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TucsonThompsen

By TucsonThompsen
in Northeast

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trowel32

+trowel32

Posted
Posted (edited)
Planning an attempt on Melvin's Multiple Madness.  :ph34r: Going to try for this on Nov. 12th. Jan and the Man & Absolutad are joing in the hunt. Any recommendations or advise?

Cross Melvin's quickly...before you sink into the quagmire :ph34r: As I mentioned earlier, I found wearing rubber dishwashing-type gloves helpful for scrambling up the muddy bank - the mud didn't seem to stick to them. Also, it seemed better to be wearing tight fitting shoes/boots. I just wore my hiking boots - when I intially attempted it with looser fitting rubber boots they just got sucked right off of my feet.

 

Have fun - I wish I was going to be around that weekend so I could heckle, err, I mean support you guys during your adventure <_<

Edited by trowel32
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briansnat

+briansnat

Posted
Posted
Also, it seemed better to be wearing tight fitting shoes/boots. I just wore my hiking boots - when I intially attempted it with looser fitting rubber boots they just got sucked right off of my feet.

 

I did it with my regular hiking boots and waterproof gaiters. My partners all wore chest waders. My setup worked just fine. The gaiters kept the mud out of the boots.

 

Bring FRS radios or have each other's cell phone # on speed dial. You may want to split up and if you do you will need to keep in touch.

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TucsonThompsen

+TucsonThompsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Regarding Melvin's....if you do find it, please be sure to grab the geocoin I left in there. I accidentally logged it into "Magoo's Memories of Merit" but I actually placed it into Melvin's back on 9/11/05.

 

Speaking of a get together for an assault on a cache, I would be interested in getting a few folks together to try for splicingdan's "Fear" cache on(?) Staten Island sometime. I talked with trowel32 briefly about wanting to go for this one, but it seems perhaps safer (?) or saner to attempt this with more than one pair of eyes.

 

Anyone Jersey locals interested?

 

--TT--

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Quoddy

+Quoddy

Posted
Posted

Speaking of a get together for an assault on a cache, I would be interested in getting a few folks together to try for splicingdan's "Fear" cache on(?) Staten Island sometime.  I talked with trowel32 briefly about wanting to go for this one, but it seems perhaps safer (?) or saner to attempt this with more than one pair of eyes. 

 

Anyone Jersey locals interested?

 

--TT--

This looks like one I would be interested in. Let me know when.

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KBer

+KBer

Posted
Posted (edited)

FEAR is one of the finest caches on the east coast. It is a shame that because of the difficulty, people shy away from it. I am heartened to hear that interest is being shown for this cache. This is an adventure that belongs in the same class as Melvin's, Blood & Guts and Choreographed Chaos and Spooky Island Cache.

 

After you complete FEAR, SD has some additional caches on terracaching.com that are outstanding.

Edited by KBer
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trowel32

+trowel32

Posted
Posted (edited)

How about a group trip to "Where to Go? Vertigo"? Anyone want to go retrieve the cache and toss it over to me so I can sign the log from a safe location? B)

 

I am intrigued by "Fear" but I'm a little fearful :huh: If there is paddling involved I have a kayak, but no way to transport it yet :huh:

Edited by trowel32
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LocaRoja

+LocaRoja

Posted
Posted

MMM: My advice....

 

BRING A MAP OF THE AREA. Make sure you consider your first approach. We were not smart about this and added 45 minutes on our journey. B)

 

Wear shoes that stay on your feet and fit TIGHTLY. This is critical so when your feet sink in the mud, your shoes come out with your feet. B)

 

Two boards about 2 feet long are helpful....you can use them for the many crossings that are too far to leap across. One set for the whole group will suffice.

 

Bring strong guys with you that can drag you out of the mud when you get stuck. B)

 

Wear yucky underwear....I had mud on everything I was wearing by the end of the day. :huh:

 

Travel light. It's pretty physically taxing, so pack smart and share. Also, everything you bring will be filthy at the end anyway. The mud stinks...like rotten egg stinky. I didn't feel like eating anything due to the gross smell. But water is important....bring water!

