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One of the Sickest Caches in North America, With a Big Cash Prize!


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Seriously, this -- like many other ideas -- could work. Of course, if good rope launchers that could easily launch a fishing line over the top of a 143 foot high pylon were readily available, the balloons and al those extra people would not be necessary, and rather the task would take 2 boats and 3 people in total. But, the problem is that almost all rope launchers tend to max out in the 120 foot to 140 foot range, and they are meant to be used on land, not to launch from water. I believe that there are gunpowder-fired rope launchers available that are claimed to be able to handle heights of over 250 feet, but I betcha a permit would be needed to fire a gunpowder-fired rope launcher in the river -- might alarm some of the rangers in the nearby National Historical Park onthe northeastern shore of the river!

 

No rope launcher needed... that's why the balloons and fishing line. I'd thought about a rope launcher but 1) I don't have and probably can't get one and 2) I doubt they'd go that far almost straight up. The fishing line floats up with the balloons, which, admittedly, is probably the part of this plan most likely to fail. In concept it may work, in reality I'm sure the wind or water would screw up the attempt.

 

As Fergus said, a rock climbing team could probably pull it off quite easily, but I'm not familiar enough with that to know.

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BTW, Packanack, I grew up just a few miles up Route 202 from where you are located!

 

Well that explains quite a bit. :):o

 

Substitute compound bow for surf rod.

 

Hey we are thinking out loud here for those who haven't got the first idea about asenders, pitons, grabbers, belay , rappel , harnesses or the like.

The articles and tales on the rope launching websites seem to suggest that compound bows, much like the giant slingshot rope launching devices which employ 7 foot fiberglass poles, all tend to crap out for heights above 120 feet. So, trying to use a compound bow might be marginal at best! :)

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BTW, Packanack, I grew up just a few miles up Route 202 from where you are located!

 

Well that explains quite a bit. :):o

 

Substitute compound bow for surf rod.

 

Hey we are thinking out loud here for those who haven't got the first idea about asenders, pitons, grabbers, belay , rappel , harnesses or the like.

:)

 

The articles and tales on the rope launching websites seem to suggest that compound bows, much like the giant slingshot rope launching devices which employ 7 foot fiberglass poles, all tend to crap out for heights above 120 feet. So, trying to use a compound bow with a line feeder reel might be marginal at best! :D

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All that is needed to get this cache is a three person climbing team with 2 150' ropes, about a dozen climbibg nuts, and climbing harnesses for each climber. I do not have enough the gear to make this climb. If there are any cachers who have the gear who want to make the climb I will be happy to join their team.

Fergus, I wish you the best! I cannot loan any ropes, because all my 11 mm climbing ropes are too old, but I could loan you some nuts and a harness or two, plus some carabiners. I have noticed that Indy-MD has been looking at the cache listing page, and he is, of course, a climber -- have you considered contacting him?

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Vinny, how positive are you about the 143 feet? Is that a measurement you made yourself, or something you read somewhere? If you made it, how did you do it -- I guess I'm asking, are you sure that number is accurate, or is it a "best guestimate".?

Doc, it is only a best guesstimate. I had initially believed that the pylon was about 120+ feet tall, but then a number of other capable folks who saw the pylon up close (including an experienced helicopter pilot who refused to go within 200 feet of the pylon!) all reported that they felt that the actual height was more like 150 to 155 feet above water level. I then spent some time analysing photos and making plenty of real-world observations, and finally came up with an estimated height of about 143 feet. And, of course, the reality is that the water level in that river changes over a 10 to 20 foot range (even more in really bad flood stages!) throughout the year, and thus that will influence any "height" measure as well!

 

Lastly, it is only fair to note that several locals claim that the pylon is actually more like 160 to 165 feet tall (above current water levels.) I think that its height is more like the number which I have cited.

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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Why all of a sudden are people trying to find fault with this cache placement? Is there any who have posted questioning the legal placement plan on hunting it?

 

It's basically placed on top of a big rock in the middle of a public river. There is no bridge, no tracks, Just a tall rock.

 

Give it a rest and stop trying to find fault. It looks a lot like jealousy to me.

 

Not having a premium membership, it took the photoshop of Wile E Coyote and some other information before I was able to locate the cache on a map. I then had to find the website describing the reason for a stone-masoned pylon (it's not just a big rock, it's a manmade structure) in the middle of a river. I then wanted to give good and accurate information...oh, you weren't really interested in what took me until now to comment on the cache placement.

 

There is a bridge less than 1000 feet away (see picture here). It is a railroad bridge built on similar (yet bigger/taller/sturdier stone pylons) and is the replacement for the bridge that used to use the pylons that the cache is upon.

 

As for my motivation, if we'd known about the cache hanging from a bucket under a railway bridge in Idaho or wherever the latest "Bomb squad destroys possible bomb under highway! Turns out to be high tech spy "game"!" story came from, don't you think we would have questioned its cache placement and hoped that all the t's were crossed and i's were dotted? It behooves all of us to keep in mind that we don't want undue attention brought to the hobby because of attention resulting from bad placements (the overwhelming coolness factor of the hide notwithstanding).

