Polly Takes the Plunge

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  3 people or teams spying on this cache!  

Hidden On: 25 Jan 2002
Waypoint (Landmark): N022B1
Open Cache:  Non-commercial use only
Cache type:  Multi-Part
Cache size:   Normal

Difficulty:  (hard)
Terrain:  (hard)

Misc:

Comments:

Clues:    decode

• Clue 1 
  oruvaq n fghzc< haqre n ebpx< gra srrg sebz gur genvy

• Clue 2 
  vg fvgf jurer gur cnffntr fcyvgf

• Clue 3 
  urnq bs gur orq

We hiked up to White Rocks with a ten other friends today. We took the info for the cache and introduced our muggle friends to geocaching. They were quite impressed. Our friend Bill found the first stage and we entered the coordinates to the second stage. We found the second stage and attempted to find the next set of coordinates. Only Mike, myself and one other friend attempted the second cache. It was a very cool stage, but we never did find the coordinates to the final stage. Let me tell you that we all tried our best and we did use our flashlights. We went to the very end, but no luck. Anyway...we had an idea of where the last stage was located (we didn't look at the cheat) so we headed to the final stage. Found that after some quick seaching by the group.

What a great cache! This was our first trip up to White Rocks even though we've heard about it for years and it was amazing. I'm sure this will be a place we go back to time and time again. The hike was not too bad and we had a nice lunch atop the rocks. We're looking forward to doing some other caches in the area but didn't have the time today.

I think we may have hooked some muggles into geocaching!!

  Our group photo
  perky2000 at the top

Found this back in 2004...one of my favorites...great adventure eventhough the story behind it was quite sad. dudelbug, my daughter loved this one as well. Looking forward to another...geckogrl

My husband has been itching to do this cache for forever. We took the GeoTracker and good thing too. We were able to drive almost the whole way, but decided we wanted to stretch our legs a bit and walked about .40 mile. What a nice hike. Have never been to this area. We found the first stage without too much difficulty. Proceeded to the second stage and searched for quite a while. Really enjoyed the rock formations. Finally it was on to the last stage and we made the find. What a need cache with all the stages and such. Thanks for bringing us to these neat places.

Day one of our 'Tour de Cong', 2nd cache in the Fairchance three series....After 'Scattered Remains' we were off to find Polly. The hike was beautiful, but the hurtin's were starting to creep in as we figured they would. No matter; it was a fine fall day in the woods. The best part was seeing some more grouse; this time I saw a male in full display with ruff out and tail fanned out wide. Another was nearby drumming. Really cool!! Never saw that before! (I think maybe they were 1st yr. birds in their 'fall crazies' phase.) Found the first stage & enjoyed the story. Then I looked up & suddenly saw the White Rocks...Awesome! We proceeded over to the rocks, ready for the challenge of finding the 2nd stage. It was a blast climbing & squeezing around back in there. Although, poor Kos (the dog) was really getting fed up. Blazin'R had to boost his butt up a boulder at one point. As we paused to enter the 2nd stage area, he tried to bury his leash in disgust. We thought we were at the correct spot for the 2nd stage & gave it a valiant effort, but couldn't find the numbers...It was still a fun & exciting exploration. So, we hate to admit it but we eventually returned for the cheat sheet...Jotted down the numbers & then it was off again to 'Cache 22'. At the end of the day, when we went to the 3rd stage, we agreed that this was an outstanding multi - really good job! The 3rd stage area was cool and rather forlorn. Thanks for another great cache!
[Modified 2007-10-15 08:20:32]

[Modified 2007-10-15 13:51:01]

This cache has been on my list forever! Since we were kidless today, the wife and I thought we would try this one. I had been to White Rocks when I was in school, but we didn't come in this way. Toady, we drove up the jeep trail as far as I dared, which was only about 300 feet! We then parked and decided a hike would be better! Didn't have much trouble finding the right trails to stage one, and I think this impressed my wife. I tired convincing her that I was an old Indian guide! Any way, we signed the log, saw where we needed to go, and off to stage 2. On this stage I was not so impressive! I missed the very obvious trail nearby, and ended hitting an old deer trail to get close. We then headed for the view! After enjoying the view, we found our way to stage 2. I had never known this was here. The wife went part way, but I had to score the find on my own. She said the light was too small, but I think she was just a little freaked out! Any way, I liked stage 2 great touch! We then headed to the final. Great story, and great hunt. We loved this one. It just may be my favorite yet. Thanks again Quest Master. It is memorable hides like this, which inspire those of us just learning, to hide quality caches! Although, we do have a hard time finding place you haven’t been to yet!

