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Of the ones we've placed, I'd second the vote that Beaver is the coolest. Be sure to paddle down into the lower part of the lake if it is still passable this time of year.

 

Of other ones:

- The cache on Lake Fenwick is cool because the lake is surrounded by such steep sides it feels almost prehistoric (though the cache is currently disabled).

- "The Lodge 3" is good as an excuse to get you out paddling in the Arboretum. You have to deal with the highway, but a little paddling off the beaten path is fun.

 

This is also fortuitous timing...

 

Ms IDFC and myself are heading out after work today to paddle/place a couple caches. Any paddlers up in the Preston/Fall City area looking for FTFs this weekend? :anitongue:

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Another very scenic paddle cache just waiting for an FTF... Alice in Paddle Wonderland...

 

Grabbed. :huh:

 

NICE paddle cache!

Congrats on the FTF! Sounds like a great one. I tried to convince MarcusArelius to go get it (and the other new one) on Sunday, but he said he's "bored with paddle caching." :huh: But it's so fun and relaxing, and TeamIDFC is sure finding some good areas (and haven't even gotten to Prying Pandora and LandRover's contributions yet)! Guess I better build the upper body and learn to load the yak on top of my car. I was definitely spoiled, having a pickup truck available. :)

Edited by hydnsek
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Another very scenic paddle cache just waiting for an FTF... Alice in Paddle Wonderland...

 

Grabbed. :huh:

 

NICE paddle cache!

Congrats on the FTF! Sounds like a great one. I tried to convince MarcusArelius to go get it (and the other new one) on Sunday, but he said he's "bored with paddle caching." :huh: But it's so fun and relaxing, and TeamIDFC is sure finding some good areas (and haven't even gotten to Prying Pandora and LandRover's contributions yet)! Guess I better build the upper body and learn to load the yak on top of my car. I was definitely spoiled, having a pickup truck available. :)

 

If you want a pickup and someone to go with you, I'm willing, as I'd like to do some as well, but don't have access to any sort of boat. The truck's a long bed, too.

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Another very scenic paddle cache just waiting for an FTF... Alice in Paddle Wonderland...

 

Grabbed. :D

 

NICE paddle cache!

Congrats on the FTF! Sounds like a great one. I tried to convince MarcusArelius to go get it (and the other new one) on Sunday, but he said he's "bored with paddle caching." :D But it's so fun and relaxing, and TeamIDFC is sure finding some good areas (and haven't even gotten to Prying Pandora and LandRover's contributions yet)! Guess I better build the upper body and learn to load the yak on top of my car. I was definitely spoiled, having a pickup truck available. :D

 

If you want a pickup and someone to go with you, I'm willing, as I'd like to do some as well, but don't have access to any sort of boat. The truck's a long bed, too.

Thanks for the offer, but you'd need a paddle craft. My kayak only holds one, and that tends to be me. :D

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Another very scenic paddle cache just waiting for an FTF... Alice in Paddle Wonderland...

 

Grabbed. :D

 

NICE paddle cache!

Congrats on the FTF! Sounds like a great one. I tried to convince MarcusArelius to go get it (and the other new one) on Sunday, but he said he's "bored with paddle caching." :D But it's so fun and relaxing, and TeamIDFC is sure finding some good areas (and haven't even gotten to Prying Pandora and LandRover's contributions yet)! Guess I better build the upper body and learn to load the yak on top of my car. I was definitely spoiled, having a pickup truck available. :D

 

If you want a pickup and someone to go with you, I'm willing, as I'd like to do some as well, but don't have access to any sort of boat. The truck's a long bed, too.

Thanks for the offer, but you'd need a paddle craft. My kayak only holds one, and that tends to be me. :D

How about water wings and a tow rope??

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If you want a pickup and someone to go with you, I'm willing, as I'd like to do some as well, but don't have access to any sort of boat. The truck's a long bed, too.

 

 

I've got an extra raft. There's still 2 local paddles I haven't done.

