Solar Symbols LbNA #51118 (ARCHIVED)

PLEASE NOTE!!
First of all I would like to apologize to everyone who searched in vain for "Neptune" in the Solar Symbols ~ it is indeed missing. It must have gone missing immediately --- because it has never been found to my knowledge and Familyof6 searched for the series the weekend after I placed it.

I am, however, very sad to see that the log the little box was hidden in is completely destroyed by eager searchers. : (
I had placed the box in the end of a hollow log, and "plugged" the hollow part with another small piece of the log... and now barely half of this whole 8-10 foot log is gone, broken away and rolled down the ravine.

I will be re-carving and replacing "Neptune" in a place close by this original hiding spot.... if you are missing this piece, check the clues regularly for updates.
PLEASE NOTE!!

As a word of caution ~ do be careful to keep nature is as nature was. If the box isn't where it says it is... maybe it's just best to call it a loss.


This series is in the Hudsonville Nature Center, located at the east end of New Holland St.
To begin your quest, drive past the Nature Center sign and park in the circle parking area.

IMPORTANT: THIS SERIES HAS A LOGBOOK IN THE LAST BOX ONLY!
The 1st 8 boxes will contain a stamp only. Please don’t put papers in the other boxes, as they tend to mold and attract squirrels.
Please be kind, bring along a paper towel and wipe off the stamp after use.

Clues:
Cronk and Delan finally have their first important mission from Major Martian the IV. They are to travel to earth and collect the Solar Symbols, and return to Mars post-hast. Major Martian the IV has given them both strict instructions to not be all day about it either, since they’ve screwed up every other mission to date. Cronk and Delan feel pretty confident that they can complete this mission; I mean what could go wrong? Earth is only one planet over…

…Trail up 22 ~ head RIGHT
From the 3 posts & 6 ropes
9 paces to Big Oak
Check some short logs low and just East

Their big adventure has officially begun. But really, how hard could it be? Take the old Inksquank 502 one planet over, pick-up some lame symbols and return to Mars. “Easy peesy lemon squeezy!” said Cronk “We’ll be home by smeel!”

…back to top of 22 & head up
Stop @ the “T”, sight 210° from the sign
1-broken limb + dead tree
2-fallen log
3-smaller log
Ding, ding, ding! Rehide very carefully.

“Uh, Cronk, this don’t look like Earth.”
“Sure it does Delan, see how big it is?”
“I don’t know ~ this planet here looks a lot wider than Earth…”
“Oh dingduh!” said Cronk. “I think you’re right. This looks more like Jupiter!”
The guys felt a bit stupider, but after refueling, they got back on the Milky expressway.

…back on trail @ 150°
Follow red arrow
Cross the road
Visit overlook, view ravine
Face 270° spy fallen one between a couple Oaks.
***recover well***

Pulling up to the planet, Cronk and Delan shivered and looked at each other.
“What is wrong with earth, it’s so cold?!” Cronk asked.
“Cold? It shouldn’t be this cold on Earth Cronk.” Delan replied. “I think we made another wrong turn and went forward more instead of back. I’m pretty sure we’re on Saturn.”
They both prepared quickly for lift off. They couldn’t just see their breath – their breath was freezing into ice and dropping to the floor!!
Hurry, let’s get out of here too! Brrr.

…down 26
Walk the planks
Right up 29.
Take a rest RIGHT away
View a BIG 3 trunker NE
In the juncture of the 3

Uh oh. Now they’ve really missed things up – all the gages and read-outs on the Insquank 502 are getting silly, and everything outside the windshield looks sideways!
“Well, this isn’t earth for sure! Now we’re really lost,” said Delan.
“This has to be Uranus, ‘Spins on its side’ says here in the handbook.” Cronk replied.
“I guess there’s nothing left to do but keep going on and then double back.” Delan said, “Well never make it home for smeel now!” he added.

…trail “T” head West
From 2nd overlook, off trail @ 160°
Find the oak with the big butt.
Decaying log @ it’s base.

“Windy, windy, windy! Must be the right place… handbook says this is Neptune.” Said Cronk.
“Odd,” Delan wondered. “I thought it’d be wet here.”
To Cronk he said “Going the right way now. Better keep all 7 eyes peeled. It’s real dark where we’re going next and Pluto is really small.”

…get back to the trail, face NE & go 29 paces, then Right
Make a choice now ~ follow your nose into the Pines
Lovely, lonely Cedar and then a birdhouse.
Just 25 paces more, see 2 small pines in front of a larger audience
The Right one is the Right small one.

“No Cronk! You cannot take a nap! We’ve got to keep going! Maj. Marian is going to have our tentacles on a stick as it is!”
“Oh fine then,” Cronk grumbled. “You navigate and get us to some place warmer!”
“Alrighty,” Delan said. “Keep a movin’ East on this Milky expressway. We might have to stop and ask for directions up ahead.”

…choice on the trail, take the one with a “directions booth” in it.
Cross over/through the “booth”
Back into the woods. Sharp Left.
Locate the main path Left back down.
Stop on 3. 2 foot stump @ 240°
Darker, older, decaying log nearby. ***Recover well.***

“OOOoo Wee! Sure is hot here Delan. What is this, the Sun?”
“No doof nugget,” said Delan, his fuse becoming shorter by the minute. “This here’s Mercury according to the directions I got back at that booth.”
“We’d better refuel and head back down.” Cronk replied, somewhat chagrined.
“It’s a plan!” said Delan, trying to make up for his last remark.

…down 22 more, walk it & back up those 26
Post.
Exactly 18 paces @ exactly 220°
Left, low & under.

“Oh yeah baby! It’s all coming back to me now!! I know this place,” Cronk exclaimed!
Delan slapped his 2 fingered hand to his forehead! “Can we just get this over with already?”
“Hot dog! You know it!” Cronk whopped. “Let’s get out of here – it’s too bright on Venus.”

…head back on the trial from which you first came
Vine covered dead beast touching trail.
Slowly now, to the Maple at trails left edge.

“Wait, wait, wait! I think we just passed it!” Hollered Delan. “Back ‘er up Cronk.”

5 paces back
Due South
Triple trunk Poplar
About 20 paces, but go around to it.

“We did it! We did it! We got the solar symbols! We did it! We did it! We got the solar symbols!” Cronk sing-songed.
“Cronk will you please shut up!” Delan complained. “We’ve got to get back to Mars! Maj. Martian isn’t going to like it that we took so long…”
Poor Delan… always the worrier. Cronk thought it was a grand adventure.

How about you? Email me and let me know.