 

You have to drive to during the journey between waypoints, so bring plastic to cover your car seats. :huh:

 

Bring your camera in a dry bag...too many great times not to capture on film! :D

 

FOR AFTER THE JOURNEY:

Have an entire set of clean clothes, shoes, and socks in the car.

Let us know how it goes! I can't wait to hear about your adventure!

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LocaRoja

+LocaRoja

Posted
Posted
How about a group trip to "Where to Go? Vertigo"? Anyone want to go retrieve the cache and toss it over to me so I can sign the log from a safe location? :huh:

Laura,

 

I know a great "geo-valet" who has retrieved this one for me....I was scared just standing on the bridge above the cache! :huh:

 

Kary

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splicingdan

+splicingdan

Posted
Posted
FEAR is one of the finest caches on the east coast.  It is a shame that because of the difficulty, people shy away from it.  I am heartened to hear that interest is being shown for this cache.  This is an adventure that belongs in the same class as Melvin's, Blood & Guts and Choreographed Chaos and Spooky Island Cache.

 

After you complete FEAR, SD has some additional caches on terracaching.com that are outstanding.

No wonder....

The cache suddenly had more views in one day than it had in entire months.

 

I did check on some of it's various parts not too long ago and everything was fine.

The only part that I worry about is at the listed coordinates - for obvious reasons. It would have to be a malicious act because there's no way someone will stumble upon it.

 

In all honesty though, Fear will be easy compared to some of my others:

 

Rust & Balls

Penetrating Susan

Close To Heaven

Closer To Hell

 

Kber is the only person to have found them all (and he's provided me with detailed reports of each adventure - which is priceless stuff).

Here's his log for Penetrating Susan:

 

This Terracache only begs one question. Who is the greater senseless bastard. SplicingDan for placing this cache, or I for seeking it.

 

Without a doubt, this is the most horrifying cache I have completed to date. It was unnerving, yet eminently satisfying.

 

One should only attempt this cache, with proper planning, through assessment and mitigation for risk.

 

I will long remember this intimidating, awesome experience. Thank you.

 

(I left the $20, for the next foolhardy finder)

 

I laugh everytime I read it. :huh:

 

Oh yeah, don't forget about Combination Wreckage either - it's in NJ.

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Jan and the Man

+Jan and the Man

Posted
Posted

If I live through Melvin's, I may consider Fear. I'm with Trowel32 on Vertigo -- I'd be glad to cheer someone else on and maybe rescue them out of the river (I have a Red Cross Life Guard badge and know CPR)

 

Thanks for the advice for Melvin's -- think I'm going with regular boots instead of the hip boots. Doing lots of hiking trying to get strong enough to get through this one.

 

Ahhh -- what's a little mud? <_<

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TucsonThompsen

+TucsonThompsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Fear update:

 

Well...Looks like we are still an all go for Sat. Nov. 19th. SO far on board are:

 

Karrooite

Trowel32

Ekitt10

LocaRoja

Quoddy

TucsonThompsen

 

More are of course, gladly welcome to join us in this attempt.

 

The plan so far is to meet a 10 AM in La Tourette Park. I'll update with parking location(s) shortly.

 

From karrooite's pre-reconnoitering, it appears that there is a semi-easy trail to within about 0.15 of GZ from the park, and then some bushwhacking to the clearing near GZ. From there.....well that's the mystery.

 

--TT--

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JandM

+JandM

Posted
Posted

oof. vertigo. i drive by it on a regular basis. i look at it and cringe. i used to live right around the corner from it and probably walked over it a time or 2 not even knowing it was there. of course, it took all of my willpower to get 1/2 way across and not freak out. however, after doing Moria last week and not freaking out about bugs, spiders and the fear of something very large bringing me to my death, i might be up for conquering another fear.

 

joe (and molly) and i are slowly coming back into caching. he is nearly done with grad school, which was the main culprit for distracting us from this oh-so-fun past time. can't wait till we get back into it more regularly. though knowing joe and his aversion to anything less than 60 degree weather, it'll still be a few months before we start showing up more often. there are still way too many so close by we need to log...