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Wile E. Coyote vs. Groundspeak Inc., Acme, Vinny and Sue et al.

 

Opening statement of Mr. Harold Schoff, attorney for Mr. Coyote:

 

My client, Mr. Wile E. Coyote, a resident of Pennsylvania and contiguous states, does herein bring suit for damages against the Groundspeak Company, aggregator and distributor of assorted geocache information, incorporated in California and doing business in every state, district, and territory.

 

Further named defendants shall be Vinny and Sue, geocachers, known troublemakers, creators an co-owners of one geocache entitled “Psycho Urban Challenge #13”, a clear and present danger constructed in the Potomac River.

 

Further named defendants shall be the Acme Company, manufacturer and retail distributor of assorted merchandise, incorporated in Delaware and doing business in every state, district, and territory.

 

Mr. Coyote seeks compensation for personal injuries, loss of business income, and mental suffering caused as a direct result of the actions and/or gross negligence of said Defendant companies and persons, under Title 15 of the United States Code, Chapter 47, section 2072, subsection (a), relating to enticement liability.

 

Mr. Coyote states that he has purchased of the Groundspeak Company (hereinafter, "Defendant A"), through that company's online storefront, a subscription membership, which provided him information about geocaches; the instant geocache, “Psycho Urban Challenge #13” being among the geocache listings provided.

 

Mr. Coyote states that the team known only as “Vinny and Sue” (hereinafter, Defendant B ), purported geocachers, created the geocache “Psycho Urban Challenge #13”, a construction in and around the Potomac River, particularly one abandoned bridge pylon marked “Exhibit F”, and caused it to be listed on the Defendant Groundspeak Company’s website as an open invitation and enticement to the public.

 

Mr. Coyote states that on eighty-five separate occasions he has purchased of the Acme Company (hereinafter, "Defendant C"), through that company's mail-order department, certain products which did cause him bodily injury due to defects in manufacture or improper cautionary labeling. Sales slips made out to Mr. Coyote as proof of purchase are at present in the possession of the Court, marked Exhibit A.

 

Such injuries sustained by Mr. Coyote have temporarily restricted his ability to make a living in his profession of geocacher. Mr. Coyote is self-employed and thus not eligible for Workmen's Compensation.

 

Mr. Coyote states that on September 13th he received of Defendant A a computer file known as a Pocket Query; a listing of geocaches in and around Mr. Coyote's home. Attracted to and enticed by the listing known as "Psycho Urban Challenge #13) Mr. Coyote made his plan of attack to approach and capture said geocache.

 

Requirements for performing tasks relevant to the geocache “Psycho Urban Challenge #13”, hereinafter ‘PUC!’ caused Mr. Coyote to order from Defendant C via parcel post one Acme Rocket Sled. The intention of Mr. Coyote was to use the Rocket sled to aid him in pursuit of his target, PUC!. Upon receipt of the Rocket Sled, Mr. Coyote removed it from its wooden shipping crate and, sighting his target in the distance, activated the ignition. As Mr. Coyote gripped the handlebars, the Rocket Sled accelerated with such sudden and precipitate force as to stretch Mr. Coyote's forelimbs to a length of fifty feet. Subsequently, the rest of Mr. Coyote's body shot forward with a violent jolt, causing severe strain to his back and neck and placing him unexpectedly astride the Rocket Sled. Disappearing over the horizon at such speed as to leave a diminishing jet trail along its path, the Rocket Sled soon brought Mr. Coyote close to his target, at which time he could be heard to exclaim "Oh, PUC!". At that moment the Garmin GPS he was following veered sharply to the right. Mr. Coyote vigorously attempted to follow this maneuver but was unable to, due to poorly designed steering on the Rocket Sled and a faulty or nonexistent braking system. Shortly thereafter, the unchecked progress of the Rocket Sled brought it and Mr. Coyote into collision with the side of said pylon.

 

Paragraph One of the Report of Attending Physician (Exhibit B ), prepared by Dr. Ernest Grosscup, M.D., D.O., details the multiple fractures, contusions, and tissue damage suffered by Mr. Coyote as a result of this collision. Repair of the injuries required a full bandage around the head (excluding the ears), a neck brace, and full or partial casts on all four legs.

 

Hampered by these injuries, Mr. Coyote was nevertheless obliged to support himself. With this in mind, he purchased of Defendant C as an aid to mobility one pair of Acme Rocket Skates. When he attempted to use this product, however, he became involved in an accident remarkably similar to that which occurred with the Rocket Sled. Again, Defendant C sold over the counter, without caveat, a product which attached powerful jet engines (in this case, two) to inadequate vehicles (his shoes), with little or no provision for passenger safety. Encumbered by his heavy casts, Mr. Coyote lost control of the Rocket Skates soon after strapping them on, and collided with a riverside billboard so violently as to leave a hole in the shape of his full silhouette.