 

Which ones? I'm not sure when it will work for me, as I've been helping GrnXnham clean out the Issaquah Alps, and I think Taylor is next on the docket for this weekend.

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Spring Lake and Shadow Lake, if Shadow Lake is still there. I might try for Spring tonight.

 

I don't think I can join you right now. There are several others nearby, particularly Lake Sawyer, Lake Morton, and Lake Fenwick, though. Edit: I see Lake Fenwick is currently disabled, due to a nearby birds nest.

Edited by Dwoodford
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Spring Lake and Shadow Lake, if Shadow Lake is still there. I might try for Spring tonight.

 

I don't think I can join you right now. There are several others nearby, particularly Lake Sawyer, Lake Morton, and Lake Fenwick, though. Edit: I see Lake Fenwick is currently disabled, due to a nearby birds nest.

I just enabled Lake Fenwick.

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MsIDFC and I paddled from Redmond to Kenmore (one-way) yesterday. With time to place a few caches along the way it took us about 5 hours, so I think non-placers could do it in about 4 hours. Lovely paddle, lots of wildlife in the begining (Redmond to Woodinville), then some interesting houses/etc towards the end (Bothell to Kenmore). Recommended for a longer paddle adventure that is still flat water and protected.

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I'd like to poll the paddle cachers on about paddle cache placement.

 

Paddle caches (as anyone that has sought one will attest to) are a special beast. You are typically in a kayak/canoe/raft and have limited mobility. Many of the locations to place a paddle cache where land-based cachers can't access have limited spaces for placement. That leaves me with the following questions/options:

 

1) Obvious location vs potential DNF. The "Bellevue Has a Slough" and Shadow Lake caches have the problem that there aren't reasonably evident locations to hide a cache without it being a hunt in the foliage from a boat. Would it be better to have the cache be "obvious" to a cacher? Colored, hanging in semi-plain sight?

 

2) Water accessible vs landing required. Generally TeamIDFC has tried to make our caches accessible from the water, but variable lake heights, long/short arms, etc make that tricky. We found "Aauuggghhh..." yesterday and the necessity of landing makes sense for that location. Landing does involve some skills and a decent likelihood of getting feet wet/muddy, so do people prefer one or the other?

 

3) Micro vs no cache. This is the one that is bugging me. Several of the lakes we've placed on (Margaret and Pine being the most obvious examples) don't have places for even a small sized cache given the limited amount of public shorelines. That left us with micros (albeit fairly obvious ones). Particularly in Pine Lake I was torn about placing the cache at all. The paddle is nice, but the cache unrewarding.

 

4) Is it about the paddle or the cache? I suppose after all that, this is the real question, isn't it? Is having a paddle cache - however moderate in intrinsic value of the cache - and its good excuse to get out enough?

 

Maybe I'm afraid of getting labeled "paddle trash" placers… :unsure:

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I'd like to poll the paddle cachers on about paddle cache placement.

 

Paddle caches (as anyone that has sought one will attest to) are a special beast. You are typically in a kayak/canoe/raft and have limited mobility. Many of the locations to place a paddle cache where land-based cachers can't access have limited spaces for placement. That leaves me with the following questions/options:

 

1) Obvious location vs potential DNF. The "Bellevue Has a Slough" and Shadow Lake caches have the problem that there aren't reasonably evident locations to hide a cache without it being a hunt in the foliage from a boat. Would it be better to have the cache be "obvious" to a cacher? Colored, hanging in semi-plain sight?

 

2) Water accessible vs landing required. Generally TeamIDFC has tried to make our caches accessible from the water, but variable lake heights, long/short arms, etc make that tricky. We found "Aauuggghhh..." yesterday and the necessity of landing makes sense for that location. Landing does involve some skills and a decent likelihood of getting feet wet/muddy, so do people prefer one or the other?

