My Dear Watkins...... LbNA #893
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Add Location| Owner: | girlguides  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jan 12, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Mitchellville |
| County: | Prince George's |
| State: | Maryland |
| Boxes: | 5 |
| Found by: | Wolf Pack 5 |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jul 9, 2007 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFa |
| Last edited: | Jan 3, 2016 |
Box Status: 12/24/10
This series was originally planted by Celtic Pride. We have adopted it because the clues are fun, the carves are swell and the walk in the park was sweet. We're going to go out look for all the pieces, recarve if necessary (we have all the original designs) and make sure the landmarks are all where they are supposed to be. Until further notice, hunt at your own risk - the walk at least will still be nice.
All 5 alive and well as of 5/02/04.
Watkins Regional Park, Prince George's County, MD
Clues: They require a bit of imagination.
Terrain: A series of 5 boxes on a one mile loop. The walk is fairly easy with a few hills.
Directions to park: Take exit 15A Central Ave East (Rt. 214) from the Capital Beltway (495/95). Go approximately 4 miles and turn right onto Watkins Park Dr. (Rt. 193). Go 1 mile and the park will be on your right. Follow the signs to the Nature Center.
Directions to boxes: Park at the Nature Center and head around back and take notice of the wonderful Raptors caged there. Please don't pester them as they are a bit skittish. From there, head to your right and onto the blue/yellow blazed trail.
As the stage is set for your quest, head around backstage and continue on the trail. Good deductive reasoning is required, as following the trail can be tricky. Take a couple of steps up into 221B Baker street and into your adventure.
After passing some footbridges, the alert detective notices a series of root locks regulating the water level in a small stream. Curiosity gets the better of you, and you head 30 degrees to the uppermost lock. Looking around in an easterly direction, you notice two men, one larger than the other, standing close and talking low so no one can overhear them. What they don't know is that just beyond them, within earshot, hidden in a small log behind some rocks, Sherlock is listening!
What did he hear? Is Moriarty up to something? What is his dastardly plan? Are there too many questions? Sherlock ponders as he continues down the trail…does he hear music? Yes, there are too many questions. He knows the music has a calming influence on the soul and thinks that it is just what his mind needs. Unfortunately, the music suddenly goes wild and looking off to the right of the trail, he sees that the orchestra has become a tangled mass of wood and strings. From there he looks a little up the trail and to the right and sees a lone bow resting on the neck of his beloved violin. At the base of this instrument, Sherlock's musicmaker can be found.
Well rested and with soothed nerves, our hero continues on his way. He knows his foe is somewhere ahead, but where? He needs to find clues to his whereabouts. Remember…a good detective can figure out the correct way to go. Even though a bridge may be washed out, the Right way should be elementary! Crossing through the murky swamp he wonders, "I wonder what is lurking below the surface? I'm not sure I want to find out! I'd better walk carefully so as not to fall in." When finally a decision needs to be made – to go 130 degrees or 328 degrees - Sherlock doesn't ponder looking around. He knows to go NNW, but what next? He stops to think at the first very large leaning post on the left side of the trail. He glances around and wonders…is someone spying on me from a secret lookout? He heads in that direction to see what he can find. He spies a double-wide tree containing a secret passageway from the trunk to the base…is there something there? Noo…it is too easy - maybe he has been set up. As he turns, he sees someone race across the triple-deck natural bridge and he boldly gives chase. He sees something (maybe a clue?) fall as his foe races off of the bridge and out of sight. He searches the area and at the end of the third deck, his clue finder hits paydirt!
Now that he has his clue, Sherlock thinks, "I am now in need of a good smoke after a day's hard work." He continues on the trail and stops where, if Mother Nature had her way, the trail would be blocked. He decides to sit at the end of the stool nearest the swamp. Here, where many sticks meet, he finds his smokestack.
He heads back home, retracing his steps back down the trail. When he gets to his prior decision point, he heads in the direction not yet taken. Up the stairs and down the stairs, he heads for home. On his way, to the left of the trail, Watson is giving him a bow. Near Watson's feet there is a Hat Off to You for completing the adventure! Continue on this trail to the Nature Center parking lot.
