Incident Over Sector 39

The cache is NOT at the posted coordinates. Please read below.

So…here’s what happened:

Towards the middle of August 2014, I realized that the summer was quickly fading into the school year (yet again…). I was chillin’ at home one evening, wondering how I could make my short time left in Colorado a little more worthwhile. And, before I could take another swig of my cold brew coffee, it hit me…Why not cruise across this great state of Colorado?? I could tour some cool places and catch up with friends along the way. And, with that, I packed the car full of red bulls and camping gear and left the house early the next morning. Over the next couple of weeks, I travelled highway, byway, and away from anything remotely related to the comforts of civilization and society. By the time I was done, I had seen almost everything worth seeing, along with many things that most people hadn’t ever seen before and will never set eyes upon again…

Then…tragedy struck. The day after my Colorado mega-tour was over, I began loading up my private Cessna aircraft with the necessary school equipment (because, you know, I’m the kind of person that owns an airplane…just go with it). One of the items loaded in was my DRU (Data Recording Unit). Contained within the DRU was everything important…EVER. Coordinates for where they’re hiding Elvis, nuclear secrets, appleiphone6’s computer programming details, map for the Ark of the Covenant, signed Jimi Hendrix guitar (not exactly data), stockpile of No Trespassing signs used for OF-Erad propaganda (not really data either, plus I’m not sure if those are working for me quite yet), and my Colorado tour’s many pictures, to name a few of the items. The pictures were, of course, the most important item in the DRU. I set the DRU on the edge of the back seat of the aircraft and shut the door. Within the hour I was soaring above Rampart Range, heading north. And then…BAM! Turbulence out of nowhere. The aircraft handled the winds just fine, but then I heard a “click!” Turning around, I found that I had not latched my side door completely, and it was swinging around in that ridiculous wind. That’s when I also found that the DRU, which had been sitting on the edge of the seat, had toppled out of the aircraft. I did some wacky barrel-roll thing, which got the door to slam closed, and sped back, full-throttle, to the nearest airport. Without the trip’s pictures, my social networking web would crash and burn, and I would be left to using only the more ancient methods of socializing called “pencil” and “paper” and “face-to-face conversation” for the remainder of my days. I figured that I would have to go and get the DRU back…but where could it be? There were endless pockets of dense forest to be searched, and not enough time to do it. It was right then that, with the majority of my miraculously retained kindergarten skills from that one year, oh so long ago, I decided to retrace my steps!!! [Insert Victory Music Here].

I wasn’t sure how that was going to help locate the DRU, but I had a feeling that something so crazy might just work. Retracing my Colorado adventures for the past couple of weeks would be a breeze, especially since I had written all of the details down. Of course, I would never write the details in plain ol’ English…being a geocacher, it was far too easy to encrypt it all. Typed up below are the events of my tour, from the first day to the last. Feel free to read through it and see if you can gather any location info for the DRU. Meanwhile, I’m heading to the store…forgot to grab my pallet of Ramen…

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Qnl 1. V jbxr hc evqvphybhfyl rneyl. Vg sryg yvxr n qnl sbe nppbzcyvfuzrag - yvxr n qnl gung fubhyq or eryvfurq ol punzcvbaf. Gung’f jul V ngr zl Jurngvrf. Ubccrq va gur pne, objy naq fcbba va unaq. Gur pybpx va gur pne ernq bar NZ, cresrpg gvzvat. V unq cvpxrq bhg svir Prageny-Pbybenqb 14ref gb nggrzcg gb ont. V nyjnlf frrz gb unir gur zbfg raretl ba qnl bar bs n gevc, fb vg jbhyq frrz n cvgl gb jnfgr vg ng yvggyr gbhevfgl tvsg fubcf. V jnf gelvat sbe nf zhpu uneqpber pyvzovat nf pbhyq or qbar. Uvxr bar jnf hc gur Pebff Pbhybve bs Zbhag bs gur Ubyl Pebff, n qvssvphyg pynff guerr fpenzoyr. Vg jnf fgvyy va gur qnex zbeavat ubhef jura V tbg onpx gb gur pne, fb V qebir bhg gb Dhnaqnel Crnx naq fhzzvgrq ivn gur Pevfgb Pbhybve, n fubeg ohg qvssvphyg gjb-zvyr hcuvyy pyvzo. Gur fha jnf evfvat whfg nf V ernpurq gur fhzzvg. Onpx gb gur pne naq bire gb Zbhag Znffvir, frpbaq uvturfg crnx va gur fgngr. V fhzzvgrq ol uvxvat gur fgnaqneq ebhgr (yrtf jrer gverq sebz gur pbhybve fpenzoyr). Naq, vs V jnf tbvat gb ont gur frpbaq uvturfg, jul abg trg gur guveq uvturfg, Zbhag Uneineq? Fhzzvgrq Uneineq va gur rneyl nsgreabba. Gur guhaqrefgbezf jrer ubyqvat bss irel jryy, fb V pbagvahrq ba gb zl svany fhzzvg bs gur qnl, Pnfgyr Crnx. V unq gur punapr gb jngpu gur fhafrg ba zl qbja-pyvzo onpx gb gur pne. V’z abg fher whfg ubj V uvxrq svir zbhagnvaf va bar qnl, ohg V thrff V qvq. Gur guerr obkrf bs Gjvaxvrf V unq sbe zl pnzc qvaare gung avtug gnfgrq rkprcgvbanyyl rkpryyrag.

