told is some kind of petting zoo or something), but surprisingly there was a fair amount of traffic that passed me. At like... 2:30pm, not what one would consider a busy time of the day. So, just to ease my mind, I hopped onto the other side of that railing and walk through the foxtails (or whatever they're actually called... that's what we called them where I grew up), and ample number of other weeds. Walking on a slope was a little annoying, but eventually I reached some open gate leading to the large expanse of field. Deciding to take a detour, I headed through the field, away from traffic. At which point, the thistle population skyrocketted . Me, being in sandals, kept kicking every single one of those by accident... but then again, I was attempting to dodge others. So... my feet are well punctured and pincushioned with thorns at this point . Eventually, I got tired of the repeated stabbing of my toes, and hightailed it back for the road again.

A bit further down the road, I came across a bit of a paradox. There's a ridiculously old 'no trespassing' sign, but about 5 feet to the side of that is an opening in the fence, heavily used, shortly followed by a well-trodden, PAVED path through the trees! So, given that traffic down this path appears to be common, I wasn't all that worried. On I went towards the coordinates! And therein began the battle...

I started out following some pseudo-geotrails (or perhaps animal trails), and checking in every possible opening or gap in the branches. Or even checking if there was any hollowed-out rocks or anything. Nope, couldn't spot a thing. Unfortunately, since my bro's computer doesn't have my Palm Pilot's software, I was unable to upload the cache description or hint into Cachemate. Thus, I was determined to put as much time as needed into locating this thing, no hint, no description. Also, being from Manitoba, I can't exactly easily come back to resolve a DNF . However, after expanding my search radius (and still finding nothing for like... 15 minutes), I eventually stumbled across the container when my GPS decided to stop jumping around. SUCCESS ! One signing and a signature chainmail ball later, and I replaced it as found.

As an added bonus, the view was awesome in the area (lots of ponds with otters and ducks in them), and I got a taste of country before heading home... so it was a nice 'last cache I'll likely go after in Alberta' . I might be mistaken, but I think this might also be my first Member's Only Cache to boot! Thus... thanks for placing the cache that made a nice end to a nice vacation .

Took: Nothing
Left: Logbook entry and chainmail ball

Hints (Back)
Small pair.