 

Mr. Coyote states that on occasions too numerous to list in this document he has suffered mishaps with explosives purchased of Defendant C: the Acme "Little Giant" Firecracker, the Acme Self-Guided Aerial Bomb, etc. (For a full listing, see the Acme Mail Order Explosives Catalog and attached deposition, entered in evidence as Exhibit C.) Indeed, it is safe to say that not once has an explosive purchased of Defendant C by Mr. Coyote performed in an expected manner.

 

To cite just one example: At the expense of much time and personal effort, Mr. Coyote constructed around the outer rim of a valley a wooden trough beginning at the top of the valley and spiraling downward around it to some few feet above a black X painted on the valley floor. The trough was designed in such a way that a spherical explosive of the type sold by Defendant C would roll easily and swiftly down to the point of detonation indicated by the X. Mr. Coyote placed a generous pile of geocache swag directly on the X, and then, carrying the spherical Acme Bomb (Catalog #78-832), climbed to the top of the mountain where it could be seen when. Mr. Coyote's target, Defendant B, was on the way to hide a cache. Their caches being considerably easier to sign before they are hidden, Mr. Coyote felt compelled to stop them, and knew they would stop at the pile of swag. When Defendant B approached the swag pile, Mr. Coyote proceeded to light the fuse. In an instant, the fuse burned down to the stem, causing the bomb to detonate.

 

In addition to reducing all Mr. Coyote's careful preparations to naught, the premature detonation of Defendant C's product resulted n the following disfigurements to Mr. Coyote:

 

1. Severe singeing of the hair on the head, neck, and muzzle.

2. Sooty discoloration.

3. Fracture of the left ear at the stem, causing the ear to dangle in the aftershock with a creaking noise.

4. Full or partial combustion of whiskers, producing kinking, frazzling, and ashy disintegration.

5. Radical widening of the eyes, due to brow and lid charring.

 

We come now to the Acme Spring-Powered Shoes. The remains of a pair of these purchased by Mr. Coyote on September 15th are Plaintiff's Exhibit D. Selected fragments have been shipped to the metallurgical laboratories of the University of California at Santa Barbara for analysis, but to date, no explanation has been found for this product's sudden and extreme malfunction. As advertised by Defendants A and C, this product is simplicity itself: two wood-and-metal sandals, each attached to milled-steel springs of high tensile strength and compressed in a tightly coiled position by a cocking device with a lanyard release. Mr. Coyote believed that this product would enable him to pounce upon his target, to spring up, as it were, and make the grab.

 

To increase the shoes' thrusting power still further, Mr. Coyote affixed them by their bottoms to the side of a large boulder. Adjacent to the boulder was a path which Mr. Coyote's target, Defendant B, was known to frequent. Mr. Coyote put his hind feet in the wood-and-metal sandals and crouched in readiness, his right forepaw holding firmly to the lanyard release. Within a short time Mr. Coyote's target did indeed appear on the path coming toward him. Unsuspecting, the target stopped near Mr. Coyote, well within range of the springs at full extension. Mr. Coyote gauged the distance with care and proceeded to pull the lanyard release.

 

At this point, Defendant's product should have thrust Mr. Coyote forward and away from the boulder. Instead, for reasons yet unknown, the Acme Spring-Powered Shoes thrust the boulder away from Mr. Coyote. As the intended target looked on unharmed, Mr. Coyote hung suspended in air. Then the twin springs recoiled, bringing Mr. Coyote to a violent feet-first collision with the boulder, the full weight of his head and forequarters falling upon his lower extremities.

 

The force of this impact then caused the springs to rebound, whereupon Mr. Coyote was thrust skyward. A second recoil and collision followed. The boulder, meanwhile, which was roughly ovoid in shape, had begun to bounce down a hillside, the coiling and recoiling of the springs adding to its velocity. At each bounce, Mr. Coyote came into contact with the boulder, or the boulder cam into contact with Mr. Coyote, or both came into contact with the ground. As the grade was a long one, this process continued for some time.

 

The sequence of collisions resulted in systemic physical damage to Mr. Coyote, vix., flattening of the cranium, sideways displacement of the tongue, reduction of length of legs and upper body, and compression of vertebrae from base of tail to head.

 

Repetition of blows along a vertical axis produced a series of regular horizontal folds in Mr. Coyote's body tissues-- a rare and painful condition which caused Mr. Coyote to expand upward and contract downward alternately as he walked, and to emit an off-key, accordion-like wheezing with every step. The distracting and embarrassing nature of this symptom has been a major impediment to Mr. Coyote's pursuit of a normal social life.

 

As the court is no doubt aware, Defendants A and C have a virtual monopoly of manufacture, publication and sale of goods required by Mr. Coyote's work. It is our contention that Defendants A and C have used their combined market advantage to the detriment of the consumer of such specialized products as itching powder, giant kites, Burmese tiger traps, anvils, and two-hundred-foot-long rubber bands.

