#3: [02-Nov-12]

#2: [06-Jul-02] (incomplete)

15-Jul-2001 -- I am an avid "geocacher" and learned of this project from the official geocache website. I am currently in Southern Alabama for work and was pleased to discover a "virgin" confluence not too far from here. I was able to drive from Fort Rucker, AL to within about 10km of the site on paved roads. The next step of finding a suitable road to get closer was more difficult than I had anticipated. I ended up driving on county and state roads and making a loop around the entire site; never getting closer than about 10km. Deciding on an unmarked logging road I was able to get within about 2km. Some sections of the road were quite soft so I had to use four wheel drive. There were a lot of "No Hunting or Fishing" signs along the sides of the road leading in. Once within about 2 km I decided I was as close as I could get by driving.

I approached from the southwest and had to cross several very small streams. I would have been able to make it easier by walking along the ridgline leading in from the Southeast, but I was up for a challenge! Originally, that is what I planned on doing but the north-south road in the aerial photograph is blocked by a locked gate. The terrain out there is typical of areas that have been used for logging in the past. There is alot of thick underbrush and many small pine trees. My legs showed the scars of that underbrush when I got back! The aerial photos and topo maps online show some well-defined dirt roads leading right past the site but the pictures are old and these roads are overgrown now. My GPS said that I had a 5 meter position accuracy and I had very good coverage so I am very confident that I had the correct location. At the site I had a solid lock on 9 satellites with a tenth trying hard. I attempted to get more precise by enabling WAAS but there wasn't a good enough view of the low Southern sky.

Enroute to the site I did not see much wildlife but on the return to my vehicle, I saw several deer, a wild turkey, and a snake. This site was very remote and there was no sign that anyone had been out there in quite some time (other than the logging).

I would like to apologize for the poor photo quality. Like I said, I am away from home and do not have my digital camera so I had to use an old film camera and then scan the images. The photographs are views from the confluence (N, S, E, W) as well as one of the site marked by my pack. Additionally, there is a shot of my Pathfinder at the point I stopped driving and also one of my GPS Satellite page showing the location as well as signal strength.