Best of the West Series #5: Sam Cobra
Placed by: realroadrunner (contact the placer)
Placement date: May 29 2004
State: Nevada
County: Clark
Nearest city: Las Vegas
Number of boxes: 1

Clues
Terrain: Steep
Difficulty: Moderate, requires some bouldering
Clues: Moderate
Status: Awaiting first finder as of 5/29/04

Favorite toys from the childhood of many of my contemporaries were the acti=
on figures
and animals from the Marx Johnny West and Best of the West series.

These 12" figures included our hero, Johnny, Jane his wife...daughter Josie=
(and later
Janice)...his boy Elroy (no wait, that was somebody else)...his boys Jay an=
d Jamie...bad man
Sam Cobra, and noble Native Americans Geronimo, Chief Cherokee, and later F=
ighting
Eagle and Princess Wildflower. Later came Custer and the Calvary, a couple =
of Sheriffs, and
a variety of UK, Canadian and Mexican versions. These figures exhibited ful=
l articulation
and molded on clothes, and came with a host of vinyl and poly-plastic acces=
sories. The
series ran from 1965 to 1975. Somehow my parents neglected to buy these for=
me at the
time, but like a good boomer, I am happily acquiring them now.

This series of stamps (five so far) celebrates these figures and takes them=
down off the
collector's shelf and puts them back into the Western landscape they love. =
Yee-haw!

Our story continues as the cowardly bad man, Sam Cobra, flees with his boot=
y to his
hideout deep in the Spring Mountains. The aptly named trail to Robbers' Roo=
st, is accessed
from the junction of Highway 95 north and Highway 157 west, north of Las Ve=
gas about
19 miles. Go west approximately 17.5 miles to the junction with Highway 158=
, Deer Creek
Canyon Road, and travel up the mountain approximately 3.2 miles to a paved =
turnout on
the side of the road. The trail head is across the road, so be careful cros=
sing. The trail
steeply climbs about 870 feet as it hugs sheer rock cliffs leading to a ser=
ies of caves.

At the landing point directly below the largest cave overhang on your right=
, you may
encounter rock climbers doing their acrobatics. Pick your way up and around=
the largest
cave on a rock and gravel trail about 100 steps. You will arrive at a dirt =
trail leading off at
a bearing of 45-50 degrees.

Take this trail about 12 paces towards this bearing and arrive at a pine tr=
ee with severly
exposed roots forming steps up to another series of caves, one which kind o=
f looks like an
angry gorilla. Go up these organic steps about 13 paces and take a bearing =
of 70 degrees.

You will notice two ways of heading towards a cave with a prominent rock in=
front of it
forming a negative space triangle with the cave lip. Go 12 paces at 70 degr=
ees and
squeeze through a tight, thigh-high passage between two rocks.

Enter the deepest part of the cave, and using a flashlight, examine the sma=
ll landing at its
very back. You can capture Sam Cobra who is hiding under three medium sized=
rocks.

If you exit the cave, there is a good spot to sit and stamp in directly acr=
oss from the
opening.

BONUS: Marx Toys Logo Intra-Series Hitchhiker
Keep your eye out for a lil' extra stamp of the Marx Toys logo to complete =
the Best of the
West series. When you find it, stamp the logo on your Best of the West imag=
e, as shown on
the cover of the log book, and count that box as one "f" and one "hh." You =
may take the
stamp with you and leave it in the last Best of the West series box you vis=
it, otherwise
leave it for the next finder, thanks!

Before you set out, please read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer=
.