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  1. GCGH7R - Mountain Division Trail Cache

    I actually did these two caches a couple of days ago. I've been anxious to get the info up on this. I had a great day! I was looking for a lengthy hike and found it in a place I had stopped by before. As a matter of fact this was my second time attempting to find Mountain Division Cache. The first day it was too cloudy and tree cover as well stopped me from getting a decent signal to my GPSr. Monday I got lucky, not in that I stumbled upon the caches, but that the weather cooperated and I ended up with the perfect conditions to go out for what ended up being a 10.6 mile hike.

    The section of the Mountain Division Trail I visited runs from Johnson Field in Standish to the Gambo Recreational Area and Historic Site in Gorham. Following the trail bed of the Portland and Ogdensburg Railway, the path runs through woods, fields, residential area, and near it's end, crosses the Presumpscot River, a waterway I'm coming to love more and more. Guilford Transportation, the previous owners of the railway, abandoned the line in 1994. It was only three years later that the Maine Dept of Transportation saw an opportunity and bought 50 miles of the railroad in order to preserve it for future use recreationally. I'm glad they did.

    I felt up to the challenge of a longer walk. I've never put down those kind of miles but felt I was ready. For the most part I was right. Now, two days later, I'm still dealing with sore calves and a few blisters that I've had to baby. I never felt overwhelmed out on the trail though.

    Now a little about the caches. There are in fact several throughout the length of the trail. I attempted, with very little background information and no Blackberry of Palm Pilot like other super wired cachers, to find a few micros planted on the bridges of the trail. If you enjoy the feeling of being consternated to the point of wanting to scream, but then finally pulling that tiny cache out, this seems to be the place for you. Difficult micro hides requiring special tools for extraction (which I also didn't have) are what you'll find here.

    The first cache I found was deceptively simple. I never realized how well an ammo can could blend with the brush. GCGH7R - Mountain Division Trail Cache is located just 20 feet off the trail and is actually somewhat visible, IF you know it's there. I would say this was a really decent hide. It's hidden well enough that it stumped me the first time I was out here, thankfully the satellite read was a little better this time. The second cache I found was at the exact opposite end of the trail, on the Gambo Trails in Gorham. This place has interesting history as well, and I've seen this cache on several lists of highly recommended caches in Maine. As the name would suggest, GCGJK9 - Gambo Gunpowder Mill Gambit is on the site of a gunpowder mill built in 1824. Despite the safety measures taken in order to prevent sparking within the mills, there were many explosions , which led to 46 unfortunate deaths between 1828 and 1924. I understand why this cache made it on the list of some of the best in Maine. If you're in the area be sure to check it out. Also recommended that you like tricky hides, as this is a well camoed container.

    I also think this would be a great place for a run in the future. I was glad to have faced up to the challenge of a longer trek today. It felt fantastic to complete something I would never have done just a four or five months ago. Put this on your list of highly recommended trails when vacationing in Maine. Must try!

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