 

Much as he has come to mistrust Defendant B’s listings, Mr. Coyote has no other domestic source of supply to which to turn. One can only wonder what our trading partners in Western Europe and Japan would make of such a situation, where a giant company is allowed to victimize the consumer in the most reckless and wrongful manner over and over again.

 

Mr. Coyote respectfully requests that the Court regard these larger economic implications and assess punitive damages in the amount of seventeen million dollars. In addition, Mr. Coyote seeks actual damages (missed meals, medical expenses, days lost from professional occupation) of one million dollars; general damages (mental suffering, injury to reputation) of twenty million dollars; and attorney's fees of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

 

By awarding Mr. Coyote the full amount, this Court will censure these Defendants, their directors, officers, shareholders, successors, and assigns, in the only language they understand, and reaffirm the right of the individual geocacher to equal protection under the law.

 

In light of Mr. Coyote's incapacity and disabilities directly or indirectly caused by his being lured into life-threatening danger (known locally as being PUC'd) he is unable to care for his own affairs and has designated friend and fellow geocacher TheAlabamaRambler as his guardian and cerekeeper. The court shall direct all proceeds and benefits of this case to said guardian's personal banking account.

 

Harold Schoff, Esq.

Schoff, Signem and Bleedem

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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We had a rocket propelled rope launcher at Water Rescue in the '80's. I think its range was about 1/2 mile or so. It came with a box of rope about the size of parachute cord which I think was about 3000-5000 feet (VERY large box) (Memory not real good that far back)

 

We never used it except for one practice shot shortly after obtaining it. I understand it was VERY expensive to shoot. No one ever figured out WHY we had it. Now I know. You just never know when you might need to get a rope to the top of an abandoned bridge pylon to rescue a stranded cacher.

 

"Hey cacher, here it comes!" "Be sure to DUCK!"

 

Good shot! "One Adam Twelve, could you pick up that body on the other side of the pylon and see if we've got a 4inch rubber stopper for his chest wound?, Over" *squaaaak* :blink:

 

Really, we DID have one. Supposedly it could launch a rope across a small canyon. Why?

 

Your (former) tax dollars at work. :laughing:

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Wile E. Coyote vs. Groundspeak Inc., Acme, Vinny and Sue et al.

 

Opening statement of Mr. Harold Schoff, attorney for Mr. Coyote:

 

My client, Mr. Wile E. Coyote, a resident of Pennsylvania and contiguous states, does herein bring suit for damages against the Groundspeak Company, aggregator and distributor of assorted geocache information, incorporated in California and doing business in every state, district, and territory.

 

Further named defendants shall be Vinny and Sue, geocachers, known troublemakers, creators an co-owners of one geocache entitled “Psycho Urban Challenge #13”, a clear and present danger constructed in the Potomac River.

 

Further named defendants shall be the Acme Company, manufacturer and retail distributor of assorted merchandise, incorporated in Delaware and doing business in every state, district, and territory.

 

Mr. Coyote seeks compensation for personal injuries, loss of business income, and mental suffering caused as a direct result of the actions and/or gross negligence of said Defendant companies and persons, under Title 15 of the United States Code, Chapter 47, section 2072, subsection (a), relating to enticement liability.

 

Mr. Coyote states that he has purchased of the Groundspeak Company (hereinafter, "Defendant A"), through that company's online storefront, a subscription membership, which provided him information about geocaches; the instant geocache, “Psycho Urban Challenge #13” being among the geocache listings provided.

 

Mr. Coyote states that the team known only as “Vinny and Sue” (hereinafter, Defendant B ), purported geocachers, created the geocache “Psycho Urban Challenge #13”, a construction in and around the Potomac River, particularly one abandoned bridge pylon marked “Exhibit F”, and caused it to be listed on the Defendant Groundspeak Company’s website as an open invitation and enticement to the public.

 

Mr. Coyote states that on eighty-five separate occasions he has purchased of the Acme Company (hereinafter, "Defendant C"), through that company's mail-order department, certain products which did cause him bodily injury due to defects in manufacture or improper cautionary labeling. Sales slips made out to Mr. Coyote as proof of purchase are at present in the possession of the Court, marked Exhibit A.

 

Such injuries sustained by Mr. Coyote have temporarily restricted his ability to make a living in his profession of geocacher. Mr. Coyote is self-employed and thus not eligible for Workmen's Compensation.

 

Mr. Coyote states that on September 13th he received of Defendant A a computer file known as a Pocket Query; a listing of geocaches in and around Mr. Coyote's home. Attracted to and enticed by the listing known as "Psycho Urban Challenge #13) Mr. Coyote made his plan of attack to approach and capture said geocache.

