Having received word that the first cache we ever tried to find — a 5-stage multi-cache — had had its 3rd stage replace (it disappeared a couple months ago), and with all the kids home from their summer activities, we decided to make another attempt.

(See here, here and here for previous attempts.)

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The 3rd stage is closer to the end of the Greenway away from the parking lot, so we parked in a business at the other end and started down the trail.  We made it back to the place that we knew the previous stage 3 had been.  After some searching, one of my sons went back to stage 2 to ensure that the coordinates were indeed the same.  He had trouble getting the laminated papers out of the bison tube, so he brought it to us to work on.

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While I was in the search area, I picked up a stick to try to get it out, while my younger daughter watched.  I then heard her say, “Hey, we have the coordinates.”  I said, “No, I’m still trying to get them out.”  She replied, “No, here they are!”  She had just turned her head and immediately found the clue, not 6 inches from either of us!  After entering them into our Blackberries, we beat a hasty retreat, as a nearby honey bee had stung my older daughter, twice.

On to stage 4.  By this time, my sister-in-law and her two boys had come by to help us hunt.

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It was getting hot, though, and after about 10 minutes of searching, we were a little frustrated (lots of thorns) and sweaty, so we left, at least knowing we’d made progress.