Pay your Way

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Warning! This report contains serious spoilers. If you plan to search for this cache go find it BEFORE reading this report!




Our latest Geocache find is called "Pay your Way". I decided on this one because (1) I'll never be able to resist a cache on a pass and (2) this cache is on Montagu Pass, one of my favourite places in the world.

The first point in this multi-stage cache, S 33° 55.124 E 022° 24.965, takes you to the "Old Toll House", a building that was built in 1847.

I have been here many a time before.



The burglar bars on this historic building might be unsightly, but there's a good reason for them being there. In recent years this building has unfortunately fallen victim to vandals. A concerned group formed the "Friends of the Toll house" and intervened. They secured the Toll house with these donated burglar bars and tabled plans the restore the old building.

The first clue asks the question: "What year was the pass oficially opened?" "ABCD"

The answer can be obtained from the plaque commemorating the opening of the pass:



The plaque however is not there anymore.



This has stumped many a Geocacher searching for this cache. I have an ace up my sleeve though. There are few things about this pass I do not know. In fact, I even have a photograph of the plaque:



ABCD = 1847

Just on this point, on geocaching.com most geocachers blame vandals for the "loss" of this plaque while in fact it was removed by the Friends of the Toll House for safe keeping before it got stolen. Big Bronze plaques are not safe these days. It will be replaced with a ceramic plaque that's less likely to get stolen.

Back to the clue and the next riddle:

S(C-A)(B-1-C).5C.CAC
E022.2(A+C).AA0

This translates to:

S 33.54.414
E 022.25.110

or rather

S 33° 54.414 E 022° 25.110

which will take you here:



Next question: How many posts are on the "Keur River Bridge"?

Four! Which incidentally is the same as C.

The final clue:

S(B-1-C)(C-A). 5C.(C-A)9C
E022.2(A+C).A5C

This translates to:

S 33.54.394
E 022.25.154

or rather

S 33° 54.394 E 022° 25.154

which takes you here:



The waypoint is spot on. We found the cache easily as it was not hidden anymore. It was lying out in the open and looked like rubbish. Luckily we checked it and found it to be the cache.



We signed the log and found the hiding place where it fits snugly. We hid it well, waiting for the next geocacher to find.



TFTC!

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