 

~m

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denali7

+denali7

Posted
Posted (edited)

:rolleyes: at trowel! yeah, i sure wish gas was about $1.00 a gallon. all these trips to wharton are KILLING me!! no, karroo, i'm not wimping, i'm...thinking...yeah, that's it! :lol:

 

really, i'm still playing musical calendar, and may be headed back to wharton for yet another CHAOS field challenge this weekend, or to a high school football playoff game. i probably won't know for sure if i'm free until the last minute.

Edited by denali7
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TucsonThompsen

+TucsonThompsen

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

So here's the latest deal with Fear:

 

Where: Somwhere on Staten Island? Maybe?

 

When: Sat, November 19th, 2005, ~ 9:45 AM

 

Weather Forecast: High 40's to Low 50's °F, Clear, no rain.

 

Who's In: Karrorite, Trowel32, Ekitt10, Quoddy, LocaRoja, TucsonThompsen,

candover, briansnat???

 

Who's Welcome: Anybody else...Come one come all!

 

Meeting Place: N 40° 34.383 W 074° 08.783, a parking lot off of Richmond

Hill Road and Old Mill Road on the east side of LaTourette Park.

This is the parking area used by some to

go after a nearby traditional cache "S.W. LaTourette".

Just north of the cemetery entrance on Richmond Hill Road, you'll

see a road called Old Mill Road trailing off into

the distance. It looks like a dead end with a gate at the end of

the street at the St. Andrews Church rectory. It is a dead end...but

to cars only. Hiking to the end of the road and stepping around the

gate starts us off towards "Fear"

 

What to bring:

 

ANything and everything? I have no idea what to expect. If you've climbing

rope, that might be a good idea. Canoe? Good idea. Bringing hip waders or crappiest, muddiest gear is probably a good idea. Gloves and snipping tins or a good machete might also be warranted as bushwhacking is most probably involved to some extent, according to our advanced recon scout karrooite. Hiking poles a good idea too. Snack food, a couple of bottles of water, a few IV bags of d5w and other first aid gear might be a good idea as well.

 

FRS Channel: #2

 

Goal: Some sort of container. Are we geeks or what?

 

Why: Because it's there. That's why. (and it's a 5/5) (and the

camraderie...can't forget about that.)

 

That's about it. Anything else if left to the imagination and our own

fears.

 

--TT--

Edited by TucsonThompsen
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Team Rampant Lion

+Team Rampant Lion

Posted
Posted

Well I was going to take a run at joining the FEAR group tomorrow but I Fear my own plans may not allow me to do that.

 

I would have had to take my two boys which I was a little unsure about. Dark, small, and high are no problems for them but far, cold and wet would be. Not having any idea what's in store makes it hard to decide. More importantly, I looked at the calendar and I am only a few weeks away from my own event. If I am going to restock the area as promised, I have to get to work this weekend. I am not home the weeks before to do it (still a Chicago Bears seasons ticket holder and have to see them beat the Packers). The other problem is that the weeks before are major firearm hunting times and I won't be in the woods then (a different type of Fear).

 

I'll assess my options and plans tonight. If I think I can pull everything off, I will try to meet you. If I am not there at 9:45; move ahead and enjoy what sounds to be an excellent challenge.

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Jan and the Man

+Jan and the Man

Posted
Posted

Ohhh are we gonna miss this! We've driven by this spot sooo many times -- who would've guessed that some(one) crazy person??? would have put a cache here?? Just kidding [:santa:] Just a week or two rest from Melvin's MM and we would have been ready to join you guys (yeah right) Still trying to get the mud out of my toenails. The best we can do is pray for you all. You will be in our thoughts tomorrow -- what time do you leave?? Well, if we're awake by then :anibad: We wish you all well and we will enjoy hearing about your adventure.

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Team Rampant Lion

+Team Rampant Lion

Posted
Posted
FEAR! was all I'd hoped for and more. A trully memorable cache and group experience.

I'm glad you had such a great experience, I was thinking of the group all weekend. Mainly, kicking myself for not getting up and going on Saturday morning. Please tell me it is not something a 10 and 12 year old could have easily accomplished or I'll be bummed for life I didn't go.

 

However, I did achieve my other goal of restocking Sparta Mountain for the Caching Through The Snow Event. While surely not FEAR caliber, thinking of you guys certainly motivated some creative placements.

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