 

Requirements for performing tasks relevant to the geocache “Psycho Urban Challenge #13”, hereinafter ‘PUC!’ caused Mr. Coyote to order from Defendant C via parcel post one Acme Rocket Sled. The intention of Mr. Coyote was to use the Rocket sled to aid him in pursuit of his target, PUC!. Upon receipt of the Rocket Sled, Mr. Coyote removed it from its wooden shipping crate and, sighting his target in the distance, activated the ignition. As Mr. Coyote gripped the handlebars, the Rocket Sled accelerated with such sudden and precipitate force as to stretch Mr. Coyote's forelimbs to a length of fifty feet. Subsequently, the rest of Mr. Coyote's body shot forward with a violent jolt, causing severe strain to his back and neck and placing him unexpectedly astride the Rocket Sled. Disappearing over the horizon at such speed as to leave a diminishing jet trail along its path, the Rocket Sled soon brought Mr. Coyote close to his target, at which time he could be heard to exclaim "Oh, PUC!". At that moment the Garmin GPS he was following veered sharply to the right. Mr. Coyote vigorously attempted to follow this maneuver but was unable to, due to poorly designed steering on the Rocket Sled and a faulty or nonexistent braking system. Shortly thereafter, the unchecked progress of the Rocket Sled brought it and Mr. Coyote into collision with the side of said pylon....

 

...In light of Mr. Coyote's incapacity and disabilities directly or indirectly caused by his being lured into life-threatening danger (known locally as being PUC'd) he is unable to care for his own affairs and has designated friend and fellow geocacher TheAlabamaRambler as his guardian and cerekeeper. The court shall direct all proceeds and benefits of this case to said guardian's personal banking account.

 

Harold Schoff, Esq.

Schoff, Signem and Bleedem

Ahem. :D I am hardly surprised by this latest development. Mr. Wile E. Coyote, for reasons that I do not understand, seems to have been obsessed with us (that is, the Vinny & Sue Team) and particularly with me, and with many of our Psycho Urban caches, for a very long time. In fact, law enforcment officials across the US have documented many of his often-comical backfired attempts to kill me or disable me. And, he seems to have persisted in using devices from the Acme Company for over 40 years, despite his consistently bad experiences with those bizarre products. Thus, I am hardly surprised that it has come to this. :D Very sad. :D

 

 

 

:huh::D:D:D

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Folks, just a quick update in light of the recent DNF filed on this cache today:

 

Yes, regarding 4Wheelin_Fool's log note, this is the second or third report I have heard from cachers that they can see the bright yellow cache container (an Otterbox) and the shiny steel weights quite clearly from the higher-elevation terrain on the Shepherdstown, WV side near the base of the the Rumsey monument. I hope to have some fotos of the container shot from that side to post on the page within the next week.

 

To answer Lynn's (CCCooperAgency) question: other than the failed attempt on Saturday AM with a helicopter charted from a VA (or WVA) helicopter facility by an Ohio cacher, I know of no other really serious attempts to date; I think that everyone is largely still in the planning/plotting stage. 4Wheelin_Fool is a lot like me in that he is not at all afraid of logging a DNF, and I sure appreciate his great log note, but, as he says, he has not yet made a really serious effort to tackle this one!

 

Oh, and I am aware that at least two or three local cachers have called a local helicopter charter facility (Advanced Helicopter Concepts at the Frederick Airport) to talk about setting up a mission to retrieve the cache. One factor which affected the outcome of at least two of the calls is the fact that if AHC is to use their rather inexpensive ($240 per hour) small and lightweight Robinson 2-seater helicopters, the passenger (i.e., the cacher) must weigh below about 180 to 185 pounds fully clothed, so that the chopper can hover safely to, ahem, do the deed. Obviously, there are larger and far more powerful helicopters available at that facility and at other helicopter facilities located within 50 miles of the cache site, but they usually cost more per hour to rent, and then maneuvering a large craft in that tight space can emerge as a problem. I already know of a goodly number of veteran helicopter pilots who have quickly turned down a request to pilot a mission to find this cache when they saw the setting!

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Oh, and I am aware that at least two or three local cachers have called a local helicopter charter facility...Obviously, there are larger and far more powerful helicopters available at that facility and at other helicopter facilities located within 50 miles of the cache site, but they usually cost more per hour to rent, and then maneuvering a large craft in that tight space can emerge as a problem. I already know of a goodly number of veteran helicopter pilots who have quickly turned down a request to pilot a mission to find this cache when they saw the setting!

 

They must be dealing with the wrong companies.

 

normal_ems-chopper.jpg

 

Here's a veteran pilot from Company B using a Chinook to find the cache.

 

Special Ops...they don't log online.

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Oh, and I am aware that at least two or three local cachers have called a local helicopter charter facility...Obviously, there are larger and far more powerful helicopters available at that facility and at other helicopter facilities located within 50 miles of the cache site, but they usually cost more per hour to rent, and then maneuvering a large craft in that tight space can emerge as a problem. I already know of a goodly number of veteran helicopter pilots who have quickly turned down a request to pilot a mission to find this cache when they saw the setting!

 

They must be dealing with the wrong companies.

