Sunday, July 30, 2006

Flood Plan - MISSING

9/7/09, Flood Plan has been reported missing which just goes to show you that I picked a terrible spot. It floated away - a lot of good it would have done if I had really needed it. Watch for Flood Plan II to be placed soon - hopefully in a spot safer from flooding!
Location: Reading, PA
Length of Hike: .5 mile round trip
Date Planted: July 30, 2006

We live a half mile from the Schuylkill River. It is a fairly nondescript river. I grew up playing on the mighty Susquehanna River and when I moved to Berks County many years ago, I remember looking at the Schuylkill rather scornfully and snorting to the locals "you think THAT is a river?" For many years it was nothing more than a large stream in my mind.

Then one day in June, 2006, it started raining. And it rained and it rained and it rained. And the paltry little Schuylkill grew and grew and grew. Soon it became a raging monster, flowing over its banks, destroying one of my employer's office buildings which was on its banks, closing roads. Fortunately, that half mile between our home and
the river was sufficient enough for us to remain safe and sound, only minorly inconvenienced by the detours that we had to take to bypass the closed roads. But it made an impression and I decided that I had to take some action to prepare for a future similar episode.

I completed my plan and knew that I had to place it away from our house in an easily accessible spot. After all, I may not have the use of a car if something were to happen again. So I remembered a little trail that I had accidentally discovered when I wandered off from a family gathering one spring evening. This path begi
ns in the Madison at Exeter apartment complex off of Lorane Road. Access this trail by walking between apartments 555 and 557 on Dover Court. The trail begins as a wood chip path and meanders a bit along a stream which is really quite pretty when the summer growth dies back. Wander along this path for a little while until the path widens and branches off to the right. If the water level is high enough you will see some pretty little waterfalls here. Continue on the main path until you see this spot (literally!).

Look towards the creek opposite this spot and you will see the perfect hiding spot for my flood plan.

Reported missing: July 13, 2008

Laura's Grown Up Luv - Tiny Treasure

Location: Reading, PA
Hike Length: about 1 mile round trip
Date Planted: July 30, 2006

This is the final box in the Laura's Childhood Luvs series - a series which was a lot of fun for me to plan and plant. This box also replaces the exchange box "Pateke from New Zealand" because the carver of that box has requested that I send it home to her. Tiny Treasure is in the exact location that Pateke was in but you should be able to count it as a new find because it is an entirely different box.

To find this box, go to the Sawmill Parking lot of the forest in Berks County originally owned by a producer of hosiery and get out of your car and admire the dam and little waterfall. Then turn your back on this pretty sight and take the trail which is now to your left. After you pass two sets of park benches, watch for a swatch of green and turn left on the trail after it. Walk up, up, up till you have to make a choice. If you choose the right way you will be on a timber and tree root stepped path. Take this to the loop and go counterclockwise. You will see a wooden platform, ignore it, the box is not there. Go a bit further to a little hill on the right. Go down that to the two trunked tree that is directly in front of you and search for your reward.

While you are in the park be sure to search for the series by Pink Panther and Black Swan as well as by ShredMTB.

Edited 7/6/09. I checked on this box and it is still in good shape. I did slightly move it though. It is now in front of the tree instead of behind it due to a small amount of poison beginning in its old hiding spot.

6/6/10 - box still in good shape.