October 2003 Cache of the Month

In our first month of voting for the cache of the month we had a three way tie! Thanks to all who submitted nominations and all who voted.

Here are the they are, in the order they were submitted:

Stillwater Surprise by towlebooth (nominated by pogopod)

Part of the joy of geocaching is the element of surprise, part is enjoying the beauty of nature, and of course part is the thrill of the hunt.

Stillwater Surprise comes as close to satisfying these three elements as any cache I have searched for in Minnesota. In addition, it is located in an area that is rife with history, near many opportunities for other outdoor activity, and close to its namesake town that itself provides many caches and lots of other things to do.

Without giving away the surprise, let me say that I have lived less than twelve miles from this area for the last twenty-five years, and never knew it existed. A hidden access makes even the beginning of the search interesting. A beautiful walk on little used paths takes you nearer and nearer the cache. Suddenly, you are there and it all becomes obvious. The vista would not be out of place on the North Shore near Lake Superior, but here it is a real surprise.

Heavy tree cover in summer makes this one a bit difficult. Be prepared to scramble a bit due to steep terrain, but you can’t get lost. Take care not to disturb the foliage in the area too much and, oh yes, most of the year don’t be surprised if you get wet feet. Although I have not visited early in the year, I bet this is a terrific cache in Spring when the snow melts.

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Barn Bywater by Kimbastoat (nominated by Moe the Sleaze)

My nomination for the October cache of the month is 'Barn Bywater' (GCE681). Although apparently hidden by a non-active cacher (no finds and only this one hide) it is one of the standouts of all the caches I have found.

Hidden high up on Barn Bluff overlooking both the Mississippi River and the city of Red Wing, hunting this cache requires a hike of almost a mile and many feet of climbing to reach. Once you arrive at the coordinates, you are rewarded, not only with a challenging hide, but also beautiful vistas.

I visited this cache in March and was in awe of the scenery. I can only imagine what it will be like in the peak of autumn colors. Take a drive down to Red Wing and treat yourself to this treasure.

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Veterans Park by Bobhiker (nominated by Kitch)

If you're looking for a cache that is suitable for young kids but still a challange then this cache is for you. I have a 3 year old little girl and sometimes the Bushwacking can be a bit hard with out prior knowledge of skill levels required. I'm also looking for more to do then just a quick visit to a cache.

Veterans Memorial Park is a 108-acre community park that includes over two miles of walking path through woods and marsh. The park also has a volleyball court, an informal playfield, and playground equipment. The park is also home to Adventure Gardens which offers 18 holes of golf on a challenging, hilly course with numerous water hazards, split greens, and trick angles. In terms of golfing in general, this is the spot for those who like to play the game without all the tiring exercise that comes with a walk of 500 yards rather than five feet. And as mini-golf goes, this is the way it was meant to be played. With a beautifully landscaped course featuring pines and a waterfall, a concession stand no more than a hundred feet away, and lights for night putting, there's little more the recreation-bound mini-golfer could ask for. But, since you asked, there's also the added bonus that this mini-golf course is located at Veterans Memorial Park, where there are also water slides and an ample picnic area for a day-long outing.

The cache itself is not that hard to find but the clue will make it simple. I hate to give any hints or clues at all. The only word of advice is this trust your GPS skills and remember it is kid friendly. On the FLIP side you can make this a totally differnent experience and the level would become extremely hard. Just go at night.