 

3) Micro vs no cache. This is the one that is bugging me. Several of the lakes we've placed on (Margaret and Pine being the most obvious examples) don't have places for even a small sized cache given the limited amount of public shorelines. That left us with micros (albeit fairly obvious ones). Particularly in Pine Lake I was torn about placing the cache at all. The paddle is nice, but the cache unrewarding.

 

4) Is it about the paddle or the cache? I suppose after all that, this is the real question, isn't it? Is having a paddle cache - however moderate in intrinsic value of the cache - and its good excuse to get out enough?

 

Maybe I'm afraid of getting labeled "paddle trash" placers… :unsure:

 

ok I will give this a go.

 

1) Obvious, It is hard enough to get acces to a boat for some of us, much less multiple times for the same cache. One of the Bellevue Slough caches was a hunt thru the folliage and has given many people a hard time.

 

2)I personally don't care either way, but I know at least one cacher that has a bum shoulder that may not appreciate having to get in and out under less then optimum conditions.

 

3)I would always appreciate a larger cache, If course I dont have a canoe or yak so that is part of making it worthwhile to me. Micros are fine if the location is good.

 

4) To me its about the cache not the paddle, that is because of my responce to 3. I don't have a way to get there so for me if I go thru the effort of getting out there it is for the cache.

 

Just my thoughts

 

hmmmm "paddle trash" that has a nice ring to it.

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I'd like to poll the paddle cachers on about paddle cache placement.

 

Paddle caches (as anyone that has sought one will attest to) are a special beast. You are typically in a kayak/canoe/raft and have limited mobility. Many of the locations to place a paddle cache where land-based cachers can't access have limited spaces for placement. That leaves me with the following questions/options:

 

1) Obvious location vs potential DNF. The "Bellevue Has a Slough" and Shadow Lake caches have the problem that there aren't reasonably evident locations to hide a cache without it being a hunt in the foliage from a boat. Would it be better to have the cache be "obvious" to a cacher? Colored, hanging in semi-plain sight?

 

2) Water accessible vs landing required. Generally TeamIDFC has tried to make our caches accessible from the water, but variable lake heights, long/short arms, etc make that tricky. We found "Aauuggghhh..." yesterday and the necessity of landing makes sense for that location. Landing does involve some skills and a decent likelihood of getting feet wet/muddy, so do people prefer one or the other?

 

3) Micro vs no cache. This is the one that is bugging me. Several of the lakes we've placed on (Margaret and Pine being the most obvious examples) don't have places for even a small sized cache given the limited amount of public shorelines. That left us with micros (albeit fairly obvious ones). Particularly in Pine Lake I was torn about placing the cache at all. The paddle is nice, but the cache unrewarding.

 

4) Is it about the paddle or the cache? I suppose after all that, this is the real question, isn't it? Is having a paddle cache - however moderate in intrinsic value of the cache - and its good excuse to get out enough?

 

Maybe I'm afraid of getting labeled "paddle trash" placers… :unsure:

1) Your purpose in placing a paddle cache is to get people to enjoy a paddle on the water and find a cache, right? So no need to make things harder than they have to be. I'd say make it as obvious as you can to a cacher, keeping mind that muggles float too and the need to protect it from them.

 

2) Either way, as long as it can be retrieved. A water accessible cache isn't really accessible if you can't reach it from your craft. Getting feet wet and muddy is no big deal - they get wet and muddy getting into a kayak in the first place. I dread having to land in a place where you can't beach your craft. Trying to stand up in a kayak with nothing to stabilize it virtually guarantees a dunking for most people. Much easier to get your feet under yourself if you're in a canoe because you sit up higher in them.

 

3) As large as possible. Sometimes a micro is the only thing you can hope to hide and on the water I'd rather have a micro than no cache. That preference does not apply to lame NRV locations on dry land! But on water or land, I am usually disappointed with micros in a place that will support a larger container.

 

4) Let there be cache... the cache is the motivation for most folks, especially if they're renting or borrowing watercraft to find a paddle cache. I love paddling and will be out on the water regardless, but if a lake 20 miles away doesn't have a cache in it, I'm sticking to lakes closer to home. Unless the far away location is extraordinary, in which case I'd go there and place one myself!

