Caches are along the Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Rail Trail between Belding and Lowell. Parking is in Lowell and Belding. Waypoints for those are in listed in 01 Lowell Showboat. Other than those two locations, you may be able to get away with parking on the side of the gravel roads, but no guarantees. The Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Rail Trail is 22 miles and connects Lowell to Greenville. The trail surface is coarse railroad ballast with paved segments in Belding and Smyrna. In Greenville it connects to the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail and in Lowell it connects to the Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Trail.
Lowell Showboat: The New Showboat
Since 1932 a total of 5 boats have been constructed, each with special modifications that allowed it to float on the shallow Flat River. With each craft a great deal of attention was given to preserve the atmosphere and appearance of old-time riverboats. Its paddle wheel, its belching smoke stacks and its power beam all serve to present a visual atmosphere, while in reality the boat was powered by six outboard motors.
The current Showboat (#6) is not really a boat! It is a permanent structure built over the water, with elements to reflect the image of a showboat, including paddlewheel, smokestacks, and captain’s cabin but with interior reconfigured for meetings and events. At the time of this writing, the “boat” is available to rent for weddings and other events.
While the Lowell Showboat was a non-profit organization, some money was made from time to time. Most of these funds were used to assist in local and civic projects. The only stipulation that was ever placed on the expenditure was that it had to be something that would be beneficial to all the citizens of Lowell.
In recent years the Showboat has been the backdrop to the Sizzlin’Summer Concert series put on by the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. This musical event provides free outdoor entertainment on Thursday evenings beginning in June. The concerts continue to preserve the original intent of the organizers to draw people to Lowell and provide an uplifting and entertaining experience. The Paddle is even the logo for the city of Lowell!
Eventhough the showboat had a paddle wheel, how many outboard motors powered the showboat? (spell it out)
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Please be respectful of this area!
Respect the environment: Geocaching is a great way to get outdoors and explore new places, but it’s important to be respectful of the environment when you’re geocaching. Be sure to pack out all of your trash, and don’t damage any plants or animals when you’re searching for geocaches.
I have not provided a writing utensil ✏️, but you must sign the log to make a claim of found!
So make sure you have inscribed the log!
Please re-hide this cache just as you found it!
Disclaimer: You are under no obligation to hunt this cache. You do so at your own risk. Like any outdoor sport, it carries the risk of unforeseen hazards. Use your best judgment with the environment and conditions. As conditions and cache locations may vary, it is the responsibility of the searcher to be familiar with the conditions in the area to be searched, to adequately prepare for those conditions, and to conduct oneself safely and responsibly and remain within his or her personal abilities and limitations. When and if you find a cache, you are under no obligation to touch it, reach it, climb to it, dig for it, pick it up, or even open it. Open it at your own risk. Individual Geostash and GPS cache sponsors assume no liability for events, which may occur, related directly or indirectly to your searching for a stash.