Team Fawlty

Thanks GEO*Trailblazer 1 & 2oldfarts (the rockhounders), our package arrived today. GEO*Trailblazer 1, we were missing that coin in our geocoin/benchmark coin collection. Plus it's the special edition one. Thanks. 2oldfarts (the rockhounders) we enjoyed looking at your pictures and adventures on the CD. You really do capture the oohs and ahhs in your photography. We were enjoying the pics but when we got to the Dino Tracks we started laughing because we tried to find those Dino tracks and couldn't find em. I remember we saw the sign and turned off the road and passed an Indian souvenir stand on the side of the road. We followed that road to the end. Didn't know which way we should go so we turned right. Drove a bit and figured that wasn't the way to go so we turned around and went the other way and that wasn't right either. So we gave up and just figured there weren't any Dino Tracks. Wow we finally got to see them. Thanks! Jo Ann

What a very nice day, a Witness Tree, a rock cairn, a USGS mark, a cute deer and great pictures of all of them. Are you going to try to research the tree? Jo Ann

I like how the first poster implied that since he found a disk and not a bolt, the datasheet must be wrong. Brendan

Very good point and we have just recovered a good example of that. In the Tippicanoe River State Park in Indiana, there is a triangulation station disk ME2370 There is a lot going on at this location. This location is a hiking and horseback riding trail that has an old Fire Tower on it. At the location of the fire tower in the middle of the trail is RM 1 projecting about 6 inches. If you aren't careful when walking the trail to the Fire Tower you will trip over RM 1. Because it's out in the open it has been vandalized and is unreadable. I think there is also a geocache somewhere nearby this location. The hikers and geocachers are logging RM 1 as the benchmark. Also in this location is RM 3. It is located off to the side of trail but isn't as noticeable as RM 1 and so it isn't getting mistaken like RM 1 is for the benchmark. The station is also here but it is way off to the side of the trail and was well covered up. It is in really good condition, I'm guessing because it was so well covered up and not noticeable from the trail. We covered it back up, to help preserve it. To complicate even more the Fire Tower ME2372 itself is also loggable. The RM 1 is also getting logged as a find for the Fire Tower PID. Without the few pictures that have been posted with the finds we could have only assumed that everyone was finding and logging the correct marks. As it turns out most aren't correct. I have to totally agree with AstroD-Team. Jo Ann

We know but, we will let Geo tell. Jo Ann

What was the answer to the last bonus question? Jo Ann

Sorry double post Jo Ann

Thanks Geo for the Contest. We had fun. It was a difficult contest but the challenge is what made it fun. We pushed our normal limits recovering a couple of the benchmarks for the contest. We went further from our GZ than usual and found some very interesting things. We found a tractor on top of a grain elevator, an old car being used as a lawn decoration, giant statue of Abe Lincoln, and a giant Ice Cream Cone. A place called Pleasant Corners that did not look pleasant, and lots of abandoned railroad stations. We drove on our 1st field road and with extreme caution we walked RR tracks in rural areas, and found benchmarks in weeds taller than us. Once we drove about an hour from home for a recovery. When we got there we found the BM in the side lawn of a house that had not one, not two but THREE big barking dogs tied up just inches from the BM we had come to recover. Mr Fawlty got that picture. One BM was near a Fire department that was practicing putting out car fires. That was interesting. We found Green Acres Dr and Bug Tussle Road. On one recovery trip we even found a Tombstone with our last name on it and no dates. That was kinda creepy. Lots of fun. We are looking forward to the next contest. Jo Ann

Optional but if we are trying to recover one that has been a previous "Not found" we always bring the camera. If we are able to recover the benchmark we'll take pictures of the surrounding area to show the changes that might be the reason for the previous not found. A picture speaks a thousand words. Jo Ann

Adding for Week 5, C 2XX MF0744, C 237, 1960, FTR 50 points

Logging in with a few Benchmark recoveries for the contest. Week 4, E 2XX, Logging this mark for points ME1473, E 26 RESET 1967, FTR 50 points Week 9, M 1XX MF0417, M 141 RESET 1963, 5 points Week 8, M 2XX ME1481, M 26, 1934, FTR 50 points + Age 10 points = 60 points Week 7, N 2XX ME1552, N 206, 1959, FTR 50 points

A few Benchmark numbers to log in. Week 5 for our free space we are going to use: MF0243 on the "A 3XX" square. MF0243, B 28, 1934 age 10pts + FTR 50pts + Not found 100pts = 160pts Week 4 we are logging a second find for square "E 2XX" MF1266, E 231, 1979 Reset, FTR 50pts +100pts Not Found = 150pts Week 4 logging a second find for square "B 0XX N" MF0418, N 141, 1947, age 10pts

We have a few Benchmarks to log Three for Week 7, N 2XX, ME1495, N 27, 1934 10pts age + FTR 50pts = 60pts A 1XX, ME1492, A 166, 1954, FTR 50pts H 0XX L, ME3338, L 166 RESET, 1984, FTR 50pts One for Week 6, R 0XX E, LC0212, E 40, 1935 age 10pts

Too bad there's not extra points for altitude. Nice pictures Like the pictures of the truck in the background.

We have one to log for the game. Week 5, H 2xx, MF0249, H 28, 1934, Age + FTR = 60 points Jo Ann

I used H 206 for that hole. Would you like me to change it? Yes, that's Okay. I see where it's at on the Excel worksheet. Thanks Jo Ann On the Excel Bingo Benchmark worksheet we have ME1468 - H206 Reset - 1967 - 5 pts - Week 1 - that's okay I was getting confused because there is typo on the Excel worksheet, I think. Week 5 - on excel sheet it has H 8XX But it should be H 2XX it's correct on the Word document. Week 6 - on excel sheet it has H XX7 should be H 7XX M XX6 should be M 6XX A XX9 should be A 9XX Jo Ann

I used H 206 for that hole. Would you like me to change it? Yes, that's Okay. I see where it's at on the Excel worksheet. Thanks Jo Ann

I used H 206 for that hole. Would you like me to change it? Where did you put H 206? Jo Ann

Need to log this one too, Week 4, E 2XX ME1546, E 207, 1959, 5 points. Jo Ann

Logging in with one to use for week 5, H 2XX, MF0249, H 28, 1934, 10 points for age and 50 points for FTR, Total= 60 points. Jo Ann

We recovered one today. MF0081 G142 1947 week 5, 10 points Jo Ann

How cool to get a benchmark on top of Shinumo Altar. I'll keep my fingers crossed that an "S" comes up. I'm enjoying the pictures of your benchmark recoveries. We are in Illinois and most of our finds are in cornfields. Our cornfields just can't stand up to the beauty of the scenery you have in Arizona. Wish we would have known about benchmarking and geocaching last time we were in Arizona. Jo Ann

Our day was not as adventurous as 2 oldfarts. Here's what we're logging for the contest: B 0XX N - MF0113, N 140, 1947, 10 points H 0XX A - ME1579, A 207, 1959, FTF 50 points H 2XX - ME1468, H 206 RESET, 1967, 5 points Jo Ann

Hi, Jo Ann. I asked the same question a while back. You can recover anything starting with those letters. Please see the thread where we're discussing the contest numbers and how to interpret them. Your question is answered in my posting and the one immediately below it. Patty Thanks, Jo Ann