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Invasion of the Byway Snatchers - OU05DA
Finding this cache will show you what Russian Olive trees can do to an old road and other areas, like along a creek.
Owner: ithink314
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Altitude: m. ASL.
 Region: United States > Virginia
Cache type: Traditional
Size: Regular
Status: Ready for Search
Time required: 1:00 h    Distance to travel: 0.50 km
Date hidden: 2010-12-31
Date created: 2013-01-26
Date published: 2013-01-26
Last modification: 2017-12-05
0x Found
0x Not found
0 notes
watchers 0 watchers
317 visitors
0 x rated
Rated as: n/a
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Cache attributes

Available in Winter  Poison Plants  Snakes  Ticks  Thorns  Stealth Required  Bring Your Own Pen  In the Woods  Munzee  Password needed to post log entry! 

Please read the Opencaching attributes article.
Comment from OC Team

Data: 01/28/2013 13:57:40, add by DudleyGruntIf you edit the page, you will have an option to add parking coordinates, as with the GC.com listing.

Description EN
WARNING: This cache has not been found in over 3 years, even on the other listing site. I'll check on it when/if I get a round tuit, but for now, you've been warned.
The logging passcode is on the laminated sheet inside the cache.  

This is a cammo plastic mixed nut container in the woods along an old abandoned road, between a washed out bridge and a newer highway.

* * * Congratulations to The L360 Ninja for FTF!! * * *

This cache is best found during winter, and should be avoided during summer overgrowth season. I hope you enjoy passing through Russian Olive trees, and their spikes, as much as I did.

To go around the steep hill instead of climbing it: From the suggested parking, head west, then southwest down an overgrown, old dirt road. Stay east of 501, and just west of the creek along the mostly level area. Head up along the creek (without a paddle) until you run into the old paved road; look closely or you'll miss it. Turn right and head west, then northwest until you come to the cache, just to the east of the old paved road.

Alternatively, if you want to wade across the creek, start at the alternate parking, and follow the old road the whole way. About mid-way, wade across the creek at the missing one-lane bridge.

If you follow the old byway to the end, you'll have a good overlook of Route 501, and towards Triffid's Treasure #2: Lost Highway (GCG6T8).

More about Russian Olive trees:

The plant is quite hardy and grows well near highways in particular.

Russian olive is a deciduous tree or shrub growing to 35 ft. (10.6 m) in height. Russian olive is easily recognized by the silvery, scaly underside of the leaves and slightly thorny stems. Leaves are alternate and 1/2 in. (1.3 cm) wide. Small, yellowish flowers or hard green to yellow fruits are abundant and occur on clusters near the stems in the spring and summer. Russian olive invades old fields, woodland edges, and other disturbed areas. It can form a dense shrub layer which displaces native species and closes open areas. Russian olive is native to Europe and western Asia and was introduced into North America in the late 1800s. Since then it has been widely planted for wildlife habitat, mine reclamation, and shelterbelts.
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Common Name: Russian olive (also Russian-olive, Russian olive); Oleaster
Scientific Name: Elaeagnus angustifolia L.
Classification: Division: Magnoliophyta (angiosperms, flowe plants) Class: Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons) Order: Rhamnales Family: Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster family)

The Russian olive was originally planted in Eurasia as an ornamental tree, and was first cultivated in Germany in 1736.

Site and Date of Introduction: The Russian olive was introduced to the central and western United States in the late 1800’s as an ornamental tree and a windbreak, before spreading into the wild. By the mid 1920’s it became naturalized in Nevada and Utah, and in Colorado in the 1950’s.

Mode(s) of Introduction: The Russian olive was purposely introduced by human beings since it is an attractive, thriving landscape species. Its dense, silvery foliage provides a good hedge or screen to block out unwanted views. The plant is quite hardy and grows well near highways in particular. In the 1940’s, the Russian olive was deliberately planted in the eastern and southern U.S. for revegetation of disturbed areas and until recently it was transplanted for wildlife planting and windbreaks by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service.

Reason(s) why it has Become Established: The Russian olive has been extremely successful in the United States mainly due to its resistance to varying water, soil and temperature conditions, a proliferation of seed-dispersing birds and its nitrogen-fixing ability. Birds foraging on the Russian olive’s fruit scatter seeds at a very rapid rate. As the seeds are ingested along with the fruit by birds and other small mammals, they are subsequently scattered in their droppings. The seeds of the Russian olive are very resilient, enduring the stomach’s digestive juices, and distributing themselves for up to three years over a broad range of soil types. The Russian olive is simply a very adaptive tree and tends to be an initial colonizer post-disturbance. It is very widespread in riparian zones and is found growing along floodplains, riverbanks, streams and marshes. The Russian olive can tolerate large amounts of salinity and can grow well in a variety of soil combinations from sand to heavy clay. It can also survive a unique range of temperature (from –50 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit) and can tolerate shade well, allowing it to withstand competition from other trees and shrubs. The Russian olive can also absorb nitrogen into its roots, thereby having the ability to grow on bare, mineral surfaces and dominate other riparian vegetation where old growth trees once survived.

Benefit(s): The Russian olive is principally an ornamental. Including the ecological benefits listed above, the Russian olive and its tremendous adaptability has allowed it to be planted for erosion control and highway and landscape enhancement. The branches from the Russian olive not only provide shade and shelter, but some fuel wood, gum and resin. The fruit of the Russian olive can be used as a base in some fruit beverages and the plant has also been know to be a source of honey. As previously mentioned, the Russian olives’ nitrogen-fixing ability makes it a good companion tree by increasing surrounding crops’ yield and growth, however with its ability to take over very quickly, it is wise to plant another species.

Control Level Diagnosis: The Russian olive has been categorized as a noxious weed in New Mexico and Utah, and as an invasive weed by California, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Wyoming state authorities. There is a serious concern that should the Russian olive continue to establish itself, it will become the dominant woody plant along Colorado’s rivers, where it is already taking over hundreds of thousands of acres of cottonwood and willow woodlands. Some cities are already taking steps to remove the Russian olive.

Control Method: The Russian olive is difficult, if not impossible, to control or eradicate. The main reason for this is the Russian olives’ capability of producing root crown shoots and “suckers”. Pruning or simply cutting does not have any effect on the Russian olive, as it tends to resprout heartily from the root stump. The Russian olive is also a fire resistant plant and tends to colonize burned areas, yet burning with a combination of herbicide spraying on the stump can possibly prevent the Russian olive from resprouting. Mowing the Russian olive with a brush type mower and removing cut material (and then spraying) is probably the most effective way of attempting to eradicate the plant.
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(Formerly GC2KW7K)
Additional waypoints
Symbol Type Coordinates Description
Parking area --- Suggested Parking
Parking area --- Alternate parking, for waders
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