Qnl 2. V fyrcg va n yvggyr gung qnl (haqrefgnaqnoyr, V guvax?). V jnagrq gb qevir bhg rnfg naq ivfvg fbzr bs Pbybenqb’f pbhagl frngf. V pna erzrzore pyrneyl gur svir pbhagvrf gung V ivfvgrq ba qnl gjb, ohg V pna’g erpnyy gur anzrf bs gur gbjaf gung npgrq nf gur pbhagl frngf. Znlor gur crefba ernqvat guvf jvyy xabj. V fgnegrq ng ryrira va gur zbeavat va Lhzn Pbhagl, gura qebir ba H.F. guvegl-sbhe gb Jnfuvatgba Pbhagl. Arkg hc jrer Ybtna Pbhagl naq Cuvyyvcf Pbhagl, juvpu V qebir guebhtu bire gur pbhefr bs sbhe ubhef (n jubyr ureq bs pnggyr oybpxrq gur ebnq ng bar cbvag, juvpu unq zr fgbccrq hagvy Ohoon gur Pbjobl pbhyq pbzr ebhaq rz’ hc). V svavfurq va Xvg Pnefba Pbhagl ng avar CZ, svaqvat n ebnqfvqr ubgry gb penfu ng.

Qnl 3. V qebir onpx jrfg gb Sbeg Pbyyvaf gb ivfvg fbzr sevraqf ng Pbybenqb Fgngr Havirefvgl. Guerr bs gurz jrer va gur znepuvat onaq gurer, naq gurl znqr sbhe gvzrf nf zhpu enpxrg jvgu gurve qehzf guna qvq gur bar thl jvgu gur ghon (ohg V qvqa’g xabj gur thl jub cynlrq gur ghon). Nsgre zl rneqehzf fgbccrq gueboovat, V jrag fbhgu gb ivfvg gjb zber byq sevraqf ng Havirefvgl bs Pbybenqb Qraire. Gurl yrg zr fyrrc ba gurve ncnegzrag sybbe, ba juvpu V pbhyq pbhag mreb purrfr chss pehzof.

Qnl 4. Zl yrtf jrer fgvyy npuvat n yvggyr sebz gur 14re pyvzof, naq vg sryg yvxr gbqnl jnf vagreangvbany tb znxr sha bs gbhevfg tvsg fubcf naq nggenpgvbaf qnl. V ortna gur qnl cebzcgyl ng frira b’pybpx NZ ng gur Abegu Cbyr gurzr cnex (arne Pnfpnqr-Puvcvgn Cnex). Gur Sreevf jurry jnf terng naq nyy, ohg V unqa’g rngra oernxsnfg lrg, fb V yrsg sbe gur Qbahg Zvyy va Jbbqynaq Cnex. Gur evqvphybhf fvmr bs gur gjb cbhaq orne pynj gurer tnir zr cyragl bs arj raretl, juvpu V gevrq gb jbex bss ba n fgebyy bs Enzcneg Erfreibve. V znqr gur svsgrra zvyr jnyx nebhaq fgnegvat ng gur Envaobj Thypu GU. Vg jnf n terng jnyx, naq V jnf noyr gb pngpu n pbhcyr bs gebhg juvyr ng vg. Gura, V unq nabgure qbahg hetr, naq guvf gvzr V qebir zlfrys gb gur Cvxrf Crnx fhzzvg gb fnzcyr gurve fznyyre ohg arireguryrff qryrpgnoyr cnfgevrf (V cebonoyl tbooyrq qbja ryrira qbahgf va gur bar ubhe gung V jnf gurer). Juvyr ba gbc bs Cvxrf Crnx, V jebgr n fubeg abgr gb gur snzvyl gb fnl gung nyy jnf tbbq. V gbbx gur pbt onpx qbja gb Znavgbh Fcevatf, jurer V znvyrq bss zl abgr ng gur Cbfg Bssvpr gurer. Gur fha jnf frggvat dhvpxyl, fb V uvgpurq n evqr onpx gb gur Abegu Cbyr va Pnfpnqr-Puvcvgn Cnex gb evqr gur evqrf bar ynfg gvzr.