 

normal_ems-chopper.jpg

 

Here's a veteran pilot from Company B using a Chinook to find the cache.

 

Special Ops...they don't log online.

That is a great foto! Thanks! :D I do not think that any of our local helicopter charter companies have craft quite that big or powerful, but I bet that if they did, the charter cost would be about $750 or more per hour! Around here, charter of a lightweight 2-seater Robinson craft capable of hovering is about $240 per hour (or less), and larger craft go for hourly rates ranging from $340 to $700 per hour.

 

Thanks again for a fascinating photo! :(:D

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I went up to the Rumsey Monument Park yesterday on the (southern) Shepherdstown, WV side of the river, where, standing at the balustrade at the cliff edge facing the river, you are pretty much in line with the pylons, and about 25 feet higher than their tops. A couple of cachers had reported being able to see the cache container and its shiny steel weights from this vantage point, and I had incorrectly assumed, from my own interpretation of the reports, that I would need binoculars to see the container. This turned out not to be the case, and instead, the bright yellow Otterbox and its shiny weights are very noticeable from any viewing spot along the balustrade and on the monument itself that allows a clear view of the plateau atop the center pylon. Of course, with a pair of good binoculars, you can see even way more detail!

 

I took about forty high-resolution (~2000 pixel x 2000 pixel, or 5 MP; about 1.5 to 2.3 MB filesize each) photos of the container, the plateau atop the pylon, and the pylon itself (including its base) from the Rumsey Monument Park cliffs, and another twenty photos of the pylon and its base from river/ground level to the NW, while standing on the northern river bank on the National Historical Park side of the river. As the day passes, I will be uploading some downsized versions of a few of the fotos to the cache listing page, and will also find some way to offer many of the high-res 5MP/2MB fotos online to members of Team Psycho and others who need to get a real close-up look at the pylon and its base.

 

And, briefly, here are a few more details about the pylon, based upon what I have discovered so far:

  • It seems that the pylon may be somewhat lower in height than the 143 feet which I had cited on the cache listing page, despite the even greater height claims (of heights ranging from 150 to 165 feet) of several pilots and local residents and even some older maps, and at some point, I will likely revise my estimate of the pylon height on the cache listing page.
  • The tree atop the pylon at its NW end is about 11 to 12 feet tall. There is another tree or bush growing out of the faces near the NE corner of the pylon, at a point about 15 feet below the plateau, and some of the branches reach to and above the level of the plateau on the northern face of the pylon.
  • There is enough stone rubble accumulated around the base of the pylon on several sides to allow one or more persons to stand on the surfaces and remain dry when the river is at relatively low water levels (as it is now.)
  • There is an approximately 6 foot by ten foot relatively flat area formed by heaped rubble and stone blocks at the base of the SE face of the pylon, and right now that little "island" is high and dry, about three to four feet above the current water level. This would be a fine staging area (at least at lower river levels, such as current levels.)
  • The shoulder formed by the reduction in the dimensions of the pylon at the halfway mark between ground and the top is relatively flat (not sloping) and on the NW face, the size of the small triangular plateau created by the shoulder appears to be at least three feet deep, giving enough space for climbers to perhaps use it as a rest stop or even allowing climbers to possibly break any aided or lead vertical climb into two pitches.
  • The faces of most of the cut stone blocks forming the pylon have bellies and some crags which should provide at least minimal handholds and footholds for much of the way, and thus, in light of this and of the discovery of the flat triangular resting area at the halfway point, I am revising my estimate of the difficulty of the climb to likely fall in the range of 5.8 to 5.10 on the YDS scale.

I will post a note when the latest fotos are available on the cache listing page!

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Per my mention in my earlier message, above...

 

Seven new photos of the pylon and cache, each of 640 x 480 pixel size, have been uploaded to the cache listing page. All were shot with a high-res 5 MP (2200 pixel x 2200 pixel) camera with telephoto lens from the cliffside balustrade facing the river at Rumsey Monument Park in Shepherdstown, WV; all images shot from S/SW. Most shots are of the top of the pylon and cache container, but other shots show top 60+ feet of pylon, middle of pylon, and base of pylon, including a small island of rock at the base of the SE face of the pylon.

 

Enjoy!

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I bet a crop-duster could swoop down close enough to hook the cache with a short line and hook (might take a few tries).

 

Don't know how it would get put back, though. Probably just hand it to Vinny. :)

You could return it using an electromagnet suspended from a line, by turning off the electromagnet at the critical moment as the cache (suspended below the aircraft) is above the plateau. Of course, we have left unanswered how we are gonna deal with the 50 mph forward velocity, due to momentum, of the cache and its weights! :blink::o

 

Oh, and you may notice on the cache listing page that I anticipated that some would-be "finders" might come up with a way to retriee the cache container and sign the log but then be unable to return the cache to the plateau atop the pylon. Thus, according to the rules for a find on the cache listing page, all find logs and claims, to be valid, must include the safe return of the cache and its attached weights to its spot atop the pylon! :DB)

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Ok Vinny,

 

After watching this video, I think I know how to get on the pylon!