Notes: 1) Off trail walking through some brambles is required. Be
careful when poking into holes and under logs.
2) A compass is not really needed, but might prove useful. A
good detective always has many instruments at his disposal.
This series was originally planted by Celtic Pride. We have adopted it because the clues are fun, the carves are swell and the walk in the park was sweet. We're going to go out look for all the pieces, recarve if necessary (we have all the original designs) and make sure the landmarks are all where they are supposed to be. Until further notice, hunt at your own risk - the walk at least will still be nice.
All 5 alive and well as of 5/02/04.
Watkins Regional Park, Prince George's County, MD
Clues: They require a bit of imagination.
Terrain: A series of 5 boxes on a one mile loop. The walk is fairly easy with a few hills.
Directions to park: Take exit 15A Central Ave East (Rt. 214) from the Capital Beltway (495/95). Go approximately 4 miles and turn right onto Watkins Park Dr. (Rt. 193). Go 1 mile and the park will be on your right. Follow the signs to the Nature Center.
Directions to boxes: Park at the Nature Center and head around back and take notice of the wonderful Raptors caged there. Please don't pester them as they are a bit skittish. From there, head to your right and onto the blue/yellow blazed trail.
As the stage is set for your quest, head around backstage and continue on the trail. Good deductive reasoning is required, as following the trail can be tricky. Take a couple of steps up into 221B Baker street and into your adventure.
After passing some footbridges, the alert detective notices a series of root locks regulating the water level in a small stream. Curiosity gets the better of you, and you head 30 degrees to the uppermost lock. Looking around in an easterly direction, you notice two men, one larger than the other, standing close and talking low so no one can overhear them. What they don't know is that just beyond them, within earshot, hidden in a small log behind some rocks, Sherlock is listening!
What did he hear? Is Moriarty up to something? What is his dastardly plan? Are there too many questions? Sherlock ponders as he continues down the trail…does he hear music? Yes, there are too many questions. He knows the music has a calming influence on the soul and thinks that it is just what his mind needs. Unfortunately, the music suddenly goes wild and looking off to the right of the trail, he sees that the orchestra has become a tangled mass of wood and strings. From there he looks a little up the trail and to the right and sees a lone bow resting on the neck of his beloved violin. At the base of this instrument, Sherlock's musicmaker can be found.
Well rested and with soothed nerves, our hero continues on his way. He knows his foe is somewhere ahead, but where? He needs to find clues to his whereabouts. Remember…a good detective can figure out the correct way to go. Even though a bridge may be washed out, the Right way should be elementary! Crossing through the murky swamp he wonders, "I wonder what is lurking below the surface? I'm not sure I want to find out! I'd better walk carefully so as not to fall in." When finally a decision needs to be made – to go 130 degrees or 328 degrees - Sherlock doesn't ponder looking around. He knows to go NNW, but what next? He stops to think at the first very large leaning post on the left side of the trail. He glances around and wonders…is someone spying on me from a secret lookout? He heads in that direction to see what he can find. He spies a double-wide tree containing a secret passageway from the trunk to the base…is there something there? Noo…it is too easy - maybe he has been set up. As he turns, he sees someone race across the triple-deck natural bridge and he boldly gives chase. He sees something (maybe a clue?) fall as his foe races off of the bridge and out of sight. He searches the area and at the end of the third deck, his clue finder hits paydirt!
Now that he has his clue, Sherlock thinks, "I am now in need of a good smoke after a day's hard work." He continues on the trail and stops where, if Mother Nature had her way, the trail would be blocked. He decides to sit at the end of the stool nearest the swamp. Here, where many sticks meet, he finds his smokestack.
He heads back home, retracing his steps back down the trail. When he gets to his prior decision point, he heads in the direction not yet taken. Up the stairs and down the stairs, he heads for home. On his way, to the left of the trail, Watson is giving him a bow. Near Watson's feet there is a Hat Off to You for completing the adventure! Continue on this trail to the Nature Center parking lot.
Notes: 1) Off trail walking through some brambles is required. Be
careful when poking into holes and under logs.
2) A compass is not really needed, but might prove useful. A
good detective always has many instruments at his disposal.