Homestead Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache is located in southeastern Ohio, near Cambridge, in Salt Fork State Park. The terrain is rolling & hilly with clean woods, deer, and moderately steep gullies in abundance. The altitude varies between 700 – 1100 feet. Straight line distance to cache is 0.3 miles from golf clubhouse parking lot that is just off main lodge road. I remember being here 60 years ago.
There are several directions from which to approach the park area. We use the main entrance to Salt Fork state park, off state route #22, north of Cambridge, and follow signs to the lodge/golf course. We have placed this camo colored, ammo style "dry box" on the former property of a distant relative who lived and farmed on the site. A “walking stick” might be useful (to knock down summer spider webs), etc. At the cache site, you will see an old road leading to Salt Fork creek, now Salt Fork lake, foundation remains of the old barn, chicken house, main 2 story living quarters, smoke house, pig pen, hand dug well, and finally the old outhouse (still standing). See if you can find the old telephone pole (used with the old style "crank" type phone) near the house. The cache contains a historical "documentary" about the site, as well as several “treasures”, of which you may choose one for your souvenir. We have also provided "co-ordinates" for a secluded graveyard located just across the lake in the cache just in case you want to visit your "host's" final resting place. Remember to record your visit in our logbook and PLEASE RETURN ALL DOCUMENTS TO THE CACHE FOR THE NEXT VISITOR TO USE. Keep a sharp eye out for the round, white dimpled turtle eggs sometimes found in this area. While the cache is located 0.3 mile from the clubhouse parking lot and offers the most direct (non fairway) access, we usually choose the longer route (over the hill from the 6th green) to avoid climbing a ravine. We also exit the cache site by walking a very short distance uphill to the barn site and then bear slightly left and straight uphill, thru pine trees, to 6th green, and head for the car keeping out of the fairways when golfers are active. The “topo” map from Terraserver USA offered from this page shows the steep gully you would have to cross if you parked at the golf course clubhouse and walked straight to the cache. The "overhead view" from the same server site has actual pictures which show the clubhouse and the greens. The cache is located to the right of the golf course clubhouse parking lot, just below the 6th green. If you choose this round-about approach, be prepared to walk quite a ways to locate the 6th green where you simply walk into the woods where an “overshot” ball would go. WARNING: Golf course employees are instructed to discourage non-golfers from walking on the fairways for safety reasons, so if you want to find the "cache" without getting "caught" keep alert and out of the path of golfers, especially those yelling "fore!" Regular golfers are usually very friendly and dependable sources for information about green locations. Area deer are practically tame, as people feed them in spite of signs that say not to. There are also wild turkeys lurking nearby. We sincerely hope you enjoy our GeoCache and remember to respect the rights of area golfers. We are very fortunate indeed to live in the United States of America.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx haqre gur sebag cbepu.