Qnl 5. Zl qnl sbe fvtugfrrvat fbzr bs gur angvba’f angheny naq uvfgbevpny ubgfcbgf (nxn gur Angvbany Cnexf / Zbahzragf). Vg jnf n ybat qnl bs qevivat, ohg gur cvpgherf ghearq bhg terng (V zhfg unir gnxra bire svir uhaqerq). V fgbccrq ol sbe fhaevfr ng gur Fnaq Qharf, naq unq n fubeg oehapu ng Zrfn Ireqr. Uvxrq guerr bs gur genvyf gurer orsber frggvat bhg sbe Qvabfnhe Angvbany Zbahzrag. Qvfpbirerq n arj uloevq fcrpvrf bs n ceruvfgbevp onqtre-yvmneq. Ol sbhe va gur nsgreabba V unq neevirq ng Ebpxl Zbhagnva Angvbany Cnex, jurer V jnf cerfragrq jvgu na rkpryyrag ivrj bs gur Ybatf Crnx Qvnzbaq. Gura vg jnf n qevir qbja gur vagrefgngr naq n srj bgure uvtujnlf onpx gb gur Fnaq Qharf sbe na riravat fjvz naq n avtug fcrag ba gur qharf.

Qnl 6. Ba guvf qnl, zl geniryf gbbx zr onpx gb gur Qbhtynf Pbhagl nern. V unir nyjnlf rawblrq qevivat gur onpx ebnqf naq frrvat gur ohggrf urer. Zl svefg npgvba jnf n pyvzo hc gb gur gbc bs Pnfgyr Ebpx. Gung tbg zr fgbxrq sbe pyvzovat ntnva, fb V jrag n yvggyr jrfg gb fhzzvg Jvyqpng Zbhagnva naq gb svaq navzwnfba’f pnpur arne gur fhzzvg. V geniryyrq fbhgu sebz gurer gb cubgbtencu gur znwrfgvp fnaqfgbar fcverf bs Creel Cnex (V unq gb qbqtr guerr be sbhe tbys pnegf juvyr gurer). Zl cubar ohmmrq evtug nobhg gura jvgu n znvagranapr abgvpr ba zl pnpur “ANN – Jnfuvgn” (TP3C16G). Nsgre V unq gnxra pner bs gung bar, V qebir fbhgu n yvggyr zber gb erivfvg Fyngr Inyyrl Fpubby (naq purpx ba zl pnpur TP4IWLP juvyr gurer). Gung riravat V qebir gb gur gbja bs Jrfgperrx sbe fhccre naq n avtug fcrag haqre gur fgnef.

Qnl 7. Gbherq gur gbjaf bs gur Fna Whna Zbhagnvaf. V ortna zl qnl va Qhenatb, naq ubccrq gur rvtug NZ genva gb Fvyiregba. Sebz gurer, V jrag gb rkcyber gur gbja bs Bhenl, gura Cynpreivyyr. Jvgu gur guhaqrefgbezf ubyqvat bss, V znqr gur “fubeg” gra-zvyr oyvgm bs gur fbhgujrfg evqtr bs Zbhag Jvyfba (14,246 sg.). Gung jnf, lrg ntnva, gvevat, fb V qebir onpx gb Fvyiregba gb fcraq gur avtug ng zl terng nhag’f pnova gurer.