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1) Only as difficult to find as necessary to keep it from muggles. Going to the water and doing the paddling is the challenge. The hunt need not be difficult.

 

2) Depends on the surroundings. I don't mind landing if there's a reasonable place to land and search. E.G. - Keechelus Crossing II is a better cache for having to land. Lake Alice is great to do from the boat.

 

3) I'd still make the trip for a virtual but a micro or small container is better.

 

4) For me it's about the paddle. I recently logged a DNF at one of your paddle caches. But I still had a great time being out on the water and I knew I had been to the cache location even if I didn't bag it. That was a much more satisfying trip than finding a tough micro in the woods (I hate those).

 

 

Maybe I'm afraid of getting labeled "paddle trash" placers…

 

No worries, mate. We appreciate any cache you give. :lol:

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My turn:

 

1) Obvious location vs potential DNF.

 

I'll go with "semi-obvious." ;) I don't need it brightly colored and hanging in plain sight. A little paddle searching can be fun, and definitely don't want fisher/boater/swimmer muggles to discover it. But I don't want to root through several equally possible thickets, as is kinda the case with Bellevue Slough #2. So, a single obvious destination is great (like a stump or distinct tree/bush/piling). Several of yours are like this (Beaver Lake, Lake Margaret, e.g.), and I also liked LandRover's Hidden Lagoon. A good clue is helpful too. As with a long hike, I hate to expend the energy hauling the kayaks and paddling out, only to leave empty-handed. Photo spoilers are only helpful if I notice and print them in advance.

 

2) Water accessible vs landing required.

 

No strong preference, but agree with Prying Pandora that landing needs to be feasible without a dunking. I disembarked for Yogi's Island, Auggh, and (unnecessarily) for Hidden Lagoon, and none of those were an issue. I do wear water shoes, so a bit of wet feet isn't an issue for me.

 

3) Micro vs no cache.

 

I agree with others that a larger cache is preferable (at least big enough to hold coins), but I enjoy paddle caching, so I would go for a micro vs. nothing. I liked Pine Lake and Lake Margaret just fine. My minor nit is more about micro lakes - the kayak wrangling shouldn't take longer than the paddle caching.

 

4) Is it about the paddle or the cache?

 

I'd say both. But if it were just about the cache, I can find plenty of those on dry land. I spent $400+ on kayak gear this spring so I could enjoy our many waterways, and the caches just help me decide which ones to explore. When I paddle cache with MarcusArelius or Cache Ahead, we rarely dash out to the cache and back. We paddle around the lake, looking at the homes and water toys, take pictures of water lilies and Mt Rainier (featured in many lake views), and sometimes just float out in the middle of the lake, enjoying the day. Very relaxing, even on the two we've DNF'd so far. :D

 

Maybe I'm afraid of getting labeled "paddle trash" placers…

 

No chance of that - y'all are doing some great ones! :D

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Fall is here and this is one of TeamIDFC's favorite times of the year to paddle. Calm lakes, gorgeous changing colors, and lots of wildlife. In honor of this time of the year, we went out last night and re-activated a couple of our paddle caches that had been disabled:

GC1B5T4: Spring Lake Has a Paddle Cache? (Was still there)

GC1B5T3: Shadow Lake Has a Paddle Cache? (Was muggled)

 

... as well as placing a new cache just a couple miles from those two caches:

GC1HF9Z: Is Shady a Lake?

 

All three of those caches are within about 3 miles of each other and we paddled all of them in about 2 hours last night (including placement).

 

For those looking for a longer path, we've also placed

GC1GNVF: 163 Houses

 

... which particularly benefits from the fall and the reduction in power boaters on Lake Sammamish.

 

Paddle on!

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... as well as placing a new cache just a couple miles from those two caches:

GC1HF9Z: Is Shady a Lake?

