maconart

Today I unexpectedly met two Alabama Geocachers, BigDaddyJD and Dav5. I attended and event called C.A.S.T. for Kids. It was held on Lake Martin at Wind Creek State Park which is 200 miles from home. The event is for handicapped children and families of these children to enjoy a day of fishing and boating. Many anglers gave their time and shared their "Big Boy Toys" with these families. It gives them respite from the daily issues and challenges they face. While there at the event, I keyed in nearby caches only to realize a "Cache for Kids Event" was a mere 300 feet away from where I stood. I went to the tent and there I met BigDaddyJD and Dav5 who were their to share the sport of geocaching with the many families. They drove quite a few miles and it was a full day event and they stayed till the end. I am proud to know there are others who can be unselfish and share themselves with these families. After a 500+ days absent from the game, they make me proud to be a geocacher and have put my heart back into the game. Kudos BigDaddyJD and Dav5. Thank you for your gift today.

Great work as always. I am excited that I will be logging and coloring in 4 Counties in Alabama with marks recoved this past weekend.

I purchased the clip on style Marble Compass, the style Air Force pilots pinned to their Bomber Jackets. It is a simple compass and nothing more, but it is extremely durable. I keep it attached to the lanyard of the GPS. You can check it out here

Here is the best way to scroll for benchmarks. http://benchmarks.scaredycatfilms.com/index.html

I have a GPS Map 76 that has got me to over 450 caches and 431 benchmarks. It has been a good unit. My wife gave me a new Color GPSMap for Christmas, otherwise I would still be using this one. I do not have any additional maps since I am Mac based and that is a problem. A PC guy could do all kinds of things to it. I would be willing to let it go for $80. including shipping. If you are interested send me an email at maconart@mindspring.com.

The wand works to about 6 " depending upon the density of the debris. It works great on the "Culvert" benchmarks that are covered with grass/growth. You can locate the area on the culvert to clean the grass away. It also works about a foot above kudzu vines and leaf debris. The wand works on the "rod" benchmarks as well.

I primarily use a Wand style used by Security guys. Here in Alabama the mark is usually covered by years of grass or kudzoo debris. It works well for me and greatly improved my finds. I think I got it on ebay for $24.00. It is much easier to tote than the full size MDs.

I meant 30 recoveries in November, not October. Which would also color in two more counties in Alabama.

FYI. and to add to the count, I logged in 30 Alabama recovery marks during the month of October.

Leaves of three... let it be? This is a close representation but notice the "thumb" on some of the leaves. Just another local weed that is as deceiving as "Virginia Creeper".

Sometimes the beauty is up close.

Some reason it doubled the reply

Here it is... http://benchmarks.scaredycatfilms.com/index.html I love it while traveling.

The building did not completely fall in. The fire gutted the entire building. The roof/coupala is all new but built back to the original look. From the info of the Datam sheet I believe this to be the mark. I am just not use to seeing a mark of this age in Alabama with all the detail datam stamped in it, which is why I posed the question. Thank you all for your knowledge

My fellow Benchmarkers, I reached my 400th mark today while at my old Alma Mater, Auburn University. I also will be able to "color in" two white counties in Alabama that I traveled through to arrive there. There was a mark that I have questioned CM0674. I know the building burned down in 1978. I sat on a building steps nearby watching the fire. The building was restored. There is a mark at the site in the exact location described. Is this the mark? or is it a not found reset. I would like to hear your comments and from those I will amend my log. thanks to all and have a safe Thanksgiving.

Nice! You can virtually see my trip from Hanceville, Alabama to Baton Rouge, LA.

Thanks for the info. I located the mark and posted and entered a recovery form. Not a good shot but it is there.

Perfect! Now I know too much about what I am looking for. Thanks.

I am going to the LSU area next week and was going to do some benchmarking. On one of the marks I cam across this discripttion and was wondering if one of you could explain what it is I will be looking for. It states, 1991 L1 PHASE CENTER OF CORS STATION. FYI it is for AB3309 Thanks ahead of time for your knowledge.

Here is just one to add. DH2737 REG

Finally getting around to logging some marks. This is my first shot at doing this. AA7693 REG AA7807 REG AA7808 REG EF1694 REG EF1351 REG EF0765 REG EF1350 REG More to come. Cheers!

Sign me up as well... I'll give it a shot.

Like Team Sagefox, I live in a cache starved environment. My desire for the GPS Gaming lead me to benchmarking and now I prefer it over Geocaching. I ratio about 6 benchmarks to one geocache. Why? Because there are usually five marks or more, near, or on the way to the cache. It is also easier to explain that you are looking for a Government Mark than a "Pill Bottle" some one has hidden, usually without permission.

I wish it would have been an exciting mark but it was just a typical, in the ground, mark at Neely Henry Dam, near Ragland, Alabama. The mark had been found before so I didn't even have the first to log going for me.

I found Benchmark #300 today. Not bad for a red mud, kudzoo covered, 30 year collection of dead grass and weeds state. Now to 400 and beyond. I am trying to color in the central north part of Alabama.