Current at 11/6/2011 (Online waypoint URL) You have already found this cache! Master Index    Nearest Caches Expired by da6 (2/2.5) N49° 49.849  W97° 12.623 (WGS84) UTM  14U   E 628703  N 5521357 Use waypoint: GC1AFPP Size: Small    Hidden on 3/23/2008 In Manitoba, Canada Difficulty:     Terrain:                     A small cache near a busy road. The cache log is an expired coupon book - find a spot to sign somewhere and bask in the warmth of knowing this tree did not die in vain. PLEASE PLEASE replace exactly as found. The honor of FTF goes to "GLACIER ICE the quick electroned".

Additional Hints (There are no hints for this cache)

7/10/2008 by Kabuthunk
I've always been a little leery about finding this one. I've driven by it countless times, but never had the chutzpah for it. It seemed very... visible, and I felt like I'd stick out like a sore thumb. The various logs indicating security-based problems with others didn't fill me with courage either. Keep in mind though, I AM very paranoid.

Today however, my wife and I happened to be in the area. After we had finished some shopping at the nearby strip-malls, I figured to go after this one at long last. I needed a plan however.

Several days ago, we had checked out that fitness place near there (can't remember the name offhand), and I figured that would probably be my best 'cover' for at least my entry and getaway. I pulled into the fitness' parking lot and my wife stayed in the car (that way she could always move it or come up with something if someone asked why we parked there and didn't go in). One person is likely a lot less conspicuous than several. I was also wearing a green top and dark pants, so I might not stand out quite as much. My wife also isn't much for geocaching, so it was win-win... sorta .

In either case (and here's the strategy I'd probably recommend to future cachers of this... cache), I started out from the fitness' parking lot and walked pretty much directly towards the ditch by Kenason. From there, I just started trudging along South, as if I was just walking home from working... wherever. Upon nearing the coordinates, I made a bit of a turn to walk up the hill there, hoping to visibly see the cache somewhere before arriving to make it faster. No such luck. Glancing back towards the buildings every so often (the drivers on the road probably didn't even see me or care if they did, what with watching the road and all) to see if anyone was coming out. I didn't have any kind of excuse whatsoever, so I was just crossing my fingers.

After about 40 seconds of looking (which was about 30 seconds longer than I wanted... remember, very paranoid), I just started reaching my hand around and seeing what it felt. Thankfully, almost the first place I tried, my hand grasped a container. SUCCESS ! 45 seconds total at the coordinates, and that's all I wanted at the moment. Wanting to draw as little attention to myself as possible, I took the container with me and... kept walking... as if I was walking home from... wherever , checking the cache contents while walking. After going a few hundred meters away from the buildings, I crouched down and pulled out the "logbook". I gotta say, it's a tad difficult to find anywhere to sign it at the moment. I eventually found a bit of space on the first coupon... a little white area just below and to the right of the large lettering (can't remember what it said at the moment). After putting the cache back, I turned around to attempt a fast replacement.

Much like the trip to the cache, I walked along the edge of the ditch, as if I was just kinda walking to... wherever... and slowed down as I neared the buildings. I positioned myself such that either the tree or the "expired" item was blocking my view of the buildings, and vice-versa. A quick walk up the hill, and it took me about 5 seconds to replace the container from whence it came. Going back to that same spot by the ditch again, I continued walking back towards the fitness place. Hopping into the car, we headed out with no confrontations whatsoever . I looked around the buildings near the coordinates and didn't see a soul. No cars, no people, nothing. I think I may have escaped completely unnoticed !

Thanks for the interesting adventure. I'm typically more of a forest-cache type person, but this one was quite fun to do, and got my heart pumping a bit to boot .

Took: Nothing
Left: Logbook entry and chainmail ball

Note: Damnit, log too long again. Having to shear these down is getting annoying .