Qnl 8. Qnl frira unq zr srryvat cerggl tebttl, fb V whfg jbexrq n pynffvp ebnqgevc guvf qnl. Fgnegrq va Chroyb naq ivfvgrq gur Fgrryjbexf Zhfrhz bs Vaqhfgel. Gura V jbexrq zl jnl fbhgu sbe n yvggyr bire bar ubhe gb Gevavqnq naq ivfvgrq fbzr bs gur neg zhfrhzf gurer. V sbhaq n ubgry ol gur uvtujnl gb fcraq gur avtug ng.

Qnl 9. V jnf va FR Pbybenqb, na nern gung V qvq abg xabj nyy-gbb-jryy. V fgnegrq ng Orag’f Byq Sbeg Angvbany Uvfgbevp Fvgr naq gura qebir H.F. Svsgl gb Ynzne sbe Yhapu. Gura vg jnf fbhgu bs H.F. gjb-87 / 3-rvtugl svir gb gur gbja bs Pnzcb. Gur gbja qvqa’g bssre zhpu, fb V urnqrq jrfgreyl gb gur zvpebfpbcvp gbja bs Xvz, jurer V wbvarq gur fravbe pvgvmraf sbe n tnzr bs ovatb ng gur Xvz Uvtu Fpubby pnsrgrevn. V znantrq gb jva gjb tnzrf, ohg gur cevmrf jrer zrqvbper. Gur fhafrg qevir onpx gb Orag’f Byq Sbeg jnf njrfbzr, naq n terng jnl gb raq gur qnl.

Qnl 10. Vg vf fhzzre, juvpu zrnaf gung jvagre vf whfg nebhaq gur pbeare. V jnagrq gb tb naq fpbcr bhg n srj fxv nernf sbe shgher jvagre npgvivgvrf. Ybbxrq bire gur ehaf ng Xrlfgbar, gura ngr oernxsnfg va gur gbja bs Sevfpb. Qebir gur fubeg jnlf gb Pbccre Zbhagnva naq jnf irel vzcerffrq jvgu jung V ivrjrq gurer, fb V znqr n qevir bire gb Oerpxraevqtr sbe pbzcnevfba checbfrf. V jnf uhatel ntnva fb fgbccrq sbe n guvegl-bar zvahgr yhapu va gur gbja bs Nyzn. Gur ynfg erfbeg gb purpx bhg jnf Fxv Pbbcre, naq, juvyr vg jnf fznyyre guna zbfg, ybbxrq gb or gur zbfg noyr gb pbasbez gb zl shgher svanapvny fvghngvba.

Qnl 11. Fvapr V jnf va gur Sebag Enatr nern ntnva, V qrpvqrq gung vg jbhyq or n svar qnl gb erivir zl vaare uvfgbel ohss. V frg bhg gb rkcyber nebhaq fbzr bs gur byq zvavat gbjaf bs gur nern. Ab ovt qevirf cynaarq, rvgure. Fgnegrq va Trbetrgbja, gura jrag abegu gb Rzcver. Gung bayl gbbx hc gjb ubhef, fb V jrag rnfg gb Oynpx Unjx. Cnegvrq vg bhg ng n pnfvab gurer sbe guerr ubhef, naq gura ena qbja gur uvyy gb Vqnub Fcevatf. Qvq n yvggyr evire ensgvat, syvccrq bire svir gvzrf, naq hygvzngryl znqr zl jnl onpx gb Trbetrgbja sbe gur avtug.

Qnl 12. Fbzr zbeavat pnpuvat jnf va beqre, naq V fgnegrq zl qnl cebzcgyl ng fvk NZ sbe fbzr yvtug fxveg uvqrf va gur pvgl bs Gubeagba. Gvzr jnf ehaavat bhg gubhtu, naq V unq gb cvpx hc n sevraq jub jnf sylvat va ng avar NZ, fb bss V jrag gb gur Qraire Vagreangvbany Nvecbeg. Jr jrag fbhgu naq V sbhaq n cnex a’ teno pnpur arne gur R-470 / Vagrefgngr Friragl Whapgvba fbhgu bs gur nvecbeg. V gura qebccrq zl sevraq bss ng gur Oebapbf cer-frnfba tnzr ng Zvyr Uvtu Fgnqvhz (gura gurl ybfg…fnq snpr jvgu fvatyr grne…). Qnea Grknaf. Gura, bhg bs abjurer, gung qbahg hetr uvg ntnva, fb V jrag fbhgu gb Xevfcl Xerzr va Pragraavny, jurer V sbhaq TP31QPS. Srryvat raretvmrq lrg ntnva, V jrag rnfg gb gur Nheben Erfreibve naq eragrq n wbua obng gb ebj nebhaq va sbe gur riravat.

