This is a puzzle cache that is NOT at the listed coordinates. Read the information below carefully, do your homework, and then calculate the cache’s actual coordinates.
“Fast” is a relative term, isn’t it? But the concept is compelling. There are “fast” phenomena/events and there are extraordinarily “fast” phenomena/events. No matter where a “fast” phenomenon is on the speed spectrum, it captures human interest. Heck, a fast turtle is slow by most standards of comparison, but a particular fast turtle might be the fastest ever...it’s the champion, and it’s“fast”(for a turtle)!
Here are some interesting “fast” phenomena/statistics:
On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4-minute mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. In 1954, THAT was FAST!
On July 7, 1999 Hickman El Guerrous ran a mile in 3 minutes 43.13 seconds. Now THAT is FAST!
On August 3, 1936 Jesse Owen won the 100-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics with a time of 10.3 seconds. In 1936, THAT was FAST!
On August 16, 2009 Usain Bolt ran the 100-meter dash in Berlin with a time of 9.572 seconds. Now THAT is FAST!
On April 12, 1934 a wind gust of 231 miles per hour was recorded on the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Now THAT is FAST!
On June 9, 1973 Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes, covering the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2 minutes 24 seconds at an average speed of 37.5 miles per hour. Now THAT is FAST!
On September 19, 2015 Sam Whittington reached a top unassisted speed of 86.65 miles per hour on his human powered bicycle. Now THAT is FAST!
In June 2008 Rocky Robinson reached a top speed of 360.913 miles per hour on his motorcycle at Bonneville Salt Flats. Now THAT is FAST!
On July 4, 2015 in Utrecht, Netherlands, Rohan Dennis won the 8.6-mile time trial in Tour de France, the fastest-ever winner of a Tour time trial stage His winning speed over the course was 34.5 miles per hour. Now THAT is FAST!
On October 15, 1997 at Black Rock, Utah, Andy Green attained a top speed of 763.035 miles per hour in his ThrustSSC supersonic car. Now THAT is FAST!
On October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first pilot to break the sound barrier, achieving a top speed of 807.2 miles per hour in the Glamorous Glennis. The speed of an airplane when it breaks the sound barrier is 768 miles per hour. Now THAT is FAST!
In 1998 the Spirit of Australia raced over the water at Blowering Dam, Australia at an average speed of 317.596 miles per hour. Now THAT is FAST!
On February 12, 2018 my grandson Willie solved GC6Z4RR, Jeeping to the Geocache, by "finding" 15 geocaches in 57 seconds while negotiating his jeep through a plethora of trees, large boulders, the game's perimeter boundaries, and numerous rabbits. Now THAT is FAST!
The R1 in the America’s Cup sailing competition was capable of top speeds of 50 knots (57.5 miles per hour). Now THAT is FAST!
On September 24, 2010 left-hander Aroldis Chapman of the Cincinnati Reds threw a fastball at a recorded speed of 105.1 miles per hour. Now THAT is FAST!
In April 2006, Simone Origone reached a top speed of 156.2 miles per hour in a speed skiing competition. Now THAT is FAST!
In 1958 a Project Excel Sior freefall speed of 614 miles per hour was recorded. Now THAT is FAST!
A sound wave in air travels at a speed of 1,126 feet per second. Now THAT is FAST!
On July 28, 1976 Captain Eldon Joerse and Major George Morgan flew their SR-71 Blackbird at 2,193.167 miles per hour, the fastest speed ever attained by a manned aircraft. Now THAT is FAST!
Apollo 10 reached a top speed of 24,790 miles per hour relative to Earth, the fastest recorded manned spacecraft. Now THAT is FAST!
The Hellos 2 Space Probe reached a top speed of 157,078 miles per hour relative to the sun, the fastest recorded unmanned spacecraft. Now THAT is FAST!
Light travels at a speed of 670,616,629 miles per hour. Now THAT is FAST!
The fastest time recorded for a hula hooper to hula hoop for 10 km (6.2137 miles) is 1 hour 25 minutes, 9 seconds. Now THAT is FAST! (for a hula hooper)
In 1974 at the Canadian Turtle Derby the champion turtle raced from the center of a 25-foot circle to its edge in 39 seconds. Now THAT is FAST (for a turtle)!
And this fun list of records and phenomena could go on and on. Pay attention...you will need some of the facts given above to determine the location of this cache, “How Fast is FAST?!”
THE PUZZLE
The Pawnee National Grassland supports a large number of geocaches; most are components of power trails that have been placed by several cachers. These are easily accessed along the roads that cross this interesting area. I own a number of caches on the Grassland--most of them are placed in areas that require hiking to reach. “How Fast is FAST” is another that necessitates a hike into a rarely-visited area of the Pawnee–an area that despite its “remoteness” is surrounded by many caches along the nearest roads. It’s a location of significant beauty that you will appreciate during your hike to the hiding spot. To determine the coordinates of this cache will require you to become familiar with a couple of my extant caches in the region, as well with as a benchmark in the Pawnee Buttes area. You do not need to actually visit these locations to make your calculations, but reading the cache and benchmark descriptions might entice you to search for them some day.
So here goes. You will need to use the coordinates for the following three locations:
GC2M8WK Weld’s One-n-Only. This is a Traditional cache placed as a tribute to starnsun and OneKindWord. It represents Point A.
GC5KJBR Indian Caves Multi. Only the listed coordinates for this cache are necessary–that is, you do not need to determine the coordinates of the final stage of this Multi-cache. The listed coordinates establish Point B.
The Benchmark at the top of East Pawnee Butte. The position of this benchmark is Point C.
Use these three Points in conjunction with the following information to determine the coordinates for “How Fast is FAST?!”:
A lightning strike occurs at Point A, sending a thunderclap starting exactly from that point. The sound wave reaches the coordinates of “How Fast is FAST?!” in exactly 32.992 seconds.
A circle that has its center at Point B passes precisely through the coordinates of “How Fast is FAST?!”. The Spirit of Australia has been redesigned and built to race on dry terrain similar to that of the Pawnee National Grasslands. On dry land, it still attains the identical average speed it achieved on water at Blowering Dam, even in uneven terrain. It races around the entire circle a single time (instantaneously reaching the average speed it demonstrated at Blowering) in 1,741.9 seconds.
Hickman El Guerrous turned out to be an extraordinarily remarkable competitive runner, able to sustain the speed of his 1-mile record over extended distances in uneven terrain. He leaves Point C and reaches his new finish line (the coordinates of “How Fast is FAST?!”) in 1,137.963 seconds.
Make your calculations, do your map work, determine the coordinates for the cache, and run the Geochecker. The checker allows a variance from the actual coordinates of 10 meters. From closest parking, your hike will require 30-45 minutes each way, so budget sufficient time. The cache is a small jar wrapped in tape, placed beneath the SE side of a long, flattish rock. The container is covered by several small rocks. Please replace it carefully. Enjoy this special area within this National Grassland.
CONGRATULATIONS TO icezebra11 FOR THE FTF!!
Additional Waypoints
How Fast is FAST?!
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Once I arrived at GZ the container was a quick find as the coordinates were spot on. I opened the lid to find a blank log, which I signed in the {FTF} position. I guess I was fast enough! 