GC1HF9Z: Is Shady a Lake?:

Note: You can not get to this cache from dry land!

I can't get there from here??? :) Seriously, I'm thinking of bringing my kayak north from Portland this winter. First I want to see the Eagles on the Skagit. Then catch a cache or two. Are there any must see paddle caches near the I5 corridor?

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I've gotten a couple asks about the likelihood of our paddle caches surviving STORM 2009 so I went through and did a quick assessment of their chances. The "Probably Gone" ones will be disabled today, the others will have notes with warnings if folks still want to paddle and check them out.

 

Somehow I think we are going to revisit our paddle cache placement theories after this. People are going to be climbing a lot more into trees in the future… :blink:

 

Definitely Fine:

163 Houses: It is submerged, and just floats with the adjusting lake levels

 

Probably Ok:

Is Shady a Lake? It is sitting up pretty high in the tree stump - 4 feet or so. If it gets flooded the city is underwater...

Bonus Desire? Besides being easy to find with the increased water levels, the reach is also easier (I could barely get up there in the summer)

Way better than an NRV paddle cache: While it is on the highly flooded Snoqualmie, it is a good 20 feet up off the waterline hanging in a tree.

Bellevue has a slough? Part III: It is magnetic, so it is probably still there, maybe a bit wet.

SR: R2K #3: Bows: Assuming it was put back correctly it is there, though underwater.

 

Could go either way:

Alice in Paddle Wonderland: Is sitting in/on a huge log that might float up with the increased lake level, or might be stuck and the cache could be underwater.

Beware the sunken forest! It is tired to the stump with a fishing line (as it disappeared once before). Decent chance it is underwater/floating now, but it should stay attached at least.

Bellevue has a Phantom paddle cache? The small lock-n-lock is supposed to be wedged up a couple feet in a tree, but it has been found on the ground a couple times. If it stayed in the trees, we're ok. If it dropped, it's gone. I suspect the latter.

Bellevue has a slough? It is reasonably up in the trees, so it is probably ok...

Pine Lake has a paddle cache? Similar to Alice: if the log floats up and doesn't roll over, it is fine...

Bellevue's slough to lake multi paddle: Hmm, the first stage is likely still there (though submerged). The second stage is like Alice/Pine.

Lake Margaret has a paddle cache? The micro is definitely underwater. If it was wedged in well it is still there, if not...

Beaver Lake has a paddle cache? Lock-n-lock sitting atop the fallen logs. Might be ok, might have floated off

 

Probably gone:

Lake Desire has a paddle cache?

Shadow Lake has a paddle cache?

Spring Lake has a paddle cache?

- All three were only about 2 feet off waterline this summer - likely floated away.

 

SR: R2K #4: Photos: I've little doubt the film canister washed away...

 

Damm, we placed a lot of paddle caches this year... :)

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Alice in Paddle Wonderland: Is sitting in/on a huge log that might float up with the increased lake level, or might be stuck and the cache could be underwater.

Bellevue has a Phantom paddle cache? The small lock-n-lock is supposed to be wedged up a couple feet in a tree, but it has been found on the ground a couple times. If it stayed in the trees, we're ok. If it dropped, it's gone. I suspect the latter.

Beaver Lake has a paddle cache? Lock-n-lock sitting atop the fallen logs. Might be ok, might have floated off

We've done some paddling in the last few days and can attest that Alice and Phantom were both gone, but are now replaced and back in action. Beaver is still there and in great shape.

 

As for those thinking it is too cold to paddle, I offer you this icy reminder of why we live in the Northwest... :D

d6e46c06-fa14-44ba-b50a-30b5a2cc586d.jpg

That's MsIDFC playing ice breaker through about a 1/4 inch of ice in one small part of Lake Alice. Too much fun...

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In Round #1 we verified/replaced these three:

Alice in Paddle Wonderland: Is sitting in/on a huge log that might float up with the increased lake level, or might be stuck and the cache could be underwater.