 

Bungee decent.

 

I just need to perfect the jump from a copter!

 

Edit since I spelled your name wrong...doh!

Wild video! Thanks for the link! The link is kinda fitting, since I have been watching episodes of the strange TV series "Carnivale" (where the setting is a traveling circus/carnival) all evening! :blink::o

 

And, no problem about having misspelled my name! :)

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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One more update...

 

I have uploaded another two photos to the cache listing page. One image shows the upper two-thirds of the pylon, including the top and the tree located at the W/NW corner on top, while the other shows the base of the pylon plus the lower two-thirds of the pylon. The tree at the top of the pylon, by the way, is about 11 to 12 feet tall. Both photos were shot from the river at ground level; each was shot from a small island on the river near the river bank to the NW, on the NPS National Historical Park side of the river.

 

All photos were shot as high-resolution 5MP (about 2400 x 2400 pixels) and then reduced to 640 x 480 pixels before uploading. I may be able to make some of the original high-res 5MP photos available online in their full 1.8+ MB high-res filesize if needed by cache seekers.

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Not only am I going to try to log it as a "find", but I am considering bringing a cooler, a small gas grill, as well as a lawn chair, and a tent with some other equipment. :lol:

Please feel free to bring your camping equipment along, but please]/b] do not disturb my Sierra tent or my 55 quart cooler which I have set up near the tree at the W-NW corner of the plateau. Thanks! :blink:

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you could easily launch a rope over the top of that pylon and scale the side... having your belay man on the other side of the pylon... dosen't look too difficlult to me!

Yes, I agree; that is one of my more favorite scenarios. Of course, once you have launched first a lightweight fishing line over the top of the pylon and then used it to pull successively heavier and thicker lines over the top, followed by a length of 11 mmm climbing rope, you do not even need to scale the face of the pylon, as you can simply use ascenders to climb the rope, and then use a figure 8 or other rappel device for a speedy descent.

 

BTW, several cachers -- including some local extreme cachers who are going after it -- swear that they would not need a professional rope launching device to get a line over the top, and that rather, they could get a line over the top with a surf-casting rod and reel! :blink:

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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I bet a crop-duster could swoop down close enough to hook the cache with a short line and hook (might take a few tries).

 

Don't know how it would get put back, though. Probably just hand it to Vinny. :blink:

I can picture Wile trying this. Imagine the plane being six inches too low and hooking the pylon instead. TWANG! SPLOOSH!

Edited by sbell111
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for this cache and this thread!

 

It's kept me in laughing fits all week with some of the ideas and related mental images!

 

I keep thinking of this guy, and how all you need to add is a ski rope to a boat and you can get this cache!

 

lawn-chair-pilot.jpg

 

If I had the money I swear I would try it! (darn good thing that I don't!!)

 

Ed

 

EDIT TO ADD a pertinant quote from the website: " The Federal Aviation Administration was not amused."

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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After ignoring this thread for the longest time, I finally decided this morning to read it. Having now read it in its entirety and the almost equally long cache description, I think the cache can be had in three easy steps:

  • Print out the cache description and this thread.
  • Take the printout to the base of the pylon and stack it in stairstep fashion adjacent to the pylon.
  • Walk to the top of your newly created stairway and step down onto the top of the pylon. Be careful; that last step could be a long one if my calculation is off or if this thread continues much longer!

Seriously, I've already soloed a similar but more accurately rated cache (GCRGKJ) in the Memphis, TN area. Like this one, the container sat in plain sight at the top of a bridge pylon. The 2.5 difficulty rating was earned because it was a 2-stage multi requiring a bit of a hike. This cache offers a water hazard and greater pylon height, but this is still a doable solo, based on all the information the owner has provided. I think it would be challenging and fun, and I would certainly attempt it if I happened to be in the area with the necessary equipment. But I agree with other posters that the description goes way overboard on hype, redundancy, superfluous repetition, and prolixity (I had to look that one up. :blink: )

Edited by worldtraveler
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for this cache and this thread!

 

It's kept me in laughing fits all week with some of the ideas and related mental images!

 

I keep thinking of this guy, and how all you need to add is a ski rope to a boat and you can get this cache!

 

lawn-chair-pilot.jpg

 

If I had the money I swear I would try it! (darn good thing that I don't!!)

 

Ed

EDIT TO ADD a pertinant quote from the website: " The Federal Aviation Administration was not amused."

Ed, you have hit it on the head: that is exactly why I placed the cache -- to have fun and to give people fun!

 

So, let me close this post with these words:

 

Have fun!

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phttbbbttt - all this fancy gear talk and ropes and the such. VST let everyone know how you "really" got up there.

 

magic%20carpet1-web.jpg

 

(actual photo scammed from the web implying this is VST & their caching gear)

Oops! Your image did not come thru! Can you try again?