#2 of 9 in the QuestMaster Cache Marathon today. What a hike up to White Rock! Without knowing whether the cache was at top or the bottom, I happened to select the opposite! But at least I selected the right trails to get there without getting lost! Great view from the top! Found the cache without too much trouble. The 2nd stage virtual was a tight squeeze, but reminded me of my college days with the Outdoors Club at the Univ of Pitt. I'll soon email QuestMaster with the password for the 3rd stage virtual. TFTC!

Updating my account.
After having read about this cache for several years, I was psyched up to find out what the buzz was about as we headed out from our Ohiopyle campsite in the morning. This was probably the prime target of our western PA excursion and since it was rated a 4/4 we knew we were in for an adventure. We were right. After arriving at the parking coordinates and having an “are you sure this is right?” moment, we stopped a passing local and were assured the access was legal. Yippee! Off we went. I know we didn’t pick the most direct route to the first part of the cache, but we got there after some fits and starts (and greenbriars and water- note the ripped up physical extremities). After doing a different cache in the area, the correct route to “Polly” became more obvious – good old “20/20 hindsight”! Then, after hiking up the mountain for a while, I came to the brilliant realization that I had not filled my H2O bladder and I had two caches to complete! This is where a good friend like Vertumnis and a spare bottle of water comes in. He got my through my fit of stupidity! Well, we signed the log at Part 1 and entered the coordinates for Part 2. Oh, a piece of cake, very nearby - RIGHT, guess again, pilgrim. So as to not spoil the surprise for others, let’s just say the search for Part 2 has become a piece of the Klatch/Vertumnis caching lore. After finally getting to the proper spot, we searched and searched for the second part, I was starting to feel that sinking feeling that this wasn’t going to work out for us – (checking the clue would have helped here). Then, bingo!, the precious Part 2 was in my hands and numbers were going into the two GPSr’s. The final was located, the requirement was fulfilled and we had completed one of the best caches of all times! Thanks for a great adventure, Quest Master. I am sure we will return to the Cong next year to experience more of this spectacular area. I took and left nothing, signed the log and sent the owner and email with part of the requirement.

Found this one today while caching with JimBat. We did the "Fairchance Three" today. Found Cache Twenty-Two, Scattered Remains, and finished up with this one.
This was a awesome cache!
One of the best I've been to so far!
I liked the way it was set up.
Loved the story.
Very interesting.

I took a nice geocaching pin from stage one and left a bright green mini Sharpie and little green alien guy about the same color as the Sharpie!

I suggest that you don't use the "cheat" envelopes in stage one, because stage two is definitely worth seeing!
That was my favorite part!

Thanks, QM, for a great cache!

Found this one previously but only logged it on that other web site. Logging it as found here to get my account on this site up to date.

I: 11:52AM, II: 12:20PM, III: 1:57PM. Again, we were out with goldensnitch82 today. We did this one right after Cache Twenty-Two, seeing that PTtP was only .4 miles away from us after conquering C22. We bushwhacked our way over to some trails we thought were headed the right way and made our way to PTtP Part One. We were walking single file, Dean and I in front, KJ and Ryan following, when all of a sudden Dean says, "WHOA, Rattler! Stop the kids!" Holy Mackeral (I think I said something else), he wasn't kidding. 3' in front of him was a 4' rattlesnake, stretched out basking in a spot of sun on the trail, facing in the same direction we were headed. It soon noticed us, turned its head around, looked at us (we were paralysed, by the way), coiled up to strike and started rattling that tail of his. I nearly peed in my pants! I did manage a photo, at the same time I was trying to keep KJ and Ryan away from it. Their curiosity would have gotten the better of them if we weren't there. KJ quoted Steve Irwin, Jeff Corwin, etc., in educating us about rattlers. We carefully went around this guy and carried on (a little more paranoid, however). We found the cache (gave the all clear for no snakes first, let the kids find it) and made our trades. KJ took a flashlight. I grabbed a geocaching pin, and a flag pin for my daughter back at home. L: Play Doh and some army guys. Off we went to complete the cache. We all LOVED Part 2! We did NOT decipher any clues or use the cheat sheet. TFTC Johnny, great story and cache sequence! Will email you the password... BTW, I bought 2 snake bite kits tonight at Wally World - one for me and one for Dean...

6th of 6 Quest Master cache adventures in the Fayette-Cong for me today and #250 overall. The rest of the Nellsnake team was out of town for the weekend, so I decided to do my own version of Power Trails caching, Geo-Moron style. After finding Scattered Remains, I took the long walk up the hill and was able to find the 1st stage fairly quickly after my GPSr settled. I then checked out the historic area from above and below and did some spelunking in the process but was unable to find the second stage. I decided to take a break for a little while and went over to find Cache 22. On the way back, I decrypted the clue, which seemed to indicate I was searching in the correct area (unless, of course, I was in the wrong cave). I went back over and looked again more carefully in an area that matched the hint, but still came up empty. I then took a different route back down to the car, which brought me by a very inviting sofa in the middle of the woods, which was calling my name (see photos). After a brief rest for my weary legs, I then went on to the final stage and found that to be quite entertaining. Thanks so much for all of your great caches today, QM!