Bellevue has a Phantom paddle cache? The small lock-n-lock is supposed to be wedged up a couple feet in a tree, but it has been found on the ground a couple times. If it stayed in the trees, we're ok. If it dropped, it's gone. I suspect the latter.

Beaver Lake has a paddle cache? Lock-n-lock sitting atop the fallen logs. Might be ok, might have floated off

... and since then these have been verified and/or replaced:

Is Shady a Lake? It is sitting up pretty high in the tree stump - 4 feet or so. If it gets flooded the city is underwater...

Bonus Desire? Besides being easy to find with the increased water levels, the reach is also easier (I could barely get up there in the summer)

Bellevue has a slough? Part III: It is magnetic, so it is probably still there, maybe a bit wet.

Lake Desire has a paddle cache?

Spring Lake has a paddle cache?

Shady, Desire, and Bonus Desire are there and intact. Spring was there, but had floated a few feet. Slough III was found last week.

 

These three don’t warrant specific verification:

SR: R2K #3: Bows: Assuming it was put back correctly it is there, though underwater.

Way better than an NRV paddle cache: While it is on the highly flooded Snoqualmie, it is a good 20 feet up off the waterline hanging in a tree.

Beware the sunken forest! It is tired to the stump with a fishing line (as it disappeared once before). Decent chance it is underwater/floating now, but it should stay attached at least.

Bellevue has a slough? It is reasonably up in the trees, so it is probably ok...

... and I've archived this one:

SR: R2K #4: Photos: I've little doubt the film canister washed away...

 

That really leaves checking the remaining Slough caches, Shadow, Margaret, and Pine (when the ramp is back).

 

And, for those that have found all these caches, we did a little paddle placement yesterday. Is it a plane or a paddle? is a quick little paddle with some interesting surroundings...

 

Paddle on...

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For anyone looking to get into paddling, I've noticed a few interesting entry-level kayaks floating around lately:

 

I saw an Equinox EQ124 at Costco the other day. A 10' 4" rotomolded kayak w/paddle and roof-top carrier for 329. That's quite a deal as you get the paddle (which is almost always seperate). No idea how good/bad it is, but for an entry-level you really can't beat the entry-level package price.

 

Also, Joe's is going out of business and they have stocked a lot of kayaks in the past. Not sure what the current inventory is, but as their prices get to the 30%+ discount level it could be a good opportunity.

 

Paddle on!

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Hey, where are all the paddlers?

 

We placed Rattle Paddle over a week and a half ago and it still doesn't have an FTF...

 

I thought it was sunny here all weekend?

I see it got a FTF on Thursday. Cache Ahead and I are breaking out the kayaks tomorrow (Saturday), so we will probably hit some of your caches. Lookin' forward to it! :blink:

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Well, I took off early today and spent some time at the REI Kayak Forum. I even spent an hour with the Wilderness rep.

For someone my size 6'2", we came up with the Pungo 120 with Dashboard. We laughed over the ideal of the built in cooler for the Cold Beer and can be setup for fishing with so many high lakes around here which require 4x4 access. :D

Too bad the Coupon takes away the Dividend and it's only good for 2 weeks.

Overall it was a great time spent and now time to save the pennies.

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I hope the owner of the other bookmark list for paddle caches does not take offense, but I've created a new one.

The reason for this is that there have been many new paddle caches since that list was created, and also many of the caches on that list have been archived now. It became a bit tedious searching through all the archived caches for the good ones.

 

Also my list says where the cache is.

To find a cache I wanted to visit on the other list I had to open every cache (almost) to see where it was located. I've included the body of water the cache is in, and also the general location of that body of water, such as "A Ride On the Lake" says, "Lake Dollof, Federal Way". So you don't have to open each cache page up and then look at the map just to see if it's near you.

 

It's a work in progress, so feel free to send me other water caches to include on it.

I've been trying to keep up on it though, deleting archived caches and adding new ones.

 

Hope this is useful to someone.

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