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Started setting up my nightcache during the day. Went back at night and it was scarry


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:D Took a nice hike the other day to layout my nightcache route. I walked the old abandoned railroad tracks and placed my reflector tacks along the way. Last night I went out around 10:00 to check how the first part of the trail looked. I had an LED headlamp, an LED flashlight, a big spot light and an imitation mag light with me. The LED headlamp does a good job lighting up the tacks but it doesn't really provide any real long distance lighting, same with the LED flashlight I had so if you used just those it would be pretty creepy out there in the forrest. The big spot light works great but the battery charge goes quick so you can only use it sparingly (it is old not sure of how a new one would work).

 

I get to the starting area and turn on the headlamp and the LED flashlight and start to follow the tacks. If you have never seen what this looks like at night let me tell you it is pretty cool. Well I start walking deeper and deeper into the woods along the tracks following my tacks and the futher I went the creepier it got. It had just finished raining so the rain drops falling off the trees and the animals rustling about started to play tricks on me. If I heard something rustling I would light it up with the spot light and that worked fine until the spot light died out. After that all I had was the LED lights and they light up the tacks alright but only light up your immediate area. :laughing: I continue on and in the distance I can hear the cyotes howling. Now I consider myself a pretty brave guy and have been in the woods all by myself before at night but there was something about all of this that had me feeling creeped out :D

 

So needless to say I turned around and went home. I would have had no problem doing this alone had my spot light stayed charged but with out the ability to see in the distance or to light up a big area if need be really takes you out of your comfort zone.

 

I may have to up the difficulty rating on this cache. My GPS kept loosing signal due to the dense woods. For me that is OK since I knew the route but for a cache seeker this could become dangerous. The tacks lead you to the cache but not back out. There are several intersecting trails that can get you lost in a hurry if you don't know where you are. The track back feature is a must with this cache unless I place more tacks leading you out (which I might do- not sure)

 

Sorry for such a long post. I just wanted to share my experience.

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Sounds like fun!!! Animal noises always add a nice ambience to creepy places.

 

They sure do. Funny how a squirell can sound huge at night LOL. I know there are deer, cyotes and even bears in those woods nevermind the other animals that I don't even know about out there LOL. I have had a close call with a big buck running full speed past me at night before. Scared the bejezus out of me. LOL

 

While walking back I thought how cool would it be to set up several solar triggered audio devices along the way to play a big foot like noise every few minutes. That would really creep you out.

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"If you've never been on a trail at night, everything takes on a different perspective. To hike at night, is to intentionally allow yourself to slip out of your comfort zone and connect with the forest in a new and interesting way. If you want more natural light during your adventure, then hike during a full moon."

 

 

I hid all of my night caches during the day, except one! When I was placing the container for The legend of Big Ben (Night Cache), something big like a Bobcat or Mtn Lion hissed at me. That was scary.

 

I remember the first time I visited my first two geocaches at night. It was a bit scary, but fun.

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Sounds like fun!!! Animal noises always add a nice ambience to creepy places.

 

BTW, the trail leads to an old abandoned granite quarry. Along the way are some huge slabs of granite and huge piles of granite. There is old building foundations and some old abandoned trucks. These woods at night are SUPER creepy!

 

I have something great planned for the final cache placement. LOL

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I have found 4 night Caches and set up 1. I have done a large percentage of my Caching solo. Day time and night time. Being alone in the woods at night is certainly different than being there in broad daylight. I find the best flashlight has a tighter beam (Spot instead of Flood) to pick out reflectors at a distance. I usually only concentrate on what is directly in front of me, and what is under my feet.

 

The most troublesome critters I have encountered are Lightning Bugs. When they flash at a distance they sure do look like a quick glint off of a reflector. Of course if I was to encounter Kit Fox's big cat, it would immediately move to the top of my list.

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What is the name of the cache? I know it's probably not enabled yet, but for future reference...

 

It is not enabled yet but will be known as "Henry Price's lost treasure". Henry Price has been credited with bringing freemasonry to the US in 1733. He lived in my town in his later years.

 

The cache premise is that while digging in my back yard I found a locked wooden chest. Upon opening the chest I discovered letters written by henry price to the Masonic Lodge of London. In the letter he declares that Masonry in the new world has been established and his mission is comeplete. He details that the templar's secret will go on forever and the treasure has been safely protected. In the box he has left coded instructions as to how to find the treasure should it's location ever be threatend.

 

I will add a twist to this. The story will continue on with me approching a masonic lodge about what I found. The rest I will leave out because I don't want to give the rest away, but I will say you would have fun with this as I have spent about 9 months planning for this cache. I am going to keep as close to historical accuracy as possible and where I can't (afterall he died in the 1780's) I am going to add my own twist from my search for the treasure.

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If you are worried about folks getting lost on the way out you can solve the problem easily. Mark the way IN with one color of fire tacks and mark the way OUT with another color of fire tacks. That way folks can follow them back out without getting lost.

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Chicken and i placed a temporary night cache for the Texas Challenge back in March. I was doing the finishing touches to make sure everything was in order and ended up being out by myself til about 11 pm. Woods don't bother me none but i did get a startle when i heard the loud noise just to the right of me as i was heading back to camp. I immediately turned my LED flashlight towards it and the first thing i saw was lots of eyes.

 

Not sure if this will come out on here or not but here's a pic i snapped of some of them...

 

0499932a-e80c-4b3c-a072-16d402310ccf.jpg

 

Turned out to be a herd of cattle that was just coming up to see if i had anything to eat but i'll admit, they sure caught me by surprise. ;)

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Chicken and i placed a temporary night cache for the Texas Challenge back in March. I was doing the finishing touches to make sure everything was in order and ended up being out by myself til about 11 pm. Woods don't bother me none but i did get a startle when i heard the loud noise just to the right of me as i was heading back to camp. I immediately turned my LED flashlight towards it and the first thing i saw was lots of eyes.

 

Not sure if this will come out on here or not but here's a pic i snapped of some of them...

 

0499932a-e80c-4b3c-a072-16d402310ccf.jpg

 

Turned out to be a herd of cattle that was just coming up to see if i had anything to eat but i'll admit, they sure caught me by surprise. ;)

 

Now that's a cool pic!

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my buddy's and i went a while ago to this national park at night, it was fine at first until it turned into sleepy hollow...i was just waiting to see that one cabin with the smoke out the chimney and a lit candle....bah, it was fun until we ran out of road...there was also a nun that came into my work, and the whole time i was afriad or that nun being behind me just staring...worst fear ever..im not even a catholic.

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There's nothing like the woods at night to give you the decided feeling that ther's someone -- or someTHING -- following you. Certain places can fel like that during the day as well, but at night *all* woods can be creepy.

 

I can understand your feelings. The lamp gave you a sense of control which you lost when it went out. *Very* scary stuff.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

-- Jeannette

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