(backdating an old find)

Hi from Michigan!
This became part of my second annual SWPA cache hunt. I headed out Saturday morning with my sister-in-law and her husband (my wife is pregnant and my daughter is barely three, so they sat it out). We made a wrong turn on the drive in but ultimately had no trouble finding the Hi-To Club (what is this place anyway?) We initially intended to do Scattered Remains and were following the waypoints to that cache. But after stopping at one of the points for a rest, we decided to continue upward toward Polly instead.

The trail just kept going up, getting steeper as it went. Several times we were torn between the sunlit, grassy, downward trail and the cruel, loose, rocky upward trail. We took rocky every time, which served us well most of the way, but ultimately we did have to backtrack a bit to a downward trail. This brought us within a few hundred feet of the cache, but much too high to reach it. It was a gorgeous spot, somewhere above the second stage. We could see for miles to the west, and presumably could have seen our aunt-and-uncle’s place if we had known exactly where to look. We found a way to the bottom of the rock and were able to find the cache area soon after.

We were right on top of the cache when we first got there but looked on the wrong side of the trail. After that, our signal put us further and further away. After 20 minutes or so, I ate a Snickers powerbar and immediately found it. I don’t know how we had missed it. The box was covered in little ants, but they gave us no trouble. I took a little pocket knife and left a Michigan Geocaching Organization trillium patch, one of my signature woodburned pins, and a travel bug that’s headed to central PA (Weedsville, I think?) This is the second year in a row I’ve left a furry animal in a Quest Master cache.

We fully intended to search for part two, but just in case we had trouble, we did read the cheat (we didn’t realize how close part two was and that coming back wouldn’t have been a big deal). Then we headed over to look for it. We came to what appeared to be a candidate, but as another finder posted previously, you’re not in the right spot unless you REALLY need a flashlight. We searched around a little more until Dave found what we needed. This seemed more like it. Very very cool! Incredibly, we found what we were looking for within about five minutes – part one took us far longer! So we didn’t need the cheat after all. We decided to see what would happen if we turned off our light. What happened a moment of awe, then a moment of terror as I heard a high pitched squeaking high above us. We bolted and began the return trip to part three.

We took a different route from part one than the one we took on the way up. This route seemed much more direct. We were contemplating still going after Scattered Remains, but then, on a steep and loose downhill, Dave slipped and twisted his ankle – or as his wife Tracy put it, Dave Takes The Dive. We taped him up, and he managed to make it the last half mile to the car with the aid of my El Diablo hiking stick. He seemed pretty well by the end of the weekend, but he sat out our Sunday return for Scattered Remains.

The final stage was very powerful. Imagine finding that without knowing the story! I wonder who’s been keeping it up? Later, at the uncle’s place, I took the bearing to see if the rocks were visible from there, four miles away. There’s definitely something visible at about the correct bearing, but it’s hard to say whether it was the spot.

This cache was all I had built it up to be. Thanks for yet another great cache, QM!

(ETA: I'm sorry QM had to part ways with gc.com. But I favor a multiple-listing-site system, so in a way, I'm glad to see high-quality exclusive content here. Thanks, QM, for keeping your caches listed here).
[Modified 2007-09-06 20:54:48]

After running into the VaxCave brothers at Scattered Remains (GC331A) I accepted their offer of a jeep ride with Marshall to this one. I can't help feeling that I was cheating a little but honestly I was on a bit of a schedule as I wanted to get the Fairchance Three before I had to go home in time to attend my daughter's band competition performance.

On the minus side, I was actually more distracted by their presence than helped. For stage two, I was being somewhat guided but couldn't get good signal on my GPSr so I sort of broke away and stepped back to search the way that I search best. I got a signal that said '150 ft that way.' Of course, it was through solid rock and I couldn't go 'that way' but I knew where I wanted to be and was able to go around.

After the find and a winch demonstration, it was on to Cache-22 (GCE4BF). Darn, I should have taken pictures of White Rock.

Yet another Quest of a Cache by the Master. This being our ninth of his fifteen. We hope to get them all in by summer. We came upon some youngsters on quads at the White Rocks. We mentioned Polly and they told us their version. Once they read the history according to Questmaster they were amazed at all the facts they were missing. We left them with a print out for another nearby Cache in hopes that they learn even more from this great sport like we have. Good & Safe Caching for all who follow.

[Modified 2009-01-09 20:55:18]