With the National Forest in our back yard Darlene and I spent a lot of time “playing” in the forest. When we first started dating, we would take motorcycle rides through the many roads traversing Hale and Bibb Counties. After we were first married and each year thereafter (until she was unable to walk without help), we searched for large pinecones, to decorate for Christmas; the girls always looked forward to making these trips. Sometimes we just rode looking for wildlife and enjoying nature, windows down, Darlene’s feet propped up hanging out the window. Once we became Geocachers, we enjoyed hunting for the Bird’s and Tree’s of Alabama. Our first Geocaching trail was hidden along State Highway 25 through the forest. This trail had been planned for the past two years; with Darlene’s health failing, we had to put it on hold. With her passing on December 30, 2016, I have decided to place these caches in honor of the love of life. We both enjoyed Geocaching together for quite a few reasons; it got us outside, the thrill of the hunt, and mostly, because we were able to spend a lot of time together. She wanted the name of the trail to be “Blind Dog Trail” (even a blind dog lucks up and finds a bone every now and then), due to the size of the containers and the difficulty in obtaining tight coordinates in the canopy of trees above. The coordinates were averaged using two GPS units, so, hopefully, they are all within reason.
All geocaches are within the limits of the National Forest and are hidden with permission of the Forest Manager; DO NOT cross onto private property to retrieve any geocaches. Some of these caches are accessible by vehicle year round, others will be accessible, by vehicle, seasonally (usually October through April), while others can only be obtained by hiking.
There are a few rules we must abide by to ensure the caching trail(s) are allowed to remain.
They are as follows:
Absolutely no swag can be left in the containers
Be good stewards of the forest and do not leave anything that can become litter
If you see litter pick it up
This is Hale County Highway 49; it runs south to north, through the National Forest, between Alabama Highway 25 (south end) to Hale County Highway 50 (north). There are a few sections along the route that has private property. All hides within private property are hidden on the roads Right-Of-Way.
It would be suggested to fuel up before setting off. Also, bring plenty of snacks, water and bug spray. There is a service station, with a restaurant, on State Highway 25 south of the forest at the intersection of County Highway 29 as well as plenty of options for gas and food in Moundville roughly 10 miles west.
There are wild animals in the area; encounters are possible, so, be mindful of your surroundings at all times. Also, the area is very active with hunters from late November through January. Phone service is iffy at best; we have two separate mobile services and both pick up a signal sporadically.
You are looking for a film sized canister with log only. Please replace the container as you found it.