Spirit Rock conundrum

[Trekkin and Birdin]

We adopted this virtual from Lil’ Otter. Apparently the historical sign is gone, and is what was needed to log this one. I am guessing it may have been removed (legally) by the Menominee Nation and thus will not be back.
Since it is the only cache in that county, we hate to have to archive it. If you’ve done it, we’d love to hear ideas for a validation email as proof you’ve visited. Thanks.

[gotta run]

Upload a photo with the log.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[RSplash40]

I’d agree with GR – upload photo in front of the tobacco offerings with gps at least until the sign was replaced(guessing it will be).

[zuma]

Yeah, I dont think it should be archived either.

You could ask finders to give you the approx dimensions of Spirit Rock and you could ask them to tell you what unusual item is found around Spirit Rock (tobacco). Something like that.

z[/code]

[bartrod]

I also agree with GR…it’s a great site and area, sign or no sign 😀

Oconto...the birthplace of western civilization:)

[Trekkin and Birdin]

We’d thought of the photo thing, but I know that’s now considered an ALR. Maybe Ralph’s suggestion works. The main thing would be to keep this going.

I’m wondering if that sign *will* be replaced. Since adopting this one, I’ve been reading up on the history of the Menominee Nation and chatting a bit with a couple of my NA friends, who are not Menominee but pretty involved in their own respective tribes’ cultural histories. I’ve been trying to find info specific to the sign’s removal online and can’t, but I’m guessing that it may have been removed by the local government. The whole county is a sovereign nation, so if they don’t want the sign there any longer, it is fully within their legal right to have it removed. I’ve been told that story is not so much a Menominee story as it is a white man’s rendering. That’s not direct commentary, but from reasonably informed folks.

Thanks for the ideas…we’ll entertain others if anyone has them.

[Sagasu]

I agree with zuma. A photo is good, or dimensions, or, if you want to make it a bit more challenging to fill that county, a question about some aspect of the history of that location. 😉

And now seeing T&B’s observations that appeared as I typed, if there is some perspective found that is relevant to the nation that can be researched, that might make the find even more meaningful.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Maybe Dave or Bec can weigh in here, too. I did locate a website with general historic information, and it includes the text from that sign….which makes me wonder about the validity of the site in general. Still, there is basic historic information about the recent history of the tribe and it might relate somewhat to the concept of that rock disappating. Can a virtual cache require a little advance reading, sort of like a puzzle cache? Just a little, we don’t want to make this into a major research project for anyone, but I do like the idea of getting to know a bit more about the people who granted us permission to play our game on their soil.

I might just email Lorrie to get her perspective and insight on this as well. Since she was involved in the original negotiations to allow the placement, I’m sure she can offer some valuable help. Or, if you’re reading this…..shoot me a PM! 😉

[gotta run]

Yeah, it’s an ALR but that’s allowed on virtual caches, just like the email with information would be, right?

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Team Deejay]

The ALR rule doesn’t apply to old virtuals, especially when it is part of the verifications. Just add the photo requirement (and maybe add a bunch of text to the cache page, as no one will understand what it is all about without the sign.)

[sandlanders]

We have done quite a few virtuals all over that require photos, and we usually take one or more anyway at a virtual site. We have also seen sites where a sign has been taken down for refurbishing or something, and people just send a photo of themselves with the empty spot and what’s left there, as did the most recent visitor to Spirit Rock. Maybe that sign is just being redone, since the posts are still there. Wait and see how it plays out.

A photo might eliminate those armchair logs, if you’re still getting any. The text of most, if not all, Wisconsin historical markers can be found online, for those lazy and/or less than ethical cachers who only want the smiley on a cache such as this one.

[Barry Butrymowicz]

I would think that the sign is going to be replaced if the poles are still there, the last time we were thru there, it needed a new paint job, might want to call the Menominee Nation and see if it is going to be replaced.

[Northwoods Tom]

@Trekkin’ and Birdin’ wrote:

I’ve been told that story is not so much a Menominee story as it is a white man’s rendering. That’s not direct commentary, but from reasonably informed folks.

When I made my stop at this virtual, the fact that there were the “tobacco offerings” at this site made me realize that there was significance to this site.

With the sign gone, some kind of response to the significance of the tobacco. Or the “why” is there tobacco here.

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