GC14CPG: The Smoothe Field Mystery

Found on 2010-03-09 at 20:00:00
Placed by: frozboz
Size: Micro (Difficulty: 2 / Terrain: 1.5)
Location: London, United Kingdom
Geocaching.com: GC14CPG

Second multi today after a somewhat challenging and frustrating days caching. Let's just say after many fruitless random wanderings around various parts of London, it was nice to be going random places with a purpose in mind.

I started the day getting my tooth implant done at the research clinic where Mrs Fitz worked then decided I was going to do some caching and sweep up some of the one's I can't get to on lunch times. This proved to be more difficult than first expected - and it seems to be the easier the cache was graded the more difficult I found it. So decided what the heck, I'll give this one a go, it was around 5am and nearing dark, I was very fortunate to get to all the private non-247 spots before they were shut up for the night.

Stage 1 was at first confusing as I assumed I was looking for some kind of murial but by a very speedy process of elimination I knew it had to be this work of art, so I jotted down all the livestock I could determine and was off to the next waypoint.

Stage 2 was not difficult to find, on arriving I immediately began scanning for information but could see none in sight. I ventured into the private area and was greeted by the security guard. Thankfully I was able to play lost tourist and enquired as to whether there was a 14th Century Surgery anywhere around. He was puzzled at first, so I mentioned the tour and the £10 charge, explaining that my friend had sent me the details and asked me to pick up some information about the tour. I lightbulb then came on and he led me to a poster that contained the web address. I quickly jotted that down and thanked him and was on my way.

Onto Stage 3, I spent a few minutes looking around for this one until I spotted it and was quite amazed. Often I've noticed things like this when I'm waiting at the bus stop on the way to work and always wonder who put them there and if there was other underground games being played... Nice to see them borrowed anyhow.

It was now already dark by the time I was heading to Stage 4, so I was a little worried I wouldn't make in time - but I got there and the gates were still open so I got to check out this interesting piece of furniture. It was actually quite comfortable to sit on, I might bring back the wife to see it too sometime.

By Stage 5 I was now starting to feel the wear and tear of the day, or maybe it was just the acupuncture from the last stage? I got the the gates, and located the information I needed, unfortunately it was too dark to read. Thankfully I had packed my bike torch so this was enough for me to make out the inscription. Quite a lot of roamers passing through here but I didn't care at this stage, and it's much easier to act like a bit of a history nerd than to be searching for some kind of hidden container.

Stage 6 is where my GPSr, which had been behaving fairly well after the shenanigans this afternoon decided to get it's freak on once again. Instead of correcting to the right direction it simply drifted backwards as I walked. By now it is clear to me that using a GPSr in London is more of an art form than scientific method. Fortunately, I know the area at least, I was able to work out where it was telling me to go and locate the second invader.

7th Stage and one of the Seven Deadly Sins. I did not know of this location or history so it's great to see it. By now it is nearly 7pm and Mrs Fitz is ready to leave work, so I suggest we converge at Chancery Lane McDoos for the free wifi, and try to piece together all these clues.

McDonalds - Chancery Lane: The wife got herself a meal whilst I had a coke, I had already eaten at one earlier today and was not prepared to put my body through it again. I fired up the netbook, loaded the cache page and started trifagulating* the hints. We came up with 3 or 4 sets of coordinates before hitting on the right ones.

Continued on note as I hit the 4000 character limit -->