already have an account all set up. I want to find the one I showed you yesterday titled ‘Under the Bridge.’” She opened her laptop and waited for it to boot up. “Bring your iPhone over here so we can program the coordinates.”
Justin placed his iPhone on the desk, slipped on his tennis shoes that were sitting next to the sofa, and grabbed his sunglasses. “Do I need one of those safari hats too?”
“Nope, none necessary.” Nikki copied the GPS coordinates of the cache into the iPhone from the geocaching site. The site was west of Hursey Park. “I think this one is along the trails behind the doctors’ offices. Listen to what it says about the site:
“‘In 1924 developers of the west side of Hursey Lake considered using this site as the location of the new sugar mill. The nearby creek and abundant trees made the area very inviting. Unfortunately, construction crews began to complain about the terrible smell and eerie noises coming from the wooded area adjacent to the bridge. Several residents reported seeing a large apelike creature moving through the woods in the early morning hours. Construction crews aborted the project in 1926 when one worker—Richard Tracker—had a face-to-face encounter with something he described as a large manlike ape that had stepped out from under the bridge. It howled and made a sound Tracker said he didn’t want to hear twice in his lifetime.
“‘The cache is hidden near a tree alongside the bridge. A longtime resident of the area claimed the tree was sacred to Indians that lived there in the nineteenth century. The tree was called “Walking Bearman.” The area has never been developed due to the persistent sightings of this apelike creature stalking the bridge until the late 1970s.
“‘Move fast and don’t linger too long. Hikers have reported mysterious shadows moving in the woods in the late-night hours, and unusual noises on moonlight nights. Dogs may be spooked in the area too.’”
Nikki said, “Ooohhh, doesn’t that sound mysterious?” She didn’t wait for Justin to answer as she reached for her sunglasses and the hiking backpack and threw it over her shoulder.
“Very cool, yes.”
Minutes later, Justin drove to a community parking lot closest to the trails and parked.
Nikki couldn’t believe she’d finally convinced him to go. He was always surprising her. She thought he’d try to find a way out of it, but not this time. She hoped once she got him outside and he felt the excitement of the hunt, he’d love it, and they could geocache more often.
He held her hand as they walked along the roadside of the industrial park medical district, his dark coarse hair hanging over his ears.
People drove by on their way to the hospital, a doctor’s office, or a pharmacy. None would suspect where Nikki and Justin were going or what they were after. Nikki felt a little like a private detective. What a thrill.
She glanced at the navigation system, but the sun’s bright rays made it almost impossible to read. She put her back to the sun, making a shadow on the screen to determine where they were going. “It says we’re seven-tenths of a mile away. How far is that?”
“Oh, from about here to there.” Justin pointed across the street.
“Where over there?” Nikki squinted to see.
Justin laughed and pointed again. “Somewhere over there.”
Nikki slugged his arm. “Quit teasing me. You know I have no sense of direction.”
Justin smirked. “I think we’re supposed to go west now through this parking lot since the bridge is over that way. Right?” He pointed to a little sidewalk between two doctors’ offices.
They headed toward the office door, but instead of going into the building, they continued their trek behind it, toward a field that led into the woods.
When they got to the trail entrance, Justin motioned for Nikki to go first.
She led them along the worn trail. “I read somewhere that it’s important to act like we have a
Justin placed his iPhone on the desk, slipped on his tennis shoes that were sitting next to the sofa, and grabbed his sunglasses. “Do I need one of those safari hats too?”
“Nope, none necessary.” Nikki copied the GPS coordinates of the cache into the iPhone from the geocaching site. The site was west of Hursey Park. “I think this one is along the trails behind the doctors’ offices. Listen to what it says about the site:
“‘In 1924 developers of the west side of Hursey Lake considered using this site as the location of the new sugar mill. The nearby creek and abundant trees made the area very inviting. Unfortunately, construction crews began to complain about the terrible smell and eerie noises coming from the wooded area adjacent to the bridge. Several residents reported seeing a large apelike creature moving through the woods in the early morning hours. Construction crews aborted the project in 1926 when one worker—Richard Tracker—had a face-to-face encounter with something he described as a large manlike ape that had stepped out from under the bridge. It howled and made a sound Tracker said he didn’t want to hear twice in his lifetime.
“‘The cache is hidden near a tree alongside the bridge. A longtime resident of the area claimed the tree was sacred to Indians that lived there in the nineteenth century. The tree was called “Walking Bearman.” The area has never been developed due to the persistent sightings of this apelike creature stalking the bridge until the late 1970s.
“‘Move fast and don’t linger too long. Hikers have reported mysterious shadows moving in the woods in the late-night hours, and unusual noises on moonlight nights. Dogs may be spooked in the area too.’”
Nikki said, “Ooohhh, doesn’t that sound mysterious?” She didn’t wait for Justin to answer as she reached for her sunglasses and the hiking backpack and threw it over her shoulder.
“Very cool, yes.”
Minutes later, Justin drove to a community parking lot closest to the trails and parked.
Nikki couldn’t believe she’d finally convinced him to go. He was always surprising her. She thought he’d try to find a way out of it, but not this time. She hoped once she got him outside and he felt the excitement of the hunt, he’d love it, and they could geocache more often.
He held her hand as they walked along the roadside of the industrial park medical district, his dark coarse hair hanging over his ears.
People drove by on their way to the hospital, a doctor’s office, or a pharmacy. None would suspect where Nikki and Justin were going or what they were after. Nikki felt a little like a private detective. What a thrill.
She glanced at the navigation system, but the sun’s bright rays made it almost impossible to read. She put her back to the sun, making a shadow on the screen to determine where they were going. “It says we’re seven-tenths of a mile away. How far is that?”
“Oh, from about here to there.” Justin pointed across the street.
“Where over there?” Nikki squinted to see.
Justin laughed and pointed again. “Somewhere over there.”
Nikki slugged his arm. “Quit teasing me. You know I have no sense of direction.”
Justin smirked. “I think we’re supposed to go west now through this parking lot since the bridge is over that way. Right?” He pointed to a little sidewalk between two doctors’ offices.
They headed toward the office door, but instead of going into the building, they continued their trek behind it, toward a field that led into the woods.
When they got to the trail entrance, Justin motioned for Nikki to go first.
She led them along the worn trail. “I read somewhere that it’s important to act like we have a
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