I hadn't heard from Jack in several years.......till last night. Jack is a non-conformist. Just doesn't get along well in society. He's an extremely smart and creative guy, but he just doesn't like rules. He'd rather do things his way and that always gets him in trouble. Looks like he's really gone off the deep end this time.

Jack called me via Ham Radio last night. Somehow he remembered our old simplex frequency. It has been very quiet lately, but about 9pm last night Jack shows up calling me. His signal was weak and noisy. It was obvious he was not close by. I almost didn't answer. I figured it would cost me a trip out into the night to help get him out of some kind of trouble. After about the 3rd call I couldn't just leave him hanging, so I answered. This was the strangest call I've ever had from him.

Jack told me he was parked at the end of a road by a forest service gate and was going to walk into the woods and live the rest of his days alone. I tried to reason with him, telling him he'd just freeze or starve to death this winter. I offered monetary help, if that was his problem. He wouldn't listen. He said he'd spent all his money on provisions and created survival caches all through the mountains to live on.

His signal was very noisy and he kept dropping out for a syllable or two. He just wanted to say a final Goodbye, and tell me that he'd left some extra stuff hidden. He didn't need it, and wanted me to try and pick it up. He was going to try and give me gps coodinates and clues to find the stash with. The following is a transcript of that part of our conversation. Keep in mind he was noisy, and finally admitted the batteries on his ht were dying.

I found Jack's clues and his stash, but his clues only meant something to me because I know how he thinks. Jack and I both like the high and lonesome places. This one is more lonesome than high, but there is still a good view in the winter. There is also a nice surprise created by water and gravity near the end. I decided his stash would make a good geocache and left it in place. On the way out I reworked his clues into a form that I hope you can use to find the stash. Here's the last part of the conversation:


Jack: "I said I left a ............full of..........and other stuff in the woods for ya.

Me: "Well where is it Jack? I'll need some clues to find it. You frequent so many places in the hills I'd never be able to check them all."

Jack: "Man, I think my batteries...............don't have spares with me. Park at 35 degrees and 49.889 minutes north by 81 ...rees and 51.827 minutes west................ forest.. .........gate. Over."

Me: "I got the coords Jack, but you dropped out after that except for something about a forest service gate. What else did you say. Where do I go after I park?

Jack: "Batt...dying. Look.........left gate post, then ... posts left. Info on brass....at....bottom.

Me: "Jack, I didn't get much of that, but I think I know what you mean. Are you saying there is a clue near to or left of the left gate post??

Jack: "Rog.....two posts.......gate post.....you can find....... luck old man.

And that's the last I heard of him.

To find Jack's stash you'll need info from that conversation plus the following info. Some of the numbers needed below can be found at home using geocaching.com and Easygps's active waypoint feature. Or, you can have all the caches listed in your gps and find the numbers after you reach the parking spot.

(I'd do it at home)

PlainJane brought it to my attention that clicking "all nearby caches" on GCHCY8 at www.geocaching.com will do it too. That is by far the best way. Thanks PlainJane!!

Solve the following (round to nearest whole number):
(The following waypoints are listed at www.geocaching.com)

S = number of miles from parking coordinates to GCDD7C (Hunt For Red October)

T = number of FINDS on GC8CB8 before November 1, 2003 (Upper Creek Cache)