Taj Mahal Mystery Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A nice tramp through Donald J. Trump State Park.
New York State Park geocaching permit numbers FH08-02 (Stage 1), FH08-03 (Stage 2), and FH08-04 (Stage 3).
Congratulations to Grschmid and his twins on the FTF! Also thanks to Grschmid for the updated coordinates, which I have put on the first and second stages. His generosity in providing these coordinates should help other geocacherss to more accurately locate the caches.
This cache is located in the Donald J. Trump State Park (French Hill section) located in Yorktown Heights, NY. It is on the east side of the Taconic Parkway off the Baldwin Road exit in Yorktown Heights. Go to the end of Old Baldwin Road to enter and park at N 41° 15.8732 W 073° 48.4268.
Donald Trump bought this property, along with another parcel in Indian Hill, in the 1990s for $2 million. The real estate magnate had considered projects including golf courses and a housing development. There was some local opposition, which included our family. The site abuts a residential neighborhood whose residents obtain their water from private wells. There was concern about runoff into the water supply, as well as increased traffic.
Trump eventually decided "do something really spectacular" and donate the land for conservation. We’re happy that this land will now be preserved for nature lovers.
The listed coordinates are for the first stage where you will find coordinates for the second stage.
The following step is optional, based on new guidelines posted on 4/9/09: to validate your find, please email bacmac the secret phrase found on the inside lid of the third and final cache (also written on the inside cover of the logbook).
There are a couple of unique items for the FTF and STF: a poker chip from Trump’s Taj Mahal casino (which lent the cache its name), as well as a dollar bill with Trump pictured on it. Other items in the cache when it was first stocked include an unactivated TB, some golf items (a nod to what almost happened to this property), a few casino-related trinkets, and various other tchotchkes.
While you’re in the park, you may want to also find Twin’s First (GC18XC9).
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fgntr 1: Tngr penfuref fubhyq svaq guvf fgntr cbfg-unfgr
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Fgntr 2: Orgjrra n ebpx & n jbbq cynpr (ABG fgbar jnyy)
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Fgntr 3: Va n cvyr bs ebpxf