A Hider's First Attempt

I was so excited to see a new cache publish near home. Since Vante moved to Traverse City, my cache-a-day options have been limited.

I checked the map and saw it was in a nearby community garden. Hmmmm.... Unbeknown to this new cache hider, this garden has had a history of controversy. The next door neighbor kept stealing the last cache hidden there. Also, since the cache was continually muggled, some of our geo-friends kept mangling the landscaping looking for it. That just escalated the friction.

Wandered over today for the grab - I thought I'd better get it while it's here. I had heard that this one was "well hidden" so it shouldn't disappear. Upon finding it, I realized the new cache broke two cardinal rules:

1. It's BURIED under a paving stone. That wasn't a naturally-occurring hole. And I can just imagine new cachers mangling this flower bed, looking for it (HINT: It's under the paver with the X scratched into it).

2. It was hidden in a glass Ball jar. If the contents don't mold from the condensation, it may shatter during a winter freeze.

All-in-all, it is a pretty little site, and the local cachers have been very supportive of these new hiders. I hope these hiders have learned from this first attempt and add some more to our community.