 

Thanks!

 

Late edit note: and once I hit the SEND button, it did come thru! I guess it just took time loading! Thanks!

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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Ed, you have hit it on the head: that is exactly why I placed the cache -- to have fun and to give people fun!

 

So, let me close this post with these words:

 

Have fun!

 

I for one have had fun following this.

 

In fact, there are a few of us San Diego cachers that are bouncing the idea around about heading out there for a LONG weekend, and seeing how many of the series we can complete! If they are as bad as you say, we may only need 1-way tickets!

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Ed, you have hit it on the head: that is exactly why I placed the cache -- to have fun and to give people fun!

 

So, let me close this post with these words:

 

Have fun!

 

I for one have had fun following this.

 

In fact, there are a few of us San Diego cachers that are bouncing the idea around about heading out there for a LONG weekend, and seeing how many of the series we can complete! If they are as bad as you say, we may only need 1-way tickets!

You and your friends are more than welcome to come out this way to tackle those caches, and, if I know you are coming, I can introduce you to some of the local members of Team Psycho, who have tackled most of these caches already and might be interested in joining in some of the adventures, or at least watching! And, I would love to watch you tackle some of them!

 

It is possible to hit a good many of the Psycho Urban caches in the span of less than one day. The ones which might be exceptions are PUC #8 and #10, since they are 60 miles from here in southern Baltimore, and each of them will take an hour or two apiece, and PUC #9, the radioactive cache, which is a bit crazy but very doable, and, of course, PUC #13, which, well, it falls in a class by itself... BTW, PUC #11 and #12 are river caches, but can be done by wading and/or swimming at those times of year when the water is not too high.

 

Have fun! Be sure to let me know if you come out this way! We can even mention it on the Maryland Geocaching Society (MGS, at www.mdgps.org) forums and see if any Maryland-area cachers (beyond the above-mentioned Team Psycho members) might wish to join you!

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you could easily launch a rope over the top of that pylon and scale the side... having your belay man on the other side of the pylon... dosen't look too difficlult to me!

Yes, I agree; that is one of my more favorite scenarios. Of course, once you have launched first a lightweight fishing line over the top of the pylon and then used it to pull successively heavier and thicker lines over the top, followed by a length of 11 mmm climbing rope, you do not even need to scale the face of the pylon, as you can simply use ascenders to climb the rope, and then use a figure 8 or other rappel device for a speedy descent.

 

 

steel or titanium deep sea fishing line would work fine... :(

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After looking at the pics I'm sure my idea will work. I'm unemployed and free right now and about 8 hours away. I need 3 other people and a boat. Two boats would be better. Any takers?

 

El Diablo

Jerry, I am posting a notice of your offer to the relevant forum thread on the local Maryland Geocaching Society (MGS) forum, and also to my Psycho Cache email list group at Yahoo Groups, since a lot of local extreme cachers belong to that group!

And, if needed, I can loan you a 2-person inflatable kayak plus paddles, 2 PFDs, anchors, and related safety gear.

Please let me know if you do come out here to go after this! It would be fun to meet you, and perhaps to watch the effort from the comfort of the shore! :(

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At this point, it looks like I will be making the postponed (from late last week) maintenance visit to the cache this afternoon at about 4 PM. Once I am sure that the trek is on, the cache listing will be temporarily disabled this afternoon for a couple of hours until I return home from the maintanance visit, but actual period of unavailabilty of cache will likely be less than 20 minutes. While I am at the cache placement site on the plateau, I will try to take some good close-up photos of the cache container and its attached weights (very useful for those planning to approach the container via unorthodox means), and if I do, I will upload a couple of those fotos to the cache listing page.

 

And, an interesting snippet of gossip: I have learned that some local extreme cachers approached several local RC helicopter clubs to ask if anyone would be interested in using their powerful RC helicopters to retrieve (and replace) the cache container, and it seems that all the club members refused because they were afraid of damaging their very fancy $900+ RC helicopters during the effort. :anitongue:

 

I wish the best of fun and luck to everyone who is going after this cache, and also to all who, like myself, are on the sidelines watching! <_<

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Once I am sure that the trek is on, the cache listing will be temporarily disabled this afternoon for a couple of hours until I return home from the maintanance visit, but actual period of unavailabilty of cache will likely be less than 20 minutes.

Out of curiosity, why do you need to temporarily disabling the cache listing? Will the cache be physically removed and returned 20 minutes later, or will you be there with it on top of the pylon during that time?

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Once I am sure that the trek is on, the cache listing will be temporarily disabled this afternoon for a couple of hours until I return home from the maintanance visit, but actual period of unavailabilty of cache will likely be less than 20 minutes.

Out of curiosity, why do you need to temporarily disabling the cache listing? Will the cache be physically removed and returned 20 minutes later, or will you be there with it on top of the pylon during that time?

Yes, I may be removing it and returning it 15 minutes later, although whether I choose to do that will depend upon several variables.

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