Qnl 13. V frg nfvqr qnl guvegrra gb tb naq pngpu hc jvgu sevraqf nebhaq zl ubzr ghes. V jrag gb Yrjvf Cnyzre Uvtu Fpubby’f Qba Oerrfr Fgnqvhz ng frira guvegl guerr NZ gb pung jvgu gur Pebff Pbhagel grnz nf gurl svavfurq hc n zbeavat cenpgvpr. Gura V jrag rnfg gb Sbk Eha Cnex, jurer V zrg hc jvgu gurobopngf naq gurtrbpnpurxvqf sbe n dhvpx pnpur eha (gb rafher zl cebybatrq fgnghf nf ehyre bs gur cnex). Vg jnf fbhgu sebz gurer gb Pnsé Iryb (gur bjare orvat cneg bs gur vafcvengvba sbe guvf chmmyr), naq V genqrq fbzr ohtf naq pbvaf nebhaq ng ibegvpvgl’f TP3S3A7 juvyr gurer. Sebz gurer V jrag gb zrrg n pnqrg sevraq ng gur Nve Sbepr Npnqrzl Pnqrg Puncry sbe n fubeg gbhe bs gur Greenmmb. Jr gura qrpvqrq gb uvxr gb gur fhzzvg bs Oybqtrgg Crnx (jurer V sbhaq TP940R). Gur uvxr jnf bayl nobhg fvk zvyrf, naq V fgvyy unq fbzr qnlyvtug gb tb unat bhg jvgu oeraana7, jurer ur oebhtug zr bire gb uvf TP42T8E gb grfg zl fxvyyf lrg ntnva.

Qnl 14. Zl qnlf jrer ehaavat bhg sbe gur gbhe bs gur fgngr, ohg V arrqrq n oernx sebz gur ehaavat nebhaq. V urnqrq gb gur gbjaf bs Ryvmnorgu, gura Xvbjn, gura Ryoreg va na rssbeg gb cvpx hc gur erznvavat gjryir pnpurf gung V unq lrg gb svaq hc gurer.

Qnl 15. Orvat gur svany qnl, V arrqrq n fngvfslvat raqvat. Gur orfg guvat gung V pbhyq guvax bs jnf bar zber fubeg qevir ba gur rnfgrea uvtu cynvaf gb ivfvg n srj zber gbjaf. V ortna zl qevir va Lhzn, naq gura znqr vg FJ gb Nagba sbe n dhvpx fanpx. Neevon jnf gur arkg fgbc, naq V sbhaq fbzr terng cubgbtencuvp bccbeghavgvrf fheebhaqvat gur tenva ryringbe gurer, juvpu zhfg unir orra bire friragl-gjb srrg gnyy! Zl qevir nybat gur vagrefgngr jnf dhvrg naq frerar, jvgu gur terra bs gur ebnqfvqr pebcf erzvaqvat zr bs guvf cnfg fhzzre’f cyragvshy envaf. V sbhaq zlfrys qevivat gur rzcgl fgerrgf bs Fgenggba, erzrzorevat zl rneyvre fhzzre iruvpyr oernxqbja gurer juvpu unq pbfg zr arneyl fvk ubhef bs qevivat gvzr. Abegu V jrag gb gur gbja bs Wbrf, jurer V fgbccrq sbe gjb ubhef sbe fbzr TrbNeg svaqf. V svavfurq gur qevir onpx ng Nagba, gur fha n oybbq-erq beo frggvat ybj va gur jrfgrea fxl.

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Yeah, I know, it’s a long story. There must be something in it that helps with pinpointing the DRU though…

A few lessons that I learned along the way:

-Orienting my map so that it pointed north was critical in going to the correct location.

-Donuts improve your focus (that’s not a proven fact, I just think it makes sense).

-Ibuprofen works wonders for the aftermath of “hardcore” hiking.

-Radio stations out east are sketchy, and a good song is undoubtedly going to be cut off by static right at the best part.

-Only 25% of the bulleted items above will help you.

You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.

I will be more than happy to provide any hints that you may need for solving the puzzle!

Good luck, and please replace the cache back as you found it! Farewell for now, CO!

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