Billy and the big boys Mystery Cache
Reviewer Smith: eyeseeit
As this cache was not reactivated within the window noted within the reviewer/disable note, the listing will now be archived.
Reviewer Smith
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The cache is NOT hidden at the posted co-ordinates. Please read the complete listing. Everything you need to know to find the cache is in the story below. Just go out and find the cache. The diff. and terrain rating are for the hide itself, NOT for the puzzle. The puzzle is easy.
Billy and the big boys
Billy could barely sleep. He was too excited. Tomorrow was the day that the bigger boys had agreed to take him on a geocaching adventure in the north woods.
In the past he was always told he was too small to go along. Now he was bigger. He could keep up on the trails and he had learned how to us his own GPSr. He was small enough to fit into areas, under logs and around rocks where the bigger boys just couldn’t go. He would more than carry his own weight and contribute to the expedition.
Billy had spent four hours on Monday walking around the neighborhood to break in his new trail shoes. His knapsack was packed with snacks, CITO bags, a camera and two bottles of water. Mom has said he could not go if he did not take along the water. Even though the bottles were heavy he knew he would need them under the summer sun.
The boys were to gather at Billy’s house just about sunrise and head out together in one car. The news report from the night before called for zero chance of rain, clear skies and warm temperatures. Things would be perfect.
The older boys had run pocket queries for the zip code closest to the forest preserve parking lot. They used GSAK and Cachemate to zero in on the list of hides they hoped to hunt. Expectations were high that the team would be able to find at least eight caches before it got to be time to turn back.
These woods were known for their well defined trails and a wealth of great caches hidden by some of the most well respected cachers in the local caching community. There were ammo cans out there, Lock N’Lock’s, and Tupperware. There were no micros out in these woods. No self respecting cacher would hide a micro in the woods where there was room enough and sufficient hidey places to hide even a Pontiac! That was why these woods were special. Leave the lamp post skirt micros to the weenies that were afraid of getting mud on their boots. Leave the magnetic key holders to those whose idea of a hike is walking from the grocery store parking lot to the pre-cooked roasted chicken warming cabinets by the deli.
It was seven miles from the exit off the highway to the parking area at the forest preserves. There were just a few cars in the lot. On weekdays the woods were quieter and the trails were nearly empty. They were to enter the woods using the trails on the west side of the river.
By eight a.m. the boys were on the trails and well on their way to logging a find. The trees in this area were older growth and the canopy was quite thick. Signals were often poor. The boys were glad they all had compasses as well as their GPRs’s to lead their way. Most of the boys had spent many hours in these woods and they all felt they knew the trails well. But, still, you don’t ever want to take the chance of getting separated from the group.
Billy was just thrilled to be asked along with the older boys. He would geocache seven days a week if he could. In the fall school would be in session and in the summer there were only so many caches you could hunt on your bike in the neighborhood. This was to be the highlight of Billy’s summer vacation.
Billy had been given some summer homework. He was to do a report on his favorite summer vacation experience. This caching trip would be perfect for his report. He would share all the stories of this adventure. The animals they saw, the sounds they heard and the smells of the woods would be easy to recall and write up to share with his class.
By the time the boys plopped down on log to tear into their lunches they had found five caches. The area looked like a long abandoned campsite as there were logs arranged around a slight depression in the ground. The boys imagined campers many years ago eating around a campfire just as they were eating now in this very place. They ate quickly as they were hungry and wanted to get back out on the trails for more fun. They took care to pack up all their trash and wrappers. It would not be very cacher-like to litter in the woods when out there caching.
With six GPSr’s and all those eyes looking they had no trouble finding nine more caches before it was time to head back. When they returned to the car they dumped all the swag and travel bugs they had collected on the hood and surveyed their treasures. Not bad for a days caching.
McDonalds was always the treat of choice after a long day on the trails. With the drive, dinner, swag surveying and story swapping it was nearly nine p.m. when the car pulled back into Billy’s driveway.
Billy was satisfied with a great day on the trails. Even hunting with the bigger boys he could still claim to have personally spotted three of the caches himself. Not bad for the new, little guy of the group. They would not hit the trails again without him.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ernq vg ntnva.